Specialised Turbo Levo SL 2 Professional Overview

The tires of my Specialised Turbo Levo SL 2 Professional crunched over small pine needles and twigs that embellished the comfortable soil of the steep path. Whoosh, snap, plop. We had been driving a loamy, technical, little-known route by way of dense Douglas fir and lodgepole pines.

Eyes glued to the hand-made route, I adopted a 45-degree bend right into a root-laden step-down. Booph! The e-MTB easily carried me by way of the tight flip and absorbed the drop with ease, selecting up velocity into the subsequent one. It felt extra like my common mountain bike than another e-bike I’ve ridden.

The Levo SL 2 blends a conventional acoustic bike with electrical help. The most recent model of this bike has SRAM’s highly effective Maven Silver brakes and a customized Fox Genie shock, particularly designed for Specialised bikes on the Fox Float X chassis. Finally, it descends nicely on a variety of terrain from rolling cross-country routes to loamy trails and technical steeps.

For almost a month this summer time, I examined the Specialised Turbo Levo SL 2 Professional e-mountain bike on varied rides in British Columbia. I used it for singletrack routes, in addition to lift-served downhilling. That included mellower, longer cross-country terrain and extra technical, steeper segments.

Briefly: At a mere 40 kilos, the Specialised Turbo Levo SL 2 Professional ($11,000) is a light-weight electrical mountain bike for all-around path use and a variety of riders. The SL 2 gives combined wheel geometry, a modular body (with a pivot chip), and 160mm entrance journey/150mm rear journey. The Professional mannequin I examined has a carbon body and carbon wheels. The SL 2 has a robust 1.2 motor, delivering 50 Nm of torque and 320 W of peak energy. Irrespective of your private model, exercise, or the day’s goal, this bike can modify to your wants.

Evaluate this e-mountain bike to different top-tested setups within the Finest Electrical Bikes purchaser’s information.

Specialised Turbo Levo SL 2 Professional E-MTB Overview

I’m slightly below 5’6″ with an extended torso, and I opted for the S3 body measurement, which labored nicely. I might’ve gone with the larger S4, which might in the end really feel extra planted and secure, however I opted for a extra playful measurement.

My most well-liked setting for the geometry was the steeper head tube angle, which is the excessive setting for the pivot chip (the bike usually comes on this setting). The steeper head tube leads to faster and extra agile dealing with. This association additionally raises the underside bracket barely for higher clearance on technical terrain.

Alternatively, switching the chip to the low setting creates a extra slack place, growing stability at velocity and reducing one’s heart of gravity for higher cornering.

Cumulatively, I rode the Levo SL 2 Professional for near 70 miles and 17,200 toes of ascent/descent. To date, I’ve logged greater than 13 hours on this bike’s saddle.

All through the season, I examined two different e-mountain bikes, together with the Pivot Light-weight Shuttle AM, for a complete of fifty,600 vertical achieve/loss and 250 miles, offering nice cross-comparison.

Turbo Levo SL Sequence: What Makes It Distinctive?

The primary iteration of the Turbo Levo SL debuted in 2020. It was Specialised’s first-ever light-weight, trail-oriented electrical mountain bike within the SL (Tremendous Mild) collection. The model’s SL assortment contains not solely e-MTBs but in addition bikes for street and non-electric mountain biking.

SL’s objective? To be light-weight, nimble, and performance-oriented — and the Turbo Levo SL 2 checks these bins.

The Levo assortment is for all-around path driving, from newbie to superior riders, whereas the model’s Kenevo assortment is the downhill-oriented enduro capsule. This 12 months’s full-powered Turbo Levo 4 is the fourth technology, and it’s one of the best full-power mannequin “ever ridden” by former editor Jeremy Benson, as shared in his in-depth GearJunkie overview.

On the household’s lighter finish, the Levo SL 2 has the 1.2 motor, which delivers 43% extra torque and 33% extra energy than the primary iteration of the bike, in keeping with Specialised.

Light-weight “SL” vs. Full-Powered E-Bike

Because the light-weight cousin to top-of-the-line full-powered e-mountain bikes in the marketplace (the Turbo Levo 4), the Levo SL 2 is lighter, extra agile, and extra maneuverable.

