E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment

yzedf
Posts
258
Joined
1/27/2015
Location
Hebron, CT, USA
Fantasy
7/2/2026 6:54am
sethimus wrote:

when you ride the specialized motor for the first time after you are already used to a m2s, it feels like a sl motor

No, that’s if you are coming from a Shimano motor. 

1
grinch
Posts
263
Joined
10/15/2013
Location
CA
7/2/2026 2:55pm
DylanJM wrote:
I am almost certain Specialized are trying to get rid of as much 3.1 motors and battery stock as possible before 2027 which explains the Levo...

I am almost certain Specialized are trying to get rid of as much 3.1 motors and battery stock as possible before 2027 which explains the Levo R, Evo and X releases. Ever since Yamaha (Giant's ebike partner) purchased Brose I have assumed Specialized would try and move away from Brose as soon as possible. Who they decide to work with next I don't know but I think we will see an eCVT powered Levo next year. I don't think Specialized want to get caught behind the curve again like they did with the Levo 4 after it got delayed. 

Meybe im mistaken but i thought the latest spesh motor was a mahle.

 In any case, spesh are rumoured to be working with Gabao and will have a spesh branded Gabao probably next year so your theory of getting rid of current stock holds true. Gabao ecvt with software/feel developed by spesh eeb designers could be what it needs.

  This might be too much $ to sink into my 2019 decoy but the bike does seem to be bombproof and now could be futere proof.

2
sspomer
Posts
6294
Joined
6/26/2009
Location
Boise, ID, USA
Fantasy
7/2/2026 3:33pm

would it fit? : )

gobaodemo
18
7/2/2026 7:20pm

Just saw this and found it interesting.. I've always wondered if motor swaps could become a thing with Emtbs...

1
DylanJM
Posts
47
Joined
7/2/2024
Location
Frederiksberg, DK
7/2/2026 10:35pm
DylanJM wrote:
I am almost certain Specialized are trying to get rid of as much 3.1 motors and battery stock as possible before 2027 which explains the Levo...

I am almost certain Specialized are trying to get rid of as much 3.1 motors and battery stock as possible before 2027 which explains the Levo R, Evo and X releases. Ever since Yamaha (Giant's ebike partner) purchased Brose I have assumed Specialized would try and move away from Brose as soon as possible. Who they decide to work with next I don't know but I think we will see an eCVT powered Levo next year. I don't think Specialized want to get caught behind the curve again like they did with the Levo 4 after it got delayed. 

grinch wrote:
Meybe im mistaken but i thought the latest spesh motor was a mahle. In any case, spesh are rumoured to be working with Gabao and will have...

Meybe im mistaken but i thought the latest spesh motor was a mahle.

 In any case, spesh are rumoured to be working with Gabao and will have a spesh branded Gabao probably next year so your theory of getting rid of current stock holds true. Gabao ecvt with software/feel developed by spesh eeb designers could be what it needs.

  This might be too much $ to sink into my 2019 decoy but the bike does seem to be bombproof and now could be futere proof.

No, the 3.1 is still a Brose manufactured unit. It sounds like (rumour) Specialized did initially approach Mahle for them Levo 4 but it didn't work out and they went back to Brose.  

2
grinch
Posts
263
Joined
10/15/2013
Location
CA
7/3/2026 3:52am
DylanJM wrote:
I am almost certain Specialized are trying to get rid of as much 3.1 motors and battery stock as possible before 2027 which explains the Levo...

I am almost certain Specialized are trying to get rid of as much 3.1 motors and battery stock as possible before 2027 which explains the Levo R, Evo and X releases. Ever since Yamaha (Giant's ebike partner) purchased Brose I have assumed Specialized would try and move away from Brose as soon as possible. Who they decide to work with next I don't know but I think we will see an eCVT powered Levo next year. I don't think Specialized want to get caught behind the curve again like they did with the Levo 4 after it got delayed. 

grinch wrote:
Meybe im mistaken but i thought the latest spesh motor was a mahle. In any case, spesh are rumoured to be working with Gabao and will have...

