Great objective review Neil. You answered all the questions I had, especially what it's like to pedal above the limit, something never usually touched on. I think if the limit was the same as the USA, nobody would bother to derestrict any ebike anyway.
I have my full fat ebike for the trails I used to ride on my analogue bike 20 years ago . Now older and not so fitter the ebike enables me to ride the same trails. I still have my non ebike for gentle rides with flatter terrain.
Neil’s insights are spot on. Ideal for a rider of his calibre. For us pensioners with health issues and less skills, full fat all the way. Definitely a market for the SL low torque bikes though.
If you don't have the skills get out there and develop them , that's the fun of mountain biking , having an electric motor on your bike doesn't give you skills
A much needed video. I'm in Neil's camp, love the light e bikes for all the same reasons. Have had the Levo SL (StumpJumper geo) for almost two years, fantastic. Giving up a little power for a hugely improved feel is an easy choice for me, and I hardly ever use the top level. Should also note, the SLs have shorter chainstays than the fat e bikes, and that makes a *huge* difference in how maneuverable and playful they are. The regular Levo is just too much of a tank coming downhill and lots alot of the fun. Would be interested in trying the Kenevo SL just to compare the DH feel.
I have a SC Heckler that I ride mostly in trail mode but turbo is great when I'm in a hurry or for a long boring fire road climb or to spice up a slow flowy single track, or a steep tech climb. Full power works for me at about 46 pounds. The bike weight is not an issue considering how much weight I have lost and my riding has improved a lot because of I ride so much more now. Fun but not cheap, worth it to me.
What we want is a 2022 ksl with 90nm , you can turn it down if you like , its that simple. Orbea rise with steps e8000 would be great too for the same reasons. Sorry ep8 too noisy for me. The 2018 Focus Sam2 has been out over 4 years now and was well ahead of its time, it still holds up now, check the specs.
Great review from Neil as always. I think e-bikes are dope but I think there's a lot of advancement to be made with them. I personally want to see a motor/gearbox combo to get rid of the derailleur all together. And prices....they need to come down, but that will take time.
I derestricted both my ebikes. Would never go back to having a limt. Even going for family ride being able to criuse at 30kmh makes such a difference. Laws don't make sense, being penalised when you can ride a normal bike that fast anyway.
Do you lose warranty with it? I suppose you need to remove the "dongle" before sending your bike for maintenance or something like that on a Specialized shop.
No dongle, paid guy to come out and reprogram it. If you need to send back for warranty he will come out and revert it back. No warranty is just a scare tatic as the motor works no harder in a higher gear at 40kmh than it does going up a steep hill at 10kmh. I have shimano EP8
@@blindtrader4103 Interesting, all of the ones that I've seen use thing dongle that you connect to the display. Reprogramming the firmware is a whole different level. Good to know, I'll keep that in mind when the time comes for me to sell my Stumpjumper and buy the Levo.
Excellent video! Jones is a laugh and good with stats, but never gives us a “would I buy this bike” opinion… which is really welcome. Esp as demo’ing these bikes is such a nightmare just now
The rider POV shots on the ride were just awesome! Fast, at times sketchy, and put you right on the trail. Sweet trail too. Such a good video. That said, I'm sticking with my 50lb Trek Rail 7!
My brother in law and sister got their full power ebikes before me. I rode both and headed to our local bike shop , they were out , but had a sl in my size. After a quick test ride, I could tell it had less power, but still bought it ! Its super fun and ive got 2000 mi now with no problems. But if i were to get another one it would be full power
I have a KSL and a Gen 3 TL, they are both spectacular, but the KSL is a masterpiece. I am nowhere near your skill level Neil but the KSL has given me abilities I did not know I had and my fitness is another level above. A great choice
The fixed battery is Just Not good enough for touring. With my fazua evation i Had 4 batterys in the Backpack. Is rly Like the ksl but that doesnt make any Sense too me to build IT Like.
I ride a turbo Levo. My only true complaint is the drag above the MPH limiter. If the motor / gearbox would completely allow the cranks to spin like a regular but heavy MTB I would have nothing but good to say. Am I missed informed, does the motor , or can the motor totally disengage???
Even with a normal 3.0 or 2.0 speedbox (the cheaper ones) it will set your max speed to 31mph and then let you keep going to the max speed your gears allow you. I've got a 2018 candondale moterra, gen 2 motor bosch and have no drag at all when the speedbox is on.
The motor on my KSL and the Levo SL does completely disengage but you don't feel it. It's smooth as anything because the bike's so light. You've got to remember when it disengages on a full fat you're pedaling a 24+KG bike, on a SL only 18 so the transition is smooth making it feel more like an actual bike
Would love to try this type of bike, less power and less weight, cause I do XC biking so 99.9% of the time I'm in Eco mode on my standard ebike, I never even tried using Turbo mode, and I use Trail (middle) mode very very rarely on steepest of climbs or when terrain is too rough for Eco. But I guess I'd have to be in Trail or Turbo mode on Levo SL to get same level of assist as in Eco mode on standard ebike. On standard ebike I can squeeze 1000m of elevation from 504wh battery in Eco mode. If I could get that much elevation from the battery on the Levo SL type of bike with similar assist level as in Eco mode on standard ebike that would be great. Standard ebike is a killer when you have to push it up the steep hill or carry it over obstacles and also above the 25km/h limit it would be nice to have lighter bike and on the flats I'm often above the limit. But no one gives you credit for all that, when they criticize you of being lazy cause you are riding an ebike 😆
I swapped my full fat ebike for the Kenevo SL. Definitely different but I love this Kenevo. It doesn't look like an ebike. Nothing whatsoever, I've had to tell numerous that I didn't swap my ebike for a normal bike. They're much lighter. Less awkward when you do have to come to a stop. I don't find the battery an issue whatsoever because if you have good battery management you won't find that a problem. Yes it is slower going up hill but much faster coming down. You should definitely look at the Levo SL Comp carbon. I rode one of them an it was beautiful. Such a stunning bike. 👍
literally test rode the exact same bike last week 😂 Not joking when i say it was the last bike in the shop!! I think it was still there because of the banana paint. Spectacular bike regardless!!
