Liv Devote Advanced Pro
Ready to race and ready for adventure
Ready to race and ready for adventure
The Devote is Liv’s first gravel bike. While it’s no surprise that the company has created a bike for the trend that has exploded in recent years, it’s exciting to see more women at the fore of the gravel discussion.
The Devote, which comes in sizes extra small to large, has internal cable routing that makes it look super clean. Painted with an iridescent matte steel blue colour, the bike is also covered in little visual design touches. The Devote has mounts for fenders and racks, a chainstay and down-tube protector, and bolts for bottle cages, which were very handy for long rides in remote areas without access to water.
The bike is spec’d with tubeless 40c Maxxis Velocita AR tires – light, fast-rolling, high-volume slicks mounted on Giant’s cxr-2 Carbon Disc wheels. On an unexpectedly sandy ride, they served me well – even in the loosest bits, I was able to manoeuvre easily. Back on the asphalt, this bike is fast. The compact geometry is conducive to an aero position. The bike feels stiff and light.
The composite frame and fork make the bike lightweight and nimble. Climbing on pavement, gravel and even punchy, singletrack hills felt easy and smooth. The sram Force etap axs drivetrain (12-speed, 10–36 tooth cassette and 43/30-tooth chainrings) definitely makes a difference on the climbs.
When I went downhill, the flat-mount disc brakes did their jobs well when I needed them. The Devote’s geometry makes it easy to shift weight toward the back of the bike. If you’re looking to take on more technical riding, it’s possible to remove the Giant D-fuse slr seatpost and put in a 30.9-mm-diameter dropper post. You could also opt for the backcountry-ready Devote Advanced 1, which comes spec’d with the Giant Contact Switch dropper, 11-speed Shimano grx drivetrain and 700c x 45c Maxxis Rambler tubeless tires. That’s as wide as you can go on the Devote frames with 700c wheels. With 650b hoops, you could get pretty hefty with your treads, going as wide as 50c.
While the Devote Advanced Pro is designed as a race-ready gravel bike, I was surprised how well it did on more cyclocross-style rides. After a long mixedterrain ride, I felt great, partly with the help of Giant’s D-fuse vibration dampening system. The flared drops of Giant Contact slr XR D-fuse handlebars are stiff, but working with Liv’s new all-condition bar tape with gel backing, they absorb bumps effectively. The seatpost has D-shaped tubing with a round front and flattened rear section that also adds compliance.
My favourite part of the Liv Devote Advanced Pro is that it was designed for a diverse range of rides and conditions, but it still has the vibe of a fast, race-ready bike. It’s nice to have the option to not only go on an adventure, but to feel like you can challenge yourself to go faster, longer and harder as you explore.