2020 Specialized Turbo SL 1.1 motor

Brand new open box motor. Same one on Specialized Turbo Creo SL, Turbo Levi S.L. and the new Turbo Vado SL

The motor is an all-new unit developed by Specialized in their Swiss e-bike facility. Called the SL 1.1 motor, it features a magnesium housing and weighs 1.95 kilos (4.3 pounds), placing it at the top of the heap for e-bike motor weight. It provides up to 240 watts of assist and 35NM of torque. The Creo is classified in the US as a Class-3 pedal-assist bike, providing motor power up to 28mph.

The motor has four modes: Off, Eco, Sport, and Turbo. Eco matches your effort at up to 30% of the motor’s power, Sport matches up to 60%, and Turbo matches up to 100% (240w). It’s worth noting that this tuning choice and the motor’s torque output are quite a bit different than some of the competition. For example, the Turbo mode from Specialized feels roughly equivalent to the Eco mode used in the Shimano STEPS E8000 system aboard the BMC Alpenchallenge AMP Road (which gives a 300% assist in Boost mode). We’ll get into more detail in our forthcoming ride review, but the short version is that the two systems feel very different.

With the motor turned off, the internal drive system is completely decoupled, resulting in a claim of zero motor drag.

Buyer pays shipping fee