I agree with the comment below. 15mph is just too slow, in terms of road riding that’s way below an average speed riding solo. However the elephant in the room is Ebike motor reliability. The uk can be brutal on non ebikes so the electrics element leads to an almost guaranteed failure. Especially as you’re not allowed to service these units as you would say a fork or shock. So when ( not if) it gives up the acoustic bike is there for you. To me, a “full fat” Ebike and an acoustic is ideal. On some flatter routes such as DED (Neil you rip this) the top speed on an Ebike is below the average speed of the route and on my Kenevo I can feel that drag on certain sections. When it gets steep the Ebike is in its element. For technical climbs again the Ebike. Shuttling bike parks, the Ebike. However for flatter flowy trails the acoustic can’t be beaten. Keep the acoustic for sure ;-)
@@Neil.C57510 if it’s a Spesh it may be water getting into the TCU on top tube. I’ve wrapped mine in electrical tape (the section that inserts into the top tube) and given water ingress es around the cable entry points am thinking using Sugru to Crete a seal that can be removed. If your on a Shimano based unit….all I can say is good luck as their electrics in my experience are awful. Why oh why don the industry introduce a system where your motor is serviced regularly to check for water ingress etc. And extend the warranty if you do so. If you buy a new car, campervan, motorbike etc etc you have to get a service regularly or you invalidate the warranty. In the Ebike world if you do try to service the unit the warranty is invalidated. Just how many motors are being thrown away when Cotic can’t get an EP8 until 2023. I very much enjoy the Ebike however if you want just an Ebike buy two at least :-) as they are still utterly unreliable. Yes I know someone will come on stating they have done 200,000 miles on their Bosch however for every one of those there are c. 127.5 that haven’t.
100 % depends on where your riding , if your at or above the assist limit ,(25kph where I am) it's hard going .But for me that works great as I can push above the limit for a good workout then cruise under it for HIT riding .It's really only as hard as you want it to be . When I talk to people who tell me I'm lazy for riding an e bike , I know they either haven't tried one or just ride under the assist limit.
Like Steve, my dinosaur mtb was relegated to spiders and creepy crawlies as soon as I got my emtb. Funnily enough, couldn't sell it - literally nobody wanted a relatively high spec mtb - all were saving for an emtb...
Turbo levo with levociraptor. 25-30 mph on the flats, 15mph everywhere else changes the ride totally. Constant 300w effort from the rider. Full fat doesn’t necessarily mean unfit it can mean faster, depends how you use the bike.
I love that kenevo sl amazing bike, but I think the Orbea rise may be the way forward. With that punchy EP8 motor. Some people have taken them up to a 160 travel. Orbea now have an aluminium version with a 504wh battery. For a full ebike I suppose it comes down to where you ride. Tight trails to hide that limiter cut off. Or steep open trails to get the bike moving over the limiter. It’s all heading in the right direction and keeping the industry alive. Really great review 🤘 you need
Endless reviews of this type = either/or. You CAN have both. Rotwild make the RE375, 20Kg (WITH pedals), same geo as the KenevoSL but with full power EP8 motor and a 375wh battery. You don't have to choose between weight or power. You do, it's true, have to consider what you want to achieve: Full power for half a day or half power for a full day (or pack a spare battery in the car. Your choice.
My takeaway from the video is one of (if not the major) reason for not going all in on an ebike is the ridiculous 25kph restrictor. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the reason for restrictors in the first place to protect the Moped industry from new technology & they lobbied so ebikes wouldn't become popular? If so , it seems to me, now that the ebike industry is FAR more financially powerful, that they could exert more pressure (bribery) than the moribund moped lobby. Since its's only a matter of who is the highest bidder with politicians, just raise the pay-off & be done with it.
It's actually for protecting the bike lanes of Europe. Mopeds aren't allowed on bike lane, EU regulators had to put a limit on a speed for the bike lanes before being too fast for the safety of other bikes users. 25 KM/h was the speed limit chosen and IMO it's currently fine enough. Maybe it could be pushed to 30 in a few years when the majority of bikes are electric. But for now it's a good balance. The people who want more speed can go the S-pedelec route which are limited to 45KM/h. But aren't allowed to ride on bike lanes and thus limited to the actual road.
@@simony2801 So then I must assume you'd be in favor of speed restrictors on pedal bikes as well ? In 1901 Connecticut imposed a 12 mph speed limit on automobiles & required them to be preceded by someone carrying a lantern to warn pedestrians; had you been born you'd have no doubt thought that too was a reasonable requirement. Have you considered that perhaps speed alone isn't a problem (if there really IS a problem) but perhaps how the bicycle is being operated that may endanger other trail users ?
@@thierryfaquet7405 Thank you for the clarification, however by your logic (25 KM/h being fine enough) since hikers walk at 5 KM/h, why not have ALL bikes required to go that speed ? How can ebikes going slower than pedal bikes be a "good balance" when ebike riders risk being plowed into from behind by a maniac mtb riders going faster. I was once chased by an unleashed dog & couldn't escape & had to fight a rabid canine to the (almost) death (luckily his). I de-restricted my bike after that experience.
@@Tumid1 bike lane don’t have pedestrian ? Like wtf ? It’s not my logic, it’s the european union one… They had to fiy a limit somwhere, they fixed it. If you want more buy a motorcycle and use the few trails for them.
