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These are the S-Works and Pro models which will only be sold in small numbers, and to those who want that kind of thing (the S-Works Levo SL sold out worldwide in no time from what I can remember). £10K+ bikes have been around for a while in the roadie world, it was only a matter of time. The top-spec Pivot Switchback is a whopping 13.8K Euros. Not forme at that price, but people are buying them.
The current Levo Base Model is £4.8K so there's no reason it will be more than than £5.5K or thereabouts given that most bikes and components seem to have a 20% price-hike for 2022 post-Brexit and Covid. Still a lot of money though, but nothing seems cheap right now, especially given the reduced supply and high demand. Before all this, you could get good deals with a chunk off the RRP on Levos and Kenevos, hopefully that will return again when this is all over.
A mate has a Spesh e-bike. He makes sure he replaces it before the warranty runs out, which says it all.
Handily lockdown meant he got about a grand more for the last one than he was hoping for.
Current version seems to have a taste for axles and freehubs. But at least the electrics haven’t failed yet, but it’s only been a few months, give it time.
The current Levo Base Model is £4.8K
The hardtail (linked above) is £2.5k.
The (now) previous version of S-Works Levo (which was a turd of a bike) was £12.5k. This is £500 more. Halo models are always expensive. You could have spent thousands more on a really bad ebike, the SL.
This one looks good - if it's a motor'd version of my Stumpy Evo, it will be a great bike. Will wait and see what the pricing is like on the Expert model to compare. I think on a deal it will be fairly comparable to the Rail.
kiksy
My concern is that many people will be put off the sport because of this. Yes, you might say “there are £1k bikes that are great” and whilst that is true, in the same way as other markets, if it’s seen as being the bottom end many people will see it as being rubbish as to get a “good” bike you need to spend £4k+ as that’s the centre of the market.
Is there any truth in this?
I have got a badminton racket that cost me £14 & a full set of golf clubs that cost me about £115.
I didn't look at £200 rackets or £1000 sets of golf clubs & think I won't bother playing those sports because the best kit is so expensive.
Same with cars. How many people don't bother driving a car because they can only afford a Renault Clio when you can easily spend 10x that on an posh car?
I reckon that people who are just getting into the sport probably aren't even aware that £13k e-bikes exist. They probably just go to a bike shop with a budget in mind & see what's available. That's what I did.
I’ve read multiple reviews state £5k bikes as “good value” and it’s common now for £2-3k to be seen as “entry level”
Good value and cheap are not the same thing.
A £2.5k 180mm Enduro bike might be considered entry level, if there's nothing else of that ilk at a cheaper price.
About 8% of UK taxpayers apparently, before tax, or 5% after. That’s a lot of people.
I always remind myself of this when I baulk at the cost of whatever gadget, bike, or car. It’s not aimed at people like me.
They don't seem to be aimed at me either even though you are saying they should be?
I have one bike and I ride a lot. It cost me £1,000 to put together, it has frame and components that I like and I love riding it. The most I ever spent on a bike was £1,700 and that seemed like a massive amount to spend on a bike.
I don't see any point in spending any more than that to get a bike that is good to ride.
I'm gradually getting priced out of the market. Not becuase I can't afford an fancy bike, but because I just don't see the value in a 5k bike let alone a 13k one. 13k is nice car money to me...
I'd like a new full suss, but I struggle to get my head around paying more than 2k, maybe 2.5k at a push for a full bike. I just wouldn't get any extra benifit from it costing 5/6k.
Maybe if you're life is racing or travelling the word to find the best trails, a big outlay and then replacing every year is the right thing to. But for my 2 or 3 rides a month it just doesn't make sense. to me anyway...
Well Spesch marketing definitely know how to make everyone talk about their latest product. When did the last company make such a splash? the media are obviously helping (their job after all), Pinkbike review title "The 2021 Specialized Turbo Levo is the new benchmark" is definitely inflammatory, especially considering their members love of e-bike (maybe that's improved)
For all the hate, this bike will be the number one e-bike in reviews, tell me I'm wrong
kiksy
My concern is that many people will be put off the sport because of this. Yes, you might say “there are £1k bikes that are great” and whilst that is true, in the same way as other markets, if it’s seen as being the bottom end many people will see it as being rubbish as to get a “good” bike you need to spend £4k+ as that’s the centre of the market.
