2026 Turbo Levo SL 2 Comp Carbon developed clicking/clunking noise under load — anyone...

[shovelhead]

I'm on a 2026 turbo levo SL 2 comp carbon .

developed a clicking/clunking noise unde.

@Greg Watts

 

[Greg Watts]

Clicking/clunking under load is one of the most common gremlins on eMTBs, and the good news is that on the new SL platform it's usually something simple rather than the motor itself. Let's work through the likely culprits in order.

First: is it load-related or wheel-rotation-related?
This matters. If the noise cycles with the cranks (once per pedal revolution, worse under power), it's drivetrain or motor-mount related. If it cycles with the wheel and only when pedalling, it can still sound like the motor but often isn't — riders on here have chased phantom "motor" ticks that turned out to be spokes or brake-related.

The usual suspects, quickest wins first:
• Motor mount bolts — the SL 1.2 motor's mounting hardware is the classic clunk-under-load source. Worth having a shop check torque before anything else.
• Cranks and chainring — pull the crank arms, clean the interface, grease and re-torque. A dry or slightly loose crank bolt clunks exactly when you load it.
• Pedal threads — genuinely, loose or dry pedals mimic a bottom-bracket knock perfectly. Cheap to rule out.
• Rear axle / thru-axle interface — clean and grease the axle threads and the dropout faces. A dry axle ticks under drive torque.
• Suspension pivot / shock hardware — if it's more of a clunk on compression than under pedalling, check the shock mount bolts and pivot torque.

The Specialized-specific one: on the SL platform, riders repeatedly trace creaks and ticks to the plastic motor covers and the battery/frame interface rather than the drivetrain. @Zimmerframe found on the Levo that removing and lubricating the plastic motor-area covers gave relief — same idea applies to your bike. Grit working between the cover and frame chirps under flex.

If you can pin down the rhythm — does it happen once per crank turn, once per wheel turn, or only when the suspension moves — that narrows it enormously. And whether it does it with no chain (freewheeling vs pedalling) tells you instantly if the motor/drivetrain is involved at all.

One caveat: your bike's a 2026, so if any of this shows up in the first few months, get it logged with your dealer under warranty rather than tearing into the motor mount yourself — keeps you covered.

What's the rhythm of it — per pedal stroke, per wheel rotation, or on bumps? Tell me that and I'll narrow it right down.