# I put my Levo on a Diet



## AGarcia (Feb 20, 2012)

So I purchased a new 2019 Levo Expert on close-out in April (bought it for $5335). When I picked it up from the shop, it weighed 47+ lbs without pedals. While the bike is relatively light as-is (for an e-bike), I figured it might be a little easier to lift up over my truck's tailgate, as well as handle a little better, if the bike was a bit lighter.

So I decided to put the bike on a diet by replacing a few parts. While the goal was to lighten up the bike a little, I didn't want to lose any essential functionality (I wasn't going to put some super light XC tires or remove dropper post levers).

Most of my rides are under 4000ft of elevation gain, and under 3 hours, and I don't really need the big battery 99% of the time. So I started by swapping out the 700wh battery to a 500wh model. I found brand new one (1 charge cycle) for $600.

I swapped the wheels out with a set built by Nobl Wheels. The new set includes Nobl's new TR37 rims (32 hole - 31mm internal front, 30mm internal rear), Industry Nine 1-1 hubs, Sapim CX-Ray spokes (lighter, stronger) and alloy nipples. Prices for the Nobl TR37 wheel sets start at $1200. Mine were $1365 = $150 for the CX-Ray spoke upgrade and $15 for custom decals.

Another primary change was to swap out the chainring from a 32T to a 30T. The trails I ride often have sustained steep climbs, so using the smaller chainring allows me to keep higher cadences while using less power. The chainring was $50

Below is a list of all the changes:

Battery: ($600)
Stock = 3825g Replacement: 500wh = 3120g 
Bars: ($170)
Stock = 286g Replacement: Enve M6 780mm width = 188g 
Stem: (parts bin $0)
Stock = 151g Replacement: Syntace Megaforce 2 40mm = 111g 
Grips: (parts bin $0)
Stock = 108g Replacement: ESI Grips = 50g 
Chainring: ($50)
Stock = 196 g Replacement: Praxis Alloy 30T = 118g 
Crankarms : ($280)
Stock = 478g Replacement: Praxis Carbon = 379g
Saddle: ($150 new take-off pinkbike special)
Stock = 259g Replacement: Specialized Phenom Pro = 197g 
Front Thru-Axle ($0 swap with an older fork in garage)
Stock =77g Replacement: Rockshox Stealth = 40g 
Cassette: ($279)
Stock = 326g Replacement: Sram XX1 10-42T = 278g
Wheels (with tape and valves, estimate for the stock wheels)($1365):
Stock = 2000g Replacement: Nobl TR37 = 1769g	
Tires (claimed for stock wheels)($160)
Stock = 1920g Replacement: Maxxis DHF 2.6/DHR 2.3 = 1867g
Pedals:
Stock = N/A Replacement: Ritchey Paradigm = 244g

Bike weight with all changes, ready to ride including 3oz Stans fluid per wheel, SWAT tool, water bottle cage and pedals = 43.75lbs (19.85kg)

The bike is a little easier to lift now, and feels just a bit more "poppy" than it did originally. I think the biggest change, however, came from the tires. The Maxxis DHF/DHR combo feels more seamless in transitions into corners, and grip better particularly in soft over hardpack conditions.

Overall, I know I could get the bike about 1 or more pounds lighter if I made lighter choices or changed out the brakes, but I'm pretty happy with the build and I feel I didn't sacrifice the bike's capabilities (indeed, I think the wheel/tire combo in particular, enhances the bike). I know the 30T chainring (aluminum) will wear out sooner and will need replacing more often than if I had kept the 32T chainring (steel), but its worth it to have the lower gearing for the steep hills I ride.























Most of the main stock parts, like the wheels, tires, cassette, bars and crank arms are being transferred over to my wife's 2017 base Levo. Other parts, like the saddle, got moved over to my Creo. And a few of the remainder pieces (stem, chainring, grips and the like will go into my spare parts bins).


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

Nice build. I agree about the tires, swapped the Grid Trail stock tires on my SL to Maxxis 2.5 WT DHR2 f/ Maxxis Aggressor 2.3 r. Added a Next R carbon bar, a WTB Silverado Ti saddle, X01 rear derailleur and X01 shifter, Factory DPX2. Also sold the stock wheels (Roval carbon w/DT-Swiss 370 hubs)with my old bike and threw on my Roval Carbon 350's.