There have always been super-bling expensive bikes at the top-end of the market, right back to when I started riding in the mid-90's. These bikes have always been something to lust after, and unobtainable for 99.9% of riders in the sport (including myself), but important to the industry nonetheless in driving forward innovations which then trickle down the bike range. They have never put people off the sport in my experience.
This is no different.
I'm not a newcomer to the sport, but I'm put off buying an e-bike just because they start at about £4k for the type I'd want - and you'd have to be very brave to buy one secondhand (which I often do for other bikes).
Not exactly an impulse purchase or affordable as an experiment. I'd need to be confident I'd keep it a good while, so probably best to let the technology mature a bit more anyway.
The way I look at this is that in 5 years the work that has been put into this bike will have trickled down to bikes that I can afford. From the reviews I've read of this bike it sounds like they have taken a big step in the right direction in terms of power delivery and integration and if you want that right now it comes with a hefty price tag.
Maybe, but it also has the potential to drive up prices of lower end normal bikes before the trickle down...
you cant buck the market (either from a buyers or sellers point of view) - noone is forcing anyone to buy this bike (or any other bike) - the market sets the price - its the point where buyers and sellers meet, if people arent willing to buy this bike then it wont sell and specialized will have to drop the price.
I think this bike will sell , specialized will have done their homework - it will sell to those who can afford it (obviously). There is a lot of money swilling around out there - and finance options make this sort of bike "affordable" to more people, in the same way that everyone seems to have a new range rover evoque on their drive.
Sworks bikes have always been v expensive.
S-works bikes have always been v expensive.
^^This^^
It's expensive because that's what the S-Works fans want, and are willing to pay for.
The value in the Specialized range is generally around the Comp and Expert level, which haven't been released yet for this generation of the Levo.
When did the last company make such a splash?
Someone released a £999, carbon everything, balance bike...
Someone above mentioned PCP and I think it’s pretty obvious finance is the direction of travel for bikes. Flash bikes seem more affordable with monthly payments, and after x years you sign a piece of paper and get a new one.
The finance model will be (is) different to cars, but I’m confident that it’s what the big companies intend.
Wonder if they've made a more reasonably priced E version of the Status, but just not told anyone about it?
That could be spot-on, eh?
Wonder if they’ve made a more reasonably priced E version of the Status, but just not told anyone about it?
😂
Personally I don't care how much any bike is as long as it's better value than the parts individually. As long as I'm getting better value for money than building it up of or even having a shop build me a bike with the parts I specify, I'll buy complete. The sport has changed massively over the last 30/40 years - Back in the 90's you'd look like a nutter if you'd spent 3k on a complete bike, custom builds were all the rage. Now it seems stock bikes are 'cool'..
The last complete bike I bought was in the middle of the fat bike revolution when it was significantly cheaper to spend 1k on a compete fatbike than attempt to build a custom.
The value for money that your getting with this 13k ebike seems a rip off if you can effectively buy the same bike for the same or less money in components. Specialized must be rubbing their hands together one the rare occasions they sell one.
The value for money that your getting with this 13k ebike seems a rip off if you can effectively buy the same bike for the same or less money in components. Specialized must be rubbing their hands together one the rare occasions they sell one.
I'm sure Spesh will be more than happy you going and buying the bits individually (if you can actually get hold of them...), as they'll sell all of these fairly easily, I reckon.
And yep, they'll be rubbing their hands - much like any other company in the world, they've priced them to make a profit - it's literally how the whole global economy works...
Once again, just because it's a company making bikes, it doesn't mean they have to forego profits to keep some IT middle managers on a forum happy.
Specialized must be rubbing their hands together one the rare occasions they sell one.
It’s really not that rare. They’ll sell everything they make. As I said above, a lot of customers at this level CBA working out if its good value vs building themselves. I’d bet if you asked them 6 months after purchase, they couldn’t list the components fitted, never mind how much they cost aftermarket.
The value in the Specialized range is generally around the Comp and Expert level, which haven’t been released yet for this generation of the Levo.
Enduro Comp is £5k, NX, basic suspension, wheelset thats not up to the job. Its terrible value for money, then when you see the discounts that have been applied on previous models, its laughable.
Slash 9.8 is far better value, trying to compete with the online lot.
To put the 13k levo into perspective.
I’m sure Spesh will be more than happy you going and buying the bits individually (if you can actually get hold of them…), as they’ll sell all of these fairly easily, I reckon.
