$5,500 Levo Alloy Experiment - What would you upgrade first?

[@BastienChanot]

For budget minded prioritization : 1. Contact points : pedals, grips, rear tire for sturdiness : 200usd 2. Fork : Marzo z1, tokens in the shock 700usd 3. Brakes : SLX or m6120 : 150usd 4. GX rear derailleur & shifter : 200usd 5. If it survived that long, rims update to something cheap light and sturdy such as the ex471 : 300usd Total cost :

[@nicktrammell220]

This is timely, as I was looking at getting this exact bike or a Turbo Levo SL comp. They are both on sale right now for $4,500 which felt like a good place to jump into emtb. I ended up going SL comp as it made more sense for the trails i ride and I really enjoy how it feels. Went PNW xl loam grips and range pedals in teal for my accent color and it looks sick.

[@HelplmAlive]

Need to upgrade my bank account first.

[@TheLoamWolf]

😂

[@edwardsamarin]

I own this bike. Bought it with the specific goal of upgrading it. Have to shell out for a much higher build to get top parts. changed out the fork to a zeb ultimate. Made a big difference, put a cane creek katsuma air shock in the rear. Brakes for me work great as they are. Just need to keep the pistons lubed. Would almost be nervous if the brakes were any stronger.

[@marklopez5267]

Put a Fox 38 and Cane Creek Kitsuma on my Levo Comp Alloy. Thats really all the bike needs! Plows through steeps and chunk with ease!

[@felipeesteve3258]

In order of personal preference and budget Lvl 1: oneup dropper, larger disc rotors and grips Lvl 2: brakes and tires + cushcore Lvl 3: suspension front and back Lvl 4: drivetrain & cockpit Lvl 5: rims What do you think?

[@TheLoamWolf]

Not a bad way to go, but the dropper isn’t a high priority for me yet. I’d rather put that towards suspension.

[@gkarma15]

As a owner of a turbo Levo alloy, I upgraded the levers to RSC’s. Changed tires a lot. Then upgraded the rotors to HS2. Did the suspension last with RS Zeb and Cane Creek DB coil.

[@billlumberge3508]

I’ve gone through so many tires. Because of roading to the trails.

[@mongkeefee5576]

Great idea for a video series guys! Always fun to see other people's ideas for upgrade priorities. Here's the original spec from Specialized US website so people don't have to look it up when trying to comment on what they would upgrade first. Original spec: Handlebars Alloy, 35mm diameter, 780mm width, 8-degree backsweep, 6-degree upsweep SeatPost TranzX dropper, 34.9mm, S1: 100mm, S2: 125mm, S3: 150mm. S4-S5: 170mm, S6- 200mm Rear Derailleur SRAM SX Eagle, 12-speed Cassette SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed, 11-50t Chain SRAM NX Eagle, 12-speed Shift Levers SRAM SL SX Eagle, 12-speed Crankset Praxis Forged/Custom Offset/ISIS Spindle Interface, 160mm Chainring SRAM X-Sync Eagle, 104 BCD, 32T, steel Rims Specialized 29F, 27.5 R, hookless alloy, 29mm inner width, tubeless ready Front Hub Specialized alloy front hub disc, sealed cardridge bearings, 6-bolt, 15x110mm thru-axle, 32h Rear Hub Alloy, sealed cartridge bearings, 12x148mm thru-axle, 32h Spokes DT Swiss Industry Front Tire Butcher, GRID TRAIL casing, GRIPTON® T9 compound, 2Bliss Ready, 29x2.6" Rear Tire Eliminator, GRID TRAIL casing, GRIPTON® T7 compound, 2Bliss Ready, 27.5x2.6" Rear Shock RockShox Deluxe Select R, rebound adjust, S1: 52.5x210mm, S2-S6: 55x210mm Fork RockShox 35 Silver, 35mm stanchion, Turnkey damper, S1: 150mm travel, S2-S6: 160mm travel Front Brake SRAM Guide RE, S1-S3: 200mm, S4-S6: 220mm Rear Brake SRAM Guide RE, 200mm My recs: (I agree 100% about the fork and brakes.) Also, for budget minded improvement, I think swapping out the drivetrain with an 11-speed Shimano Deore on the HG driver and a 34t chainring would be smart. Who needs a 52t granny ring on an ebike anyways?

