Field Test: Specialized S-Works Kenevo SL - An eMTB In Disguise
PINKBIKE FIELD TEST
Specialized S-Works Kenevo SL
Words by Matt Beer, photography by Tom Richards
Specialized S-Works Kenevo SL
Words by Matt Beer, photography by Tom Richards
What do you get when you mix Specialized’s popular Enduro and full powered Turbo Kenevo eMTB together? The Kenevo SL - the first long travel, "Super Light" e-bike from the big S. The sub-20 kg system has a smaller motor and is dripping in carbon weave. At first glance, it’s difficult to tell that this is even an eMTB at all. The appearance is nearly identical to the Enduro, with the same 6-bar Horst Link suspension design and round, traditional-sized downtube, which houses the same motor and battery as the shorter travel Levo SL.
The Kenevo SL is a niche bike for a number of reasons. The S-Works model on test has some of the fanciest components on the market; 170 mm of travel front and rear from Fox Factory suspension, Roval Traverse SL carbon handlebars and 29” wheels, Praxis M30 carbon cranks, wireless SRAM XX1 AXS dropper post and shifting, and is finished with a splash of oil slick bits.
The Kenevo SL is a niche bike for a number of reasons. The S-Works model on test has some of the fanciest components on the market; 170 mm of travel front and rear from Fox Factory suspension, Roval Traverse SL carbon handlebars and 29” wheels, Praxis M30 carbon cranks, wireless SRAM XX1 AXS dropper post and shifting, and is finished with a splash of oil slick bits.
Specialized S-Works Kenevo SL
• Travel: 170 mm front / 170 mm rear
• Wheel size: 29”
• Hub spacing: 148 mm
• Head angle: 63.5° (neutral headset cup, low BB)
• Seat tube angle: 76°
• Reach: 485 mm (S4)
• Chainstay length: 447 mm
• Sizes: S2, S3, S4, S5
• Weight: 20.23 kg / 44.62 lb (w/ control tires
& 1.09 kg / 2.41 lb add-on battery)
• Price: $15,000 USD
• specialized.com
• Travel: 170 mm front / 170 mm rear
• Wheel size: 29”
• Hub spacing: 148 mm
• Head angle: 63.5° (neutral headset cup, low BB)
• Seat tube angle: 76°
• Reach: 485 mm (S4)
• Chainstay length: 447 mm
• Sizes: S2, S3, S4, S5
• Weight: 20.23 kg / 44.62 lb (w/ control tires
& 1.09 kg / 2.41 lb add-on battery)
• Price: $15,000 USD
• specialized.com
When swinging a leg over this bike, you immediately notice the new Mastermind display molded into the top tube and an absence of dangling cables, another reason why it doesn’t feel like a true eMTB. The mode selector buttons do require a bit firmer press than those found on the Shimano controller and are a touch smaller. I did have to add a single band clamp on the new style AXS shifter. Matchmaker clamps minimize bar clutter, but I couldn't position the buttons far enough inboard to clear my thumb when the brake lever was in the perfect position.
Of all the latest and greatest gizmos featured here, it’s sometimes the simple things that make you most happy. Having that tiny SWAT multi-tool at our fingertips was extremely convenient and can be installed on any bike.
Ok, but all of those components are found on non-assist bikes - what about that SL motor and battery? It sure is sleek, and the additional battery can suit two different ride plans, but the impressive weight doesn’t deliver the same power as most other e-bikes. The 240-watt unit uses different internals from its bigger sibling, producing a higher pitch when the motor is activated.
While you’ll have no problem keeping up with other riders on non-assist bikes without breaking a sweat, it won’t stay in touch with the power a regular style e-bike will churn out. However, the distances covered can be on par with those more powerful bikes when the Range Extender battery pack is placed in the water bottle cage and connected on the non-drive side. Adding just over 1 kg, the 160 Wh extender adds 50% battery capacity to the integrated 320 Wh battery.
The Kenevo SL gets updates like an adjustable chainstay length and head angle, allowing for an MX wheel configuration and tons of geometry tweaking. There are no individual travel or kinematic mounts to play with, and that’s not really necessary with that Fox Float X2 rear shock. Between the high and low speed rebound and compression adjustments, plus the air volume and pressures to play with, the possibilities are endless.
