Specialized's 16.9kg Turbo Levo SL | An E-Bike For E-Bike Haters

[@bikeradar]

Would this be the type of e-bike you'd go for? Or do you still want more power?

[@likeher9]

More power, more range, less ££££. But I suppose for the people who ride a emtb but feel ashamed.... Why? I for one am very proud of My emtb, and want everyone to know, it's a emtb💨🚴🤟 much like the guy who's just sold his rowing boat, and bought a motor boat!

[@roberthenri9945]

No disrespect to e-bikers/e-cyclists, but these machines represent an entirely different experience, transportation, sport, etc. than 100% human powered bikes. I recognize all their unique benefits and value proposition (although for the price you could by a decent road or dirt bike!), and reiterate that I am in no way bashing the vehicle or their riders; but it makes no sense to lumping them in with coverage of non-motorized vehicles..aka bicycles. It's not like pedal assist is a new concept; mopeds have been around since the 70s. And if you are shy for content, I'd far rather see reviews of triathlon, track or recumbent bike, even foldable commuter bikes in a pinch. But please skip the e-bike fad, it's not even of novel interest anymore to most cyclists. However, maybe pedal assist deserves it's on channel. E-BikeRadar??

[@roberthenri9945]

Nope, a decent dirt bike makes more sense. Skip the pedals and skip the dishes😉

[@jkeiffer]

Lower power with more range is fine with me. But then I'm already a regular biker.

[@avalansa2000]

All I see is the 16.500$ price . It is just stupid , my MT09 was cheaper and I doubt it that an E-Bike is more dificult to build or has more tehnology that a motorcycle

[@jkeiffer]

Bunch of channels released info at the same time, but this is the only video I really wanted to watch. Great review IMO. I think you covered everything perfectly. I would absolutely buy a bike like this once they cost less and address those suspension issues. I would never ride in turbo.

[@sebstott3573]

Thanks very much for that. I should probably mentioned that there is an aluminium version for £5000.

[@larrys8150]

I agree fully but the one thing that was not conveyed is the noise the SL makes compared to the old Levos. The new SL is gear driven opposed to the old belt drive and because of this the whiny noise is a bit to over come. Imho

[@sebstott3573]

@@larrys8150 Fair point. At the launch there were some bikes that were quite noisy, while mine was pretty silent. We've had some Levos with noise issues too so I think it's too early to say if the noise is better or worse.

[@ENigma-mc6xl]

$16,525 for the Founders Edition! That's just ridiculous and I own a 2020 Turbo Levo S-Works. Adding SRAM AXS does not justify the $16 G price tag. It's really getting out of hand.

[@Sutta92]

Love the feature that syncs the power to your heartrate, seems perfect for recovery rides!

[@nickbartlett2588]

Available on current levo's

[@Sutta92]

@@nickbartlett2588 Good to know

[@wallylo9994]

Been riding this bike for the past two weeks. Opted for the comp carbon but did the fork upgrade to fox 35 factory and shock to DPS factory. It's my first ebike and guaranteed others are going to follow and make sub 40lb ebikes. I love it and the folks at specialized really thought this bike through. With the app, this bike is future proofed and I honestly feel this is gonna be the last bike I buy. Feels like my 2015 stumpy but with assist.

[@wallylo9994]

Fox 36 I meant

[@Mr_RichardH]

It's the bike I'll buy in five years when I really am too old and knackered for 'acoustic' MTBs. I still want to feel like I'm working for the descent *a bit*.

[@danwilliams9606]

Excellent review. In my opinion, this bike points the direction to the future for e-bikes. The state of the art mtb is an incredible device. The idea that an e-mtb ought to be as much like a mtb as possible makes perfect sense to me, and I expect it makes, or will make, perfect sense to others as well. I just turned 81, and I ride both mtb and e-mtb on intrmediate trails. I ride almost exclusively in ECO or TRAIL modes because I prefer the feeling of doing some work and using as little assistance as possible. On steep, technical trails the pedal assist enables me to focus on line and technique without having to worry about exerting maximum pedaling effort - such as it is at my age. I can clean sections on the e-mtb I can't clean on the mtb. This Specilized bike would be perfect for my needs and riding style, although I would probably want to swap out the stock tires for 2.5 DHF and 2.4 DHR Minions like I did on my current e-mtb. The 325 Wh batt with add-on batt for longer or greater elevation gain rides is also very smart. My bike has a typical 504 Wh batt, and I typically finish a ride of 20-25 km with two or even three bars left. Absolute weight minimization comes with disavantages, but there is zero benefit in giving a ride to a kilo of lithium you never touch. Very interesting bike and very well done review.

