Help me decide Trek rail+ vs Levo 4

[Undecisive]

Hi all,

After much research and deliberation. I have narrowed down to Trek rail+ and Levo alloy. Which would you choose and why?

My options are Carbon Trek rail+ or Alloy Levo 4.

I have ridden the a Trek rail+ alloy and enjoyed it so I know the carbon will be great.

I have only ridden the alloy Levo 4 in a car park.

Something keeps drawing me to the Levo l think I prefer the look even though the trek gives me more for the money and even on the car park test the Trek felt livelier more agile and better body position (think this could be adjusted on the Levo tho). Size L rail and S4 Levo.

Thank you

 

[Ride 2d@y]

Hi all,

After much research and deliberation. I have narrowed down to Trek rail+ and Levo alloy. Which would you choose and why?

My options are Carbon Trek rail+ or Alloy Levo 4.

I have ridden the a Trek rail+ alloy and enjoyed it so I know the carbon will be great.

I have only ridden the alloy Levo 4 in a car park.

Something keeps drawing me to the Levo l think I prefer the look even though the trek gives me more for the money and even on the car park test the Trek felt livelier more agile and better body position (think this could be adjusted on the Levo tho). Size L rail and S4 Levo.

Thank you

Since you are indecisive, maybe add service and support of your LBS as a deciding factor.

 

[Undecisive]

Since you are indecisive, maybe add service and support of your LBS as a deciding factor.

Thanks that is a consideration. Both are available locally specialized Levo 4 more readily available tho.

Hope that someone may have ridden both and can give some advice on cornering etc between the two. Trek rail+ was nice but wanted to push understeer in some turns think due to the weight and my lack of skill. The Levo 4 is heavier so is this sensation amplified? Or does the layout of the Levo change this?

With the cost being so high and resale value of e-bikes not being good I need to make the right decision and keep the bike a long time hence my indecision.

 

[Stihldog]

I had access to a few different good brands of EMTB’s ( within 5-10km). I purchased the carbon Trek Rail, but I would probably be happy with any other good brand. The Bosch motor tipped the scale for me at the time.

 

[Ride 2d@y]

Another strategy is to get a good deal on a base model of either brand - ride it but pamper it for a year, then sell it after you get to know EMTBs. It will be easier to sell with 1 year left on warranty etc

 

[Polar]

What about finding a new Levo G3 with a big discount.

 

[Pizzman]

No one should convince you
The differences exist. But no matter which one… you’ll be riding and the one you didn’t buy won’t matter.
For newer riders here’s the priorities

LBS support
Riding style (important for frame choice)
Cost

I chose Levo because it was suited best for my style, my LBS is a dealer, I already own Specialized, and have had no issues.
As far as trail performance
EVERYONE who rides my Levo says 2 things in this order

1. Ooof it’s heavy

2. Holy cow you can’t tell it is so heavy on the trail.

And both are very true

 

[irie]

I had access to a few different good brands of EMTB’s ( within 5-10km). I purchased the carbon Trek Rail, but I would probably be happy with any other good brand. The Bosch motor tipped the scale for me at the time.

This ^^^

 

[Undecisive]

No one should convince you
The differences exist. But no matter which one… you’ll be riding and the one you didn’t buy won’t matter.
For newer riders here’s the priorities

LBS support
Riding style (important for frame choice)
Cost

I chose Levo because it was suited best for my style, my LBS is a dealer, I already own Specialized, and have had no issues.
As far as trail performance
EVERYONE who rides my Levo says 2 things in this order

1. Ooof it’s heavy

2. Holy cow you can’t tell it is so heavy on the trail.

And both are very true

No one should convince you
The differences exist. But no matter which one… you’ll be riding and the one you didn’t buy won’t matter.
For newer riders here’s the priorities

LBS support
Riding style (important for frame choice)
Cost

I chose Levo because it was suited best for my style, my LBS is a dealer, I already own Specialized, and have had no issues.
As far as trail performance
EVERYONE who rides my Levo says 2 things in this order

1. Ooof it’s heavy

2. Holy cow you can’t tell it is so heavy on the trail.

And both are very true

no matter which one I buy I’ll always regret not buying the other .

I’m interested in hearing more on point 2. Which Levo do you have?

Don’t want it to be too much of a plow bike. Prefer the “poppy playful” feeling to the stuck to the ground, fast and smooth feeling.

