EXCLUSIVE: Behind The Scenes Development Of Turbo Levo Bikes | Specialized Design Lab

[@rc51bigdaddy]

Wow what a great video. I have two Turbo Levos and love them. Nice to see the actual people who design these great bikes. Kudos, Steve!

[@CurvedSlightly]

Bet you drive a BMW / Audi, watch football and F1 and your wife left you for a real man?

[@SusiBiker]

OMG, I *NEED* one of these! Superbly presented video of a serious bit of kit. As much I love my cobbled-together eMTB, you've finally sold me on purpose-built. Time to go Specialized...

[@rjahn3000]

Looks great, but I love my new full power Levo Comp!

[@lozetchells9164]

Ditto mate, just waiting (not so patiently) for the new one that must be imminent

[@marcusoutdoors4999]

My Levo Comp is perfect for here in the Lake District

[@lozetchells9164]

Just give me 10 minutes alone in their stock room, that's all I'm asking for... Great video Steve, thanks very much 👍🏻

[@stephenbrown5844]

Fantastic steve, really enjoyed the programme mate,,, loving the new bikes, etc.... 😉👊❤️❤️🇬🇧

[@markroberts7866]

Bike looks awesome like how Neil is testing out the comp spec and Steve gets the sworks

[@halfbrain86]

You can clearly see from the shooting at specialized switzerland (all wearing shorts -> video was recorded summer 2022) that rumours are actually true. They already had this bike last summer but due to full inventory they hold back the release of it.

[@V8LC100]

Great video - so happy with my Levo.

[@Dannyjones1]

Never used the mission control app, but I will do now I've seen this. Better hit the trails now haven't I?

[@da12641]

big improvement and an eye-candy. I'm still holding out for the new Kenevo SL with the 1.2 motor or better

[@emtbtrailrider539]

I wished they wud allow us to upgrade our old Levo SLs

[@marcusoutdoors4999]

Fascinating video. I’m on my 2nd Levo and seeing the evolution is great. I’ll be interested to see the next generation battery to replace the 700whr battery with something much lighter and more powerful. I expect that’s 2 years off.

[@emtbtrailrider539]

CHANGED THE GAME, wud be allowing us to buy the new Pedal Assist motor (Mahle) 1.2 on our older Levo SLs and then increase the battery size on the Kenevo SLs

[@vashon100]

would vs wud

[@DopeSmoker]

I bought turbo levo 2021. Two years later.. two broken batteries, two broken motors & the motor I know have is broken.. back to the shop for more warranty work.

[@vashon100]

Good point to the "rest of the story". They definitely have some history to overcome.

[@elhentel5947]

Second e bike since 2019 and I'm still not convinced that Specialised worth the money. BUT it would be no brainer with Bosch system.

[@msawyer110]

i have a 21 Turbo Levo Comp. Life changing bike

[@ufcfan3940]

Just got a levo carbon so dope my dream bike

[@robhaskins3068]

Great Video thanks Steve and great effort by Specialized development team but you are preaching to the converted. The original SL was dreamed up to capture more of the hard core mtb crowd which has worked to some extent. But considering Emtb is a Fun, healthy and enjoyable lifestyle and Mtb is a "competive sport" with all the ego shuffling and pier pressure that goes with it, I don't thing this new model will attract many more people. It's a bit like trying to convert extremists to a completely different religion as their thinking has not Evolved to accept the fantastic new technology that allows us to enjoy life even more. They can always have a Emtb for pleasure and training and still Race a mtb. But what would I know 🤔 E=Mtb²

[@AlxBrb]

Cant wait to see the updated version for the turbo levo alloy (which is the one that interests me the most being the only one towards which i can technically afford to upgrade, considering the prices)

[@MrAndrew2509]

Awesome video, it's great to see behind the scenes. now for the important question that has not been brought up yet. what is the new motor like to ride in the old Levo sl. more importantly, what is the Kenevo sl like to ride with the latest 50wh motor, this should bring new life to an already brilliant bike. I can't wait to see Doddy testing his Kenevo sl with the new motor. keep up the good work. when are you guys going to start showing e-bikes for disabled people, I bet lots of people don't even know Martin's past, his amazing talent. Remember he was our Danny Mcaskill back in the day. just a thought, a full program all about Martin and his ability as a rider back then and now, showing disabled riders it is still possible to have fun o an e-bike.

