Giant and Liv disrupts lightweight eMTB design with full-power Elite lines

The promise of lightweight eMTBs is always that they feel more like traditional (non-motorized) mountain bikes. The drawback is that pedalling them also feels more like traditional mountain bikes. As in, there’s not as much assist. That’s because most brands cut weight by using smaller, less powerful motors and smaller batteries. Giant and Liv are promising to redefine the lightweight eMTB category with the introduction of the svelt, but powerful Trance X Advanced E+ Elite and Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite ranges.

The two new ranges, Giant’s unisex and Liv’s women’s specific line, offer weights on par with the top current lightweight eMTBs, but with a motor capable of delivering a whopping 85Nm of torque. As we’ve found in our first impressions of the both options, the combination of a big motor, a light bike and excellent trail-bike design makes for a thrilling combination.

If you’re interested in what we think of the bikes, read our first impressions of the Trance X Advanced E+ Elite and the women’s-specific Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite. If you want to know how Giant and Liv managed to create a pair of lightweight eMTBs without sacrificing power, read on for all the nitty-gritty details of these two genre-re-defining bikes.

Giant Trance X Advanced E+ Elite: World’s lightest full-power eMTB

At the heart of this new eMTB line is the traditional Giant Trance X design, but tweaked for the needs of electric riding. The frame offers 140mm of Maestro suspension out back. That’s paired with a 150-mm Fox 36 Factory fork, with the wider-diameter stanchions offering added extra stability. At the top end, Giant taps Fox’ Live Valve electronic system controls the suspension.

The tweaks to the Trance X design start with a 27.5″ rear wheel with a 29″ wheel up front. The smaller rear wheel helps Giant keep the rear end nice and short, 447mm, for a more playful feel, while the 29″ front keeps the Trance X E+ Elite rolling fast.

All of this is contained in Giant’s Advanced Composite carbon fibre frame. A flip-chip allows riders to further fine-tune how the Trance X E+ Elite handles, offering a “low” and “high” geometry setting. It changes bottom bracket height by 10mm and head angle from 65.7 ad 66.5-degrees

Liv Intrigue X Advanced E+ Elite

Liv’s new lightweight eMTB is, like most Liv bikes, very similar to its Giant counterpart. There are women’s-specific touches to set…