Levo SL Gen 1 Levo SL 2023 Megathread

[Pete N]

Well, it’s decision time for me.
I have a buyer for my Gen 1 S-Works and put a pre-order in for the White Gen 2 S-Works.
It sounds like everyone really likes the Gen 2 and the upgrades/changes are significant enough.
Anyone who thinks it’s a bad idea please chime in

 

[rydeezie]

Nice bike stable there. Looks like you have some good terrain to run the E-bikes!!

Thanks. I’m touring Oregon trails for the next few days and they have great trails here. Back home in Cali we have nice trails also but nothing like what’s out here. The further north along the pacific west the better the dirt. Can’t wait to bring this bike to British Columbia

 

[Pete N]

Thanks. I’m touring Oregon trails for the next few days and they have great trails here. Back home in Cali we have nice trails also but nothing like what’s out here. The further north along the pacific west the better the dirt. Can’t wait to bring this bike to British Columbia

Out of interest. Is the new motor on the SL quieter than the Brose on your FF?
A few reviews have suggested that it is but would be interesting to hear from someone who has one of each.

 

[rydeezie]

Out of interest. Is the new motor on the SL quieter than the Brose on your FF?
A few reviews have suggested that it is but would be interesting to hear from someone who has one of each.

I didn’t even notice it being loud. I’ll check again today when my brother and i go for a ride. He will be on the Levo pictured earlier

I did some steep climbs yesterday on turbo and didn’t notice it having a loud whine like the gen1 Levo i had a few years back

 

[Reap3r]

Out of interest. Is the new motor on the SL quieter than the Brose on your FF?
A few reviews have suggested that it is but would be interesting to hear from someone who has one of each.

Yes in my opinion the sl2 it is quieter than the brose. I have a 2023 alloy Levo and I noticed the sl2 was quieter. It was also pretty much the same noise and tone regardless of mode.

 

[Reap3r]

Does anyone know where I can get the correct spacer to fit a float x2? I pulled my upgraded components from my Levo to put on the sl but the bike shop said they couldn’t fit the x2 without a new spacer that ‘didn’t exist’

 

[rydeezie]

Out of interest. Is the new motor on the SL quieter than the Brose on your FF?
A few reviews have suggested that it is but would be interesting to hear from someone who has one of each.

Switched back and forth on the climbs to examine the sound.

It sounds like a gen 1 with the same volume level as the levo. So just a higher pitch on the SL and the Levo sound was deeper (btw original moto, 2 years old)

I did notice the AXS derailleur while shifting is louder than the SL motor. Not the sound of the chain/cassette but the sound of the actual derailleur

 

[43ride]

Does anyone know where I can get the correct spacer to fit a float x2? I pulled my upgraded components from my Levo to put on the sl but the bike shop said they couldn’t fit the x2 without a new spacer that ‘didn’t exist’
View attachment 116042

Try to pull it out the the spacer from the fox float x
It should fit the x2 without any problems

 

[p3eps]

I finally managed to take my new Levo SL 1.2 out for a ‘proper’ ride yesterday, so here’s what I thought…

Please bear in mind I’m almost 6ft 2” tall, and am going from an XL framed SL 1.1 to an S4 1.2. I currently have it as a 29” front and rear wheel… and have the head angle at the standard cup.
This is also the first time I’ve done any serious trail riding for a while, so my fitness from riding cycle paths and forest roads isn’t quite up to what it should be in the trails!

I have set Eco @ 20/80, Trail @ 60/80 and Turbo @ 100/100. My previous bike was Eco @ 10/50, Trail @ 30/80 and Turbo @ 100/100.
I never rode Eco at all, unless I was with someone on an analogue bike… and it was mainly there for if my battery was at ~25% and I still had a long way to go! 98% of my riding was in Trail, with Turbo being for emergencies if I had a really tough technical climb that I was struggling with.

I left the car park with the range extender plugged in, and set to drain the RE first. The bike showed 150% for battery, but my Garmin was just 100%. My Trail @ 20/80 felt a lot more punchy than my previous Eco @ 30/100.
The noise of the motor when peddling along flats is significantly quieter than the 1.1… however when getting to the hills, the whine increases. Perhaps not as loud as the 1.1, but I certainly wouldn’t say ‘whisper quiet’ like Spesh advertise.