[@sortemout6]

bloody Fantastic

[@billderas3420]

Ordered a 2023 Levo SL Comp Carbon to replace my extensively modified 2020 SL Alloy after a 5 minute test ride at my fav Specialized dealer. Steve's video on the introduction of the Gen 2 made me do it...LOL

[@karlthomas5023]

I love my 2022 Kenevo

[@Tobinhotherealone]

I Love my levo sl2020 but. Anynone knows if the new motor with also the new battery is going to fit in that Frame?

[@brettccrmstrategy]

Do we have an update on the Turbo and not the SL ?

[@mountainfex6755]

Very interesting. I just wonder how long ago this was filmed, taking into consideration everybody is wearing short trousers...

[@Liisjak]

The 2023 models are 40% off so I don't think people are that eager to get their hands on Spesh bikes.

[@steveharper4017]

Great looking bike and they seem to have addressed all the things that were holding it back. The 3 year cycle has come around again and they haven’t disappointed. Everyone is harping on about the cost, yes, they are expensive but then so are other brands. You don’t have to buy s-works or bikes with electronic shifting or droppers. Also, you can’t legally ride motocross and trials bikes in the forests in the UK.

[@streddaz]

I agree! Look at the manufacturing precision on MTB parts compared to dirt bikes. That’s where a lot of your cost is.

[@steveharper4017]

@@streddaz R&D too. The bikes of today are far better than ever before. Hard to by a bad bike these days. Spoilt for choice.

[@streddaz]

@@steveharper4017 very true. The amount of R&D that goes into high end MTBs these days is also why they are quite expensive. Maybe this will taper off as they get closer to the ideal bike, but I think as long as there’s enough people around willing to pay big bucks for a bike they’ll stay expensive.

[@Gothian5]

Brilliant inside look at Specialized. How far Levo has come in such a short time.

[@jh-kx6kj]

Where were the riding scenes filmed?

[@sandywatson1082]

great looking bike but for now I'm happy with my rise

[@perspectivedetective2703]

Please answer the obvious question. can you retrofit this motor into bikes with the SL1.1 motor? That "shares the same mounting points"

[@JesseStarrPhoto]

Think the chain line is different because of the new geometry and that might make it hard to do a swap…

[@MrBikemadevs]

Great idea, be interesting to see if it will work, probably needs the mastermind tcu and new elec loom

[@ctallball3308]

It says they have same mounting points, but read somewhere that it protrude and bash guard can't fit or is also protruding. Thats all I have so far.

[@ForbinColossus]

Wish they would make a display that is magnetically attached and can be UPgraded with design changes thru the years. A buyer spending $10,000 to 15,000 USD deserves that feature

[@RodQTNZ]

Love my Levo but if you could find the person who designed the new plastic battery doors can you have a word.

[@paulblack6078]

Yeah ...even the new hinged door in this vid has the spring opening it rather than keeping it closed in case you forget to clip it shut.

[@robertg4249]

Yes, and the hard plastic cover that's brittle

[@peteroum4294]

Can we put this motor on the old Levo sl?

[@Rene-Hernandez]

Another video I saw stated the mount points are the same. Would be nice...

[@streddaz]

I would think you would have to replace the whole TCU and electrical system to do that. I doubt Specialized would endorse it but I wouldn’t be surprised if people come up with a retrofit.

[@thewrx2600]

piotr needs to make the mission control app have the same features that the mtb's have for the other turbo bikes, like the vado, its dumb that you have limited options, when you know they are available.

[@thewrx2600]

and ALL bikes should have over the air update functionality

[@kevinmiller2449]

When will the new motor be available in the kenevo sl?

