Specialized Kenevo SL Review | A Stunning, Lightweight, Long-Travel e-MTB

[@VikMTB]

i swear will reviews are always so good and precise. When a new bike comes out i look for his reviews. keep up the solid work

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Yiewwww thanks Vikram!

[@Extremegaz25]

I like how you were thorough on your suspension description, finding faults with the fox 38, and like you say it shouldn't happen, beautiful bike and certainly very capable but again with specialised far too expensive!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks mate, appreciate the feedback! [Wil]

[@gkiss2030]

Fuck it, at that price I would expect to everything work like clockwork. (No, like an atomic clock.)

[@alexanderwootten5160]

Fun fact on the the S-Works pricing: it's $15,000 in the US but $23,700 in Australia. If you do a straight currency conversion $15k US would be just under $20K AUD...so for the privilege of having the bike reach our shores we pay an extra $3700 per bike?!

[@gkiss2030]

That's globalisation for you...

[@peterrose1695]

Australia's money is more inflated than the USAs money.

[@alexanderwootten5160]

@@peterrose1695 Well if you compare the price of dirtbikes, the mark up is less than a thousand dollars. With exchange rates, customs and shipping a large 100kg object I can understand the price increase. Specialized are having a lend of themselves here.

[@nigelrandtoul8646]

Read your full review, you are the only person who has covered what it feels like to ride over the cut off limit, so thanks for that info.

[@toddmontgomery6289]

I find it amusing that everyone is commenting on how high the price is. Either buy one or pass to a cheaper option, I bought one & love it. It's a great hybrid between the full power bike & the non electric Enduro. Great review for it. I haven't had any issues with mine at all.

[@ndcarter79]

Specialized ream every one of their customers. Their prices are a piss take

[@MrDaymien1]

That bike needs allot of upgrade, wheel set and tires just for starts. Makes the decoy look very attractive.

[@brianbathgate4944]

Excellent review. (And greetings from Scotland :-)

[@romand123]

I converted my Kenevo to a "light duty" enduro rig w/ the previous gen lyric Ultimate (170mm) and a Float X. Makes the bike a bit lighter over the 38/X2 setup...and it's a bit sportier and livelier feeling which I like.

[@eugenux]

this is how every electric mtb should look like; this, at 18kgs is still a mtb. Those at 23-25 or more kgs are not mtbs anymore. Obviously, the price is very-very restrictive for most of us but, we can hope that, once the trend is started, the future will bring more and more of such models. Good bike Spez!, awful price Spez!

[@peterrose1695]

Cheaper models will come soon. Idk what Australia is limited too but I'm seeing them here in the US soon as I work for a bike shop in moab that sells specialized. Give it a year and they'll be up for sale.

[@a.x.w]

I laughed so hard at the price.

[@davenawahine4428]

Ya, wouldn't be surprised if specialized had a 3 to 4k profit margin built into each bike. Mtb and Emtb bike prices are getting stupid crazy.

[@tamasvarga67]

@@davenawahine4428 The problem is that the rest of the manufacturers are pricing their bikes to Specialized so we will see bunch of 10k+ bikes/ebikes.

[@gkiss2030]

@@tamasvarga67 "specialized" prices, cough...

[@kjhman]

Don’t be a broke ass lol

[@Mcfc2Rich]

Money's there to be spent. Buy memories. Better than putting it up your nose or drinking poison ☣️

[@gaud1977]

Specialized will sell a COMP model for 2022 for about 8500$ USD, Ive just ordered mine today :)

[@Mcfc2Rich]

It's incredibly good looking.

[@esdubya]

Correct me if I’m wrong Will. So because of the smaller lower power motor & battery it’s slower on the uphills compared to full power ebikes, but becaus of this it’s much lighter weight it makes it much better on the downhills! Going by this equation wouldn’t a non-Ebike that is even lighter again though slower on the up hills, be even better on the downhills🤷🏽‍♂️ Not to mention also over $15,000 cheaper. Standout review Will!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Good question @Esdubya! I think it depends on the type of riding you're doing, and what your priorities are. A full-power e-MTB, like the alloy Kenevo for example, absolutely monsters the downhills, with the extra weight lending increased stability. For off-the-brakes descending down wide-open trails, it's a hoot. When those trails get twisty though, it's harder work physically to move that bike around. Jumping is harder, switching direction through chicanes is harder, and it's not the easiest bike to pull up the front wheel with. If it's full-speed ploughing you're into, then it's great. If you're riding a variety of technical trails that aren't always straight and steep, it's fatiguing. In comparison, the reduced weight of the Kenevo SL makes all those things much easier, while still retaining some of the added stability of having the weight of a motor and battery in place. It genuinely hits that sweet spot in handling and stability between a traditional 15kg enduro bike and a 23kg e-MTB. That said, I'm a fairly conservative mid-range rider, and I've found the Kenevo SL's extra stability over the Enduro results in more confidence and higher riding speeds on techy downhill trails. It'd be a different story on more chilled-out flow trails though, and more advanced riders are likely to have a different experience to me too. Hope that helps explain! [Wil]

