The new Specialized Levo R uses the same, powerful and punchy motor as the Levo 4, but has 130mm of travel, 29in wheels front and rear, a lighter frame and a less burly parts package.
This is a trail bike through and through, designed to be agile and fun whether you’re riding up or downhill.
But get the new ‘Rally’ onto the trail, and it’s far more capable than you might expect. So much so, in fact, I wonder whether it’s going to tread on the toes of the existing Levo.
Although, on paper, it may appear there’s a decent enough difference between the two bikes, there’s a good chunk of common ground, too.
Take the two top-end S-Works bikes, for example. There’s only a couple of kilos separating them when it comes to weight, with the Levo R tipping the scales at a claimed 21.16kg.
The Levo R is also incredibly capable and rides like a bike with more than 130mm of travel. It’s lively and fun, as promised, but get it pointed down something tricky and it’ll more than handle it.
The existing Levo still rides like a bigger bike should, but the differences might not be as drastic as you’d expect.
So, with the Levo R being as good as it is, has Specialized shot itself in the foot here, or is there still room for the Levo, too?
Lower weight, less travel, but still very capable
When Specialized presented the new Levo R, it was keen to show us where on the riding spectrum it sits.
The current Levo – a bike that uses mixed wheels, some tough tyres and a chunky 160mm-travel fork – is referred to as "capable, versatile and rugged" with a bias towards descending. The Levo R is said to be "fast, agile, low and light", and is intended to be more of an all-rounder when it comes to going up, along and down.
The new bike uses 29in wheels at the front and rear, with 20mm less rear-wheel travel than the standard Levo, at 130mm. This is paired with a 140mm fork, although Specialized says you can run up to a 150mm fork if you’re looking to boost capability a little more, closing the gap between the two eMTBs further.
Although the bikes look similar, the Levo R has a whole new frame.
In all, Specialized says it has saved 530g against the previous bike, shaving weight wherever possible, including the use of a carbon shock extension.
This new chassis is built around 29in wheels and designed to be used with a 140mm fork. Despite this and the fact that it’s meant to be a different offering from the Levo, Specialized says it’ll take up to a 150mm fork if you’re looking to boost comfort or broaden the margin for error.
Like the Levo, there’s plenty of opportunity to alter the Levo R’s geometry. The head angle can be adjusted via the angled headset cups, giving three options, with the middle position measuring a claimed 65 degrees.
A flip chip down at the Horst-link pivot enables to you to lengthen the chainstays by 6mm, with 447mm being the longer of the two options. This’ll also tweak the bottom-bracket height by 5mm and in the lowest setting, sit it up at 339mm off the floor.
At 77 degrees, the seat tube angle should provide a decently efficient seated position for lapping up the trail miles.
In short, then, with the travel on offer, the ability to run a bigger fork if you wish and a host of geometry adjustment, the Levo R should be able to handle a lot.
Big power and range
While the travel figures and geometry stats may differ slightly from the Levo R to the Levo, one thing that remains the same is what the motor is capable of pumping out.
After Specialized’s recent update, the S-Works 3.1 motor on the top-end model delivers a staggering 111Nm of torque and 850 watts of peak power. If you opt for any of the cheaper models, those numbers are reduced to 105Nm of torque and 810 watts of power.
We’re still not talking Avinox figures here, but the Specialized motor is certainly one of the gutsiest out there. It’s quiet, too, thanks to the lengths the team went to. The driveside housing has been decoupled from the motor mechanism to lessen vibrations, along with applying various surface coatings and treatments to the components within it in a bid to make it run as smoothly as possible.
Powering the motor is, as standard, an 840Wh battery. There is also the option to buy a lighter 600Wh battery or boost range by adding a 280Wh range extender.
Within the side-loading battery compartment, Specialized has crammed in some of its SWAT storage, complete with a bag to stow your essentials.
For the most part, motor modes remain the same as we’ve seen on the Levo, although Specialized has added the Micro and Dynamic Micro Tune modes.
In these settings, you’re able to adjust assistance in 10 per cent increments. Now, though, there’s a new 0/0 (in Micro Tune) or 0/100 (Dynamic Tune) on offer, for those looking for more of a workout or to eke out as many miles as possible from one charge.
