Review: Over-The-Air Levo 4 Update Increases Specialized eMTB Peak Power by 18-22%

Almost a year ago, when Specialized launched its all-new full-power Levo 4 all-mountain eMTB, it cranked out 27% more power than the gen 3 Levo, but now via over-the-air Levo 4 update that gets ratcheted up once again. The big eMTB power wars have heated up. And new competition from the likes of DJI/Avinox & Mahle, joining traditional players like Bosch & Shimano in the full-power party, means everybody needs to up their game.

With some careful motor optimization, Specialized managed to reclaim a couple of spots near the top of the pack, now with S-Works max power of 850W at 111Nm or torque, or for the standard Levo 4 motor now close behind at 810W max boosted up to 105Nm or torque.

Specialized Levo 4 ebike motors get power boost update

One of the things I love most about modern electronics in cycling is the occasional announcement that an over-the-air update just added new features or improved performance thanks to updated programming. It usually is something relatively small, like displaying new metrics on a smartwatch or added features on your GPS. But more recently in the ebike sphere, both Shimano and Bosch have pushed out major motor performance benefits thanks to refined motor control.

Now Specialized takes it to the next level one-upped them, with a Levo 4 update that increases the peak power they can get out of both versions of their latest Levo 4 3.1 motors.

“With Over-the-Air updates, every Turbo bike becomes a living, evolving machine that gets better over time. With a simple software update done from the convenience of their home, riders’ bikes get more powerful, more refined, and more personalized.”

– Marco Sonderegger, Specialized’s Leader of Turbo Technology

More SuperNatural power & torque

Specialized calls their blend of high ebike power output with smooth, manageable control Super Natural, and that’s truer than ever in this new over-the-air Levo 4 control update.

S-Works Levo 4 models increase 18% in peak power output, now topping out at 850W (up from 720W peak last spring) while keeping 111Nm of torque.

All other standard Specialized Levo 4 models increase 22% in peak power, now to 810W (up from just 666W peak last spring). And they get a few extra Newton-meters of torque, up 4% to 105Nm (from 101Nm last spring).

More control & customization, too!

Besides more power, there’s also a cool new mode with less power. Dynamic MicroTune was always a mode for the tinkerers, where the Levo gives support proportional to how much power you put into the pedals. But now a new 0/100 setting simply matches exactly the power you put into the pedals, up to the motor’s max power if you can pedal that hard!

There’s also a smoother taper from getting pull power until the power goes off as you reach the legal speed limit for pedal assist, making it a bit more natural feel as you go faster.

On the other side, Specialized now delivers more dramatic Overrun with customizable duration after you stop pedaling. This helps get up and over obstacles and step-ups where you might not be able to pedal continuously. But it can also make for a jerky ride. Thankfully, you can turn down Overrun Duration or set back pedaling to stop Overrun if you prefer a smoother power delivery tied more closely to your own pedaling. Last up is Personalized Walk Mode, which now lets you pick from 3 walk mode speeds so it more closely matches how quickly you would walk a bike up an unrideable hill.

Just an in-app update away

All you have to do make sure your Specialized smartphone app is updated to the latest version (minimum v1.55), then connect your Levo 4 and update its software by scrolling down to ‘Bike Status’. Specialized does offer a few key warnings as this is a big update and doesn’t want to be interrupted. (Don’t worry about bricking your very expensive ebike, though. I messed up the update when my phone had some alarms go off, and just had to start the update over.)

Make sure your phone has a strong WiFi or data connection.

Both phone and ebike must have plenty of battery to not conk out in the process (min 20%).

Do NOT plug in your Levo 4 to charge it, and DON’T plug in a second range extender battery during the update

Do NOT record a ride in the Specialized app during the update

Then, take a digital detox and just leave your phone & ebike alone while updating. No texting your friends or playing with other apps just to be safe. No pressing any buttons on the Levo 4.

Sit back and wait while the free power boost beams into your ebike!

We already said it when testing the 720W peak of the S-Works Levo last spring, and it’s even more important now with up to 850W… “with more power comes more need for control“. Luckily, that’s one of Specialized’s strong suits. The Levo 4 is one of the most controlled-feeling full-power eMTB available. And that still feels like the case after this power boost that I’ve been riding since last November.

Yes, there is more peak power on hand when you need it, and when you are putting out more power, too. Mostly I feel it on the steepest climbs, at slightly higher cadence, where I can just get up the hill a bit quicker and can pull away from other equally-matched eMTBs. But I got used to it really quickly, and now it just feels normal again. I guess that’s the SuperNatural thing again. What I do notice is that with the extra power, I spend more time in Trail mode now, when I might have opted for Turbo before.

I also really like the other new customizable support controls.

Riding in the new Dynamic MicroTune mode set to 0/100 is a lot of fun, and a really solid workout, especially on rolling technical trails and descending. You put 100W into the pedals, and the Levo 4 matches it with an extra 100W. Stomp out 500W, and you end up with a combined 1000W heading into the rear wheel. I don’t think I ever really put a full 850W into the pedals to get the most out of the S-Works motor power-matching, but it’s fun to try. This is an especially great mode to ride when pedaling with someone on a lighter-powered ebike, or even on a regular bike without any motor support. You only get what you put into it, and you end up with a really long battery range.

The extra ‘sharp’ overrun behavior was not really my cup of tea. I tried longer overrun paired with faster responsiveness, and found that I didn’t really like how it made it feel like the ebike was pulling me instead of assisting me. Plus, I think it made the cutoff when I passed the 25kph speed limit more abrupt.

But the beauty in the Specialized app and the new features is that it’s entirely up to you to customize the motor feel and performance how you prefer.

Update your Levo 4 now, and you get a more powerful and more customizable eMTB than ever. All for no extra money, in just a half hour!

Specialized.com