2023 Liv Intrigue X E+ Review | A beautifully sleek and lightweight e-MTB with a mullet


The not-so-minor details

Product

2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite 1

Contact

Liv Cycling

https://www.liv-cycling.com/

Price

From $8,799 AUD ($14,499 AUD as tested)

Weight

18.8kg (claimed)

Positives

- Lightweight and easy to manoeuvre
- The mullet setup is brilliant
- Smooth suspension inspires confidence
- Responsive & powerful motor
- Sleek frame design

Negatives

- Heavier riders will need the range extender
- SyncDrive Pro motor isn't as refined as Bosch
- Currently no alloy model

Roz rides the new Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite

Today sees the dual arrival of the 2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite and Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite. Boasting updated frames, a trendy mullet wheel setup, and a never-see-before battery, these brand new e-MTBs are said to be the lightest yet from Liv and Giant.

For all the specs and prices on the new Trance X E+ lineup, check out our separate article to get the full rundown. Here we’ll be going through the details on the Liv lineup, followed by a chat with Roz about her experience of testing out the new Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite.

With its lightweight build, 400Wh battery and full-powered motor, the Liv Intrigue X E+ presents a unique option that sits in between a heavy duty e-MTB like the Trek Rail and a lightweight e-MTB like the Specialized Levo SL.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
The new 2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite features a carbon frame and a slim battery to create a sleek and lightweight e-MTB.
2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
Roz has been testing out the new Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite to see how it handles on the trail.

An overview of the 2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite

The Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite is the women’s specific variant of the new Giant Trance X E+, and indeed the two bikes share a lot in common.

The new Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite is built around a full carbon frame, and it’s equipped with a 150mm travel fork and 140mm of rear travel. It’s also the first Liv model to employ a mullet setup with a 29in front wheel and a 27.5in rear wheel.

Power is delivered by the latest SyncDrive Pro 2 motor, and that’s paired to an internal 400Wh battery in order to keep the frame slim and lightweight. It’s possible to purchase a 200Wh range extender battery aftermarket that boosts total capacity to 600Wh.

Geometry is very similar to the unisex Trance X E+, though the Intrigue X E+ is offered in an Extra Small size to suit shorter riders. It also features a slightly shorter reach, and a smidgen more standover clearance.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
Thanks to the smaller 400Wh battery, the new Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite cuts a much sleeker profile compared to the current alloy model.

liv intrigue e size chart geometry

2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite weight

According to Liv Cycling, the top-end Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite comes in at a claimed weight of just 18.8kg in a size Small. That’s impressively lightweight for a full suspension e-MTB, and it’s almost 7kg lighter than the current alloy Intrigue X.

It isn’t quite as light as some other low-powered e-MTBs on the market like the Specialized Levo and Trek Fuel EXe. It is very close though, and it also has a bigger battery and a much more powerful motor compared to those bikes, which potentially makes the Intrigue X a more versatile option that can be ridden in a group whether everyone’s on regular mountain bikes, lightweight e-MTBs, or full-powered e-MTBs.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
Geometry on the Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite is almost identical to the new Giant Trance X E+.

2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite price & specs

There are three models in the 2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite range, and prices will start at $8,799 AUD for the base model.

All bikes share the same full carbon frame, SyncDrive Pro 2 motor and 400Wh battery. You’ll also find the same Maxxis Minion DHF/Dissector tyre combo on all three bikes, as well as powerful 4-piston brakes, air-adjustable suspension and 1×12 drivetrains.

Read on for the specs and prices for all three models below, followed by Roz’s first impressions of testing the top-end Intrigue X Advanced Elite E+ 1.

2023 liv intrigue x advanced e elite electric emtb
The top-end Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite 1 features Fox Live Valve suspension, carbon wheels and wireless SRAM GX AXS shifting.

2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite 1

2023 liv intrigue x advanced e 2 elite electric emtb
Coming in under $10K, we reckon the Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite 2 is the pick of the range with its Fox 36 fork, Float DPS shock and Shimano SLX groupset.

