Turbo Levo vs Turbo Levo Comp?

[SeattleSenior]

Hello everyone! Got into e-biking a couple years ago when I retired and I love it. Seattle hills are fun now and not to dread. I got a good commuter bike, after getting help here on the forums, never thinking I’d be interested in more. I love it, it’s my basic fitness and recreational activity, but it’s got a rigid suspension and even on pavement, our streets are pretty rough and jarring.

Now I’m thinking about going further afield as well as smoother local rides. I’ve been looking at Specialized’s Turbo Levo line. I love the adjustability, control system and motor especially. The differences I see on the standard and the Comp are the battery sizes, the seat post, and the rear cassette - and about $2k. I’m posting here to see if I am missing anything, and other users’ thoughts. Thanks in advance!

Seattle Senior

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Hello everyone! Got into e-biking a couple years ago when I retired and I love it. Seattle hills are fun now and not to dread. I got a good commuter bike, after getting help here on the forums, never thinking I’d be interested in more. I love it, it’s my basic fitness and recreational activity, but it’s got a rigid suspension and even on pavement, our streets are pretty rough and jarring.

Now I’m thinking about going further afield as well as smoother local rides. I’ve been looking at Specialized’s Turbo Levo line. I love the adjustability, control system and motor especially. The differences I see on the standard and the Comp are the battery sizes, the seat post, and the rear cassette - and about $2k. I’m posting here to see if I am missing anything, and other users’ thoughts. Thanks in advance!

Seattle Senior

Hi Senior,

If you don't want to devote yourself to off-road trail riding only please do not make that expensive mistake. Been there done that (buying a Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro) and that was a grave mistake. Here is the catchphrase:

"THIS E-BIKE HAS BEEN DESIGNED FOR THE OFF-ROAD USE ONLY"

Let me tell you why a premium e-MTB such as Levo is totally unsuitable for the urban use:

• An e-MTB is designed to climb dramatically steep ascents, typically over the rocks, tree-roots, etc (technical trail riding). It is a very slow e-bike on the flat.
• The smallish chairing is made for climbing. If you want to ride fast on the flat, it would require very very high cadence, which I do not think you can achieve (increasing heart rate beyond any reason). The chainring can be replaced but not too much (the e-bike geometry prevents that).
• The e-bike is Class 1 (20 mph). Are you aware of that?
• The riding position is very specific: You are "laying" on the handlebars with your arms wide apart. Is it comfort?
• You will discover that the full suspension has not been actually made for ride comfort but for maintaining traction in rough terrain
• You'll immediately discover the tires are so noisy and eat so much of your pedalling energy, you will go for a quest to replace the tyres with something like Schwalbe Johnny Watts
• You will soon thinking about some fenders. Does it never rain in PNW?
• You'll start craving for a rack. Hard to find for an e-MTB, and again, increasing weight of the e-bike
• You will find out you need lighting, too...

And you will actually realize you return very tired from your rides. Ask me how I know

Levo or Levo Comp? The bigger battery makes great sense, and is the most expensive e-bike component. The Comp is also equipped with more premium componentry.

Seattle Senior: If you really need a full suspension e-bike, think of Moustache or Riese & Mueller. These brands are making expensive SUV e-bikes, full suspension and all. These brands make full suspension e-bikes to be used in the city.

Don't buy an e-MTB for the urban use, please!

P.S. My Trance E+ was an excellent off-road e-MTB (almost as good as a Levo). I loved it off-road but was totally disappointed on paved roads. Eventually, I gave that e-bike to my brother as a gift because he loves it but I hated it

 

[SeattleSenior]

Hi Senior,

If you don't want to devote yourself to off-road trail riding only please do not make that expensive mistake. Been there done that (buying a Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro) and that was a grave mistake. Here is the catchphrase:

"THIS E-BIKE HAS BEEN DESIGNED FOR THE OFF-ROAD USE ONLY"

Let me tell you why a premium e-MTB such as Levo is totally unsuitable for the urban use:

• An e-MTB is designed to climb dramatically steep ascents, typically over the rocks, tree-roots, etc (technical trail riding). It is a very slow e-bike on the flat.
• The smallish chairing is made for climbing. If you want to ride fast on the flat, it would require very very high cadence, which I do not think you can achieve (increasing heart rate beyond any reason). The chainring can be replaced but not too much (the e-bike geometry prevents that).
• The e-bike is Class 1 (20 mph). Are you aware of that?
• The riding position is very specific: You are "laying" on the handlebars with your arms wide apart. Is it comfort?
• You will discover that the full suspension has not been actually made for ride comfort but for maintaining traction in rough terrain
• You'll immediately discover the tires are so noisy and eat so much of your pedalling energy, you will go for a quest to replace the tyres with something like Schwalbe Johnny Watts
• You will soon thinking about some fenders. Does it never rain in PNW?
• You'll start craving for a rack. Hard to find for an e-MTB, and again, increasing weight of the e-bike
• You will find out you need lighting, too...

And you will actually realize you return very tired from your rides. Ask me how I know

Levo or Levo Comp? The bigger battery makes great sense, and is the most expensive e-bike component. The Comp is also equipped with more premium componentry.

Seattle Senior: If you really need a full suspension e-bike, think of Moustache or Riese & Mueller. These brands are making expensive SUV e-bikes, full suspension and all. These brands make full suspension e-bikes to be used in the city.

Don't buy an e-MTB for the urban use, please!

P.S. My Trance E+ was an excellent off-road e-MTB (almost as good as a Levo). I loved it off-road but was totally disappointed on paved roads. Eventually, I gave that e-bike to my brother as a gift because he loves it but I hated it

Thanks for the detailed advice and your experience. I do want to start riding off-road though. Nothing extreme but I know the bike I have isn’t really suitable. I probably can’t afford 2 bikes though. Are the models you mention suitable for gravel/dirt ridingv

I hope to be able to test ride some alternatives locally to compare with my current bike.

Thanks again!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@David Berry here is riding tremendous distances on his R&M Homage (a full suspension e-SUV).
@steve mercier is a Moustache owner.
@sammcneill owns both an R&M and a Levo.
Mr. @e-levity is a very experienced rider.
@PDoz is an e-MTBer here.
I think all can contribute with their experience.

 

[Gee_Whiz]

If youre having issues with the roads and looking for suspension, you may want to look into the Vado line vs the Levo's.. When I started researching into ebikes a few years ago, I kept trying to make the Levo fit my commuter/light off-road use case, and it's really just not a good fit for that. The rear suspension isnt tuned for on-road use.. the tires would need to be changed, the seat, there's no integrated lights, and the gearing is low for road use. The motor also caps at 20mph. It's just not a good commuter for as cool as it looks lol. If you just want something fun and fast to tool around with, you could also pickup an Aventon level for under 2k, which has a really good hub motor and throttle, add a front fork, suspension seat and you have a 31mph all-around commuter, and then also pickup a used full suspension ebike as well.

For commuters, you have a ton of options though from Trek, Giant, Frey (6mos wait time though) and many others

 

[Stefan Mikes]

If youre having issues with the roads and looking for suspension, you may want to look into the Vado line vs the Levo's.. When I started researching into ebikes a few years ago, I kept trying to make the Levo fit my commuter/light off-road use case, and it's really just not a good fit for that. The rear suspension isnt tuned for on-road use.. the tires would need to be changed, the seat, there's no integrated lights, and the gearing is low for road use. The motor also caps at 20mph. It's just not a good commuter for as cool as it looks lol. If you just want something fun and fast to tool around with, you could also pickup an Aventon level for under 2k, which has a really good hub motor and throttle, add a front fork, suspension seat and you have a 31mph all-around commuter, and then also pickup a used full suspension ebike as well.

For commuters, you have a ton of options though from Trek, Giant, Frey (6mos wait time though) and many others

The OP does own a good commuter e-bike. He wants a universal e-bike, a full suspension one.