Within a couple of miles of flat and climbing I was beginning to think I’ve made a wrong decision… both with the size I picked, and actually purchasing the new bike. My XL bike felt better for cruising round the trails… but perhaps this is just something I need to get used to.
When getting further into the ride I got to more technical climbs, and the S4 started to feel more manoeuvrable and useful. The noise of the motor whilst under a heavy load still seemed pretty loud though… and I’m comparing it to a SL 1.1 motor that was replaced at the end of last year and has only done 400 miles. My previous SL 1.1 motor had done a couple of thousand, and was MUCH louder than my current one.

I felt like the battery was going down pretty quick for a start, but seemed to settle down once I got nearer about 130%.
Eventually I reached the top of the technical climb to the top, had a break for a few mins, and started the technical descent. It was at this point I realised this bike was the right size… and my XL was too big. Much easier to ride, tackle obstacles and attack sharp bends.

Once at the bottom of that, I was then able to climb a relatively short ascent to the downhill track, and have a go at that. I took it quite easy the first time… and then went up for a second shot. The fire road from the bottom to the top of the downhill track is about half a mile long, and varies from about 15-19% gradient (according to Garmin), so I tried that in Trail and then Turbo. There was an obvious difference between them on that climb… but it wasn’t so obvious or even noticable at all on some smaller climbs.
Another trip down the downhill track with a bit more speed, and again - notable how much better the bike handled than my SL 1.1. Is this purely down to me changing size… or is it that the bike actually handles much better? Difficult to say.


When climbing the next bit - a very long fire road with anything between 5-10% gradient, I felt like I was pedalling with no assistance. I looked at the battery, and it was 106%. I then tried Trail, and Turbo… but neither really offered much. I stopped and unplugged my RE and switched the bike back on - and suddenly it burst into life again. It seems the RE being low put the bike into some sort of safe mode.

After that, I had a climb that I don’t normally manage on my SL at all as it’s really steep with massive rocks everywhere. Pedal strike galore. When I had a Trek Rail, I could romp my way up it… but the SL didn’t have the guts.
Today, I tried in Turbo… and got about 95% of the way up. Much further than my SL 1.1, and being very careful not to catch my pedals / cranks. I definitely noticed the extra power there.

After that, it was a straightforward run back to the car. Same again - on small hills and flats, the SL 1.2 motor is not noticeable above the sounds of the tyres on the trail. It’s just when you’re pushing it, it starts the high pitch whine.

A few things to sort out before the weekend…
Raise my seat post maybe 1cm.
Try moving the saddle back on the post a bit to make the cockpit feel a little bigger when cruising.
Minor adjustment to rear derailleur as gear 5/6/7 were a bit reluctant to change up.
Bleed rear brake again as it was a bit spongy compared to the front.
Make Trail my 20/80 setting to I just have 1 press to change to Turbo 100/100 since the Turbo button on the remote isn’t there anymore.
Take a little air out of rear shock.

Longer term goals…
XX Transmission on order - due in about 3 weeks.
Confirm whether I want to run 29/29 or 29/27.5 (although I think I’ll probably stick with 29/29) and then order a new wheelset.
Send my Rockshox SuperDeluxe Ultimate back to J-Tech and have it retuned for this bike and have the hardware changed for mounting.
Try the -1deg headset cup and see what I prefer.
Change all my oil slick parts back to regular.

Bike is sitting at 17.43kg just now with invisiframe, garmin mounts, mudguard and pedals, but will increase a little when I put the Transmission on it. Hopefully the new wheels will counter that, plus a little bit more.

Well done if you've got this far... and apologies for the excessively long post!!

 

[Pete N]

Good to hear that you found the bike right for you in the end.
I’m a little disappointed to hear that the motor does still whine a bit and not noticeably quieter under heavy load.
My current Gen 1 motor is pretty quiet I have to say. Maybe they started making some noise improvements with the more recent Gen 1 motor.

 

[Pete N]

I’ve had that before when using the RE first, I read that it’s normal to that and you have to
Unplug/change the setting to get the full power back

 

[43ride]

I finally managed to take my new Levo SL 1.2 out for a ‘proper’ ride yesterday, so here’s what I thought…

Please bear in mind I’m almost 6ft 2” tall, and am going from an XL framed SL 1.1 to an S4 1.2. I currently have it as a 29” front and rear wheel… and have the head angle at the standard cup.
This is also the first time I’ve done any serious trail riding for a while, so my fitness from riding cycle paths and forest roads isn’t quite up to what it should be in the trails!