[@Coolcmsc]

Dan Williams, you inspire me ‼️😊 I'm 63 and have come back to MTB thanks to my 2020 Levo. Your explanation of the benefits of an e-Bike ring true to me. A much better explanation of my experience than I've heard from younger types who make their living reviewing bikes. I've revised my ambitions: I now aim to be riding trails when I'm 81.... Thab you 😀😀😀

[@polishguywithhardtospellna8227]

6:25 This is MASSIVE breakthrough. For people with heart conditions, IT MEANS EVERYTHING. Maybe not in this SL version, but future Spec's bikes will surely have this too, so with full support of powerfull e-bike, those people will be able to ride safely above all.

[@nickbartlett2588]

Already possible on current Levo....has been for two years

[@polishguywithhardtospellna8227]

@@nickbartlett2588 Damn, this is tiny then! ;-p No breakthrough whatsoever. Burn Speicalised!

[@19Chrisi97]

I really doubt there are many people who want that kind of "middle thing" e-Bike. But for people who are searching for exactly this kind of bike, maybe this could be the one. Still, going down in Power of the motor, I would not want to compromise on the components of the bike due to ligth weight.

[@highlandhillwalkin]

Doing three runs up my local trail instead of one is a no brainer, ebikes are the way forward even if you are fit, getting a sweat on going up hill is ace too, equally as good as going down hill. I think this bike would very much suit this style of rider as for the people who hate going uphill they're better staying clear of it and going for the bigger motor.

[@Roxlimn]

Nah. Haters gonna hate. You can give them a regular mountain bike, call it an ebike and they wouldn't ride it anyway! LOL. This is a bike for ebike lovers. Specialized has noticed most of us don't use Turbo mode anyway, so it's absolutely correct to say that most of that is kind of a waste in power and battery. No need for it. So shave it off. The range extender is an excellent option to boost it up to regular battery levels (about 500 Wh), and if you have two, you can charge one up at a station while you use the other one, so you could theoretically ride indefinitely.

[@ENigma-mc6xl]

I agree with you, because I also rarely use Turbo mode; however, since you are getting "less bike" with the SL version, shouldn't it cost less? It costs over $1 G more than the standard S-Works Levo.

[@davidginn1600]

I bought the Levo SL Carbon comp and absolutely love the fact I can ride further and keep up with friends. I still get a great workout but not thru walking up hills. BTW this is my first full suspension bike. I been riding hard tails since 1992! Would I recommend? Yes.

[@PaulAmyes]

‘kin’ ‘ell that’s well into new car territory.

[@esdubya]

Paul Amyes all that coin and the spec still sux!

[@koho]

How did you find the motor noise vs. the regular Levo? This is (almost) the bike I've been waiting for. I predict a huge response for it. I demo'd the Levo, and it was great overall, but found it way overpowered given it was too heavy to really perform on the downhills. The SL hits the buttons: lower weight, still decent power and range, shorter chainstays. I do get the comment about the suspension - the regular Levo had amazing plush suspension. Another concern is motor noise. The regular Levo was super quiet. I can hear this new motor in some vids, and mention was made that its gearbox construction is noisier than the old belt drive.

[@ed250256]

I think the lightweight low powered bike is the future. I have always thought my e-bikes (current is a Merida 9000) are over powered. Although I occasionally use boost, 97% of my time is spent in Eco and Trail,, most other people I know are the same. I finding more and more that I ride in lowest power settings and this is enough to take the grind out of the climbs and gives me great range. So a lighter bike at the expense of power that I don't use is a no brainer.....except the high cost of the SL, it's a show stopper for me.

[@Deuteross]

Nice effort, this is a really interesting approach to e-bikes. Great review!

[@MikeMatzke]

Honda does a great job of making off road bikes.

[@cjschmitt4882]

?

