First Ride Review: Specialized Turbo Levo 4 EVO – More Travel, Still the Same Levo?

More travel = more fun? With the new Specialized Turbo Levo 4 EVO, the American manufacturer expands the Levo range with its most downhill-focused variant to date. More reserves, more focus on steep and rough terrain, more bike for hard trails. We’ve put the new Levo EVO through its paces on the trails for you.

Levo 4, Levo R and now Levo EVO: Specialized continue to expand the Levo range and sharpen the roles within their iconic frame platform. While the Levo R stands for “Electric Rally” with precision, agility and strong uphill performance, and the Levo 4 plays the versatile “Electric Trail” all-rounder, the new Levo 4 EVO is the most downhill-focused interpretation of the Levo concept yet. According to Specialized, it’s something like an “Electric Enduro”.

But what exactly sets the Levo 4 EVO apart from the Levo 4? Although both are based on the same full carbon frame, the EVO takes a significantly more radical approach. Travel grows to 180 mm at the front and 170 mm at the rear, giving you 20 mm more reserves at both ends. Instead of the GENIE shock, which was developed in close collaboration with FOX, Specialized spec the new RockShox Vivid Air Ultimate shock on our test bike. It’s powered by the Specialized 3.1 motor, which now delivers a punchy 810 W peak output and 105 Nm of torque thanks to the latest software update.

Despite a clear shift towards downhill performance, the weight increase remains moderate. At 24.4 kg in size S4, the Levo 4 EVO is only slightly heavier than the top-tier S-Works variant of the Levo 4. With a price tag of €10,999, the Pro model we tested clearly sits in the premium segment and also represents the top model in the range. If you want the EVO character at a lower price point, the Turbo Levo 4 EVO Comp is available from €7,499. There’s also an aluminium version starting at €6,499.

If you want to know what the Specialized Levo 4 Evo really feels like on the trail, what kind of character it shows on the climbs and descents, and whether it suits your riding style, you’ll find the full review in our sister magazine E-MOUNTAINBIKE. There you’ll get all the real-world riding impressions and find out whether the Specialized Levo 4 Evo delivers on what its on-paper stats promise.

Did you enjoy this article? If so, we would be stoked if you decide to support us with a monthly contribution. By becoming a supporter of ENDURO, you will help secure a sustainable future for high-quality mountain bike journalism. Click here to learn more.

Words: Robin Ulbrich Photos: Lars Engmann