Meybe im mistaken but i thought the latest spesh motor was a mahle.

 In any case, spesh are rumoured to be working with Gabao and will have a spesh branded Gabao probably next year so your theory of getting rid of current stock holds true. Gabao ecvt with software/feel developed by spesh eeb designers could be what it needs.

  This might be too much $ to sink into my 2019 decoy but the bike does seem to be bombproof and now could be futere proof.

DylanJM wrote:
No, the 3.1 is still a Brose manufactured unit. It sounds like (rumour) Specialized did initially approach Mahle for them Levo 4 but it didn't work...

No, the 3.1 is still a Brose manufactured unit. It sounds like (rumour) Specialized did initially approach Mahle for them Levo 4 but it didn't work out and they went back to Brose.  

Thanks, its nice that brose changed from that belt system. 

  Supposedly the gabao system is quite affordable. I wonder if spesh will actually make adfordable bikes. Thats probably their biggest barrier currently. Im not a huge avinox fanboi, i think i'd prefer bosch, but its tempting when their bikes are half the price of a spesh

alannz
Posts
55
Joined
1/26/2025
Location
California, CA, USA
7/3/2026 2:48pm Edited Date/Time 1 day ago
grinch wrote:
Meybe im mistaken but i thought the latest spesh motor was a mahle. In any case, spesh are rumoured to be working with Gabao and will have...

Meybe im mistaken but i thought the latest spesh motor was a mahle.

 In any case, spesh are rumoured to be working with Gabao and will have a spesh branded Gabao probably next year so your theory of getting rid of current stock holds true. Gabao ecvt with software/feel developed by spesh eeb designers could be what it needs.

  This might be too much $ to sink into my 2019 decoy but the bike does seem to be bombproof and now could be futere proof.

DylanJM wrote:
No, the 3.1 is still a Brose manufactured unit. It sounds like (rumour) Specialized did initially approach Mahle for them Levo 4 but it didn't work...

No, the 3.1 is still a Brose manufactured unit. It sounds like (rumour) Specialized did initially approach Mahle for them Levo 4 but it didn't work out and they went back to Brose.  

grinch wrote:
Thanks, its nice that brose changed from that belt system.   Supposedly the gabao system is quite affordable. I wonder if spesh will actually make adfordable bikes...

Thanks, its nice that brose changed from that belt system. 

  Supposedly the gabao system is quite affordable. I wonder if spesh will actually make adfordable bikes. Thats probably their biggest barrier currently. Im not a huge avinox fanboi, i think i'd prefer bosch, but its tempting when their bikes are half the price of a spesh

I don’t think Specialized has much margin to make their bikes more affordable compared to smaller companies that have less overhead. 

1
10 hours ago Edited Date/Time 10 hours ago

Guys, not thoroughly read all of the information on the engine+gearbox systems of gobao and avinox. Will these also have an option to change manually the gears (through a hand shifter and not a foot one lol) or is it only fully automatic ?

9 hours ago
freeriding wrote:
Guys, not thoroughly read all of the information on the engine+gearbox systems of gobao and avinox. Will these also have an option to change manually the...

Guys, not thoroughly read all of the information on the engine+gearbox systems of gobao and avinox. Will these also have an option to change manually the gears (through a hand shifter and not a foot one lol) or is it only fully automatic ?

Yes they will have manual shift points. I'd assume similar to how Subaru CVTs have paddle shifters for manual mode where you can lock it into certain ratios. 

AndehM
Posts
736
Joined
5/7/2018
Location
El Granada, CA, USA
Fantasy
8 hours ago

I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden the next Levo with a whole new system but that it wasn't a gearbox.  All he'd say was that the hardware was all new but debadged so he wasn't sure who made the motor, and that it felt like Avinox level of power at much lighter weight than the Levo 4.