It would be great to see specialized come out with an e-bike that is more down-to-earth to the regular person. Most of their bikes are between 10000 and $15,000. Those prices are ridiculously insane considering you can get a KTM motorcycle for $10,000
Ahh the good ol' classic "i can get a dirtbik/motocycle for that price" lol. Its been like that since lance armstrong days if not longer. They sell road bikes for $24k and bmw sold a $30k mtb once. Good luck specialized is a high end company with lots of R&D extreem measures that most dont bother with. Just buy a giant e bike then. Or save up. Thats like asking Lexus to have Ford pricing
Thanks for the honesty it's what matters, the bike looks the dogs and would suit a person who wants a workout and would definitely smash down anything.
A lightweight E-Bike would be right up my alley if it was legal on my trails (They are not). Would love one to have after riding a couple back to back days on my regular bike, but need some help because my energy is not there for a 3rd big day in a row. Not in the least bit interested in a fat and clumsy 55-60lb full power E-bike, but a 40lb one that I can still throw around and pop off things at will that mostly feels like a traditional bike, that has just enough power to make the 4-5000ft of climbing bearable when tired is very interesting. The Orbea Rise also looks interesting, hoping they come out with a light version based on the Rallon, that is coil friendly and a little slacker.
It's not one the other but ride both Emtbs and naturally aspirated mtbs to enhance the fun. The magic of Emtbs is that they turn us into gleeful kids again and broaden our ability to explore terrain multiplying the joy of one of mans greatest gravity cheating inventions the bicycle. They are a Time Machine. E=Mtb²
Great video I need to come down to a light weight Ebike . Think a trail centre ride like Coed y Brenin sl v levo full race loop is the MBR would be great
I was torn between kenevo and Levo, I'm a roadie guy that used to race On Crit, and XC Mtb.. I am a bit critical of. E bikes until I found the Levo Gen 3... Finally pulled the trigger and bought the most expensive bike 🚴 purchase in my life... And oh boy Levo gen 3 is the complete package for me... If a Kenevo could have the same power as the levo I would be on the kenevo.. But My two didn't style fits the Levo
Hi all, looking for some help. Just hit 50 and interested in a bit of help going uphill 😁. What's putting me off is the cost of them soooooo. Should I buy a basic new E MTB or high end second hand one. Confused as don't know enough about them looking at a 2018 Specialized Levo. Many thanks for all your help in advance, Merry Christmas
very interesting comments regarding the full fat Bike against the SL , It make's a lot of sense now why i'm not keeping up with the boys on there full fat bikes lol
I just got a "full fat" ebike and while I like it, I wish it felt more bike like, I still ride with a lot of fit analog guys and I think I may need to pick up an SL, plus I loved my Enduro sooo yeah lol
spent a day in eco on my full fat e bike when i was thinking about an SL, and decided that it kind of defeated the point of an e bike in the first place. Also would add, that i have read a few posts of people that have both and you might not be surprised that some have ended up selling on the lightweight after not using it in the end.
It’s not the same though, you’re riding at a lower assistance but still lugging around a full power (and weight) bike 🤷🏼♂️ I like the idea of a lightweight bike that feels like a normal bike but you can take the sting out of some of the climbs on certain rides. Different bikes for different riders.
I wish Orbea would make their lightweight versions in an their enduro geometry. I don't know why they followed up a light weight trail e-bike with a second lightweight trail e-bike????
I have a full fat ebike and a normal bike and for me there is a time and a place for both. Certain trails the eeb is much more fun and others the normal bike is. I love them both and wouldnt ditch either!
Rise is better. Just put on another shock and a 27.5 rear wheel and you have a 160/160 bike, but also a 140/150 bike for longer flatter days. more versatile.
I just can't understand the all out hate some riders have for Ebikes, or at least class 1. The really ironic thing is these people make the same argument that hikers made to keep bikes off the trail 25 years ago. My wife has a pretty nice one, kinda like he said, its great occasionally to do a quick trail check or recovery ride, but I much prefer the responsiveness of my "Dino bike" (even tho I'm 55), but its certainly opened up options for the wife to ride with me.
Great review. Won't be giving up my full fat kenevo though. On another note, why do those who dont want an ebike comment on an ebike channel? They ain't changing my mind with their luddite mindset.
Not hating eebs but love my Rocky Mountain altitude. Do 90% of servicing, repairs and upgrades. I’d hate to get a mechanical out on the trails which involved lithium 🔥 batteries 🔋 💧 water and cables omg 😱 enough of that shiz with the bloody car 🚗 Good 👍🏼 review by Neil though 🤛🏼
Since I’ve been on a full power ebike for over a year now getting on a lower power ebike I’m sure it will be a big difference. I only wish they came out with lower power ebikes first. Because going from a regular bike then going to lower power ebike the lower power ebike would not feel like lower power . If you don’t have any medical or health problems I say go for the lower power ebike. If I had the chance I would love to demo one.
@@jamble7k ha your right. But I have a lot of friends that don’t want an ebike because of all the power. And the lower power ebike would be a good compromise you still get that feeling of a regular bike because of less weight and the power you need to get up steep hills. I still love my full power.
@@jamble7k are you sessioning going up or coming down? If you're going up you want more power, if you're coming down you want less weight, more manoeuvrability, speed and travel ect.
@@BH-cy9tb you're bang on. I've had both and you're right in what you say - I sold my full fat so I can clear 30 - 40 foot jumps. Lugging a 24KG bike over a jump that big didn't seem too appealing lol, on the KSL though no problem
it's a very nice bike with some great suspension, I think i would like this bike simply because of the weight issue with full ebikes being to damn heavy
Cost bebefits is as always left out...16000 euros!!! I can buy a used analog Enduro and travel the world, bike och the best spots for a year for the same amont of money. It s time to be critical to the pricing of all kinds of bikes... The big brands normalize high prices. At the end of your life do you think you wiched you would have spent more money on expensive bikes? or done couple more mtb trips with your friends?
i think i am more of a steve type person (granted i am much younger but still) i love the good old tech climb and i dont care about weight. i need torque and power not weight if i want low weight i would ride a carbon roadbike.