[@kaseyburlingham2861]

@@cjschmitt4882 The point is Honda makes Dirt bikes 😂

[@cjschmitt4882]

@@kaseyburlingham2861 there is no point there just a statement of fact

[@amazonhealer]

Great video, very informed! I like your knee pad, where you got it? Thanks :))

[@BassSwirls]

For me it's not a question of 'E hate' ...its more a question of what pastime do I want to pursue? ie ...Mountain biking or the other thing.

[@BassSwirls]

FTR & IMHO... To add.. e bikes a good for folks who's health may be failing ...I may need one one day. ....I could ride to Zurich on it.

[@roberthenri9945]

Well said...different pastime, different mode of transportation

[@Ash522MX]

I’m still waiting to jump on the levo comp until this bit can anyone tell me. Let’s say I go out on a Sunday on the slow cafe ride, it’s about 50km with 400m of climbing. How would this fair to a regular levo. I need to wait for some distance tests I think.

[@robbchastain3036]

Thanks for this review, BikeRadar. And I can see it, in motocross terms this is more like a 125 than a 250 or larger--and there is such a big difference in displacement, no? I loved my two 125 Elsies during a fun foray into motocross riding in the Seventies, and with my bent toward bicycles, I had little interest in the bigger bikes, tho' I admired the dudes who saddled up and rode 'em wide open. So I think Specialized is onto something good with this play on power and weight. But wouldn't alloy be a better frame choice? Something more affordable and more durable for the trail to the middle of nowhere.

[@Bender-x1u]

I don't see the point. I don't think E-bike riders consider their bikes overpowered, probably quite the opposite. And it is still just an E-bike, so you are still not earning the descent on your own.

[@squidlings]

The problem with ebike are they are heavy and unbalanced. This ebike looks amazing and would give people like me who doesn't have my fitness like my younger days to relive the excitement of the track. Wish I could do it by myself!

[@Bender-x1u]

@@squidlings But wouldn't then a normal ebike be better? Especially with regard to the range/battery capacity?

[@squidlings]

@@Bender-x1u Not for swinging down hillsides. Ebikes are heavy and unbalanced. This bike looks like it'll ride like a normal bike but gives you the boost of big strong legs.

[@squidlings]

@@goahead3995 I've got a 1000w ebike. That is like a light moped.

[@eugenux]

I have a 16.7 kgs overbuild gt sanction which I did not use in 2019 in any overmountain trips(a first since I discovered mtb-ing); when a baby will come, I will have even less time than I had in 2019 and I live 180kms from the nearest mountain. What I want to say is...if you are in that period of life when you hardly have time for anything, especially to do enough xc type of rides to enable riding a 17 kgs enduro/park-type of bike on all-day epics(think 35-60 km per day with 800-1500 m ascension), then a bike like this could be a solution. 🙄🤷🏿‍♂️

[@eugenux]

I'm in the "kill them with napalm" camp but, this is the first one that actually gets my real interest. For intance, I have kind of give up this year(2019 that is🤦🏾‍♂️) on overmountain trips on my overbuild(read 180mm travel) 16.7 kgs gt sanction due to its damn mass and my less and less time for training. If a baby will come, time will be even shorter and I think this is mentally less exhausting and cheaper than a divorce. So yeah, it could be a solution, especially since it actually looks like a bike and not like a ride machine for those who cannot send a drop from the sidewalk. It will need proper suspension and geo though.. Cheers. Edit. You could go with a brand new enduro s-works and still have "change" 😁

[@po311737]

That ’s a lot of money 😰

[@AntonCor]

I think it's designed for the USA market. When you ride easy trails in your local park a normal Ebike is completely overkill.... This type of bike makes more sense.

[@iHasCaek]

what does the "usa" market have to do with all that?

[@jonwhite182]

The USA? You're talking about the Birthplace of Mountain Biking. I do agree that SL is almost perfect for someone like me, who rides the 2019 Levo Comp Carbon in Eco mode the most. Even on Black and Blue trails.

[@stan5513]

As a senior with a disability, this looks like a great way for someone to ride with less effort. That said, my modest achievements are my own, not the bike's. Love my rigid 8 speed.

