Jean Turner | December 1, 2021
Liv’s new Embolden E+ 2 has the potential to open up more doors to two-wheel off-road adventures—even if it’s without a throttle.
The difference is in the details. Chassis, ergos and suspension specifically designed for women goes a long way on the trail.
Photography by Jean Turner and Jesse Ziegler
This is a bit of a departure for me. And for Cycle News, for that matter. We tend to ride things that have throttles and drink petrol. But that’s the thing about e-bikes. No matter what end of the spectrum you’re coming from—the pedal-power side or the throttle-twisting side—they’re a bit of a departure. Either way, you’re stepping out of your comfort zone when you first try an eMTB, and likely have one eyebrow raised as you’re swinging a leg over this hybrid contraption that somehow threatens to bastardize your favorite form of recreation.
I’ll confess, mine was one such eyebrow. But just a few minutes in, it occurred to me that is not a substitute for a dirt bike, nor is it a substitute for an analog mountain bike. This is a whole new class of fun on two wheels, and as soon as you can look at it with that fresh perspective, the sooner you’ll see the doors opening to all-new adventures.
Now that you’re sold on the concept, let’s move on to the newest offering from Liv (a sister brand to Giant Bicycles that designs bikes for women from the ground up).
The Liv line is entirely dedicated to lady riders, and the Embolden E+ 2 is an excellent mix of comfort, power and performance.
The Embolden E+ 2 is the mid-level offering in Liv’s lineup of electric mountain bikes. The Liv brand is dedicated entirely to female riders, and extends to road bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, electric bikes and an assortment of kids bikes. The Liv line also includes women’s gear and accessories, making it a one-stop for getting you kitted out and ready to roll. As a female rider, I have tremendous appreciation for Liv and the level of commitment they’ve made to women on two wheels.
And it’s not just the commitment, but the overall quality. This is no shrink-it-and-pink-it line of products—this is purpose built for the common sizes and weights of female riders, tailor made for a better fit right off the shelf.
Comfort was the immediate factor I noticed from the Liv Embolden E+ 2. (And the helmet and shoes that Liv sent along with it. Thanks, Liv!) I wasn’t looking to soften up the suspension or fetch my women’s saddle inside the first 10 minutes on the bike. In fact, I was remarking at how the new Liv Sylvia saddle on the Embolden E+ 2 might actually be even better than my Selle Italia Gel Flow, which is my single favorite accessory on my Stumpjumper.
Or perhaps it’s that supple suspension that made everything flow like silk from the first ride.
The Yamaha-powered 250W SyncDrive Sport motor helps you make quick work of long climbs.
The FlexPoint suspension system features a simpler design—lighter and less moving parts than its premium Maestro counterpart—but sacrificing very little when it comes to stability and comfort. The Rockshox/SR Suntour suspension components, with 4.7 inches of rear suspension travel and 5.1 inches up front, give you plenty of potential for the rough stuff, but I’d say it’s the higher-speed stability where the Embolden E+ 2 really shines. It sucks up bumps and ruts on the trail like they’re not even there, and when coupled with the form-fitting ergos of the bike, it makes you want to keep plugging away, mile after mile.
Overall comfort, from the ergonomics to the plush suspension, was the first thing I noticed about the Embolden E+ 2, but let’s talk about power. After all, this is what draws the arc across our two-wheeled worlds.
On some of the more casual e-bikes, a turn of the crank is like the on switch, and an electric drive takes over. But the feel of the 250W Yamaha-powered SyncDrive motor of the Embolden E+ 2 is distinctly more intuitive, and while it is certainly powerful in its own way, it serves to complement the work you’re already doing, and does not do the work for you. You’re still getting a workout. Just envision yourself going for longer, steeper, more adventurous rides. Or if you’re like me, imagine that this is what it must be like to be in shape. No more hopping off and pushing up those sharp inclines or looking for the easy way to the top. Let’s get right to the fun trails, see what’s at the top of that hill, explore that ridge over there. I enjoy the technical aspect of mountain biking more than the cardio suffer-fest, so this shifts the ratio in my favor for an even more enjoyable time. And of course, if cardio is the goal, it’s always something you can work toward, at your own pace, with the help of the motor’s flexibility.