Cornering downhill, particularly on tight corners, can be simpler, because of the mullet wheel setup. The nimble character of this bike stood out on descents with steady corners — together with trails with loads of zigzags and bends like Drake’s, Miner’s, and Larry’s round Rossland, British Columbia.

Because of the diminished battery measurement and motor, the SL 2 additionally gives a extra pure really feel. The dealing with is extra paying homage to my non-electric mountain bike, which weighs 29 kilos.

Finally, you received’t be power-housing your option to the summit on large 20-mile days with the Levo SL 2. Whereas the bike gives energy and torque for help on ascents, and it could possibly deal with greater rides in a decrease energy mode, it depends extra on human power. Anticipate that you just’ll be behind the cadence of your full-powered e-bike pals after they’re pedaling on the high finish of their energy vary.

So far as the value tag goes, different light-weight path e-MTBs fall in the identical ballpark. The builds of the SL 2 vary from $6,500 as much as $13,900. The Norco Fluid VLT is $6,000, whereas the Santa Cruz Heckler SL begins round $7,300. The SL 2Pro I used to be driving rang in at $11,000.

Battery Energy & Vary Extender

I used to be pleased to take the 160Wh Vary Extender ($450) on longer rides because of basic “vary nervousness.” One factor I observed throughout rides was that when the vary extender reached 0% and the facility draw transitioned to the bike’s inner battery, the output was noticeably extra highly effective. I felt a surge within the bike.

Essentially the most memorable incident was on a 16.5-mile out-and-back alpine experience by way of a dense old-growth Cedar forest. The battery extender hit 0% close to the highest of the two,300-foot ascent. My coronary heart fee and respiration had been elevated as I pedaled a steeper, rockier part. When the inner battery kicked in, I heard the motor drive, and I used to be all of the sudden passing my experience accomplice.

The noticed energy distinction is most definitely as a result of extender having a decrease capability and decrease present output than the inner battery system. Based mostly on my experience expertise, the extender can’t maintain the identical peak energy and help ranges as the primary battery, which was notably noticeable when the path grade elevated.

That stated, I might relatively have the vary extender on sturdy outings than not. I drained the extender, in addition to a portion of the first battery, on greater rides with average mileage, higher cumulative elevation achieve, or greater speeds.

On one 12.5-mile route, I rode with the battery extender and pedaled the Turbo Levo SL up 2,558 toes. Throughout the 2-hour experience, the battery’s cost degree dropped from 150% to 71%. By the tip, the bike’s battery was at 69%.

As a benchmark, Specialised claims that the Levo SL’s battery can present as much as 5 hours of driving time in Eco Mode.

Easy Shifting, Stable Brakes

All through my alpine rides and bike park downhills, the Levo SL 2 delivered constantly clean, quiet, and dependable shifting. Every shift felt instantaneous and exact.

The Professional mannequin options SRAM’s high-end drivetrain: the X0 Eagle Transmission derailleur paired with a 12-speed cassette. This wi-fi system operates by way of the AXS POD controller, eliminating cables and housings whereas offering exact digital actuation. It handles shifts nicely below a average load, making climbs really feel smoother and extra managed.

On descents, the Maven Silver brakes had been highly effective sufficient for my preferences and didn’t really feel too spicy. Benson talked about in his GearJunkie overview of the Levo 4 that Maven’s Final (the very best tier, above the Silver) felt too highly effective. I didn’t have the identical points.

Shock & Fork: Aggressive Assist

The SL 2 Professional has a customized Fox Genie shock. The twin-stage air spring is constructed round a Fox Float X shock platform. Each air chambers are lively throughout the first 70% of journey. It results in a supple and delicate response whereas navigating small and medium bumps.

Then, just one smaller air chamber is lively throughout the remaining 30% of journey. The diminished air quantity sharply will increase the spring fee for higher resistance to bottoming out.

As with every bike, the setup takes time, which was achievable at a 25% sag for me. The really useful air strain score for the fork for my weight vary (together with a hydration pack, instruments, footwear, and helmet) is round 130-150 psi, and I set it up at 150 psi.

