To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This review was sponsored by Fullerton Bicycles. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased, this video and written review are not meant to be an endorsement of Liv products.
Liv Cycling builds mountain bikes for women and they really go the extra mile when doing so. Many mountain bike manufacturers have women’s versions of their popular models, but as Mike from Fullerton Cycles explained to me, Liv bikes are not just a men’s bike with a pretty color slapped on it! They are engineered from the ground-up with women in mind, with unique components such as the Liv Contact saddle, and unique geometry such as shorter reach and handlebar width. Liv Cycling is a sister company to Giant which means their bikes can take advantage of Giant’s many proprietary components. They also share the same great warranty which offers comprehensive coverage for two years and lifetime coverage for the frame! With a large network of dealers, you’re also sure to get help with proper fitting and regular maintenance to keep things running smooth and lasting longer. The visual design of this bike stood out to me immediately, it is simply a gorgeous bike. The chameleon color scheme, clean internally routed cabling, and flawless downtube integration of the battery all contribute to a cohesive and beautiful appearance. This clean integration coupled with the reduced footprint of the SyncDrive motor and lack of an LCD screen (more on these later) make the Intrigue stealthy for an electric mountain bike, and I suspect that many riders would not even realize it was electric without close inspection. This bike does come in four different frame sizes, with the medium which we used for this review weighing in at 53.2 pounds. Currently there is only one color option which is blue/black, so hopefully, you like that color if you are considering it for yourself. Of course, this bike doesn’t just look pretty, it is fully loaded with quality components and ready to tackle any trail! Fox 36 suspension provides 150mm of travel in the front, while Giant’s proprietary Maestro floating-point suspension offers 140mm of travel in the rear. The Maxxis tires are on the lower side of plus-sizing at 27.5″ by 2.6″ (making them nimble and light while still providing traction and increased float over traditional sizes) as well as being tubeless-ready and Ebike optimized, and the Intrigue E +1 Pro actually features two different tires with the Minion DHF on the front for better steering traction, and the Rekon on the rear for optimal motor and climbing performance. In fact, nearly everything about these wheels is Ebike optimized, including the aluminum alloy rims, stainless steel spokes, and eTracker hubs with Boost spacing and sealed cartridge bearings. The boost spacing provides a sturdier bracing angle for the spokes and Giant went with 32 spokes rear and 28 in the front… which saves weight compared to most other manufacturers who don’t make their own rims. Giant goes for quality, and you can see this when you look at any of their components, which are stamped with pressure ratings for all of the bolts, so you don’t over-tighten or crush anything ;)
The motor is a Giant SyncDrive Pro, a mid-drive offering 250 watts of nominal power and peaking at around 500 watts. This is a Giant proprietary motor and it is based on the PW-X from Yamaha with further modifications by Giant to increase performance and reduce weight. The end result is a smooth, responsive, and fairly quiet experience with plenty of power available for climbing. I could definitely hear the motor when using the highest level of assist and hitting around 120RPM, but when pedaling at a more normal cadence and using a medium assist level this motor really is quiet! One drawback worth mentioning here is that the battery charging port is near the top of the motor and directly in the path of the left crank arm, so use caution when charging to make sure that the bike is stable and doesn’t get bumped. This motor has a standard chainring interface with no reduction gearing so you could swap out the 38-tooth steel chainring for something else if you wanted to, but I think the stock setup is more than adequate thanks to the large range of 11 to 46 tooth sprockets on the rear cassette. The stock chainring does have narrow-wide teeth and the chain is engineered by Giant specifically to handle the higher stress levels associated with Ebike use, as well as a solid chain guide to keep it from bouncing off. This is an 11-speed setup and shifting is handled by Shimano with a Deore XT derailleur and SLX shifters. Be aware that these shifters do allow you to dump up to three gears down at once and this motor does not have any software shift detection, so make sure you ease off the pedals when shifting so that you don’t mash gears and damage your chain. This is a more advanced setup compared to other drivetrains that have shift detection and/or single-click shifters, and while I prefer this, setup it really comes down to your personal preferences, skill level, and riding style.