Specialized does have a user-friendly geometry guide on tap if you visit their website and plug in your riding style and terrain. They also use their S-sizing, but trim the size spectrum from six to four frame dimensions. That leaves the smallest S2 frame with a 435 mm reach and 510 on the largest S5, fitting riders from 158 cm to 193 in height. The reach of the tested S4 size landed at 485 mm in the neutral head angle position of 63.5º and low BB setting, yielding a 447 mm chainstay length. I did find I needed to slide the seat forward more on the rails to compensate for the 76º seat tube angle than some of the other bikes, but it wasn’t a deal breaker.
Climbing
Let’s set things straight again. The Kenevo SL uses a 240 W motor with 35 Nm of torque, which is about half the torque on a typical eMTB, so we know it’s not going to rocket up a road climb or tackle moto-trials uphills in the same manner as its full power siblings. What it will do, is help you get up those savage gravel grinds more easily. You know, the ones that require some Wim Hof breathing and mental fortitude? To put things into perspective, pedalling up a typical service road, I was in Turbo mode on the Kenevo SL sweating in the afternoon sun, while Henry was casually spinning the cranks on the Norco Range VLT set to Eco mode and was able to keep blurting out his comical British phrases.
On the trail, the Kenevo resembled a non-motorized bike in a pleasant way. I was able to lunge up and over steps much easier on this bike with less of a raw power approach. The motor assistance engaged more gently than the Shimano, but didn’t drop the power immediately. Maybe this was due to the lower power assist, but either way, finding the right gear to spin optimally at the recommended 75 RPM and hold traction didn't require the same calculations and wasn’t as jumpy as the full powered beasts.
Similarly to the Range VLT, the wheelbase requires some heads up riding to pick through technical terrain, but to a lesser degree due to lower speeds. There is an interesting spec change from the two smaller sizes to the larger S4 and S5 - the crank length bumps up from 165mm to 170. The 25 mm bottom bracket drop bodes well for descending, but even with that lower torque motor, I found the ability to spin more advantageous than quick, ratcheting moves that would kill any traction on climbs. Constant power and short cranks for the win. That climb switch is in a reasonable position to reach through singletrack, but unless you’re on a surfaced climb, you’ll get the most grip with it open.
Descending
Is this the same frame as an Enduro with a tiny motor bolt onto it? Definitely not. Specialized go into detail about how the frame has been tuned to deal with the higher loads and stress points that the motor and hardware create. However, it was hard to pinpoint whether it was the wheels or the rear triangle, but there wasn’t as much forgiveness over off-camber chop or brake bumped corners. Too little flex wasn’t necessarily the culprit. With more time, it would be worth trying a different wheelset to sort out the vibration and feedback.
On the first lap, I was digging the soothing feeling that the motor and battery lent to the handling. The extra weight was so low on the frame, it was easier to tip into corners and kept the bike tracking straight and planted on repetitive square edge impacts.
Is this the same frame as an Enduro with a tiny motor bolt onto it? Definitely not. Specialized go into detail about how the frame has been tuned to deal with the higher loads and stress points that the motor and hardware create. However, it was hard to pinpoint whether it was the wheels or the rear triangle, but there wasn’t as much forgiveness over off-camber chop or brake bumped corners. Too little flex wasn’t necessarily the culprit. With more time, it would be worth trying a different wheelset to sort out the vibration and feedback.
On the first lap, I was digging the soothing feeling that the motor and battery lent to the handling. The extra weight was so low on the frame, it was easier to tip into corners and kept the bike tracking straight and planted on repetitive square edge impacts.
Timed Testing
Previously featured in a Canadian National Enduro round, our timed section of trail was primarily made up of tight, fast corners with square edges rocks and roots. This offered the longer and heavier bikes a chance to show how their brute stacked up against the more spritely ones in the bunch.
Going fast isn't everyone's number one goal when choosing a bike, but it is one more metric we can use to differentiate the bikes in test.
Matt Beer: "The Kenevo SL was a favourite for descending with its low but maneuverable center of gravity and highly tuned 6-bar suspension. It's terrifying to try and reach this bike's limit, but I couldn't quite open up its full potential on our test track, and was 1.5-seconds off the top time to finish third."
