Wouldn’t it be awesome if the new Specialized Enduro was even more capable? It would be hard to make a more capable bike in terms of climbing and descending prowess, but what if it made you more capable?
Like, two times more capable thanks to the Specialized Turbo Super Light system introduced on the Turbo Levo SL. Now, the Kenevo SL gets the same lightweight update to make a bike that might be as fast up the hill as it is down.
At the heart of the bike, the Turbo SL 1.1 motor offers up to 240 watts of power and 35Nm of torque. That pales in comparison to the 595 watts of peak power and 90Nm of torque from the Turbo 2.2 motor found on the full power Kenevo and Levo, but the point with the SL is obviously to reduce the weight. By a lot. Specialized claims that the Kenevo SL is 12 pounds lighter (5.5kg) than the Kenevo. Or to put it a different way, the Kenevo SL e-MTB is only 4kg more than an Enduro mountain bike.
Clearly, the Kenevo SL won’t provide the same super boost as the full-powered bike, but the trade off is a much lighter platform that still provides that added push up the hills.
Part of that weight reduction comes in the form of a smaller battery as well. A 320Wh battery is housed in the downtube. Additional range can be added with a 160Wh range extender in the form of a water bottle battery. Specialized claims this will offer 4.5-7 hours of total supported ride time, though that will depend on how much assist is used, terrain, rider weight, riding style, etc.
Of course, much of that performance can be controlled through the Mission Control App which is now integrated with the MasterMind Turbo Control Unit found on the top tube. The new TCU allows for over-the-air updates to improve the Kenevo SL over time, MicroTune on-the-Fly adjustment of performance in 10% increments, real-time pedal efficiency, and a display screen that provides everything from battery life to rider power value.
Out-of-the-box functionality:
• Over-the-air updates
• MasterMind TCU displays the remaining charge as an easy-to-read percentage
• MicroTune feature allows on-the-fly adjustment of peak power and support
levels in 10% increments
• Personalization of display arrangement (4 choices) and 30 possible data values
• Clock
• “Live Consumption” teaches you how to pedal efficiently by displaying real-time
miles (or kilometers) per watt-hour
• Rider Power Value display allows you to see the power you’re putting into the bike
• Heart rate pairing capability
• Precision elevation tracking
Part of the weight reduction is also owed to the new full monocoque FACT 11m carbon frame which uses a similar “6 bar” suspension layout as the new Enduro. Essentially an FSR four bar linkage with a Horst Link, additional tension links are added to drive shock compression. All of this is meant to eliminate side-loading of the rear shock for better performance, and improve handling with a lower center of gravity. If it pedals like the Enduro does, the Kenevo SL will be a very efficient, and very capable bike even before you turn on the motor.
Like the Enduro, the Kenevo SL axle path starts with rearward movement to help get the back wheel over obstacles more quickly without slowing you down.
An Rx Tuned shock for the Kenevo SL is paired with a leverage curve that is fairly linear at the start for small bump compliance and mid-stroke support, but ramps up enough at the end to control the biggest hits at the full 170mm of rear travel.
Geometry? Take your pick
When it comes to geometry, the Kenevo SL has options for days. Starting with an adjustable headset, you can choose from 62.5, 63.5, or 64.5° head tube angles. Add in two bottom bracket heights which vary by 6mm, and you end up with six different geometry settings for each bike. Since there’s a lot to process there, Specialized set up a Geo Finder Tool which will help you dial in the best setting.
The sizing itself is based on Specialized’ S-Sizing system which eliminates traditional size names in favor of S2-S5 for the Kenevo SL. The reasoning is that riders that are the same height may find themselves more comfortable on different sizes based on their preferred reach. Smaller S-sizes offer shorter reach, while bigger S-Sizes provide longer reach number for a roomier or more stable ride.
Models & Pricing
Turbo Kenevo SL S-Works: $15,000
No, that’s not a typo. the top of the line Kenevo SL will set you back a full $15 grand. But hey, that’s less than the $16,525 Founder’s Edition Levo SL, right? That kind of cash gets you a full Fox Factory suspension package, Roval Traverse SL carbon bars and wheels, SRAM Eagle AXS wireless drivetrain and dropper post and pretty much top end everything else.
Turbo Kenevo SL Expert
For a slightly more reasonable $11,000, you can pick up the Kenevo SL Expert which drops to Fox Performance level suspension, alloy bars and wheels, and a mechanical SRAM X01 drivetrain to drop four grand from the price tag.
S-Works Turbo Kenevo SL Frameset
Feel like building your own e-bike from the frame up? That’s an option too, and it might be the preferred option if you already have an entire build kit since the price is *just* $8,500. That does include the Fox Float X2 Factory rear shock, Praxis Carbon M30 crank with SRAM X-Sync Eagle chainring and all necessary electronics though.
Following their recent trend of incredible launch videos, Specialized offers Monsters vs. Bikes. Enjoy.
