LIV EMBOLDEN 1

A sub-£2k full-susser is a cheering prospect; especially one with the Embolden’s spec sheet

Aline-up of mbr-recommended full-suspension trail bikes under £2,000 would be a short one, but the Liv Embolden 1 would make the cut. Sibling to the longstanding Giant Stance, albeit with smaller wheels, the Embolden is a do-it-all shredder with a spec list that outperforms expectations based on the swing tag alone.

The heart of the bike is a Liv/giant Aluxx-grade aluminium frame, which utilises the brand’s singlepivot Flexpoint Suspension system to deliver 120mm travel at the rear with a Rockshox Monarch R shock. Eschewing the more familiar twin-link Maestro design to save weight and cut costs, Liv instead builds a modicum of flex into the back end. It’s a popular trick among brands looking to simplify shorter-travel models, since it only really works up to around 120mm.

Liv says the shock is tuned for women, which basically means it’s suitable for smaller and lighter riders of either sex.

At the front, Giant serves up a Rockshox Recon RL fork with 130mm travel. Irritatingly, there’s no O-ring on the fork stanchions to help when setting up the sag, although there is an air chart on the left leg and it’s easy enough to install a zip-tie to check that you’re not leaving too much travel on the table. Out back, there are no such issues with an O-ring on the Rockshox Monarch R rear shock – just set the sag to between 25-30 per cent and start riding.

At this £1,999 price point, the groupset is basic but efficient. There are no big-ticket surprises, but also no major disappointments. Shifting comes courtesy of SRAM’S Eagle SX drivetrain, and you get the full complement of crankset, rear mech, chain and cassette – no sneaky cost savings here. Gearing is a 30-tooth single chainring with 11-50 cassette at the rear – plenty for most fitness levels and gradients, although the lack of any frame protection around the drivetrain means a chipped paintjob and a rattly ride on descents. The brakes are non-series Shimano hydraulic, and offer plenty of power and excellent modulation.

Liv benefits from the sheer size and market presence of its sibling Giant, which no doubt helps get you the brand’s decent Contact Switch dropper post, something which is missing if you drop down to the Embolden 2 at £1,699. The finishing kit all comes from Giant, too, with 750mm bars and a 40mm stem. The Liv Sylvia saddle is a bit bulky, but comes with a pressurerelief channel and was comfortable enough, albeit hardly stylish.

Keeping it in-house with the wheels, the rims are Giant’s own, but they’re dressed in some fast rolling stock in the shape of Maxxis’s Rekon (2.6in) up front and the Ardent Race (2.6in) at the rear. The set-up is tubeless and customers will collect the bike ready to go.

Geometry-wise, Liv calls this a women’s-specific frame, and looking at the numbers, it’s certainly different to the unisex Stance in length, even if the head and seat angle are the same on paper. In the real world, we found that our Embolden test bike was actually a full 1° slacker than claimed, with a 66.5° head

Geometry-wise, Live calls this women’s-specific