Specialized Levo 4 owners have a nice little treat waiting for them in the shape of an update that delivers an 18-22% power increase via a smartphone app.
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The over-the-air boost increases S-Works models’ power up to 850W peak at the motor (up from the original 720W), while holding 111Nm torque. Other Levo 4 models gain 22% peak power, rising to 810W from the standard 666W, with torque boosted to 105Nm (up from 101Nm).
“With over-the-air updates, every Turbo bike becomes a living, evolving machine that gets better over time,” said Marco Sonderegger, Leader of Turbo Technology. “With a simple software update done from the convenience of their home, riders’ bikes get more powerful, more refined, and more personalized.”
Other goodies delivered via the update include Dynamic MicroTune, which matches motor output to rider input for control and efficiency, smoother transition to max speed so you don’t feel a noticeable power lockout when you hit 15.5mph, sharper overrun when you tackle roots and kerbs, plus three walk mode speeds for those dismounted moments.
Updating involves being near your fully charged e-bike and running the app on your phone. The bike has to be parked and not in ride mode, and you can’t actually do anything on your phone while the update is in progress, which feels just a little 2009.
Over-the-air updates aren’t anything new in the e-bike industry — Bosch has updated its motors to include more security features, while Avinox’s recent M1 upgrade unleashed up to 1,000W peak power. But this is the first time Specialized has allowed updates this way, as opposed to lugging your e-bike to a dealer for a wired firmware upgrade.
A free power level-up is a boon for Specialized Levo 4 owners, and it’s a move that implies that the US bike giant is invested in long-term support for its products. However, it’s not clear whether or not this upgrade was planned from the outset or if Specialized just figured out a way to increase the power of its motors.
Worst-case scenario: this could also pave the way for sneaky subscription-only features, like the heated seats in BMW cars, which went down so well among consumers. But it could also be seen as a way for Specialized to keep consumers from chipping their bikes, because presumably the updated features won’t apply to these.
Like Apple, Specialized tends to take small but deliberate steps forward, but other companies also follow the path they lay. As long as Specialized doesn’t get too greedy, then this can only be a good thing.
