The Development Story of the 2019 Specialized Turbo Levo | Birth Of An E-Bike

[@embn]

What do you guys think of Specialized's Switzerland testing facility? Pretty nice spot for an office! Let us know what you thought of our exclusive behind the scenes here 👇

[@midlifebiker7424]

Great vid and insight into the guys and challenges behind the scenes. I assume they are also involved with the R&D of the Kenevo?. In regard to geometry, the standard bike is developed first and then these guys use this as the template? Do they also have to use as many common components for consistency and possibly savings?

[@chrisward925]

Really enjoyable video with all sorts of interesting discussions etc. One thought that came to mind was whether there is a 'KERS' (kinetic energy recovery system - think F1) being developed as that would be a good way to add yet more distance into the equation or to minimise charger times. Would be interested to know peoples thoughts?

[@Anonymous-nu1xf]

Would like a video of the 2019 Levos from the base model all the way up to S-works..differences..etc.. Great Vids!

[@2welshcake]

Great vid. Liked the talk with the techies and getting out to ride in real world conditions. The Engineering that went into the design and the challenges was interesting.

[@_3vileye_]

If they care so much about the European users why not producing these bikes in EU?

[@PaulJagger]

Had my Levo for just a week and I’ve ridden it more than any other bike I’ve had. It gets me up hills I haven’t been able to climb before now and has given me a new sense of adventure for what I can tackle and achieve. Whilst the intensity may drop from my usual riding I expect to be riding a lot more so it will be interesting to see how my fitness develops. I guess it comes down to self discipline and riding echo mode even when its hard as hell and you know you can make it easier by pressing a button. Well done Specialized for developing a great bike.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Finally nearing the perfect emtb design. Kudos to Specialized...

[@brightymcbrightface]

Right. Nearing perfection. I have the s-works '19 turbo levo and I had the '18. It's a significant leap ahead. Riding both bikes on the same day, the '19 is so much better. I never would have paid so much for an electric bike until I'd had the experience of the '18. My "wants" would be a half-size battery (literally just half the length, half the weight, half the duration, to drop 2 lbs and be swappable without lifting the bike) and otherwise, just ever lighter. I'd also like to see an upgrade to SRAM AXS. The hub could be silent. The motor could have zero drag (somehow?) and the brake cabling could be internal to the bars. The weather seal on the lower link was upgraded (for free) and otherwise, it's so good, especially to finish a ride with a climb out that isn't a knee-busting grind.

[@RobRidesEMTB]

Great insight to the development of the bike, well done guys 👍👍

[@embn]

Cheers!

[@michaelw.lemaster9779]

I bought my S-Works Turbo Levo yesterday March 27 2019. Get busy living or get busy dying.

[@vegasstacker3857]

That's awesome! I bought an expert last weekend, can't wait to ride it!

[@area51xi]

!!!

[@chrizitionz]

So informative! Great video wasn't considering a specialised but I am now..

[@embn]

Thanks for the awesome feedback! 🤟👊

[@2welshcake]

Loved the cheeky questions on the evolution bit. Not being sold on the previous version of the Levo this is definatly getting my vote.

[@stangmann1521]

I have a 2019 Como 2.0 & love it , what a great bike 100% spot on & getting even better W/ each year IMO.. The TURBO LEVO is - A top shelf E-Bike, go ride one & you too will be sold ... !

[@matteop3362]

Clean cockpit and intuitive riding, that's the why I've chosen Levo

[@TheAenemy]

thanks guys for this kind of videos after seeing so much hate comments about ebikes in general and especially about the launch of this amazing bike !

[@donfoster8502]

Quality insight into the new Levo. Good Vid guys.

[@lforrest14]

I really enjoyed this video giving us a look in to the birth place of the Levo. Well done.

[@pjplay7523]

Great insight into the levo, probably one of the best I’ve seen of any review. Loved the passion coming out of the designers and really in-depth questioning, well done EMBN. I pickup my levo comp in two days, Eeeeewwww!!