2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite 2

2023 liv intrigue x advanced e elite 3 electric emtb
The entry-level Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite 3 is the cheapest model in the range, but still gets most of the same tech as the top-end models.

2023 Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite 3

With the Liv Intrigue X E+ moving to a mullet wheel setup, the chainstays can be made much shorter, and that has had an overwhelmingly positive effect on handling.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
Roz travelled over to St George in Utah for the official launch of the Liv Intrigue X E+ and Giant Trance X E+. Not a bad spot to go riding!

Testing the new Liv Intrigue X E+

As part of the official launch for the new Liv Intrigue X E+ and Giant Trance X E+, Roz travelled over to St George in Utah to meet the designers and engineers behind the new bikes, before putting the Intrigue X E+ to the test on the iconic red sandstone terrain.

What were your impressions of the Liv Intrigue X E+?

Upon first sighting of the new Liv Intrigue X E+, I was slightly disappointed with how it looked. The paint job seemed a bit dull. It was sitting in the shade and just looked like a charcoal colour, much like a generic Mazda or Kia.

Once in the sunlight however, the paint finish has a lovely shimmer to it that shape-shifts depending on which angle you’re looking at it. Along with the gold logo on the downtube, it has a classy and sleek aesthetic.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
With the Liv Intrigue X E+ moving to a mullet wheel setup, the chainstays can be made much shorter, and that has had an overwhelmingly positive effect on handling.

How tall are you and what size were you testing?

I’m 165cm tall, though since I have long arms and legs I tend to prefer a Medium frame over a Small. For example, my inseam is 82cm, which is almost the same as Wil, but he’s 10cm taller than me! For the Liv Intrigue X E+, I rode a Medium, which has a 444mm reach in the low geometry setting.

How did you find the fit and contact points?

The fit was really good. The Liv Sylvia E+ saddle was fabulous. No soreness, and I didn’t really take much notice of it at all, which is always the preferred way to experience a saddle. I was using Time Speciale pedals and Fizik Terra Atlas shoes and they were great with this bike. I felt fast!

The grips were good. They felt grippy (ha!) and comfortable. Again, I didn’t notice them too much, which is a good sign. I would have liked more time to play around with the dropper post lever and the GX AXS controller. They were not in the right spot at all. I actually rubbed a blister on my right thumb from the controller paddle. And the dropper post lever was not as smooth and easy to use as I’m used to.

The light weight of this bike was definitely noticeable on the trail. It rode like a regular mountain bike.

Tell us about your first ride on the Intrigue X E+

Our first ride began in a gravel carpark. I amped the motor up and gave it a good squirt, it sure had some power! And manoeuvrability. It was a good taste test for the trails to come. The geometry felt spot on – it instantly felt like ‘my bike’. It was easy to work out and use the thumb shifter to change settings for the motor. With six options, it’s possible to ride it like an analogue bike on the lowest setting, or all the way up to boost, which felt incredibly fast.

When we started out on the trails, I had the motor set to the 3rd setting and found this to be the perfect balance. There was enough assistance to help me on anything technical, but not too much that it pushed me too fast or hard into sections where I needed control.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
Made by Yamaha, the latest SyncDrive Pro 2 motor offers heaps of power and a narrow stance.

The light weight of this bike was definitely noticeable on the trail. It rode like a regular mountain bike. The times that I noticed the reduced weight were on technical climbs where I needed to move my weight forward to move the bike up and over a rocky ledge. Given more time to experience this bike on home trails, I think I would feel confident to try sections of trail that have had me balking up to now.

We also rode some very technical descents that on first look I didn’t want to do, but with encouragement I tackled them and realised this bike is super capable. I loved the mullet set-up and think that this is a really great confidence boost, especially for technical descending.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
With the smaller 27.5in rear wheel, Roz found it easier to get her weight back when riding down steep and chunky descents.

The Intrigue X E+ is the first Liv e-MTB to feature a mullet wheel setup. What’s the handling like?