[@mattanderson1243]

Right on, Drew! I did this exact thing with my base Turbo Levo. Only stock parts left are the cranks, headset, and battery. I went with Fox Factory 38 fork & X2 shock for suspension. The rest of the build is comprised of new and take-off parts from other builds; Code RSC, Sram XO1 drivetrain, MX wheelset, and other contact point parts. Now I'm debating the addition of a Cascade Link (163mm progressive link) and swapping the Fox 38 air shaft to 170mm. Bike has been amazing on trail! I have yet to drain the 500 watt battery on a ride up here in Washington. Can't wait to hear your updates.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Right on that's good to hear thank you for sharing Matt. SOunds like you've got a sweet ride there. Looking forward to this too.

[@wsl5585]

This would be my strategy for buying a emtb. Initially I'd replace the fork and shock. I don't know what would be next but looking forward to seeing what you do. I'd go with the gloss frame protection.

[@lars_atx]

Interesting project. Will definitely be tracking this.

[@thim8009]

Matte. I ended up buying the alloy comp. Only thing I've done is, putting on a 38 performance elite. I've put my own pedals, bars, grips, and saddle on, but I do that on every bike. I put the new zeb charger 3 damper, air spring and an ultimate coil on my decoy. Best suspension I've ever owned. The 38 had too much Grease in it and I could never get it feeling just right. I haven't had a chance to try 38, hope it does well, if not I'm selling it and getting a zeb ultimate on it.

[@ilidiofaria]

What I change in all bikes is saddle and grips. Sometimes on e-bikes brakes and the freehub

[@megane230f1]

specialized has a new alloy bike out with a 700wh battery £4900 uk pounds i think its a great price especially for a levo

[@JaredHoff]

I love buying lower spec models and upgrading to make them my own. Dark color e-bike like that is just begging for some color. Red Bomber fork and red coil first. Then add in other upgrades slowly over time. Or go broke on Orange factory fork and Orange Fox coil shock 🤘

[@TheLoamWolf]

Nice! Those would be pretty sweet pops. And we agree, customizing bikes is incredibly fun.

[@TheAngryHusky]

I tried Matte ride wrap on my Levo comp carbon and I ended up switching to gloss. Looks much better IMO. Also I’d upgrade the fork and brakes

[@KosmicHRTRacingTeam]

I have an older Haibike that I was practically “given” but I’ve upgraded every single part on it with plans on keeping those parts for my next bike build. Well, turns out that not many companies do frame or frameset only eMTBs (yes, specialized has the S works for $5k). So in this case, I’d throw all my parts on this alloy (XTR, Magura, Renthal and DT Swiss)

[@mattshepherd3412]

Please add more content for this project. I would love to see you guys approach this in a way that is attainable to most Levo owners. Don't just throw a load of Kashima coated parts and electronic shifters, keep it real please.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Coming soon!

[@greggoldman893]

What I did to my gen2 alloy….tubeless with Cush core, 700 watt battery, and new 12 speed eagle when old wore out.

[@braap_biglunch]

I did this exact same thing, my first mod was a fox 38 elite, then brakes, mt7s then eventually the expensive 700wh battery, after all that i thinks it's better to start with the levo comp for 7500

[@jessevassallo]

I would change the brakes. I have the turbo levo that comes with the Code Rs and it’s the first thing I’m changing on the bike.

[@tjay_mac]

The Levo Carbon is also on sale right now for $4,999. $5465 USD out the door price. The stock weight for my S3 with inner tubes is 49.74 lbs on Feedback scale, also no pedals. The price difference between alloy and carbon Levo is $11. So if you’re considering this, check out the Carbon frame one. I bought it to build a light full fat ebike. I had the current Heckler at 50 lbs but I want something like the Rise M weight buy with 90Nm of power and the adjustability of a Stumpy Evo which is my other bike. The goal is 43 lbs on my Levo Carbon with DHF 2.5 tires, Lyrik Ultimate,… Thanks for the video!

[@fgiraffe8751]

Seems like the Alloy Comp is worth the extra $$ for the larger battery and slightly better drivetrain and suspension. What made you use the base model? Availability?