[@nickbartlett2588]

Completely wrong.....if anything ebikes drive you harder.....if you're lazy as a person you will be that way regardless of we hat you're on....if you're not lazy and you have an ebike.....you will just put the same effort as always but the extra motor means it all happens at speed....you find yourself pushing harder from the adrenaline...

[@thim8009]

I want one, but I am getting last years levo for 2200.00 under MSRP. I have to travel to ride and I have a solar system to charge spare battery while I am out riding. The sl from what I've seen doesn't like taking battery out guess you could get a couple range extenders and have one cooking while wheeling other one, but I am a big fan of shorter chainstays, so now what do I do? Maybe get them both, just stock up on ramen.

[@kona6812]

1.Thought: damned, I should have waited for it. 2. Thought: lucky I get my Levo already last year. Spezialized get their customers now 3 choices: organic, little assist and full assist. People can choose what level they prefer to.

[@eugenebotha1466]

That track looks awesome, where in SA was that run?

[@tommartin1951]

Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch. Looks like the Armageddon singletrack!

[@markw4377]

Can we used it for crosscountry not steep hill clims?

[@madogblue]

You mentioned how many meters of climb you got, can you estimate about how much ride time that was?

[@txhookey5608]

It appears the SL uses a brushless motor which has significantly less drag than brushed motors making for an overall more pleasant and natural pedaling experience. It is also much easier to "smooth" the power assist function. Brushed motors have only two poles to input power, most modern brushless motors have 4 poles or more. This means smaller more specific power input pulses to match the power input of the rider for a smoother natural feel. The Remote control hobby industry has been using large brushless motors for years, good to see that the ebike manufacturers are catching up. There are many riders who don't need a motor to do all the work but a just a motor to extend the time they can ride and to help save the energy for more jumps and fun.

[@fieryawesomeness]

By UK law motor units can only produce a max of 250W anyway. What I want to know is how much torque does it produce?

[@ParabellumUk]

35nm of torque I believe

[@Ash522MX]

35 compared to 90 in the regular levo

[@andrewsteele348]

How can £11k be justified? Just doesnt make sense to me ... the components cannot add up to that amount, or anywhere near? crazy price.

[@fieryawesomeness]

Well SRAM AXS by itself is over £2K

[@geeman1754]

Next time you guys come over to South Africa. Lets arrange a ride together.

[@Leowavekid]

E-bike haters? Why would any one sane choose to hate e-bikes.. .....dont like them dont buy one.. why hate ?

[@roberthenri9945]

It's not about hate, please, please try to understand the views of traditional cyclists. I don't hate motocross bikes, but rather not ride on the same trails as them. It is simply not the same sport or physical activity, and stating the obvious shouldn't earn being labelled a hater! Be real, 200-700ish watts on tap from a motor, whenever you want is a heck of a lot of assist!!! And the speed restrictions are nothing more than a dodge to avoid licensing and registration requirements.

[@Leowavekid]

Robert Henri with all due respect i totally disagree... ebikes are not rocket ships.. they just add an assist for those how find assents undesirable or difficult. Speeds are BY NO MEANS excessive or dangerously higher than a traditional bike to cause any inconvenience or danger on ascent! On descents, there is no difference in speed. Dirtbike comparison is not even close, they are much much faster, much bigger, way noisier and heavier and are very harsh to the trails! ( i come from that background) Have you ever questioned what hikers think of traditional bikers.? The difference in speed and activity style and compatibilty are much much bigger there than any difference between an ebike and a standard mtb. Yet these hikers have all accepted to share the same exact trails to the delight of mtb riders!(It seems this is something easily overlooked by the traditional mtb riders) Mtbs were/are not liked by hikers.. and their reasoning is much more valid than an mtb person not liking an e- mtb!.... yet they have learned to share! And Mtb riders have learned to respect the hikers and their reality and issues... we have learned to coexist!(for the most part) Ebike allow many to enjoy the scenery/environment and activity you enjoy where as without the assist provided by ebikes they would not participate! Due to strength issue maybe, injuries, age , etc. Would you have a problem if there was some device invented that would be attached to my legs to provide assist and i had a standard mtb.? Would you have a problem if one invented a gearing sys that provided me with higher speed on uphills than your bike allows? Would u have a problem if my legs were super strong relative to a average weekend biker.. providing me with faster speeds uphill? No my friend... this is an issue of not accepting the new kid on the block. It is an issue of tolerance for something that is different , yet not so different to be considered a different sport..! The idea is sharing and sharing alike. Through e-bikes.. many can enjoy the sport you do... where otherwise they could not or would not! If the idea is drawing a line based on ones personal comfort and preference.. then what do we say to hikers....That is the purest, most quiet and least destructive form of enjoying the trials!. I say go try a few e-mtbs.. learn what they are all about.. and share the trails like hikers share it with bikes Be cordial to those who are there for the same exact reasons that you are. Exercising, enjoying the outdoors yet maintaining the tranquility! Ebiks and standard bikes are not different creatures....one stealthily offers help to those who would otherwise not enjoy the sport! Slight advantage going uphill does not make e-bike a different sport. It just opens up doors to new participants and new levels ! That is it. Live and let live !;) Windsurfers don’t like kiters but eventually they learned to coexist and share. Skiers don’t like snowboarders.. but they learned to coexist.. Mtbs-Emtbs are no where near as different as the above sports..