I'm 59 and have a full fat that I ride with my mates and the Kenevo SL I ride on my own, it makes up for my age. On my 15 mile route 1200ft of climbing I'm only about 10minutes slower than the fully fat. It goes up everything the full fat can do, you just need to take your time, not to blow a gasket. When you ride with full fat bikes, when it gets steep you just have to take on board your not going to keep up.
The UK speed limit should be set to 30mph. 15.5mph is so slow it's shameful and given it's not that difficult to reach 25-30mph on a standard bike, why would anyone ride an ebike thats restricted?
I have an Orbea rise an on the most part thats been ok, other than it rattles like a pig. i still ride my normal bike which is a specialized enduro, its almost always the one i pull out of the garage first. e bikes are ok, but the refinement of them is still crap, rattley/short life motors (my friends on his 3rd bosch in a year, and another friend on his 2nd) on bikes that have price tags up to £12,000? while it doesnt bother some people, i think its a disgrace to be honest and generic displays? i think specialized are the only ones so far that have come close to actually making a proper well rounded package.
for short life of motors i cant complain as my yamaha pw motor has over 8000km in 5 years on it and still rides like new. maybe newer motors are built more lightly (have plastic gears in them to save weight) then back in 2016 when i got mine. battery still lasts more than i am willing to ride in one go so i cant complain about it.
Awesome feedback. I ride faster on my old regular one too, but no more for longer time. 25 limitation is too low on easy trail. 30 is better to follow friends. Weight matters more than power. On my Decoy, I setup eco mode like these light ebike. Even with 7kg more than this Kenevo, 35Nm is enough to ride with regular bikers. You just have to manage your stamina during climb. And if I have more money, I will definitely store a modern regular bike beside my ebike in my garage.
I set up my Echo mode via Bluetooth app to give me 15 to 40 % power and now I ride around on that setting for the whole ride. This weekend I got 70km out of a charge to arrive home with 30% left, this was gravel roads as we don't have MTB trails around here.
Yea, Orbea have now dropped the ball twice. First with a too small battery, or extender battery on the Rise M, and now at installing RS motor, instead of full power on the H version. Maybe a larger extender on the H would be needed too. Sad, because I like Orbea as a brand, and their customization options are excellent. Not my bike, but I can see many riders loving the bike.
Great vid. Love "the Don". However, could not help myself laughing in terms of frontal steady pics of the don. The merch from EMBN is nice, but they all presented the tummy of the don as something belonging to FIFA...
Can everyone please stop using the word “Acoustic” to describe a mountain bike. Cycling has nothing to do with audible sound (acoustic). Just call it a mountain bike.
Can't beat the sound of wheel on track. I keep missing the vocal content of EMBN vids as I mute the crap musak. How about dumping the cliched soundtracks EMBN? The bits I heard sounded like a very useful insight for anyone considering a Rise or SL.
![[FINALE] 💸ที่แท้พ่อเป็นผู้ถือหุ้นบริษัทพันล้าน เขากลับใจตอนนี้ก็สายไปแล้ว🙇🏻♂️#ละครคุณธรรม #short](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yFwgjTFISUI/mqdefault.jpg)
"Steve is dinosaur him self". - Ouch!! 😂
Very honest review of the sl. They’re def not for everyone but are great for people who need a bit of help riding with normal bike mates.
Exactly 👍
Hey Ribin, glad you liked the vid! Agree with the SL not being for everyone but it's a cracking bike if it is for you!
Great objective review Neil. You answered all the questions I had, especially what it's like to pedal above the limit, something never usually touched on. I think if the limit was the same as the USA, nobody would bother to derestrict any ebike anyway.
I did it and it's definitely change my ride in mix group. No more far behind on flat sections. No more OTB on enduro sections
idk who can up with that 25 kph.. 32 kph wouldve been perfect.
I have my full fat ebike for the trails I used to ride on my analogue bike 20 years ago . Now older and not so fitter the ebike enables me to ride the same trails. I still have my non ebike for gentle rides with flatter terrain.
Neil’s insights are spot on. Ideal for a rider of his calibre. For us pensioners with health issues and less skills, full fat all the way. Definitely a market for the SL low torque bikes though.
a few more years as a family man and he will be on a Kenevo
If you don't have the skills get out there and develop them , that's the fun of mountain biking , having an electric motor on your bike doesn't give you skills
A much needed video. I'm in Neil's camp, love the light e bikes for all the same reasons. Have had the Levo SL (StumpJumper geo) for almost two years, fantastic. Giving up a little power for a hugely improved feel is an easy choice for me, and I hardly ever use the top level. Should also note, the SLs have shorter chainstays than the fat e bikes, and that makes a *huge* difference in how maneuverable and playful they are. The regular Levo is just too much of a tank coming downhill and lots alot of the fun. Would be interested in trying the Kenevo SL just to compare the DH feel.
If they’d had made the limit 20 mph, instead of 15.5 , it would have been much better cheers shane uk 🇬🇧
Can we not make a higher limit one benefit of brexit ? There’s not much else !!
@@nickclarkuk haha I'd rather the £ hadn't tanked on balance!
@@tomb2289 me too! Plus the damn 14% import tariffs on EU bike brands but what to we know . I bow to the wisdom of the Daily Express .
Don’t forget the increase in the national insurance to offset the trade loss. Happy days.
Exactly! Same here in Australia. The damned thing is designed to go 20mph!
I have a SC Heckler that I ride mostly in trail mode but turbo is great when I'm in a hurry or for a long boring fire road climb or to spice up a slow flowy single track, or a steep tech climb. Full power works for me at about 46 pounds. The bike weight is not an issue considering how much weight I have lost and my riding has improved a lot because of I ride so much more now. Fun but not cheap, worth it to me.