[@JFTM_]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin That’s a really great introspective look at the importance’s of weight Wil. In the last couple of years I’ve ridden a carbon Spesh (12kg), a race ready Alloy DH bike (22kg) and my now 2021 Norco Sight A1 (17kg cushcored). What I’ve found I’ve that geo and weight can sometimes be as important as each other. My Sight I’ve found is pretty much my happy place, in that, it’s medium weight is still manageable to change directions, even in the air (I’m quite solid at 104kg, 6’1 riding an XL), whilst having an enormous WB and trail for the flat out stuff. Maybe one day I’ll even have the coin for something with a motor and try it for myself 🤷‍♂️☺️

[@GFClocked]

I just wish this was like 5 times cheaper so I could actually afford one...

[@ttengineer404]

How much do you weigh? The range will be higher or lower for me based on your weight.

[@tainted180]

Seems like a bike not many people will want. With that much travel you've only got one thing on you mind, the downhill. A full powered ebike will get you to the top quicker and "easier". And that price........ You could buy a DH bike and a chauffeur for every ride for a year to shuttle you to the top

[@graysquirreltreeservice7299]

New geo Kenevo with big motor may be the next specialized unleashed?do u think this would be the ripper?

[@TomB1236]

But then, Turbo levo would not be more powerful than Kenevo SL just because it motor is bigger?

[@KiwipandaNZ]

Thank for the review! very well made. A quick question please, I'm 176cm tall and unsure if it's a bad idea to go S2 instead of S3 recommended for my height. The reason is because going faster isn't what I look for but more of a playful/poppy park bike. considered Levo SL but it will certainly limit me from big jumps and drops. So from your experience riding the KSL S3, did you feel it was a little too long (wheelbase and Reach) and would you think rider like me can go a size smaller? Thanks!

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks for watching and for the feedback mate! Good question on sizing. I stand at 175cm tall and found the S3 size to fit quite well, aside from the saddle height issue mentioned in the review. It is a long bike, but then it is also big on travel and big on speed. I haven't had the chance to ride an S2, though given the reach shortens down to 437mm on the S2 size (from 465mm on the S3), I personally think I'd find that too short for my stature. You're a fraction taller than me, so I'd suggest the S3 is probably going to be the right size for the type of bike the Kenevo SL is. If you wanted to sharpen it up a bit, you could always run the headset in the steep position, and there are options to add volume spacers in the rear shock to give it a little more pop too. I will say that the Kenevo SL surprised me with how easy it was to ride - I was expecting to have to wrestle with the slack geometry, but I can't say I ever struggled that much with it, even on tighter trails. I think a lot of that comes down to the fact that it's not that much heavier than a regular enduro bike, and that the weight is well balanced through the centre of the frame. Hope that helps mate! [Wil]

[@KiwipandaNZ]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Thank you for sharing your experience Wil! it's very helpful. I wish COVID lockdown will be soon over for AU & NZ so we can go out shred trails, in my case to try both bikes in my local bike shop. Thanks again!

[@ralphvanhoek6421]

Hi Will. Great review as allways. How is you opinion with the Kenovo SL and a Mullet Setup? I'm 1.87cm tall and i could test a S4 Size Kenovo SL and S4 Levo SL. The Kenovo SL fittet me right but the Levo was a little too short in S4. The Levo had just the right agility but i think i have to take the S5 Size with the Levo SL as Spezialized recomend. The thing is, i like the Kenovo more it just looks great and i think the rear Suspension is the better one. But the agility is for me quite important. I'm not the fast straight line downhiller, more the technical and sharp, tight courves rider. So, do you think it makes sense to ride the Kenovo SL in S4 with a 27.5" Rear Wheel? Thanks for your opinion and all the best from Switzerland Ralph