[@yodapig]

I agree - the Alloy Comp is currently the best value Specialized eMTB regarding spec/performance (Fox forks/shock and 700wh battery) - particularly at the current on-sale price!

[@markwebster243]

Matt protective cover,where was the pedals when weighing? Grips,rotors only sram wireless rear mech and wheels.

[@kenalexander8809]

I have a 2020 Levo comp SL and I upgraded fork to Lyrik Ultimate 160 and cascade components link and it made a big difference in riding performance.

[@ישידסקל]

What an awesome video series! I would love to hear what you think about the ochain-e, even though its not really a budget upgrade it seems to have a big influence on ride quality

[@JacksonD489]

Wolfie, I have the 2021 model of this bike and honestly it doesn't need a thing, but if I had the funds, I would upgrade the fork with the Marzocchi Bomber Z1 coil, bar/stem combo (I did this mod to mine), SRAM Code RSC brakes, 700wh battery and custom wheel set with Profile Racing Elite MTB hubs. This is a great bike out of the box! Thanks for the video..

[@TheLoamWolf]

Thank you for sharing and appreciate it.

[@Pienimusta]

Fork would be the first thing to go. Upgrading the drivetrain might become interesting. NX Eagle with the rear hub having shimano's hyperglide body.

[@krusch75]

HAve the same bike. Upgrade 1, Tires and tubeless setup. Step 2. Fork. Bought the cheapest ZEB. Not only was it a major upgrade. But also took 0.8kg of the bike. Brakes (sram) that came on the bike are still up to the task. Just installed galfer ebike pads and voila. Much better brakes. Just my experience and upgrades. I dont mention cockpit as most riders have their own preferance on rise, backsweep, stem lenght etc.

[@yodapig]

I would have asked the dealer to part-exchange the 500wh battery with the 700wh version - these things are so fun you'll typically want to ride farther than the 500wh range realistically offers...

[@randybinc.6443]

Reason I got that carbon levo base for 3500 sale it comes with 500 battery and free 700 battery

[@jack91522]

I've upgraded the tires first because they ripped on the 2nd ride. It's a crap tire. Then I've changed out the shock to a push , bomber coil, and new dropper. Next I need to change rotor and brakes. Eventually I need to change the rims, they are soft as butter. Its a good bike! So fun

[@rbdg66]

Same as most people. Upgrade fork and shock. Would also change the breaks to 4 piston Since I'm a heavier rider.

[@ragstir]

I went matt . Looks mint , I've upgraded forks to fox 36 rhythm , New stem , fox float x2 on route for the rear , motor bash plate also on order , looking to do rear suspension cascade links upgrade to 160mm travel soon then possible brakes as rear brake has already lost bite 4 /5 rides in , gears also not changing smoothly already ,skipping past 5th every time

[@ralva2779]

Grips, go tubeless, frame protector (A big yes), your favorite pedals, drivetrain for EMTB ( SRAM GX/XO T-Type stuff). 🤘🏽 😎. (Going lighter is tough since you have to sacrifice torque and battery - good luck- I love my levo with 700W battery even if it weighs a ton 😂 )

[@topchoice1621]

I think you should just ride it as is and don’t upgrade anything to see how it performs

[@William.N]

First item you need is a basket. On frame storage is often overlooked outside of water bottle mounts and a basket is a cheap upgrade. On a more serious note, matte protector. Not knowing how it performs, first thing I would want is to upgrade brakes.

[@Ponyo3816]

So I have this bike. I upgraded the Crankring to 38t. That's about the max for them. It's mainly ridden on low flat land. So having more usage of the full transmission helps out a lot. Then upgrade to a 700 mAh battery.

[@_Jake.From.Statefarm_]

Def suspension (I'd do the levo specific coils cause why not!), tires, and brakes. =)

[@msawyer110]

i have the comp and have ridden other emtbs with lower grade suspension, the upgrade to 36 is worth it if you are serious about riding.

[@scholesy65]

Perfect, contemplating getting an e-bike, but don’t want to drop a fortune in case it’s not for me.

