Specialized Levo 4 or The Santa Cruz Vala
The Specialized LEVO 4 versus the Santa Cruz Vala. Two amazing eMTBs that launched in the past few months with very different ideas about what the perfect bike is. These two bikes push the limits of what is possible with an electric bike. Having both bikes in our inventory puts us in the unique position for a direct comparison of the bikes.
Let's jump right into it.
Santa Cruz Vala
The Vala launched last October along with the Bosch Performance CX 5th generation motor.
The first and most visual departure for this bike is the suspension design. Santa Cruz started from the ground up. Building the suspension around the Bosch motor added some advantages on the electric side but presented some pivot placement issues when utilizing their traditional VPP suspension design. After several iterations, the design team found that the best suspension platform for their eBikes was the tried and true four-bar linkage. This system allows the pivot placement to be above the motor mounts. During the design phase, they found that this ended up performing better than their VPP system when the pivots were placed around the motor.
Santa Cruz wanted to create an eMTB that rode as close to a traditional bike as possible. This meant keeping the weight as low as possible. The Performance CX was mated to a 600 Wh battery mounted as low as possible to keep that weight and the center of gravity low. The motor provides 85 Nm of torque and a peak power output of 600 Watts. In addition to the 600 Wh battery, an additional 250 Wh range extender is available. This mounts to the downtube in the water bottle cage.
The biggest take away is Santa Cruz optimizing for handling and range. The Vala runs the balance between having plenty of range while keeping the bike as light as possible to improve handling. The range extender allows for extra life when you feel like you need it.
18-Month Financing available on the Vala
Four-Bar Linkage
The updated suspension designe provides a solid, playful platform anchored around the Performance CX motor.
Transmission
The SRAM Transmission drivetrains provide flawless shifting even under the power of an eBike.
Lifetime Bearing Replacement
The Vala isn't just built to handle well, it's built to last. All Valas include lifetime pivot bearing replacement.
specialized levo 4
The 4th generation LEVO launched the first week of April with a complete redesign. New motor, new kinematics, new batteries, new everything.
Let's start with the motors. Yup, there's two. The S-Works motor produces a whopping 111 Nm and 720 peak Watts. The standard motor drops to 101 Nm and 666 Watts. These motors are specialized exclusives. The design eliminates the use of a belt making it more durable and quieter. All models come with an 840 Wh battery. In addition, there are 600 Wh and 280 Wh batteries available. The latter can be ran solo or used as a range extender giving a max capacity of 1120 Wh!
The batteries are easily removed. In fact, they were able to shrink the size of the battery down from the previous version lowering the center of gravity and providing down tube storage.
The LEVO also brought some new modes and adjustability to the platform. The Autotune mode is a way to use your pedal input to automatically adjust motor output. You mash on the pedals, it's going to give you a ton of power. If you light pedal, you'll get light assist back. It is also possible to adjust the overdrive of the motor, microtune every mode and all of it is done from the new display. They also included a "get to the trailhead" mode that allows the bike to be switched to Class 3 for those pavement sections you just want to blast through.
12-Month financing available
New Display
The updated display gives you more info and more options. All microtuning and adjustments can now be made without the app.
Downtube Storage
The LEVO is the first eBike to accommodate storage in the downtube. Easily remove the battery and insert your essentials.
AXS Extension Cord
The new LEVO takes advantage of the AXS Extension Cord eliminating the need for derailleur batteries.
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two solid bikes
Ultimately, both of these bikes are solid eBikes. They have reputable and reliable electronics, solid suspension platforms and offer slightly different experiences. If you like a quick rip and want a bike that handles as close as possible to an analog bike, the Vala is for you. On the other hand, if you want power, storage, and tons of range, the LEVO 4 can't be beat.
Still not sure, swing by any of our three locations for a deeper, in-person dive and free test ride.