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks Ralph! That's a good question about the mullet setup with the Kenevo SL. I think it'd be an interesting way to inject a bit more agility. The rear suspension is so supple and reactive on the Kenevo SL that I don't think you'd sacrifice much of its momentum and straight-line speed going to a smaller rear wheel. Bear in mind that the BB would get pretty low with a 27.5in rear wheel in there. If you fit a similar width/profile tyre, the BB will drop around 10mm when switching to the smaller rear wheel. You would also need to change the rear wheel circumference in the software though, otherwise the speed sensor, and therefore the motor cutoff point will be affected. I'm guessing your local Specialized dealer would be able to do that? I've actually been playing around with a mullet setup on the Stumpjumper, which is now offered with a specific link to run a 27.5in rear wheel. I rode the bike both with the stock link and the mullet link, and you can check out the results here if you're interested; flowmountainbike.com/tests/specialized-stumpjumper-mullet-review/ [Wil]

[@ralphvanhoek6421]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin Howdy Will. As good as gold, your tip with the speed sensor and the BB Hight. (my specialized shop diden't say that - he just said it doesen't work with a 27.5" Rear). Thanks a Lot and i have to say - your test's are one of the Best. Cheers Ralph

[@mongkeefee5576]

@@ralphvanhoek6421 This might be a little late, but I converted my S3 KSL to mullet, and put the horst link flip chip in the short/high position, and put 160mm cranks for better clearance. The BB height is a couple mm lower than it was as a full 29er with the flip chip in the long/low position, but I haven't noticed any extra pedal strikes with the shorter cranks. With the S4's 170mm cranks, I'd say that the crank change is probably mandatory if considering mullet with this bike. Also, my local Specialized dealer recalibrated the computer for the smaller wheel size without any problems. Strange that yours just said it doesn't work. I guess case by case for shop techs. It should be noted that on the official Specialized US website in the KSL geometry finder, there is a note that specifically states, "Mixed wheel setup provides a nimble ride with quick cornering and additional rear wheel clearance when getting over the back of the bike." so it's seems supported officially there. However, there are no updated geometry numbers for it being set up with mullet. I gotta say, it really transformed the bike, and I absolutely love it. She's more nimble and agile, still rails corners, and I can bunny hop higher with the same effort (compared to when the flip chip was in the long/low setting with 29" wheel). Couldn't be happier. Lastly, shout out to @flowmountainbike for the best reviews ever!

[@daveevans7474]

Special appearance from Bam Bam Barcia @ 5.01

[@BryceLovesTech]

Here is what no ones talking about, these will age like milk. 5-10 years from now when the newer longer range lighter bikes are out. Then try to get parts for them.

[@marekkremen852]

Guys, Nice review. I need an advice related to sizing. I’m 180 cm and my wife 175 cm. We want to share a bike - my wife for a short tours only really. However, we tried S3 and it seemed to be ok although I looked a bit too big for s3. In the shop they recommended S4 with shorter stem. What would you recommend? Thanks a lot, much appreciated

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Thanks Marek, glad you enjoyed the review! Good question on sizing - I stand at 175cm tall, and I found the minimum saddle height on the S3 we tested to be a touch too tall for my optimum saddle height. Otherwise the rest of the bike felt good to me, though I personally wouldn't want to go any larger. If you already tried the S3 size and found it to fit both of you well, then that sounds like it'd be the one to go for. I'd expect the S4 size would fit you better, though your wife at 175cm tall might struggle to fit the S4. Hope that helps! [Wil]

[@Mcfc2Rich]

What would you rather go jumping on? Levo or Kenevo SL?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Good question Kaine! The suspension on the Kenevo SL is superior in terms of sensitivity, traction and big-hit control. Along with the 29in wheels and more gravity-oriented geometry, it's an absolute beast on the descents and delivers a huge amount of confidence. I honestly felt invincible while riding this bike! The low weight is also a big plus in terms of handling, both on the climbs and the descents. The Levo has a little less travel and a mullet wheel setup, which gives it a more playful attitude. It loves whipping through corners and popping jumps, and it doesn't necessarily need to be ridden at high speed to get the most out of it. Along with the more powerful motor and huge 700Wh battery, it has a much broader appeal for a wider range of riders. For me personally, as a lighter rider I naturally gravitate towards the lower-powered e-MTBs. I find them easier to handle, more intuitive in terms of pedalling, and I'm usually out testing bikes on my own so outright riding speed isn't a big deal for me. If I was riding regularly in a group of e-MTB riders though, I'd probably look towards a more powerful motor in order to keep up, as the Levo SL/Kenevo SL are noticeably slower in terms of their top speed. I think for a lot of people that will be the deciding factor - who you ride with and how you ride. I can see the Kenevo SL being popular with fit and competitive enduro riders, who are happy to push more on the climbs with the low powered motor, while prioritising descending capability thanks to that amazing 6-bar suspension design. Hope that helps mate! [Wil]

[@mwinner101]

Enjoy your enthusiasm about the bike but the pricing is silly. No thanks.