[@loganrhodes1741]

I’d dig a comparison with the T7E or D8E polygon at this price point/ value

[@steveharper4017]

Great video Drew, only seeing this now as looking at this as my first emtb. Be interesting to see final weight on this, id like to be below 25kg for roof rack limitations. If i have to go to tow bars etc or change vehicle my budget is doomed and bike will not be viable. Great channel by the way!

[@steve4296]

Regular cascade link. Made a significant improvement on my Levo expert.

[@TheHooniverse]

Great series idea!

[@jeffreythompson6282]

Just ordered a comp alloy so I'll be playing this game too but from a little better starting point. Dropper (210mm oneup) and rimpact inserts going on right away, then likely a grip2 damper for the fork next. I'm also delimiting it and putting on a 9-50 cassette with a 36t chainring, but that's for just to blaze to work faster (which is "the reason" I'm getting an ebike)

[@leandroiw2942]

upgrades: 1) Fork 2) brake rotors size 3) Cushcore 4) Pushcoil. Gloss finish for the protector.

[@zionite24]

I got 3rd gen turbo Levo. I upgraded the 35 silver for a ZEB much nicer on the chattery stuff no more hand fatigue. I’m not sure if I want to do the shock or wheels next. I did put an assegai on the back the stock tire folded to much on me even with high tire pressure.

[@rodent]

with mine I changed the fork for a Lyrik Ultimate 160mm, shimano zee brakes, maxxis assegai 2.5 front and rear, ergon grips.

[@Peterpkart75]

Fantastic this will help, just looking at buying the same bike and upgrades 👍

[@weserve042203]

Ohlins yellow when you swap the fork and shock to Ohlins :)

[@thewrx2600]

I have the same bike, it would be riderwrap, pedals, tires, tubeless, saddle (SM-E)cockpit (bars, stem, grips), lupine lights, and then magura brakes MT7's. Eventually then it would new cranks, decent aluminum wheelset, 2+ front sprocket, and a 750wh battery, push rear shock, and zeb ultimate fork, possibly the cascade but would increase travel up to 160.

[@chawkins45ify]

1. Tubeless 2. Gravity casing tires 3. Longer dropper 4. More compliant handlebars and different stem 5. Fork 6. Brakes 7. Shock 8. Saddle, grips if needed 9. Drivetrain if needed

[@TheLoamWolf]

That's a solid To Do list! and not far off our plans.

[@valiantthor5238]

I have this Bike as 2024 G3 (Alloy Base Model) and i love it❤ Bought it for 4650€ in July. I changed the Rockshox 35 Silver Fork (160mm for S4 Size) to a 160mm Rockshox ZEB Ultimate Charger 3.1 v2025. The Fork is awesome, Night and Day Difference😮 All other Components are enough for me. Sure, the SRAM DB8 Brake and the Rockshox Deluxe Damper is not the best but so far im happy and they work fine. Maybe i upgrade the SRAM SX to a GX AXS Transmission

[@svanhoogstraten]

Just bought this bike for €4100 which is an amazing price and am satisfied with everything. I have never had an Emtb before so have nothing to compare it to. Since the forks are entry level I can imagine a big improvement can be made there.

[@craigbest8644]

Would definitely look into upgrading the suspension, I've got a 35 fork on my hardtail which is mainly my work bike but definitely not a match for the Lyriks on my full sus. Having said that about upgrading the suspension, surely it'd be worth spending the extra and getting the next model up with fox suspension and SRAM GX gearing.

[@stuartthomasson5027]

What fork is that? If it’s a RS recon I’ve run that fork for a while and its not bad. If I had cash to throw at the bike I would probably upgrade the fork first….only if I didn’t like it after trying it out. I would get some sweet stickers for that bike. A custom Batman logo head badge would look sweet on it.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Haha Nice! Batman fan huh? It is the Recon yes. It's likely the first performance upgrade we'll do.

[@charlieplatt931]

Matte! Also definitely upgrade the suspension first.

[@TheLoamWolf]

That's the plan!

[@jimmylights878]

1) Shimano Saint brakes 2) 2025 Zeb Ultimate 3) Cascade long shock kit 4) 2025 Rock Shox Vivid Ultimate

[@ianmaynard8204]

I swapped the fork to a 36 rhythm on my wifes Levo Alloy. That is definitey the first.