[@flatslide3250]

I really enjoyed that. Cool bunch of people on staff there and Steve's humour was entertaining as always. I'm going to hang on for another 12 months in the hope that the Kenevo will get similar treatment :)

[@flix75uk]

Specialized turbo levo ... my next big purchase... great video Stevo 👍🍻👍

[@embn]

Cheers Dave! Glad you enjoyed it

[@brightymcbrightface]

Such an enjoyable, entertaining and even educational video -- if you want to know how to make any consumer product, this is a class in customer focus and product feature-function-benefit. Take notes. I've been in the tech industry since last century and I've watched this video (with others) at least three times) ... know your market, make decisions, work with OEMs, innovate and cultivate ... pride, focus, discipline ... nobody can just say "we had a clear vision" and that's that ... it's hard work. Experience (a nice word for trial and error, success and failure, one step forward, two steps back) until that vision comes into focus. Share your vision. Don't be afraid. Try not to break any bones, but be prepared to lose some skin and bruise your pride. : )

[@ttobba774411]

Absolutely loved this video!!! What a great insight, easy to forget how much goes into designing these bikes.

[@DerekLHays]

Great video and story behind the development. I would love to see the same level of attention EMBN has given Specialized be given to other manufacturers. Haibike would be interesting. Another, and my personal favorite, would be Focus with the Jam2 and Sam2 with the optional T.E.C. Kit.

[@francescocrea525]

Very happy to have it.

[@nickclarkuk]

Enjoyed watching this again in 2024 after buying a Turbo Levo Alloy Comp :)

[@ichewtoast111]

I love that they went the minimalist approach on the cockpit.

[@MrAnon-2024]

Amazing technology going into today’s e-bikes. Great vid.

[@TheTigersuper6]

Top notch video.Been sitting on fence regarding purchasing Levo Turbo.I think this swings it

[@floinerle3865]

for me too, im gonna go and have a look at one tomorrow morning first thing.

[@Extremegaz25]

Great informative and fun video guys, always good to see the product r and d base.

[@KeithChung88]

Really good behind the scenes video. Loved this one.

[@dougharvey9766]

Its no wonder this is a great bike with people like that developing it, no stone unturned with Specialized im sold on this bike...

[@nielkmit]

excellent interviews and insights in to Specialized Levo bike design and creation :-)

[@WaechterDerNacht]

Great video! was interesting to hear actually people who worked on the bike talk about it and not a sales manager. in terms of the new frame: it is alot of work to calculate and design all that. Just think about that, that you need all kinds of load cases of different possible users and crashes and got to make a setup of layers out of a isotropic material, like carbon fibre, that helds up in all those cases. and you cant just feed it into your CAD-Models, simulate it and say: "lets change the colour scheme in the results file so the whole frame is blue, my boss likes blue so it will be fine. lets produce and sell it then..." to simulate something correctly you need people who know what they are doing. otherwise you'ce got no chance to get proper results from a simulation. if you simulate e.g. loads on a bike frame you should also test it to verify the results you've got from the simulation. this can be done by destroying the frame in bending tests, tensile tests of the layup you use or long time testing to see how it holds up after 100'000 load changes etc. i think alot of the people cant estimate the amount of work that goes into a product like this...

[@burnx45]

Enjoying my first e-mountain bike, the 2020 Specialized Turbo Levo comp for 2 months now. After demoing a 2019 Levo comp I had to get one for myself but waited for the 2020 comp model to come out with the bigger 700wh battery and as an added bonus has a better fork and rear shock. Lots of places to ride in northern California, and I have just over two hundred miles on it now and am excited every time I get on and ride. Such a awesome bike to ride. I find myself riding more than ever and am seeing more people on the mountains on e-bikes. I even joined an e-mountain bike group after randomly meeting the members while out riding solo. This is currently the best time ever to have an e-bike. I had been looking at e-mountain bikes for about three years and and I finally the made the decision to get my first e-mountain bike, the 2020 Levo comp because I felt the battery has a large enough capacity for day rides. The longest ride I've been on is 28 miles, 4200 ft of climbing, using about 55% of the battery (384wh consumed) using the mission control app for a 155 lb rider.

[@ChristopherDillman]

Watching, listening, learning about the innovation is fascinating. Favor to ask the engineers - Make the future versions backwards compatible. That is... if I drop 10k on an S-Works Levo now, and in 2021 you release a 900+ Wh battery, I should be able to drop that puppy into my 2019 downtube.