With XT pedals, bottle cage, and swat tool, tubeless 38.9# 17.64 kg. With range extender (for death march rides) 41.1# 18.64 kg.


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## AGarcia (Feb 20, 2012)

mlx john said:


> Nice build. I agree about the tires, swapped the Grid Trail stock tires on my SL to Maxxis 2.5 WT DHR2 f/ Maxxis Aggressor 2.3 r. Added a Next R carbon bar, a WTB Silverado Ti saddle, X01 rear derailleur and X01 shifter, Factory DPX2. Also sold the stock wheels (Roval carbon w/DT-Swiss 370 hubs)with my old bike and threw on my Roval Carbon 350's.
> 
> With XT pedals, bottle cage, and swat tool, tubeless 38.9# 17.64 kg. With range extender (for death march rides) 41.1# 18.64 kg.


Nice! That's pretty nice and light build as well!


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## rancher52 (Aug 16, 2019)

Excellent weight savings ,over 10 lbs is huge for a bike, That's pretty amazing , great thing with bike parts most can be transferred to another bike. 

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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

I'm dying to weight weenie an e-bike. Would probably start with a Crafty.
Is there anywhere to find the weights of just e-bike frames with their battery packs to assist in selecting which platform to start with?


Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

Do you use Turbo (or the highest) setting often? I like the idea of lighter for sure, and that is a good weight for that bike. I am wondering about that cassette and how it holds up- alloy freehub body, I assume. I'm also wondering (based on your riding style) how the TR37s hold up with the CX Ray spokes. I am considering (on my Pivot Shuttle) a 29er wheelset but would probably use the TR38 or equivalent rims with Race spokes. I am not sure about hubs yet. The 30T is definitely a helpful change.


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## AGarcia (Feb 20, 2012)

Flyer said:


> Do you use Turbo (or the highest) setting often? I like the idea of lighter for sure, and that is a good weight for that bike. I am wondering about that cassette and how it holds up- alloy freehub body, I assume. I'm also wondering (based on your riding style) how the TR37s hold up with the CX Ray spokes. I am considering (on my Pivot Shuttle) a 29er wheelset but would probably use the TR38 or equivalent rims with Race spokes. I am not sure about hubs yet. The 30T is definitely a helpful change.


I don't use the Turbo setting much. I tend to ride in mixed company (e-bikes and regular bikes), so I'm in Eco setting about 80% of the time.

With the cassette and freehub, I've been using XX cassettes for time, so I'm not too concerned about the cassette life. A big part of keeping the cassette up is keeping up on chain stretch and lubing the chain often. The alloy freehub may be an issue down the line. I've had good luck with Industry Nine hubs so far on my other bikes, but we'll see. I believe they make a steel freehub if I needed down the line.

The CX-Ray spokes have the largest potential for fatigue down the line, I think. I've used them in the past on my Pivot Mach 429SL (laced to a set of Industry Nine Torch hubs and NOX Teocalli rims). I broke two spokes in the rear within a couple of months from each other after about 2500-2600 miles on the set. After that, I had the rear wheel re-laced with Sapim Race spokes. But to be fair, those wheels are 28 spokes, and I weigh 250lbs.

The Sapim CX-Ray's are supposedly the strongest set up, and it's what Nobl recommended if one wanted both "strongest and lightest" but not necessarily cheapest. Still, based on my past experience, I'm going to watch them (I acknowledge the spoke breakage could have been as a result of the builder's tension choices at the outset... or it could be that I'm too big a dude). I took a little more comfort knowing that these wheels are built up with 32 spokes per wheel, rather than 28 spokes like my Nox Teocalli's. And I thought about the TR38's, but I liked the concept of the TR37's looking to be a little more horizontally compliant, while maintaining lateral stiffness, and being a little lighter and wider internally at the front rim, while being a little beefier/heavier in the rear rim. Overall, I'm betting they hold up under the kind of riding I do, which is a combination of firetrail and singletrack. I'm not taking it to bike parks of launching off of anything beyond about 2 feet. I'm not doing anything too crazy. Overall, I tend to be relatively easy on my equipment in spite of my weight.

