Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles.
One app.

Start reading

Get all your news in one place.

100’s of premium titles. One news app.

Start reading

Bike Perfect

Lifestyle

Paul Brett

Is the new Levo SL Kids e-MTB from Specialized the most costly children's bike yet?

Specialized MTB SRAM United States

Specialized's Levo SL Kids may just be one of the most expensive children's bikes yet, packed with trail-proven componentry and cutting-edge technology that you'd expect in adult versions of the best electric mountain bikes from the brand.

The Specialized joins a host of other brands dropping premium children's bikes with the likes of Cube, who recently launched the Cube Flying Circus 240, Prevelo with their high spec Prevelo Zulu range of mountain bikes, and YT Industries recently expanding their kids' MTB range with the new Jeffsy Primus 27. We had a look at the features of the Levo SL Kids to see if it justified the £3,500 price tag.

Specialized says they have put the same engineering and attention to detail that goes into any of its adult bikes, because, to quote Whitney Houston "they believe children are the future". The Levo SL Kids therefore gets the same 320wh battery and motor that powers the adult’s Levo SL. Specialized adds that the full-size Levo SL, piloted by an adult, gives up to 5 hours of range and the Levo Kids SL, with a much smaller rider onboard gets a considerable boost in range.

One size fits all but you'll have to be 14 or over to ride legally in the UK (Image credit: Specialized)

The Levo SL Kids also has Specialized A1 Premium Butted Alloy frame with a modern, progressive geometry. Lightweight and trail-tough with trail-proven componentry which is designed from the ground up. Specialized say they have kept the standover low for added confidence, slackened the head angle, lengthened the reach for stability at speed, and shorted the chainstays to give maximum maneuverability and responsiveness. The result they say is a bike that brings full-size competence at any speed and any terrain.

For the price tag quoted, you would expect serious components and Specialized say the RockShox Reba 100mm AIR fork will offer true off-road performance. SRAM NX 11-speed gives drivetrain performance with SRAM Level T hydraulic brakes for ample stopping power. The finishing kit comes from Specialized and the dropper post with 80mm of travel comes from TranzX.

The Specialized Levo SL comes with a high spec as you'd expect from the price point (Image credit: Specialized)

The Turbo Operating System will double the rider’s efforts, delivering power when needed smoothly and effortlessly. Specialized adds that there’s is much more to the Turbo Operating System than just power and range, and it keeps track of a host of information like motor and battery health and ride stats. It can receive over-the-air updates to improve performance over time too.

The Mission Control app enables highly adjustable control for the Levo SL Kids, allowing parents to tune the power of the bike based on their child’s riding abilities. That means kids can start low in support/power to help get an idea of what an e-MTB is capable of and increase as power as confidence and skills improve. The option to create and name different modes in the Mission Control app also lets parents plan a child’s progression, or quickly swap between kids with varying abilities.

The Kids Levo gets the same 320wh battery and motor that powers the adult Levo SL (Image credit: Specialized )

The Levo SL Kids comes in one size and is intelligently designed to deliver a performance ride for riders between 122-152cm (48-60 inches) in height, (approximately ages 6 years old and older). The low standover provides plenty of clearance for shorter riders, while older, more experienced riders experience a more nimble ride thanks to a shorter wheelbase and a smaller bike relative to their stature.

However, it's worth noting in the UK and most of the US children must be aged 14 or over to legally ride an e-bike on public roads or spaces. Laws and regulations regarding the use of electric bicycles vary significantly by geographic area, even within a particular country or state. So it's worth checking the rules in specific locations before purchase.

Availability, pricing and spec

The Specialized Levo SL Kids e-MTB is available now from Specialized and Specialized dealers, the Levo comes in one size priced at $TBC / £3,500 / €TBC. For more information head over to Specialized.com.