[@umbertosmith1510]

Specialized doesn't care...They just want to throw away the old and sell the new. These bikes will not have any backward compatibility.

[@joserodrigues1704]

Great interview to the men behind the Levo. Many, many thanks. Steve asked the right questions I should have asked to them. Much appreciated. So it is a bike designed from mountain bikers to mountain bikers and it seems to be made with passion! G R E A T JOB ! Great team ! Fan of it :) I only have one question: If Specialized were to make a motocross or enduro bike which would be the final price? 50k? ;)

[@nickd6056]

I will start saving now. Best Ebike I have seen. Only one I have actually wanted. And it looks like a bike.

[@difflocktwo]

I think that's the point. The number one priority is looks to sell it to people like you. It's technically nothing special(ized).

[@_3vileye_]

@@difflocktwo wtf.. With that price tag it better be special

[@difflocktwo]

@@_3vileye_ Batteries and electric motors don't have much room for improvement. It's very difficult to gain much more efficiency. You can pay a lot more for a small increase in efficiency. Or you could take that money and get two more batteries.

[@_3vileye_]

@@difflocktwo you are so wrong. Batteries and motor will develop exponentially in the next few years like everything related to technology. The transmission will probably evolve into gearbox on the classic bikes and that's about it for that side. The e-bike is the future and it's only the beginning.

[@difflocktwo]

@@_3vileye_ Crappy electric motors are already over 80% efficient and have been for over a century. Batteries are currently over 90% efficient as well. Semi decent motors are 90%+ too. There isn't much room to improve. 100% is max. There is room to improve, but our high-tech right now is very close to 100% and general stuff over 80%. Any mechanical transmission is going to rob power and lower efficiency, so you will actually see the minimization of mechanical transmissions to gain more efficiency.

[@jedrupl]

Nice vid! Looking forward to a 2020 review and comparison between the levo range sub -models.

[@5492sparky]

Excellent look around the site.

[@georgek1518]

That was a great report, you did a great job. I'm jealous here in the United States as to how open Europe is to the Ebikes. Here they are limiting trails more and more instead of opening them. I'm hoping the attitude will swing the other way and ebikes will be accepted sooner rather than later. Thanks again, I love your channel.

[@mogulhopper]

one whopping great advert for the new Levo .... fantastic insight , best video yet "class"

[@Fluterra]

Excellent video! I LOVE my 2018 S Works Turbo Levo!

[@tylerhell]

Fantastic inside look! Great job guy's!

[@embn]

Cheers Tyler! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@johnreese3762]

Well done! Great info/video! Thanks!!!

[@FWCaptain-kv6sm]

Just upgraded to the 2019 Levo expert, from 2016 Levo comp, feels amazing but I noticed the motor on the expert has a louder whine? the older bike is almost silent

[@vincef7487]

16:56 Having a minimalist cockpit is brilliant! Good call. 👍🏽

[@michaelw.lemaster9779]

Nice video. Just bought my S-Works Turbo Levo.

[@alliancedieselllc2484]

Awesome job guys!!

[@onethingeverything]

Great video! Really enjoyed the look into the development

[@embn]

Thanks Craig! It's super interesting isn't it!

[@1975supermike]

What an amazing inspiring bunch of people

[@pabloazocar]

That cracked phone at 18:05 ... classic! great video BTW.

[@maxflight777]

Most fascinating video to date .... awesome!

[@coryfreeman353]

Great video guys!

[@KonvektorRU]

Thank,s for videos. Hello from Russia.

[@laddjohnson2576]

Embn, LOVE your channel, has specialized indicated that when next gen solid state batteries are available, they will sell an updated battery for those of us with the ‘18 and earlier design? Solid state will be a game changer!

[@embn]

No news on that front unfortunately Ladd!

[@joserodrigues1704]

Hum!? Is it only a rumor or it as any substance? I know plenty of bikers that are carrying a second battery on their backpack and it should be potentially hazard in the case of a fall not to mention its heavy weight on the shoulders and back spine. Also it affects their riding dynamics. I had thoughts about this situation and to me it should be pretty easy to develop a belly inflated battery case that could accommodate a new line of plus 20 type 18650 lithium cells for the pack to become 10S6P arranged and achieved 756Wh with the actual 3.5Ah cells. I've seen this kind of approach on the mobile phone industry and it succeeded.