 

[Gee_Whiz]

The OP does own a good commuter e-bike. He wants a universal e-bike, a full suspension one.

The Trek FS9 is the probably the only one besides the R&M superdelites that can do both: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...ll-suspension/powerfly-fs-9-equipped/p/35175/

Superdelite – the endurance athlete | Riese & Müller

Designed for long distances. Total safety, total comfort and up to 1,125 Wh of total power.

www.r-m.de

Actually Watt Wagons and Bulls have a few models..

all very heavy though..

Theres also the Vado SL with the future shock but no rear suspension of course

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Moustache (one of examples):

Electrical Bikes powered by Bosch - Moustache Bikes

Moustache is the strong belief that the electric bicycle represents an incredible opportunity for the development of bicycle use! We believe it is the perfect tool to leave the car in the garage.

moustachebikes.com

 

[SeattleSenior]

The Trek FS9 is the probably the only one besides the R&M superdelites that can do both: https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/...ll-suspension/powerfly-fs-9-equipped/p/35175/

Superdelite – the endurance athlete | Riese & Müller

Designed for long distances. Total safety, total comfort and up to 1,125 Wh of total power.

www.r-m.de

Actually Watt Wagons and Bulls have a few models..

all very heavy though..

Theres also the Vado SL with the future shock but no rear suspension of course

The FS9 does look interesting. I’ll explore that a bit. Thanks!

 

[Nubnub]

Really depends on how aggressive your off road trails will be to determine whether you need a full suspension bike. I've owned a Vado SL, Levo Sl and now a Tero. I've also demoed a Vado 5.0 (2022) on some off road - rocky/ruts and >20% grade. For my rides- I don't find full suspension needed. I don't do jumps or drops. I am too old to risk high speed descents so am comfortable unweighting the saddle and absorbing with my arms and legs at slower speeds. Take a look at this guys video taking a commuter bike up a steep rocky hill:

If I were limited to one bike - I'd probably go with the 2022 Vado 5.0. Second choice would be the Tero. Full power motor gives the extra assist needed for the really steep pitches where rocks/ruts/roots would otherwise slow you down. The extra off-road worthiness of the Tero comes at the cost of being Class 1 (could be overcome with Peartune), lower gearing (need a bigger chainring). But if you are limited to one bike in a rainy area like Seattle - you may want to add fenders, rack and visibility lights anyways. For me, the tradeoff to make the Tero more urban worthy is > the tradeoff to make the Vado off-road worthy (prob just 2nd set of tires), Again YMMV depending on how extreme you want to off road.

You don't say what your commuter bike is- but if the tires are < 2 or so inches wide found on the Vado/Tero - you might be surprised how much that will help smooth out rough city streets.

 

[steve mercier]

The OP does own a good commuter e-bike. He wants a universal e-bike, a full suspension one.

Stefan ,But if he already has a hybrid bike why not let the man enjoy some trails with a real Emtb ? I now have 3 bikes , one hardtail trekking bike with 700cc x 42 or 28" x 1.5" tires and another hardtail with 2.35 " x 27.5" and the FS Emtb with any size I like from 2.4 " to 2.8" x 27.5 . The first bike I would get rid of is the one in the middle that does nothing exceptionally well. The 700 cc bike goes faster and gets better range when road riding and the FS bike with 160 front and back can float over roots and rocks like a knife through warm butter. The Charger in the middle is ponderous compared to either of the other bikes and does nothing better than either of them (with the possible exception of load capacity).

 

[RAYDAHS]

To answer your original question....Turbo Levo vs Turbo Levo Comp?

I assume you mean the 2021 versions? By the way, they dropped the price a week ago, so the difference is $1800

Based off of this comparison tool, the Levo Comp has better...
- Battery
- SLX Components vs. NX (all)
- Hubs Shimano vs in house brand
- Brakes SLX vs Sram Guide
- Fork and shock (Fox vs Rockshox)

Compare: 2021 Specialized Turbo Levo Comp vs Turbo Levo – 99 Spokes

The Specialized Turbo Levo Comp and Specialized Turbo Levo are both 29″ aluminum frame full suspension enduro e-bikes. The Turbo Levo Comp has a better fork, while the Turbo Levo has better components.