The handling was excellent. It really had me feeling confident to try some technical terrain that I wouldn’t normally try. The 29in front wheel felt solid, and the 27.5in rear wheel provided more freedom to manoeuvre the bike on steep terrain. I loved that there was plenty of cockpit space to move the bike around underneath me, and it was easy to get my weight right back on the descents.

At under 19kg, it’s a very light e-MTB! How did you find the weight compared to some of the other e-MTBs you’ve tested?

The lighter weight was truly remarkable compared to the Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 or the Thok TK01-R I’d recently ridden, both of which weigh 6-7kg more than the Intrigue X E+.

In practical terms, it’s easier to load in and out of the back of the car, or on and off the shuttle rack. On the trail it had a really racy feel to it. It’s easy to manoeuvre, especially for lighter and less strong riders that struggle to throw a 25kg bike around. Put simply, it felt like a normal trail bike.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
The short rear end also helps with cornering, and the low weight makes it easier to move around on the trail.

Liv is one of the few brands that is still pursuing female-specific geometry. What do you think of this approach with the Intrigue X E+ that you rode, compared to the unisex Giant Trance X E+ that it’s based on?

I think it’s all about providing more options. The geometry is very similar between the Trance X E+ and the Intrigue X E+, but the shorter reach and the provision of an Extra Small size gives more choice to the consumer.

If Liv didn’t pursue a female-specific geometry, this would limit the available choices for some women. Personally, I think it’s commendable that Liv is committed to this cause. I’m lucky to have long legs and a long reach, so I have a lot of options when it comes to fitting a unisex bike. But for the women out there that have a smaller stature, Liv is doing a lot to provide bikes that fit properly.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
There are five assist settings to choose from, plus the adaptive Smart Assist mode that alters the motor’s power output depending on the input from the rider and the trail.

Compared to the Shimano and Bosch motors you’ve ridden previously, how did you find the SyncDrive Pro 2 motor?

As Mick found with his long-term review of the Trance X E+, the latest SyncDrive Pro 2 motor is a very powerful and responsive drive unit.

There are five LEDs integrated into the top tube module, which indicate both the battery status and the assistance mode you’re in. In the top two most powerful modes, the motor emits a whirring noise when engaged. In comparison, the bottom three modes were much quieter, which helped to make the Intrigue X E+ sound and feel more like a normal mountain bike. The drive unit still rattles on the descents, but the clacking noise isn’t as bad as a Shimano EP8 motor.

If you hold down the mode change button, the LEDs turn blue to indicate you’re in the 6th mode called Smart Assist. This is the adaptive mode, which varies the power output depending on the situation. The motor has numerous internal sensors that detect riding speed, rider torque and cadence, though in the Smart Assist mode the motor also senses the gradient of the trail. So if you’re going up a steep climb, the motor increases its support level automatically so you don’t have to change modes. It works very well, and is not unlike Shimano’s Trail mode and Bosch’s eMTB mode.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
The shorter chainstays and 27.5in rear wheel also make it easier to lift up the front wheel when climbing over rocky ledges.

There has also been an update in the RideControl app, which allows you to custom-tune the power output of the SyncDrive Pro 2 motor. You can tweak the support and peak torque levels, which is a good idea for lighter riders and beginners who might want a softer feel to the power delivery.

It certainly performs well on the trail with plenty of power. However, I don’t think it offers the same intuitiveness or the refined feel of a Bosch motor.

That 400Wh battery is on the smaller side. How did you go in terms of range? Did anyone in the group run out of battery?

On the first day we did a 26km ride with 370m of climbing. Ride time was 1hr 40mins. The second day was a shorter and punchier ride with 320m of climbing over just 16km. Ride time was 1hr 20mins.

At the end of both rides, I finished with over 60% of the battery remaining having used the middle assist setting for most of the time. That means I could easily double those ride figures before getting close to running the battery flat, and potentially go quite a bit longer by using the two lower-powered assist settings. Personally, I think the 400Wh battery is ideal for my riding needs, and I love that it makes the bike so much sleeker and lighter than the alloy Intrigue X E+.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
There’s a new 200Wh range extender battery for the Liv Intrigue X E+, which will theoretically boost range by 50%. It’ll set you back over a grand though.