Inside the 6-bar linkage, the heart of the beast, is the Float X2 shock. The initial shock setup was a breeze and I quickly found a sweet spot at 210 psi. Near the pivot of the tension links, connecting the seat and chainstays, lies the high speed rebound adjuster. Access to this red dial does require a small pick, but once set, I didn't find the need to change it as much as the low speed rebound. The two stock air volume spacers worked well, but a third would have alleviated the definitive end of stroke to something a little more subtle on the worst compressions.
After all of those torturous laps, I was sure something would have rattled loose, but every bit of hardware remained securely in place. A simple rubber strap stretched around the Range Extender and bottle cage added a second level of security to keep things in locked down. I was a little unsure about the weight of the extender flexing the Zee Cage, but it didn't budge or show signs of cracking.
There were a couple things that I didn’t expect from the Kenevo. I quickly learned that descending on technical terrain with the motor assist off is a wise choice. Some mobility in your ankles or unsuspected movement from the cranks can result in a short burst of power when you’re least expecting it.
What I originally thought was a quiet bike on the shakedown lap started to wither away. A perceived clunk from the center of the bike had me chasing non-existent loose bolts and possible play in the linkage or shock mounts with no findings. Further into the testing, this knock persisted and I noticed that it only occurred when the motor wasn't engaged. A quick spin of the crank arm emitted that same sound, similar to the Shimano EP8 motor. After a chat with Specialized, I learned that this is unavoidable due to the engagement of the clutch; something common in all the bike we tested this time around.
Huck to Failure
During our "Huck to Flat" that we all love watching the merciless bikes being put through, we did experience a failure from the Praxis Carbon M30 crank. We reached out to Praxis to find out what might have caused the failure.
 | Our team received the damaged Carbon SL M30 170mm E-Crank back for inspection, but unfortunately due to the damage, it is too difficult to say exactly what the root cause was. We cross checked with our Global Warranty History on these Carbon SL M30 E-Cranks and of the thousands we've made/delivered to Specialized in the last 19 months, there have been very few warranties reported. This is also reconciled against our "Ultimate Load" strength test (highest load a crank can handle) we built which is above and beyond a typical load that would happen in a Huck. So yes, this leaves us scratching our heads a bit. Our team here feels that most likely one of two things most likely happened: Either during prior ride testing of the Kenevo SL there was some type of rock-strike or blunt hit that created an internal fracture that didn't show itself until your test... or two, there was some type of unfortunate manufacturing flaw that showed itself at your test. - Praxis |
Where does that leave our thoughts about the Kenevo SL then? It's the production hyper-car of the mountain bike world - not totally perfect, but pushing the industry boundaries. Other SL eMTBs are growing the sub-genre. Cost aside, at what point do you still lean towards a non-assisted bike as these SL versions creep down in weight?
In terms of ride impressions, with the right route planning, you’ll be able to tackle those devastating climbs, and more, just faster - “Monster rides'' as Specialized calls them. The Kenevo SL's huge advantages of low weight and descending capabilities could even win over some traditionalist mountain bikers. The retail figures and bike category certainly won't appeal to everyone out there, but for those that have the cash and particular needs, the Kenevo SL ticks all the right boxes.
Pros
+ Overall packaging: sleek motor and battery integration, minimal cables,
+ Geometry adjustments to fit multiple rider skill levels and riding zones
+ Suspension performance challenges high pivot designs
Cons
- Motor has whiney pitch, and the clutch rattles when not engaged
- Price and motor type may limit riding friends
- Carbon crank didn't survive the Huck to Flat
The 2021 Summer Field Test was made possible with support from Dainese apparel and protection, and Sun Peaks Resort. Shout out also to Maxxis, Garmin, Freelap, and Toyota Pacific.
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Parts difference: carbon bars ($120), AXS seatpost ($800), Code RSC's ($490), Praxis Carbon Upgrade ($290), AXS X01 Upgrade Kit ($800), XG1290 Cassette ($449), Roval Traverse SL Wheelset ($1,600), Fox Factory 38 ($1,249), Fox Factory X2 ($699).
