Review: Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo FSR 6Fattie

[Pure Savage]

Unless someone pulls a Femke Van den Driessche and someone sneaks a motor into your bike its is not going to change the enjoyment or access to any of your beloved trails. A knob will be a knob on normal bike or a ebike. 

 

If people had the same vigor and disgust for known doppers riding their trails  as they do for ebikes our sport would be a lot better off. 

[Gideondv]

Took the Levo for a spin this morning & it was brilliant!! Kept it on Eco (the low setting) except for one super steep 20% average grade climb a notched it up to trail- the middle setting.  Total distance 17.6km with 550m ascent.

 

My review:

 

1.) Very nimble on the singletracks!!

 

2.) You definitely still get a good work out. I am fit & my average heart rate(168 / Max 193) was higher than my usual morning rides. I did gun it up the climbs for "research" purposes though.

 

3.) There is no way you can cause damage to the trails in terms of "wheel spin" like you would on a Mx bike so stop comparing it to a "Ktm" or whatever! 

 

4.) Will I buy one of I had the money... YES. It just opens up so many possibilities to have fun in a limited time.

 

To all the haters.... go ride one

[Pure Savage]

Took the Levo for a spin this morning & it was brilliant!! Kept it on Eco (the low setting) except for one super steep 20% average grade climb a notched it up to trail- the middle setting.  Total distance 17.6km with 550m ascent.

 

My review:

 

1.) Very nimble on the singletracks!!

 

2.) You definitely still get a good work out. I am fit & my average heart rate(168 / Max 193) was higher than my usual morning rides. I did gun it up the climbs for "research" purposes though.

 

3.) There is no way you can cause damage to the trails in terms of "wheel spin" like you would on a Mx bike so stop comparing it to a "Ktm" or whatever! 

 

4.) Will I buy one of I had the money... YES. It just opens up so many possibilities to have fun in a limited time.

 

To all the haters.... go ride one

 

DO NOT BRING COMMON SENSE HERE!!

 

The hub prefers fear mongering, crazy predictions and wild speculation. 

[Odinson]

It really boggles the mind that there could be so much hate for e-bikes/pedal assist bikes. These are NICHE bikes that will for the forseaable future appeal to a small segment of the cycling community.

 

The fact remains that comparing them to dirt bikes where you twist a throttle and disappear down the trail in a haze of two-stroke smoke and with a moerse roost behind you is nonsensical. Noobs and harde-baard manne dragging their locked-up rear wheels probably do more damage to trails than an e-bike ever would.

 

Personally, I think that these bikes suit people who love going down moerse hills, but don't have the option of a lift or the required fitness to do multiple runs in one day. Also, these types of bikes allow people with health and mobility restrictions to also enjoy the outdoors on their bikes.

 

Yes, you'll always have the chop on his e-bike thinking he rules the trails, but the fact is these guys are already out there on other bikes. It changes nothing.

 

Let people buy and ride what they want and just be cool when you meet them on the trail.

[Paul Ruinaard]

To be fair, that's what any mass participation thing with ANY singletrack looks like without e bikes. So there wouldn't be much change.

 

As for the technical singletracks? Fat unfit non skilled riders still won't do those, as they don't want to. Even the fit non skilled riders don't want to do them. I doubt e-bikes will change that.

Precisely the point.

 

Most of the trails are clogged anyway by the rise of popularity of the MTB phenomenon and if you are fat and able to get out there why not? Fat people can ride bikes and they normally descend pretty well.

 

I am sick of this elitist approach to all this. If you want to get on the trails with a motor in your bike then do it. If you want to ride a road bike with a disc then do it.

 

In competitions etc. Dont cheat.

 

But don't deny access to people based on some insignificant criteria. If the man wants to ride an ebike up the hill let him.

 

Lets stop creating these ideas in our mind that there are different classes of MTBers and road cyclists based on what sort of bikes they have.

[IH8MUD]

"Yes it fun"

"Yes, there is a place  for it." 

"For some it is an "alternative, for those who can't". 

"Let people ride it  if the want to. Who are you to comment"

"I have ridden it, it nice,  but I won't buy one"  (Denial)    

 

To be honest . . . E-biking sounds a lot like masturbation.   

 

Rather keep it real. 

Power you own bicycle, or buy a MX bike and twist that throttle.  

[L.T.G]

went playing this afternoon....

I challenge anyone who says this this is "cheating"....

don't knock till you've tried it!

FAR from easy .... and I just ripped around the block and through a little park... and I was spent!

but... each to their own....

I'm not saying this is as important as discovering the earth isn't flat... but it might  help getting a lot more people get to those places that aren't.

 

 

[FCH]

had a rider in Sani2c riding one; he has a rather serious hart issue; didnt bother anyone having him there.

 

 
There is a rider in the Cape who has done a number of stage races on his e-bike. He pre-warns the organisers and then makes sure to act reasonably on the climbs so as to not annoy other riders.
 
But he's an anomaly for now, not sure how well this approach will work if the numbers grow.

[Shebeen]

lots of e-bike haters

 

Wonder how many have actually ridden one? It's nothing like a motorbike. it's like when you riding up a hill and someone gives you a push on your back.

 

BUT - they are definitely here to stay, we as a community need to embrace them and not alienate/divide this new crowd to our sport. Imagine being able to go do your usual ride with your husband/wife who can't keep up normally?

 

finally - definitely the sexiest looking e-bike i ever saw, price to boot but damn it looks good.

