Max assistance speed with USA spec Levo - RESOLVED!

jeffintheusa

Member
Dec 12, 2018
28
26
MA - North Shore
I did some testing today on some flat and uphill trail sections and found my motor cuts out at 16MPH when it should be 20MPH. Anyone else experienced this? I pedaled slightly above and below this speed and could feel the assistance toggle on/off.

I have contacted my LBS and they are going to contact Specialized. On the surface it would seem like the motor is configured as EU spec instead of the USA.

PROBLEM RESOLVED!

My LBS spoke to Specialized who suggested doing a "force update motor firmware" via the Turbo Studio software. Because this had not been done prior to delivery my bike was running the EU speed limited firmware. The bike now will provide assistance up to 20mph. The acceleration definitely levels off as you approach 20mph but the support is still present all the way up to and at that speed.

Hope this helps others who might experience face the same problem.
 
Last edited:

HGmtb

Active member
Patreon
Jan 16, 2019
142
115
Sydney
The cut-off speed on my 2019 Levo is also lower than it is supposed to be - about 22/23 kph instead of 25. I have the Specialized display, which indicates 25 when the assistance stops, but all the other speed measuring devices I have tested indicate the real speed is lower - and the distance covered is lower than the Specialized display shows too (by about 10%). I appreciate this is not necessarily the issue you are concerned about, however it may be related - having such a low cut-off limit is frustrating enough, without it actually being even lower than it is legislated to be.
 

jeffintheusa

Member
Dec 12, 2018
28
26
MA - North Shore
The cut-off speed on my 2019 Levo is also lower than it is supposed to be - about 22/23 kph instead of 25. I have the Specialized display, which indicates 25 when the assistance stops, but all the other speed measuring devices I have tested indicate the real speed is lower - and the distance covered is lower than the Specialized display shows too (by about 10%). I appreciate this is not necessarily the issue you are concerned about, however it may be related - having such a low cut-off limit is frustrating enough, without it actually being even lower than it is legislated to be.
Interesting. I was going to make a separate post about the fact that my bike computer (Bryton Rider 330) which is paired to the LEVO wheel sensor records a different distance than what I see in mission control and the speed it displays isn't in sync with the TCD. Sometimes it even drops out all together. I have programmed my Bryton with the same wheel diameter as is displayed in Mission Control, 2255mm.
 

HGmtb

Active member
Patreon
Jan 16, 2019
142
115
Sydney
Fairly sure my Mission Control has the wheel circumference set at 2300 mm - and it can't be changed. I'll measure the actual circumference this evening, which I expect will be a bit larger (with original Butcher Tyre, at about 23 psi).
 

Drburns

New Member
Nov 22, 2018
35
41
USA
MC lists the wheel circumference at 2300. My actual circumference was 2255. I found that my speed was cutting off right around 16-17mph too. I almost think I have a euro spec bike. BLEvo fixes all of that however. I’ve set mine to 20mph.
 

jeffintheusa

Member
Dec 12, 2018
28
26
MA - North Shore
I visited the LBS where I purchased my bike and he confirmed the assist cuts off around 16-17mph but thought that this may be just where it ramps down but it's still present up to 20mph. It doesn't feel that way to me but there does seem to be a way to know for sure. Thinking I might be able to use BLevo to monitor the bike stats and see if that is the case, although I'm hesitant to use that tool because I don't want to void my warranty.

I'm eager to hear from others as to their experience.
 

jeffintheusa

Member
Dec 12, 2018
28
26
MA - North Shore
PROBLEM RESOLVED!

My LBS spoke to Specialized who suggested doing a "force update motor firmware" via the Turbo Studio software. Because this had not been done prior to delivery my bike was running the EU speed limited firmware. The bike now will provide assistance up to 20mph. The acceleration definitely levels off as you get to 20mph but the support is still present all the way up to and at that speed.

Hope this helps others who might experience face the same problem.
 
Last edited:

jeffintheusa

Member
Dec 12, 2018
28
26
MA - North Shore
What version was your firmware before and what is it now?
It is the same version that it was before the update, I think 0.6.1.0? (don't have the bike handy to check it). The problem is that the Turbo Studio software checks the version# and if the bike has the current version the firmware update button is greyed out. So, they had to check a separate box that said "force motor firmware update". When he did that a message was displayed saying "this will update the bike to 20 MPH", which of course was exactly what I wanted. Then the update button was enabled and the firmware updated and the higher top speed was unlocked.

UPDATE 1/25/2018
I checked and the exact firmware version is 6.1.0 - exactly the same as it was before the update. It makes sense to me that they would have the same version number for US and EU but just the max speed limit is different.
 
Last edited:

mxengineer1

Active member
Oct 29, 2018
41
53
Ohio, USA
It is the same version that it was before the update, I think 0.6.1.0? (don't have the bike handy to check it). The problem is that the Turbo Studio software checks the version# and if the bike has the current version the firmware update button is greyed out. So, they had to check a separate box that said "force motor firmware update". When he did that a message was displayed saying "this will update the bike to 20 MPH", which of course was exactly what I wanted. Then the update button was enabled and the firmware updated and the higher top speed was unlocked.
.

Picked up a new 2018 Turbo Levo Comp and motor assist to about 16 mph. LBS did the forced software update and it now assists up to 18 mph. In Mission Control app I can see the motor assist watts along with speed and watts (motor assist) drop of after 18mph. The Bosch motor in my Trek Powerfly assists right up to 20mph.
 

jeffintheusa

Member
Dec 12, 2018
28
26
MA - North Shore
Picked up a new 2018 Turbo Levo Comp and motor assist to about 16 mph. LBS did the forced software update and it now assists up to 18 mph. In Mission Control app I can see the motor assist watts along with speed and watts (motor assist) drop of after 18mph. The Bosch motor in my Trek Powerfly assists right up to 20mph.
I feel max assist also up to that speed (~18mph) and then it tapers off. Just above and below 20mph I can feel it on/off. I believe the rationale is that if it gave max power all the way to 20mph you would overshoot. I would test just above/below 20mph at a steady pace to see if you feel the same as me. I'm very happy with how mine is working.
 

PaoloBLEvo

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Trader
Jun 13, 2018
1,449
1,184
Varese
I'm interested to understand how is possible to change the "region of the motor" in order to change the speed limit. Is this possible only by the dealer? What he does? Only forcing firmware update?
 

eabmex

Member
Patreon
Jun 8, 2018
97
87
Guadalajara, Mexico
Mine was updated yesterday, it used to have the European version limited to 25 kmh, when it was updated there was a message on the screen stating that the new speed limit was being set to 32 kmh, I also asked for the circumference to be set at 2000 (the smallest setting) so my bike now has assist up to about 36 kmh, I am very happy! I tested it yestrtsa6and it makes quite a difference
 

die

New Member
Jan 10, 2023
9
0
rovereto, italia
Due to the nerd european limit to 25KMH (trolling around the forums with no answer) for the possibility to install US firmware to achieve 20Mph (=32kmh) on turbo levo 2022
 

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