The Intrigue was a staple trail bike in the Liv stable until 2016, when it was removed from the lineup with the release of the more cross-country focussed Liv Pique and enduro-focussed Liv Hail.
Liv recognised that this left a gap in its off-road quiver for a versatile, ride-anywhere trail bike that can handle the rough stuff and still climb well.
So, after being updated, re-designed and re-engineered, the popular Intrigue trail bike rejoins Liv's off-road mountain bike range.
The 2019 Intrigue Advanced has new geometry and updated suspension packed into a 140mm/150mm trail bike with 27.5in wheels.
And where better to launch a bike that has the catchline "we play the trail" than Squamish, Canada, a part of the world known for miles and miles of epic, loamy singletrack.
Liv Intrigue Advanced 0 design and frame
As a brand dedicated to women’s specific design, Liv uses female-only body dimension data from a range of sources, including NASA, to inform its bike geometry and design, as well as testing and feedback from its sponsored athletes and ambassadors.
In this case, Enduro World Series rider Rae Morrison was a key product tester involved in the refinement of prototype and pre-production models of the Intrigue, as Liv went back to the drawing board.
Based on feedback from various sources, which called for the return of a mid-travel trail-ready platform to the range, something that sits between the Pique cross-country bike and the Hail enduro bike was needed.
The geometry of the new Intrigue is markedly different to the original version. The 2019 version of the Intrigue is longer, has a slacker head angle (66.5 degrees for the new version versus 68 degrees for the 2015 version) and a steeper seat tube angle (74.5 degrees compared to 2015’s 73.5 degrees), which is more in keeping with modern trail bike geometry.
Also, all models of the newly updated Liv Intrigue come with a carbon-composite frame with alloy rear triangle
Liv Intrigue Advanced 0 suspension
As with other full-suspension mountain bikes in the Liv range, and in its sibling brand Giant’s mountain bike range, it features the Maestro suspension system.
This system is based around four pivot points to create a floating pivot point system with a central carbon-composite rocker linkage. It’s an effective and popular system with many riders, and Liv says it’s effective at isolating braking forces.
The top-of-the-range Liv Intrigue Advanced 0 tested here, review coming soon, is noteworthy not least because it features suspension from DVO.
DVO is a relatively small brand compared to giants RockShox and Fox, and the relationship means that Liv is able to work closely with the company to create bike-specific shock and fork tunes.
In this case, that means the Intrigue Advanced 0 features the DVO Diamond Fork with 150mm of travel plus a trunnion-mounted Topaz 2 T3 shock, which controls the 140mm of rear travel in the frame.
Both offer levels of adjustability not often seen from suspension systems from the big players. The upside of this is that it allows the rider to fine tune their suspension to suit their riding style and where they’re riding. The downside is that it takes a bit of work to get those suspension settings dialled in.
Liv Intrigue Advanced 0 kit
Continuing the top-line spec is a SRAM X01 groupset with powerful SRAM Guide RSC brakes and 180mm brake rotors.
Liv has also increased tyre clearance on the Intrigue. While the Advanced 0 comes fitted with a 2.5-inch (front) and 2.4-inch (rear) Maxxis High Roller, there’s space enough to accommodate up to a 2.6-inch tyre front and rear if more traction is required.
Finishing kit includes Truvativ carbon handlebars at a decently wide 780mm, 35mm Truvativ AKA stem, a Giant Contact Switch S dropper seatpost and a Liv Contact Forward SL saddle.
My only niggle here is that the dropper seatpost isn’t sufficiently long enough (100mm) to get it right out of the way for technical descents in its lower position. However, due to the kinked seat tube it seems that that may be the only size that fits.
Liv Intrigue range overview
There are three models of the Liv Intrigue available globally: the range topping Intrigue Advanced 0 as described above, the Intrigue Advanced 1 and the Intrigue Advanced 2.
Intrigue Advanced 0
- Advanced grade carbon composite frame with alloy rear triangle
- DVO Diamond fork with 150mm travel
- DVO Topaz 2 T3 shock
- SRAM XO1 groupset
- SRAM Guide RSC hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors
- Giant TRX 0 wheel system with Level 1 hubs, boost spacing
- Maxxis High Roller tyres
- Giant Contact Switch S dropper seatpost
- £N/A / $8,000 / AU$TBC
Intrigue Advanced 1
- Advanced grade carbon composite frame with alloy rear triangle
- Fox 36 Float Performance Elite with 150mm travel
- Fox Float DPX2 Performance shock
- SRAM GX Eagle groupset
- SRAM Guide RS hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors
- Giant TRX 1 wheel system with Level 2 hubs, boost spacing
- Maxxis High Roller tyres
- Giant Contact Switch S dropper seatpost
- £3,999 / $5,300 / AU$TBC
Liv Intrigue Advanced 2
- Advanced grade carbon composite frame with alloy rear triangle
- Fox 34 Rhythm with 150mm travel
- Fox Float DPS Performance shock
- SRAM GX/NX Eagle groupset
- SRAM Guide RS/T hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors
- Giant AM wheel system with Giant Tracker 2 hubs, boost spacing
- Maxxis High Roller tyres
- Giant Contact Switch dropper seatpost
- £2,999 / $3,700 / AU$TBC
Liv Intrigue sizing and availability
The Intrigue will be available in four sizes in the US: extra small, small, medium and large. In the UK the Intrigue Advanced 1 and Advanced 2 will be available in three sizes: XS, S, M.
Dates for international availability are still to be confirmed, but it's likely you'll be able to buy a Liv Intrigue later this year.
