Women’s-specific cycling brand Liv has released a new off-road bike aimed at entry-level riders, first-time mountain bikers, all-round leisure riders and adventurers.
The Liv Tempt is a hardtail mountain bike with 100mm of travel through the suspension fork, 27.5in or 29in wheel size options, mounts for fitting mudguards and luggage racks, and all for under the magic £1,000/€1,000 mark.
Liv bicycles are designed and engineered specifically for female riders using body dimension data, and the brand says this means most women will find a better fit ‘out of the box’ than with ‘unisex’ bikes.
Aluminium frame, smart looks and two wheel sizes
The Tempt is based around a 6061 aluminium frame with Suntour or Giant suspension forks providing 100mm of travel, or 80mm of travel in the XS size.
Cables are routed internally for a clean look and, while the bikes don’t come specced with dropper seatposts, the 30.9mm diameter seat tube can take the majority of droppers on the market (and there are plenty of affordable options out there).
For example, you could fit a Brand-X Ascend II for about £140, which is a worthwhile upgrade for riders wanting to tackle their local mountain bike trails.
The frame has all the lugs and attachment points you might need for bottle cages, mudguards and luggage racks, so the Tempt could also be a good choice if you want something that’s versatile enough to use as a commuting bike (particularly if your route takes you over rough ground) or for longer leisure outings.
Each model of the Tempt comes in two wheel-size options and a range of sizes. The 27.5in wheel version comes in sizes extra-small, small and medium, while the 29in version comes in sizes small, medium and large. Size-specific components such as cranks and handlebars are designed to give a better fit.
The range-topping Tempt 0 and Tempt 1 both come with 1x groupsets, while the Temp 2, 3 and 4 have 2x setups (with two chainrings instead of one). However, all frames are compatible with front derailleurs.
The frame has enough clearance to take up to 2.4in tyres, so you can run some pretty chunky tyres for off-road riding in the wet, or switch to something slicker for commuting.
Again, the more off-road ready Tempt 0, 1 and 2 have cross-country mountain bike-focussed Maxxis Rekon tyres, while the 3 and 4 have faster-rolling Ikon tyres for more relaxed riding.
All models come with disc brakes for reliable wet-weather stopping power, with hydraulic disc brakes on all models bar the entry-level Liv Tempt 4.
Liv Tempt geometry
The Tempt geometry sits between a versatile, hybrid bike and a cross-country mountain bike.
A steep seat-tube angle of 74 degrees places the rider over the bottom bracket on climbs, which should make pedalling uphill easier and more efficient.
The head-tube angle of 68 degrees is steep for a mountain bike (the Liv Pique cross-country focused bike has a head angle of 66.5 for comparison), which will make for more responsive steering but won’t feel as confident on descents.
Standover has been specifically designed to be low, so hopping on and off the bike or straddling the frame should be a doddle.
In comparison to the Liv Pique, the Tempt has a shorter reach and wheelbase which makes it well suited to a combination of on- and off-road riding.
| Frame size | XS (27.5) | S (27.5) | M (27.5) | S (29) | M (29) | L (29) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat tube angle (degrees) | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74 | 74 |
| Head tube angle (degrees) | 68 | 68 | 68 | 68.5 | 68.5 | 68.5 |
| Chainstay length (cm) | 44 | 44 | 44 | 45.5 | 45.5 | 45.5 |
| Seat tube length (cm) | 32.5 | 36.5 | 40.5 | 37 | 42 | 45 |
| Top tube length (cm) | 54.2 | 57.1 | 59.4 | 57 | 59 | 61 |
| Head tube length (cm) | 9.5 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9.5 | 10.5 |
| Fork rake (cm) | 4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Trail (cm) | 10.2 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 9.4 | 9.4 | 9.4 |
| Wheelbase (mm) | 1,072 | 1,104 | 1,128 | 1,119 | 1,139 | 1,160 |
| Bottom bracket drop (cm) | 4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Stack (cm) | 55.4 | 57.9 | 58.8 | 59.6 | 60.1 | 61 |
| Reach (cm) | 38.3 | 40.5 | 42.5 | 39.9 | 41.8 | 43.5 |
| Standover height (cm) | 66.3 | 68.6 | 70.8 | 70.5 | 73.7 | 75.7 |
| Handlebar width (cm) | 67 | 67 | 0 | 75 | 75 | 75 |
| Stem length (cm) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
| Crank length (cm) | 16.5 | 16.5 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17.5 |
| Fork size (cm) | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
The Liv Tempt range, prices and availability
There are five models in the Liv Tempt range, all based around the same aluminium frame, and offering a variety of build options.
Stock should be landing in shops at the end of August or early September 2020, and Liv recommends contacting your local Liv/Giant retailer if you are interested in purchasing a Liv Tempt.
As we've already mentioned, all models are available with either 27.5in wheels (sizes XS to M) or 29er wheels (S to L).
Liv Tempt 0
- Frame: ALUXX-grade aluminium
- Fork: Giant SXC32-2 RL, air spring, 100mm travel (80mm on XS 27.5), QR, alloy steerer, rebound adjust
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore 1x12
- Brakes: Tektro TKD143 hydraulic disc
- Wheels: Giant GX03V alloy double wall, 21mm inner width, Shimano sealed bearing hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Rekon 27.5/29 x 2.4 wire bead
- Price: £849 / €999 / $TBC / AU$TBC
Liv Tempt 1
- Frame: ALUXX-grade aluminium
- Fork: Giant SXC32-2 RL, air spring, 100mm travel (80mm on XS 27.5), QR, alloy steerer, rebound adjust
- Drivetrain: Shimano Deore 1x10
- Brakes: Tektro TKD 149 hydraulic disc
- Wheels: Giant GX03V alloy double wall, 21mm inner width, Shimano sealed bearing hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Rekon 27.5/29 x 2.4 wire bead
- Price: £649 / €749 / $TBC / AU$TBC
Liv Tempt 2
- Frame: ALUXX-grade aluminium
- Fork: SR Suntour XCT30 HLO, coil spring, 100mm travel (80mm on XS 27.5), lockout
- Drivetrain: Shimano Altus 2x8
- Brakes: Tektro TKD 149 hydraulic disc
- Wheels: Giant GX03V alloy double wall, 21mm inner width, Giant Tracker Sport QR hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Rekon 27.5/29 x 2.4 wire bead
- Price: £529 / €619 / $TBC / AU$TBC
Liv Tempt 3
- Frame: ALUXX-grade aluminium
- Fork: SR Suntour XCE Coil Spring 100mm travel (80mm on XS 27.5in)
- Drivetrain: Shimano Altus 2x7
- Brakes: Tektro TKD 149 hydraulic disc
- Wheels: Giant GX03V alloy, double wall, 21mm inner rim width with Giant Tracker Sport QR hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Ikon 27.5/29 x 2.2 wire bead
- Price: £449 / €519 / $TBC / AU$TBC
Liv Tempt 4
- Frame: ALUXX-grade aluminium
- Fork: SR Suntour XCE Coil Spring 100mm travel (80mm on XS 27.5in)
- Drivetrain: Shimano Altus 2x7
- Brakes: Tektro TKD 172 mechanical disc
- Wheels: Giant GX03V alloy, double wall, 21mm inner rim width with Giant Tracker Sport QR hubs
- Tyres: Maxxis Ikon 27.5/29 x 2.2 wire bead
- Price: £399 / €459 / $TBC / AU$TBC