[@gingermattb]

Ladd Johnson Sorry, solid state batteries are a long way from the mainstream at this point. Keep dreaming!

[@laddjohnson2576]

gingermattb I am

[@helmuthutter8414]

Great video Steve. Did you ask why they abandoned the partnership with Ohlins on the top models? Just wondering???

[@ianrichardson62]

loved this video, great work! Only thing is now I really want one but the price is way out of my league. 😢

[@embn]

Cheers Rico! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@logcabinslv]

I have a 2018, and i have had a dangerous problem with my Levo Turbo, when i start, sometimes, and not all times, it runs off with out me even pedalling. I took it in the Specialized here in Vilnius, and of course they could not find a problem, they said take a video of it doing it and we will change the engine, but now they have gone bust, and there are no Specialized Dealers left here in the city! So I now have a high end priced E bike that is quite dangerous to ride!!!

[@APOCLAG]

Great Material!

[@ktm-bc1dw]

gr8 video. i was at bike park wales today spotted 8 ebikes. cwmcarn last week there were 7.

[@embn]

Definitely on the rise in the UK isn't it! You should see how many there are in Europe!

[@joserodrigues1704]

UK isn't in Europe anymore? :D

[@wiganer]

Brilliant video🚴🚴🚴🚴🚴Brilliant looking bike

[@-zerocool-]

Really good video

[@joethomas9634]

I don't get how they say it's quieter after I just got done test riding the 2019 and it was way louder then the 2018 model, which I rode the same day. Maybe they are working on fixing that issue before the main release comes out. Still a great ride and plan on getting one. Maybe someone can chime in on what I think is a louder motor.

[@oleg296]

THATS WHY I JUST BOUGHT A 2018 I TOO TRIED THE 2019 MODELS NOT AS POWERFULL !

[@Gunni1972]

I am so dissapointed you guys did not use a 17 " Laptop as center console, i need a windshield

[@ArcticPride1]

Not many "legal" e-mtb trails near Specialized in Morgan Hill, certainly that plays into their euro development side

[@electricbazza]

Was that a prototype Creo in the background behind Marko?

[@salviecudlip5326]

Great video

[@alasdairhill5166]

Well done Steve, love it ,it must be easy to develop lmao 😂 It looks like an amazing bit of kit . I will stick with my Bosch haibike .Only because I haven't got a spare heap of money to spend and I have loads of fun on it anyway

[@thedutchwoodworker3472]

I should not have look at this i see a sd slot and micro usb port in the brain Note to self do not walk to garage and unscrew toptube brain button thingy 😱😱😱🤗 Great video do really like the inside look in development

[@oleg296]

MY ONE IS 910 WATTS AND 1600 OUT PUT !

[@Effonefiddygarage]

At 6:42 he hinted at the SL for the following year!

[@EdeksuperBob]

hey guys I have a question do u think this bike is good enough for tall guy 194 cm or 6'4 what do u think for the xl size

[@JB-68]

Did you noticed that all the new turbo levo 2019 disapeared from Specialized web site ? All are flagued with a "No Battery" !

[@johnnyguzman3429]

There's a highly dispreportionate number of people saying how they can't afford the bikes you guys showcase on your channel. Help out the consumers and your subscribers and give some of those big bike brands our feedback. We need those prices to come down from the stratosphere.

[@helmuthutter8414]

I put a 3 year old S-Works Epic on sale for 3000€. Bike was new 10k and is in almost new condition. I got ridiculous proposals and people telling me that it is like with cars and that they loose money sooooo fast. But hey, this is not a Fiesta but a GT3. Now I pre ordered the Levo S-Works and might have a 2018 (8 month old) Levo Expert Carbon for sale.What do you think will happen? Right. I will keep it.

[@johnnyguzman3429]

@@helmuthutter8414 I don't really think people are just being cheap. The truth is that the R&D (engineers) that design these bikes pay themselves really well. In raw material cost that bike cost a tenth of what it's selling for. The low price needs to come from manufacturing, the retailer shouldn't be the one splitting hairs trying to get the price down to a reasonable cost.

[@01Peebee10]

I wonder if they'll update the 2018 battery with the latest internals for greater range.....?