Again missing my point - if buying the parts individually, why would you buy specialized parts? When you could have some boutique brands on there for the same or less cash - forks, groupset, brakes wouldn't be specialized etc. So less profits for them.
Once again, just because it’s a company making bikes, it doesn’t mean they have to forego profits to keep some IT middle managers on a forum happy.
Agree - and I'm also not the target audience for this bike, like stw said in the vid it seems to be footballers or generally wealthy non mtbers, who want the most expensive bike in the shop. in this case, if you know your bikes you'd be nuts to buy it as a complete build - which is my point.
For comparison and some perspective
Dacia Duster
VW Up
Citroen C3
Hyundai i20
Skoda Fabia
Vauxhall Corsa
Suzuki Ignis
MG 3
All under 12k new....
There are watches that cost more than my house, what’s your point?
Back in the 90’s you’d look like a nutter if you’d spent 3k on a complete bike, custom builds were all the rage
if you know your bikes you’d be nuts to buy it as a complete build
You both know this is mostly a UK based "thing" though, right? The two biggest markets for MTBs (Germany and US) don't have the frame +selected parts+ build yourself mentality to bike purchasing (unless they replacing worn parts) the normal way to bike ownership in those markets is an off the shelf complete build.
I did a summer job in a firm that did essentially posh garage builds, and their market was folk with lots of disposable income, they targeted (mostly men obviously) with incomes above £100K in the UK and the list was literally millions of people...Specialized will sell all of these bikes.
in this case, if you know your bikes you’d be nuts to buy it as a complete build – which is my point.
to the general public, spending more than a couple of hundred quid on a bike is completely nuts, more-so if you plan on riding it down a muddy hillside...
think people forgot there are lots of people pulling in £5k+ a month.
I'd say its still expensive. Still at least two months complete earnings. i.e. ~17% of you yearly take home on one bike. Your expenses are likely to be more if you're earning more as well
That e-moto might be a bargain but I bet you can’t ride it at the local bike park or trail centre. Or on a cycle path/bridleway.
I know we all (myself included) think the new Levonis mentally expensive but I was informed by a friend working in the States that all the S3 and S4 sizes sold out before the end of release day so obviously they’re not overpriced. Just overpriced for us
Maybe, but it also has the potential to drive up prices of lower end normal bikes before the trickle down…
Some time back in the late 80's the then boss of Porsche essentially said "If you want a cheap Porsche, then buy one second hand" and he culled all the "cheaper" versions and basic models, everyone said he was mad to do that, and surely it would spell the end of Porsche...And obviously now Porsche isn't one of the largest car manufacturers in the world, and the market in second hand really nice Porsches is so healthy that the editor of a mountain bike magazine can save up for one, own it for high days and holidays and pass it one to the next happy owner at no loss...
So, no just because one new mountain bike is £13K it just doesn't follow that all bikes prices go up a few grand on the back of it. Markets just don't work like that.
Bike for tory gammons?
the market in second hand really nice Porsches is so healthy that the editor of a mountain bike magazine can save up for one, own it for high days and holidays and pass it one to the next happy owner at no loss…
Surely you can't compare an eBike to a classic car? That Levo will be outdated in 12 months' time and in 3-4 years time it'll be positively retro (in the bad sort of way). In 5 years it'll be worthless, let alone in 10, 15, 20 years (assuming the motor survives that long).
If it sways anyones decision whether or not to spend 13k on an ebike, all that money gets you a bike that only weighs 50lb.
Always makes me laugh when I see S Works on an ebike. The whole idea that S works is the ultimate performance machine for people who take their cycling seriously and are really into it. Perhaps performing pretty well.
Then you see the engine and the whole facade falls away to be replaced by this vision of a plump IT middle manager using his wads of cash to try to compensate for his lack of...
Do you think that in 20 years we'll back at current e-bikes like we do at 1990s DH bikes, hopelessly primitive and clunky compared to what they've evolved into?
Obviously the geometry is OK, but I mean the technical integration and reliability.
Surely you can’t compare an eBike to a classic car?
I'm not. I'm saying that just because a market segment leader (Specialized, or Porsche) inflate their prices for a new release model, it doesn't then follow that the entire market does (or can do) the same thing. In part Specialized can sell a Levo for £13K because it's Specialized, and they have a well-trodden path of doing this (and sell these bikes in days of release) Same with Yeti (reputation) or Santa Cruz (market segment) . It doesn't follow that say BMC or Merida can (or want to for that matter). The same way you can get Porsche speed by another route (second hand, or say; a Caterham for new for a lot less)
Markets will level themselves, there's really relatively few goods that are price controlled by the most expensive version of that thing in it's marketplace...In fact it's nearly always the opposite
Specialized can price their products however they see fit. Its not illegal or amoral to offer a complete product for more than the cost of the components.
