Intermittent Walk Assist on Levo / Kenevo

[Dee Scee]

i have a 2017 that i retrofitted (upgraded!) with the factory handlebar switch from a 2018. i’ll admit that the walk assist can be finicky, and it’s hard to keep your thumb on it sometimes. i have had to turn the bike on and off before to re-activate it. but, it is a godsend! i use it every ride to help get that heavy bugga up two flights of stairs! wheelspin? um yeah, i also find reduced braking traction in the rear… when there’s no rider on the bike!

 

[warx]

I feel like my buttons are fine as I can clearly hear the beep when I depress it and when I release it. Flicking the pedals backwards seems to be quite successful at making it turn on. But after a few steps walking it most likely will turn off and need another flick on the pedals. I also get the random wheel spin several seconds after releasing the button too. I know I have the SL version but suspect their engineering of firmware, detection sensors and buttons are most likely similar across the models.

 

[Swissrider]

My experience is similar to those mentioned above, starting very slowly, deciding to give up, having to switch on and off. It definitely has a mind or its own. Specialized really ought to sort this out. Has anyone had a walk mode which always works the way it should - press the button, motor engages, keeps going as long as you keep pressing?

 

[RebornRider]

Has anyone had a walk mode which always works the way it should - press the button, motor engages, keeps going as long as you keep pressing?

The firmware I have now ('19 Levo) has an always-functional walk mode. My only minor snivel is that sometimes I can't keep up with the bike in walk mode. This happens on very steep sections of loose surface (loose dirt mixed with leaves and twigs).

 

[Mikerb]

My experience is similar to those mentioned above, starting very slowly, deciding to give up, having to switch on and off. It definitely has a mind or its own. Specialized really ought to sort this out. Has anyone had a walk mode which always works the way it should - press the button, motor engages, keeps going as long as you keep pressing?

yes...Levo comp.......my sons 2021 Levo comp no problems.........my mates 2019 Levo comp...no problem.
Keep in mind power to the motor is restricted as is the max speed measured at the back wheel. We all mostly use the function when we fail a climb..........that is not what it was designed for but it can be made to work in those scenarios......in the right gear...in the right mode....and allowed to operate freely ( ie not having to drag you up the hill as well as its own weight!)

The SL uses a completely different motor made by a different manufacturer and delivers far less power than the Brose. All the software for the Brose motor as used in Specialized bikes was developed by Specialized. Whether the same applies with the SL motor I dont know. The walk mode enables power to be delivered to the motor without input from the torque or cadence sensors. How that bypass is achieved probably varies in different motor brands. There may therefore be no commonality between the Levo and the Levo SL.

 

[AJ23]

Hey all,

On my past few rides where I've really needed it, Walk Assist has worked intermittently. Sometimes it will work for a minute or so, next it will stop completely. Only way of getting it to work again is by turning off the bike then turning it back on.

I've noticed it on a couple of bikes now, it always seems to be a bit buggy.

Anyone else have it too? Any tips to get it to work consistently?

Thanks,
Rob.

Hi Rob,
My walk assist worked for 1st ride on the 22 Levo Comp Carbon, and then stopped. Bike is only 1 week old.

 

[Swissrider]

Mine didn't work from new! I had to fit a new controller switch (sent by post from the shop I bought it from). Was quite easy actually.

 

[Swissrider]

Discovered a good trick today (no idea why it has taken so long!). As I said (and others) walk mode tends to start very slowly until it gets up to speed. Sometimes if feels as if one is waiting ages for the bike to get going and one ends up pushing it. So, just put it into walk mode and then lift up the back wheel until it starts to speed up. This seems to speed up the time it takes to get up to the 6kph full speed.

 

[salko]

My friend bought 2022 Levo about a month ago, Walk Assist won't work at all from day 1 ...

 

[LevoRoboto]

My friend bought 2022 Levo about a month ago, Walk Assist won't work at all from day 1 ...

I have a 2021 turbo Levo Comp, walk assist works, but has a lag when I press the magic button. It’s at least 5 seconds before it kicks in, and possibly longer (I haven’t counted how many seconds since last season.). WA stops immediately if you release the button for a nano-second.

 

[Mikerb]

Interesting that the Bosch system uses a sequencial 2 button press to initiate walk assist........maybe that gives the system time to respond because there is no delay once the second button is pressed.