Levo SL Gen 1 So whats the Levo SL really like

[Peterg]

looking for real life experiences of the SL.
I realise the motor has alot less power and the battery is slot smaller in capacity, but really how does it compare to Levo or an EP8 powered bike.
Is there a massive reduction in climbing assistance, does the SL feel like it has "grunt" on a climb?
There are lots for sale on the used market!!!

 

[Zimmerframe]

There's no definitive answer as everyone has a different perspective and requirement.

Some will think it's painfully horribly slow because they love the FF (full fat) experience and like to carry more speed on the flats and climbs, or they like the option for more assistance when they feel they need it.

Others love it, as for them, it has just the right amount of power and with the lower weight of the bike it fits their riding style perfectly.

Most Rise (EP8 RS) owners (but not all) think the SL is noisy, old, slow and just as heavy with no range advantages.

Most SL owners (but not all) think the Rise is only light because of it's spec, is pointless with the extra power and won't have anything like the range of the SL.

Ultimately, it depends what YOU want out of YOUR experience. There is no specific right or wrong, better or worse. Just different.

 

[apac]

There's no definitive answer as everyone has a different perspective and requirement.

Some will think it's painfully horribly slow because they love the FF (full fat) experience and like to carry more speed on the flats and climbs, or they like the option for more assistance when they feel they need it.

Others love it, as for them, it has just the right amount of power and with the lower weight of the bike it fits their riding style perfectly.

Most Rise (EP8 RS) owners (but not all) think the SL is noisy, old, slow and just as heavy with no range advantages.

Most SL owners (but not all) think the Rise is only light because of it's spec, is pointless with the extra power and won't have anything like the range of the SL.

Ultimately, it depends what YOU want out of YOUR experience. There is no specific right or wrong, better or worse. Just different.

Nicely summed up.?

 

[apac]

looking for real life experiences of the SL.
I realise the motor has alot less power and the battery is slot smaller in capacity, but really how does it compare to Levo or an EP8 powered bike.
Is there a massive reduction in climbing assistance, does the SL feel like it has "grunt" on a climb?
There are lots for sale on the used market!!!

I use my SL 90% of the time on 30% assist. In fact I only up the power when going DOWN hill as I can then get a bit of extra push if I lose momentum when sending the bike and me into oblivion.

The motor does not have grunt. going up hills without relying on your own leg muscles is done by using a fast cadence. It will then slowly shuttle you up. But of course this can be balanced with muscle use as well. it is not comparable to the full fat levo. It has a different type of motor, it has not belt drive So does not have anywhere near the same amount of power.
The SL is like riding a mountain bike with an extra pair of legs helping your own legs. It like having two pairs of legs. Nothing more.

if you use the motor at 100% power the bike goes a bit faster and it gives bursts of power as you stop and start pedalling which can feel weird. The Levo can do this too. The SL is not meant to be used at full power. It really is just 'assistance'. It will not blast you along like a full fat. It's a semi-skimmed kinda bike. I love mine. I get the exercise going up and I get the nimble bike coming down. Perfect!

 

[DtEW]

I dunno, guys. I ride my full-fat at 15% until I feel like I've had enough of the ride (ideally this occurs somewhere on the way back), then I bump it to 30%... which is equivalent to the "grunt" of the SL at 30% and 60%, respectively.

What I'm saying is that on that basis, there is no unique capability to the SL.

However, the 10-or-so-pounds lighter nature of the SL is something a full-fat can't replicate. Plus the assisted nature of the eMTB is obviously something a nonelectric MTB can't replicate either. Can you tell us all something about that interplay between assisted power and lightweight (relatively speaking) agility? What unique advantages have you found in this new intersection of attributes? Or is this something akin to taking on the challenge of boxing with one arm tied behind your back?

 

[chamaruco]

With the sl you can use all the gears, then all the power, and come back home with some leds of you battery on, dreaming next time to go further

 

[Pdoz]

I dunno, guys. I ride my full-fat at 15% until I feel like I've had enough of the ride (ideally this occurs somewhere on the way back), then I bump it to 30%... which is equivalent to the "grunt" of the SL at 30% and 60%, respectively.