I have set Eco @ 20/80, Trail @ 60/80 and Turbo @ 100/100. My previous bike was Eco @ 10/50, Trail @ 30/80 and Turbo @ 100/100.
I never rode Eco at all, unless I was with someone on an analogue bike… and it was mainly there for if my battery was at ~25% and I still had a long way to go! 98% of my riding was in Trail, with Turbo being for emergencies if I had a really tough technical climb that I was struggling with.

I left the car park with the range extender plugged in, and set to drain the RE first. The bike showed 150% for battery, but my Garmin was just 100%. My Trail @ 20/80 felt a lot more punchy than my previous Eco @ 30/100.
The noise of the motor when peddling along flats is significantly quieter than the 1.1… however when getting to the hills, the whine increases. Perhaps not as loud as the 1.1, but I certainly wouldn’t say ‘whisper quiet’ like Spesh advertise.

Within a couple of miles of flat and climbing I was beginning to think I’ve made a wrong decision… both with the size I picked, and actually purchasing the new bike. My XL bike felt better for cruising round the trails… but perhaps this is just something I need to get used to.
When getting further into the ride I got to more technical climbs, and the S4 started to feel more manoeuvrable and useful. The noise of the motor whilst under a heavy load still seemed pretty loud though… and I’m comparing it to a SL 1.1 motor that was replaced at the end of last year and has only done 400 miles. My previous SL 1.1 motor had done a couple of thousand, and was MUCH louder than my current one.

I felt like the battery was going down pretty quick for a start, but seemed to settle down once I got nearer about 130%.
Eventually I reached the top of the technical climb to the top, had a break for a few mins, and started the technical descent. It was at this point I realised this bike was the right size… and my XL was too big. Much easier to ride, tackle obstacles and attack sharp bends.

Once at the bottom of that, I was then able to climb a relatively short ascent to the downhill track, and have a go at that. I took it quite easy the first time… and then went up for a second shot. The fire road from the bottom to the top of the downhill track is about half a mile long, and varies from about 15-19% gradient (according to Garmin), so I tried that in Trail and then Turbo. There was an obvious difference between them on that climb… but it wasn’t so obvious or even noticable at all on some smaller climbs.
Another trip down the downhill track with a bit more speed, and again - notable how much better the bike handled than my SL 1.1. Is this purely down to me changing size… or is it that the bike actually handles much better? Difficult to say.


When climbing the next bit - a very long fire road with anything between 5-10% gradient, I felt like I was pedalling with no assistance. I looked at the battery, and it was 106%. I then tried Trail, and Turbo… but neither really offered much. I stopped and unplugged my RE and switched the bike back on - and suddenly it burst into life again. It seems the RE being low put the bike into some sort of safe mode.

After that, I had a climb that I don’t normally manage on my SL at all as it’s really steep with massive rocks everywhere. Pedal strike galore. When I had a Trek Rail, I could romp my way up it… but the SL didn’t have the guts.
Today, I tried in Turbo… and got about 95% of the way up. Much further than my SL 1.1, and being very careful not to catch my pedals / cranks. I definitely noticed the extra power there.

After that, it was a straightforward run back to the car. Same again - on small hills and flats, the SL 1.2 motor is not noticeable above the sounds of the tyres on the trail. It’s just when you’re pushing it, it starts the high pitch whine.

A few things to sort out before the weekend…
Raise my seat post maybe 1cm.
Try moving the saddle back on the post a bit to make the cockpit feel a little bigger when cruising.
Minor adjustment to rear derailleur as gear 5/6/7 were a bit reluctant to change up.
Bleed rear brake again as it was a bit spongy compared to the front.
Make Trail my 20/80 setting to I just have 1 press to change to Turbo 100/100 since the Turbo button on the remote isn’t there anymore.
Take a little air out of rear shock.

Longer term goals…
XX Transmission on order - due in about 3 weeks.
Confirm whether I want to run 29/29 or 29/27.5 (although I think I’ll probably stick with 29/29) and then order a new wheelset.
Send my Rockshox SuperDeluxe Ultimate back to J-Tech and have it retuned for this bike and have the hardware changed for mounting.
Try the -1deg headset cup and see what I prefer.
Change all my oil slick parts back to regular.

Bike is sitting at 17.43kg just now with invisiframe, garmin mounts, mudguard and pedals, but will increase a little when I put the Transmission on it. Hopefully the new wheels will counter that, plus a little bit more.

