Is the full power eBike more balanced? We tested the Specialized Turbo Levo R S-Works

Is it possible to create a powerful full-power eBike with great autonomy without it feeling heavy or clumsy on the trails? That is the question Specialized answers with the Turbo Levo R, a model with 140/130 mm of travel and 29-inch wheels that bets on agility without giving up the power figures typical of the most capable e-bikes with 111 Nm and 850 W of battery. After a thorough test, we tell you what we think.

The Specialized Turbo Levo R shows us that a full power can also be agile and efficient: 111 Nm, 21.4 kg real weight, and up to 1,120 Wh of battery

Until now, the Turbo Levo, despite being a very versatile bike, was positioned for Trail-Enduro use, even more so in its latest Gen4 version, which brought it closer to the Gravity side. But there is a large majority of cyclists who do not seek the most rugged terrains, or at least not as a priority, and do not need an overpowered bike with a downhill-oriented position, very robust but heavy components, and excessive tread on low-rolling tires.

The Turbo Levo R has been designed to offer an eBike sensation of efficiency and the ability to go really fast on a wide variety of terrains and, of course, tackle trails and descents with solvency, while being at the same time agile and responsive. It features 29” wheels on both axles, with 140 mm of travel in the front and 130 mm in the rear, and its Turbo 3.1 electric system provides up to 111 Nm of torque and 850 W, powered by an 840 Wh battery.

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The frame resembles that of the Turbo Levo at first glance, with a FACT 11m carbon construction and a considerably sized down tube. It is an eBike that does not hide its condition and prioritizes performance and weight balance. In the rest of the frame, we do see more streamlined tubes and lightened areas, to the point that, according to Specialized, the frame loses 530 grams compared to its sibling. And despite this optimization, we still have the side cover to extract the battery and, in the upper area of the tube, space for the SWAT storage bag.

The Turbo Levo R also maintains Specialized's policy of lifetime bearing replacement for the original owner, a detail that shows the brand's confidence in the reliability of its product.

In the geometry, a balance between agility and stability has been sought. As standard, we find a 65° head tube and a 77° seat tube, in line with current trends, with a reach of 475 mm in the S4 size that we tested (450 mm in the S3), 339 mm bottom bracket height, and 447 mm chainstays in all sizes. The range includes six sizes, from S1 to S6, with short seat tubes, so most cyclists can choose between two sizes depending on whether they seek a more agile or more stable behavior.

And as is customary with Specialized, there are several adjustment points. With the eccentric cups included with the bike, we can vary the direction by around one degree, in three positions; the chainstays can be shortened by 6 mm by reversing the rear flip-chip; and the bottom bracket can be raised by 5 mm to gain ground clearance by reversing the shock mount flip-chip.

The rear kinematics have been designed around the GENIE shock, manufactured by Fox in collaboration with Specialized; here in a Float GENIE oriented towards the more “rally” use of this bike. Its peculiarity lies in an additional positive air chamber that works alongside the main one during the first 70% of the travel, with a very linear and absorbent feel; in the last part, that chamber closes and increases the progression and resistance to bottoming out.

Turbo 3.1 System: natural power

The latest generation of Specialized motors debuted with the Turbo Levo Gen4. In this 3.1 version, the belt is eliminated and oversized metal gears are used, and a recent update allows it to reach 111 Nm of torque and 850 W in the S-Works version (105 Nm and 810 W in the rest of the range).

Today, the figures of the different motors are closely scrutinized, and it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that more is always better. At Specialized, they have primarily sought a very natural response, improving sensors and firmware, and have equipped the system with a very high level of customization.

The battery is 840 Wh and is easily removable, but the system is designed as something modular: there is an alternative 600 Wh battery, which saves about a kilo and allows for more agile handling, and a 280 Wh Range Extender for the bottle cage. Combining the large battery with the extender reaches up to 1,120 Wh, and it is also possible to ride only with the extender, in which case the peak power is halved but opens options for short outings.

Regarding control, Specialized has, in our opinion, one of the best resolved controls: small, with two buttons and a central mini joystick that can be pressed in three directions; once adapted, it is intuitive and very clear. The Mastermind T3 display, despite its small size, offers very high resolution and a lot of information, a fundamental visual support because the options and adjustments are numerous.

We have the traditional modes of Specialized —ECO, TRAIL, and TURBO—, fully customizable in assistance percentage and peak power, and alongside them, the AUTO mode, dynamic, which covers a very high range of assistance adapting to our pedaling and adjustable in three levels.

