SPECIALIZED LEVO 4

April 8, 2025

With so many new bikes launching in early 2025, we’re sure that riders are feeling a bit overwhelmed. While some of the new bikes have surprised consumers, the new Specialized Levo 4 is likely the one people have been waiting on the most. With the outgoing Levo being one of the most sold, and popular eMTBs on the trail, though not without flaw, Specialized had some big work to do! The bike needed to maintain its impressive overall ride quality for sure, but it also needed to get a power upgrade and possibly most important, a drive unit reliability upgrade. While only time will tell if they succeeded in that third goal, it seems the first two goals have been checked off the list. Let’s dive in and learn about the brand new Specialized Levo Gen 4.

WHAT’S IMPROVED ON LEVO 4?

Power – The new Specialized Levo now has up to 720 Watts of peak power and 111Nm of torque. The S-Works motor is the flagship drive unit with the most power in the family, the Levo 3.1 motor on the Pro, Expert, Comp and Alloy models delivers 666 Watts and 101Nm of torque. Still an impressive upgrade from the 3^rd Gen Levo.

Torque and Cadence – The 27% increase in peak power is also much more usable than the last gen Levo motor. Peak power is now delivered at 70RPM compared to 60RPM and rather than falling off like the Levo 2.1 motors, it offers consistent support all the way up to 120RPM.

Class 1 And 3 –  As standard the new Levo will be supplied as a Class 1 eBike. However, for riders looking to ride to the trail, the new Specialized Levo 4 allows riders to toggle into a Class 3 setting temporarily, giving a maximum speed of 28 miles per hour.

Motor Bits – Specialized claim the new Levo 4’s S-Works 3.1 drive unit is the most efficient drive unit out and delivering maximum range to weight. It has a 1:27 gear ratio so that the motor spins at a higher, more efficient RPM.  Voltage has also been increased to reduce current, minimizing energy loss in transmission lines.

Also unique to the 3.1 motor is the CoreCoat winding treatment. By doing this the drive unit better dissipates heat, reduces the audible signature and is said to improve durability. Specialized also give the 3.1drive unit two-times larger gears that are fully metal and less susceptible to heat expansion. A surface treatment called HardDrive is also claimed to improve smoothness of key drive unit internals. Specialized have also decoupled the driveside housing to reduce vibrations and noise from the motor.

Levo 4 Battery Selections – The new Specialized Levo 4 has a variety of battery sizes and running options. The default battery for our S-Works is 840Wh and can be had in other models as well Specialized also offer a 280Wh range extender for a maximum battery size of 1,120Wh. There is also a 600Wh battery option for those who want to lighten up their bike by over two pounds. The bike can be ridden with just the 280Wh extender as well if you want a truly light setup for shuttle days and want to just take the edge off the steepest climbs.

The new Levo also has an optional (standard with S-Works) Smart Charger. This 12 amp, 700 watt charger is massive and can charge the 840Wh battery from 0% to 80% in less than one hour. It also has an Eco mode, or standard modes.

Integrations – A new display screen is larger and can be customized on the bar but will need to be modified via the Specialized App on your phone if you want to add more parameters to your display. The new display is a nice improvement and the new button will take some getting used to, but we think we’ll grow to like it more.

Dynamic Micro Tune is likely one of the best new upgrades. Specialized have added to “Automatic” modes, a true Auto mode with variable power can be toggled in the four factory preset modes, or you can access the Dynamic Micro Tune mode if you switch out of the preset factory modes to the Micro Tune setting on your bar controller. Easy to do on the fly. This system allows you to ride in a very economic setting but will ramp up to full power if you really step on the pedals.

NEW LEVO 4 FRAME FEATURES

SWAT Storage – Riders who want to store snacks, supplies or other accoutrements in their downtube, will now be able to do so thanks to Specialized Levo’s first of a kind, downtube eBike storage compartment. Even with the 840Wh battery you’ll have a magnetically attached pouch near the top of the downtube. The smaller 600Wh battery will give you even more storage inside the downtube. Batteries are easily removable and swappable.