Well done if you've got this far... and apologies for the excessively long post!!



View attachment 116056
View attachment 116057
View attachment 116058

You need to lower the chain guide

 

[p3eps]

You need to lower the chain guide

I'll add it to my list for this week

 

[p3eps]

I’ve had that before when using the RE first, I read that it’s normal to that and you have to
Unplug/change the setting to get the full power back

Odd idea... especially as I have 2 RE's. I expected it just to switch to the bike battery when it was done.
I have some trails where I'm not all that far from the car, so had intended going with the 2 RE's, using one up, and then back to the car to swap them out. Not so good when the bike 'limps' when the RE gets low!

 

[RAG]

Please bear in mind I’m almost 6ft 2” tall, and am going from an XL framed SL 1.1 to an S4 1.2. I currently have it as a 29” front and rear wheel… and have the head angle at the standard cup.
This is also the first time I’ve done any serious trail riding for a while, so my fitness from riding cycle paths and forest roads isn’t quite up to what it should be in the trails!

I have set Eco @ 20/80, Trail @ 60/80 and Turbo @ 100/100. My previous bike was Eco @ 10/50, Trail @ 30/80 and Turbo @ 100/100.
I never rode Eco at all, unless I was with someone on an analogue bike… and it was mainly there for if my battery was at ~25% and I still had a long way to go! 98% of my riding was in Trail, with Turbo being for emergencies if I had a really tough technical climb that I was struggling with.

I left the car park with the range extender plugged in, and set to drain the RE first. The bike showed 150% for battery, but my Garmin was just 100%. My Trail @ 20/80 felt a lot more punchy than my previous Eco @ 30/100.
The noise of the motor when peddling along flats is significantly quieter than the 1.1… however when getting to the hills, the whine increases. Perhaps not as loud as the 1.1, but I certainly wouldn’t say ‘whisper quiet’ like Spesh advertise.

Within a couple of miles of flat and climbing I was beginning to think I’ve made a wrong decision… both with the size I picked, and actually purchasing the new bike. My XL bike felt better for cruising round the trails… but perhaps this is just something I need to get used to.
When getting further into the ride I got to more technical climbs, and the S4 started to feel more manoeuvrable and useful. The noise of the motor whilst under a heavy load still seemed pretty loud though… and I’m comparing it to a SL 1.1 motor that was replaced at the end of last year and has only done 400 miles. My previous SL 1.1 motor had done a couple of thousand, and was MUCH louder than my current one.

I felt like the battery was going down pretty quick for a start, but seemed to settle down once I got nearer about 130%.
Eventually I reached the top of the technical climb to the top, had a break for a few mins, and started the technical descent. It was at this point I realised this bike was the right size… and my XL was too big. Much easier to ride, tackle obstacles and attack sharp bends.

Once at the bottom of that, I was then able to climb a relatively short ascent to the downhill track, and have a go at that. I took it quite easy the first time… and then went up for a second shot. The fire road from the bottom to the top of the downhill track is about half a mile long, and varies from about 15-19% gradient (according to Garmin), so I tried that in Trail and then Turbo. There was an obvious difference between them on that climb… but it wasn’t so obvious or even noticable at all on some smaller climbs.
Another trip down the downhill track with a bit more speed, and again - notable how much better the bike handled than my SL 1.1. Is this purely down to me changing size… or is it that the bike actually handles much better? Difficult to say.


When climbing the next bit - a very long fire road with anything between 5-10% gradient, I felt like I was pedalling with no assistance. I looked at the battery, and it was 106%. I then tried Trail, and Turbo… but neither really offered much. I stopped and unplugged my RE and switched the bike back on - and suddenly it burst into life again. It seems the RE being low put the bike into some sort of safe mode.

After that, I had a climb that I don’t normally manage on my SL at all as it’s really steep with massive rocks everywhere. Pedal strike galore. When I had a Trek Rail, I could romp my way up it… but the SL didn’t have the guts.
Today, I tried in Turbo… and got about 95% of the way up. Much further than my SL 1.1, and being very careful not to catch my pedals / cranks. I definitely noticed the extra power there.

After that, it was a straightforward run back to the car. Same again - on small hills and flats, the SL 1.2 motor is not noticeable above the sounds of the tyres on the trail. It’s just when you’re pushing it, it starts the high pitch whine.