The upper-end Fox 36 Grip X2 fork on the Levo SL 2 Professional may be very supportive. For me (at 127 kilos), it felt overly stiff out of the field. It required extra power than anticipated to get began, which was noticeable even to my heavier experience companions. Whereas the sag was appropriately set, it had an excessive amount of resistance to start out its journey, because of robust compression damping from the manufacturing unit.

This made chatter, roots, and bumps really feel harsh. Decreasing the air strain and opening the compression past the store defaults lets the fork transfer quicker early within the stroke. This made it really feel smoother with out dropping help. The instructed psi vary from Fox is 66-74 psi, and I in the end set it up at a psi of 49.

Considerate Particulars: What I Favored

One of the under-appreciated parts of an e-mountain bike, for my part, is the latch for the charging port. I’ve examined e-MTBs the place the designs are flimsy, fall off and get misplaced, received’t shut, or splay open.

Not this one. The Levo SL 2 has a easy plastic door on a hinge that absolutely opens and clips shut. And it stays shut. It’s simple to function and feels sturdy. The charging port can be the place the vary extender is hooked up, so it will get quite a lot of use!

I actually preferred the SWAT multitool that comes built-in contained in the headset. It’s one of the best location I’ve seen on a mountain bike, and is super-easy to entry. It really works nicely and doesn’t rattle.

The inventory seat, the Bridge Professional Mimic, was fairly snug. It’s higher designed than Pivot or Scott’s inventory seats, for example. The nostril of the Mimic is a efficiency saddle with a comfortable, versatile materials that adapts to the rider.

Critiques

The largest disadvantage I discovered was that when driving with full-powered e-bikers, there was a noticeable hole in my climbing cadence. Even on average mileage days, I might arrive out of breath whereas companions might maintain a conversational tempo on punchy sections.

Additionally, the vary extender’s connecting mechanism and lock are usually not fully intuitive. A neighborhood bike mechanic shared that his experience accomplice snapped theirs. So, the vary extender’s connector is breakable — and an costly alternative. Take a couple of minutes to learn the way the vary extender seats into the bike, and don’t power it.

I additionally discovered that the vary extender has a muted help on steep, punchy climbs. This was particularly noticeable when the extender ran out and switched to the bike’s battery energy.

As with every mountain bike, the shock and fork want time to dial in to a rider’s weight and preferences. This isn’t actually a disadvantage, however the Fox 36 Grip X2 fork required further consideration. Out of the field, it felt extraordinarily stiff and overdamped, even with right sag and really useful settings. I labored with two bike retailers and several other bike mechanics to get a snug, supportive setup.

Backside line: If the fork appears like a block of wooden, preserve tweaking!

Specialised Turbo Levo SL 2 Professional E-MTB: Who It’s For

I beloved the decrease weight of the Specialised Turbo Levo SL 2 Professional. This bike feels noticeably gentle for an e-bike, particularly in comparison with full-powered e-mountain bikes that I’ve examined within the vary of 48 to 54 kilos.

Whereas studying to hit jumps within the bike park, this bike had a crisper rebound, higher pop, and quicker acceleration off the lips. The decrease weight class additionally made it simpler to carry onto my hitch bike rack or the bike rack on the chairlift.

Merely put, this light-weight e-mountain bike is a high contender for a broad vary of riders and rides. The Turbo Levo SL 2 Professional is a playful, maneuverable, and light-weight design. It feels appropriate for clean and technical trails, steep descents, and climbs. It’s additionally suited to movement trails and soar strains on the bike park.

It’s a stable choose for these contemplating their first electrical mountain bike and don’t want the very best energy output. The Levo SL 2 is designed for bikers who prioritize sustaining health and a conventional human-powered really feel, together with a variety of help that helps cowl floor at a better tempo.

As a lighter e-mountain bike, it’s additionally a good selection for older or getting old riders, or these missing the higher physique energy to carry a 50-pound e-mountain bike over fallen bushes, particles, or into a motorcycle rack.

Whereas the Levo 4 is likely one of the finest full-powered electrical mountain bikes in the marketplace, the Levo SL 2 Professional is equally top-of-the-line light-weight e-mountain bikes for all-around path and mountain bike rides, for freshmen and skilled riders alike. The body even comes with a lifetime Specialised guarantee that makes the $6,500-13,900 price ticket rather less intimidating.