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https://www.vitalmtb.com/news/press-release/specialized-introduces-levo… The Big S seems to have abandoned their sleeker, lightweight e-bikes completely. I guess they’ve worked out that storage is worth a lot more than the aesthetic preferences of hold-outs and “core” riders to their bottom line

Honestly could not think of much worse in terms of bike prep than having to charge batteries for my suspension and derailleur on my DH bike 😢

It's interesting reading these comments. And I'm reminded how different the sizing recommendations from almost every brand are from the 'shorter' crowd is here. Like the idea that at 5'10" you're not a large is ridiculous. That's an inch above average American male height. Obviously large. And I would venture to guess that the 'smaller is better' and 'can't find front end grip' crowd are all riding a bit old school. As in not riding centered on the bike as modern geometry and sizing is intending. As a former longtime motorcycle rider on sport bikes I'm all about that front...

That’s like, your opinion, man.

Given how flexy the rear end of the gen3 Levo I owned was, that would not surprise me one bit. It flexed so bad I could shift the upper seatstay pivot bearings on demand, even with high strength retaining compound. Spec is notorious for scrimping on frame layup to hit weight targets (see: all the issues with the Enduro linkage, head tube, chainstays, etc.).

Analog riders are the new kooky single speeders. If you think motors make riding too easy then please don’t do the math for how much mechanical advantage gears give you. There isn’t a lot of juice to squeeze from frames since we’re mainly hitting human rights issues on how good a frame can be while still being affordable. We’re still probably not paying the true price for bike when you factor in environmental and human effects of the manufacturing process. That’s where I see the biggest need for innovation. It’s amazing to me though that you unironically list electronic shifting...

Where do analog bikes need innovation? Also how is adding a motor not a massive innovation to bikes, akin to suspension and gears? Edit: these are sincere questions. Curious what you think…

I think we’re going to see 2 distinct types of bike manufacturers moving forward 1: Brands that sell enough e-bikes to cash roll standard bike progress/development. Full non e-bike lineups 2: Brands that want to make as much money as possible, huge e-bike lineup, fewer and fewer non e-bike options. 1 or 2 frames that cover everything from trail to enduro with the help of interchangeable shock mounts and links. (New fuel type stuff) XC and DH frame development is safe. Development will continue. If Bruni or Blevins dominate, those e-bikes will be flying off the shelves lol.

Dude. Just buy one. The motors are easily as durable as any of the other stuff in this hobby. If you’ve accepted that you can put a catastrophic scratch on a fork stanchion pulling your bike out of the garage, blow up a wheel at the trailhead kiosk, and get broke off on a green trail, the motors are just fine. Battery degradation is my main eeb concern in 2025. Eebs are the purest form of mountain biking ever: bomb smash repeat. The rippin and the tearin. Philosophical tenderberries that think there’s some sort of karmic reward for earning your...

Because he's a good dude and people like to see nice things happening to good people.

Freeeeeeeride eeeeeeebike.

@sspomer isn't there another thread for this exhausting debate?

No problem, I didn't take your message as aggressive. I have to say I was expecting more "sporting" questions, like who is DragonSpeed, why a sportscars racing team is coming to DH, what are our goals etc. Regarding Thibaut, we discussed about this with him and the partners. You can imagine I am not the only one to be convinced and to decide. We chose the riders together, and the partners are happy with all of our 4 riders, including Thibaut. We had no potential sponsor that said "no" because he is on. Thibaut brings performance, I think we all...

At least it has a removable battery, a feature that should be way more prevalent

It's a Pivot, so construction and QC is going to be immaculate and they have pretty dialed kinematics for efficient, aggressive bikes. That Bosch motor and the interface is pretty great too, feels pretty good and are reliable. Other than that it's an ebike with a special seat tube and seat post shim. Big numbers make ebikes happy, so the 800 wh battery, 100 nm torque, and 9000+ price tag are all selling points.

Race team vibe im here for. Brage just doesn’t do it for me. The metal, the vibe, the approach turns me off. Riding is mental but the style is not there for me - I’m sure I’ll get torched for this take but it’s just how I feel. Tippe is the same…we get it, you’re that guy. But to be fair I was sick of his schrik 25 years ago. Effortless style does it for me. Maybe just coincidence but Kamloops style (Tippie aside) is my jam. Aggy, Matty Miles, Hunter Paul, Matt Hunter. Those guys ride like I imagine...

New Kinevo? Gonna be a thick girl if the regular Levo clocks in 52+ lbs in the SWorks models.

😆 Meanwhile, Specialized Korea can't even import them because of battery regulations. They probably had 50% of the E-bike market, and that's gone straight down the pooper, especially since DJI motor'd bikes finally started coming in.