Liv is the sister brand to Giant and has an extensive range of women specific bikes. For 2017, it has made some significant updates to its road, commuter and mountain bike ranges, including two new mountain bikes: the Liv Hail and the Liv Pique. We'll be testing key models from across the whole range soon, so keep your eyes peeled for reviews on BikeRadar Women.
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Liv's approach to designing its bikes is one where it believes women benefit from a specifically designed geometry rather than offering a unisex frame with female-specific contact points, such as saddles and handlebars.
The basis for this approach is data taken from a large global body database that contains huge amounts of information on body dimensions for women and men. Liv feels that there are significant enough physical differences between male and female riders to warrant a more bespoke bike design. Liv's products are also developed with significant rider feedback and input from the various pro riders, coaches and ambassadors it works with.
Liv women's mountain bike range
Liv has made some serious investment in its mountain bike line for 2017, retiring the incredibly popular Lust and Intrigue lines (though you can still find 2016 version on sale in some places) and adding the new Hail, Pique and Embolden. These new additions feature up-to-date geometry, and cover every price point from entry-level right up to top-spec, whistles and bells carbon-framed performance machines.
Liv Hail
Brand new for 2017, the Liv Hail is a 160mm travel bike with 27.5 wheels designed for aggressive trail riding and enduro racing. Available in both aluminium and carbon-framed versions, the geometry has been specifically designed for female mountain bikers.
All models feature a dual-position fork that can be reduced in travel down to 130mm for greater climbing efficiency.
Read our full first impressions of the Liv Hail after attending the launch event in Sedona, Arizona. Features include:
- Boost hub spacing
- 100mm dropper seatpost on all models
- Maestro suspension system
- Shorter chainstays for more agile and manoeuvrable handling
- Schwalbe Magic Mary front and Hans Dampf rear tyres
- 1x drivetrain (SRAM Eagle on the Advanced 0, Shimano SLX/XT on Advanced 1)
- Dual-position 160mm forks that can be locked to 130mm travel, altering the geometry of the bike for easier and more efficient climbing
- Liv Hail Advanced 0: £N/A / $5,350 / AU$7,999
- Liv Hail Advanced 1: £3,749 / $5,350 / AU$5,699
- Liv Hail 1: £3,099 / $4,200 / AU$4,499
- Liv Hail 2: £2,499 / $3,250 / AU$N/A
Liv Pique
The Pique is a full-suspension cross-country bike with 120mm travel front and rear suspension, and 27.5 wheels. As with the Hail, the Pique features a new trunnion shock, which takes up less space in the frame, allowing the top tube to be lowered.
Liv has also raised the bottom bracket, giving greater clearance below the bike, which it says means fewer pedal strikes and an easier flow through technical climbs. There are three models available: the Pique Advanced 0, 1 and 2 feature a carbon frame, the Pique 2 and 3 have an aluminium frame, and the Pique Advanced SX has a carbon frame and longer travel 140mm forks,
Other features include:
- Boost hub spacing
- 100mm dropper seatpost on all models
- Maestro suspension system
- Lower standover and shorter chain stays than the Liv Lust
- Liv Pique Advanced 0: £N/A / $8,975 / AU$9,799
- Liv Pique Advanced 1: £N/A / $4,950 / AU$5,799
- Liv Pique Advanced 2: £2,899 / $3,300 / AU$N/A
- Liv Pique Advanced SX: £2,499 / $4,125 / AU$N/A
- Liv Pique 2: £2,499 / $3,150 / AU$4,999
- Liv Pique 3: £1,899 / $2,375 / AU$2,999
Liv Embolden
The Embolden is the new entry-level, alloy-framed, full suspension mountain bike in the Liv off-road range. It's a trail-focussed bike with 120mm of suspension front and rear, single pivot suspension system, 27.5 wheels and low standover. Designed to be a confidence-inspiring ride with plenty of traction and stopping power, Liv describes it as "nimble and playful while providing a stable, trustworthy feel."
The top-of-the-line Embolden 1 features a SRAM NX 1x11 drivetrain with Shimano M395 hydraulic disc brakes, Fox 34 Rhythm forks with Boost spacing and a Fox Float rear shock.
The Embolden 2 is specced with a Shimano 2 x 9 drivetrain with Shimano M315 hydraulic disc brakes, RockShox 30 Gold Solo Air fork and Monarch R shock.
- Liv Embolden 1: £N/A / $2,100 / AU$N/A
- Liv Embolden 2: £1,099 / $1,365 / AU$N/A
Liv Obsess
The Obsess is a cross-country race-focussed hardtail mountain bike from Liv, featuring a carbon composite frame and 100mm of travel.
The Obsess Advanced 2 boasts a RockShox Reba RL OverDrive fork with 100mm of travel plus SRAM GX 11-speed drivetrain with double chainring and Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. The higher level Obsess Advanced 1 brings a Fox 32 SC Performance with boost spacing and 100mm of travel to the suspension game and offers Shimano Deore and XT 11-speed single ring drivetrain plus Shimano SLX hydraulic disc brakes.
- Liv Obsess Advanced 1: £2,399 / $2,700 / AU$3,299
- Liv Obsess Advanced 2: £1,999 / $N/A / AU$N/A
Liv Tempt
Designed as an entry-level bike for those looking to get into mountain biking or those who want a do-it-all recreation bike that can handle some rough surfaces and forests paths through to singletrack.
An aluminium frame with external cable routing is combined with a Suntour 100mm-travel fork and the Tempt 2 has a SR Suntour Epixon fork with Shimano Deore 2 x 10 speed gearing and Shimano M315 hydraulic disc brakes.
The Tempt 3 has SR Suntour XCM forks and a Shimano 2 x 9 drivetrain with Shimano M315 disc brakes, and finally the entry-level Tempt 4 offers SR Suntour XCT forks with Tektro hydraulic disc brakes.
- Liv Tempt 1: £N/A / $N/A / AU$1,899
- Liv Tempt 2: £749 / US$1,365 / AU$1,099
- Liv Tempt 3: £575 / US$1,365 / AU$899
- Liv Tempt 4: £475 / US$1,365 / AU$749
Liv Bliss
An aluminium-framed bike designed for versatile use from commuting to leisure rides. The Bliss has integrated dropouts so you can add pannier racks to both the rear and forks, and pop on a kickstand if you want.
The Bliss Lite is a rigid frame bike and the Bliss 2 has SR Suntour XCT forks with 100mm of travel, both feature Tektro mechanical disc brakes.
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L
- Brakes: Tektro mechanical disc brakes
- Gears: Bliss Lite — Shimano 3 x 8 speed drivetrain, Bliss 2 — Shimano 3 x 7 drivetrain
- Wheelset: 26" single-wall alloy rim and hubs with steel spokes, Kenda 26 x 1.95
- Liv Bliss Lite: £N/A / $330 / AU$N/A
- Liv Bliss 1: £399 / $N/A / AU$649
- Liv Bliss 2: £349 / $330 / AU$549
Liv Enchant
The Enchant is a hybrid bicycle with 63mm of front suspension courtesy of a SR Suntour fork, that's designed for urban use, commuting and leisure cycling. It consists of an aluminium frame with a low standover and a 3 x 7 speed Shimano drivetrain.
- Sizes: XS, S, M, L
- Brakes: Tektro rim brakes
- Gears: Shimano 3 x 7 drivetrain with Shimano Tourney derailleurs
- Wheelset: 26" single-wall alloy rim and hubs with steel spokes, Kenda 26x1.95
- Liv Enchant 1: £375 / US$330 / AU$579
- Liv Enchant 2: £299 / $N/A/ AU$479
