The new Specialized Levo R uses the same, powerful and punchy motor as the Levo 4, but has 130mm of travel, 29in wheels front and rear, a lighter frame and a less burly parts package. This is a trail bike through and through, designed to be agile and fun whether youre riding up or downhill. But get the new Rally onto the trail, and its far more capable than you might expect. So much so, in fact, I wonder whether its going to tread on the toes of the existing Levo. Although, on paper, it may appear theres a decent enough difference between the two bikes, theres a good chunk of common ground, too. Take the two top-end S-Works bikes, for example. Theres only a couple of kilos separating them when it comes to weight, with the Levo R tipping the scales at a claimed 21.16kg. The Levo R is also incredibly capable and rides like a bike with more than 130mm of travel. Its lively and fun, as promised, but get it pointed down something tricky and itll more than handle it. The existing Levo still rides like a bigger bike should, but the differences might not be as drastic as youd expect. So, with the Levo R being as good as it is, has Specialized shot itself in the foot here, or is there still room for the Levo, too? Read more: Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo 4 review one of the best eMTBs I've tested, but it's outrageously expensive Lower weight, less travel, but still very capable It might have less travel than the standard Levo, but the new Levo R is incredibly capable. Justin Sullivan / Specialized When Specialized presented the new Levo R, it was keen to show us where on the riding spectrum it sits. The current Levo a bike that uses mixed wheels, some tough tyres and a chunky 160mm-travel fork is referred to as "capable, versatile and rugged" with a bias towards descending. The Levo R is said to be "fast, agile, low and light", and is intended to be more of an all-rounder when it comes to going up, along and down. The new bike uses 29in wheels at the front and rear, with 20mm less rear-wheel travel than the standard Levo, at 130mm. This is paired with a 140mm fork, although Specialized says you can run up to a 150mm fork if youre looking to boost capability a little more, closing the gap between the two eMTBs further. Although the bikes look similar, the Levo R has a whole new frame. In all, Specialized says it has saved 530g against the previous bike, shaving weight wherever possible, including the use of a carbon shock extension. This new chassis is built around 29in wheels and designed to be used with a 140mm fork. Despite this and the fact that its meant to be a different offering from the Levo, Specialized says itll take up to a 150mm fork if youre looking to boost comfort or broaden the margin for error. Like the Levo, theres plenty of opportunity to alter the Levo Rs geometry. The head angle can be adjusted via the angled headset cups, giving three options, with the middle position measuring a claimed 65 degrees. A flip chip down at the Horst-link pivot enables to you to lengthen the chainstays by 6mm, with 447mm being the longer of the two options. Thisll also tweak the bottom-bracket height by 5mm and in the lowest setting, sit it up at 339mm off the floor. The flip chip located on the chainstay pivot enables you to change the chainstay length and alter the bottom-bracket height. Justin Sullivan / Specialized At 77 degrees, the seat tube angle should provide a decently efficient seated position for lapping up the trail miles. In short, then, with the travel on offer, the ability to run a bigger fork if you wish and a host of geometry adjustment, the Levo R should be able to handle a lot. Big power and range Specialized sells the Levo R with a 840Wh battery as standard, although the 600Wh battery seen here is available aftermarket, as is a separate range extender. Justin Sullivan / Specialized While the travel figures and geometry stats may differ slightly from the Levo R to the Levo, one thing that remains the same is what the motor is capable of pumping out. After Specializeds recent update, the S-Works 3.1 motor on the top-end model delivers a staggering 111Nm of torque and 850 watts of peak power. If you opt for any of the cheaper models, those numbers are reduced to 105Nm of torque and 810 watts of power. Were still not talking Avinox figures here, but the Specialized motor is certainly one of the gutsiest out there. Its quiet, too, thanks to the lengths the team went to. The driveside housing has been decoupled from the motor mechanism to lessen vibrations, along with applying various surface coatings and treatments to the components within it in a bid to make it run as smoothly as possible. Powering the motor is, as standard, an 840Wh battery. There is also the option to buy a lighter 600Wh battery or boost range by adding a 280Wh range extender. Getting the battery out is extremely easy, as is fitting it. Justin Sullivan / Specialized Within the side-loading battery compartment, Specialized has crammed in some of its SWAT storage, complete with a bag to stow your essentials. For the most part, motor modes remain the same as weve seen on the Levo, although Specialized has added the Micro and Dynamic Micro Tune modes. In these settings, youre able to adjust assistance in 10 per cent increments. Now, though, theres a new 0/0 (in Micro Tune) or 