2022 Specialized Levo Pro: First Ride on the $13,000 Mullet!

Got a chance to ride a 2022 Specialized Levo Pro at (2) of my local MTB trails thanks to Paradise Garage in Columbus, Ohio. After owning a 2018 Levo Comp Carbon with 27.5+ wheels and a 2019 Levo Comp Carbon with 29" wheels I really wanted to try out the all new 2022 Levo with "mullet" set up (29" front/27.5+ rear wheels). After almost 20 miles of trail riding I was very impressed with the '22 Levo Pro.

Cornering is the first thing that stood out to me. I ride mostly tighter and rougher trails and the smaller rear wheel and shorter rear chain stays help get this bike through the corners, especially compared to the previous full 29" Levo. On the rare faster sections of trail the new slightly slacker front end geometry calms the front end down. This Pro model comes with Fox Factory suspension which provides a firm and controlled ride with the recommended air pressure and clicker settings. The Fox 38 forks are beefy and flex free. I went out on the clickers a little to soften things up a bit for the slower and more technical trails I was riding. The updated frame feels a little stronger to me when standing up and pedaling with little flex.

The fully tunable (with Mission Control app) updated Brose 2.2 motor is quiet with smooth and natural pedal assist yet still feels a little stronger than the latest Bosch CX and Shimano EP8 motors I've ridden. The belt drive is very smooth with no gear lash or on/off clunk feel that can sometimes be felt on some motors. The power on the latest 2.2 Brose motor feels more refined and natural when the pedal assist comes in and fades out compared to the Brose 1.3 motor on my 2019 Specialized Kenevo Expert.

The combination of all new geometry, mullet wheel sizes, refined motor pedal assist along with high end suspension components really makes the '22 Levo Pro a fun and responsive e-MTB that gives the rider confidence to push harder and go faster and with no range anxiety thanks to a 700Wh battery. The '22 Levo Pro is simply super fun to ride! That fun to ride factor along with the highly integrated and well executed design helps justify the $13,000 MSRP. Now I want to see how this all new geometry, motor, and mullet wheel set up works on the more affordable aluminum frame versions of the '22 Levo;)