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The British science fiction writer and physicist Arthur C. Clarke once said: "Any sufficiently advanced form of technology is indistinguishable from magic." With these promising words, Specialized skilfully stages the latest expansion stage of its best-selling Levo. In order to emphasise the announcement, the Swiss development team left no stone unturned and redesigned the power all-mountain from the ground up. Apart from the suspension travel of 160/150 millimetres, almost everything has changed. The frame, geometry, motor, battery, chassis and even the software have been rethought and consistently implemented by the in-house development department.
In the video: BIKE checks out the new Levo
Specialized is now using two different motors for the new Levo, depending on the model. In the top model S-Works for an impressive 14500 euros (>> e.g. available hereThe S-Works motor is used in the new S-Works (), which, according to the company, delivers an impressive 111 Nm of torque and 720 watts of power. That's 27 per cent more oomph than its predecessor. In the carbon models below (Comp, Expert and Pro), which start at 7999 euros, the Specialized 3.1 motor, which is around ten percent weaker, still provides sufficient propulsion.
A separate 840 Wh battery is available to supply the powerful unit with sufficient range. A small 600 Wh battery is also available as an option. This can be removed from the side in no time at all and also exposes the storage bag, which is secured by a magnet in the head tube area. Equipped in this way, the Levo S-Works weighs an impressive 23.8 kilos without pedals. Specialized tyres with a stable gravity casing and solid Sram Maven brakes with 220/200 discs as well as a Fox 38 fork make no compromises in terms of stability and durability. What's more, the fourth generation of the bike is still customisable to the rider. The steering angle, bottom bracket height and chainstay length can be fine-tuned using a flipchip. To complete the potent suspension, Specialized relies on a damper with Genie technology, similar to the Stumpjumper or Levo SL. The enlarged air chamber provides more comfort in the mid-travel range without having to compromise on end progression and can be adjusted in many ways with volume spacers.
Performance and power delivery
Since DJI entered the power MTB stage, the arms race has been in full swing. High torque and plenty of power are more in demand than ever in the best quartet mentality. With a torque of a whopping 104 Newton metres, the new Specialized S-Works motor delivers a powerful performance and confirms the thrust felt in practice. The new motor also delivers a high level of power with a measured 670 watts, putting the Bosch CX5 and Shimano EP801 in the shade. Only the DJI Avinox pulls even harder on the chain, both at peak power and with a moderate rider input of 110 watts.
Full power is available from a cadence of 70 revolutions per minute and can be called up to a frequency of 140, which is perfectly adequate for practical use.
But pure power alone is not everything. Thanks to the proprietary software and precise torque sensors, the motor provides finely adjustable support. We were particularly impressed by the automatic mode, in which the rider input can be adjusted in line with the motor power via the app. This eliminates the need for frequent manual changes to the support levels and the bike hangs harmoniously on the foot and fades out comfortably. However, Specialized also had the reduction of motor noise and efficiency in mind during development. To achieve the former, the new motor completely dispenses with plastic parts and a belt for power transmission. In addition, the inner workings of the motor were completely suspended on one side for perfect alignment and the motor pinion was given an extremely hard coating. The Balinit coating ensures less friction even under heat and high loads, thus reducing noise, while the new 50 volt system increases efficiency.
The performance data of the new Specialized motor is absolutely impressive and is only surpassed by the DJI. However, with 3.18 kilos for the motor and 4383 grams for the 840 Wh battery, the Specialized combo weighs a lot and has to leave the competition behind in this respect.
The new S-Works engine off-road
Off-road, the new Levo is powerful but quiet. The sonorous, low hum is only faintly present, but is already present in Eco mode. Even in turbo mode, the new engine is one of the quieter models, sounding bright and metallic in places.
Even at a low cadence, the motor provides extremely strong support and endless torque. The S-Works motor has no problems starting off or starving on steep key sections. The Levo supports lazy pedallers with brute power in turbo mode. Even with a rider input of just 110 watts, a generous 653 watts are available. Even with increasing frequency, the motor pulls out nicely at the top and generates a lot of speed.
Striking: Even at the medium overrun setting, the motor constantly pushes for a long time and makes it easy to master key sections. Steps and root fields uphill lose their terror. The combination of the high-traction rear end and the powerful but controllable motor is particularly popular with fans of technical uphills.
Innovate or die
The new flagship in the Specialized portfolio also has to live up to the company philosophy of "innovate or die". The now fourth generation of the Levo not only willingly accepts this challenge, but is also brimming with superlatives. This applies in particular to the € 14500 top model in S-Works trim, which combines everything that is good and expensive in an exclusive overall package. Specialized has gone to unprecedented lengths to maintain a high level of innovation and user-friendliness at the same time. Not only the newly designed frame including the Fox Genie shock, but also the entire motor unit including the software comes from the in-house development department. The result is a tightly meshed system integration with well thought-out details that are unrivalled in the industry at this level.
Specialised Levo 4 drivetrain
- Motor: Specialised S-Works
- Battery: Specialised 840 Wh, removable
Equipment
- Fork / shock: Fox 38 Factory, Fox Float X Genie Factory
- Gear system: Sram XX Transmission AXS, 1 x 12
- Brakes: Sram Maven Ultimate 220 / 200 mm
- Wheels: Roval Traverse HD Carbon
- Tyres: Specialized Butcher Grid Gravity T9 29/27.5 x 2.4/2.3
- Seatpost / Stroke: Fox Transfer Neo / 200 mm
- Max. Rider weight: 109 kg
- Guarantee: for life
From the test lab
- Total weight: 23.76 kg without pedals
- Battery weight: 4383 g Weight
- Wheels: 5548 g
Effective geo-update
But it's not just the large assemblies that have been updated, there are also effective updates on the smaller side. For example, the seat angle has been steepened considerably compared to its predecessor, while the reach has remained almost unchanged. With more weight on the front, the new Levo climbs more confidently, although the riding position in combination with the 40 mm stem is quite short. A generous handlebar rise and stack value raise the front and ensure an upright position that also generates confidence on downhills. Thanks to the low bottom bracket, you are low on the bike, which has a positive effect on handling and allows a lot of cornering speed. The Levo 4 also offers three adjustment options to cater to almost every rider's wishes. This allows the bottom bracket height to be adjusted by six millimetres, the steering angle by +/- 1 degree and the chainstay length by nine millimetres. Only the 27.5 mm rear wheel is fixed on the latest version. Even with long chainstays and a low bottom bracket (geodata), the Levo has a good grip on the rear wheel and corners willingly.
Smooth and powerful
As with the Levo SL, Specialized relies on a Fox Genie Float X shock for the suspension. While we were only moderately impressed with the small Float version on the Stumpjumper, the Genie damper with reservoir showed its best side. All the testers praised its sensitivity and extremely high traction. The Levo SL climbs excellently until the front wheel rises in extremely steep sections. The suspension also works very harmoniously downhill and offers a decent amount of traction. The rear suspension, which requires a relatively large amount of air (245 PSI at 85 kg), willingly releases its travel but still offers convincing pop for an active riding style. The Specialized motor pushes quietly and powerfully uphill. A high torque is available even at a low cadence. The modulation is exemplary.
BIKE conclusion
The latest version of the Specialized Levo is intended to be the measure of all things and raises the bar in the full-power segment to a new level. The combination of frame, motor, shock and many in-house components is impressive. Engine power, chassis, handling and detailed solutions are convincing across the board. The high price and solid weight, on the other hand, are less impressive.