One more thing to note: Nobl recommends their new TR41's for e-bike builds. But I didn't really have an interest in going with 35mm internal rims.


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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

Suns_PSD said:


> I'm dying to weight weenie an e-bike. Would probably start with a Crafty.
> Is there anywhere to find the weights of just e-bike frames with their battery packs to assist in selecting which platform to start with?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


weight weenie alert - my understanding is that external battery/frame designs are inherently lighter.


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## tom tom (Mar 3, 2007)

Suns_PSD said:


> I'm dying to weight weenie an e-bike. Would probably start with a Crafty.
> Is there anywhere to find the weights of just e-bike frames with their battery packs to assist in selecting which platform to start with?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk


A large Santa Cruz Heckler, frame, motor, battery is 22.8#....


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

tom tom said:


> A large Santa Cruz Heckler, frame, motor, battery is 22.8#....


Good info. Thx.

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## dundundata (May 15, 2009)

I am probably going to order some tr37 for my bike (not ebike). I was looking at the dlight spokes or possible dlight front/race rear, but I am much lighter rider.


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## GoGoGordo (Jul 16, 2006)

AGarcia said:


> So I purchased a new 2019 Levo Expert on close-out in April (bought it for $5335). When I picked it up from the shop, it weighed 47+ lbs without pedals. While the bike is relatively light as-is (for an e-bike), I figured it might be a little easier to lift up over my truck's tailgate, as well as handle a little better, if the bike was a bit lighter.
> 
> So I decided to put the bike on a diet by replacing a few parts. While the goal was to lighten up the bike a little, I didn't want to lose any essential functionality (I wasn't going to put some super light XC tires or remove dropper post levers).
> 
> ...


Very nice!
I love your bikes colors!
One question, where did you find the xtra battery?
Thanks, cheers, and keep on ridin'!


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## Finch Platte (Nov 14, 2003)

flytnow123 said:


> Idon't utilize the Turbo putting substantially. I have to journey at united firm (EBikes and routine bicycles ), therefore I am in E CO putting roughly 80 percent of this moment; point.
> 
> With all the tape and freehub, I have been making use of XX cassettes for a while, and so I am perhaps not overly worried in regards to the tape daily life. A major portion of retaining the tape upward is preserving upward on string elongate and then lubing the series regularly. The metal freehub might be a concern farther down the road. I have had all the best with Business 9 hubs thus far in my other bicycles, but we will visit. I really believe they produce an metal freehub when I had the line down.
> 
> ...


My thoughts exactly.


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

Finch Platte said:


> My thoughts exactly.


Lol!

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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

I think the only one you'll regret over the longer term is the alloy chainring. Will be interesting to see how much life you get out of it.


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## 127.0.0.1 (Nov 19, 2013)

Kindly do the needful immediately please.


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## chuckha62 (Jul 11, 2006)

127.0.0.1 said:


> Kindly do the needful immediately please.


Crap! I just spit my water on my keyboard.


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## WHALENARD (Feb 21, 2010)

These are pretty funny. I see stand up bot comedy hour in our future. It's like mtb ad-libs

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## Callender (Mar 25, 2014)

Finch Platte said:


> My thoughts exactly.


If you delete every other word, it makes a lot more sense.

(although you may not achieve any burden reduction; point)


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## AGarcia (Feb 20, 2012)

GoGoGordo said:


> Very nice!
> I love your bikes colors!
> One question, where did you find the xtra battery?
> Thanks, cheers, and keep on ridin'!


Thanks! I found the extra battery on Craigslist. You see them pop up from time to time in the buy/sell section on Pinkbike.com


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## AGarcia (Feb 20, 2012)

RickBullottaPA said:


> I think the only one you'll regret over the longer term is the alloy chainring. Will be interesting to see how much life you get out of it.


You're right. Turns out I got less than 400 miles on it before it wore out. That was a lot less than I figured. So I went back back to a steel chainring. I also snapped the carbon rails off the saddle on a bad landing after a small jump. So I went back to the OEM steel-railed saddle. It's back to 44lbs. Still not bad. The rest is holding up well.


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