What I'm saying is that on that basis, there is no unique capability to the SL.

However, the 10-or-so-pounds lighter nature of the SL is something a full-fat can't replicate. Plus the assisted nature of the eMTB is obviously something a nonelectric MTB can't replicate either. Can you tell us all something about that interplay between assisted power and lightweight (relatively speaking) agility? What unique advantages have you found in this new intersection of attributes? Or is this something akin to taking on the challenge of boxing with one arm tied behind your back?

I rode my ff ( giant full epro ) the same as you most of the time but would occasionally have a blast day at full power to burn off aggro. I've kept the giant for those days but doubt I'll bother.

The lighter weight makes the sl much easier and more fun - I'm looking for things to bounce off and a LOT more confident down hill. I'd owned the giant for 3 years and covered a lot of km , it was almost an extension of my body . Within a couple of months I'm more confident on the SL.

Most of the time I don't miss the power - last week I was on a mixed ride with an ep8 ( merida e160 8000) and a memtb ( giant trance x29 advanced) . The ep8 would pull 6 bike lengths over a 30 m elevation gain, but on mixed flowy x country the sl would steadily pull away . The memtb rider started off matching us down hill but after 2 hours was stuffed and making mistakes , he had been a LONG way back on the climbs , I suspect in a bad head space? The sl is a really sweet spot between having a bike you ride vs a bike you ride on, no regrets there.

I thought I'd miss the grunt on technical climbs , and the first few rides I felt this bike was a mistake. Now I've adapted to the cadence / need to preselect gears etc I'm actually clearing climbs I couldn't manage on the giant. The SL is more precise so I work my way through technical sections rather than plough through them . It's more fun.

BUT , the SL is definitely more noisy than an ep8 . You notice it for about 5 minutes after riding an ep8, but the noise can barely be heard over the chanting " should have bought a rise" . Come to think of it, I stopped noticing the ep8 was quiet as soon as I started chanting. I'm fairly confident that if I sold the sl to buy a rise, that'd change to ' should have ket the sl" . There us a mushy feel to the ep8 power delivery that makes the SL seem more enjoyable to pedal. Almost like wearing a condom with an energetic partner. Which reminds me - the SL just keeps going. How the hell does that sexy little thing go all day and still have the energy to give me a hand?

I'm rarely satisfied, and it's rare for me to return from a ride without tweaking the suspension of adjusting something on a bike. I absolutely despised the sram brakes on the sl but am starting to like them now. I had second thoughts about the lack of grunt but am starting to prefer it now. I missed the 27.5 rear but am starting to prefer the 29 now. Frkit, this thing is a keeper.

 

[apac]

I dunno, guys. I ride my full-fat at 15% until I feel like I've had enough of the ride (ideally this occurs somewhere on the way back), then I bump it to 30%... which is equivalent to the "grunt" of the SL at 30% and 60%, respectively.

What I'm saying is that on that basis, there is no unique capability to the SL.

However, the 10-or-so-pounds lighter nature of the SL is something a full-fat can't replicate. Plus the assisted nature of the eMTB is obviously something a nonelectric MTB can't replicate either. Can you tell us all something about that interplay between assisted power and lightweight (relatively speaking) agility? What unique advantages have you found in this new intersection of attributes? Or is this something akin to taking on the challenge of boxing with one arm tied behind your back?

I've owned a 2019 belt drive Levo (22.9kg) and now own a cog drive 2020 SL (18kg). The drive system is completely different. The power delivery is completely different. The feel of the ride is completely different. I could barely bunny hop or pull up the front end of the ff levo. The SL is easier to Handle and have fun on. It rides in a much more playful way. Powering down a levo does not replicate the SL in torque or power. The SL, as said above gives granny style assistance, it's not a 600w powerhouse. what I would love to try is a full fat levo with a pull back handle bar throttle you could mash and just use pedals for balance. But hey ho, that would be a motorbike.

 

[Rich the gasman]

I’ve sold my SL now, I found as I’m just using eco I’d rather have a normal bike and have a better all round bike. after the honeymoon period ( yes I was one of those that slated FF) I started to miss the power of a ff, 95% of riders have FF I know so keeping up was a pain in the ass after a while. The biggest gripe was the high pitch wine, it just drove me mad, mates got the new kenevo SL and you can hear him coming from miles away, amazing motor and tech but just to dam noisy for weak power.

