2022 Specialized Turbo Levo Alloy Base vs. Turbo Levo Comp

[nchao]

I'm trying to decide between the 2022 Specialized Turbo Levo Alloy Base model vs. Turbo Levo Comp (about $1.5k difference).

I'm probably an intermediate rider (I ride blues and blacks on the North Shore).

I was reading that the main upgrade from the Base to Comp is the battery and the second biggest upgrades are the brakes and suspension. Using the calculator on the specialized website, it said that my range (climb and distance) on the base 2021 Levo is about 4 times what I do on my non-ebike. This makes it seem like the 500Wh to 700Wh battery upgrade is not necessary for me. Therefore, it seems like I should go with the base model.

What do y'all think? Should I go with the base model or is there anything that I'm missing or am wrong about?

Thanks!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hi @nchao!

Although the EBR Forums are nor really e-MTB specific, some of us ride electric mountain bikes and I had been riding a Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro for more than a year. Now, guess what was the most annoying feature of that very e-bike? Yes, you guessed. It was the 500 Wh battery. When I set off for my first mountain ride (it started uphill), I was totally negatively shocked about the battery capacity. Every single minute, a percent of the battery was dropping down. Of course mountain biking is not only climbing but my early experiences made me frustrated a lot. The things changed when I got a spare 625 Wh battery several months later. I could go for longer rides with decent elevation gain more frequently.

Having said the above: The battery is the most expensive and the most valuable of e-bike components. The price difference of CAD fifteen hundred is the most allocated to the big 700 Wh battery. The better components come next on the Comp. (Even do not try to guess what the bigger battery cost is when bought alone).

The Specialized range calculator is not good. Do not rely on it.

I strongly advise you go with the Levo Comp. Otherwise, buyers remorse will be inevitable. (Elevation gain is the most significant battery range killer of them all).

 

[CodyDog]

I rode the Turbo Levo Comp for a year and love it it. The battery capacity was great with the larger battery.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Owner of a Gen 3 Levo CC here. I don’t regret opting for a model with the larger battery as I do find myself in situations that require the added range. That being said, my reasons for acquiring the Levo with the bigger battery extend farther than just that.

Like Stefan, I also ride a Giant Trance and confess that the slacker Levo with the mullet setup, shorter chainstays and adjustable geometry appealed to me as a setup for more progressive riding. The alloy Trance in comparison is quite a bit heavier and nowhere near as nimble and maneuverable on tight twisty singles. On a single ride, I’ll do 35-40km of trails on varying terrain mostly blue and the odd black run and still have plenty of gas in the Levo’s tank. On a trip last year to Bragg Creek, a couple of buddies and I rode several DH runs and subsequently rode back up each time. One of them was riding a 2nd gen Levo with the bigger battery and was usually out front during most of the climbs. The other friend was riding the lighter Levo SL but was definitely feeling the burn on the rides up. I actually lent him the RE off of my Creo for that trip so that he would be able to finish. At least he could ride the more lightweight SL back if he depleted the battery. I didn’t have much juice left in the Trance’s battery by the time we completed the last run of the day and was wishing I had a bit more to alleviate any fear of having to crank that heavy beast back to base.

The range calculator doesn’t factor in variables such as trail conditions, extreme temps, rider position, etc…so it’s best to use it as a general guideline.

If you can spring for it, I say go for the comp as it will upgrade the spec’d groupset to GX as well as get you the larger battery. Take it from me, it’s always good to have backup when you need it the most.