Specialized Levo Turbo SL Comp Issue

[Dale Dozier]

I'm new to this forum, and am looking for some help from anyone who owns a Specialized Levo turbo SL.

My Wife and I purchased two of these wonderful Ebikes a little over a year ago. After about 3 months my wife seemed to be getting in much better shape than I was. She was always kicking my butt. I did notice that the Kcal numbers between the two bikes were different than when we first purchased the bikes, but I didn't think anything of it at the time.

Then after 6 months we took the bikes in for SW upgrades and for the shop to look a the Kcal discrepancy. We went back to our old MTB's and we immediately notice that my wife's heart rate had jumped 10-15 bpm!

Long story short, after 6 months and many service requests from me and the bike shop, Specialized has yet to admit there is a problem. My wife's bike uses 30% more battery and shows 42% more calories burned. My bike in Mission Control says it is offering more assistance than my wife's bike. Totally upside down, all with the same rider!

Where I am now is , the two bikes perform about the same if I limit the power on my wife's bike to 50%, with mine at 100% in all modes. We ride 60 miles a week mostly in ECO mode. I am willing to pay to replace whatever is necessary to get them fixed. Problem is, I don't know for sure which bike is having the problem and a motor is $800, non-returnable. Crickets from Specialized.

This is where I DESPERATELY need your help. I have a simple test that I ran on both our bikes that will tell me what I need to know. I need to run this test on a third bike.

The Test: 1-2 miles in ECO mode 35/100, while maintaining an average speed of exactly 14 mph. Level flat pavement, no wind, minimal if any brake usable. I need the exact distance and Kcal for the test ride from Mission Control or TCD.

Is there someone there someone that could run this test for me? My wife and I would be eternally grateful.

Thank You!

Dale & Sandy

 

[Dale Dozier]

Put Sandy's bike in the shop today for a "calibration". This is a new test they "forgot they had". If no issues are found, i'm looking at replacing the motor assembly in my bike. Thats $800 out of pocket for a bike that is suppose to be under warranty.

If anyone can ride their Levo SL Comp in ECO mode at a steady speed on the level for 1-2 miles and let me know what the calories used were either from the display or misson control, I would really appreciate. If not, Im making a guess and motor can not be returned. I cant even keep the old one.

Thank you
Dale & Sandy

 

[Deleted member 4845]

I will guess that the pedal assist is based on a torque sensor, right? Not a simple crank rotation sensor?

It is using MORE battery, while compared to your bike in "mission control", whatever that is, but likely some data-sharing PC program or website, it is giving LESS assist. The Kcal thing is almost totally useless without some backround on what they are using to calculate that, but likely derived from the torque sensor.

Using More Battery while providing Less assist, and theoretically burning More calories.

The common element her is the torque sensor, a bad or incorrectly calibrated one could presumably cause this. I have read of some similarly oddball issues from a bad or mis-calibrated, or incorrectly powered or installed, torque sensor.

Motor does not seem to match as source of problem.

I am also amazed you have to pay for the replacement motor but can NOT keep the original part?

This is one of many reasons I do not generally recommend brand-name, hi-dollar bikes

 

[Dale Dozier]

Just got Sandys bike back from the shop. No problems were found with calibration. Problem is now fixed, some how. Specialized still claims there never was an issue.

I agree the problem was never the motor. But all the sensors, including the torque sensor, are in the motor assembly and it is a sealed unit.

Sandys bike used 30% more battery, but show 40% more calories burned, not less. It did not do this when we first purchased the bikes. I also agree, calories burned by itself can be arbitrary with many variables. If we hadn't purchase 2 bikes to have something to compare to, we would have never known there was a problem. Calories burned discrepancy between the two bikes was just a red flag. Night and day riding the 2 bikes as well. I just couldn't scream loud enough to get anyone to test it.

My background is testing and analysis of telecommunication network problems. Customer service to customer service

After 6 months and 10 letters, many unanswered phone calls, I will curse the name Specialized until the day I die. Wonderful bike, non-existent customer service. Their 800 customer service number, there is no one there, literally, just a recording all agents are busy, 24/7.

We had a couple of hub motor ebikes. They were more like an electric motorcycle. The torque sensors and sophisticated software in these bikes is a real game changer. I makes you feel like the battery is plugged into you!

Thanks for your reply.