 

[gbarfoot]

Who do you ride with? If you're riding mostly with regular mtbs then the SL is perfect. If you are riding with mainly FF, then go FF.

I currently have both....I like the FF better but do find myself reaching for SL when riding with regular bikes or on solo rides where I want some more exercise....but the reality is the FF takes me up more technical climbs with all of that power/grunt and I find myself getting a similar exercise on it depending on where I'm riding.

 

[Dave_B]

I have a SC Heckler E8000 motor and my son has the SL. noise between motors is the same, maybe the SL is a tad quieter.

with regards distance, I have the E8000 in ECO mode about 95% of the time and my ECO setting is far less than standard ECO. I get the same distance from both bikes (I like to take the SL out from time to time). Considering I use ECO most of the time on the Heckler, and trail on the SL, I am now considering the Levo SL or Kenevo SL in place of the Heckler.

The SL is a brilliant bike. My sons is a size large, which with 455mm of reach is 10mm shorter than the Heckler, which I notice. The XL on the SL is 485MM which sounds too long for me (but maybe not with a 35mm stem), the Kenevo SL is 460mm reach for the S3, which I am thinking would be manageable and maybe a good compromise.

 

[Bosko]

Rode my friends SL and thought it was great, decided to get an e-bike. The local bike shop had a Heckler MX in stock and I grabbed it and love it. Happy to choose the level of assist I need when riding, none to boost.

 

[Mossbo]

We have both a "full" levo and an SL. I prefer the SL for sure. The only time I use the Levo is when going with other e-bikes, or doing extreme climbing. The SL can also be used when I go with Stompjumper guys and then I just turn off the assistance, the difference towards a normal bike of enduro type is not more than the choice of a lighter tyre. For the SL you shall go with the carbon versions, for the normal Levo it does not matter that much.

 

[Pauliemon]

If you can possibly test both, do it! As you can see from this post lots of - and +. I have a SL cause I'm a old guy. I just want to keep up with my younger buddies on acoustic bikes. I have to admit sometimes I wish I had more power, mainly on tech climbs.

 

[RoktMyDog]

If you're fit, the SL is your huckleberry. For me, I had to adapt to spinning at a higher cadence to get motor assistance - you don't get more power from mashing the pedals harder. Why I love mine most is being able to get a good workout climbing but still have legs to be active and dynamic on the descents.
The ten extra pounds over my old bike actually feels better on fast flowy stuff. It loads the suspension allowing it to pop unloading which feels awesome, like carving a ski.
And aside, I had an attack of peripheral vertigo nine days ago and haven't been able to ride since. I'm not spinning/puking like that first day by any stretch but still off balance and unable to ride single track. If anyone knows any insaneous, homebrew, surefire juju to cure it, I'd love to hear about that. Epley movement etc no luck...

 

[Djwwestwood]

To give you a idea how good the SL climbing , I went to cannock recently and did the full circuit. On the switchback climbs in trail mode I had no problem going up the climbs , passing none bikes with ease , I found turbo on the switchback bends a bit to powerful- this may be down to my skills.
Been out on one of Steve’s magical misery tours of Sherwood pines , didn’t think I was faster or slower than the rest of the bunch. 20+ miles using a mixture of modes with plenty of battery left.

love the bike , my only observation…… I feel a bit of resistance when you stop peddling in turbo mode

 

[Pauliemon]

If you're fit, the SL is your huckleberry. For me, I had to adapt to spinning at a higher cadence to get motor assistance - you don't get more power from mashing the pedals harder. Why I love mine most is being able to get a good workout climbing but still have legs to be active and dynamic on the descents.
The ten extra pounds over my old bike actually feels better on fast flowy stuff. It loads the suspension allowing it to pop unloading which feels awesome, like carving a ski.
And aside, I had an attack of peripheral vertigo nine days ago and haven't been able to ride since. I'm not spinning/puking like that first day by any stretch but still off balance and unable to ride single track. If anyone knows any insaneous, homebrew, surefire juju to cure it, I'd love to hear about that. Epley movement etc no luck...