[@kadenadams2007]

i thought the kenevo had 180mm of travel front and rear. thats what makes it special. why is this new one 170mm

[@kelvynbettridge]

Well always look forward to your reviews Wil. So can we revisit Specialized geometry charts and sizing again? Because they will lead a lot of people to bigger bikes that ultimately will need to be replaced. Despite no S3 Levos available (for me) we went ahead and ordered my wife an S2 (normally Size Small), well it’s a barge and with a 35mm stem out of the box no where to go to make it smaller. This has led me to review geometry all over and am currently following the RAD sizing and setup model from Lee McCormack from Lee Likes Bikes. Needless to say we need to recycle my wife’s bike and I won’t be requiring an S3 from Specialized any time soon. 🚩 here for people dropping large on this new sizing IMO of course.

[@RLICGNT]

Maybe this’ll help drive wages up in the US

[@esdubya]

Nope, only drive you deeper into debt!

[@MrCaiofern]

i am pretty sure its a gret bike, but I was waiting for a Kenevo 180mm double crown, 29er

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

The new Kenevo SL will take a 180mm travel fork, but when we asked Specialized about dual-crown compatibility, we were told that it wasn't a consideration now that the Fox 38 and RockShox ZEB exist. [Wil]

[@MrCaiofern]

@@FlowMountainBikeKZbin its sad... thanks.

[@WilsonV4FCV]

12.9 k for a frameset is an absolute joke. What makes it 6.9 k more than a even high end mtb frame from SC or yeti. You'd be hard pressed to find any complete ebikes for more than that and could even get a mid tier ebike and normal mtb for that cost.

[@davenawahine4428]

Talk about price gouging.

[@CrankDr1]

So you’re going to try and tell me that this bike is worth the same as a 1000cc superbike?! Righhhtttt….

[@Will762]

Yes. "Worth" means "the price that people are willing to pay". And these will sell out in weeks, if not days. They can literally sell them as fast as they can make them. So arguably, they are underpriced. Motorcycle manufactures have way, WAY more production capacity, and the demand has not surged due to COVID. It's basic economics, nothing to do with what has a bigger motor.

[@CrankDr1]

@@Will762 I wasn’t questioning what items are “worth” to people because that’s totally subjective. I was referring that there is a significant amount more of R&D, testing, and engineering that goes into creating a superbike capable of doing speeds in excess of 300km/h than an electric mountain bike.

[@HarryKuloh]

@@CrankDr1 that's what you think.

[@_Jake.From.Statefarm_]

@@CrankDr1 The RnD to get motorcycles that fast and stable is a century in the making.. These are the first of their kind and prices have already dropped signifigantly on them. Not to mention they make different packaged price points. You can get a Kenevo SL used (not even a year old) for like 6k. The more that hit the market, the more competitive they will need to be as well. Plus the two aren't comparable anyways. You can buy a car cheaper than bike or motorcycle lol.

[@PabloMollAN]

But...what about the range?

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

Full range test in the review right here Pablo: flowmountainbike.com/tests/specialized-kenevo-sl-review-2022/

[@esdubya]

1hr 25km push home job!

[@robhughes645]

Spesh are wired to the moon and so is anyone who buys a bike at these prices. It.'s not as if their bikes are actually 'special', they have the same components as a Haibike at half the price and do they provide any more fun/distance/smiles? Of course not! But if you have the budget you can buy two alternatives and ride with a mate, which is much better than having a bike that everyone who rides past you thinks you're an idiot!

[@maximiliangottschalk4600]

i m 5´9´´. which size would you recommend? s3 or s4

[@FlowMountainBikeYouTube]

You're a similar height to me Maximilian - I tested the S3 size and found it to fit me reasonably well. If your legs are long enough, you could consider upsizing to the S4 if you wanted, though the reach is already quite long on this bike, so you may find it to be too big for your height. [Wil]

[@vaughanboyce3702]

I lost interest after he told us the price, specialized are on another planet... Really

[@JC-un4bg]

Not Gona lie this bike gives me a chubby. Would Prefer if it wasn’t an SL model more power and battery .

[@crush1221]

Pricing is bold. WTF hahaha

[@deggers78]

Absolutely pathetic pricing

[@Kaisersozze]

They can make the price anything they want, we live in a capitalist society. The real assholes are the people actually buying it for that insane price. And the reviews act like people can actually afford it. Major disconnect.

[@cellphonenut]

I really enjoy and respect what the Holy by thing is doing for the sport it's making it more popular and more accessible to everybody but specialized needs to get a grip this is ridiculous they're mountain bikes are more expensive than high-end motorcycles I mean forget about it this is ridiculous it's almost like specialized this saying that I don't want your business if you want to buy one of my bikes you going to pay