[@IchimokuCloud]

If anybody still reading these comments, one software request would be security - have the ability to lock the motor with a PIN number using the app. Secondary, would be using a optional software key to match the charging unit to the bike, so if stolen, would never be able to be charged. That would make these bikes completely unappealing to thieves. At $5,000 up, this is a common sense ask.

[@eddyb4812]

I have a 2018; you edited the video to make it seem like the 2019 turbo levo was their first bike & to forget about my 2018, great job; even if my budget allowed it I would still have my reservations, just on price, component, feature & battery placement/capacity, & suspension travel. I rather look @ another brand if specialized & other bike manufacturers are going to start treating their bikes like they are iPhones or GoPro, end up not affording to design or make them, & turn that overpriced cost over to the consumer, then charging them for accessories just to turn around almost a year later with a new bike; oops too late!

[@at333ch]

No, they didn't. They talked about the first printed Levi dated 2013. You're just butthurt for not getting the newest toy. So they innovated and came up with a new design one year after you bought yours. Now what? Forbid them to do that? I bet you're still awesome on your Levo. If you aren't, get some skills! It's not about the latest hardware you're riding. It's just about you hitting your trails and having fun. So: stop complaining and have fun! Your fellow butthurt 2017 Merida eOne-Twenty rider (the new ones are so much more awesome) ;)

[@iainfindlay8628]

In all the vids I've seen no one is clipped in; they all ride platform pedals. Are clipless pedals passe' in the e-Bike world? Not safe? Not necessary? It think it would feel weird to me not being clipped in.

[@gingermattb]

Some useful info, but a bit too "infomercial" for my liking. I know you cannot afford to bite the hand that feeds and a new Spec ebike is big news, but remember people want EMBN/GMBN presenters to be able to give their own opinions and ask real questions, not just replay the marketing spiel. Example - instead of asking the silly "Well putting a battery in the downtube can't be that difficult, can it?" question, why not ask why they went 29er rather than 27.5+ or the wheel mullet 29 front/27+ rear combo? You have some great access to the Spec developers there, use it to best advantage.

[@PaulHoweCarlisle]

Is it easy to raise the assistance limit? Ano ur not ment to but id properly try 😁

[@AngelsRapture]

Always nice to get to know the reasons for this and that on a bike. Obviously with Specialized being around for so long and having such a presence in the market, they have much more resources than most. The work environment is pretty sweet. You can tell it isn't america. The bike looks super sweet. Sadly I doubt the resources for one of my own will be a miracle. After all I live in America and even with three jobs I barely was able to afford my last bike. A 29 cross country hard tail. Laying down three or four grand for an ebike would be a huge luxury. Maybe in a few decades if the planet hasn't become uninhabitable the price will come down where ebikes are just normal bikes.

[@badlarry172]

Interesting Ta

[@MadMatty72]

If there was serious development motors would be driving rear wheel directly on LH side to keep load of chain and sprockets. I love my mid drive but I'm tired of replacing chains and sprockets, and ultimately pissed off because it's unnecessary.

[@Rich.enDorseit]

So Steve mentioned the white frame shown was the first Levo but at 3.24 a still of a red bike with a brain shock and a fugly looking motor is shown. whats all that about then? I don't think that version was referenced?

[@mickfaragher7897]

Mmmm. Bit misleading by you and Spec: 700wh batteries? Not on the lower/mid spec bikes, still 500wh. Also gone to skinny 29" tyres over 27/27+ which are essential in the UK. This distorts 'real' range.

[@racepnd]

Great video but not sure about the new mission control app doesn’t work at all for me on Apple. Also I’ve heard it deletes all of your ride history I’ve sweat a lot for that history lol.

[@FWCaptain-kv6sm]

load your rides to strava from mission control never lose your data

[@racepnd]

I have done that all the way though but use mc to keep track of component mileages

[@jtalavasek]

iOS 12 bug is fixed asap. Also new app stores a duplicate of the ride on the server which enables you to reload rides if you change phones for example. If you want a deeper look at the data > export to Strava for example or use GoldenCheetah as a nice offline viewer

[@ErwinMeulman]

Warranty: Two years or 300 charge cycles

[@richardneedham4977]

These guys should build an electric car.

