Liv Rove E+ Review

This review was provided for free using a demo bike. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Liv products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below, and the Liv electric bike forums.

Observations:

• This is Liv’s most affordable electric bike. It comes in a mid-step frame style and four frame sizes! The only color option for the 2022 model year is satin laurel green with dark green and black accents.
• Liv is the women’s specific line from Giant, which is one of the worlds largest bicycle manufacturers! Giant has a very similar model called the Roam E+ that comes in both high-step and mid-step. That bike is only available in gloss black. I’ve covered it recent here for comparison. It’s priced the same as the Rove E+ and use the same motor, battery pack, button pad, suspension, and drivetrain. Consider that option if you prefer the different color, want a high-step frame, or are having trouble finding the correct size from Liv :)

Pros:

• Liv is part of Giant Bicycles, which is one of the “Big Three” bike manufacturers globally including Trek and Specialized. They’ve been around since 1972 and have over 12,000 retailers worldwide. I trust that they will be around to provide support, and I appreciate the in-person dealer experience where they can help with fit and provide test rides.
• The Rove E+ is Liv’s most affordable electric model, at the time of this review, and that makes it a great option for young people, students, and anyone on a budget. That said, the drivetrain, motor, and battery are all high quality and I’d expect them to last.
• I test rode the extra small frame and was too big for it. I think this would be excellent for a petite rider or young person! Many ebikes only come in one or two frame sizes, so four options really allows you to optimize fit.
• Note the size-specific handlebar, stem, and crank arms to “right size” the bike. The adjustable seat post, low-rise handlebar (that can be swiveled forward or back to adjust reach), and adjustable brake levers all offer refined fit as well.
• The bike looks very professional and almost like a regular bicycle, you can tell they scrutinized all of the details and were tasteful with labels and branding. Note the matching black suspension fork, hubs, spokes, and other hardware. Most of the wires are internally routed, so they don’t look busy and won’t get snagged as easily.
• The chainring has an aluminum alloy guard that will protect pant legs and dress ends from touching the greasy chain or getting snagged. this guard also helps to reduce chain drops and can protect the motor and bottom bracket area from obstacle strikes.
• Excellent weight distribution with both the 7.7lb battery pack and 7.4lb motor low and center on the frame. Since this is a mid-drive design, the wheels, hubs, and axles are all standard parts and have quick release. This makes tune-ups, wheel trueing, and flat fixes much easier.
• The tires offer a hybrid pattern that can be efficient on paved surfaces but wide and grippy enough to handle gravel trains and some light cross-country riding. I appreciate the wide pressure rating 50 to 70 PSI! Low pressure improves comfort and traction while high pressure is quieter and more efficient for extended range.
• The tires and rims can be run tubeless to save weight and support low PSI without the higher risk of pinch flats. This is only possible on higher quality parts… notice the reinforcement eyelets on both rims to improve strength as well!
• Great attention to detail with a long rubberized slap guard on the right chain stay that protects the top and bottom of the frame (so the paint won’t get dirty or chipped). I also noticed plastic grommets on cable entry/exit points all around the frame.
• I love that the frame and fork have mounting points and threaded bosses for attaching aftermarket fenders and racks. This ebike could perform well as a commuting bike if you wanted it to.
• Really good drivetrain for an entry-point ebike. You either get a Shimano Alivio derailleur or microSHIFT Advent. They are both nine-speed and have good 11-36 tooth or 11-42 tooth cassettes. The microSHIFT even has a clutch switch to reduce derailleur movement and chain bounce. Since this is a mid-drive ebike, the additional gears really empower the motor and allow you to dial in pedal cadence for comfort and efficiency.
• The saddle felt very comfortable, and is actually women-specific. I liked the handle that is built into the back, making the bike easier to lift and reposition. I love the locking ergonomic grips (that won’t twist or spin out of position over time), and the minimalist suspension fork. You can adjust preload on the suspension fork by pulling off the plastic caps and twisting the dials in combination. Pre-loading the spring will improve performance for heavier riders and loads.
• Even though the button pad display is very simple and minimalist, it is easy to reach and simple to understand. I appreciate the dedicated power button, + and – buttons, and the walk-mode button at the bottom. To get walk mode working, press the dedicated button and then hold +. The speed of walk mode may vary depending on the gear you are in.
• The battery pack slides out from the side, which allowed Liv to keep the top tube lower for easier stand-over. The locking core to secure the battery seemed high quality. You can charge the pack on or off the frame for convenience and protection. I’ve heard that it’s best to avoid extreme cold and hot to extend battery lifespan and keep it at 50%+ when not in use.
• Great battery charger here, it only weighs a pound and a half, is fairly compact, and is faster than average at 3 amps vs. 2 amps. the charger does not require any dongles like some of the other products from Giant and Yamaha.
• Nice smartphone app called RideControl that provides a map, system diagnostics, battery percentage and other trip readouts, as well as motor tuning (adjusting performance for each of the five assist levels). It’s the kind of app that would be nice to use during a ride, so you could mount the phone to your handlebar if you want.

