Turbo Levo SL vs Rail (5 or 7 or 9 etc.)

[Gustesta]

Please, has anyone ever ridden a Levo SL and compared to a Trek Rail? Can you post your comments here?

 

[1981Miked]

Not sure it’s a fair comparison as the rail is a “full fat” ebike and the SL is somewhere between a normal bike and a “full fat” ebike.
I was considering a Levo SL before I rode a Rail 7, I now own a 2020 Rail 7 and couldn’t be happier. The Levo SL is more expensive and the way I see it is why pay more money for a bike with lesser motor and battery capabilities. If you don’t want the full on assistance the Rail offers over the SL just ride it around in ECO.

 

[Gustesta]

Not sure it’s a fair comparison as the rail is a “full fat” ebike and the SL is somewhere between a normal bike and a “full fat” ebike.
I was considering a Levo SL before I rode a Rail 7, I now own a 2020 Rail 7 and couldn’t be happier. The Levo SL is more expensive and the way I see it is why pay more money for a bike with lesser motor and battery capabilities. If you don’t want the full on assistance the Rail offers over the SL just ride it around in ECO.

Thank you! But do you think their weight difference makes a big difference on the track? Lighter is much better? Or it doesn't make a lot of difference?

 

[Doomanic]

@p3eps had a Rail in Dentist spec and not has a similarly spec'd SL. He's probably the best person to ask.

I've got a Rail 7 and I'm waiting for a demo of an SL.

 

[Doomanic]

If you don’t want the full on assistance the Rail offers over the SL just ride it around in ECO.

It's not quite that simple; the SL is significantly lighter as well as less powerful.

 

[mtbbiker]

You picked 2 totally different bike and it all depends on what you want out of an ebike. If you ride by yourself or other normal bikes, the Levo SL is a great bike.

If you plan on riding with other normal ebikes, you get blown away on the climbs.
A regular ebike is just as fast as a regular bike or Levo SL on the downhill. It is amazing what you as a rider gets use to regarding the weight of the bike. My downhill times are almost the same as my normal bike for the downhill.

 

[p3eps]

Try these...

Trek Rail - first ride

I collected my Rail on Monday, Invisiframed on Tuesday, Wednesday and a little bit on Thursday evening (sounds like a Craig David song ?)... and spent the rest of Thursday setting up suspension, putting pedals & mudguards on, and fine tuning the gears. Friday was an evening off other than...

www.emtbforums.com

Levo SL Gen 1 - Levo SL Expert - First Ride

I've been considering getting an eMTB for a while now (over a year) and have always been waiting for the right one to come along. A few weeks ago, I bit the bullet and bought a Trek Rail 9.9. A bike with an awesome spec and all the top of the range components. I've ridden it on 4 rides over...

www.emtbforums.com

My experiences of both.
Both great bikes... but the SL was more what I was looking for.

 

[Gustesta]

Try these...

Trek Rail - first ride

I collected my Rail on Monday, Invisiframed on Tuesday, Wednesday and a little bit on Thursday evening (sounds like a Craig David song ?)... and spent the rest of Thursday setting up suspension, putting pedals & mudguards on, and fine tuning the gears. Friday was an evening off other than...

www.emtbforums.com

Levo SL Gen 1 - Levo SL Expert - First Ride

I've been considering getting an eMTB for a while now (over a year) and have always been waiting for the right one to come along. A few weeks ago, I bit the bullet and bought a Trek Rail 9.9. A bike with an awesome spec and all the top of the range components. I've ridden it on 4 rides over...

www.emtbforums.com

My experiences of both.
Both great bikes... but the SL was more what I was looking for.

Thanks!

 

[1981Miked]

One thing I realised when looking for an ebike is that weight isn’t as big a consideration, you have the motor to assist you. I’m not a heavy rider and the Rail is 48lbs ish and it flies up hill and downhill. Sometimes too fast downhill..

 

[Philly G]

My 5 cents worth, it depends what sort of rider you are, where you like to ride. I have a Rail 7 and the weight definitely disappears beneath you when you ride. The weight is actually an advantage on the trails, planted, stable, forces the tyres to dig in and find grip in muddy conditions. Even handling -wise it's surprisingly nimble. But then if you need to lift it over a gate or into the back of a car, or wrestle with it on the workstand...then you notice the weight. For me, having a slight build, I was seriously considering the lighter eebs like the Levo SL and the Lapierre, but these bikes are seriously more money than my Rail. The cheapest SL is NZ$10,000 and comes with Sram's cheapest, heaviest drivetrain. So in the end cost was a big factor in my decision, that and how much I read about motor failures on the Speshys