Sounds like Meniere's disease. Get to your doc!

 

[Housenotes]

I have the Levo SL, my riding partner has the FF Levo. I can’t keep up with him on the climbs, although I have no problem with them, technical or not, but on the downhills I pull away. I also get the same distance as him-we’ve done 30 mile rides together. I love my SL and couldn’t handle the weight of the FF Levo. I’ve been mountain bike riding for years and the fun is back!
Levo SL is an E bike for a mountain biker
Full fat levo is a mountain bike for an eBiker

 

[danf72]

If you're fit, the SL is your huckleberry. For me, I had to adapt to spinning at a higher cadence to get motor assistance - you don't get more power from mashing the pedals harder. Why I love mine most is being able to get a good workout climbing but still have legs to be active and dynamic on the descents.
The ten extra pounds over my old bike actually feels better on fast flowy stuff. It loads the suspension allowing it to pop unloading which feels awesome, like carving a ski.
And aside, I had an attack of peripheral vertigo nine days ago and haven't been able to ride since. I'm not spinning/puking like that first day by any stretch but still off balance and unable to ride single track. If anyone knows any insaneous, homebrew, surefire juju to cure it, I'd love to hear about that. Epley movement etc no luck...

Had similar quite a few years back. After 3 months a friend suggested that I try sea sickness tablets. If they worked it could be labyrinthitis. They did! Went back to the doc and within 10 days on the correct meds I was back to feeling my normal self. I had no ear pain whatsoever which is why they didn't pic it up. Anyway could be barking up the wrong tree but worth a shout.

 

[Bahling168]

I just traded my decked out Levo for an SL. I am a fit rider who hangs it out on the downs and will send about any jump we have. I have hit some 25+ ft doubles on the Levo (on DVO suspension), and while its been a sold bike and took all I gave it, it's still a lot of weight when you land or maybe push it a bit too hard. The SL is more my style (its got a Fox 38 @ 170mm and Ohlins TTX22M coil 150mm) its not "that" much lighter, but it feels like a regular bike after almost a year on the FF.

The SL is not as fast on the DH nasty runs, since the weight of the FF Levo really keeps you planted and controlled. I had ZERO issues with the Levo, and I will pick up a new 22 when we actually get them.. they are just that fun. The SL will keep me a bit more grounded and having to work for it, while still letting me catch a break on the climbs.

Time will tell if I made a bad choice, but so far I'm still in the honeymoon stage with the SL. I ride with a mixed group and already have been just wasted by the the FF eMTB rides... which sucks.. but when I'm on my own it's not an issue and I still get back to the truck with almost 45% battery life on the same trail that would leave me with 2 bars on the Levo (playing mostly in trail 40-100%)

 

[Borut]

So im new SL ovner , and i owned orbea Rise with 2800km on it.
Rise is a beautiful bike. But SL is a.....cherry on the top of a cream, why?
Range? Sl range...is much higher if u are fit, why ? Cause at rise lower then 20% doesnt go, and u do 72km 1600m altitude with 47% battery left AMAZING.
With SL u do same route with 87% baterry left and in eco settings 25/25 EVEN MORE AMAZING THEN RISE.
Levo SL for me while in 190cm is a maybach regarding comfort.
Noise? Thats also a myth...levo SL is as much as noiser in eco as RISE....nothing more nothing less.
Orbea warranty BIG PROBLEM, when u go to claim warranty at different dealer from purchase.
Specialized warranty everywhere no problem.
So...choice is obvious ...if u are fit, if u wanna do something for your body, and if u wanna have calm nerves when it comes to a problem.
If warranty claims would be easy at orbea...those bikes would be very close, but they are very very far from each other

 

[RoktMyDog]

Had similar quite a few years back. After 3 months a friend suggested that I try sea sickness tablets. If they worked it could be labyrinthitis. They did! Went back to the doc and within 10 days on the correct meds I was back to feeling my normal self. I had no ear pain whatsoever which is why they didn't pic it up. Anyway could be barking up the wrong tree but worth a shout.