[@nickbartlett2588]

@@Leowavekid I used to windsurf but 21 years ago I started kiting when it was in its infancy....we had exactly the same rhetoric then (Exactly !!!!!). "I'll get into kiting one day but never give up my windsurfing " ....." It's not as pure a sport"......."it's too easy to learn, you don't have to devote a decade of your life to learn so it is inferior" .....all of it was horseshit.....20 years later and kiting completely dwarfs windsurfing.......why??? Because it is way more accessible in terms of ability to get half decent. You don't have to live in a beach without a job to be good. I heard one of the GMBN guys saying the other day that MTB is really a great sport if you are very fit.....if you're not cycling in the mountains is really a major slog....an emtb allows the MAJORITY of weekend worriors, who for a multitude of reasons are not Olympic fit, to have a great time. Those purists who argue that it's lazy, cheating, that people just need to get off their arses and cycle 3 or 4 times a week, eat right, etc etc ...fine but you are in a serious minority. In the world of the majority, ebikes are wanted.....if you think ebikes devalue.....wait till there comes a point where you can't give a normal bike away....

[@nickbartlett2588]

@@Leowavekid very true

[@roberthenri9945]

@@nickbartlett2588 spoken like a true self centered couch potato🤣. I haven't seen that many emtbs on my trails yet, but the one's I have were ridden by lard asses that had no real skill, but took great satisfaction in powering past and cutting off real athletes/cyclists on climbs. Very similar to road ebikers who want to ride with the A groups. The sense of entitlement just oozes from them. Sports and fitness is a lot like jazz, if I have to explain it, you'll never get it.

[@justusvanpeer6298]

What is that background song with the epic coper section?

[@meteormedia7021]

Basically the worst of both worlds. An insanely heavy trail bike that unfortunately only has an anemic engine and battery that can't really make up for its weight and runs out of battery before you can acutally get somewhere.

[@bantxc5616]

Meteor Media I would say more of ok of both worlds but ok

[@fleecerdog]

I have an iZip DS (Bosch Performance CX) and love it with it's similar design and with this bikes 15lb weight advantage I'd think it was a pure winner.

[@larrys8150]

Wasnt the sound that this new gear driven motor produces a bit off putting compared to the old belt drive?

[@sabamacx]

These prices challenge full-fat Dirt e-Bikes from KTM etc. At that point exactly how much is Specialized et al bringing to the product, vs what you get in a rugged electric dirt motorcycles?

[@vanquishcycles7019]

Design and Engineering. if a Dirt bike was Enginered the same as a MTB with the same attention to detail. they would be alot more expensive like 4x times more. But Dirt bikes are simple engineering its why they are cheaper to buy. also 100 kg vs 18 kg? there is alot going on when you look behind the curtain.

[@Mockle07]

Vanquish Cycles WHAT?!! 😂😂 Simple engineering, on dirt bikes? Have you seen the inside of a four stroke engine? Getting oil and fuel injection into two strokes? Dirt bikes get updated almost every year with improved suspension tech. Suspension internals at LEAST as complex as MTB suspension. The weight difference is a non-issue; an e-MTB could not handle the speed/hits that an MX/Enduro bike takes and doesn’t have an actual engine... of course a dirt bike will be heavier! What specifically is especially high tech about e-MTBs (I appreciate the complexity of frame design, but dirt bikes are not just heald together by a couple of steel girders you know 😂)? I’m not anti e-MTB btw, I’m certainly geting one soon, but your justoification for the price is way off. It’s purely down to numbers, and the fact that even at that price they will sell every one they can make... why sell it for less?