A few things to sort out before the weekend…
Raise my seat post maybe 1cm.
Try moving the saddle back on the post a bit to make the cockpit feel a little bigger when cruising.
Minor adjustment to rear derailleur as gear 5/6/7 were a bit reluctant to change up.
Bleed rear brake again as it was a bit spongy compared to the front.
Make Trail my 20/80 setting to I just have 1 press to change to Turbo 100/100 since the Turbo button on the remote isn’t there anymore.
Take a little air out of rear shock.

Longer term goals…
XX Transmission on order - due in about 3 weeks.
Confirm whether I want to run 29/29 or 29/27.5 (although I think I’ll probably stick with 29/29) and then order a new wheelset.
Send my Rockshox SuperDeluxe Ultimate back to J-Tech and have it retuned for this bike and have the hardware changed for mounting.
Try the -1deg headset cup and see what I prefer.
Change all my oil slick parts back to regular.

Bike is sitting at 17.43kg just now with invisiframe, garmin mounts, mudguard and pedals, but will increase a little when I put the Transmission on it. Hopefully the new wheels will counter that, plus a little bit more.

Well done if you've got this far... and apologies for the excessively long post!!



View attachment 116056
View attachment 116057
View attachment 116058

Great feedback. The bikes looking good
Also interesting to hear your thoughts on the size, I’m 6’2 and went for S5 which oddly feels significantly smaller than my XL Stumpjumper, I think those ‘T Shirt’ sized bikes were really tall which adds significantly to feeling of size.

Look forward to your feedback on the SRAM transmission once it arrives, I’m still trying hard to talk myself out of it

 

[p3eps]

Great feedback. The bikes looking good
Also interesting to hear your thoughts on the size, I’m 6’2 and went for S5 which oddly feels significantly smaller than my XL Stumpjumper, I think those ‘T Shirt’ sized bikes were really tall which adds significantly to feeling of size.

Look forward to your feedback on the SRAM transmission once it arrives, I’m still trying hard to talk myself out of it

Thanks! I need to find my other Magura coloured rings to make them both the same. The threads in my rear lever started coming apart when I unscrewed it
I also needed a longer hose... so it was easier to just order a whole brake kit - so now they don't match!!

I was an L Stumpy for my last 3 bikes, so I don't know why I chose to go with an XL SL 1.1? I feel like my S4 is more back to my L Stumpy.

I tried talking myself out of the Transmission too... but then thought F-it!

 

[George_KSL]

Does anyone know where I can get the correct spacer to fit a float x2? I pulled my upgraded components from my Levo to put on the sl but the bike shop said they couldn’t fit the x2 without a new spacer that ‘didn’t exist’
View attachment 116042

What a refreshing build :- ) ! Thumbs up fellow KidsRideShotgun owner.
FR 541 Alloys (best rims on market), dual Assegais, good brakes, tall stack. Person who likes to ride, not just shave off grams. Past 20 pages were effectively "How much lighter and/or more expensive can I get my generic S-Works?"

 

[p3eps]

What a refreshing build :- ) ! Thumbs up fellow KidsRideShotgun owner.
FR 541 Alloys (best rims on market), dual Assegais, good brakes, tall stack. Person who likes to ride, not just shave off grams. Past 20 pages were effectively "How much lighter and/or more expensive can I get my generic S-Works?"

Ha ha... I removed my KidsRideShotgun spacer when swapping my components to my new frame last week. My wee lad is now 3 and a half and has been managing quite happily his own 2 wheels for a few months now. A bit more practice on the roads now the weather is better, and then I'll get him onto some fire tracks.
I guess his seat / handlebars for my bike can be put on ebay (or maybe here) soon, as I can't see him wanting to ride on my bike again now he can go his own.

If I'm honest, I wouldn't have taken an S-Works frame if Specialized had offered a decent colour... but salmon orange or UPS brown didn't really appeal to me. I don't think Magura MT7's or Michelin Wilds are considered lightweight... but I run them because I like them. I'm intrigued by the weight of the bike - whilst having it burley enough to handle the trails I ride. Unfortunately it became an obsession on the SL 1.1 that I can't shake off!

 

[rydeezie]

I finally managed to take my new Levo SL 1.2 out for a ‘proper’ ride yesterday, so here’s what I thought…

Please bear in mind I’m almost 6ft 2” tall, and am going from an XL framed SL 1.1 to an S4 1.2. I currently have it as a 29” front and rear wheel… and have the head angle at the standard cup.
This is also the first time I’ve done any serious trail riding for a while, so my fitness from riding cycle paths and forest roads isn’t quite up to what it should be in the trails!