[@JoseCastillo-cn4dc]

I upgraded the bar to a 6 raise bar because I used for commuting and weekend rides. I love the bike. the fork is ok but I will upgrade later. I changed the cassette and the chain on the 1st 1000 KM. Also have a 500 and 700 kWh battery. I can tell the difference when jumping. I need more speed to clear the same jump. I think is 1.3 KG difference

[@FlowFinderUSA]

you mean you need 'more speed' with the 700?

[@monmonroy7488]

Got the same bike. Interested what you will upgrade first. I changed the shock and fork initially.

[@xav_1029]

Contact points Tires Suspension Brakes In that order. Everything else is minimal unless the dropper doesn’t function.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Good suggestions

[@Icehand100]

How is the project going? What have you changed on the Levo since then?

[@TheLoamWolf]

Stay tuned, second episode is coming soon!

[@grrlewis1]

Tyres (Assegai/DHR), fork (36 or 38), longer dropper(one up). Replace drive train once it fails (it will fail) for Shimano 11 speed. Consider carbon bar at a later date. Guide RE’s are great trail/all mountain bike brakes, but possibly not ideal ebike brakes - might be helped by upgrading rotors to the new SRAM HS2 rotors. Done. 🤓

[@425flex]

has there been a follow up video for this yet?

[@TheLoamWolf]

Coming very soon.

[@425flex]

Hell yeah thanks loam wolf.

[@Bubs941]

Just got my comp alloy. 666.8k on it and had issues on the trail thought it was the freehub was blown out of it as it just was spinning turn out to be the pressed In ring gear spinning I. The hub. So need a new hub but need a upgrade. Disappointed that it didn’t last very long.

[@3000KTM]

fkn yes !!! im about to do this exact thing with the comp alloy with 700 battery , in new zealand its on sale for 9 grand …. the other ones you guys test are around 20 grand which is just stupid looking forward to seeing your thoughts as it is stock though

[@TheLoamWolf]

Awesome to hear we're embarking on the same track! Congrats on your new bike.

[@leandrovaranda4555]

Maybe a Lyrik or a Pike 160mm? The new one up alloy bars,

[@eddieschouten6861]

Mandatory no#1 would be the suspension Ohlins for me. Then no#2 brakes Hope 220mm. No#3 full Axis -seat post, gears. Then the cosmetic touches Jet black grips renthal carbon fat bar sq lab saddle schwalbe tyres Or simply strip it all & before installing the above mentioned bits wrap it in an oil slick type colour 😎🤙🇦🇺

[@RCPilot48]

Change to carbon fiber handlebars…one of the best value upgrades I’ve ever done

[@Ale_011]

Hi, Is there a big difference in handling between the aluminum or carbon frame with the same components?

[@IIISentorIII]

yes

[@pataskren7524]

I know it’s expensive but push eleven six. I am thinking about buying one for my levo

[@ricbarker]

Didn’t read all the comments but the 700 and the 500 batteries use the exact same number of cells. They just use a lower wattage cell. There is no weight savings. In the packs

[@JenkinsB]

dork disc weights 0.5lb at least. marzocchi has a 20% off sale going on now

[@mikaautio1246]

I just bought this bike three weeks ago at 4900€ in Finland and i changed tubeless and drivetrain SX to GX series, casette still NX i think. Happy for now, but my friend is selling better front suspension. Not yet buying it tho.

[@robhughes645]

Fork first. The standard fork is not fit for this type of bike and what it can really do, it's a whole new bike with a good fork - 38 or Zeb are both great but the Ohlins 38 is the beezneez. Then brakes, I've seen people get these to work but I threw on some MT7s with Gaffer pads and it's much more reassuring, especially in the mountains. I swapped out the shock for a Ohlins coil but not convinced this is the way to go, it was not the most poppy bike to start with and now it's a bit of tank. Cockpit is very personal and I swap my bars and stem between bikes, which saves a lot -). Upgrading the drivetrain is a complete waste of money (although it is a dentists bike), I have changed the chain twice (eebs seem to really ruin them) but everything else is standard and holding up after 1600km. No idea why you'd want to put a 1k drivetrain on a bike, it makes zero difference as even the cheapest of SRAM and Shimano are 'sweet-as' when set up right.

