10K £9,000
Doubledown casing tyres add weight, but they also add pinch-flat protection volume spacer to increase ramp-up, but it still doesn’t offer the same level of support as the regular 38, so we ended up adding additional volume spacers and forgoing the last 10-15mm of fork travel.
COMPONENTS
To keep the cockpit tidy, Merida uses an e-bike dedicated handlebar where the wire for the Shimano remote runs under the grip and through the handlebar before exiting inside the stem and connecting to the display. Merida also eliminates the dropper post cable by fitting the wireless Reverb AXS post.
Not only does this look neat, but the impressively light, accurate action of the post makes it a breeze to fine tune your saddle height on technical climbs. Merida then spoils the sleek cockpit by fitting a Lezyne front light that’s hardwired into the battery. Dang!
We had no complaints about the
XTR drivetrain and even the four-piston XTR brakes didn’t exhibit the annoying variable bite point issue that have plagued so many bikes. Also, Merida should be commended for fitting Double Down casing Maxxis tyres, but if you want to extend the range of the 630Wh battery, which you will do, we suggest swapping the super-soft Maxx Grip front tyre for the medium-compound Maxx Terra. In fact, our only complaint with the specification was the distinct lack of padding on the Merida saddle. Of all the places to save weight on an e-bike, the saddle isn’t one of them.
PERFORMANCE
Sling a leg over the eone-sixty and it feels shorter than claimed. Run a tape measure over it and it clearly is. We measured the reach at 452mm on the size large, 8mm shorter than listed.
The head angle and seat angle are also slacker than claimed and it’s partly the result of the 10mm taller axle-to-crown height of the Fox 38 fork, compared to the 36 that it replaced. If it wasn’t for the lack of support from the emtb-tuned 38 we probably wouldn’t be complaining. On mellow gradients the eone-sixty is a great trail bike – agile, compliant and capable. Tip it down the steeper trails that its inherent ride characteristics encourage and you instantly want it to be longer or slacker, probably both. Would changing the fork to the standard 38 improve things? Most definitely. And given that the bike is £1,750 cheaper than the Levo Pro, you could buy a second fork with change to spare.
VERDICT
As pedal-assist trail bikes go, the Merida eone-sixty is right up there with the best of them. But if you’re looking to use the 630Wh battery and Shimano EP8 motor to access more challenging terrain, and not simply challenge your fitness, there are better options for more gravityfocused riding.
Yes, the Merida eone-sixty was well ahead of the curve when launched in 2017. And even though the latest version builds on its excellent rear suspension and forgiving ride quality, we’d argue that Merida hasn’t gone quite far enough in terms of sizing and geometry to remain truly cutting edge.
HIGHS
Pitter-patter rear suspension
LOWS
Could be longer and slacker
When we tested the MKII Levo in our 2021 e-bike of the Year test, we were impressed by the unbridled power of the 90Nm motor, the supple rear suspension and Specialized’s best-in-class integration. With sizing and geometry based on the old Stumpy though, the Levo felt shorter and more upright than the latest offerings from Whyte and
Trek. What the Levo needed was the
Evo treatment. Well, six months later Specialized has delivered and then some.
As expected, the MKIII Levo has a lot of the key features introduced on the latest Stumpy Evo, including S sizing and increased reach measurements across the board. It also has adjustable headset cups that offer three head angles ranging from 63° to 65°, in 1° increments. Flip-chips in the chainstay pivots provide two rear end lengths, 442mm or 448mm, while simultaneously adjusting the BB height to give long/low or short/ high settings. The shorter chainstays a direct result of switching to a 27.5in rear wheel. Yes, the Levo is now a mullet.
But Specialized didn’t just stretch the old frame and add lots of adjustment, with its straight top tube and beefed up linkage the Levo now strongly resembles the Kenevo. And while it certainly looks to have filled out, especially around the linkage, Specialized claims that stiffness is comparable to the old version.
Travel hasn’t changed either, the Levo frame still boasting 150mm, even if we measured it at 145mm.
SUSPENSION
While the amount of travel the Levo pumps out hasn’t changed, the way it uses it is different. By upping the shock stroke from 52.5mm to 55mm Specialized has reduced the overall leverage ratio so it now runs lower pressures. It also increased the endstroke progression slightly to help resist bottoming, but it’s not so progressive that you can’t use all of the available travel. Anti-squat has been increased by a whopping 50 per cent too, so the rear end has tons of support at sag, which makes the bike feel insanely poppy, ride light and help load the longer front end on flatter turns. The downside is that now there’s a harshness to the Levo with increased vibration through the chassis, even when running the high and low speed compression adjusters on the X2 shock fully open.
In keeping with the bigger is better theme, the Levo gets a 160mm travel Fox 38 Factory fork. You have the same four-way damping adjustment as the X2 shock and it’s interesting that Specialized has gone with the standard 38, not the e-bike option with the different damping tune. Having ridden both forks back to back, Specialized has made the right call.
COMPONENTS
With not much change from £11k you’d expect all the best kit on the Levo Pro, and on the whole Specialized delivers. Yes, the side knobs on the Eliminator Grid rear tyre tend to squirm too much when really loaded, and it’s annoying that we had to tighten the carbon Praxis crank arms after every ride, but overall it’s a standout build. The shorter 160mm crank arms provide plenty of pedal clearance, so we had no issues with unwanted pedal strikes.
PERFORMANCE
With all of the changes to the geometry