My heart rate went up watching you ride! Great video, thanks!
What we want is a 2022 ksl with 90nm , you can turn it down if you like , its that simple. Orbea rise with steps e8000 would be great too for the same reasons. Sorry ep8 too noisy for me. The 2018 Focus Sam2 has been out over 4 years now and was well ahead of its time, it still holds up now, check the specs.
Great review from Neil as always. I think e-bikes are dope but I think there's a lot of advancement to be made with them. I personally want to see a motor/gearbox combo to get rid of the derailleur all together. And prices....they need to come down, but that will take time.
Good chat Neil, helps for all the decisions choosing a first e-mtb 👍
Glad to hear it Tom 😃
I derestricted both my ebikes. Would never go back to having a limt. Even going for family ride being able to criuse at 30kmh makes such a difference. Laws don't make sense, being penalised when you can ride a normal bike that fast anyway.
Do you lose warranty with it? I suppose you need to remove the "dongle" before sending your bike for maintenance or something like that on a Specialized shop.
Is it difficult?
No dongle, paid guy to come out and reprogram it. If you need to send back for warranty he will come out and revert it back. No warranty is just a scare tatic as the motor works no harder in a higher gear at 40kmh than it does going up a steep hill at 10kmh. I have shimano EP8
@@blindtrader4103 Interesting, all of the ones that I've seen use thing dongle that you connect to the display. Reprogramming the firmware is a whole different level. Good to know, I'll keep that in mind when the time comes for me to sell my Stumpjumper and buy the Levo.
Just buy a motorcycle you losers.
Excellent video! Jones is a laugh and good with stats, but never gives us a “would I buy this bike” opinion… which is really welcome. Esp as demo’ing these bikes is such a nightmare just now
The rider POV shots on the ride were just awesome! Fast, at times sketchy, and put you right on the trail. Sweet trail too. Such a good video. That said, I'm sticking with my 50lb Trek Rail 7!
Neil does sketchy best! 🤗
My brother in law and sister got their full power ebikes before me. I rode both and headed to our local bike shop , they were out , but had a sl in my size. After a quick test ride, I could tell it had less power, but still bought it ! Its super fun and ive got 2000 mi now with no problems. But if i were to get another one it would be full power
I have a KSL and a Gen 3 TL, they are both spectacular, but the KSL is a masterpiece. I am nowhere near your skill level Neil but the KSL has given me abilities I did not know I had and my fitness is another level above. A great choice
The fixed battery is Just Not good enough for touring. With my fazua evation i Had 4 batterys in the Backpack. Is rly Like the ksl but that doesnt make any Sense too me to build IT Like.
I ride a turbo Levo. My only true complaint is the drag above the MPH limiter. If the motor / gearbox would completely allow the cranks to spin like a regular but heavy MTB I would have nothing but good to say. Am I missed informed, does the motor , or can the motor totally disengage???
Get a speedbox 3.0 TUNING chip and you will be fine. Just hook it up to phone and set speeds to max
Even with a normal 3.0 or 2.0 speedbox (the cheaper ones) it will set your max speed to 31mph and then let you keep going to the max speed your gears allow you. I've got a 2018 candondale moterra, gen 2 motor bosch and have no drag at all when the speedbox is on.
The motor on my KSL and the Levo SL does completely disengage but you don't feel it. It's smooth as anything because the bike's so light. You've got to remember when it disengages on a full fat you're pedaling a 24+KG bike, on a SL only 18 so the transition is smooth making it feel more like an actual bike
Would love to try this type of bike, less power and less weight, cause I do XC biking so 99.9% of the time I'm in Eco mode on my standard ebike, I never even tried using Turbo mode, and I use Trail (middle) mode very very rarely on steepest of climbs or when terrain is too rough for Eco. But I guess I'd have to be in Trail or Turbo mode on Levo SL to get same level of assist as in Eco mode on standard ebike. On standard ebike I can squeeze 1000m of elevation from 504wh battery in Eco mode. If I could get that much elevation from the battery on the Levo SL type of bike with similar assist level as in Eco mode on standard ebike that would be great. Standard ebike is a killer when you have to push it up the steep hill or carry it over obstacles and also above the 25km/h limit it would be nice to have lighter bike and on the flats I'm often above the limit. But no one gives you credit for all that, when they criticize you of being lazy cause you are riding an ebike 😆
I swapped my full fat ebike for the Kenevo SL. Definitely different but I love this Kenevo. It doesn't look like an ebike. Nothing whatsoever, I've had to tell numerous that I didn't swap my ebike for a normal bike. They're much lighter. Less awkward when you do have to come to a stop. I don't find the battery an issue whatsoever because if you have good battery management you won't find that a problem. Yes it is slower going up hill but much faster coming down. You should definitely look at the Levo SL Comp carbon. I rode one of them an it was beautiful. Such a stunning bike. 👍
Based on what you said, the SL is for you.
literally test rode the exact same bike last week 😂 Not joking when i say it was the last bike in the shop!! I think it was still there because of the banana paint. Spectacular bike regardless!!
I agree with the comment below. 15mph is just too slow, in terms of road riding that’s way below an average speed riding solo. However the elephant in the room is Ebike motor reliability. The uk can be brutal on non ebikes so the electrics element leads to an almost guaranteed failure. Especially as you’re not allowed to service these units as you would say a fork or shock. So when ( not if) it gives up the acoustic bike is there for you.
To me, a “full fat” Ebike and an acoustic is ideal. On some flatter routes such as DED (Neil you rip this) the top speed on an Ebike is below the average speed of the route and on my Kenevo I can feel that drag on certain sections.
When it gets steep the Ebike is in its element. For technical climbs again the Ebike. Shuttling bike parks, the Ebike. However for flatter flowy trails the acoustic can’t be beaten.