[@jen3800]

man, if i want a motorized vehicle i would buy a car. all or nothing. i don't want motors that will die, batteries too and a maintenance plan i cannot personally maintain. i don't mix bikes with electronics. no di2 for me , thanks, no disc brakes on a road bike, just off road. i keep it simple and reliable and functional. the most important component of any bike is the rider.

[@melmonic]

why i don't ride an e-bike? because i can!

[@nickbartlett2588]

Can or can't is irrelevant.....it's moved to ......coz it's cycling at a higher tempo......done the right way switching to ebiking is like wakeboarding after years on a mono ski..... something came along that just upped the tempo......on a cardio level it tends to be higher because it makes you do things at pace ....

[@jonwhite182]

Good for you! I wish I could say the same, but I need total knee replacement in both knees and I'm only in my 40's :( These can help me offset that timetable

[@nickbartlett2588]

The USP of the Levo for me and many others I know is the quiet motor.....who did you get in your focus group Specialized?? We were prepared to pay the big premium and forgive the reletively poor spec to get silent cycling.......any bike now with the fazua comes into the equation

[@ЕлизаветаВоробьева-з3ъ]

Die Akku ist sehr Gut!!!!

[@Yardstick401]

It's not the weight that I hate. It's the pointless waste. How long are these battery/motor systems going to be supported by an industry that changes what's "in" every few years?

[@davidstanbrook5736]

Why buy this when you can get the Lapierre Ezesty for much less with a better spec. Specialized a year behind here already and yet the MTB press all claiming this new Levo is a game changer :-( Lapierre-eZesty-AM-LTD-Ultimate-2020 with 180mm Fork .

[@scottjameseaton5503]

Nope. Just turn motor down for a workout. The extra weight of a full fat ebike is a plus.they are very planted.reckon you can't chuck them about.check out Sam pilgrim.the e zesty is as light or even lighter with motor out.that never tuck off either.in my opinion just an over priced nothing bike.hope is more reliable than the other ebikes in range. Had a 2018 levo.nothing but trouble.

[@blakkpatron]

the pricing is the biggest issue with this bike.

[@lechprotean]

basically these things need to be (and will - not necessarily from SPec) 10x cheaper. Sure early adopters etc, but the addition of a battery and a tiny engine does not justify the extra 10k or so.

[@Mockle07]

Le-vo? Everyone else I’ve heard says Lee-vo... Important issues being raised here I know, but I need answers! 😂

[@renjoh]

Probably just a British vs American thing

[@esdubya]

I fail to see the point of this thing! Only one third of the power and one third of the range but half the added weight of a normal ebike and a 300% increase in the cost! That bang for ya buck right there! Just get fitter people! The founders edition is $26500 Aud 🤬😱🤯 I could buy 3 Yetis or a KTM 250exc a turbo levo and a Norco Optic C2 and still have change! I hate where mountain bike price a getting to! Purely ridiculous, ludicrous!

[@MattGillam]

nah same range as a Levo, it just drops the Levo's Turbo mode in a tradeoff for weight.

[@esdubya]

Matt Gillam your mistaken mate 320wh only! Without the range extender. And the comp model is much heavier than the crazy expensive one! Nearly 2kg.

[@MattGillam]

the maths works out for me. no Turbo mode (work a bit harder, no biggie). save a bit of weight. more efficient motor, comes our equivalent range. each to their own of course. I think the SL would suit people who are a bit lighter and don't mind working more.

[@adrianpluskota7053]

Perfect bike ?!