I have set Eco @ 20/80, Trail @ 60/80 and Turbo @ 100/100. My previous bike was Eco @ 10/50, Trail @ 30/80 and Turbo @ 100/100.
I never rode Eco at all, unless I was with someone on an analogue bike… and it was mainly there for if my battery was at ~25% and I still had a long way to go! 98% of my riding was in Trail, with Turbo being for emergencies if I had a really tough technical climb that I was struggling with.

I left the car park with the range extender plugged in, and set to drain the RE first. The bike showed 150% for battery, but my Garmin was just 100%. My Trail @ 20/80 felt a lot more punchy than my previous Eco @ 30/100.
The noise of the motor when peddling along flats is significantly quieter than the 1.1… however when getting to the hills, the whine increases. Perhaps not as loud as the 1.1, but I certainly wouldn’t say ‘whisper quiet’ like Spesh advertise.

Within a couple of miles of flat and climbing I was beginning to think I’ve made a wrong decision… both with the size I picked, and actually purchasing the new bike. My XL bike felt better for cruising round the trails… but perhaps this is just something I need to get used to.
When getting further into the ride I got to more technical climbs, and the S4 started to feel more manoeuvrable and useful. The noise of the motor whilst under a heavy load still seemed pretty loud though… and I’m comparing it to a SL 1.1 motor that was replaced at the end of last year and has only done 400 miles. My previous SL 1.1 motor had done a couple of thousand, and was MUCH louder than my current one.

I felt like the battery was going down pretty quick for a start, but seemed to settle down once I got nearer about 130%.
Eventually I reached the top of the technical climb to the top, had a break for a few mins, and started the technical descent. It was at this point I realised this bike was the right size… and my XL was too big. Much easier to ride, tackle obstacles and attack sharp bends.

Once at the bottom of that, I was then able to climb a relatively short ascent to the downhill track, and have a go at that. I took it quite easy the first time… and then went up for a second shot. The fire road from the bottom to the top of the downhill track is about half a mile long, and varies from about 15-19% gradient (according to Garmin), so I tried that in Trail and then Turbo. There was an obvious difference between them on that climb… but it wasn’t so obvious or even noticable at all on some smaller climbs.
Another trip down the downhill track with a bit more speed, and again - notable how much better the bike handled than my SL 1.1. Is this purely down to me changing size… or is it that the bike actually handles much better? Difficult to say.


When climbing the next bit - a very long fire road with anything between 5-10% gradient, I felt like I was pedalling with no assistance. I looked at the battery, and it was 106%. I then tried Trail, and Turbo… but neither really offered much. I stopped and unplugged my RE and switched the bike back on - and suddenly it burst into life again. It seems the RE being low put the bike into some sort of safe mode.

After that, I had a climb that I don’t normally manage on my SL at all as it’s really steep with massive rocks everywhere. Pedal strike galore. When I had a Trek Rail, I could romp my way up it… but the SL didn’t have the guts.
Today, I tried in Turbo… and got about 95% of the way up. Much further than my SL 1.1, and being very careful not to catch my pedals / cranks. I definitely noticed the extra power there.

After that, it was a straightforward run back to the car. Same again - on small hills and flats, the SL 1.2 motor is not noticeable above the sounds of the tyres on the trail. It’s just when you’re pushing it, it starts the high pitch whine.

A few things to sort out before the weekend…
Raise my seat post maybe 1cm.
Try moving the saddle back on the post a bit to make the cockpit feel a little bigger when cruising.
Minor adjustment to rear derailleur as gear 5/6/7 were a bit reluctant to change up.
Bleed rear brake again as it was a bit spongy compared to the front.
Make Trail my 20/80 setting to I just have 1 press to change to Turbo 100/100 since the Turbo button on the remote isn’t there anymore.
Take a little air out of rear shock.

Longer term goals…
XX Transmission on order - due in about 3 weeks.
Confirm whether I want to run 29/29 or 29/27.5 (although I think I’ll probably stick with 29/29) and then order a new wheelset.
Send my Rockshox SuperDeluxe Ultimate back to J-Tech and have it retuned for this bike and have the hardware changed for mounting.
Try the -1deg headset cup and see what I prefer.
Change all my oil slick parts back to regular.

