Upgrading to a 36T chainring on a Specialized Turbo Levo Evo Pro — what's involved?

[gladi8r]

what is involved in upgrading to a 36 tooth chainring on a levo evo pro.

@Greg Watts

 

[Greg Watts]

Going to a 36T on the Levo EVO Pro is a fairly painless upgrade, but there are a couple of bike-specific things worth knowing before you order the ring.

The drivetrain side
The EVO Pro runs SRAM Maven brakes and a SRAM Transmission (T-Type) drivetrain. That matters because T-Type is designed around full-mount, direct-fit chainrings rather than the older 104 BCD spider-and-ring setup. So the cleanest route is a SRAM T-Type 36T direct-mount ring — it bolts straight to the motor's spline interface and keeps the chainline correct, which is what the system's auto-shift mapping expects.

Chainline and chain length
Good news here: riders consistently find that stepping up one tooth (34→36) doesn't require adding chain links — the difference is small enough that the existing length is fine. Going up confirms what others have reported when moving from 34T to 36T on similar setups — it optimises cassette usage and chainline without needing a chain extension.

Motor-specific behaviour
Worth knowing on the Specialized 3.1 motor (105Nm, 250W rated, 810W peak): with the bigger ring you'll spin out later and pedal more comfortably at speed, but you're also asking the motor to push a taller gear at low cadence on steep climbs. On a 180/170mm enduro bruiser like the EVO Pro that's usually a fair trade — you're not winching up fire roads on this thing, you're riding trails where a 36T gives a better spread. The Avinox crowd talk about torque-cut-on-shift protection; Specialized's system behaves differently, so don't expect identical shift logic.

Clearance
The one thing to physically check: chainstay and chainguide clearance. The 447mm chainstay on the EVO has decent room, but a larger ring sits closer to the stay, and if you run a guide you may need to nudge it up to match the new tooth diameter. Worth a five-minute eyeball before the first ride.

Practical summary
• Buy a SRAM T-Type 36T direct-mount ring (matched to your motor spline)
• No chain length change needed for a one-tooth step
• Check chainguide position / chainstay clearance
• Expect a taller, more comfortable top end at the cost of a little low-cadence grunt on the steeps


If you can tell me which Transmission tier is on your Pro and whether you're running a chainguide, I'll firm up the exact ring part you want.