This means you can buy the Comp ($9,000) and upgrade every single part at full retail price, and wind up paying the same $15k for the S-work, while keeping all the original parts as spares or for resale. This pricing is insane. If you buy the S-Works, Specialized is capturing the value of all the kit at full retail AND the value of the the parts they didn't have to spec from the lesser build models. Crazy, crazy pricing.
Aside from an AXS dropper and alu vs. carbon rims, my bike cost $4,000.00 less AND managed to get the new Fox 38, instead of the Fox 36 that was spec'd at the time.
I actually really like the products Specialized designs and delivers - but charging your customers MORE than the full retail value for parts kit is a bonkers strategy. And it's not just a little more - it's thousands of dollars more.
specs, so I could be wrong here, but I’m pretty sure the carbon is the same across the range. If you look at Spesh’s non-ebike lineup, you’ll see that the higher grade carbon for S-Works only applies to road models and XC bikes. For the trail bikes, the frame layup is the same, but there’ll be a carbon link or carbon yoke or something. I think it’s probably the same for the e-bikes.
Again, I really like Specialized's products. I love my current Enduro, and I owned an older Enduro 29 years ago that I also loved. That said, they are one of the larger bike brands in the world, and their pricing offers their customers no love or consideration for the scale of their production and buying power. Super disappointing strategy.
Specialized bikes should be the "Corvette" to your Ferrari based on scale. All the performance of the boutiques, at much less cost due to scale and buying power.
It is hilarious though that you can buy the lower end model and spec it the same as the S-works version for less money.
No matter how you slice it, the S-Works Enduro is not priced appropriately, even against Specialized's own models. I would also point out that none of the parts you mentioned are going to make a bit of difference to the performance of the bike, with the exception of the range extender.
TL;DR: want an S-Works Kenevo SL? Don't buy the complete bike - build it yourself from frame only or Comp, especially if your shop offers parts discounts for doing a build (most offer 20% across the board).
My local shop gives 20% off across the board if you buy the frame from and build the bike with them. Apparently this is a big savings over completes from Specialized.
12m for S-Works and the Speed of Light Collection.
On the heavier bikes like the Stumpy and up you're right, just FACT 11m.
I'll stick to my mBike. (Muscle Bike)
They are basically counting on the fact that buyers who would pay for a $15k bike will not think to ask their shop, "What if I just buy the Comp model and replace all the parts with the better stuff?"
If you were to take the $9,000.00 Comp price, and subtract the value of the parts replaced from the value of the new parts, an exact S-Works equivalent could be had for much less than $15,000.00, even factoring in the battery upgrade, even factoring in the extra $200 for the carbon derailleur cage on XX1.
And remember, we are talking about full retail prices. Bike companies should not be charging near the full retail price of parts, when really they are just an "upgrade" from other build kits. That's lunacy.
Comp: $4700
Fox 38: $1200
I9 Hydra wheels: $1300-1400
AXS post: $800
With those alone you're at $8000 (excluding shipping, taxes, and labor).
However, if you are an avid bike rider, there is no way you are not learning how to adjust and repair your bike. If you are taking it to a LBS every time you need an adjustment, you’re going to pay more in repair costs than the cost of the bike.
There are just a few specialty tools required to complete a bike build, and every person should have a set of basic tools. Save on the total build price, and save on the routine maintenance, repairs and adjustments!
Secondly… in my opinion, these $8000-$12000 bikes are not going to casual bike owners, instead they are going to hard core bike enthusiasts… many or most of which are not dentists.
All I can tell you is that I built up an Enduro Comp frame with Diety Stem/Bar, I9 Hydra wheelset, Fox Factory 38 & X2, Code RSC brakes, AXS-XT drivetrain for ~$6,500.00 by working with my local shop and reselling a few of the parts I didn't keep.
Well, 20% discount is HUGE! If you're talking about a $10k bike that's $2k.
That makes more sense. However, in these COVID times, you're lucky of the LBS has every part for a custom build. As far as I've seen, even my local Specialized dealer, whom I have bought numerous bikes from, is unwilling to provide any sort of discount, as his inventory is completely gone. Anything that comes in already has a waitlist. So you're lucky that you can still score such a discount. I doubt most folks would be able to get such a deal for the next year or so.
