Turbo Levo 4 Owners get Power Boost

Regular readers may have noticed that we separate our gear articles into categories so you can more easily find an older article you may wish to revisit. We don’t yet have a category for software, but that may be in our future.

When we started this venture, there was no inkling we’d be writing about code, sent to bicycles over the internet, that would change the way the bike operates. For both better and worse, depending on your perspective, that’s where we are now. And for those of you who don’t ride eMTBs, the electrification of all mountain bikes, whether they have an electric boost or not, does not appear to be slowing down. Who, for example, would have predicted electronic seatposts that connect wirelessly with your phone 15 years ago?

Putting the electronic genie back in the bottle would require the sort of cataclysmic circumstances most of us would prefer not to imagine. So here we are, talking about updating bicycles over the internet to make their electronic motors more powerful, and more useful.

Previous Power/Torque for Levo Models

The Levo 4, with the Specialized/Brose 3.1 motor, has two different levels, which I have been led to believe are identical but are operated with different firmware. The regular Levo was limited to 101 Nm of torque before today and 666 W peak power. The S-Works version got 111 Nm and 740 W peak power.

What Has Changed? (from Specialized press release)

Highlights of the Levo 4 Over-the-Air Update

• More SuperNatural Power:
  • S-Works models gain 18% peak power (up to 850 W at the motor) while holding 111 Nm torque.
  • All other models gain 22% peak power (up to 810 W at the motor) with torque boosted to 105 Nm.
• Dynamic MicroTune with 1x You: This added setting matches motor output precisely to rider input for ultimate control and efficiency.
• Smoother Max Speed Transition: Support tapers more naturally as you approach the legal speed limit fora seamless ride feel.
• Sharper Overrun Behavior: More responsive assist after you stop pedaling, making it easier to clear roots, step-ups, and obstacles.
• Personalized Walk Mode: Now you can choose between three walk mode speeds.

“This milestone marks the start of a new era for Turbo riders. With Over-the-Air technology, every update is delivered seamlessly through the Specialized app, keeping bikes running the most advanced software Specialized has ever created.”

How This Should Feel

Torque represents twisting force which will be most noticeable on steeper climbs or when starting in a gear that is a little high for the situation while increased power will be most noticeable on sustained climbs at higher cadence, where you should be able to hold higher speeds for longer. For tech climbs the regular Levos will get a boost of about 4% while the S-Works will not change. If you are climbing fire roads that aren’t too steep, both bikes will get a significant performance boost.

The New Normal

With all of this information, we are of course limited to what the companies tell us. I have no doubts about Specialized’s numbers in particular, but I have ridden bikes with motors that had almost identical torque ratings, but starkly different performance. Without a dyno to test these bikes, we are at their mercy, unlike geometry numbers or weights which we can easily verify. Based on other eMTB motors I have ridden, Specialized’s numbers feel accurate to me.

The biggest changes are for the regular Levo, which gets boosts in both torque and power, with the former going from 101 to 105 Nm and the latter from 666 to 810. The S-Works versions don’t get any bump in torque so that stays at 111 Nm while power goes from 740 W to 850 W.

How to get the Update

Before starting the update, please make sure:

• You are using the Specialized app, version 1.55 or higher
• The phone has a strong cellular/WiFi connection
• The bike is connected to the Specialized app
• Bike and phone batteries are >20%
• Bike isn’t plugged in/charging
• You either have the main battery or the range extender battery plugged into the bike, but not both
• Don’t have an active ride recording going on

While the update is in progress, please do not:

• Interact with the phone (respond to texts, view notifications, change apps, leave/background the Specialized app, turn the phone off)
• Plug the bike in to charge
• Turn the bike off
• Press any buttons on the bike
• Move your phone out of proximity of the bike (therefore causing the bike to disconnect from the app)

Changes Beyond Power and Torque

I appreciate the smoother transition to the power drop off at 32 Kmh / 20 mph because it’s disheartening when you go from full assist to none. This gradual reduction, which is similar to my experience on Bosch motors, is much less jarring and I find myself more likely to keep pushing under my own power. When it ends abruptly, it feels like someone has grabbed your brakes.

I have to spend more time on the new 3-speed walk mode, dynamic Microtune and the tweaked overrun but I’ll report on those for the final review of the S-Works Turbo Levo I have been testing.

Can You Afford All that Torque?

I’m not a fan of digital gatekeeping in eMTBs or automobiles. BMW tried to charge $18 a month for the use of the heating system already installed in their cars’ seats, until a consumer backlash had them retreat from the policy, at least for this feature. From my perspective, and that of many consumers, it’s like paying twice; the cost to develop and install hardware for the feature is baked into the purchase price of the product, but to use it to it’s full potential, you need to pay extra. And you’ve already paid for the technology that allowed BMW to turn it on and off as well.

As I mentioned earlier, the Specialized/Brose motor in the S-Works is apparently identical to the one in less expensive Turbo Levo models, but you get less power and less torque unless you fork out for a full Gucci model, starting at 13,500 USD or 19,000 CAD. This may be as effective as yelling at clouds, but I guess I’m old enough to do that now.

Specialized