2 Likes
What does it weigh?
Around 40lbs [18kg] depending on the spec.
1 Like
on the surface of it, i am morally opposed to such nonsense. then i think about how i was morally opposed to bike computers, disc brakes and wireless shifting, and i avidly use them all, soā¦
Theyāre so much fun and allow you to ride farther, go uphill without taking the lift, ride to the trailhead instead of taking the car, etc. When I ride my Levo on flat trails, I actually turn the power to 0 or maybe 5%. Pushing a 50lb bike around the trail with no assist is a fantastic workout. And that doesnāt even take into account all the benefits that come with allowing older riders or those with physical limitations to ride more or hang with their friends for longer. Sure, they can be abused, but they can also be an amazing training tool that opens up lots of possibilities.
3 Likes
Impressive
Yeah, not too bad and the overall direction of this model is the most interesting ebike to me in a while.
We have a strong ebike presence here, led by my boss for the last 5 years. Iāve drug my feet a bit, but there are some very happy riders of all ages and abilities on them.
Not sure Iām ready to buy one yet, but I need to try them on the trail via a shop demo to really see for myself.
Do you see much difference in the Trek and the Levo SL? Asking you as a mechanic/bike aficionado. I think it looks like an awesome new bike, but thought of it more as a challenge to the SL.
Great question, but I canāt say right now. I simply havenāt looked into the specs on these ebikes overall and donāt have any real feel until I do.
From my brief skims of both bikes, I do think they are likely comparable, but there are possibly some key differences in weight, power, range and such.
1 Like
Ugh, still waiting for Trek to make a XC bike I would actually buy. This is just another indication that Trek is heading in the wrong direction. Great for the gen pop, bad for the XC racer.
Anyone else think this is the future direction of e-bikes? Iām imagining e-bikes with relatively modest power/batteries, but very lightweight so that they can be functional analog bikes. Imagine a 35 lb bike (the weight of my enduro bike) that had a removal battery; you would have a reasonable analog bike for normal rides, and then could ebike as an option. I am absolutely not an e-bike guy, but that type of e-bike sounds amazing.
The Trek E-Caliber is close to what you mention. Around 37lbs in a spec I checked, with the option to remove the battery and motor (takes off over 6lbs) to have a pure analog option. There may well be other brands with an option in this mindset.
The EXe might be close in a way since you can remove the battery, but the motor stays in place. Might not be as much of a weight drop without the battery. The motor stays put but may be light enough and I know it has a freewheel to eliminate pedaling drag.
The problem with the current lightweight ebikes is that you donāt get enough battery out of them for long rides. No one wants to be 3 hours into a ride but 10 miles from the car with a few major climbs remaining, rain on the horizon, and run out of battery. Once they can get to a 35lb bike that you can ride for several hours, I think itās game over. It will just take a generation to get past the āIām stuck in my waysā crowd, just like full suspension, disc brakes, tubeless tires, or any other major advance does.
2 Likes