Keep the acoustic for sure ;-)
@@Neil.C57510 if it’s a Spesh it may be water getting into the TCU on top tube. I’ve wrapped mine in electrical tape (the section that inserts into the top tube) and given water ingress es around the cable entry points am thinking using Sugru to Crete a seal that can be removed. If your on a Shimano based unit….all I can say is good luck as their electrics in my experience are awful. Why oh why don the industry introduce a system where your motor is serviced regularly to check for water ingress etc. And extend the warranty if you do so. If you buy a new car, campervan, motorbike etc etc you have to get a service regularly or you invalidate the warranty. In the Ebike world if you do try to service the unit the warranty is invalidated. Just how many motors are being thrown away when Cotic can’t get an EP8 until 2023.
I very much enjoy the Ebike however if you want just an Ebike buy two at least :-) as they are still utterly unreliable. Yes I know someone will come on stating they have done 200,000 miles on their Bosch however for every one of those there are c. 127.5 that haven’t.
100 % depends on where your riding , if your at or above the assist limit ,(25kph where I am) it's hard going .But for me that works great as I can push above the limit for a good workout then cruise under it for HIT riding .It's really only as hard as you want it to be . When I talk to people who tell me I'm lazy for riding an e bike , I know they either haven't tried one or just ride under the assist limit.
Like Steve, my dinosaur mtb was relegated to spiders and creepy crawlies as soon as I got my emtb. Funnily enough, couldn't sell it - literally nobody wanted a relatively high spec mtb - all were saving for an emtb...
Turbo levo with levociraptor. 25-30 mph on the flats, 15mph everywhere else changes the ride totally. Constant 300w effort from the rider.
Full fat doesn’t necessarily mean unfit it can mean faster, depends how you use the bike.
I absolutely 💯 ❤ my levo 2020 4 motor and 4 batteries but it is a blast,thank God for killer warranty 🤣
I love that kenevo sl amazing bike, but I think the Orbea rise may be the way forward.
With that punchy EP8 motor.
Some people have taken them up to a 160 travel.
Orbea now have an aluminium version with a 504wh battery.
For a full ebike I suppose it comes down to where you ride. Tight trails to hide that limiter cut off.
Or steep open trails to get the bike moving over the limiter.
It’s all heading in the right direction and keeping the industry alive.
Really great review 🤘
you need
Neil asking if he's gonna ride e-bikers full time is like asking if Superman will only be in Marvel movies from now on.
Endless reviews of this type = either/or. You CAN have both. Rotwild make the RE375, 20Kg (WITH pedals), same geo as the KenevoSL but with full power EP8 motor and a 375wh battery. You don't have to choose between weight or power. You do, it's true, have to consider what you want to achieve: Full power for half a day or half power for a full day (or pack a spare battery in the car. Your choice.
My takeaway from the video is one of (if not the major) reason for not going all in on an ebike is the ridiculous 25kph restrictor. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the reason for restrictors in the first place to protect the Moped industry from new technology & they lobbied so ebikes wouldn't become popular?
If so , it seems to me, now that the ebike industry is FAR more financially powerful, that they could exert more pressure (bribery) than the moribund moped lobby.
Since its's only a matter of who is the highest bidder with politicians, just raise the pay-off & be done with it.
It's actually for protecting the bike lanes of Europe. Mopeds aren't allowed on bike lane, EU regulators had to put a limit on a speed for the bike lanes before being too fast for the safety of other bikes users.
25 KM/h was the speed limit chosen and IMO it's currently fine enough. Maybe it could be pushed to 30 in a few years when the majority of bikes are electric. But for now it's a good balance.
The people who want more speed can go the S-pedelec route which are limited to 45KM/h. But aren't allowed to ride on bike lanes and thus limited to the actual road.
It’s for the safety of other countryside users, if you want to go faster just buy a motorcycle, but they’re illegal for the above reason.
@@simony2801 So then I must assume you'd be in favor of speed restrictors on pedal bikes as well ? In 1901 Connecticut imposed a 12 mph speed limit on automobiles & required them to be preceded by someone carrying a lantern to warn pedestrians; had you been born you'd have no doubt thought that too was a reasonable requirement.
Have you considered that perhaps speed alone isn't a problem (if there really IS a problem) but perhaps how the bicycle is being operated that may endanger other trail users ?
@@thierryfaquet7405 Thank you for the clarification, however by your logic (25 KM/h being fine enough) since hikers walk at 5 KM/h, why not have ALL bikes required to go that speed ? How can ebikes going slower than pedal bikes be a "good balance" when ebike riders risk being plowed into from behind by a maniac mtb riders going faster.
I was once chased by an unleashed dog & couldn't escape & had to fight a rabid canine to the (almost) death (luckily his). I de-restricted my bike after that experience.
@@Tumid1 bike lane don’t have pedestrian ? Like wtf ? It’s not my logic, it’s the european union one…
They had to fiy a limit somwhere, they fixed it. If you want more buy a motorcycle and use the few trails for them.
It would be great to see specialized come out with an e-bike that is more down-to-earth to the regular person. Most of their bikes are between 10000 and $15,000. Those prices are ridiculously insane considering you can get a KTM motorcycle for $10,000
Ahh the good ol' classic "i can get a dirtbik/motocycle for that price" lol. Its been like that since lance armstrong days if not longer. They sell road bikes for $24k and bmw sold a $30k mtb once. Good luck specialized is a high end company with lots of R&D extreem measures that most dont bother with. Just buy a giant e bike then. Or save up. Thats like asking Lexus to have Ford pricing
It sure looks like a very nice bike. I like the climbing ability of the Orbea Rise, but maybe the SL 1.1 is enough... 🤔
I have a Rise and have ridden the Levo SL. Rise all the way. The extra power of the Rise is significant and the weight difference is non-existent.
Thanks for the honesty it's what matters, the bike looks the dogs and would suit a person who wants a workout and would definitely smash down anything.