3
8 hours ago
AndehM wrote:
I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden...

I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden the next Levo with a whole new system but that it wasn't a gearbox.  All he'd say was that the hardware was all new but debadged so he wasn't sure who made the motor, and that it felt like Avinox level of power at much lighter weight than the Levo 4.

Sounds like specialized is f’d. Rumor mills are consistent- SBC is sitting on unreleased stock. Newest stumpy, DH bike, and possibly soon to be Levo. 

bigbrett
Posts
58
Joined
9/5/2017
Location
Salt Lake City, UT, USA
6 hours ago
AndehM wrote:
I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden...

I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden the next Levo with a whole new system but that it wasn't a gearbox.  All he'd say was that the hardware was all new but debadged so he wasn't sure who made the motor, and that it felt like Avinox level of power at much lighter weight than the Levo 4.

Did they mention if it still looked like a pregnant whale and weighed 1000lbs?

 

1
AndehM
Posts
736
Joined
5/7/2018
Location
El Granada, CA, USA
Fantasy
6 hours ago
AndehM wrote:
I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden...

I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden the next Levo with a whole new system but that it wasn't a gearbox.  All he'd say was that the hardware was all new but debadged so he wasn't sure who made the motor, and that it felt like Avinox level of power at much lighter weight than the Levo 4.

bigbrett wrote:

Did they mention if it still looked like a pregnant whale and weighed 1000lbs?

 

No mention of what trimester it was in.  He did say it was lighter but the weight number sounded unrealistic/impossible so not repeating it because I frankly do not believe it and didn't have build components list for context.

3
Suns_PSD
Posts
374
Joined
10/7/2015
Location
Austin, TX, USA
6 hours ago
AndehM wrote:
No mention of what trimester it was in.  He did say it was lighter but the weight number sounded unrealistic/impossible so not repeating it because I...

No mention of what trimester it was in.  He did say it was lighter but the weight number sounded unrealistic/impossible so not repeating it because I frankly do not believe it and didn't have build components list for context.

Excluding the latest Levo, Spesh has always made insanely light bikes.

 

Levo SL's commonly weigh 40#s compared to the size S Trek Exe I just bought sitting at a porky 46#s for example. I know it's in the build (and battery size in this case) but they nearly always manage to trim their bikes way down.

DylanJM
Posts
47
Joined
7/2/2024
Location
Frederiksberg, DK
2 hours ago
AndehM wrote:
I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden...

I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden the next Levo with a whole new system but that it wasn't a gearbox.  All he'd say was that the hardware was all new but debadged so he wasn't sure who made the motor, and that it felt like Avinox level of power at much lighter weight than the Levo 4.

Gobao do also have some normal middrive offerings also. It's also possible that manufactures don't go all in on eCVTs and instead have a mix of standard drivetrain and eCVT offerings in their portfolios. 

AndehM
Posts
736
Joined
5/7/2018
Location
El Granada, CA, USA
Fantasy
2 hours ago
AndehM wrote:
I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden...

I rode this weekend with a bike media guy.  When I mentioned the Specialized / Gobao rumor that I'd seen here, he said he's already ridden the next Levo with a whole new system but that it wasn't a gearbox.  All he'd say was that the hardware was all new but debadged so he wasn't sure who made the motor, and that it felt like Avinox level of power at much lighter weight than the Levo 4.

DylanJM wrote:
Gobao do also have some normal middrive offerings also. It's also possible that manufactures don't go all in on eCVTs and instead have a mix of...

Gobao do also have some normal middrive offerings also. It's also possible that manufactures don't go all in on eCVTs and instead have a mix of standard drivetrain and eCVT offerings in their portfolios. 

Yeah that Aventon eMTB that was released this year has a Gobao motor.

Post a reply to: E-bike talk: not tech rumor derailment

The Latest