JAMIE’S SPECIALIZED TURBO KENEVO SL COMP

MONTH 19: Having upgraded most of the components on the Kenevo SL, JD offers advice on where best to splash any extra cash…

£7,400 • 29in • specialized.com

Brakes, drivetrain and dropper post aside, I’ve changed pretty much everything that came stock on the Kenevo SL. This is extremely naughty, certainly not in the spirit of the long-term testing ethos, and something that’s put Muldoon in high dudgeon for the past 19 months. He’ll get over it. Besides, it’s given me a good perspective on what you should upgrade on the Kenevo SL, and what to leave firmly alone.

Upgrade number one is a range extender. If you ride the bike in Eco mode or anything less than 20% power then the battery will last as long as you want it to. But if you want a little more help (like me) then the 320Wh battery hidden inside the down tube doesn’t cut it. Add in a 160Wh range extender, though, and balance is restored – I can do a 25km ride with 1,000m of descending without the need for an ice-bath recovery and a day laying on the sofa.

The next thing you should consider buying is a new shock. I know this sounds like an extreme move, but the stock Fox Float X Performance on the Kenevo SL isn’t up to the job, choking up halfway through the stroke. I had the chance to try the S-works model and the X2 shock on that bike was so much better, with a more sensitive feel. Later, I fitted an Öhlins TTX 22 M.2 coil shock to my bike, which again proved much more sensitive. I think the X2 is the better choice though, as I could bottom-out the Öhlins shock even when running less than 20% sag, probably because the bike is designed around the greater progression of an air-sprung shock.

As for the rest, leave it all well alone – the Butcher T9/T7 tyres are excellent, the stock Fox 36 Float Rhythm fork is up to the job, and the alloy wheels are strong and light... although popping in a mullet set-up was undoubtedly fun.

WHY IT’S HERE Diet e-bikes, the best or worst of both worlds?

THE RIDER JAMIE DARLOW Position Front section editor Mostly Rides Surrey Hills Height 6ft 1in Weight 82kg THE BIKE ■ Lightweight e-bike, splitting the weight difference between the full-power Kenevo and regular Enduro ■ Less than half the power of a full-fat e-bike, with 240W and 35Nm of torque, and a small 320Wh battery (with optional 160Wh range extender) ■ Entry-level Turbo Kenevo SL gets Fox Performance suspension, Fox Rhythm fork and SRAM GX drivetrain, but retains the full carbon frame ■ Progressive geometry and sizing makes the Kenevo SL a full-blown enduro bike

Range extender saved Jamie's legs

Swapped-in Öhlins shock was a big improvement but the Fox X2 was better still