Bike is sitting at 17.43kg just now with invisiframe, garmin mounts, mudguard and pedals, but will increase a little when I put the Transmission on it. Hopefully the new wheels will counter that, plus a little bit more.

Well done if you've got this far... and apologies for the excessively long post!!



View attachment 116056
View attachment 116057
View attachment 116058

Nice bike. Is the frame wrap gloss or matte?

 

[p3eps]

It's a matte Invisiframe. I quite like it, as you can't see the text unless it's at the right angle in bright light!
As all the graphics are raised on the frame, it made application of the Invisframe very tricky. On my old SL the graphics were under the clearcoat so it felt smooth... which made it much easier.

 

[rydeezie]

It's a matte Invisiframe. I quite like it, as you can't see the text unless it's at the right angle in bright light!
As all the graphics are raised on the frame, it made application of the Invisframe very tricky. On my old SL the graphics were under the clearcoat so it felt smooth... which made it much easier.

Ok thanks, i got the same. Will install soon. I almost got the gloss, but I think it would make the lettering “disappear”

I applied gloss on a matte Santa Cruz frame with gloss stealth logo before and the logo was no longer visible. Luckily santa cruz frame decals were easy to find

Where can i find an s-works decal that’s exactly the same size as the logo on the frame?

 

[p3eps]

Ok thanks, i got the same. Will install soon. I almost got the gloss, but I think it would make the lettering “disappear”

I applied gloss on a matte Santa Cruz frame with gloss stealth logo before and the logo was no longer visible. Luckily santa cruz frame decals were easy to find

Where can i find an s-works decal that’s exactly the same size as the logo on the frame?

I had some stickers done for my old Stumpy from Slik Graphics, and they were spot on. That was a few years ago mind you...
Are you wanting to put something new on before the Invisiframe? I'd quite like some luminous yellow decals, get matching pedals, and get all my Magura dots the same. Maybe even grips and bottle cage too.
The problem with coloured pedals is they generally don't last after a few inevitable rock strikes!

 

[rydeezie]

I had some stickers done for my old Stumpy from Slik Graphics, and they were spot on. That was a few years ago mind you...
Are you wanting to put something new on before the Invisiframe? I'd quite like some luminous yellow decals, get matching pedals, and get all my Magura dots the same. Maybe even grips and bottle cage too.
The problem with coloured pedals is they generally don't last after a few inevitable rock strikes!

Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll probably place outside the frame protection. Thinking a dark metallic silver that matches the linkage. Deity platinum might match too so I might replace the stem

Pedal strikes are easy with the 170mm cranks my bike came with and i have black anodized pedals

 

[gts66]

How do you feel it rolls/keeps momentum compared to the Gen1? The mullet must have some effect on this I’d imagine.
The Epic Evo picks up rolling speed so quickly and keeps on giving when not pedalling. The Gen1 wasn’t as good in this department which is understandable.
Just be interested how it compares to the Gen1 in this respect.
The Mullet is my only reservation at this time which I know can be remedied but that woildn mean more money

Went for a ride this morning, 29km, +550m elevation, I had 50% battery left. Rode 95% of the time in ECO (40/40), 5% in TRAIL (60/60). Average speed was 12,7 km/h.
And I can tell it rolls very well, of course not like the EPIC EVO, but honestly I would say same as GEN 1. Not an issue at all for me!
This morning ride was a blast ! Really love the bike, and mullet is definitely not an issue neither! @Pete N

 

[Reap3r]

What a refreshing build :- ) ! Thumbs up fellow KidsRideShotgun owner.
FR 541 Alloys (best rims on market), dual Assegais, good brakes, tall stack. Person who likes to ride, not just shave off grams. Past 20 pages were effectively "How much lighter and/or more expensive can I get my generic S-Works?"