Good tip and thanks for your reply. It turns out mine's a classic case of the little rocks in the wrong canals of the gyro in our heads. The ongoing unbalanced / dizzy feeling is a carry-over that exercises will hopefully cure quickly. It's been painful not riding world class single track on my SL for almost 2 weeks now!
The stationary bike at the gym just ain't quite the same...

 

[squeegee]

I've had a Decoy and now have both SL and regular Levo. I'm relatively fit for my age. I take out the SL in most cases except:

--Long rides with big climbs with all FF riders
--Bike parks with bigger features
--Days when my legs are shot from consecutive days on SL

Levo excels on more wide open decents and tracks. SL excels on anything tight requiring quick turns and manuverability. Climbing on SL is very much like analog, lots more spining and slower, a traditional feel but still will get you there with minimal effort.

Biggest complaint about regular Levo is weight especially in technical trail riding where pulling up/cornering a lot is required. Manuals on Levo requires huge effort. Manuals on SL are easy and fun.

Only complaint about SL is you just can't get the superman power for climbing, on the other hand the Brose on the Levo will spoil you and make you lazy. If I spend too many days on Levo I pay for when I get back on the SL.

If I had to choose one it would be the SL because overall for my riding style suits me best and gives me best overall experience. I do a lot of trail rides and like to jump, manual, wheelies and play around a lot which just isn't the same with a 50lb+ bike. SL can also handle nasty decents almost as well as Levo, mainly extra weight of Levo is an advantage on extended chunky descents.

I bumped into a few Specialzed employees about a month ago in Pisgah (all riding SL's) and got a chance to ask a lot of questions. Key takeaway was yes SL motor could be tuned for more power but at the expense of range. I wish they would put that in our hands to decide, but Specialized kind of like Apple provides a turn-key solution and the feeling I got is they want to keep it that way.

 

[A1000]

Key takeaway was yes SL motor could be tuned for more power but at the expense of range. I wish they would put that in our hands to decide, but Specialized kind of like Apple provides a turn-key solution and the feeling I got is they want to keep it that way.

Interesting and not surprising that the motor could be tuned for more power, however, as you highlight as with many things in the realms of physics there are trade-offs. Power is the obvious one, but it wouldn't surprise me if there was also a potential adverse impact on the gearing also which I think is engineered and made from plastic (of some sort) to balance weight, noise, and torque. So while it could be tuned to a higher torque maybe the reliability & warranty might have to be worse & shorter as a trade off.

To get to the kind of weight that the SL sits at there are many design trades required and the fact that Spercialized have obviously invested a great deal of time in the SL is a great attraction, even if in some areas budget/price point was a driving factor. Thats the reality of balancing feasability, desireability, & viability? As you say it's a bit like buying an Apple product!

 

[fbonde]

With the sl you can use all the gears, then all the power, and come back home with some leds of you battery on, dreaming next time to go further

haha - spot on. That's my feeling about the SL.
For me, the big thing is, that it feels 80% at the time like "real" mtb (like a stumpy Evo ish) and not like a full fat E. I find the smart control is really the best mode for me. I can go pretty far (70 km, 1000 meters, and elevation) and still have some bare leds left on the battery. The power on the SL is just fine when I'm in Denmark very flat-ish country, however, in the Alps, I go for the Levo 100% I can go further and way more meters of elevation.

The only thing I might regret is that I went for an S4 rather than an S3 (I'm 178 cm). On my Epic /stumpy I use size medium. Time will tell. I feel it's a little bit to the bigger side.

 

[Grannyjones]

I got the Turbo Levo which I'm now wondering if I should have got the SL instead because so many places in north west England have high stiles, fences and locked gates to lift over and it's only getting worse. The weight of the bike makes this task very ardous and difficult. Sometimes more difficult than any part of an analogue bike ride.

I find myself sometimes bringing the analogue bike out just for this reason. But I also ride an anlogue bike whenever I'm riding with a friend, whenever I take a bike on a plane, or when I'm exploring a new route that I suspect will have hike-a-bike or fences, or when the Levo is having technical problems. Or just generally in Winter, to protect the Levo from the appalling mud and water.

The analogues feel sluggish when I go back to them after getting used to the Turbo Levo. If I got the SL it would make switching between the two not as mentally difficult. I switch between the two a very lot, often have no choice.

