Specialized Turbo Levo R Pro

Want a full-power climb and a bike that still turns like a trail bike? The Specialized Turbo Levo R Pro is that bike. FACT 11m carbon, 29-inch wheels, 140mm at the fork and 130mm at the rear, with a Specialized 3.1 motor producing 105 Nm and 810W peak. It suits fast woodland singletrack, technical climbs and long loops where you still want a lively ride home.

It is the current UK model in Specialized's e-MTB catalogue, the launch-generation Pro, with an original UK RRP of £9,699. Specialized has not published an official model year, so a 2027 tag on a listing is a retailer label, not a newer generation. In the Levo R line it sits below S-Works and above Expert. You get one carbon build, not a choice of frame materials.

Full power, shorter travel

The 3.1 motor is what keeps a steep, loose climb on the bike rather than on foot. Output is 105 Nm and 810W peak. Simon Stewart, testing the S-Works version of this chassis for Blister, reported comfortable, effective technical climbing and strong traction.

You are buying a removable side-entry 840Wh battery, and that is the pack to plan around. A 280Wh range extender is optional and not included, and Specialized's claim of up to five hours only applies with the extender fitted. It will still vary with your weight, the assistance level and how hard you ride. A compatible 600Wh battery is the lighter alternative, with less capacity. Neither comes on the bike.

Travel is 140mm up front and 130mm at the back. This Pro build pairs a RockShox Lyrik Ultimate fork, with a Charger 3.2 damper, to a Super Deluxe Ultimate GENIE RC2T shock in 190x45mm. The GENIE spring is progressive, so small bumps stay reasonably calm and bigger compressions meet more support. The 130mm rear end prioritises speed and feedback rather than repeated bike-park impacts. Sustained rough descents can overwhelm it, where a longer-travel e-MTB would still have reserve.

Head angle can be set to 64, 65 or 66 degrees, chainstay length to 441mm or 447mm, and a shock chip can raise the bottom bracket by 5mm. Published figures use 65 degrees and a 447mm chainstay, with a 77-degree seat angle on every size from S2 to S6. That seat angle puts you in a solid spot for seated climbing.

Reach runs from 420mm on the S2 to 525mm on the S6, and every size uses 29-inch wheels. The position is compact and sporty, with a low front end. Because the 780mm Traverse SL carbon bar and 50mm Industry Nine A35 stem are separate parts, a higher-rise bar is a straightforward swap.

What the Pro build spends the money on

Gears are SRAM X0 Eagle AXS Transmission, 12-speed, with a 10-52 cassette. Wireless shifting is the obvious luxury. The more useful bit is that Transmission is designed to shift under load, which is what the chain is doing while the motor is still driving. The dropout is UDH-compatible, so a replacement hanger is a widely supported part. Brakes are SRAM Maven Silver four-piston calipers with 200mm HS2 rotors front and rear. A bike this powerful arrives at corners carrying speed, and that brake package is sized for it.

Roval Traverse SL II hookless carbon rims, 30mm internal, sit on Industry Nine 1/1 hubs. They suit the quick steering this travel is meant to give you, and they cost plenty to replace if you case one. Tyres are 29x2.4 with a GRID casing, a softer T9 compound at the front and a faster T7 at the rear. They are tubeless-ready, but inner tubes are what come fitted. Valves, tape and sealant are the extra bits for a tubeless setup, which can mean lower pressures and fewer stops for small punctures.

The practical bits after you buy

The MasterMind TCU is a 2.2-inch display, with Specialized app support and Apple Find My. Apple Find My is useful when the bike is locked up in town and you are inside. SWAT storage in the downtube gives you a spot for small kit, so a short loop does not automatically mean a backpack. The battery slides out of the side of the downtube, which makes indoor charging simple.

Dropper travel is worth sorting before you order. The post is a RockShox Reverb AXS in 34.9mm, but Specialized's component list and geometry listing do not agree on travel by size. The gap is large enough to change how far the saddle drops and whether the post suits your insertion limit. The travel quoted for your size with the bike you order is the figure that counts.

Specialized includes a 12A smart charger with Standard, Fast, Eco and 80% modes. Claimed weight is 22.58 kg (49 lb, 12.5 oz) for an S3, and that number moves with size, colour and small component differences. This is full-power weight, not a light, low-power e-bike. The short-travel layout is there so that mass can still change direction quickly.

Choose the Turbo Levo R Pro when your riding is fast singletrack and technical climbs, the sort of day where the motor still has something left on the last steep pitch and the fitted battery makes the long way home realistic. Wireless shifting, carbon wheels and quicker handling are the Pro details worth comparing offers on.