Riding the new Specialized Levo 4

Every now and then I get an email that essentially reads - "would you like to take a day or two off work and fly to Barcelona to ride a rad new bike that nobody else has ridden in the sunshine and we will feed you and give you beer"

And the answer is of course yes, and this time round it was to ride the new 2026 Gen 4 Specialized Levo. A bike we have been waiting far too long for and the successor of probably the very best E-MTB ever made - the Gen 3 Levo.

However, checking the weather apps gave a pretty grim view of the days ahead with some of the worst storms seen in years! The saying goes - 'The rain in Barcelona falls mainly on the loamer!'

So I was in for a very British E-MTB experience and thats very much what it felt like. Luckily the Specialized hospitality was more than on point and I was greeted with a smile, an open beer and as much local cheese and ham as I could stomach.

Getting to grips with setup was easy enough and the bike felt spot on within a few minutes however there were some new things to get used to.

The new wireless motor controller is packed with features and multi function buttons that at first use were a little overwhelming and confusing. Getting in and out of the new micro adjust feature was causing me to get lost in the functions but I am an absolute numpty so I knew full well Id need some time to just get used to it and I did after an hour or so of riding it felt way better than the old lever to use. I still got lost in the menu in a panic but again Im a total luddite! 

Alongside the new micro adjust settings there is now an Auto Mode which constantly analyses your input torque, bike speed and cadence and give you the very best power required at the time meaning you get full power when you need it and less power when you dont.

This is mode I found myself riding in mostly as it just felt so natural with the bike responding to my efforts rather than me having to switch modes constantly. Great feature! 

On the trail the bike is as expected. Loads of power at 750watts, loads of torque at 111nm and most noticeable was how super smooth all of that was delivered. You waft along on the new Levo in relative silence compared to other systems and in Auto Mode that power is always there when you need it. Just push on the pedals and bosh (no pun intended) you're smashing up an impossible climb! 

The new bike has all new geo with slightly longer reach but more importantly a steeper seat tube angle meaning front end stability when climbing is drastically improved over the Gen3.

On fast flow trail the bike felt poised and rode way lighter than its claimed 23kg. It felt just like a Levo to be honest just a bit better and I guess thats just what it is. A mid travel trail bike! 

Descending was a little hampered by the group ride but we managed to hang back a little and get some speed up on some pretty chunky sections, steep bits and some faster flow trail and the trails in Barcelona are the perfect show case for a bike like this with a bit of everything.

The biggest take away from this new Gen 4 Levo is the ride feel. Its way more playful than the Gen 3 and I can only put this down to the new Fox Genie shock working perfectly with the kinematics of the suspension. It had tons of grip and control but unlike the Gen 3 levo you can get it off the ground and hop and skip trail features. That Genie shock is truly a suspension masterpiece!

We rode for around 40km with 1500m of climbing and I drained the battery. This was on an S-Works bike with the most power and running it in Auto which was giving me probably more power than I needed so I had a pretty easy time over those 40km. With a range extender the bike is capable of over 5 hours of climbing in eco mode which is pretty insane! 

Once we got back it was time to hand in the bike for a deep clean, new brake pads, new chain, new casette and in my case new cranks (long story!) and I was once again handed a beer and told to get ready for dinner.

Its hard to be objectionable on these test events. Mainly because someone has flown you out to somewhere cool and given you beer and let you ride an awesome new bike and honestly I cant fault it. Its the perfect trail E-MTB packed with features like adjustable geometry, frame storage, modular batteries, Apple find my bike, the list goes on and on.

If I had to gripe I would of liked a little more travel. With the Kenveo SL being 170mm I would argue theres room to push the Levo up to 160mm but I am really splitting hairs on the head of the greatest E-MTB ever made that I have personally owned so pip down Mat.

For more in depth info watch our YouTube video of the test event and read our tech deep dive here! 

Check out the new Levo Gen 4 range here!