[@1975supermike]

I you buy the base model how easy is it to add a dropper? Anyone pls

[@sheep011]

it is possible without removing the motor, but it takes some time

[@CurvedSlightly]

Is Martin Sonderregggerrr a senndddeeeerrrere?

[@elyhim]

I would be sold but... North Carolina Specialized dealers in my area believe that emtb's are motor vehicles, not good fits for trails, are not supporting them and actively warning people away from emtbs. Sure they'll order them and sell it if they HAVE too but they don't want to and they don't know the first thing about riding emtb's on singletrack. Trek does a much better job supporting the product which makes an agonizing decision over a clear winner like the 2019 Levo.

[@Alex-in7ws]

elyhim get a real bike, heavy bikes aren’t good for trails and they are in fact motorized vehicles.

[@elyhim]

413X I appreciate your comment but it's obvious you haven't ridden a class I pedelec on singletrack. You might also be interested to know that the USA by law cannot consider them (class I pedelecs) as motor vehicles. You wishing them to be is like me wishing people with pacemakers were classified as robots/cyborgs. We ALL know robots and cyborgs have no souls and we should put them down or face an eventual uprising.... DOWN WITH CYBORGS!!11 Also - kzbin.info/www/bejne/rpLFZGlojbplesU My trail bike seems to be fine.

[@Alex-in7ws]

elyhim first off, heavy bikes are in fact worse for trails: more weight on dirt means more erosion, also ebikers have so that’s also a factor in trail destruction. Second, your pacemaker analogy is false since a motor on your bike is not in the slightest related to something that keeps you alive. Lastly, I don’t care about motorized vehicle classification, it’s a vehicle, it has a motor. Is it really that hard? Motor plus vehicle = motorized vehicle. 👋

[@elyhim]

Except no, Studies show negligible difference between regular bikes and ebikes. The pacemaker is literally a motor assist for the heart and is completely relevant as an analogy. I put 30 psi in my minions, I don't care about your opinions. Particularly your opinions about how and where I can ride my bicycle. Arguments like yours are literally reduced to complaining ebikes will put more people on my trails more often. You only have bias and your entitlements. Ebikes are going to put more people on trails, more often and get more people healthy and grow the sport and industry so that viable infrastructure and places to ride will expand.

[@Alex-in7ws]

elyhim a pacemaker keeps you alive, are you disabled to the point where you can’t ride a bike without a motor? I’m not gonna argue with etards like you, I’m just saying, if my 52yr old mom with arthritis can ride a normal mtb why can’t you? Anyways, see you in my dust

[@olivitokitty9854]

I wanted nice handle bars 😂😂😂😂

[@Metal-Possum]

That joke you make about the latest bike being not that different from the first is probably more true than they'd ever want to admit, maybe just even more expensive! :D I have to be careful what I say though, I can't afford lawyers as good as theirs.

[@dirkharvey]

There's a bit of difference even between the 17' and 18' which is the same bike, but different electronics, I've ridden the new one and it is indeed, very different, in very good ways.

[@MegaNayton]

I like how they are trying to make out that a lot of work went into making the frame. I bet it was just 2 clicks of a mouse button one being copy the other being paste 😂. Thing is with putting a battery into the frame they not only restrict them selves with battery size but they also make it more of a throw away bike. The way I see it something has to be in the frame for the battery to clip into if one day the rider is a bit careless and some how manages to damage the area it clips in that more than likely scraps the frame as the battery won't stay in especially being on the bottom.

[@ferrarista27]

I can guarantee it is not a 2 clicks job. More like hundreds to thousands hours job. The frame was totally redesigned to fit the new battery. Tube size, wall thickness is not the same. Suspension mount is different. Motor mount is different. It might look similar to the untrained eye, but there is a lot of work redesigning a frame. It is not a one step process. A lot of prototypes have to made then tested in the trails to be approved. I prefer a bottom mount integrated battery compared to those semi-integrated ones. Looks nicer and stiffer. The new Spez battery has a screw on the bottom so it is securely fixed. The other good thing is that the battery is isolated from the elements. 700wh battery is a pretty good size and should be more than enough for most rides. They are using the best cells available at the moment like the 21700. When the new solid state batteries come to market, they will be able to double the capacity for the same size or reduce the battery size by 50% while keeping the same capacity. That will be a game changer.