 

[Pizzman]

no matter which one I buy I’ll always regret not buying the other .

I’m interested in hearing more on point 2. Which Levo do you have?

Don’t want it to be too much of a plow bike. Prefer the “poppy playful” feeling to the stuck to the ground, fast and smooth feeling.

Levo 4 expert

If you are describing bike characteristics….. it’s hard in a few words. It may be more stuck to the ground, fast, and smooth. In the air it responds well to position inputs. IE it can be flicked around.
Plow? That’s sounds like combination of weight shifts and technique. I sorta get what you are asking. I’d say my bike is not a plow. It’s fine in turns, inside, outside upside down. Tracks amazing, goes right where I look.
The suck most…… putting on the rack. Takes more technique than riding it.
Don’t get to hung up on details.
It was said earlier. Get a bike and ride it. The questions will disappear into smiles. You’ll learn more by doing than asking a bunch of know it alls who want every chance to justify their amazing toys.

 

[Undecisive]

Levo 4 expert

If you are describing bike characteristics….. it’s hard in a few words. It may be more stuck to the ground, fast, and smooth. In the air it responds well to position inputs. IE it can be flicked around.
Plow? That’s sounds like combination of weight shifts and technique. I sorta get what you are asking. I’d say my bike is not a plow. It’s fine in turns, inside, outside upside down. Tracks amazing, goes right where I look.
The suck most…… putting on the rack. Takes more technique than riding it.
Don’t get to hung up on details.
It was said earlier. Get a bike and ride it. The questions will disappear into smiles. You’ll learn more by doing than asking a bunch of know it alls who want every chance to justify their amazing toys.

View attachment 170192

Thanks for the info! Bike looks really nice!

 

[irie]

Thanks for the info! Bike looks really nice!

The forks, shock, wheels, brakes, rotors, stem etc. on @Pizzman bike are not standard on the stock bike as shipped, but do look really nice of course.

 

[Pizzman]

The forks, shock, wheels, brakes, rotors, stem etc. on @Pizzman bike are not standard on the stock bike as shipped, but do look really nice of course.

cheers

 

[Hicksy 92]

Thanks that is a consideration. Both are available locally specialized Levo 4 more readily available tho.

Hope that someone may have ridden both and can give some advice on cornering etc between the two. Trek rail+ was nice but wanted to push understeer in some turns think due to the weight and my lack of skill. The Levo 4 is heavier so is this sensation amplified? Or does the layout of the Levo change this?

With the cost being so high and resale value of e-bikes not being good I need to make the right decision and keep the bike a long time hence my indecision.

Can’t speak for the alloy levo , I’m on a carbon levo 4 with mods weighs 24kg , it definitely doesn’t feel heavy when riding but the weight does make the thing track dead straight , it ploughs through everything at high speeds and feels so stable and safe

 

[SimonG]

Hi all,

After much research and deliberation. I have narrowed down to Trek rail+ and Levo alloy. Which would you choose and why?

My options are Carbon Trek rail+ or Alloy Levo 4.

I have ridden the a Trek rail+ alloy and enjoyed it so I know the carbon will be great.

I have only ridden the alloy Levo 4 in a car park.

Something keeps drawing me to the Levo l think I prefer the look even though the trek gives me more for the money and even on the car park test the Trek felt livelier more agile and better body position (think this could be adjusted on the Levo tho). Size L rail and S4 Levo.

Thank you

Hi, I had a gem 2 & 3 Levo and a trek rail 9.8xt currently on an Amflow which is a clone of the gen 2 geometry. The marketing bs and reviews suggest the Levo, it’s a great bike but the rail imo is better. The Levo electronics are delicate and the Rosenberg plug glitched on both of mine. The Levo is poppy while the rail is a charger. You need to retighten everything on the rail it wants to come loose. The Levos had great low speed climbing grunt the rail kept giving top end, this is especially useful if your chipping for your own land. I’d go rail again but I can’t give up the power in that Amflow.

 

[DeRailled7]

I had the same dilemma, i chose the Rail simply because the geometry fits me better. We don’t all have the same legs, arms, trunk length or proportions, therefore some bikes will feel too short, too long, awkward and some just prefect. Both the Rail and Levo are excellent bikes, just pick the one that feels best to you. What ever little quirks you read about in reviews will disappears once you'll have spent time on your bike and learnt how it rides. And remember that which ever one you choose all emtn bikes come with smile.