0/100 (Dynamic Tune) on offer, for those looking for more of a workout or to eke out as many miles as possible from one charge. As with the Levo, theres an integrated top-tube display with all the ride data you could possibly need, and plenty of tuning options. The top-tube mounted display offers a whole host of ride data. Justin Sullivan / Specialized Tuning can also be done via the Specialized app, where you can apply the Turbo System Lock for better security and keep tabs on your bike via Apple Find My. When it comes to topping up the battery, Specialized offers its 12A Smart Charger (sold separately), whichll get you up to 80 per cent in less than an hour. The standard 5A charger can manage 80 per cent in a claimed 90 minutes. Capable suspension The Fox Float Genie shock enables you to tune the first 70 and final 30 per cent of the stroke separately from one another. Justin Sullivan / Specialized It might not be able to match the Levo when it comes to rear-wheel travel, but the 130mm the Levo R has on tap manages to feel deeper and more plentiful on the trail. The trail-smoothing sensation is likely elevated by the use of the larger 29in rear wheel (compared to the 27.5in featured on the Levo), which rolls over smaller chatter more easily. And lets not forget the supple, incredibly smooth Fox shock with Genie technology. The dual-stage air spring enables you to tune the first 70 per cent and final 30 per cent separately from one another, and delivers a more linear, coil-like feel earlier in the stroke, helping keep the rear wheel tracking the trail more effectively compared to a standard air shock. The 130mm of travel is dictated by the four-bar, Horst-link suspension system. A very nice touch from Specialized is the lifetime-replacement bearing policy (for the original owner), which should help breath new life into well-used rigs without costing riders a fortune. The conundrum The powerful motor and well-controlled power help make the Levo R a formidable climber. Justin Sullivan / Specialized I get what Specialized is trying to do with the Levo R. Its designed to offer a more lively trail-bike feel for those looking to clock some big miles and have fun while theyre doing it. But perhaps it has made the bike too capable, too powerful and too close to the standard Levo in doing so. Yes, its lighter, but its not a million miles off the Levo's weight and doesnt crack that sub-20kg mark. It's still heavier than the Amflow PL, arguably the best eMTB in this category. The Amflow PL's Avinox motor is still the one to beat in many people's view. Andy Lloyd / Our Media It also has all the power and torque of the bigger bike, and even though the spec is more trail-focused, itll still take a right belting down some serious tracks if you want it to. OK, the Levo is burlier, chunkier and likely a safer bet if youre looking to hammer bike-park laps or ride enduro-style downhill trails, but youll be surprised by what the Levo R can take. Will there still be a place for the Levo, considering the Levo R is so capable, despite having less travel? Justin Sullivan / Specialized Thats why I feel the Levo R might be the better option for most riders. That's not to say the Levo isnt a good bike Ive really enjoyed my time aboard it. But as an all-rounder, the Levo R offers a little more versatility and is still very capable, making the Levo a little less appealing in my eyes. Range overview The big wheels, short travel and seriously punchy motor make the Levo R a great all-rounder. Justin Sullivan / Specialized While only the S-Works model gets the S-Works motor, the two cheaper bikes share the 3.1 motor, which delivers 101Nm of torque and 810 watts of peak power. The S-Works bike also gets the integrated carbon bar and stem, which you won't see on any other bikes in the line-up. Specialized Levo R Comp The Levo R range starts with the Comp model, which will set you back $9,200. Specialized Frame: FACT 11m carbon, 130mm travel Fork: Fox 36 SL Performance, 140mm travel Shock: Fox Float Performance Genie Motor: Specialized 3.1 (101Nm / 810W) Battery: Specialized Turbo X2 840Wh Drivetrain: SRAM S-1000 derailleur, GX Eagle Transmission cassette and chain, SRAM Eagle 70 crankset Brakes: SRAM Motive Bronze Wheels: Specialized Price: TBC / $9,200 / 7,999 Weight: 22.34kg (S3, without pedals) Specialized Levo R Expert For a little extra, you get upgraded suspension, wheels and drivetrain. Specialized Frame: FACT 11m carbon, 130mm travel Fork: Fox 36 SL Performance Elite, 140mm travel Shock: Fox Float Performance Elite Genie Motor: Specialized 3.1 (101Nm / 810W) Battery: Specialized Turbo X2 840Wh Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle AXS Transmission Brakes: SRAM Motive Bronze Wheels: Roval Traverse SL II Price: 8,499 / $10,800 / 9,999 Weight: 21.76kg (S3, without pedals) Specialized Levo R S-Works The top-end S-Works build gets the punchiest motor, with the highest torque and power stats of the three-bike range. Justin Sullivan / Specialized Frame: FACT 11m carbon, 130mm travel Fork: Fox 36 SL Factory, 140mm travel Shock: Fox Float Factory Genie Motor: Specialized 3.1 (105Nm / 850W) Battery: Specialized Turbo X2 840Wh Drivetrain: SRAM XX Eagle AXS Transmission Brakes: SRAM Motive Ultimate Wheels: Roval Traverse SL II Price: 12,499 / $15,650 / 13,999 Weight: 21.16kg (S3, without pedals)