[@bonzobanana1]

Is the motor designed by Specialized or have they just gone to Brose again and bought one of their motor designs which they brand their own and perhaps choose the case colour and minor customisations. There are no Specialized factories nowadays. I had a look at Brose reliability and I've seen many forum comments with some people having multiple motor replacements on their Specialized bikes and also some claiming unlike Bosch where very expensive repairs are available some Brose units are unrepairable. Bosch have a poor reputation for reliability as it is I'm not sure I'd want to go for a product with similar reliability where the motor can destroy itself if it fails. Then you have to factor in this is a design designed to be even lighter than their other motors so durability and reliability could be worse. These mid-drive motors are very complex and have smaller motors than hub motors typically, they use the bikes own gearing to create the high torque figures. I guess my point is despite the high price this is a disposable bike once the warranty ends. The frame is designed around the motor and many of the components are proprietary. You'd be better off with a bike with a more durable motor and easy access to parts. Like a lot of German engineered products nowadays its often great in performance terms but value and reliability is poor. Personally I think more can be achieved at much lower cost. I'd get a decent great value dual suspension bike and convert to an e-bike using a very durable Bafang mid-drive bottom bracket motor which also has very easy access to spares. Yes in performance terms it may not be quite as good in feel but will likely be stronger and more dependable and keeping it working will be much cheaper and you have much more customisation options and the limit on how long you can use the bike is the frame itself not the motor. If I had the money to buy a bike like this I would definitely be asking about an extended warranty when I bought the bike. The standard warranty on the bike in the UK is 2 years for the motor with 300 charge cycles retaining 75% battery capacity.

[@fieryawesomeness]

They do still use Brose, just branded as spesh. I work in the industry and Bosch are super reliable

[@bonzobanana1]

@@fieryawesomeness If you work in the industry and are saying Bosch are super reliable that sounds like marketing as there have been many issues with Bosch motors previously but unsure how their current designs fare. Certainly I've seen forum comments on Bosch motors failing on first use and frequent visits to dealers for repairs including whole motors being replaced. I don't think it would ever be fair to call them super reliable, even average reliability might be a stretch. They are only small motors sometimes with internal belts and plastic cogs, they are complicated and put under a lot of stress. They work with the riders own power putting extra stress on the drivetrain. Not only that but Bosch prevent end users from repairing their own motors much of the time by only supplying spares directly to dealers workshops this adds huge costs to the end consumer. They are often high cost, high performance and high maintenance products. Bafang do much cheaper mid-drive motors and some are purposely designed to be reliable plus have easy access to parts. However they may not perform as well as a Bosch or Brose motors and may be significantly heavier. Then you have Yamaha and Shimano who seems to offer reliability between the two German brands and Bafang but also perhaps don't quite match the German brands functionality and overall performance. I'm a heavy cyclist who only does recreational cycling so I use a direct drive hub motor as it has no internal moving parts except the bearings of the axle and are normally good for 10s of thousands of miles.

[@Pienimusta]

Up to 16.5k €, LMAO

[@esdubya]

By acoustic bikes you mean not a motorbike!

[@kyriakostheocharous3442]

Please don't use the word acoustic when referring to bikes :P

[@fieryawesomeness]

I'm afraid Cube have ingrained that term into cycling for the foreseeable future, so you better get used to it!

[@jamestubman2016]

E bikes ruin riding for me. If you wanna keep up train up. When ever I see one I drop them poser riders quick. Old people are the exception. 😂🤣 😅 I do like that heart rate function sounds cool though 👌👍💪

[@fieryawesomeness]

Hard to 'train up' of you've had a hip replacement or are 70 years old

[@defone51]

You sound dumb bro...its just evolution. Maybe you should sleep in a tent and make a fire to cook your food since you are stuck...did you also walk in a foot of snow to get to school when you were a kid?

[@sylvainbernaers6272]

Good for lazy fat fakers

[@jamestubman2016]

@@defone51 how do I sound dumb? people here were I live try to join fucking cat 5 on a dope mech bike last year it was like 15people turned away🤷🤯. You try to racing me im gonna drop you period I don't like ebikes.

[@jamestubman2016]

@@sylvainbernaers6272 in tour de France gear trying to act like their put down 395 average watts like me. I earned my cocky ness 🤣

[@kaseyburlingham2861]

The reason people hate e-bikes is they have a motor on them. The only way to make people stop hating e-bikes is to stop making them!

[@jesuisFORTIO]

so its an underpowered eletric moto? wow Great for those guys having midle life crisis that wanna look cool but are to lazy for a bike and also have 7000 euros to waste.

[@jonwhite182]

Don't forget those with disabilities.

