Vala vs Levo Evo vs Bullit: the demo that changed our minds

A Santa Cruz Vala, a Bullit and a Specialized Levo Evo. We took all three out for a proper demo, found a favourite, then went to the bike park and complicated everything.

Watch the full demo ride above. Prefer YouTube? Watch it there.

The bike you think you want

Our guest star, Stevee T, arrived with a fairly clear idea: if he had to buy without a demo, it would be a Vala. On paper, it fitted the brief. He normally sizes down, too, so a medium sounded promising.

Then we gave him some actual bikes to ride. Very inconsiderate of us.

The line-up was a medium Vala, a large Bullit and an S4 Levo Evo. Same day, bikes swapped back and forth, and enough riding to make those sensible pre-ride assumptions look a bit shaky.

First surprise: the size on the sticker

The larger bikes made an impression. Stevee had arrived wishing there were more mediums to try. Instead, both the large Bullit and S4 Levo Evo surprised him enough to rethink that preference.

That doesn't mean everyone should size up. It means your usual size is a starting point worth questioning. If you're between sizes, try both and pay attention to how you move around the bike, how it corners and how settled you feel. An old favourite isn't a binding contract with every future geometry chart.

In the woods, the Levo Evo gets the nod

Asked which bike he'd order after the woodland laps, Stevee picked the Levo Evo. He put it ahead of the two Santa Cruzes, despite being a Santa Cruz fan.

There was still homework to do. He wanted to try an S3 and potentially a regular Levo before committing. The Evo is a big bike, and whether you need that depends partly on the riding you do and what else is already in the shed.

It's a useful distinction: liking a bike on a demo narrows the choice. It doesn't make every other size or option irrelevant.

Then the jumps get involved

With the Bullit and Levo Evo in the bike park, the conversation changed. The Bullit felt easier to pop off the lips and carry speed through the jumps. Suddenly, Stevee wanted it back.

The Levo Evo felt grippier in this comparison, but needed more effort to get the same result on the jump line. Both riders noticed the difference. The woodland verdict had undersold the Bullit for this sort of riding.

Before anyone starts a fight in the comments, this wasn't a lab test of bare frames. Tyres, pressures, suspension setup, weight and geometry were all possible contributors. Very low pressures and sticky tyres were part of the conversation. These are impressions of the bikes as ridden that day, not proof that every Bullit out-jumps every Levo.

Demo the riding you actually do

The useful result is a better buying decision. If your weeks are mostly woods and corners, test that. If you live for jump lines, include those. If you ride a mixture, give the bike a chance to show you both sides.

Pick a familiar section, swap bikes and repeat it. Get the setup right before judging the bike, and ask about another size if you're undecided. You might confirm your original choice. You might find yourself asking for the other bike back.