But, if you knew anything about bikes you would have to be a complete fool to be spending more the the RRP of the components on a complete bike.
It will be bought by people who read lifestyle rather than mountain bike magazines.
Then you see the engine and the whole facade falls away to be replaced by this vision of a plump IT middle manager using his wads of cash to try to compensate for his lack of…
I used to think like this. But then I thought, you know what - if you have money, why shouldn't you buy the things you want? Wouldn't it be more ridiculous to think 'well I'd like this but I don't want people to see me on it, I'm worried what they might think of me' ?
I'm sure some people think I'm a right bell-end going out in my (bottom of the range) £100 Assos Lycra top and shorts, and my two-grand road bike. I'm sure people think I'm trying to show off and pretend I'm a pro. Some people probably look at that and then laugh at my gut. But really, I'm just out for a ride aren't I?
But, if you knew anything about bikes you would have to be a complete fool to be spending more the the RRP of the components on a complete bike.
Or I know a lot about bikes but can't be be bothered to spend the time and effort in building up and just want the off the shelf bike now. So what if it costs me more, I am not concerned about money and have more than I know what to do with hence buying a £13K bike.
Surely you can’t compare an eBike to a classic car?
No, he's comparing it to a Boxster... 😉
This bike and its pricing relative to others doesnt seem too much different from various apple products to me.
There are other bikes from different brands that are nearly as good (or maybe even better depending on what you're after) for half the price. Same goes for most apple stuff.
It'll be bought by people that dont care that its more expensive than buying the components and building up, they just want that warm glow of knowing that its a very good bike, from a very good brand, with very good after sales support all bought from a shop down the road.
Just hope that the motor is reliable in this version.......
I wont be buying one - way too much money for me - like most apple products
Some time back in the late 80’s the then boss of Porsche essentially said “If you want a cheap Porsche, then buy one second hand” and he culled all the “cheaper” versions and basic models, everyone said he was mad to do that, and surely it would spell the end of Porsche…And obviously now Porsche isn’t one of the largest car manufacturers in the worl
The problem with that analogy is that its completely wrong. As in the 80s and early 90s (when they stopped doing 'cheap' cars Porsche nearly died. And it was the introduction of the mass produced (Toyota inspired) 986 and its platform sharing 996 that 'saved' Porsche, and they sold in far, far higher numbers and with a bigger profit margin than their previous offerings in the 70s and 80s, and lead to the introduction of the Cayenne and other more mainstream models.
THAT is what made Porsche the most profitable car company in the world - before that they nearly went under.
Sorry for the massive OT there!
As for the bike - they clearly want to be driving themselves right to the top of the market, and the fact that year in year out they sell out of the high end stuff proves theres a market.
However, as always, that opens up a market for those more open to unknown brands, experimentation, etc.
In a year or so time, once supply chains recover a little more, and the 'man in a shed' can purchase a crate of EP8 motors, I fully expect to see Cotic, Bird, Privateer, Calibre, AN other,s etc etc coming out with much more affordable Ebikes and hopefully, hopefully, E-bikes available as frame only!
Reading through, there are a number of posts pointing out that Specialized will sell all of what they produce and potentially sell out quickly. This tells us nothing about whether it's overpriced (it is) or how many rich people there are out there. What it tells us is Specialized produces S-Works models in very low numbers, because they don't sell many. Even less so when we're talking about electric bikes that won't be given out to sponsored racers.
Everyone I know with a S-Works bike seems to have only bought it because they could get trade prices.
What I want to know is if there are actually any IT middle managers here? Certainly ain't me.
If it were a 1k bike and had lower end components of a £750 bike people would be taking this thread very differently....
It seems we view bikes in the high-end level very differently to the low end.
High end = people who can afford it wil buy it, what's your problem....
Lower end = it's a rip off they won't sell....
People are less concerned with value at the top end, simply.
Is the 13k bike 1/3rd more than sum of its parts, at RRP, like your £750 of parts bike for a grand?
I'd still only spend £750 ( or less with sales) and build it my self, as I'm not stupid.