[@perspectivedetective2703]

This has to retrofit the KSL They said it shares the same mounting points, so surely it must fit?

[@edaguirren8tvbrn_familyaka297]

Wow❤🎉😊

[@lexometer]

anyone know when specialized releas a new turbo kenevo? any speculations?

[@antoniolatorre6047]

I hope they can understand the importance of an engine that do not produce any friction while pedaling. The moment they produce it, will be the moment they nail the e-bike/bike produce, as most of the people only can afford one bike.

[@JesseStarrPhoto]

Have you pedaled a Turbo? The natural feel with the assist turned off is one of the biggest things that set them apart from most e bike systems. I did a 50 mile gravel ride on a Creo SL with the motor off and road a previous gen Levo SL with the motor off a lot.

[@antoniolatorre6047]

@@JesseStarrPhoto I rode several times the previous gen Levo SL and even it was light compared to the traditional Levo (I do own), is not nearly close to the frictionless TQ Motor or Fazua Motor, some bikes are currently bringing today. I hope this Gen2 Levo SL could be somehow similar but clearly the design of the motor is not friction left, i kind of see similar design with gears than the old one had.

[@grantnewby3756]

Great bikes for sure but a gearbox and carbon belt drive rather than a chain would have to be in the works to make them bullet proof ?

[@Jukeboxchigg]

And even more quiet right? I don’t have much first hand knowledge of belt drives

[@rc51bigdaddy]

I would love to see that. Hopefully soon!

[@SuperSlant]

What about the "Supre Drivetrain" by Lal Bikes? Look at Nicolai Nucleon 16.

[@robertg4249]

How do we adjust the walk power, its pretty weak ????

[@Sivart-508PIR]

I am a tech geak, I like to have as much info about my ride and my bike as possible. I use the Garmin 1030 on my E-bike and the Shimano EP8 communicates with it so I could do without their screen altogether if that was an option. Does the Turbo Levo talk with the popular bike computers in this way?

[@Rene-Hernandez]

Yes, my Garmin 530 can see battery, watts, etc from my 2022 Levo SL. For older Garmins, there's a 3rd party app that adds those data fields.

[@halfbrain86]

Has ANT+ LEV profile

[@vashon100]

geek vs geak

[@betttina33333]

YES YES YES

[@paullt5111]

50wt motor is still to weak for me, i will buy sl as soon as they match gen1 levo motor output, it is hard to keep up on SL with guys riding gen3 regular Levo

[@vashon100]

You mean 50 Nm?

[@vashon100]

When is their garage sale of prototypes? Great coverage. Next stop the finance dept for when their bikes will be less than a motorcycle.

[@tone351998]

can you upgrade your old levo with a new motor?

[@wenlambotomy6231]

Will it last longer than 9months this time though!?

[@koho]

I've had the Sl for 3+ years. Bullet proof, the most reliable MTB I've ever had. But damn, now I need the new one!

[@squirerides8371]

Same. LSL bought 1 week after launch. 6000 miles. No problems.

[@perspectivedetective2703]

@@koho KSL 18months old 4th motor. about as bullet proof as a wet paper bag.

[@koho]

@@perspectivedetective2703 First SL motor I've heard problems with. Did they replace under warranty?

[@perspectivedetective2703]

@@koho Yes, all were replaced under warranty.

[@jamesw1791]

Now we know why the bikes cost so much. The expresso machine in the office.

[@kpang79]

Why the motor shell has 3:35 Chinese mark?

[@prezesik77]

Maybe it's Japanese mark :D

[@alexandru-florindranca2365]

The motors are made in Taiwan if I am not mistaken

[@VadikRamm]

It grinds my gears when developers are referring to eMTB drives as engines.

[@streddaz]

Well, technically it is an engine. And engine converts power into motion, it’s just that electric “engines” tend to be more often called motors.

[@vashon100]

Right on. Motors Motors Motors.