 

[Potato]

So I just got the SL a few weeks ago. I had ordered one in Nov. and cancelled that order because I found one available elsewhere. I got into EMTB with the Giant Trance SX pro1. I loved it, it was so fun to ride, had a few hub issues, but other than that it was a blast. I have been mtbing for over 25 years and it let me ride loops that my fitness makes it a bit hard for me to finish. After I got used to it though I only rode it about 50% of it's power, usually between 150-200% support. For the last 2 years it was my main bike, but I would never think of getting rid of my trail bike, I still rode the trail bike about 20% of the time.

Now that I have the Levo SL that is a bit different. It rides well with no power. I would say it is about 8lbs heavier than my trail bike. 40/80 is my preferred setting after about 200km of experimenting. I have tried it with 27.5 wheels and the pedal strikes negate any benefit to going to that size. The 29s work perfect for this bike, and I am 5'7" on a medium. I did find out that I like the flip chip on high with 29s for the twisty, off camber, switchbacks that are common on the trails I ride. This could replace my trail bike. I still have a DH bike, but will probably look at selling my trail bike now.

The Trance is super fun, but it is very different than my trail bike. The SL can feel like a normal bike. With power on it is still has a good amount of support, but turning, jumping, climbing is very similar to my trail bike except with a bit of help. It is 15lbs lighter than my Trance SX and I can get probably another 10km extra trail riding on the SL with my 40/80 setting compared with 175% support on the Trance. If I do run out of battery it would be fine to pedal out, but the Trance was a tank and not fun at all to ride without power, doable, but definitely something I would try to avoid.

For me, an older MTBer, life, work, and family were a higher priority than being in top shape. I can still jog a 5k and ride 20km of trail, but will be tired after. The Levo SL is a perfect fit, after a 30km trail ride I am a bit sore, but not so tired in my chest and gasping for air. I am so glad I decided to upgrade to it. I think I will be happy enough to ride it till it dies.

 

[mizzourah2006]

haha - spot on. That's my feeling about the SL.
For me, the big thing is, that it feels 80% at the time like "real" mtb (like a stumpy Evo ish) and not like a full fat E. I find the smart control is really the best mode for me. I can go pretty far (70 km, 1000 meters, and elevation) and still have some bare leds left on the battery. The power on the SL is just fine when I'm in Denmark very flat-ish country, however, in the Alps, I go for the Levo 100% I can go further and way more meters of elevation.

The only thing I might regret is that I went for an S4 rather than an S3 (I'm 178 cm). On my Epic /stumpy I use size medium. Time will tell. I feel it's a little bit to the bigger side.

This is what I'm going for. I do analog enduros every once in a while, so I'd like something that descends similarly to an analog bike so I can get used to the lines on technical descents that would be reasonable to take and not get bucked riding a 31lb bike. I just pulled the trigger on an SL that I should receive this weekend. I'm excited to give it a go. I'm hoping it helps me session more downhills, get out to see more of the longer trails, and to provide me with some assistance after days where my legs are shot.

 

[will.fraser.3192]

For me, the SL is significantly more fun on trails and single track than my heavier, more powerful ebikes. The SL isn’t as good for commuting (where high power output, soft suspension and a big battery are more important than weight or handling) but so much better where I do most of my recreational riding (long single track runs in the mountains). The lower torque is much better for me when I’m trying to climb something steep and rough (harder to modulate torque on my other bikes). The handling is quick and lively, the battery lasts a good long while in trail mode, and I can bike out with a flat battery and still enjoy the ride.

 

[Pauliemon]

This is what I'm going for. I do analog enduros every once in a while, so I'd like something that descends similarly to an analog bike so I can get used to the lines on technical descents that would be reasonable to take and not get bucked riding a 31lb bike. I just pulled the trigger on an SL that I should receive this weekend. I'm excited to give it a go. I'm hoping it helps me session more downhills, get out to see more of the longer trails, and to provide me with some assistance after days where my legs are shot.

You're gonna love it! It's perfect for what you want. Which model of SL did you get. I started out with a Comp Carbon, it's something else now,...I guess.?