As with the Levo, there’s an integrated top-tube display with all the ride data you could possibly need, and plenty of tuning options.
Tuning can also be done via the Specialized app, where you can apply the Turbo System Lock for better security and keep tabs on your bike via Apple Find My.
When it comes to topping up the battery, Specialized offers its 12A Smart Charger (sold separately), which’ll get you up to 80 per cent in less than an hour. The standard 5A charger can manage 80 per cent in a claimed 90 minutes.
Capable suspension
It might not be able to match the Levo when it comes to rear-wheel travel, but the 130mm the Levo R has on tap manages to feel deeper and more plentiful on the trail.
The trail-smoothing sensation is likely elevated by the use of the larger 29in rear wheel (compared to the 27.5in featured on the Levo), which rolls over smaller chatter more easily.
And let’s not forget the supple, incredibly smooth Fox shock with Genie technology. The dual-stage air spring enables you to tune the first 70 per cent and final 30 per cent separately from one another, and delivers a more linear, coil-like feel earlier in the stroke, helping keep the rear wheel tracking the trail more effectively compared to a standard air shock.
The 130mm of travel is dictated by the four-bar, Horst-link suspension system. A very nice touch from Specialized is the lifetime-replacement bearing policy (for the original owner), which should help breath new life into well-used rigs without costing riders a fortune.
The conundrum
I get what Specialized is trying to do with the Levo R. It’s designed to offer a more lively trail-bike feel for those looking to clock some big miles and have fun while they’re doing it.
But perhaps it has made the bike too capable, too powerful and too close to the standard Levo in doing so.
Yes, it’s lighter, but it’s not a million miles off the Levo's weight and doesn’t crack that sub-20kg mark. It's still heavier than the Amflow PL, arguably the best eMTB in this category.
It also has all the power and torque of the bigger bike, and even though the spec is more trail-focused, it’ll still take a right belting down some serious tracks if you want it to.
OK, the Levo is burlier, chunkier and likely a safer bet if you’re looking to hammer bike-park laps or ride enduro-style downhill trails, but you’ll be surprised by what the Levo R can take.
That’s why I feel the Levo R might be the better option for most riders. That's not to say the Levo isn’t a good bike – I’ve really enjoyed my time aboard it. But as an all-rounder, the Levo R offers a little more versatility and is still very capable, making the Levo a little less appealing in my eyes.
Range overview
While only the S-Works model gets the S-Works motor, the two cheaper bikes share the 3.1 motor, which delivers 101Nm of torque and 810 watts of peak power.
The S-Works bike also gets the integrated carbon bar and stem, which you won't see on any other bikes in the line-up.
Specialized Levo R Comp
- Frame: FACT 11m carbon, 130mm travel
- Fork: Fox 36 SL Performance, 140mm travel
- Shock: Fox Float Performance Genie
- Motor: Specialized 3.1 (101Nm / 810W)
- Battery: Specialized Turbo X2 840Wh
- Drivetrain: SRAM S-1000 derailleur, GX Eagle Transmission cassette and chain, SRAM Eagle 70 crankset
- Brakes: SRAM Motive Bronze
- Wheels: Specialized
- Price: £TBC / $9,200 / €7,999
- Weight: 22.34kg (S3, without pedals)
Specialized Levo R Expert
- Frame: FACT 11m carbon, 130mm travel
- Fork: Fox 36 SL Performance Elite, 140mm travel
- Shock: Fox Float Performance Elite Genie
- Motor: Specialized 3.1 (101Nm / 810W)
- Battery: Specialized Turbo X2 840Wh
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM Motive Bronze
- Wheels: Roval Traverse SL II
- Price: £8,499 / $10,800 / €9,999
- Weight: 21.76kg (S3, without pedals)
Specialized Levo R S-Works
- Frame: FACT 11m carbon, 130mm travel
- Fork: Fox 36 SL Factory, 140mm travel
- Shock: Fox Float Factory Genie
- Motor: Specialized 3.1 (105Nm / 850W)
- Battery: Specialized Turbo X2 840Wh
- Drivetrain: SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission
- Brakes: SRAM Motive Ultimate
- Wheels: Roval Traverse SL II
- Price: £12,499 / $15,650 / €13,999
- Weight: 21.16kg (S3, without pedals)