We did have a heavier rider in the group who rode exclusively in the Smart Assist mode on the second day, and she got close to running her battery flat. Because the riding was steeper and more technical, the motor was working harder and drawing more power from the battery. With that in mind, heavier riders may want to consider purchasing the 200Wh range extender to help reduce range anxiety, especially if they’re planning to go on longer rides.

Did you have any issues with the components on the bike?

Not really, though I didn’t get along with the dropper post lever, which had a lot of stiction. I’m not sure if this was due to the cable or the actuator mechanism itself, but either way my thumb was quite sore by the end of each day. For such a top of the line bike, I felt this element let the bike down.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
The slim controller is easy to use, though there was a lot of friction in the dropper post lever.

I also struggled to get the position of the GX AXS controller in the right spot, as the adjustment range is a bit limited with the brake clamp it affixes to. The paddles were also a bit confusing at first since as they were set up in the opposite configuration to how I prefer. This is easy to change in the SRAM AXS app however, which allows you to change which button performs the up and down shifts.

Otherwise I was really impressed by the tyre choice, which seemed ideal for the bike and the terrain we were riding. There was plenty of predictable grip from the 2.5in Minion DHF on the front and the 2.4in Dissector on the rear. Both tyres use the lighter EXO casing, which will be fine for smaller and lighter female riders. If you ride on much rockier trails however, you might want to add CushCore or potentially swap the tyres for something with thicker casings.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
The supple suspension and sticky tyres offer lots of grip, and will likely suit Aussie mountain bikers well.

What did you dig most about the Liv Intrigue e+?

The sizing and geometry felt amazing. I hopped on and felt instantly at home, like it was my bike all along! The mullet setup is a big part of this, since it allows the chainstays to be made much shorter compared to a full 29er setup. I found it easier to corner and move the bike around, and it was also a lot easier to lift up the front wheel. Combined with the sub-20kg weight and plush suspension, the Intrigue X E+ is a great handling e-MTB.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
With a 150mm travel fork and 140mm of rear travel, the Liv Intrigue X E+ provides a good amount of travel and support for technical trail riding.

And what kind of rider do you think this bike would best suit?

It is quite a versatile do-it-all trail bike that I think will appeal to a broad range of riders. The amount of travel allows you to push yourself on steep and technical terrain, but it’s also light and manoeuvrable enough to perform well on tight and twisty XC trails.

The fact that you have a full-powered motor with a lot of adjustability opens up some interesting possibilities. You can dial the power right down, and you’d be able to ride with your friends on regular mountain bikes. In the middle assist setting it provides a similar level of power to a lightweight e-MTB like the Levo SL or Fuel EXe. On the highest assist setting you can comfortably ride with friends on full-powered e-MTBs, though I do think adding the range extender battery would be a good idea if you’re looking to ride in alpine terrain.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
With its lightweight build, 400Wh battery and full-powered motor, the Liv Intrigue X E+ presents a unique option that sits in between a heavy duty e-MTB like the Trek Rail and a lightweight e-MTB like the Specialized Levo SL.

Flow’s Early Verdict

The new Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite presents a huge leap forward for Liv’s e-MTB range. It’s vastly lighter and sleeker than the current alloy model, and thanks to the move to a mullet wheel setup, it offers significantly better handling too.

The women’s specific geometry and the option of an XS size provides further options for shorter and lighter female mountain bikers who are looking for a versatile and lightweight e-MTB. And the combination of a full-powered motor with a slim 400Wh battery is likely to suit the needs of a lot of riders out there. If you don’t necessarily want to lug around a heavy 700+Wh battery (and the bigger frame it requires) for your everyday riding needs, this will surely be an appealing option amongst the lighter e-MTBs currently on the market.

2023 liv intrigue X advanced e+ elite emtb electric
Roz’s first impressions of the Liv Intrigue X E+ have been positive, though she’s eager to test it out on home trails with the 200Wh range extender to see exactly what it’s capable of.
I think we can all agree that this looks like a terrible place to find yourself on a mountain bike.

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