It’s been a bike we have all been holding our breath for, and today marks the drop of the fourth generation of Specialized’s flagship e-bike, the Turbo Levo. A new 3.1 motor, a mixed-wheel set up with 150mm rear travel, three ways to optimise geometry, Genie suspension, lower standover height and the capacity to run a 200mm dropper in S4 size, means the Turbo Levo delivers some of the upgrades we had on our wish list for the new model. Let’s dive into the key features of this new release a bit deeper.
Juice upgrade with the 3.1
The heart and soul of the new Levo is the completely new 3.1 motor which boasts a whopping 27% increase in peak power. The 3.1 maintains peak power when you need it most, featuring a near flat power curve from 70rpm to 120rpm, to ensure you can make it up any pinch or feature the terrain throws at you. Specialized state that they’ve actually done field testing and that this power delivery profile means that in steep, slippery or technical climbs, the nearest competitor failed to ride the section twice as often as the Levo 4.
The new 3.1 motor differs depending on the model it’s specced on, S-Works bikes will sport a huge 720 peak power and 111Nm of torque, while all other models feature 666W peak power and 101Nm of torque. Specialized have confirmed that the motor on the S-Works and remainder of the range is indeed the same drive unit, simply configured for each bike. This is a modest increase from the 2.2 motor on the 2025 Turbo Levo, which featured 90Nm torque with 565W peak power.
The new 3.1 motor is claimed to set the standard in efficiency, with its 1:27 ratio allowing the motor to run at higher RPM while reducing battery drain. Specialized claim that the 3.1 features the best range to weight ratio of any motor on the market.
Specialized states that the 3.1 motor features metal gears that are twice as large, reducing heat expansion and increasing reliability, while the new CoreCoat winding encapsulation essentially encases the motor, reducing audible noise and also increasing heat dissipation and durability. The unit is treated with Specialized’s HardDrive surface treatment, a hardened finish on gears that also increases lifespan and efficiency of the unit.
Battery sizes and SWAT capacity
Powering the new Levos is a huge 840Wh battery, with a claimed range of up to 5.3 hours when paired with the range extender (for a hypothetical 80kg rider using primarily Eco mode). Specialized also offers a lighter weight 600Wh battery and a 280Wh range extender taking the total onboard battery capacity to 1120Wh of berg-topping power. Despite the large amount of juice available from the large 840Wh capacity battery, Specialized have managed to integrate their patented SWAT downtube storage caddy, which is located above the battery. The SWAT is retained with a magnet in the headtube, ensuring it stays in place and without any incessant rattling.
Entering the battery port to the SWAT compartment, you can’t but help notice the polished finish of the carbon fibre layup. In my history wrenching, unseen surfaces of bikes can often be left a mess, so Specialized’s attention to detail on the inside and out of the frame is top notch as we would expect. Furthermore, if you swap out the 840Wh battery to the smaller 600Wh battery you have extra room in the SWAT compartment for a spare jacket (or mid-ride burrito).
Another notable addition to the new 3.1 motors system is the 5amp, 200W charger. For time-crunched riders out there, Specialized are also offering an aftermarket 12amp, 700W that claims a 1hr charge time from flat to 80%.
Turbo Levo: (Geometry) Tweakers Delight
The Turbo Levo features Specialized adjustments such as adjustable head tube angle, bottom bracket drop and chainstay length. The bottom bracket adjustment reduces the drop by 6mm through adjusting a flip chip in the eyelet of the shock, while headset angle gives a 1-degree positive and negative adjustment to angles, three positions in total. A third point of adjustment, the chain stay flip chip allows adjustment of the chainstay length by 9mm.
On test, we have a Turbo Levo 4 Pro model in size S4, retailing at $17 900. The S4 features a 480mm reach measuring up alongside most brand offerings’ size large. At 178cm, Specialized recommended either an S3 or S4, but I prefer the stability and 1254mm length of the latter, especially when paired with a mullet or MX setup.
The 435mm chainstay is very short and flickable for an e-bike, making manoeuvring the new Levo a breeze. We are putting the latest iteration through its paces on the local race and events to see how it holds up against the terrain and stiff competition currently in the market.
MasterMind, MicroTune and App Integration
MasterMind is described as the ‘on board control unit’ by Specialized, claiming to be the largest and highest resolution top-tube mounted screen on the market. All ride data such as charge level, support mode, ride data and performance metrics that can be connected with devices via bluetooth. MasterMind pairs with the Specialized app, giving an expanded look at metrics displayed on the in-built screen, and also allows you to track the bike with Apple’s Find My feature, as well as remotely locking the bike with System Lock in case of theft.
MicroTune is a neat little feature that will be welcomed by e-bike connoisseurs, a small dial in the middle of the bar control that allows an on the fly adjustment of power delivery from the motor. Specialized have also introduced Dynamic Microtune, which is a similar concept however uses power increases in 10% increments as an absolute, we are very curious about how this translates on the trail.
Models and Spec
The Australian Market will receive four models of the new Levo, including an S-Works model and an S-Works frame set.
| RRP | |
| LEVO COMP CARBON G4 | $12,900 |
| LEVO EXPERT CARBON G4 | $14,900 |
| LEVO PRO CARBON G4 | $17,900 |
| LEVO SW CARBON G4 | $23,500 |
| LEVO SW CARBON FRMSET G4 | $12,900 |
The S-Works, as expected, comes with a blingin’ build leaving nothing wanting. The Specialized Fact 11 Carbon frame is used throughout all four models, but the S-Works also sports carbon linkage to keep the grams down. As mentioned, this model comes with the 3.1 motor boosted to a peak power of 720W with 111Nm toque at your disposal. The S-Works model is available in Gloss Glacial Metallic and Gloss Red Pearl colourways.
A 160mm Fox 38 Factory with a GRIPX2 damper is married up with a 150mm Genie Fox Float X Factory shock on the rear. A Sram XX Eagle AXS drivetrain adorns the bike, alongside a set of Roval Traverse HD Carbon hoops with DT 240 hubs. A Fox Neo seatpost does the ups and downs while your sweet cheeks are supported by the ti-railed Power Pro Saddle with Mirror. Sram Maven ultimates do the stopping.
The Turbo Levo Pro model features the 3.1 motor with the 666W peak power and 101Nm torque, which is mirrored in the remainder of the range. The Pro model features the same suspension as the S-Works model, however downspecced the drivetrain to Sram Eagle XO, brakes to Maven silver and hubs to DT Swiss 350’s.
The Levo Expert and Comp models feature a step down again in suspension, with the Fox 38 Performance Elite GRIPX2 and Genie Fox Float X Performance Elite and Fox 36 Rhythm Grip and Genie Flox Float X Performance on the models, respectively. The Expert features Sram Eagle GX while the Comp model uses the S1000 drivetrain, both with alloy wheelsets and Silver and Bronze Mavens.
For more information head to www.specialized.com/au