[@VovanCBR]

lets do 95NM motor on a ... belt, so ppl spend ~$200 every 1500-2000 km, but 60NM motor lets do as everyone else on a gears

[@Pete68T]

Nice Promo video for Specialized,Now I Know why there bikes cost So Much as There all so laid Back at work due to there massive proffits Margins, They Dont Ever Look like they have Any Time Pressures on Any Of them at Work. Instead of Spending Most Days riding Bikes or Playing with some pcbs on there Desks,Why dont they go Have a Meeting Called How Can We Make Our Bikes More affordable instead of More Exspensive ? I Owned an SL When it Came out,But Since Then Prices have Gone Silly, So I Will Probably Never Buy Another in my Life time As There are More important things Like Food and Electric/Gas to Pay For in 2023 and Onwards.

[@stopekandrzejewski4924]

Exactly.

[@efwewfwef1549]

very interesting insight!!! next stop for the motors for me is a gearbox ;))

[@gazzas28]

A couple of things mentioned that are preventing me from being full solved on one.

[@ebarr9476]

How to design so little with as much BS as possible to charge 5 figure prices for an e-bike FFS! 2023 Honda CRF450 sells for less and they make fewer of them too.

[@Mountain-Viking]

Still not worth 15k

[@koho]

$8k, though, I'm in. I do hope they have 5.5k Al version soon.

[@MrMartinHattingh]

Have done 2 rides on my $8k Comp Carbon so far. I started racing MTBs in 1989 and this is the best bike I’ve ever ridden. Worth every cent, I’d get an S-Works tomorrow if I could afford it.

[@Alex-md6bu]

Same as trek fuel exe the 13.5k bike is not worth it but if you look at the models at 7-9k yeah!!

[@993mike]

I really like the new SL, and as a longtime owner of Specialized road and mountain bikes, I prefer this brand. BUT - I still wish you could specify individual components and colors for a custom build like Orbea dose with the Rise for instance. In my opinion, other than price, it’s the biggest flaw with Specialized where you are unable to make the bike exactly as you want it or you end up with a model you love but hate the one or two color options it comes in

[@bertraminc9412]

Not very good reviews of climbing power and range. You have to use the extender and the climb is weak for 14000 usd!

[@shadowrainexia]

So arrogant. Changed the game? You were late to the game, the TQ's and the Fazua's were the first in the mid-assist game. Just like when you said "Haibike were the first knobby e-bikes but we are the first e-mtb makers" in an old video.

[@moosicman101]

Nice vid, but expected way more technical info. Felt like you cut off all the engineers explanations!

[@Shawn-in-da-Canyon]

I thought this new SL would blow away the EXe. That doesn’t seem to be the case. I’d have to saw that’s a big fail for the big S company.

[@koho]

In what way is the Trek better?

[@Shawn-in-da-Canyon]

@@koho Who said the Trek EXe is better? If the SL is better than the Trek, it’s only marginally better. I would have thought that Specialized would have made something a lot better than the EXe. But, that’s OK with me, since I own a Trek EXe. But regardless, I would never buy anything from Specialized. They are a shit company, in my opinion. And, in my opinion, they sue everyone, they treat the dealers and their customers like shit.

[@koho]

@@Shawn-in-da-Canyon All I can say my experience has been the opposite wrt Trek and Specialized. My SL has been bullet proof, support excellent. And as an SL owner, IMO they nailed it with this new SL. But enjoy your bike!

[@streddaz]

Blow away the Trek in power? If so to do that you would just have a full powered Levo, then you may as well compare that to the Trek rail.🤷🏼‍♂️

[@JesseStarrPhoto]

For many, the 3 year old SL was competitive with the EXe. Specialized improved the SL in a number of important ways from that point. They are both excellent bikes. The new SL is a bit more all-mountain capable with more travel then the EXe.

[@boggybigpants9462]

How can they justify the price it’s absolutely nuts for a bike that does 15 mph ..laughable

[@Domestos99percent]

5 motors, 6 batteries. no more Brose for me!

[@kangsterizer]

til french people are really making the bikes haha

[@joegeiger4837]

i drive a kenevo from 2021. there are some things i would chance. its not perfekt. the components are cheap. brakes and fork.