Frankly, I've purchased 4 custom bikes from this shop, so its fair to guess that I get a healthy amount of consideration. I seem to be addicted to giving them lumps of cash every couple of years.
Haha, yeah. I'm totally with you on that one. This MTB thing is an incredibly expensive addiction.
And besides all that, will depreciate a lot less than a shitty emtb, with engines that make funny noises and above all, won't break the footpegs!
And the major problem, is that I don't see too many mechanics/electricians, fixing this things
Orbea using a detuned engine, seems like it will save the motor longer, nevertheless the problem is still there...
Meaning: you pay 5k/10k/15k whatever, but as soon as you hit the "oh shit button", you'll be without your bike (warranty), or even worse, without a bike and a heavy repair bill!
They dont even know, what the Rebound does or thst you can adjust the air pressure in your shock
I'm impressed about how little on these bikes breaks, considering the conditions they see. People crash, people strike cranks and pedals. People wash berms. Shit happens. The fact that there's so few reports of parts breaking is pretty awesome, if anything.
Meanwhile, entitled pinkbike: I PAID 12K FOR THIS BIKE WHY ISN'T IT INDESTRUCTIBLE?!
But you do you. Keep simping for the bike industry that constantly over promises, overcharges, and under-delivers.
Welcome to reality. Money does not make something invulnerable to damage. You thinking otherwise is the definition of entitlement.
My beef isn't if this crank is or isn't a decent crank. If it's a pisser, it needs to be dealt with. My annoyance is the idea that something costing more means it shouldn't ever break. I have customer that have asked for 5 year old drivetrains on 8k bikes to be warrantied as "the bike is 8k this should never be an issue." That's what I feel the comment chain started with. Everything breaks, regardless of price.
Look at where commencal and YT are at with their bike pricing. As battery tech and motor tech gets better brands like that will bring this kind of lightweight bike to market. Look at the way massive tech improvements have brought great affordable bikes to market. A $2500 full squish today is way more rideable than a $2500 bike from 10 years ago.
From my point of view , I have never ever put more than 4000$ for a bike
What you can get for this price today is not as good as 5 years ago
I'll say that if I had $15k to spend, I'd not be looking at specialized after this review.
My point is anyone can have failures, and it's Praxis's failure not Spec's really, but it's all about how you handle that too.
The Commencal climbed at 2.8 vertical metres per battery Wh. If the Spesh was this efficient, it'd climb 1344m on its batteries.
The Yeti climbed at 2.2 vertical metres per battery Wh. If the Spesh was this inefficient, it'd climb 1056m on its batteries.
(The Norco achieved 2.6m per Wh)
This equates to somewhere between 61 to 89 minutes ride time on the climb.
However, I'm going to have a very hard time justifying £9k for the Expert, so direct-to-consumer manufacturers it's over to you - money waiting!
Spoiler alert: everyone knows why it failed.
That said, if I had the choice of a free E bike to use out of the test, the kenevo SL would be it.
Again allowing top end top dollar S-works with weight savings everywhere to line Up vs half price competitors will of course also bias the results. Lighter wheels alone transform a bike. Look at the results of your downcountry field test, with a lot of the comments about the Epic Evo S-works could actually be referred to its 1200g wheelset, not the frame. (Yes, I have tested both the Spur and the Epic Evo)
This uneven choice of bikes for a group test bugs me. Don't let the manufacturer choose the model you test.
This is my first eBike and up until now just wasn't interested in a 50lb sled so the SL appealed to me. FWIW - The KSL is about 8-10 pounds heavier than my trail bike. I've had about 10 rides on my Kenevo SL and will say it's an amazing bike! The low center of gravity keeps the bike incredibly planted while the 6 bar suspension and Fox 38 make for one of the best descending bikes I've ridden. The electronics and overall "digital user experience" is better than any other eBike I've seen. The power delivery is super smooth and the amount of customization/tuning available is fantastic. For example, the ability to have simple micro adjustments in addition to the 3 set ride modes is quite helpful.