99spokes.com

It's really up to you if it's worth 1800 more..cheers

 

[steve mercier]

If you want to be able to ride Blue rated trails in your area ,bikes like a Trek Rail , Specialized Levo , Norco Sight , Moustache Trail etc. are much better suited ( think safer) than a bike that tries to do everything. I can survive blue trails on my Charger but I enjoy them on my FS Emtb.

 

[SeattleSenior]

Wow I’m very impressed by the responsiveness of the forum - thanks very much! My current bike is a Trek Allant. It’s very nice overall, but I would like something more supple? I guess is the word. Seattle is wet and neighborhood hills are everywhere and steep, and the mean streets of Ballard are really rough, not kidding I hit a pothole once that I didn’t see until the last second and it actually caused my battery to fall off and almost dismounted me.

I think a mountain bike would be fun, and I have a vehicle now I can put a bike carrier on and carry a bike to more picturesque places. Probably stick to easier trails, but want to be able to climb and turn at moderate speeds. Might be good to have fenders and lights. I’ll take another look at the Vado and Tero for sure.

One aspect of the Specialized bikes is the controls. The tunability of the modes sounds like a great feature. I hear the Mastermind display is still in limited availability? But it is advertised on the Vado 5.0, but not on the Levo until you hit $9000 model.

On that note, I really look to riding to maintain and improve fitness. I use the Cobi app on my iPhone to track heart rate, level of effort, miles etc and upload to Strava. Looking for advice on fitness apps/bike computers but I’ll make a new thread for that.

Thanks again!!

 

[Prairie Dog]

@David Berry here is riding tremendous distances on his R&M Homage (a full suspension e-SUV).
@steve mercier is a Moustache owner.
@sammcneill owns both an R&M and a Levo.
Mr. @e-levity is a very experienced rider.
@PDoz is an e-MTBer here.
I think all can contribute with their experience.

I guess my opinion doesn’t really count even though I own both a Trance X E and a recently acquired Levo Comp Carbon, eh Stefan? Many of the local trails I ride are technical (moderate) with plenty of roots and tight turns over undulating terrain. Occasionally, I’ll head up to the mountains and ride more difficult DH runs which warrants a properly setup FS bike. I almost never ride the local MUPs unless I’m transitioning to a trail head. I also ride all year round.

@SeattleSenior - That being said, there’s no reason why you couldn’t ride something like the Trek Powerfly which might accommodate all of your needs as @Gee_Whiz suggested. I have two friends who own PFs and they feel right at home both on tarmac and off trail with their rides. Ross is 71 and rides a PS in this video. He’s the one wearing the orange backpack. Heritage Ranch offers a general green rating for those who don’t want to ride anything extreme but still wish to explore the off-road world.

https://vimeo.com/639798918/d463a4bd06

 

[Saratoga Dave]

If you’ve already got an Allant, then I guess you certainly don’t need a Vado. I’ve seen the hills in Seattle once or twice on my way to Alaska, and I certainly get the appeal of a Levo for the climbing, and as you say, you are thinking about taking it afield to be pursued by bears and the like… sounds good to me!

 

[steve mercier]

It occurs to me that if you have an Allant then it would be excellent if your new bike used a similar battery so you could effectively double your range.

 

[Gee_Whiz]

There's also another member that commutes or commuted on his Levo as well:

New Bike Day!

Turned 65 in January. Because of the pandemic, I pretty much ignored it. Decided to give myself a birthday present and just picked up a 2021 Turbo Levo Comp today. I've mentioned before in this forum that my rural NH town's LBS are selling any Specialized & Trek bikes that they had in stock...

electricbikereview.com

Full suspension rear rack options:

How to fit a rear rack on a full suspension bike?

