Review

Liv Intrigue SX 2016 Review – The Ultimate Women’s Trail Bike?

21.09.2016
by Antonia Buckenlei

How are you supposed to define and categorise a decent mountain bike for female riders? Some sort of adapted geometry figures? A new colourway? But ask Liv, and they’ll tell you there’s a hell of a lot more to it than just bright colours and female-specific saddles and grips. Developed by women for women, what’s the verdict on the Liv Intrigue SX?

Built around the same aluminium frame as the Intrigue 1 and its 140 mm of travel, the Liv Intrigue SX is the brand’s downhill-orientated whip, seeing it boost the travel to 160 mm RockShox PIKE forks to go along with its Monarch Plus rear shock, grippier tires and a SRAM X1 1×11 drivetrain.

A bike that’ll plaster a grin on female riders? The Liv Intrigue SX 2016 retails at € 3,699.
A bike that’ll plaster a grin on female riders? The Liv Intrigue SX 2016 retails at € 3,699.

The spec of the Liv Intrigue SX

  • Forks: RockShox PIKE RCT3
  • Rear shock: RockShox Monarch RC3 140 mm
  • Brakes: SRAM Guide RS
  • Shifting: SRAM X1
  • Seatpost: Giant Contact SL Switch-Remote
  • Stem: Giant Contact SL AM
  • Bars: Giant Contact SL RiserBar
  • Wheelset: Giant PAM-2 Disc Wheelset
  • Tires: Schwalbe Hans Dampf/Rock Razor
  • Weight: 13.2 kg
  • Price: € 3,699
The RockShox PIKE Solo Air at the front provides a responsive 160 mm of travel.
The RockShox PIKE Solo Air at the front provides a responsive 160 mm of travel.
A practical and purposeful lever for the dropper seatpost, but the stuck-on grips didn’t do much for our test rider.
A practical and purposeful lever for the dropper seatpost, but the stuck-on grips didn’t do much for our test rider.
Limited adjustment – The stock Giant seatpost only offers 100 mm of adjustment, but you’ll want at least 125 mm on steep descents. Note: the frame itself won’t allow for much longer posts though.
Limited adjustment – The stock Giant seatpost only offers 100 mm of adjustment, but you’ll want at least 125 mm on steep descents. Note: the frame itself won’t allow for much longer posts though.
1x11 drivetrains have a ton of benefits, but we’d still have liked a 28-tooth chainring for brutally steep climbs – unfortunately this isn’t compatible with the X1 cranks.
1×11 drivetrains have a ton of benefits, but we’d still have liked a 28-tooth chainring for brutally steep climbs – unfortunately this isn’t compatible with the X1 cranks.
Ample braking power from the SRAM Guide RS brakes, plus brake levers that are easily adjusted to suit smaller hands.
Ample braking power from the SRAM Guide RS brakes, plus brake levers that are easily adjusted to suit smaller hands.
The short 50 mm stem suits the bike brilliantly, although the 730 mm bars could be wider.
The short 50 mm stem suits the bike brilliantly, although the 730 mm bars could be wider.
A practical and purposeful lever for the dropper seatpost, but the stuck-on grips didn’t do much for our test rider.
Liv is part of the industry top-dog Giant and can therefore benefit from the same legendary Maestro rear end design that is heralded for its great climbing and even better descending.

The geometry of the Liv Intrigue SX

Size XS S M L
Head tube angle 66.9° 66.9 66.9° 66.9°
Seat tube angle 72.8° 72.8° 72.8° 72.8°
Stack 590 mm 595 mm 604 mm 613 mm
Reach 357 mm 375 mm 392 mm 398 mm
Top tube 540 mm 560 mm 580 mm 590 mm
Head tube 100 mm 105 mm 115 mm 125 mm
Chainstays 446 mm 446 mm 446 mm 446 mm
Wheelbase 1,096 mm 1,116 mm 1,137 mm 1,148 mm
Standover height 695 mm 699 mm 726 mm 763 mm

The Liv Intrigue SX on the trails

Riding the Liv Intrigue, our 160 cm-tall test rider rode a size S and her verdict was affirmative: upright, comfortable, and boasting a mean kick on the flat. The 13.2 kg weight is hard to deny on the hills though, and the riding position feels pretty far back given the length of the forks. On steep climbs, it felt like we were just riding the back of the bike (seat angle 72.8°). Plus, long climbs would have welcomed an even easier granny gear. Although the rear shock can’t be fully locked-out, the Liv still rides with an efficiency that means every trail head will be reachable (albeit not at QOM-breaking speeds).

Liv-Intrigue-SX-2016-Review-019

For descents it’s wise to set at least 30% sag at the rear to keep it properly planted; from here, it’ll soak up a string of hits with aplomb. As expected, the RockShox PIKE RCT3 perform reliably, and can be tuned to suit lighter riders with ease.

Liv-Intrigue-SX-2016-Review-013

The 27.5″ wheels are the ultimate bed for the bike, creating a great riding position with the small frame and lively ride characteristics, meaning the Liv skirts round corners. Despite its 160 mm of front travel, the Intrigue is a bit twitchy on technical trails, and if you’re a mega quick rider then you’d probably appreciate a slacker head angle. On steep descents we were gagging for a seatpost with more adjustment – mainly to avoid bruises and feel more confident at throwing the bike down trails.

Liv-Intrigue-SX-2016-Review-017

Conclusion

Suited for female riders that are keen to push their limits, the Liv Intrigue SX definitely boasts a serious level of agility that’ll see it carve corners on your home trails with effortless cool. For fearless riders that don’t hold back from going full-on down the trails, the Liv and its 140 mm of rear travel might not pack enough punches. Given the spec and how it rides, the € 3.699 price tag seems very reasonable.

For more information head to liv-cycling.com

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Words: Antonia Buckenlei Photos: Christoph Bayer

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