Page 84 - AMB Freelist

geometry and adjustments of the carbon fibre models. Using a flip chip at the rear pivot and three different head angle settings thanks to swappable bearing cups, you get six unique positions to choose from. These impact the head angle (63o to 65.5o), bottom bracket height, and wheelbase. Travel remains the same, 150mm out back at all times. The big deal is you see the same 90Nm and 565W Turbo Full Power 2.2 motor with the wider drive belt, along with the 700Wh battery found in much more expensive models. Also like the carbon models, the Levo Comp Alloy has all the connectivity (ANT+, Bluetooth) and display functionality on its in-built TCU. The Mission Control app remains as a free download on the app store.
The Levo Comp Alloy runs Fox suspension in the form of a Float X rear shock and Fox 36 Rhythm fork. Stopping duties are done by the ever-popular SRAM Code R brakes with 200mm rotors all around, although you get 220mm on the larger sizes. This is paired with the ever-reliable SRAM GX Eagle rear derailleur, a steel 10-52 SRAM cassette and durable 32 tooth SRAM X-Sync Eagle chain ring - a rugged drive train that can handle the loads of an eMTB. The custom 160mm long Praxis cranks help reduce the pedal strikes when running the slacker head-angle and lower bottom bracket height via the adjustable geometry. The shorter cranks allow you to spin the pedals in most areas of the trail to keep the motor activated.
Much of the Levo Comp Alloy is made of Specialized’s in-house parts, including the bars, stem and seat. The only real downside here was
the ludicrously thin grips, but touch points are easyily customisable before rolling out the door of your Specialized dealer.
The wheels are mixed, with a 29” front and 27.5” rear, which is nearly the norm for many new eMTBs. The bomb-proof Specialized hoops have a 30mm inner width, wrapped in the Specialized Butcher Grid Trail and Eliminator Grid Trail in T9 or T7 respectively. While all the above is tubeless-ready, it's not ready to be setup; tubes must be removed, valves installed and sealant purchased.
The alloy frame is heavier than the Expert carbon model tested previously, and in order to remove weight from my opinion, I have chosen not to weigh the bike until completion of this review. In years gone by I was a gram counter, sometimes sacrificing durability for weight on race bikes with the old Jared Graves quote “grams = time” still stuck in the back of my mind to this day. Today I have no idea what my race bike weighs but I do know it will get me through a race weekend and keep me smiling until the end of the last stage.
ON THE TRAIL
When it comes to the ride there is little to complain about, Specialized even have a nifty setup guide online to help with suspension pressure setup. It may be a little on the soft side for fork pressure as I did suffer a few harsh bottom outs. But setup is an individual matter for each rider, so take notes and make adjustments!
Taking the lead from the Stumpjumper, cornering on the Levo Comp Alloy is outstanding for an eMTB. The mullet setup, or mixed wheel size, is a clear advantage for this bike and not just marketing. I have to say it really does increase the ability to flick around tight corners both up and down. The smaller rear wheel increases the playfulness and helps reduce the length of the bike, making it feel and ride much lighter than it is. It's ideal on an eMTB. I thought mullets were a gimmick, but the Levo Comp showed me the way!
Having the geometry adjustment is great, but make sure you use it to suit the trails you are riding. After 2 rides I went straight into the longest and slackest setup by adjusting the headset cups and flip chip. This was totally wrong for where I was riding and resulted in clipping pedals all over the place and very little front-end grip in slower turns. However, it was very stable at speed with this adjustment. In the end I found the shortest setup on the rear and middle setting was the best balance of low-speed climbing, cornering and stability.
One of the reasons behind shorter cranks on an eMTB is that leverage and torque is made up by the motor and not the rider; but while the motor is creating the torque, we still need to spin the pedals to engage the motor. The more you spin the more the motor thinks you need help - so spin to win! It's still a workout and means you are using all your gears and not just smashing the battery and wearing out one cog of the cassette. In fact, on a 2.5 hour ride at Stromlo Forest Park I set my self a challenge to
83