[@lifetheoryOG]

Specialized is overhyped and overpriced. I have a Gen 2 Levo on it’s 4th motor. Gen 3 is meh.

[@asifitmatters1]

I’m really glad that bikes are getting better, but I am so fed up of this being labeled as “innovation”. The LCD display comes from the 1970’s and Carbon fiber manufacturing from the 1960’s. The electric bicycle is even older. So pretending to be amazed by the fact that technologies that are over half a century old are now making their way to bikes accompanied by a totally disproportionate and unexplainable price tag is just marketing bull crap. Being amazed by a tiny LCD display on a bicycle that costs almost 10k at a time when even a simple android smartphone outperforms everything on that bike for about €100 is simply ridiculous. Bicycle journalists need to put the pressure on manufacturers to actually come up with real innovation, whether that be pricing or technology and not just force feed us this idiotic marketing nonsense and fake amazement.

[@alexanderosherow2064]

speaking facts, its like they are slowly releasing legitimate innovation to keep prices artificially inflated and slowly release new but technically outdated "updates."

[@perspectivedetective2703]

Bicycle journalists work for the manufacturers! Mtb conspiracy!! Its all released on the same day by all the "independent" youtube channels, all saying the same thing. they are all conspiring to spew out the same propaganda. MTB sophistry.

[@vashon100]

@@alexanderosherow2064 The aliens are only sharing enough info with them to not make it suspicious. LOL

[@alexanderosherow2064]

@@vashon100 lol

[@sergiolandz6056]

Specialized, its time to layoff engineers and come back to reality. I can get a top end 2 stroke yamaha for the same price as your short range e bikes.

[@streddaz]

If people are still going to buy them, they’ll keep selling them for that price. Just for reference, the Epic WC, XC bike is more expensive than most of the Ebike models.

[@redleaderone8429]

@@streddaz I bought a brand new Gasgas 450 for 13k

[@koho]

I've had the "old" SL for 3 years, and will gladly upgrade to the new one. I go places your 2 stroke can't.

[@squirerides8371]

Top end yamaha costing about the same price as a top end ebike makes sense. They’re both spec’ed to do the best they can at their job.

[@lozetchells9164]

​@@koho spot on

[@kodithebear]

Maybe all this over engineering is why Specialized has an awful record for reliability when it comes to Ebikes?

[@daxolivares6939]

Maybe we are the lucky ones, but between me and my buddies ride levos and kenevo sls and have been problem free 🤷‍♂️

[@Donkeydoedel]

The Mahle motor in Levo SL and Kenevo SL is known for being one of the most reliable out there.

[@koho]

They don;t. One version of the Levo had lots of motor problems. I've had the Levo SL for 3 years, bullet proof - and that's the motor Specialized developed themselves. The most reliable MTB I've ever had.

[@ld4489]

I like my levos gen2 and gen3 but tbe motor reliability is so poor....

[@perspectivedetective2703]

@@Donkeydoedel Really? im on my 4th motor in 18months on a KSL.

[@vashon100]

Does she really think those ugly tattoos are an improvement?

[@saltlake6577]

I got the there Levo in a row. I spend €14k on a Levo S-Worksheet Gen 2 in 2022. The technical issues with the Brose stay unsolved since 4 years. Highly overpriced and really bad quality.

[@CurvedSlightly]

This is all well and good, but you're paying for it from your £12k bike.

[@redleaderone8429]

I just bought a brand new Creo for half price 6k

[@scp8412]

Half the fun ? 😂

[@redleaderone8429]

@@scp8412 haha 3k off. Wait a bit they’ll be lots of deals I ride my turbo levo in turbo almost never

[@philiproberts809]

12000 pounds,seen the motorbikes you could buy for 5000 pounds never mind 12000 .Not seeing the value for money yet

[@squirerides8371]

You can buy an ebike for £5k too, no problem. I bet you can buy motorbikes for £13k+ too, right?