Specialized X2 Series Battery

Range and weight pull against each other on a full-power e-MTB, and the 600Wh version of the X2 Series Battery from Specialized is where you settle that argument in favor of weight. This custom Li-Ion pack sits at 3.2kg against 4.4kg for the 840Wh, and the case is physically shorter, so the cells stop well short of the head tube instead of extending toward it. Running the smaller pack also opens up room inside the downtube storage compartment that sits above the battery. Like the rest of the system, it carries an IP67 dust and water rating.

Where that mass sits matters as much as the 1.2kg on the scale. Published testing on a size S4 Levo 4 Pro without pedals puts the 600Wh at 1.2kg under the 840Wh, with roughly 600 grams of that difference shifting rearward and moving the balance toward the back wheel. For reference, the same bike with no battery installed came in at 20.0kg and a 47.2/52.8 front-to-rear split, and at 21.65kg on the range extender alone with a 47.6/52.4 split. Riders who spend their time on tight, technical trails and want the front wheel easier to move around tend to notice the change right away.

Compatibility is where this purchase goes sideways if you rush it. The Levo 4 accepts either capacity, so this pack drops into a bike that shipped with the 840Wh. The Vado 3 does not, and no bracket kit changes that, since that frame is built around the 840Wh only. Beyond the battery itself, additional parts are required in every case, because the pack ships without the hardware that holds it in the frame.... Read More