[@embn]

That's a pretty dramatic over-simplification of the process involved here MegaNayton! Not only are Specialized re-designing the entire frame with an internal battery in mind, but they're also already thinking about the scenario you just described and how to avoid it!

[@laddjohnson2576]

I’m an engineer in the surgical robot industry and can tell you what appears to be a simple change is not. So changing how the battery is mounted in the frame is easy? Not so. First, how does it effect the stiffness and strength of the frame? How does that effect handling and safety? This product is used by humans, so it needs to be safe! In medical devices, we have to follow IEC 60601 safety guidelines for minimum safety factor. Does the frame material have a minimum elongation of 5% before failure? Are all loads well known? If not, bam you have to meet a minimum safety factor of 6. Sure, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) is awesome, but do you trust it? Not for human use! So lots of real world testing is required. So now you design a safe and strong frame, whatever about the thermal load path now, that changed now. Can you dissipate enough heat from the batteries to keep them from overheating? What other kinds of unintentional consequences? New motor also. Same analysis as above. Now we have moving parts. That’s a different animal. Vibration and wear come into play. Natural frequencies? Design a bridge with a natural frequency similar to the wind gust frequency forcing function and it falls down! Shock loads can have many g’s of force that get transferred to gear teeth. I’ve seen robot gear boxes explode by just pushing them across a parking lot. Did not expect those g forces, no buttons in CAD programs to predict hitting those little buttons on the ground to tell blind people they are about to step out on to the street. Gear boxes don’t like those shock loads!!! Okay, so now you think you got this simple design change of remounting the battery and new motor, well now you have to manufacture it. We still can’t print parts yet, you have to mold or machine them. Simple prototype mold with hand fed inserts ( rarely are parts simple cavity molds) likely you have undercuts. These prototype molds are $50k to $100k. Want more automation, double or triple those numbers. But wait, is your design good for molding? There are FEA programs that do plastic flow simulations, but those are only guidelines. Build a prototype mold and see how the part comes out. Industrial designers like pretty parts, can you mold those parts, or do you have to iterate. Crap, the part shrinks more than expected, iterate the mold again! Carbon fiber, that’s a different animal. It’s mostly hand layer, then vacuum sealed and baked. Ugh, so many variables!!! I’ve only listed the type of the iceberg for mechanical design, but there is electrical and software that is just as much or more work. Not a simple change as a couple of mouse clicks.

[@tamasvarga67]

Awesome looking bike no question but all these new features - carbon frame, 700Wh battery - will set you back 8000€.

[@embn]

It sure will! There are more budget conscious builds such as the alloy versions though. But with the process we've shown here, you can't underestimate the amount of work that's gone into making the final product!

[@JustAnotherAsianGuy2]

i wish i can work there .... cause i can make it better

[@greenrush4313]

all mountain bikes should be e bikes from now on. Because i say so

[@FWCaptain-kv6sm]

I want the Levo expert but its 11,349.00 wtf!!! yikes!!!!

[@tomhowlett1882]

should you let your battery go flat #specialisedturbolevo

[@gingermattb]

The BMS protects the battery from an over discharge situation, but you should store the pack at 30-50% state of charge to prevent degradation in terms of cycle life and capacity.

[@Cybervogi]

Sicher en schwiizer de herr sonderegger :)

[@FWCaptain-kv6sm]

Just don’t pedal smash or hit your B.B. on anything or it will cost you dearly

[@MrVjjorge]

this is a specialised channel right?? '2009-2010 we were thinking about it',,, Haibike was there pioneers of the sport... everything else are immitations

[@embn]

We're lucky enough to use both Specialized and Haibike as well as Canyon on our channel :)

[@jasonhoo6753]

Lot of B.S. China Bike have better bike and battery power. Some even over 800 & 1K watts. Mine was over 800 watts. On motor go and check spec on Bafang M500 & M600.

[@erikhammer153]

Another know it all speaks.... CLAPPING*100

[@CurvedSlightly]

Those Specilized aremluvleh, shame they are about 7 bazillion $$$

[@GlenAlexanderNYC]

yan seems like the ones who knows the f is going on. as far the video goes I like it, but maybe next time pick a real bike guy to review? ride it shred it maybe, stress it