Adjustable Geometry – In typical Levo fashion, the Levo 4 retains its impressive adjustability via a Short/Long chainstay setting (9mm) a Low/High (6mm) and adjustable headset (1-degree).

Wheelsizes – The new Specialized Levo 4 is a mullet, or mixed wheel eBike and is not designed to run a 29-inch wheel out back. There could be an exciting reason for this in the future…But you’ll have to wait a while.

Levo Suspension and Genie Shock – After much success and praise on the Stumpjumper 15, the Genie suspension design will be found on the new Levo 4. Specialized claims a 57% increase in traction with more control and a sayonara to harsh bottom outs. The patent-pending Fox Genie shock has been designed with Specialized to offer a truly dual-stage feeling in the travel. A more linear, bump-gobbling feel off the top and a more progressive end of stroke feel.

THE WOLF’S FIRST IMPRESSIONS

We were hand-delivered this glacial blue S-Works Levo 4, in size S4 and immediately got it dirty in some of Central Oregon’s finest conditions. Joe Buckley (Specialized Levo Project Manager) and Austin Hecket-Klaube (Suspension Engineering Technician – Specialized Ride Dynamic Team) drove up to spend a couple days with us and educate the team on the new features, tech and of course help ensure we got the bike setup dialed in.

Over the years our crew have spent a lot of time aboard Specialized Levos, and we were as excited as you about the update. Right out of the gate, the weight seems to be notably higher with our larger battery. Our S4 weighs 53lbs, compared to the 47 pounds of our last test Levo. Certainly the larger battery has a lot to do with that, and of course with the more powerful motor, those extra watts will likely be useful. Still, we’d like to see how much lighter it is on the trail with a 600Wh battery.

From a climbing perspective, the S-Works 3.1 drive unit is absolutely mental. It offers really amazing power that is nipping at the heels of the DJI Avinox unit, however it offers a bit more control and refinement in some aspects of the ride. Technical climbs aboard the Levo 4 are easily cleaned thanks to the power on-hand. I did notice the full Auto mode had some instances of delay in the factory settings, but we plan on playing with the on-board customizations via the controller to increase responsiveness.

On our first test ride I was with riders on the non S-Works drive unit and two others on Bosch CX Gen 5 drive units. The Levo riders worked a little bit harder than me but kept up, and the Bosch riders were dropped in the dust. We were easily a minute faster on the 1,000 foot climb, if not more. The silence and power were deafening.

When it came to the descent, the new Levo will take a bit more time to really tune in I believe. I think this is mostly due to the wide range of customizations the Genie shock offers. The bike felt quite good on the first descent, however it felt a bit more planted and muted than I remembered the last Levo feeling. Sure, that’s part of the Genie shock’s goal, and I’m sure the extra few pounds of heft contributed, but, I really liked the poppy and energetic feel of the last Levo. After some adjustments made in the Specialized suspension center van, we headed back up for another lap. The settings improved certain aspects of my ride without any drawbacks from the shock. However, with such little time before the publication of this first ride, I’ve not been able to adjust the Genie Bands and modify the shocks inner air chamber volume before sharing this first ride. I suspect once I add another band in that first chamber, I’ll get a bit closer in feeling to the last Levo but still maintain the benefits of the more plush, bump-gobbling performance that Specialized have intended for the new Levo. One thing is for certain however, the new Levo rides way more like a mini-enduro rig than the last bike. The composure over chatter at speed and ability to take larger hits in stride is quite impressive. It will be interesting to see if the addition of one Genie Band will detract from that performance, and I look forward to reporting back on that in our long-term review.

Overall, the new Levo is every bit the next step of eMTB. It’s got more power, a bigger battery (for better or worse) and has a much more capable and refined feel when charging hard. The electronics, integrations, app features and drive unit performance, all show the education of brands and evolution that this segment are constantly delivering.

It seems the new Specialized Levo 4 is in fact the calculated redesign riders have been waiting for.

For more information, visit specialized.com