Specialized Turbo Levo Comp Alloy Gen 4 Review | Full Power, Full Control

The MasterMind display is well executed. It’s large enough to be easily readable without feeling obtrusive, and it’s cleanly integrated into the top tube. The color-coded PAS indicators are a nice touch, and it shows all the key ride data you need at a glance—like speed, pedal assist level, and battery status.

The Specialized app also stands out for several reasons. First, it gives you deep customization over the motor’s performance, letting you fine-tune support levels, engagement sensitivity, and even top speed to match your preferences.

It also adds smart features that respond to your phone’s presence. For instance, it can auto-start and end your ride when it detects the bike powering on or off, and it can automatically share that ride data with apps like Garmin, Wahoo, Strava, Komoot, or Apple Health.

Security is another strong point. The bike can auto-lock and unlock depending on whether your phone is nearby, and it includes added features like motion alarms, PIN-protected access, and Apple Find My integration for tracking and theft deterrence.

Overall, it’s a highly adjustable, well-integrated system that balances ease of use, security, and customization—seamlessly working in tandem with the sleek MasterMind display. It’s everything you really want from a bike of this caliber.

Every rider has different terrain and power preferences, but for consistency in our range testing, we run bikes on a dedicated course that includes a mix of green, blue, and black singletrack. We test exclusively in the highest power mode to give you a realistic baseline for minimum range.

The Turbo Levo’s 840Wh battery is one of the larger units we’ve tested, but it’s paired with one of the most powerful motors we’ve ridden and housed in a heavier aluminum frame. Even with those range-reducing factors, the Turbo Levo delivered solid performance, one of our longest rides of similar full suspension rigs.

We logged a total of 27.02 miles with 2,885 feet of elevation gain—a respectable day’s ride for most, and a number that could nearly double with more conservative power settings.

Extrapolating from that result, you could expect roughly 8.9 more miles with the 280Wh range extender—let’s call it 36 total with the main battery, or you could expect about 19.3 miles total if running the smaller 600Wh battery alone.

This is one of the best results we’ve seen to date so I won’t analyze much: the bike has shown to be powerful, but capable of longevity too.

Each eMTB we review goes through two separate hill tests.

First up is the Devil’s Backbone. This is our version 2.0 hill test that we run for every e-bike—whether it’s a mountain bike or a cargo hauler. It’s a half-mile climb with an 8% average grade, gaining over 200 feet of elevation. Since this is a new addition for 2025, we’re still building out comparative data.

But the real proving ground for our eMTBs is the Water Tower climb: a dirt trail exclusive to full-suspension eMTBs. It stretches 0.86 miles, averages a 5.5% grade, and climbs 245 feet.

Since the Levo can now reach 28 mph for the first time, we tested it on both climbs twice—once limited to 20 mph, and once opened up to 28.

On Devil’s Backbone, with the 20 mph limit, the Turbo Levo reached the top in 2:04, averaging 14.6 mph. At 28 mph, that dropped slightly to 2:02 and 14.9 mph—so not a huge gain, but still faster.

On the Water Tower climb, it hit 3:16 at 20 mph, averaging 15.9 mph. At 28 mph, it improved to 3:08 with a 16.6 mph average.

A few interesting notes here:

First, that beats the old Turbo Levo motor by a solid margin—we previously tested the lighter Gen 3 Comp Carbon on this same trail on the Specialized 2.2 motor, and it clocked in at 3:35. So we’ve definitely got more power on tap now shaving 19 seconds when set to the same speed.

Second, those times now rank as the first- and third-fastest we’ve ever recorded on Water Tower for a full-suspension eMTB with a Class-compliant motor. So it’s not just better than the last-gen Levo—it’s ahead of every other eMTB we’ve tested so far.

Bottom line: this thing can absolutely fly uphill—and it does it fairly quietly, too I might add. Most of the motor noise doesn’t even kick in until you hit around 20 mph.

