It’s been nearly three years to the day since the EnviLiv was last updated, and 13 years since Liv’s flagship aero bike was revealed to the world for the first time.
Since its inception, it has been a staple in the Liv-sponsored athletes’ line-up, including the world tour team Liv AlUla Jayco and World Champion triathlete Lisa Tertsch.
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“EnviLiv exists for one reason: to give women every advantage we can engineer,” Sally Wang, Liv Road Category Manager, shared at the unveiling of the fourth-generation EnviLiv, which, according to the brand, is female-led development from the very beginning. Bonnie Tu, would be proud.
To better represent how women shape airflow in real riding positions, Liv developed “Georgia,” the brand’s moving female mannequin. Modelled on Liv AlUla Jayco’s Georgia Baker, this mannequin is an industry first for repetitive testing, as all other brands test only with male mannequins.
This 3D-printed, modular, articulated model is, in itself, a major advance in understanding the differences between male and female riders and has reinforced Liv’s argument for keeping women’s-specific bikes very much alive.
The Giant propel, left, next to the Liv EnviLiv, right.
(Image credit: Giant Group)
We do, however, have comparable frameset geometry for both the new EnviLive and Propel, which indicates what Liv believes makes a women’s-specific aero bike.
I need to start with a caveat; this is a rough comparison between the size medium EnviLiv and a size small Propel.
This sizing difference is actually the first clue that Liv has built a different aero platform, as no two bike sizes across the brands are the same.
If I were to choose between either Liv or Giant, these are the sizes I, at 5’6” / 170cm tall, would ride.
With a stack of 584mm, the medium EnviLiv has a higher front end than the small Propel, which measures 530mm. This is mainly due to the taller headtube of 150mm on the Liv compared to 127mm on the Giant.
The effect of this stack height is also clear in the reach, with both bikes measuring 383mm, despite the Liv having a longer top tube (540mm vs 535mm) and a longer stem (100mm vs 90mm) on the Giant.
Other important factors include the head angle, 73 degrees on the Liv versus 75.5 degrees on the Giant; chainstay length, 405mm on each; and bottom bracket drop, 70mm versus 72mm, which are roughly similar.
However, even these adjustments, along with the EnviLiv’s longer wheelbase of 984mm compared to 973mm on the Propel, will give the EnviLiv a slightly more upright and stable, planted ride feel than the more aggressive, low-front-end Propel.
Componentry across the two bikes appears similar; both use comparable cockpits (model depending) and Giant’s own Cadex wheels (again depending on the model), but it’s interesting to note that the medium Liv is equipped with 170mm cranks, while the smaller Propel, which is closest in size, has 165mm cranks.
(Image credit: Liv/ Giant Group)
Looking back at generation three of the EnviLiv, the changes are significantly more noticeable, with the gap between the two models clearly evident even at first glance.
Key updates, according to Liv, include a 120g weight savings – a 7.7% reduction – which, based on our calculations, brings this new EnviLiv frameset (frame, fork, and seatpost) down to 1,450g, making it much closer to most top-end aero bikes.
The new EnviLiv also features a 19% improvement in frameset stiffness-to-weight ratio, including a 14.7% increase in torsional stiffness over the previous model, and, somewhat surprisingly, 25% more compliance.
Liv attributes this to the carbon layup, refined rear triangle shaping, the new proprietary Vector Integrated Seatpost, and the new Cadex SLR Aero integrated cockpit.
Additionally, the 2mm extra clearance between the fork legs now allows for tyres up to 32mm, offering a significant benefit for compliance. Regarding tyres, another brand-new feature is the Cadex Max 50 wheel system. The 50mm, 22.4mm inner-diameter, carbon-fibre, hookless rims feature an ‘ultra-thin’ hub flange and bonded carbon aero spokes as a single integrated system.
The wheels, it claims, are 2.18 watts faster than Cadex’s Ultra 50, but these were never specified on the outgoing EnviLiv. The wheels are faster than the old version, but this bike didn’t have them. Make of that what you will.
(Image credit: Liv/ Giant Group)
The new Max 50 wheels weigh 1,290 grams, with an additional 220g/280g added when fitting the 28c/30c Cadex Aero Tubeless Tyres, which complete what Liv refers to as ‘total-system engineering’.
When asking Wang at Liv about this, she explained that rather than optimising individual components in isolation, the team has evaluated aerodynamic drag, rotational losses, rolling resistance, stiffness, weight, and compliance collectively.
