E-freerider Specialized Kenevo put to the test

Easy up and down on rough tracks: E-freeriders like the Kenevo want to make lifts and shuttles superfluous. The motto: the bike park is built into the bike. The new Turbo Kenevo is particularly serious about this, as the Specialized team have equipped the new model with a double bridge fork for the first time. The engineers wanted to stiffen the front for better guidance. (However, there is also a model with a single crown fork). At the rear, a steel spring damper pushes 180 millimetres out of the rear. The frame design is also new: asymmetrical like its little brother, the Levo, and of course flatter and longer. Almost a kilo of weight has been saved on the aluminium frame and investments have been made in more robust add-on parts, such as the 27.5 wheels. The new Brose motor powers the Kenevo - just like the Levo. According to the manufacturer, it is smaller and lighter. Specialized does not include a display as standard, but it can be purchased as an option for around 70 euros.

Our driving impression

We rode the Turbo Kenevo in the Northstar bike park in California. We skipped the lift and purred up the mountain with e-power. We chose the Kenevo in frame size S3 - the equivalent of an M frame. It is long - the reach has increased significantly. The Kenevo climbs comfortably, but we were really looking forward to the descent! This is where the E-freerider really comes into its own. The Kenevo sits firmly on the trail and generates enormous traction. You glide down into the valley as if on rails. It's crazy how much speed the bike can handle without getting nervous. On the other hand, if you want to play, the Kenevo needs a lot of vigour and physical effort. For manuals, you have to push deep into the suspension to straighten it up with a lot of arm pull.

Conclusion on the Specialized Kenevo from tester Laurin Lehner:

The new Turbo Kenevo is a big bike with an electric motor. Drops, stunts, downhill balling - no problem at all! However, the range of use is narrow, because who wants to swing over their home trails with a double bridge? We like the Levo as an all-rounder with its direct ride feel better than the specialist Kenevo. But everyone has to decide for themselves!

Specialised Turbo Kenevo Expert 27.5"

Spring travel: 180 mm / 180 mm
Steering angle: 64°
Reach / Stack470 mm / 614 mm (S3)
Weight: 24,6 Kilo
Price6899 Euro (Expert), 5499 Euro (Comp)