Now, it does feel like you need a slightly higher cadence to really tap into the motor’s full potential, so make sure to shift accordingly. That said, it still feels like a natural pedaling rhythm—not something exaggerated or awkward.

Here’s what we loved about that 28 mph capability: it’s not about launching like a rocket, it’s awesome not to slam into a 20 mph ceiling. The steeper hill here is Backbone, and the bike was giving it all it had in either setting with nearly identical times.

But on a less intense grade, where opportunities to actually hit and surpass 20 mph are more feasible, it’s just nice to see the bike keep going and not be held back.

It’s not that you hit a hard wall at 20—but you can feel when the motor backs off and it’s more just you from there. By lifting that limit, the climb stays smoother, and you save meaningful time. E-bikes already make shuttle laps suck a whole lot less—this just dials that relief up a notch.

And as a final aside—we’re not saying to buy a Levo as a commuter bike, but if you’re looking for one bike to do everything, the 28 mph top speed and a backpack make this thing surprisingly viable as a daily driver too.

We were impressed with the bike’s geometry, especially its adjustability. The flip chip system allows for incremental tweaks to the headtube angle, bottom bracket height, and chainstay length—small changes that can make a big difference in dialing in the ride feel.

The shorter chainstays, paired with the smaller 27.5” rear wheel, help keep the bike feeling lively in corners. It handles with more agility than its weight would suggest.

And that’s part of what makes this bike special. Yes, it’s heavy. The motor and battery add bulk, the tires aren’t featherweights, and it’s an aluminum frame, not carbon. But the motor’s natural-feeling power delivery makes the bike feel lighter than it is. There’s little sense of tradeoff when you’re charging downhill—it’s built like an ox but nimble as a fox.

With 150mm of rear travel and 160mm up front, the setup leans enduro but proves versatile across a wide range of trail conditions. Even on the roughest, chunkiest desert terrain we tested in southern Utah, the Turbo Levo felt completely at home, eating up chatter and holding its line with confidence.

The suspension spec hits a solid balance. The Fox 36 Rhythm fork and Float X shock performed well, and Specialized’s GENIE system—also seen on the Stumpjumper—adds thoughtful progression. It’s designed to provide plush bump absorption through the first 70% of the stroke, then ramp up with more support near bottom-out. It took some fine-tuning to find the right settings, but the payoff was worth it.

The ride feels secure and planted, particularly on descents. The wide bars and 2.4” tires were a great match. Compared to the 2.3” rubber on the S-Works model (which we found underwhelming) or the overly sluggish 2.6” Butchers, the 2.4s struck a nice middle ground between rolling resistance and traction on techy trails. They’re not light, but they deliver where it counts.

As for the brakes—SRAM Mavens bring serious bite. They’re not even the top-tier version, but they clamp down hard and fast. Half our team loved them, the other half preferred something with a different lever feel. But personal preferences aside, they offered more than enough stopping power once dialed in.

The Turbo Levo is an all-around standout—delivering superb motor performance, impressive range, dialed-in geometry, and a host of thoughtful extras like SWAT storage and deep customization through the Specialized app.

The aluminum frame options offer accessible entry points for a broader range of riders. Those seeking a do-it-all eMTB with virtually no weaknesses—aside from some added weight—can step up to the Comp Carbon and get a spec package that doesn’t require immediate upgrades.

Alternatively, budget-conscious riders can start with the entry-level Levo Alloy, investing in a great frame, motor, and battery platform with plenty of upgrade potential down the road.

“Where super meets natural” really does this bike justice. The Turbo Levo has a remarkably intuitive and fun ride feel that opens the door to a wide range of trail adventures—and keeps the stoke high every time you’re out there.

“Where super meets natural” really does this bike justice. The Turbo Levo has a remarkably intuitive and fun ride feel that opens the door to a wide range of trail adventures—and keeps the stoke high every time you’re out there.

Happy Riding! Make sure to let us know if you have any questions or if you think we left anything out in this review of the Specialized Turbo Levo down in our comments section.