[@thim8009]

Did I miss any follow up vids on this rig, or did you throw it in the trash.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Not at all! More coming soon.

[@bruceberry7230]

The Specialized Levo Alloy bars are tank heavy. A set up PNW are inexpensive and good for a quick and easy weight saving. Fork and Brakes are a pretty easy choice for the first two things that will make the bike better regardless of weight.

[@ssjj9584]

I have this bike. It shreds. Only thing I changed on it was the shock. The fork is heavy but plush for high speed chunk but it also balances the bike because the back end is obviously heavy. Also especially the balance feel in the air jumping. I’ve taken this setup on anything double black, big jumps, big drops, DH raced it. Bike works more than well.

[@IIISentorIII]

Maybe in your fantasy, lol.

[@michelleflamingos]

I'm so pissed they cut these prices... never messing with specilized again. Paid 5000 over on the 2 bikes I bought.

[@bikenband]

So where’s the follow up video?

[@extrmgmblr1050]

is it considered as a gen2 or gen3?

[@MPurs09]

Is it just me, or does it look like the rails of the seat are on the stand when it is on the scale? That would mess with the reading. Could just be the angle though…

[@sportsantenutrition3378]

fristly : fork and shock/secondly : brakes and thirdly if the wheels are as fragile as the kenevo sl please throw them away.

[@stevesmithers7901]

where are the follow ups of this video?

[@josedavalos1223]

Bad experience with the brose motor

[@scottbagley7513]

What bike stand is that?? I need a new one that will hold a 20kg e-bike

[@TheLoamWolf]

This is the new @Feedback Sports HD stand, built for ebikes. We like it a lot. feedbacksports.com/collections/bike-repair-stands/products/pro-mechanic-hd-bike-repair-stand?variant=44212113637674

[@duffyrides]

We have one. The best upgrade would be the fox fork from 36 rhythm to Fox Elite 38 or Factory 38. This is by far where the base model needs the help. Second would be to add volume spacers to the stock rear shock and you would have an amazingly capable bike for the money. 👍

[@mtb_3930]

100% agree with this. I have factory 38s at 170mm but performance 38s fine. The rest of the bike is fine. Second thing would prob be the cascade link that makes it 160mm at rear with existing shock.

[@duffyrides]

@@mtb_3930 good stuff !!

[@davenawahine4428]

Suspension, brakes

[@manueljrw]

Can i run a full 29 on it?

[@PlaydohDookie]

If you had a budget you wouldn't start with a Spez. Save about 15% straight off the bat by going Giant, Norco, Canyon, Trek etc

[@billlumberge3508]

Easy. Your rear hub / and rim will fail first. The ones provided suck. You’ll want a new handle bar and the tool that goes into the stem.

[@thim8009]

It's a budget bike. I would put code r on it first. Then fork and shock.

[@THRENO82]

Red n black

[@3000KTM]

i know you mthafkas must be busy - but can we get on with this one please 😂

[@TheLoamWolf]

Yes!! Here it comes!! Haha thanks for being patient

[@StefanJovanovski]

Please write the weight in KGs too.

[@TheLoamWolf]

Ok we will do that more often thanks!

[@stanb1604]

I'd be too broke to replace anything after buying this.

[@markroesner1308]

I think the most Importen part ist the brake and the most sram breaks are shit and second ist the shock because a good shock ist Importen for zu good riding

[@FlowFinderUSA]

If I'm not mistaken. This years 'entry level' bike has a 700W battery. I actually have last years with the 500W and its been great and have not drained out on the trail. However, I was looking at this bike a few days ago on their website and see that they did in fact include the bigger battery. Battery Specialized M3-700, Integrated battery, 700Wh Since I'm in the industry. First thing I did was upgrade my suspension to Fox 36 Perform Ult 160 (you can go 170 and if I had to do over I would) and X2 in the rear, then Zee brakes with 203 rotors other than that, if budget allows I suppose you can invest in a better wheelset. They've held up for me thusfar!

[@TheLoamWolf]

Right on thanks for sharing! Sounds like you're gonna end up with a sweet bike.

[@mateimarconi]

Why does a 5.5k bike have a dork disc

[@sportherz]

Brakes!