Full-powered e-bikes don’t have to weigh upwards of 50lb. Today, Specialized introduces its new S-Works Levo R Ultralight e-bike, with a claimed weight of just 18.8kg.
That’s right under 41.5 lbs for those of us using freedom units. Thanks to a smaller battery and top-shelf components — which, of course, come at a price — the Ultralight is several pounds lighter than other Levo R builds.
Full power, significantly lighter weight
When the Specialized Levo R was introduced, it was a bike that surprised a lot of people. For the most part, we’ve come to accept that e-bikes, especially full-powered ones, are heavy — generally north of 50lb. Getting down into the low- or even mid-40s almost always means opting for less power.
Then the Levo R entered the picture. It is a short-travel, downcountry-style e-bike but with a full-power drive unit — all the power. The S-Works Levo R Jeff tested boasts 850W of peak power and 111Nm of torque, and weighs 48 lb. Now, he was on a size S5, which is about 2lb heavier than the claimed 46lb weight for a size S3.
Pretty good for all that power. But the new S-Works Levo R Ultralight sheds five more pounds, bringing the weight below most mid-power e-bikes on the market. In fact, only two models of the Specialized Turbo Levo SL are lighter than the new S-Works Levo R Ultralight e-bike — the S-Works Levo SL and Levo SL Pro builds.
So, how did Specialized drop so much weight? Well, first, the new bike comes with a smaller battery. While the other Levo R builds see the bulky 840Wh battery, the new Levo R Ultralight gets a 600Wh battery. This alone saves about 2.6lb.
Component choice
The other half of the weight savings comes in the form of components. Compared to the S-Works Levo R, the Ultralight version saves more than a pound on wheels alone. The Levo R Ultralight rolls on Roval Control SL VI carbon rims laced to Industry Nine Solix hubs. The rims are 5mm narrower than the Roval Traverse SL rims on the Levo R S-Works and utilize carbon spokes.
Weight is also saved on the drivetrain by using the SRAM Eagle XX SL Transmission rather than the SRAM XX. Between the two builds, the saddle is the same, except for carbon rails on the Levo R Ultralight. The Ultralight also features TRICKSTUFF Direttissima brakes rather than SRAM Motives, saving about 20g.
Another pound is saved by opting for lighter tires with a thinner casing. Another 200g or so is saved by using a BikeYoke Revive 3.0 dropper post rather than a RockShox Reverb AXS. It is these little things that add up to bring the Levo R S-Works Ultralight down to Specialized’s claimed 41.5 lbs.
But you’re gonna pay. Apparently, 5lb of weight savings is worth $1,500, bringing the price of the Levo R Ultralight option up to $12,999.99.
But is it better?
A full-powered e-bike at 41lb is incredibly impressive. Much of that weight savings, however, is due to a smaller battery, which will significantly reduce range. In his review, Jeff mentioned getting about 32 miles and 3,000 feet with the larger 840Wh battery, utilizing mostly Eco and Trail modes.
Obviously, we can expect less, but there is always the option to add the 3.1 Range Extender for an additional $700. Toting the range extender around will also add about 3.5 lbs to the bike, bringing it closer to the Levo R S-Works’ weight.
Ultralight buyers also sacrifice the sturdiness of some components, especially tires. Not only are the Trail and Ground Control tires less aggressive than the Purgatory tires on the Levo R S-Works, but keeping weight down means opting for the Grid Lite casing out back. And despite a slim weight, is an e-bike too much for the Roval Control SL wheels, which are intended for XC riding?
Regardless, 41.5 lbs is damn impressive for a full-powered machine.
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