It comes with six speed control settings, including a Smart mode which automatically adjusts the level of pedal assistance based on the terrain you’re traversing. Essentially this means the bike does the thinking for you, so all you have to do is pedal. However there are also multiple Sport and Eco modes which provide a range of % pedal assistance. The Liv Embolden is a playful full-suspension trail bike with 120mm travel that’s designed to inspire confidence on trails and singletrack. It’s available in two models which share an ALUXX-grade aluminium frame and 27.5-inch tubeless-ready wheels.
Its 3F Design Philosophy – Fit, Form and Function – is all about making sure women’s bikes are actually tailored to women’s bodies, and therefore their physical needs. Liv’s road bikes, for example, are designed to enable riders to maximise on the power from their quads. Founded in 2008 as a sister-brand giant KIDS BIKES to Giant, Liv produces a huge range of women’s bikes that cater for all kinds of riders, from the Lycra-clad roadie to the aggressive off-road shredder, and everything in between. Over the years Liv has refined its best road bike and mountain bikes, with entry-level options for each.
Using the 3F Design Philosophy, Liv’s mountain bike geometry puts the rider in a balanced position for optimal efficiency and manoeuvrability. The Thrive range is Liv’s aluminium road bikes with flat handlebars, that fit neatly under £1000. They are well suited to both daily commuter riding and longer excursions into the countryside.
This design saves weight over a traditional set up as there is no excess seat post tucked away in the seat tube. The Langma range is Liv’s lightweight racing bikes, and are suitable for long hilly road races to fast-paced crits. These two bikes, and all the ones in-between, also come fitted with a carbon fork for vibration dampening. In terms of gearing, the Thrive 1 is fitted with an 11-speed Shimano 105 setup. Whereas the Thrive 2 comes with 9-speed Shimano Sora and the Thrive 3 with 8-speed Shimano Claris. The women’s specific brand is also well known for its presence across elite-level racing, sponsoring triathletes and road cyclists, as well as XC and enduro mountain bikers.
All EnviLiv models are equipped with hydraulic disc brakes, which have lateral stiffness benefits in addition to its aerodynamic advantages. For steering performance and control, Liv has used oversized headset bearings, 1 1/4” top and 1 ½” bottom. All the bikes in the Avail Advanced range are equipped with hydraulic disc brakes for expert handling and control. The Hail is a mini DH bike that can pedal so there is no track out of its depth and can make you feel very secure and confident as well as push your riding beyond what you would expect. One morning last month in East Burke, Vermont, mechanics at Liv were polishing up a fleet of the most razzle-dazzle mountain bikes the company has ever offered. The full-carbon Pique Advanced Pro 29 that I was about to test retails for a whopping $12,300—quite a bit more than the accessibly priced modelsthis company has become known for.
It’s also, unapologetically, a women’s bike, designed from anatomical and physiological data specific to women. So before I could throw a leg over Liv’s sparkling new rig, I first sat down to hear the case for women’s-specific bike design. giant mountain If you’re a more recreational rider, there’s the affordable Bliss, which is a decent entry-level bike. For the more gnarly off-roaders, the brand new Hail and Embolden offer up some amazing performance, while the Pique caters to XC riders.