New emtb added to the stable

[Hatcho]

My new Specialised Levo Comp arrived on Friday. So bit of assembly done yesterday and took her out on the trails for the first time today. What a machine! Tis my first emtb and it's a serious bit of kit. I'm no expert but I do enjoy the buzz of some decent flowing trails. So nice to arrive at the top of a long climb and not be absolutely knackered (I'm not currently the fittest). Hoping to get out again during the week.

 

[siwhite]

Beautiful bike. I owned a Turbo Levo SL which was great but the motor whine was a real shame, and I ended up selling it. You won't have those issues with the belt drive in the non-SL bike.

 

[steve hughes]

Thanks looks smart , and being used as intended. My missus has a Specialised Vado which is a road based e bike. The motor is superb, and at just under 3000 miles in has been a game changer for her.

One tip for off road with an ebike, the motors, like us mere pedallers like spinning. Eg dont grind away on the climb getting the motor working all the time , pick a gear you can spin and the mechanical delivery and support will feel completely natural.

The specialised APP , Mission control gives some excellent customisation of the bike whilst also giving you a “ Strava” type feedback on power used average speed distance level of support etc. so you can compare your performance on similar trails / routes.

 

[Udders]

Excellent bikes! I’ve had my Cube emtb for over 4 years now and still absolutely love it. It put the enjoyment back into bike riding for me. I can get further, faster, to places that were out of reach and like you say, not be totally knackered! I’m going to be going up a LOT of Scottish mountains next year with my wild camping kit.

 

[Hatcho]

Cheers folks! She rides as good as she looks. The Specialized app allows for so much customisation of the motor behavior, plus logging loads of data about your ride. Got meself nice and muddy on the trails.

 

[earthmover]

Beautiful bike. I owned a Turbo Levo SL which was great but the motor whine was a real shame, and I ended up selling it. You won't have those issues with the belt drive in the non-SL bike.

I have a 2nd generation Levo SL, much quieter than 1st gen, but not as quiet as the non-SL.

Cheers folks! She rides as good as she looks. The Specialized app allows for so much customisation of the motor behavior, plus logging loads of data about your ride. Got meself nice and muddy on the trails.

Fantastic bits of kit aren't they! Enjoy.
Mark

 

[Pukmeister]

Looks like a great bike.

Hope I'm not teaching Granny to suck eggs, but with an EMTB you need to be mechanically sympathetic when changing gear, easing off the pedal pressure slightly when shifting between cogs for a smooth shift. Try not to shift 'under load'.

If you don't you will be replacing chains and sprockets at pretty short intervals as the assistance from the motor will chomp through the teeth profiles on the cassette in no time. I did my first rear cassette and chain in about 1300 miles, some folk on E-bike forums have done a lot less.

If you are used to riding analog, you should already have terrain reading skills but the trick is to get into a suitable gear early enough to keep your cadence high, then increase motor assistance if needed mid-climb to maintain momentum, rather than start the climb in too tall a gear and then have to boost the motor first (stretching the chain) and then down-shift under power (chewing up the cassette).

Enjoy the new bike, the Levo is a great piece of kit. I ride a Giant EMTB myself and couldn't go back to an analog MTB now with two knackered knees.

 

[Spookos]

I’ve just ordered my first e-bike a Whyte Coniston Hybrid which was basically half price. It’s mainly for commuting, I’m semi-retired working a couple of casual jobs (only about 3/4 miles to graft in each case), but I’m also hoping to get out a bit more and improve my fitness levels at 62.5 years of age. I’ll report back once I pick it up (Saturday), and get the hang of it.

 

[Hatcho]

Looks like a great bike.

Hope I'm not teaching Granny to suck eggs, but with an EMTB you need to be mechanically sympathetic when changing gear, easing off the pedal pressure slightly when shifting between cogs for a smooth shift. Try not to shift 'under load'.

If you don't you will be replacing chains and sprockets at pretty short intervals as the assistance from the motor will chomp through the teeth profiles on the cassette in no time. I did my first rear cassette and chain in about 1300 miles, some folk on E-bike forums have done a lot less.

If you are used to riding analog, you should already have terrain reading skills but the trick is to get into a suitable gear early enough to keep your cadence high, then increase motor assistance if needed mid-climb to maintain momentum, rather than start the climb in too tall a gear and then have to boost the motor first (stretching the chain) and then down-shift under power (chewing up the cassette).

Enjoy the new bike, the Levo is a great piece of kit. I ride a Giant EMTB myself and couldn't go back to an analog MTB now with two knackered knees.

Advice is appreciated Pukmeister, mate of mine who's had his Levo for a while provided the sake advice. I've always been in the habit of easing off when shifting gears on all bikes, on road and off.

Hoping to hit the trails again this weekend. Best thing about mtb is that bad weather doesn't matter, just means the water comes from a different direction

 

[Hatcho]

Another decent spin today. After adjusting the suspension to fat bastard settings, the bike feels so much better. 3hrs on the trails in the wind and rain - makes you feel young again! Over 1300m of climbing made for a proper workout. Need to organise some night cycles next

 

[earthmover]

Another decent spin today. After adjusting the suspension to fat bastard settings, the bike feels so much better. 3hrs on the trails in the wind and rain - makes you feel young again! Over 1300m of climbing made for a proper workout. Need to organise some night cycles next

Exposure lights are my choice for night rides. A Diabalo on my helmet, and a Six Pack on the handlebars. Not cheap, but definately the best out there (IMHO).
I have a box full of cheap sh*te lights which let me down halfway through a ride, ended up carrying more spare lamps and batteries than was sensible.
Mark