The battery is another example of proprietary technology and is called the Giant EnergyPak 500. As the name suggests this battery has about 500 watt-hours of capacity at 36 volts and 13.86 amp-hours. I really loved the clean integration of this battery, it fits beautifully into the downtube and matches the color scheme of the bike perfectly. It also has a two-step removal process that requires you to use the key to unlock the battery first, followed by pressing a release trigger near the top to free the pack for removal, which is nice as it helps to keep the battery secure and prevent it from falling out as soon as you turn the key. These battery packs are kind of heavy at 9.4lbs compared to a Bosch PowerPack 500 at just 6.3lbs, but that has to do with additional covering, including a beveled plastic skid plate below to keep it protected from rocks and dirt that might get kicked up. The cells inside the pack have increased spacing for heat management and are individually controlled, which helps to extend their lifetime as well as allowing you to continue using the battery if one of the cells should fail. The battery also has a button and five-step LED readout to check the charge level when the battery is removed, but I was disappointed that it doesn’t have any USB charging ports, which can be handy for powering personal electronics when the battery is removed from the bike, although this is more of a convenience feature and might not see much use on a mountain bike. Perhaps a micro-USB port up near the display panel would have been nice, for those who like to use the Strava app or other GPS / smartphone apps on the go. The battery charger is a real powerhouse offering 6 amps vs. just 2 or 4 amps on the vast majority of competing bikes, and can charge the battery from 0 to 60% in just 90 minutes, but of course, that power comes with a trade-off as this charger is bulky and weighs in at 3.1 pounds vs. 1.5lbs or 2lbs respectively… not something you can easily toss in your bag and carry with you. The charger comes with a dongle that is required if you want to charge the battery while it is removed the bike, which is a bit of a bummer – just make sure you don’t lose that dongle! It’s one more thing to keep track of and it adds to the space requirement mentioned earlier. To be honest, 500 watts is pretty standard sized for a battery pack these days, with BULLS and some others offering around 650 watt hours… so the weight of the pack and the charger and extra space requirements do set this bike back a bit in my mind. Being a full-suspension mountain bike, the Intrigue does not come with any integrated lights that could be damaged in the event of a crash or collision, so be sure to pick up some of your own if you plan to do any night riding. There are also no kickstand mounting points, but the downtube does have bottle cage bosses and the rear suspension design leaves enough room here for a side-entry cage. To really care for this and other Lithium-ion battery packs, store in a cool dry location, maintain a charge of 20% to 80% at all times to avoid stressing the chemistry, and don’t drop it ;)
Controlling the electronics is Giant’s RideControl One system which does not have an LCD display, opting instead to use white LED indicators for battery and assist level. The LED indicators are bright and I didn’t have any trouble seeing them in direct sunlight. While I didn’t get to test riding at night, I could easily imagine the LEDs being too bright and distracting as there doesn’t appear to be any way to adjust the brightness level. The button pad does swivel a bit, so perhaps you could aim them up or put some electrical or masking tape over to reduce the glow strength. I do appreciate this setup on a mountain bike as LCD screens are in constant danger of getting damaged if you take a spill or collide with something. The control pad features a small button on the right for power, large up/down buttons on the left for changing assist level from zero to five, and a “walk mode” button on the underside. Be aware that since this is a mid-drive motor, the speed of walk mode is affected by which gear you are in, so be sure to downshift first to slow the effective walk speed down a bit! The previously mentioned LED indicators show assist level on the left and battery level on the right with five lights for battery level which means 20% steps. Normally this is kind of a bummer and I really prefer to see at least 10% steps on a battery readout, or best of all a percentage readout, and fortunately Giant delivers this extra information with their RideControl smartphone app. Available for Android and iOS, this app pairs with your bike via Bluetooth and can be used not only for viewing your exact battery percentage but also for motor tuning, trip planning, and various other features. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to test this app in detail because it requires you to pair and register the bike, so if you have used this app and want to share your thoughts on it please chime in with a comment below. All things considered, I really like this control interface, I found it simple and intuitive to use and having the app available for extra functionality is a great compromise for not having an LCD readout on the bike. The rubberized coating seems dust and water-resistant and the compact size leaves the handlebars looking “normal” so that adds to the integrated downtube battery and compact SyncDrive motor. The hydraulic braking system on this ebike is powered by Shimano and offers great stopping power with quad-piston calipers and large 203mm rotors in the front and rear. Larger rotors are able to cool more quickly and provide a mechanical advantage for large rim sizes and heavier plus sized tires… great choice. The two-finger levers are adjustable for position and reach and I found them smooth and easy to operate. The aluminum alloy handlebars are slightly swept back and have a slightly smaller width thanks to the Liv geometry. I discovered that the thickness of the aluminum tubing is also slightly different than the unisex or men’s Giant frames based on body strength and weight distribution of women vs. men. Neato! Overall, the cockpit feels nice and stable with even no-handed riding being a breeze.
