The Specialized Turbo Levo R Is a Rally Car in a Monster Truck World

Specialized have jazzed up their e-bike range, adding the brand new Turbo Levo R to last year’s hit release, the Turbo Levo 4. 

Alongside the familiar long-travel, mixed-wheel Levo sits the new Specialized Turbo Levo R — a bike that shares the same Turbo 3.1 motor system, but is built with a very different intent. Where the Levo remains the all-rounder, the Levo R is lighter, tighter, and clearly aimed at riders who value speed, flow and agility over outright smashability.

The previous iteration of a ‘lightweight’ e-bike by Specialized was the Turbo Levo SL: a mixed wheel (with flip chip) 160/150mm brawler. However, by modern standards the Specialized SL 1.2 motor on the bike became seen to be underpowered (with 50Nm torque, 320W power assistance and 320Wh battery) as the market evolved and bigger watts, more torque and larger capacity batteries became the norm.

And so, with the Specialized Levo R, numbers are an important part of the tale. The Levo R runs 140mm of travel up front and 130mm at the rear, wrapped around a dedicated 29-inch wheel setup and what Specialized calls its ‘rally’ geometry. Compared to the standard Specialized Levo, that’s a shorter-travel, lower-slung package with a forward rider position and sharper handling priorities. Claimed complete bike weights drop as low as 18.8kg for the S-Works model.

Power comes from the same Turbo 3.1 system seen on the latest Levo, delivering up to 850W peak and 111Nm of torque in S-Works trim (810W peak and 105Nm on non-S-Works models). Rather than chasing headline numbers, Specialized’s focus remains on what it describes as ‘SuperNatural’ power delivery – assistance that adapts to cadence, terrain and speed to maintain traction and control. In practice, the system aims to stay calm at low speeds while maintaining composure and consistency at higher ones, rather than the sensation of the motor feeling abrupt in its engagement or disengagement.

Suspension is another key talking point. The Levo R is another bike to use Specialized’s GENIE air spring system, paired here with a Rally-specific tune. The idea is coil-like sensitivity through the first portion of the stroke, followed by increased progression deeper in the travel. On paper, that should suit riders who like to pump terrain, generate speed and carry momentum rather than plough through it.

Range and battery options remain modular. The Levo R ships with an 840Wh battery as standard, with a lighter 600Wh option available, plus compatibility with Specialized’s 280Wh range extender for longer days. Battery access is via the familiar side-loading hatch, which also houses SWAT storage above the battery – still one of the cleaner integration solutions in the e-bike space.

Up front, the new MasterMind T3 display continues to act as the system’s control hub, offering clear ride data and on-the-fly MicroTune adjustments. Riders can fine-tune support levels in 10% increments, allowing the motor’s behaviour to be matched to terrain, effort, or simply the type of ride planned for the day.

The Turbo Levo R doesn’t replace the Turbo Levo 4. Instead, it targets riders who want full-power assistance in a bike that feels closer to a modern trail or downcountry machine. Less monster truck, more rally car, for those that enjoy the challenge of the climb as well as the descent. How that translates on trail will ultimately be the deciding factor, and we have long-term AMB contributor Ryan Walsch aboard the new Turbo R to tell us – is it really ‘SuperNatural’? And if so, in a good way, or a spooky poltergeist way?

Ryan’s First Impressions of the Specialized Levo R

The Specialized Levo R Expert I have on test is built up with some slick and pretty light weight parts: a carbon Roval wheelset, SRAM Motive brakes and a very supple Fox 36SL fork up front and taking care of first impacts. 

On the trail, the Levo R is fast and responsive, similar to that of an Epic Evo, with the extra depth of the Genie shock and an additional 10mm of travel at both ends. 

There is no avoiding the bulk of the new Levo R: there is a pretty substantial downtube, housing a huge 840Wh battery and a whopping full powered motor that has now been tuned up to 850W peak power. This puts the bike into the ‘full powered’ e-bike land, while the build suggests a more SL-adjacent bike, but the lines of the bike scream ‘brawler’. The large downtube facilitates the huge battery and Specialized’s own 3.1 motor that allows the brand more comprehensive use of the e-bike technology it’s developed – but it does mean the Levo R defies current trends of SL bikes that try and camouflage into the analogue bike sphere. 

WIth added power and range, the Levo R amplifies what was possible on a Levo SL and gives riders the ability to Explore all day on a capable Turbo trail bike without the brawn of an enduro bike build build. 

So who’s it for? Well initial thoughts are that the Levo R is a great option for the rider not looking at a shuttle-pig e-bike, and one that doesn’t need the extra brawn of the Levo 4 or a burlier rig. Someone looking at all day adventures like a long day trip from Thredbo to Jindabyne along the TVT, or perhaps the Epic trail at Mt Buller – intermediate technical trails without being balls to the wall full of unforgiving A-lines. 

The capacity of the 840Wh battery opens up options for multi-day alpine adventures as well, as long as using battery power wisely.

I have been fortunate to be out on the Levo R for sometime, seeing where it excels and what it shy away from. Stay tuned for a full review in issue #217 of AMB.

Levo R pricing

Levo R SW: $23,500 AUD
Levo R Expert: $15,500 AUD
Levo R Comp: $11,900 AUD

You can find out more on the Specialized website.