Thanks, George. I appreciate your attention to detail and your affirmation of my choices really satisfies my self diagnosed bike OCD :-D … 44.0 lbs as it sits with heavy magnetic pedals.. I could shave 0.75 lb by going clipless or flat pedals but I like the remtech a lot so F it I’m keeping them on.. heavy hubs, heavy fox 38…

 

[rydeezie]

Had a close call during the descent yesterday

 

[Pete N]

Went for a ride this morning, 29km, +550m elevation, I had 50% battery left. Rode 95% of the time in ECO (40/40), 5% in TRAIL (60/60). Average speed was 12,7 km/h.
And I can tell it rolls very well, of course not like the EPIC EVO, but honestly I would say same as GEN 1. Not an issue at all for me!
This morning ride was a blast ! Really love the bike, and mullet is definitely not an issue neither! @Pete N

Thanks. Great to hear.
My Gen 1 did appear to have a quiet motor so it was never really an issue. If it’s quieter than that it’ll be a bonus too.
No going back now anyway as the Gen 1 S-Works sold this morning and got picked up!!
I’m looking forward to it. There are some slight delays of bikes arriving by the sounds of it, not dramatic but maybe a couple of weeks.
I’ll be happy to have mine at some point over the next month .

 

[Pete N]

Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll probably place outside the frame protection. Thinking a dark metallic silver that matches the linkage. Deity platinum might match too so I might replace the stem

Pedal strikes are easy with the 170mm cranks my bike came with and i have black anodized pedals

I believe that Specialized share all of their graphics and colours with Silk so that you can get what you need made up.

 

[Desert_Turtle]

It’s interesting to read everybody’s different opinions about how the SL should be used. I have 3 other e-bikes, all full fats. Each one has a purpose. My SL is being purpose built to be light. I even put 2 piston XT brakes on it. Since the only purchasing option that I had was a comp I had to build the bike myself. By replacing the tires, wheels, brakes, bars, stem, dropper, drivetrain, seat, and suspension I was able to shave off about 2.5lbs (1.2kg). The most significant part of that was swapping to super light 29” carbon wheels. I’m really happy with the results. While the bike is not any kind of revolution in the emtb world it is better than the old one in every way aside from the range. Just as others have stated I feel like the bike is better suited as a 29er. It handed great as a mullet but I found it to be a little twitchy. I ride an S3 so it’s already pretty short. It still handles great with the 29” rear but it feels a little more settled and it climbs a lot better with the small increase in wheelbase/stay length. It’s really fun to ride. I was able to carve up the double black at the bike park with ease. I’ll temper that by saying that the particular run at SkyPark is probably a single black at other places because it’s more technical and doesn’t have huge sends. It’s more rocky with tight corners that have drops, a big drop, an uphill step up, and some rough downhills into skinnies. Regardless, the bike handles great. The rear suspension is supple and the bike is a cornering machine. It has enough travel to hit bigger features and I hit every double on the Jumpline but again, SkyPark’s runs are a little soft compared to other parks. I’d still stick to my Levo or Kenevo @ Snow Summit or Mammoth.

The bottom line is that I think the SL is plenty of bike for most riders. I’m very happy with mine. It feels like you’d want a regular bike to feel but better. The extra weight isn’t really noticeable except that the bike feels more planted than any acoustic trail bike could ever be. It’s kind of weird. I think that’s where this bike really shines. It feels better than a regular bike but not like an ebike.

 

[Salespunk]

I am lurking on the new SL right now and would love to hear more comparisons to the Fuel EXe which I have right now. Literally just got the Trek dialed in on my last ride, but I am very frustrated by the lack of range extender availability. I did a ride on the Trek Friday that was 29.9/3.3K and had to ride the last 7 miles home with a dead battery. Mainly my fault since I was riding Trail mode the entire ride, but I still want the RE so I can ride with my full power friends sometimes.

For those comparing the sizing of the Gen 1 and Gen 2, it is important to understand how modern sizing works. The Gen 1 LSL is more traditional with a slacker seat angle, steeper head angle and shorter reach. The Gen 2 is pretty much the opposite with steeper SA, slacker HA and longer reach. I know that everyone understands this, but thing that is missing is the top tube length. If you get off a Gen 1 onto a Gen 2 of similar size the Gen 2 is going to feel SIGNIFICANTLY smaller because of the top tube length.

How does this translate in the real world? For flat trails on a Gen 2 you will notice much more pressure on your hands and an upright riding position. On steep climbs the bike will feel much more in control with less effort since you will have more weight on the front wheel due to the seat angle. Basically way less core work to keep the front wheel on the ground. When descending you will feel much more centered on the bike due to the longer reach and higher stack.

Net/net do not judge sizing from pedaling around a parking lot if you are coming off a Gen 1 to a Gen 2. The proper sized Gen 2 will likely feel tiny when seated and pedaling. The much better feel is when standing and carving corners. In that motion you will feel the more centered riding position and be "in" the bike instead of on top of it.