But the Turbo Levo R also offers the Microtune modes, which we access by pressing the central button upwards for two seconds. In Microtune, we vary the assistance in 10% intervals, both in assistance level and peak power. If we repeat the press, we enter Dynamic Microtune: it works the same but leaves the maximum power unrestricted, so that in the face of an unexpected ramp or a pedal stroke, the bike is not limited. And as a novelty from the latest update, in Dynamic Microtune, the 0/100 option makes the assistance equivalent to our own effort: the bike provides the same watts that we transmit to the pedals, doubled our effort.

Aside from the assistance levels, the app offers countless adjustments: acceleration response, Overrun (the time the bike continues to assist when we stop pedaling), Shuttle mode, diagnostics, activity logging, locking or locating via Apple Find My, as well as the installation of future updates.

The S-Works model comes with a 12-amp (700 W) charger capable, according to Specialized, of charging from 0 to 80% in less than an hour without harming the battery's health, thanks to its thermal management. The rest of the range comes with a 5-amp (200 W) charger.

Specialized Turbo Levo R S-Works: rally comes to eBikes

Specialized has left nothing out when equipping its flagship model. We have thoroughly tested the top-of-the-line model, with a setup that exudes luxury and to which, in components, there can be no complaints.

In suspensions, we find the best from Fox for this segment: Fox 36 SL Factory fork with Grip X cartridge and, at the rear, the aforementioned Fox Float GENIE in Factory version. The group is the SRAM XX Transmission, top of the line in eBikes, with an upgrade in the derailleur to XX SL, 160 mm cranks and a 34-tooth chainring, and the brakes are the SRAM Motive Ultimate four-piston with 200 mm discs.

In components, a spectacular integrated Roval Control SL RISE cockpit stands out with a 50 mm equivalent stem. The saddle is a Power with 3D Mirror construction, on a RockShox Reverb AXS 200 mm dropper post starting from size S4 (150 mm in S3 and 125 mm in S2). The wheels are exclusive Roval Traverse SL II, with asymmetric rims and 30 mm internal width, featuring Industry Nine Hydra 2 hubs and DT Revolite spokes, shod with Specialized Purgatory in 2.4”.

Riding the Turbo Levo R

We received our Turbo Levo R with a spectacular decoration, a silver speckle over the carbon that is very original, and careful finishes that highlight the carbon shock extender, with very refined shapes, and the mount of the shock itself on the top tube, very well designed to eliminate as much weight as possible.

It is true that the size of the down tube also draws attention, which, compared to the refinement of many current eBikes, may leave it at a disadvantage aesthetically. But it is just that, an aesthetic issue: at Specialized, they have prioritized behavior and performance, and this bike, in addition to having a removable battery, presents a very optimized center of gravity and leaves the upper part of the frame free inside, even more so if we opt for the 600 Wh battery.

From the frame, we would highlight how well executed the chainstay mounts are inside, an exercise in integration with a very well-designed dust cover, and a charging port that is practical with a very neat magnetic closure. The eye is immediately drawn to the integrated cockpit, which adds a sophisticated touch, and to the peculiarly shaped wheels with Industry Nine hubs whose sound is unforgettable.

Before equipping it with our pedals, we went through the scale process: 21.398 kg, a really good figure given the characteristics and capacity of this bike.

We didn't need much adaptation time, as we were familiar with the Turbo 3.1 system; moreover, the Turbo Levo R is one of those bikes where you fit in from the first pedal stroke, even considering that perhaps our ideal size would be S3 and we tested S4. The position is much more efficient than we are used to in an eBike, and even more so while keeping a couple of spacers under the cockpit: the bike encourages pedaling and does not require high assistance to feel comfortable, while giving us a lot of control to dominate the motor's push when we pull for assistance.

The S-Works 3.1 motor in action: the exact assistance you want

The customization of the motor is so high that we can achieve practically any behavior we seek, always with great traction control on the rear wheel, one of the major improvements of this generation. If we opt for a high acceleration response, especially in TRAIL or TURBO, the bike takes off as soon as you start, which in tricky terrain can help us if we have enough skill or make it very demanding to handle; even so, the difficulty lies more in preventing the front end from lifting and controlling direction than in traction itself. Softening that response, the bike becomes much more docile and controllable even in high modes.

The AUTO mode is ideal for those who want to forget about the control: it adapts the assistance very flexibly to the pedaling, providing power only when needed and allowing us to feel the bike when we are relaxed, managing only the shifting. On the other end are the Microtune, for those who want to control the exact assistance at all times: the standard conserves battery a lot and the dynamic seems wonderful to us, because we maintain that fine control without giving up the bike's response to an unexpected effort.