I remember ppl hating the CDJ’s over the Vinyl turntables and then what happened? Embrace the change and stop hating.
A lightweight E-Bike would be right up my alley if it was legal on my trails (They are not). Would love one to have after riding a couple back to back days on my regular bike, but need some help because my energy is not there for a 3rd big day in a row. Not in the least bit interested in a fat and clumsy 55-60lb full power E-bike, but a 40lb one that I can still throw around and pop off things at will that mostly feels like a traditional bike, that has just enough power to make the 4-5000ft of climbing bearable when tired is very interesting. The Orbea Rise also looks interesting, hoping they come out with a light version based on the Rallon, that is coil friendly and a little slacker.
The full powered will get this light it's really just a question of time
It's not one the other but ride both Emtbs and naturally aspirated mtbs to enhance the fun. The magic of Emtbs is that they turn us into gleeful kids again and broaden our ability to explore terrain multiplying the joy of one of mans greatest gravity cheating inventions the bicycle. They are a Time Machine. E=Mtb²
Hard to fall off? I seem to manage that very easily on my full fat eMTB :)
Great video I need to come down to a light weight Ebike . Think a trail centre ride like Coed y Brenin sl v levo full race loop is the MBR would be great
Thank you for this balanced conclusion!
Nice video 🤘 , what size are you ? Would you go smaller size on this bike ?
I was torn between kenevo and Levo, I'm a roadie guy that used to race On Crit, and XC Mtb.. I am a bit critical of. E bikes until I found the Levo Gen 3... Finally pulled the trigger and bought the most expensive bike 🚴 purchase in my life... And oh boy Levo gen 3 is the complete package for me... If a Kenevo could have the same power as the levo I would be on the kenevo.. But My two didn't style fits the Levo
Hi all, looking for some help.
Just hit 50 and interested in a bit of help going uphill 😁.
What's putting me off is the cost of them soooooo.
Should I buy a basic new E MTB or high end second hand one. Confused as don't know enough about them looking at a 2018 Specialized Levo.
Many thanks for all your help in advance, Merry Christmas
That bike is flippin' lovely.
very interesting comments regarding the full fat Bike against the SL , It make's a lot of sense now why i'm not keeping up with the boys on there full fat bikes lol
I just got a "full fat" ebike and while I like it, I wish it felt more bike like, I still ride with a lot of fit analog guys and I think I may need to pick up an SL, plus I loved my Enduro sooo yeah lol
Would you go for the Kenevo Expert SL gen 1 for 5k, or Kenevo Comp Sl Gen 2 for 5.5 k?
spent a day in eco on my full fat e bike when i was thinking about an SL, and decided that it kind of defeated the point of an e bike in the first place. Also would add, that i have read a few posts of people that have both and you might not be surprised that some have ended up selling on the lightweight after not using it in the end.
It’s not the same though, you’re riding at a lower assistance but still lugging around a full power (and weight) bike 🤷🏼♂️
I like the idea of a lightweight bike that feels like a normal bike but you can take the sting out of some of the climbs on certain rides. Different bikes for different riders.
Was this back on the Kenevo SL Demo Day by the Monmouth based LBS?
Best thing about living in NZ.... no Ebike speed limits and we can de-restrict them from 32 to 45 and keep warranty.
I wish Orbea would make their lightweight versions in an their enduro geometry. I don't know why they followed up a light weight trail e-bike with a second lightweight trail e-bike????
The kenevo is a popular choice round my area, but the amount of people sending off for a new motor is unreal. is it a common thing with the kenevo's?
How did the rise feel, power wise is it in-between the sl and full fat?
I have a full fat ebike and a normal bike and for me there is a time and a place for both. Certain trails the eeb is much more fun and others the normal bike is. I love them both and wouldnt ditch either!
Rise is better. Just put on another shock and a 27.5 rear wheel and you have a 160/160 bike, but also a 140/150 bike for longer flatter days. more versatile.
I just can't understand the all out hate some riders have for Ebikes, or at least class 1. The really ironic thing is these people make the same argument that hikers made to keep bikes off the trail 25 years ago. My wife has a pretty nice one, kinda like he said, its great occasionally to do a quick trail check or recovery ride, but I much prefer the responsiveness of my "Dino bike" (even tho I'm 55), but its certainly opened up options for the wife to ride with me.
For me it's not just the cost of the bike. But the cost of replacing parts more frequently.
struggling to decide if this is the bike I want or the new Levo sl.
Ummm, what is that saddle make and model, please? Looks interesting.
It's a specialized one think they're about £180
Great review. Won't be giving up my full fat kenevo though. On another note, why do those who dont want an ebike comment on an ebike channel? They ain't changing my mind with their luddite mindset.
Not hating eebs but love my Rocky Mountain altitude. Do 90% of servicing, repairs and upgrades. I’d hate to get a mechanical out on the trails which involved lithium 🔥 batteries 🔋 💧 water and cables omg 😱 enough of that shiz with the bloody car 🚗 Good 👍🏼 review by Neil though 🤛🏼
Great video
What size would you take this bike ? How tall are you neil ?
Cheers
Since I’ve been on a full power ebike for over a year now getting on a lower power ebike I’m sure it will be a big difference. I only wish they came out with lower power ebikes first. Because going from a regular bike then going to lower power ebike the lower power ebike would not feel like lower power . If you don’t have any medical or health problems I say go for the lower power ebike. If I had the chance I would love to demo one.
> If you don’t have any medical or health problems I say go for the lower power ebike
nah i want the biggest battery possible to session stuff haha
@@jamble7k ha your right. But I have a lot of friends that don’t want an ebike because of all the power. And the lower power ebike would be a good compromise you still get that feeling of a regular bike because of less weight and the power you need to get up steep hills. I still love my full power.
@@jamble7k are you sessioning going up or coming down? If you're going up you want more power, if you're coming down you want less weight, more manoeuvrability, speed and travel ect.