How do you install a rear rack on a full suspension bike? Multiple bike shops tell me that it cannot be done. Is that true? I am planning on buying a FS bike for general comfort and stability. I ride hard packed dirt roads, gravel, and and pavement. The FS just feels so much better on my back...

electricbikereview.com

 

[SeattleSenior]

I guess my opinion doesn’t really count even though I own both a Trance X E and a recently acquired Levo Comp Carbon, eh Stefan? Many of the local trails I ride are technical (moderate) with plenty of roots and tight turns over undulating terrain. Occasionally, I’ll head up to the mountains and ride more difficult DH runs which warrants a properly setup FS bike. I almost never ride the local MUPs unless I’m transitioning to a trail head. I also ride all year round.

@SeattleSenior - That being said, there’s no reason why you couldn’t ride something like the Trek Powerfly which might accommodate all of your needs as @Gee_Whiz suggested. I have two friends who own PFs and they feel right at home both on tarmac and off trail with their rides. Ross is 71 and rides a PS in this video. He’s the one wearing the orange backpack. Heritage Ranch offers a general green rating for those who don’t want to ride anything extreme but still wish to explore the off-road world.

https://vimeo.com/639798918/d463a4bd06

What a great video! A good example of the kind of riding I’d like to do. Thanks for posting.

Senior

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Guys,

What I could understand from the two detailed posts of @SeattleSenior was:

• He already owns an Allant, which indeed is an excellent commuter e-bike
• He wants an FS e-bike to further soften his rides
• He might ride some easy trails but it is not the essence of his needs
• He likes the Specialized electronics (I love it myself!)
• He wants to keep a single e-bike.

Stefan ,But if he already has a hybrid bike why not let the man enjoy some trails with a real Emtb ?

I would be the last person to discourage anyone from buying a Specialized e-bike. I only want to say regarding the Levo: "This e-bike has been designed for off-road use only"..
An e-MTB is an animal that needs to be brought with a car or van to the beginning of the trail. People who own a single e-MTB soon do everything possible to convert their e-bike into a more urban machine (my brother got the Trance E+ from me, and he indeed has converted that e-bike to something more urban).

If someone is not an MTB-er by heart, an e-MTB will become an expensive second e-bike, surprisingly rarely used.

I guess my opinion doesn’t really count even though I own both a Trance X E and a recently acquired Levo Comp Carbon, eh Stefan?

You do not qualify, Art It is because you own:

• Several road/gravel e-bikes
• Several e-MTBs

You ride a lot of trails, especially in the winter. You ride your road/gravel e-bikes now on the pavement or gravel.
Read what the OP has written. A single e-bike meant for more ride comfort is what he wants.

I set off for a group gravel-cycling ride on last Sunday. The Trance E+ shone off-road: it was actually too easy to ride it. A singletrack, patches of sand, tree-roots, name it, a delight! Now, I met a fallen tree: how do you lift a heavy e-MTB over such an obstacle? 70% of the route consisted of the pavement: I had trouble to follow my mates who rode gravel bikes! The guys riding gravel bikes were always faster than I, and they were carrying their lightweight bikes over obstacles easily! And I came from the 90 km ride exhausted. Me -- exhausted! -- just after 90 km on an e-MTB! Using as many as two batteries (I carried one -- 4 kg -- in the backpack).

e-MTBers typically ride for something like 30 km but they achieve very big elevation gain: they do climb.

Sometimes I dream I might buy something like a Levo SL. Then I wake up from my dream: "You idiot! You had already owned an e-MTB and gave it away! WHY?!" Why? Because I ride singletrack occasionally only. The e-MTB was an expensive toy I hardly used.

Now fancy it is an e-MTB

I totally agree an e-MTB shines there.

On my first gravel-cycling group ride (2021). The guy was a Covid survivor and he could not match the group. I rode the Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro and I could not follow that group, either.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1006321576756670

This video is only available to Facebook users. If you can watch it, turn the audio on an listen to the roaring tyres of the e-MTB.