HOW DID THE LIV INTRIGUE ADVANCED E+ PERFORM?
SETUP | Testing out a size small for my 5’4″ stature, the sizing provided a comfortable fit. I set-up sag first at 28% but then opted for 30% after some brief descending. These Italian trails didn’t offer the most technical, rough tracks, however, a crowd-pleasing bike park lap and frequent climb sections with steep pitches allowed me to get a sense of how Liv’s modified Intrigue Advanced E+ 0 handles on the trail.
ELECTRONICS & INTEGRATION | While it wasn’t the only modification, the clear, shining focus of the Intrigue Advanced E+ update was the motor, which was done in collaboration with Yamaha. Liv wants riders to “move more mountains” with power that can be harnessed and controlled. This marketing translates to a motor that delivers 120Nm and 850 W peak power, engaging within almost a quarter of a second with a zero-cadence torque-based response. The package also comes smaller this time around as the bike boasts a 2.6kg EnergyPak Smart 560X (Wh) battery with an optional range extender adding 280Wh. And to match this bike’s motor update, Liv bumped up the travel to 150mm, slackened the head tube angle, and popped on a 27.5 rear wheel to make the Intrigue a more capable and nimble descender.
The electronic dropper is integrated into Smart Gateway system, eliminating the need for an extra battery to charge; however, it also meant that the dropper didn’t work when the bike was turned off. Was not a fan of being caught with the bike off and having to wait to turn the bike on to get the saddle down. Liv did tell us that we shouldn’t be too worried about this integration – even if the battery dies out on a ride and you’re stuck on top of the mountain, there should be enough juice left over to at least smash the dropper and head out on your descent, all whilst praying you don’t have to pedal back.
A big part of this slick new bike was that Giant’s Smart Gateway system communicates with all of the electronics (and there’s a lot) and is the big brain of Giant’s E+ system. Giant’s RideControl app allows the rider to customize sensitivity, overrun, and the assistance ratio, among other things.
CLIMBING | After struggling with both front and rear wheel traction during terrifyingly steep and loose pitches of trail, I worked with one of the Giant reps to decrease sensitivity and responsiveness, as the updated motor, which was marketed to be highly sensitive and responsive, was practically running off with my bike during these short tests. After playing around in the app to find the right balance, I immediately noticed more traction and control during my climbs.
The slacker head tube angle and mixed wheel may also have been contributing to a feeling of sliding back in the saddle and more difficulty steering uphill than normal. Out of several climb modes, I rarely ventured outside of Eco and Tour, which is typical for me as an e-bike rider – I’ll never get over the wild feeling that is climbing at speed, and I much prefer to save it for my descent. This allowed me to do roughly 4,000 feet with 30% of the 560Wh battery leftover at the end of the afternoon. I did click on Active and Sport (someone needs to explain these terms and why they felt there was any difference between the two!) but mostly to zip up some double-track as it was just too much power for me to stay locked in with my climbing.
DESCENDING | As usual, descending was my favorite part. In an industry that doesn't always tend to follow the saying, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," Liv and Giant have kept the Maestro suspension around in their all-mountain bikes rather than finding a reason to tweak and update it just to say they did. I found the Maestro suspension on the Liv Intrigue Advanced E+ to be traction-rich and stable while riding loose, windy alpine trails to the moisture-laden dirt and roots of the bike park.
I did find the steering and cornering to be a bit sluggish, perhaps due to the slackened head tube angle and longer wheelbase compared to the last model, but once at speed it all evened out.
Overall, I found the Intrigue Advanced E+ 0 to be a capable bike that I would take out for large self-shuttle days.
PRESS RELEASE
LIV LAUNCHES ALL-NEW INTRIGUE ADVANCED E+ SERIES
A full-power carbon e-trail bike built to balance usable power, range flexibility, and responsive handling.
Liv, the company dedicated to getting more women and girls on bikes, today introduced the all-new Intrigue Advanced E+ series, a full-power carbon e-trail bike built to help riders clear bigger climbs, take on longer mountain days, and stay connected across steep and technical terrain.
Developed around the demands of full-power trail riding, the all-new Intrigue Advanced E+ and its integrated Giant E+ System were engineered as one complete platform. From motor behavior and battery architecture to frame design, Maestro suspension, controls, and reinforced full-power trail components, every element was developed to make high-output e-MTB performance feel usable, balanced, and connected on real trail terrain.
“With Intrigue Advanced E+, we looked at the full ride experience, not just one performance number,” said Cassandra Chou, Liv E-bike Category Manager. “Full power only matters if riders can use it when the trail gets technical. That focus guided the SyncDrive Pro 4 motor tune, compact battery architecture, chassis, suspension, wheels, and controls. The result is our vision for full-power trail riding: powerful, responsive, and built around control.”
Compared with the previous Intrigue Advanced E+ Elite, the new Intrigue Advanced E+ adds 41% more motor torque, 40% more battery capacity, 10 mm more front and rear travel, a removable battery, and a 48 V system. Even with those gains, frameset weight changes by less than 1%, and complete bike weight increases by just 1% — creating a higher-capability platform with nearly unchanged weight.
Available in sizes XS, S, M, and L, the Intrigue Advanced E+ series reflects Liv’s women-first approach to full-power e-MTB design. The frame, geometry, battery integration, and component selection were developed together around the fit, handling, and control needs of women riders, supporting a centered riding position, efficient climbing, standover clearance, and responsive bike placement through technical terrain.
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