Personally, I've loved the ability to get more laps in on every ride. In this case more laps = more downhills = more fun!. But what I love most is that the bike feels like a "normal" bike when I'm descending. Sure it's a bit heavier, but once you get used to that, the thing is amazing. I actually don't see the need for more power or a bigger motor to be honest.
Lastly, don't think Specialized actually recommends this, but there's enough room in the downtube to store a spare tube! The plastic guard on the bottom is removable using only your fingers to twist the small locking screw revealing open space. So while the bike isn't marketed as having "SWAT", it kind of does.
I'm not anti-E bike, they do have their place and benefits, but where is this going? Is it just going to be a motorcycle where you cant see the motor anymore and $20K to have the best one is acceptable? Plus they aren't allowed in a lot of trail systems.
Thieves are going to love taking these instead of the risk stealing new Ford Mavericks (Starting price $19,995). Lol.
I haven’t had time to watch the video (only read the article) but had a question. With ebikes lots of people (including the PBPodcast) have said that due to the extra weight and how they ride it’s often not necessary to buy better suspension, how does that apply to these lighter bikes? Should be manage with lower spec forks/shocks or do these benefit more from better squishy bits as they’re significantly lighter?
@shredb4dead Don't forget the Kenevo SL was weighed with our control tires and Range Extender, plus it has a 29" rear wheel.
I think Henry Quinney hit the nail on the head about ebikes generally with his comment to the effect of this bike suits the sort of rider whose friends have the same bike.
The extension of that line of thinking is a bike with just enough assistance to keep up with fitter/more talented regular riding partners.
I just bought my partner an Orbea Rise commuter bike, which I test rode back to back with a Specialized Vado SL and a couple of ‘full power’ ebikes.
It might have only half the power and range of other options, but it’s enough that we can ride together at a reasonable cruising speed, she still only needs to charge it once a week, and it’s light enough that she can easily manoeuvre it around town and hang it on a hook in garage.
In a similar vein I regularly ride my trail bike with a couple of younger guys who are 10–20% faster than me up hills. I’m close enough that they’re happy to ride with me, but an SL-style MTB might make a lot of sense for me in the future (or even now if I’m honest).
Get all the power and range at 5.5 lbs more and laugh up/down the mountain all day long.
Less money too.
I'd much rather have alu cranks (and handlebars) on a mtb.
On the downs.....probably slightly slower on the Kenevo, but not too much in it too. I'm pretty impressed with it to the extent that I sold my Enduro.
The key thing is I can do 50% more riding before I'm as blown up....and upper body getting even more of a work out due to more downs. The other positive of the Kenevo is when getting tired you can still get up the pretty steep climbs without having to go all out, but just have to put it in a low gear and climb at a slow rate.
Actually Matt, no I don't. There is nothing innovative about a $15k bicycle.
Why do you think that iPhone screen is nicer? Because Innovation costs money! As a result, yes it's also very expensive.
...but since I'm here **spits coffee on screen** $15K?!
Whiny motor and stratospheric price would be cons for me.
Frankly, this bike feels like a monster truck with the 29" rear wheel, and found the rear tire biting my ass on any big drop. Also, with the flip chip in the low position on this one, the bike becomes basically unrideable with pedal strikes. The mullet gen3 levo is much more comfortable.
Save your money and just buy an Enduro, or get a full-power if you want a real ebike.
On techy climbs, I have found my KSL is much quicker than the SL. Probably due to the geo being a bit more climb friendly IMO with the steeper STA. Granted my old SL was a mullet with 170mm fork but with the seat slammed fwd more than recommend.
Haven't had issues with the rear wheel, but I definitely have had the seat hit me in the steeps. I think it needs a 200mm+ dropper for my proportions.
No issues with pedals strikes either, but I have adjusted my pedaling technique over my past few bikes which were all low BB.
I do agree it's the not the bike for everyone though (even not considering the price)
I'd be a bit shocked if I didn't notice a big difference with an extra 100-240 watts at the pedals. In fact, I'd guess that this would pretty easily cut my climbing times by at least 50%.
This makes no sense. I'm certain people aren't buying e-bikes because they're heavy. If anything the lighter weight should be a draw, all else being equal.
Underrated joke
ridecake.com/en/shop/bikes/kalk/kalk-or-race
Done and FU*KING done.