[@jesuisFORTIO]

@@jonwhite182 how many people with disabilities can pay 7000 for a eletric moto? I dont know any

[@markparker5585]

Pedal Cult Joints wear out, you’ll find this when you get older. Disabled, in this context, just means unable to ride a normal bike without pain/discomfort (normally because of the stress on joints on climbs due to age or an injury) 7000 Euros is a lot for a bike, but if it’s a person’s main hobby/form of recreation, then 7000 is not a ridiculous amount compared to some other hobbies. Riding on roads, in the woods, and at many bike parks is free, so the 7000 is a one off cost you spread over several years. If electric bikes get people out of their cars and back onto bikes, then it’s a good thing.

[@davenawahine6934]

No way would I spend that kind of money on a bicycle, electric or not. Especially considering how fast they are evolving. I can see someone spending $10k on a S-works and find it's only worth $3k two or three years down the road. Manufacturers need to start thinking price point when designing new models.

[@MtBArN]

SO you get a smaller battery for more money lol. What a joke. Specialized really need to stop this overpriced shite!

[@JogBird]

lmao this still weighs 3x more than my road bike

[@fieryawesomeness]

What were you expecting lol

[@hawgietonight]

Well, manufacturers have hit gold with these e-bikes targeting over the top wealthy and lazy (usualy go together) people that otherwise would not buy a bike. I'm all ok with this, as long as that extra cash goes into i+d for real bikes.

[@obi-wankenobi9871]

@@sylvainbernaers Modern batteries contain little to no cobalt and can be nearly completely recycled. When cobalt was only used in consumer electronics and metal alloys, nobody gave a shit about where is came from, then electric bikes and cars started poppig up and everyone lost their mind about it, as if the oil industry payed you for it. People like you dont actually give a damn if the resources were mined by children, which most of the time they are not, since most cobalt is produced in 1st world countries, and even in 2nd and 3rd world countries mining operations are usually set up by first world companies, so you wont find child labor in these either. You only cry out about it, if it fits your agenda.

[@sylvainbernaers6272]

@@obi-wankenobi9871 you are misled big-time.

[@obi-wankenobi9871]

@@sylvainbernaers6272 I applaude your argumentation.

[@markparker5585]

@Christopher Gronseth I think you’ll find that if they were truly “lazy” people, they wouldn’t even bother with e-bikes.

[@rickey236]

Mere ?.. ya...

[@CrackerrJack]

Lmao. Buy a dirtbike

[@solfest9508]

No, still don't want one

[@Stikibits]

Such a rip-off!!!

[@julianrime8544]

Stikibits it’s really not. Some people need the help to get out on the trail... just because it holds no value to YOU doesn’t mean it doesn’t have value for others

[@U_C_Slotcars]

Julian Rime why would someone pay this ridiculous price when there’s way cheaper e bikes out there?

[@julianrime8544]

Davnic74 because weight weenies exist

[@jonwhite182]

You get what you pay for. The 2020 Specialzied Enduro is over $8k and it's not an eBike.

[@Stikibits]

@@jonwhite182 Nah, you get ripped-off.

[@goldencrossbar5509]

First comment❤️

[@bikeradar]

Well done, have a heart and one billion gold stars from BikeRadar!

[@goldencrossbar5509]

Thamks man, relly LOVE your videos😜😄

[@spydersniiper]

You need to give American measurements... I’m sure more than half your audience is American, so that’s who it should be tailored to.

[@squidlings]

240w motor on 17kg will perform like a 500w motor on a standard ebike(ish)

[@TroyArrandale]

Your forgetting the rider weight.

[@squidlings]

@@TroyArrandale really...?

[@hxllxman]

Noooo!!! I just bought a 2020 S_Works Turbo LEVO !!!!

[@maxfish2301]

Still hate e-bikes 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

[@benasquith26]

I don't have them but I won't buy one cus I'm not old or fat, they're fun and keep people riding better for longer. Just because you don't want one doesn't mean they're bad.

[@maxfish2301]

@@benasquith26 i just see the bike industry and culture going down a dark path that has no return. Its sad to see this happen to the sport i love

[@benasquith26]

@@maxfish2301 I don't think they'll ever stop making normal bikes cus that'll just take the sport out of it