With an MSRP of $4,830 USD, the Intrigue is not a cheap electric mountain bike, but it is competitively priced considering that many full-suspension non-electric mountain bikes on the market cost well north of $5,000. I do think you get a lot of value for your money here, with high-end components from the likes of Shimano, Maxxis, and Fox, but for me the biggest value is the connection to Giant. Not only do you get excellent Giant components like the SyncDrive Pro motor and EnergyPak battery, but you also get the great warranty and access to the Giant dealer support network. Giant is currently the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer and they have actually been making electric bikes for about 20 years, so having access to that expertise and proven technology is awesome! You can see that expertise in action on the Intrigue, with almost all of its components being either Ebike-specific or Ebike-optimized. Of course, what really makes this bike unique is the “by women, for women” focus of its design. This is certainly not just a gimmick, as every component and measurement is geared for female riders, and I think that is an awesome thing to see in the mountain biking space! Having looked at almost every brand in the ebike space, Live really leads when it comes to women-specific products.
As always, I welcome questions and feedback in the comment section below. Whether you own a previous version of the bike, have taken a test ride, or are brand new to the space, my goal is to provide an objective and honest resource. You can also join the Liv ebike forums and share your own photos, videos, and review updates to help others! Have fun out there, and ride safe :)
Pros:
- A premium full-suspension electric mountain bike available in four frame sizes and with a solid warranty and dealer support
- Great suspension with Fox 36 in the front and Maestro in the rear providing 150mm/140mm of travel and lots of adjustment options
- Smooth and responsive power from the Giant SyncDrive Pro motor paired with Giant’s RideControl One system which is simple and intuitive to use
- Shimano shifters, derailleur, and cassette provide smooth performance and a huge range of 11-46 across 11 speeds
- Excellent stopping power with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, 203mm rotors, and quad-piston calipers
- Quality plus-sized 27.5″ by 2.6″ tires from Maxxis that are tubeless ready, puncture resistant, and Ebike-ready – and there are even different tires on the front and rear to give optimum performance for their different use cases
- Beautiful visual appearance with cohesive color scheme, clean internally routed cabling, and seamless downtube integration of the battery
- Extremely fast charging with Giant’s 6 amp charger, smart charging and individual control of the cells in the EnergyPak battery help to extend battery life
- Optional RideControl smartphone app pairs with the bike and offers better more detailed readouts, motor tuning, trip planning, and other features
- Truly a womens-specific performance mountain bike, all components and geometry are engineered “by women, for women”
Cons:
- On-bike charging port is in the path of the left crank arm and could get snagged or damaged if the bike is moved or bumped while charging
- The charger weighs in at 3.1 pounds and is a bit heavy to easily transport in a backpack or bag, but it does charge the battery very quickly with 6 amps
- The battery is average capacity for this generation of ebikes but weighs more than the competition (in part because of the protective covering)
- Charging the battery off the bike requires a separate adapter which is included, just make sure not to lose it
- Battery indicator is in 20% increments which isn’t very precise, however you can see an exact percentage by using the RideControl smartphone app, there’s no USB charging port on the battery or control pad
- Only available in color scheme of blue/black, but it does look beautiful
Resources:
Tom
5 years agoSorry to hijack this comment page, but I have more of a question really – how does one get a forum for a specific brand of ebike created, as the Liv ebike forum has had happen? There are a number of people on the 43-page thread below looking to have a forum created for Lectric Bikes. Thanks!
ReplyCourt
5 years agoHi Tom, no worries! I’m glad you reached out and have just made a Lectric eBikes forum for you. I also moved that thread for the Lectric XP that you identified. If there are any other threads to move, please let me know. Same goes for brands that should be added or bikes you’d like to see. You can always contact me through this page. Usually new brands are added to the EBR forums when we’ve reviewed one of their products. I’d love to review Lectric someday, so if know anyone at the company, have them reach out!
ReplyTom
5 years agoThanks Court! I am sure everyone will appreciate it. I don’t know anyone at Lectric eBikes, and right now I believe they are in the process of moving from Phoenix to somewhere in CA, but if I hear from them I’ll let them know you’re interested.