@@BH-cy9tb you're bang on. I've had both and you're right in what you say - I sold my full fat so I can clear 30 - 40 foot jumps. Lugging a 24KG bike over a jump that big didn't seem too appealing lol, on the KSL though no problem
@@Mcfc2Rich if I did not have so much money invested in my trek rail I would but the base model of the orbea rise. It’s still only 43 lbs.
Great review Neil thank you! Am i right in saying you own a kenevo now?
And you call Steve a dinosaur - at least he uses kilograms!! 😅
Anyone know what trails these are?
Forest of Dean
Just ride both 🤷♂️,I do ,Ebike for the massive rides with huge techy climbs with super gnarly descending and normal for single track woods etc
it's a very nice bike with some great suspension, I think i would like this bike simply because of the weight issue with full ebikes being to damn heavy
Cost bebefits is as always left out...16000 euros!!! I can buy a used analog Enduro and travel the world, bike och the best spots for a year for the same amont of money. It s time to be critical to the pricing of all kinds of bikes... The big brands normalize high prices. At the end of your life do you think you wiched you would have spent more money on expensive bikes? or done couple more mtb trips with your friends?
Really interesting about the uk/EU 25kph limit. In NZ it is 32kph. I love my full fat YT Decoy and maybe this 3-4mph you feel is just the real issue.
Neil became some of those people 😂😂
If Specialized had a version that started at $7500 usd it would make me consider turning in my Enduro.
That’s a stealthy ebike. I love the looks. But I am in America and I want POWER, so more NM and MUCH more battery....there goes the stealth lol
A mountain biker's ebike, love it!
i think i am more of a steve type person (granted i am much younger but still) i love the good old tech climb and i dont care about weight. i need torque and power not weight if i want low weight i would ride a carbon roadbike.
What about coming down?
I'm 59 and have a full fat that I ride with my mates and the Kenevo SL I ride on my own, it makes up for my age. On my 15 mile route 1200ft of climbing I'm only about 10minutes slower than the fully fat. It goes up everything the full fat can do, you just need to take your time, not to blow a gasket. When you ride with full fat bikes, when it gets steep you just have to take on board your not going to keep up.
Can anyone tell me where this trial is ?
Forest of Dean
Review a Sondors Rockstar with a few upgrades or a Frey Ex Pro. Then you will see the future.
Very practical answers. 👍🏻
Sick vid I love e bikes and am trying to get one
hey man awesome review. I'm thinking of purchasing a new e-bike for my wife and I wonder if Ariel Rider Grizzly is a good choice. What do you think?
The UK speed limit should be set to 30mph. 15.5mph is so slow it's shameful and given it's not that difficult to reach 25-30mph on a standard bike, why would anyone ride an ebike thats restricted?
It's stupid he's just being "pc" about it
Excellent Neil...
Great episode
Don.
I'm with you.
Sl all day long.
When will the batteries fly back down to base on their own while I crush the downs battery free?
I have an Orbea rise an on the most part thats been ok, other than it rattles like a pig. i still ride my normal bike which is a specialized enduro, its almost always the one i pull out of the garage first. e bikes are ok, but the refinement of them is still crap, rattley/short life motors (my friends on his 3rd bosch in a year, and another friend on his 2nd) on bikes that have price tags up to £12,000? while it doesnt bother some people, i think its a disgrace to be honest and generic displays? i think specialized are the only ones so far that have come close to actually making a proper well rounded package.
for short life of motors i cant complain as my yamaha pw motor has over 8000km in 5 years on it and still rides like new. maybe newer motors are built more lightly (have plastic gears in them to save weight) then back in 2016 when i got mine. battery still lasts more than i am willing to ride in one go so i cant complain about it.
Awesome feedback. I ride faster on my old regular one too, but no more for longer time. 25 limitation is too low on easy trail. 30 is better to follow friends. Weight matters more than power. On my Decoy, I setup eco mode like these light ebike. Even with 7kg more than this Kenevo, 35Nm is enough to ride with regular bikers. You just have to manage your stamina during climb. And if I have more money, I will definitely store a modern regular bike beside my ebike in my garage.
A friend of mine had a levo sl and couldnt keep up with his friends. at the end he switched to a normal levo
I set up my Echo mode via Bluetooth app to give me 15 to 40 % power and now I ride around on that setting for the whole ride. This weekend I got 70km out of a charge to arrive home with 30% left, this was gravel roads as we don't have MTB trails around here.
Don't do it Neil....the dark side is not for you !!!! :)
Great content but please shut the music down, it's wtf loud and is it needed.
You never show the bike, the first min
Yea, Orbea have now dropped the ball twice. First with a too small battery, or extender battery on the Rise M, and now at installing RS motor, instead of full power on the H version. Maybe a larger extender on the H would be needed too.
Sad, because I like Orbea as a brand, and their customization options are excellent. Not my bike, but I can see many riders loving the bike.
Can’t get along with the soundtrack struggling with your voice.. kinda frustrating but interesting vid 🤘
Thanks, Great video, awesome indeed :-)
2 questions can you change the motor out for a bigger one and also
Which bike makes you faster on the normal MTB a 450cc moto or an Ebike ??
Great vid. Love "the Don". However, could not help myself laughing in terms of frontal steady pics of the don. The merch from EMBN is nice, but they all presented the tummy of the don as something belonging to FIFA...
You'll turn to the Dark Side soon enough 😜
Can everyone please stop using the word “Acoustic” to describe a mountain bike. Cycling has nothing to do with audible sound (acoustic). Just call it a mountain bike.
Can't beat the sound of wheel on track. I keep missing the vocal content of EMBN vids as I mute the crap musak. How about dumping the cliched soundtracks EMBN? The bits I heard sounded like a very useful insight for anyone considering a Rise or SL.
Suits you mate