The power it offers is tremendous: maximum assistance is only useful on rare occasions.

In very technical areas, it is useful to increase the Overrun, which allows us to overcome obstacles where it is difficult to keep pedaling, although it requires adaptation and automating some gestures. And regarding noise, despite the change from belt to gears, it is quite discreet: we have not noticed rattling when absorbing impacts without pedaling, and only when stopped, manipulating the bike at home, can we hear some gears that disappear when in motion.

Autonomy is increasingly difficult to specify due to the variety of uses and demands on the motor. Specialized gives an indicative figure of up to 3.75 hours in ECO mode with the 840 Wh battery and significant elevation (10% less in the S-Works motor due to its higher power). We provide the reference from the other extreme, abusing assistance: on a route pulling TURBO and TRAIL without restraint, in enduro terrain with constant climbs and descents, after 32 kilometers, 1,300 meters of elevation, and more than two hours of intense use, we finished with 30% battery.

From easy tracks to demanding trails: the Turbo Levo R makes us enjoy

This is one of the most versatile and chameleon-like eBikes that have passed through our hands. With an enduro bike, pedaling on easy tracks for kilometers can become tedious; with the Turbo Levo R, this does not happen: the neutral position makes pedaling comfortable and efficient, and we notice an agility and reactivity that is unusual in an eBike. In fact, it is one of the few electrics where we see sense in using the shock lock lever, because on climbs, sometimes it feels good to stand up and push like on a conventional bike.

It is one of the few electrics where we see sense in using the shock lock lever.

But where we have enjoyed the most is on varied trails, with all kinds of curves and significant obstacles. The bike offers handling that greatly facilitates choosing the line, with suspensions that, without the travel of an enduro, are more than sufficient for most terrains. The rear absorption has surprised us: its 130 mm feels like we have more travel, and the GENIE shock seems like a success in this type of bike, where light and moderate impacts are the most common.

The set maximizes the grip of tires that, in the most demanding situations, do lack the more aggressive tread of one oriented towards Gravity. It has been the most limiting factor when we have ventured into very broken areas, but these will be specific situations depending on the use this bike is intended for: if aggressive and demanding is the norm, its sibling Turbo Levo fits better. In many descents, where the difficulty is not extreme, we found it to be the ideal bike, because the capability combines with a superior agility to that of an enduro.

Among the components, the brakes have a prominent place: we were surprised by their bite with the 200 mm discs and, while not the most powerful model from SRAM, they perform more than adequately, with a clear and controllable feel and a lever adjustment that is equally useful. The finishes of the high-end SRAM components are exquisite, the transmission works impeccably, and the wheels provide precision and confidence despite their lightness, with the rest of the components at a very high level.

Conclusions

After our tests on the ground, we have confirmed the impression of being in front of a bike that is tremendously logical and adapted to the use that 90% of eBike users give it. It is a road bike par excellence and perfect for day-to-day use, suitable for long routes without becoming heavy due to posture or boring, because it maintains pure MTB sensations without the assistance invading that perception. And, at the same time, it has sufficient capability to tackle technical terrains with solvency and a lot of fun.

Specialized Turbo Levo R S-Works: specifications, weight, and price

• Frame: FACT 11m Carbon, carbon shock extender, titanium bolts, 130 mm
• Fork: Fox 36 SL Factory Grip X, 140 mm
• Shock: Fox Float GENIE Factory, compression adjustment in 2 positions
• Motor: Specialized 3.1 S-Works, 111 Nm, 850 W
• Battery: Specialized Turbo X2, 840 Wh
• Brakes: SRAM Motive Ultimate, 200 mm discs
• Derailleur: SRAM XX SL AXS
• Shifter: SRAM AXS Pod Ultimate
• Cassette: SRAM XX Transmission, 10-52
• Chain: SRAM XX T-Type
• Cranks: SRAM XX Carbon, 160 mm, 34-tooth chainring
• Wheels: Roval Traverse SL II, carbon rim 30 mm, Industry Nine Hydra 2 hubs
• Handlebar: Roval Control SL RISE, 50 mm stem, 780 mm wide
• Saddle: Specialized Power Mirror Pro
• Seatpost: RockShox Reverb AXS, 34.9 mm
• Weight: 21.398 kg
• Price: €13,999

More information on the official Specialized website