Absolutely love my Spesh sl 2. It can do huge days out. Got the range extender which slots into the bottle holder but have barely dipped into it so far. 50 mile rides easily doable but I wanted a bike where I will still work so I do ride in eco a lot and use trail or turbo for nasty steep climbs. It's super light at 19kg and looks and feels like a normal bike which is what I wanted from a ebike. I'm 70kg so I suppose it may not suit a heavier rider or someone who wants to turbo everywhere.
I’ve got a Levo SL2 and it’s ace. I ride more, further, faster. Rarely drive in town now, just use the bike more. Not as fit as I used to be as age catches up a bit with me in my early 50s…
Didn’t want a full fat Levo as there is a consequence to the extra mass with regards to handling on the trails. The only benefit I can see is the ability to motor up crazy steep stuff. I still want to have to put some effort in when I’m out for a ride also.
Levo SL2 weighs 19kg with heavy 29” wheels front & back (2kg for the pair), GX Transmission, 200mm HS2 rotors, Maxxis 2.5” tyres, Range Extender battery. I’m 82kg.
I took it to Spain earlier this year, dry & warm with steep climbs, so ideal conditions to test it out and for battery range. Rarely used turbo as this eats the battery, but rarely felt I needed it.
Screenshots of the stats from various rides. With the Range Extender the battery life is 150%.
This was a super techy ride with some crazy exposure and real consequence. Steady road climb rather than on a trail and about 18c. Only 44% of the 150% available battery used, mainly Eco mode. Extrapolate it out to get approx 50 miles and over 10,000ft of climbing.
Sessioning the Malaga bike park trails on a 20c day. There were 2 steep fire road climbs that looped you back to the top. Mainly Sport mode and approx half of the available battery used. Extrapolate this out and you get over 30 miles and 7000ft of vertical.
This was an urban start through Almeria to a brutal rocky climb mainly using Eco and techy descent, then back up the same climb mainly using Sport to a faster flowier descent. Extrapolated out to roughly 55 miles and over 8000ft of vertical.
Real world range albeit in warm conditions so these numbers are probably getting close to optimal performance. Colder UK riding definitely reduces range as does using Turbo mode.
I really love this bike. Hope this helps anyone who is SL curious.
I’m assuming that most of that elevation was gained on fireroads?
I’ve managed 4400ft of appalling winter singletrack climbs on just the internal battery which had 12% left at the end.
Presently, all my eeb experience has been in this Autumn/Winter. My assumption is that range will increase comfortably when ground conditions are better. Can anyone comment on this?
Yes, fireroads, standard here.
I did a ride last weekend where I rinsed the battery+extender in 38 miles & 5500ft of natural trails & XC - ground was sodden, really windy and barely above freezing. Burnt over 3,000 calories (measured) too. Heavy going and I'd have been shattered on my normal FS.
I wonder if those poo pooing the idea are also negative to the idea and concept of ebikes.
Well, I'm not, I love them. But this is just a step away from petrol powered push bikes... which is several steps backwards IMHO, just like the Top Gear prank.
Anyway, he said they didn't even use it, and had it there just in case, which sounds good to me.
When away if I can't charge mine (non removable battery) I just drive to big services and charge it there. You do get some funny looks
Re the SRAM vs Shimano cassette thing, I folded over the 3 middle sprockets on the SLX 2s on my Rise, after snapping a chain on an (admittedly very poor, under power) shift, so no sure which ‘light’ cassette is stronger.
I have it on good authority that now I'm over 40 it is OK to rant.
I've always taken a "live and let live" approach to e-bikers. However, now that e-bikers are apparently breeding prolifically and I've never seen Cannock in such a bad state I gotta say OP, if you do get one then please for FFS:
- Don't cut straight lines up through switch backs (damaging the trail for people who *gasp* prefer to pedal up).
- Don't cut straight lines on the trails generally even if the corners become tiresome. For some people, developing the skill of holding momentum around corners is part of the attraction. Pointless if pedalling is for free though, I get it.
- Don't chip/hack/whatever it. I can imagine a few private landowners do allow non-road legal e-bikes but many (like Forestry England) only allow road legal bikes.
- If you just want to hoon up and down hills in straight lines please ask Forestry England to make some dedicated trails for you.
I know it's only a minority and don't want to tar all e-bikers but please guys don't be d1cks lol.
What's the smallest, lightest weight generator available? Would it be possible to strap one onto the bike and charge the battery as you ride? Obviously, only a very small battery would be required, so that's an immediate weight saving.
I know it’s only a minority and don’t want to tar all e-bikers but please guys don’t be d1cks lol.
I bet you hate generators too * shakes head sadly * 🙁
Dynamo front hub?
You come equipped with a low emission pair of legs. Put in food turn the pedals. Not much of a limit on Range.
Thankyou you are entitled to your opinion.
@Weeksy - whenever I’ve borrowed and ridden one, if the battery dies halfway through the weekend I just charge up from the plug socket on my van. So I guess that’s a 2L diesel generator. Yours is probably much smaller than that, so go for it.
At trail centres do the cafes encorage/allow batteries to be left charging while you do loops before a swap?
Trade electricity for cake type of thing and bypass the generator. Maybe charging lockable boxes like the ones for phones you sometimes see?