 

[CarbonMan]

Hi all,

After much research and deliberation. I have narrowed down to Trek rail+ and Levo alloy. Which would you choose and why?

My options are Carbon Trek rail+ or Alloy Levo 4.

I have ridden the a Trek rail+ alloy and enjoyed it so I know the carbon will be great.

I have only ridden the alloy Levo 4 in a car park.

Something keeps drawing me to the Levo l think I prefer the look even though the trek gives me more for the money and even on the car park test the Trek felt livelier more agile and better body position (think this could be adjusted on the Levo tho). Size L rail and S4 Levo.

Thank you

Check how many Levo motors go south these days. I too had narrowed it to levo or rail, and went with trek rail (love it) due to rampant brose warranty claims at the time. But that was 2022 so presumably the new gens are better? If not, best not to get a bike that spends much time as a paperweight.

 

[Scott_123]

My neighbor to the east has the Trek and my neighbor to the west has the Levo. I’ve only ridden each a short period, but I’ve looked at them closely and ridden with my neighbors often. If I had to choose, the Trek wins and if I was buying one of these two tomorrow it would be the Rail. With either you can’t go wrong.

 

[Hicksy 92]

Check how many Levo motors go south these days. I too had narrowed it to levo or rail, and went with trek rail (love it) due to rampant brose warranty claims at the time. But that was 2022 so presumably the new gens are better? If not, best not to get a bike that spends much time as a paperweight.

2022 is a long way to go back to make a comparison for today , not all levos needed new motors but yes a lot did but there there is a lot out there , im on a gen 4. now with nearly 1000 miles on it and it’s been perfect , 3000 miles on my gen 3 and that was perfect too so is my wife’s gen 3 and my first gen 1 was the same , could say I’ve been lucky , but that’s with 4 bikes

 

[B-man]

I was in the same situation as you and went with the Levo. There are a few reasons.

Specialized warranty is amazing and I have an amazing LBS.
Levos are easier to sell due to the transferable warranty.
And the biggest reason is that you can select Class 3 and your top speed is 28mph in the US.

 

[ddpdp7]

Hi all,

After much research and deliberation. I have narrowed down to Trek rail+ and Levo alloy. Which would you choose and why?

My options are Carbon Trek rail+ or Alloy Levo 4.

I have ridden the a Trek rail+ alloy and enjoyed it so I know the carbon will be great.

I have only ridden the alloy Levo 4 in a car park.

Something keeps drawing me to the Levo l think I prefer the look even though the trek gives me more for the money and even on the car park test the Trek felt livelier more agile and better body position (think this could be adjusted on the Levo tho). Size L rail and S4 Levo.

Thank you

how tall are you, I have a trek rail size L and love the bike. On paper looks like a big bike but I dont notice it on the trail. What did you end up getting?

 

[Ride 2d@y]

Specialized warranty is amazing and I have an amazing LBS.
Levos are easier to sell due to the transferable warranty.
And the biggest reason is that you can select Class 3 and your top speed is 28mph in the US.

Agree 100% on these points, especially 2 yr transferable warranty

 

[713Fmhs]

I have a 2022 Levo Comp Alloy that fits me perfectly and I like a lot, it only has 630 miles on it, mostly all single track. It may be developing a motor problem that I'm currently diagnosing. My recent research says the Trek Bosch motors are less problematic than the Spec' Brose motors. This may have some bearing on which bike a person would buy here, for me it would. Good luck on your choice.

 

[Undecisive]

how tall are you, I have a trek rail size L and love the bike. On paper looks like a big bike but I dont notice it on the trail. What did you end up getting?

I ended up getting a Santa Cruz Vala Al 70 in XL. I’m 6,1.5. Fits well could have probably gone L or XL. Got a good deal locally and so far it’s been great fun to ride! Bosch motor is working well. The bike rides really well and has a balanced feel. The motor just does its thing and I don’t really think about it much on the rides it just works. I’m sure I would have been happy with any of the bikes mentioned.

The only negative I have is the weight would be nicer if it was carbon and a bit lighter. But it’s still fun. Maybe on my next bike!!

I ride with a pal who also has a Bosch so we are similar speeds. I would imagine if you are in a group who have Avinox motors it would get frustrating on the climbs!