Referring back to the wind tunnel testing I mentioned earlier, Wang states that, with ‘Georgia’, there’s an 8.62-watt reduction at 40 km/h across yaw angles from −20 to +20 degrees.
In riding terms, this equates to approximately 1 minute and 55 seconds saved over 40 kilometres at 40 km/h.
Considering the average speeds from last weekend’s Omloop het Nieuwsblad, which were recorded 38.13 km/h – the fastest ever so far – reaching over that 40 km/h mark would have been common for much of the race, and would have helped to deliver the goods.
The overall result of this comprehensive redesign is a much sharper, cleaner-looking EnviLiv than ever before. An overdue update, in my honest opinion, positioning it firmly alongside its aero-categorised peers— not just the Giant Propel, but also the Canyon Aeroad and even the Specialized Tarmac.
(Image credit: Giant Group/ Liv)
EnviLiv Advanced SL 0 – First ride impression
This EnviLiv update couldn’t have arrived at a better time. While the first generation was head and shoulders above other women-specific aero bike offerings, the world stage has evolved.
Although one of the few female-specific bike models still in operation, this wasn’t enough to stand out in a highly competitive aero market.
Generation four of the Liv EnviLiv feels like a significant step forward for the brand, delivering lighter weight and sharper handling, finally catching up with its sibling Propel and genuinely challenging many of its gender-neutral rivals.
Riding the EnviLiv Advanced SL 0 over two hilly days, including an arduous 90-odd kilometre ride that took in the unforgiving category one 10km Col de Vence, I could have thought I was on a purpose-built climbing bike.
Having ridden nearly every generation of the EnviLiv, this latest version is by far the standout. The brand has seemingly ironed out all the niggles of previous models, regaining the sense of urgency it lost when it became more of an endurance aero bike three years ago.
Over the two-day event, putting some decent mileage on this bike, in some challenging terrain against some very capable colleagues, I would say Liv has completely nailed the tripartite aim of creating a bike that delivers acceleration, holding, and sprinting speeds, all without sacrificing the ride quality.
(Image credit: Hannah Bussey)
There’s nothing quite like being thrown in the deep end this early in the season, exposing your cycling finesse (or lack of it) by riding a challenging mountain route in very early spring (arguably late winter). I’ve not spent much time outdoors on a bike recently – winters in the northern British Isles are grim, and much of my admittedly pretty regular training time is spent indoors on the trainer.
But being physically able to handle such a hilly route was a surprise, and it wasn’t just on the climbs where I felt this bike helped me out significantly. While a bike’s geometry is vital for comfort, it’s equally important for handling, and whilst I certainly entered this launch event underprepared and rusty, being able to hold my own –shock horror– and even overtake some of the other riders was a real treat. I’m sure Liv would attribute this agility and confidence-inspiring handling mostly to its ‘total-system engineering’.
To me, it looks and feels like one of the best bikes for speed, climbing, and endurance. But that leaves a glaringly obvious question, on where on earth that leaves the Liv Langma?
Two years ago, I was writing about how the lightweight all-rounder had just signed the death warrant for the EnviLiv. Could the tables really have turned so much that we’re now wondering what to do with the Langma instead?
In the meantime, I’ll be spending much more time with the bike now that it’s back with me here in the UK, so I will report back with a full review in the near future.
Liv EnviLiv specifications, prices and availability
There are six models of the Liv Enviliv to choose from, and the big news here is that the model will now be available in the USA after a six-year hiatus, although not every model will be available in every territory.
The range-topping Advanced SL0 will be priced at $13,500/£10,499 and features an advanced-grade carbon composite frame and fork, a Giant Vectro composite integrated seatpost, SRAM Red with power meter, and a Cadex Max 50 wheelset with Cadex Aero tubeless 28c tyres.
Next on the list for the US and UK markets will be the Advanced Pro 0 AXS, for $7,800/£5,999. This $5,700/£4,500 saving means a switch to SRAM Force AXS with a Quarq power meter, while keeping the same frameset and wheel system.
The UK gets a £4,199 Advanced 0 that comes with the same frame and forks but loses the integrated seatpost. You get to keep Shimano Ultegra Di2, but no power meter this time, and the wheels move to the Giant SLR 2 50.
The Enviliv range is completed in both areas with the Advanced 1, at $5,300/£3,499, and the Advanced 2, at £3,500/£2,499, which have the same frameset as the Advanced 0, but the Advanced 1 comes with Shimano 105 Di2 and keeps the SLR 2 50 wheelset, while the Advanced 2 moves to mechanical 105 and Giant P-A1 alloy wheelset.
