Specialized Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon (2024 – ) review

Back in the day Specialized helped bring mountain bikes into the mass produced mainstream with its original Stumpjumper and has been ahead of the curve ever since with its suspension technology and now e-bikes. Sold alongside its ‘full power’ Turbo Levo, this SL shares much of the same design philosophy but is based around a lighter motor and battery combination trading out-and-out performance and range for riding feel closer to that of a conventional bike. As such you’ll need to put more leg power in to make it go but for fitter riders coming from non-assisted bikes it makes for less of an emotional leap. Like all Turbo Levos, the SL Comp is a top level e-mountain bike built for enthusiastic riders tackling the hardest of terrain. Also available with a more affordable aluminium frame, the Carbon you see here has smoother lines and less weight to carry, Specialized’s strong reputation making it a go-to for keen riders of all experience levels. So slick is the integration of battery and motor the Levo SL Comp could pass for a ‘normal’ bike to the uninitiated, helping it win over diehards previously unimpressed with the chunkier and often uglier design of full power electric mountain bikes.

Geometry – which is to say the combination of frame sizing and angles – is at the heart of how any bike rides, and tuned to the needs of the intended buyers. At this level they’re a very discerning bunch as well, and having heard feedback on the first generation of Levo SL Specialized has responded with a new set-up with a very en vogue combination of larger 29-inch front wheel and 27.5-inch rear, commonly known as a ‘mullet’ or ‘MX’ arrangement in the parlance. You can, if you prefer, run it with 29-inch wheels front and back. The bike is also longer, lower and slacker in its angles than before, though this can all be adjusted by the owner as required via various configurable parts on the frame. Specialized has also moved to a new sizing system with this generation of Turbo Levo, moving from a traditional small, medium and large convention to its own S1 to S6 increments. A video on the website advises on some specific physical measurements to feed into a calculator that then advises on the correct size – we did this and it said we needed an S5 which, when it turned up, proved to be absolutely bang on. Clever stuff.

If by practicality you’re meaning commuter friendly stuff like lights, a rack for your bag and mudguards to protect you from mud and spray then … look elsewhere! For its intended use it’s not entirely impractical, though, the frame including space for a bottle cage that can carry a drink or an additional battery. There’s also the clever SWAT multi-tool concealed in the top of the fork where the handlebar stem clamps on and a nifty magnetic holder on the bottom with a spare chain link concealed within. If not enough to cover every mechanical disaster on the trail it might just get you home in an emergency and means you can ride without a pack or things jangling in your pockets.

In this case performance is slightly more subjective, and if you enjoy the sensation of being swept up the hills on a surge of electric power you’re better of sticking with the regular Turbo Levo. With the SL you still need a bit of muscle to get it moving, meaning it suits riders with a base level of fitness. On the plus side this reduced assistance mitigates the annoying sensation of hitting a brick wall you get on full power e-bikes when you run into the mandated 15.5mph limiter. But on the SL this transition is a lot smoother, the bike sufficiently sprightly that you’re happy digging in and riding it more like a ‘normal’ bike when your legs are fresh. Safe in the knowledge you can dial in more assistance as you tire. Unlike a full power e-bike the SL is even acceptable to ride with the motor switched off entirely, and although the assisted range is limited compared with the bigger Turbo Levos we often ran it in its lowest Eco power setting for the fact it felt more natural this way. With less weight to slow than heftier full-power e-bikes the feel from the powerful SRAM hydraulic disc brakes was also more natural, and more easily modulated.

With about 4kg less to carry than the regular Turbo Levo the SL is still heavier than a non-assisted bike but feels much closer in spirit, with a similar sense of agility and enthusiasm for hopping over lumps and bumps instead of just ploughing through them. Which is closer to the way experienced riders tackle rough terrain on regular bikes. On steeper trails the SL didn’t run away with itself like the comparable Haibike AllMtn we tested previously, the suspension meanwhile gobbling up bumps of all sizes and fantastically compliant without feeling too wallowy. Specialized has formidable experience here, and it shows. Ditto the handling, which is simultaneously confidence inspiring but fun for hitting jumps, berms and other obstacles. We especially appreciated the mixed ‘mullet’ wheel set-up when the going got really steep or twisty, the front wheel holding its line while the rear was happy to carve with the turns.

The Turbo Levo SL is built to be ridden hard, and most owners will gladly accept the invitation to do so. Electric assistance means you may be riding further and faster than you would on your regular bike as well, so expensive consumables like tyres, brake pads, chains and even sprockets could wear out more quickly, especially if you ride through the winter mud. Staying on top of basic maintenance will help prolong the life of these components but they won’t last forever.

Specialized is a huge player in the cycling world, and its products are supported by formidable R&D resources. It also has considerable experience building top level e-mountain bikes but that’s not to say they don’t go wrong, and anecdotally it seems many owners have had problems with batteries, motors and control systems though these are usually covered under warranty. The rest of the components are, meanwhile, proven bits from respected suppliers. As with everything in mountain biking they get a hard life, and while we have every confidence they’ll work as intended crashes are part and parcel of the sport and you can’t expect them to survive every tumble.

Electric mountain bikes at this level are seriously complicated bits of kit, and if you’re not confident with the spanners you should factor regular servicing into your costs. This is best done at an authorised Specialized dealership when it comes to the motor and battery, and specialists when it comes to the suspension parts which should, in theory, need a full strip down at least every year if not more often if you’re riding in all weathers. The rest of the parts can be serviced by any competent bike shop. Warranty-wise the frame is covered by a lifetime guarantee while the motor and battery get two-year cover, which can be transferred to a new owner within that period if you sell the bike on.

While it’s not what you’d call cheap the Turbo Levo SL Comp is actually at the lower end of the range, though we’d consider the carbon frame a worthwhile upgrade over the basic aluminium option. For the price we’d be happy with the level of the components as well, these being a mixture of own-brand Specialized kit and gears and brakes from respected suppliers like SRAM and suspension by Fox. Both get fancier and spanglier if you spend more but, for this bike, are well within the ‘solid and dependable’ realm with no obvious shortcuts.

If you’re an experienced rider coming from non-assisted bikes the Turbo Levo SL does a very convincing job of blowing any e-bike prejudices out of the water, given it rides much more like a ‘normal’ bike, just with an extra turn of speed. While still frustrated by the way it runs out of electric puff at the limiter we liked the ‘softer’ transition between regular leg power and battery boost, as well. Saying that if your mates have all gone for full power e-bikes it still won’t have the power or endurance to keep up with them, and you may be caught in a no-man’s-land between both camps. Something to consider before committing but, in isolation, the Turbo Levo SL Comp Carbon is as good to ride as it looks and is a sympathetic and effective integration of electric power that may just win over your inner e-bike cynic!