[TIIME]

Great tech and whatnot, the potential trickle down is fantastic for those with mobility challenges or commuting.

For recreation though, it's very much contrary to the low impact use and carbon footprint idea of using a bicycle. Feeds into a very superficial culture ...  

 

Manufacturers need to really consider their motives with this kind of thing. 

 

 

I fully agree! Couldn't have said it any better! 

[JXV]

shoulkd be banned on MTb trails...it belongs with tthe mx bikes

I doesn't move unless you pedal it. Even at maximum assistance I doubt it can put out the wattage that a competitive cyclist would. There is also a low max. speed of about 25km/h beyond which no assistance is given.

 

This is not a trail ripper. It reads the torque you apply to the crank and adds 30% to 100% of that, governed obviously by its own limitations. So at most, it will match the rider's input....providing up to 50% of the total going to the back wheel.

 

As I see it, this bike will help you to climb but you're on your own power at any appreciable speed.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

@JXV - 250w motor, so that's the limitation right there. 

[JXV]

@JXV - 250w motor, so that's the limitation right there.

Yeah......and the top guys average well over the 25km/h assistance limit on XC courses so even a fit rider on one of these is not going to challenge for a podium, given that it is at least 10kg heavier than a nice trail bike.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

Edited June 3, 2016 by JXV

[Tree Hubber]

Having waited two years or more for a quality bike to come to market in SA I tested the Levo last week. I work unsociable hours and on a good week I get to ride around 60km. I don't have the stamina for uphills and I ride alone quite allot, Only because of my social hours. I do group rides occasionally and I have some very fit buddies who I'd love to join on the bigger rides. To me it has opened up a new life with regards to trail riding, longer further, faster and more enjoyable. When I'm not feeling strong I will still go out and ride at a comfortable pace. I really couldn't afford the bike but the wife saw the glint in my eye. So I've ordered one. Looking at all the negativity from other riders it will be interesting to see their reactions to me on the trail. I'm already taking a **** load of flack from my purist buddies. Just like the reviews online from many of the cycling journalist who rode the test bikes with sceptisim and were converted. I'm confident my buddies will see what I see in it. Negativity is just a reaction to change and progress and I get that. It takes more muscles in the face the frown than it does to smile and I have a feeling I'll be the one smiling.

[NicoBoshoff]

Having waited two years or more for a quality bike to come to market in SA I tested the Levo last week. I work unsociable hours and on a good week I get to ride around 60km. I don't have the stamina for uphills and I ride alone quite allot, Only because of my social hours. I do group rides occasionally and I have some very fit buddies who I'd love to join on the bigger rides. To me it has opened up a new life with regards to trail riding, longer further, faster and more enjoyable. When I'm not feeling strong I will still go out and ride at a comfortable pace. I really couldn't afford the bike but the wife saw the glint in my eye. So I've ordered one. Looking at all the negativity from other riders it will be interesting to see their reactions to me on the trail. I'm already taking a **** load of flack from my purist buddies. Just like the reviews online from many of the cycling journalist who rode the test bikes with sceptisim and were converted. I'm confident my buddies will see what I see in it. Negativity is just a reaction to change and progress and I get that. It takes more muscles in the face the frown than it does to smile and I have a feeling I'll be the one smiling.

Did they give you an indication what replacement batteries will cost?

 

Also, ever consider a spin bike to get fitter so that you could join your purist buddies on those bigger rides?

 

Finally, and yes I'm intruding in your space and I have no right to ask this, but I'm genuinely wondering, why do you ride mountain bikes?  What will you feel at the end of that first big ride with your mates who did the same ride but busted their asses to get up to the climbs?

 

Please don't see my questions as masking some other agenda.  I'm openly against e-bikes because I believe they are just another step in the devolution of man in pursuit of instant gratficiation without putting in the hard yards.  But I'd love to see whether my attitude is misplaced.

 

The one thing that is bothering me in particular is the frequency with which the "disabled, old or unhelathy people will benefit most from this" trope is bandied about, but when I go on to instagram all I see are either professional riders (obviously paid by their respective sponsors to fawn over these bikes) or otherwise perfectly healthy, but unfit (or in some cases hyper fit, but also affilliated with the relevant brand) people on these saying how awesome they are because now they can go further, faster.  Well sh*t...

[Odinson]

Did they give you an indication what replacement batteries will cost?

 

Also, ever consider a spin bike to get fitter so that you could join your purist buddies on those bigger rides?

 

Finally, and yes I'm intruding in your space and I have no right to ask this, but I'm genuinely wondering, why do you ride mountain bikes? What will you feel at the end of that first big ride with your mates who did the same ride but busted their asses to get up to the climbs?

 

Please don't see my questions as masking some other agenda. I'm openly against e-bikes because I believe they are just another step in the devolution of man in pursuit of instant gratficiation without putting in the hard yards. But I'd love to see whether my attitude is misplaced.

 

The one thing that is bothering me in particular is the frequency with which the "disabled, old or unhelathy people will benefit most from this" trope is bandied about, but when I go on to instagram all I see are either professional riders (obviously paid by their respective sponsors to fawn over these bikes) or otherwise perfectly healthy, but unfit (or in some cases hyper fit, but also affilliated with the relevant brand) people on these saying how awesome they are because now they can go further, faster. Well sh*t...

You can become a wine farmer with all those sour grapes of yours.

 

If this bike gives someone the opportunity to get out there and enjoy the trails, so be it.