Cons:

• The bike does not come with a kickstand, but it has nice mounting points to add one aftermarket. I think kickstands are useful and was very happy to have one on the demo bike, I love how it offered tool-free adjustable length.
• The bike was heavier than expected, especially considering it doesn’t come with fenders, a rear rack, or lights installed. I test rode the small mid-step frame and it weighed 50lbs with the kickstand installed. This probably has to do with the spring fork, steel cage pedals, and heavy 7.7lb battery pack. Given the ~400 watt hour capacity, I suspect the pack would be lighter if it used higher energy density cells like the new 21700 design.
• The locking cylinder and charge port are positioned on the left side of the frame. This is the side that lays down towards the ground if you don’t have a kickstand. Even if you do have one, the bike still leans to the left which angles them down and makes the harder to reach. The charging port is very close to the left crank arm so be careful to avoid contact and snagging if the pedals get spun backwards while the charge plug is in.
• Given that the bike only comes in black, and is designed as a hybrid to be used on light trails or urban environments, it would be nice if it had more reflectivity. I’d love to see dark reflective stickers or the logo that blend in, reflective sidewall stripes on the tires (which are made by Giant, so it seems like they could add them pretty easily?) and I would love integrated lights. I know they are trying to keep the price low, but it’s not a super affordable bike and safety is something I value a lot.
• the suspension fork performs well, but offers very limited adjustability. I was expecting to see a lockout or compression adjust clicker. The preload dials are nice, but difficult to reach under the plastic caps (careful not to crack them or lose them). I think many people would miss them entirely.
• Due to supply chain constraints, I’ve noticed many companies speccing different components on the website vs. what is actually used. This was the case for the Liv Rove E+ that I covered, which had microSHIFT Advent derailleur and shifters vs. Shimano Alivo. Not a big deal in my opinion, the parts still performed well :)
• The SyncDrive Core mid-drive is quiet and efficient, but it isn’t as powerful as the others with just 50nm of torque output potential. I also noticed that it has a lower max RPM output around 100 vs. 120 like the high performance motors. This means you could lose motor support if you shift to a low gear and “spin” quickly to climb. You have to actively shift to higher gears in order to hit the top speed, even in the highest levels of assist. Probably not a big deal for most neighborhood riders, but worth pointing out.
• The motor does not have shift detection, like many others, but this can lead to additional wear and stress on the chain, derailleur, and sprockets. Be sure to ease off pressure when pedaling and shifting to reduce load and wear.
• I don’t love the pedals. They are a bit narrow and use steel outer sections that could rust if scratched. I have noticed that these “cage” pedals can get sharp if bike is laid down (if you don’t have a kickstand) or pushed in and deformed over time. Thankfully, replacements like the Wellgo BMX aluminum alloy platform are very affordable and easy to swap.
• The display panel is pretty basic, just 5 LEDs for assist level and 5 more LEDs for battery charge capacity. Each dot represents 20% so it’s not as precise. There is no info about current speed, trip distance, odometer etc. without using the optional Bluetooth smartphone app called RideControl.

Resources:

• Liv electric bike dealers.
• Official Liv website.