The clean and simple RideControl ONE unit takes care of the power settings. Do as much work as you want to and let the motor handle the rest.
The Embolden E+ 2 features the SyncDrive Sport motor, which is the mid-level offering in Yamaha’s line of SyncDrive Core, Sport and Pro motors. The Sport offers 70 Nm torque at up to 140 rpm, and power up to 350%. The six-sensor Smart Assist Technology is what meters the power delivery in a natural-feeling way, and I found that keeping your gears low and pedal rpm high will pump out the most muscle from the motor. It was particularly useful to keep this in mind on long climbs. The more you understand where/how the motor delivers power, the better you will get along with the Embolden E+ 2.
Suspension tuned for women’s sizes and the FlexPoint chassis design amount to a very comfortable ride right from the start.
The RideControl ONE unit mounted on the left handlebar allows you to toggle between five power levels. Level two is enough to get the bike out of its own way, level three is great for cruising, four was my choice for technical climbs, and five for utter laziness. But rather than trying to dial up the juice as the climb sharpens, it was more useful to use the gears to keep my cadence steady. This kept things moving up hills with surprising ease—and again, not such ease that it’s doing the work for you. But enough that these ass-kicking climbs that used to force me to either strain my lower back, or get off and push, were now doable.
You can also choose the auto mode of the SyncDrive Sport motor, which is its default setting until you manually alter it. In this setting, the bike will decide how much to juice it and when. I found the auto setting pretty useful for about 80 percent of the time. It was only when I was craving more or less of a workout that I opted to toggle the power levels myself. Even at the “Hogbacks” riding area near my house, where the trail features several miles of sharp drops and climbs through twists and turns, the auto power mode worked incredibly well, provided I didn’t get lazy with my shifting.
Excellent ergos and intuitive power let you spend more time in the saddle. Longer rides equals more fun!
The Embolden E+ 2 features 29-inch wheels in every size but an XS frame (27.5-inch wheels). This adds to the overall comfort of the ride, but as is the tradeoff with larger wheel sizes, it creates a taller ride that is not as nimble in the turns. I actually found that in the more technical downhills, especially with roots, drops and sharp turns, the Embolden E+ 2 didn’t have quite the agility I would prefer, and it was more than a mere matter of wheel size. The geometry of the bike, and its more upright seating position don’t lend themselves to the full “attack position” for carving through technical terrain at speed. So if you’re craving more aggressive potential from your eMTB, Liv’s Intrigue X E+ might be more your speed. But if a strong, comfortable, and stable ride is what you’re looking for in order to eat up more miles, then here’s your huckleberry.
The overall comfort afforded by the premium-level components are worth the price of admission, and it’s hard to undersell the importance of ergos when it comes to pedaling—e-powered or otherwise. For me, it’s the most prominent factor in determining how long I can spend in the saddle. And add some e-assist to the comfort of the Embolden E+2 and your 10-mile limit just jumped up to 25.
And that’s what it’s all about—opening doors to more adventures on two wheels, going further and having more fun on the trail. CN
2022 Liv Embolden E+ 2 Specifications
| MSRP: |
$4,399 |
| Motor |
Giant SyncDrive Sport, 70Nm, 5-mode plus automatic, 360% tunable support, powered by Yamaha |
| Controller |
Giant RideControl Ergo |
| Sensors |
Giant PedalPlus 6-sensor technology |
| Battery |
Giant EnergyPak Smart Integrated 500Wh, 36V 13.8Ah rechargeable lithium-ion |
| Frame |
ALUXX SL-Grade Aluminum, 120mm FlexPoint Suspension System |
| Front Suspension |
SR Suntour XCR 34 Air LO-R, 130mm travel, tapered steerer, Lockout, 110×15 Quick-Loc thru-axle |
| Rear Suspension |
RockShox Monarch R, High Volume, 184x44mm, custom tuned |
| Handlebar |
Giant Connect TR Riser 31.8×750~780mm (XS-S: 750 / M-L: 780) |
| Pedals |
Platform |
| Shifters |
Shimano Deore |
| Front Derailleur |
Giant Custom Chain Guide |
| Rear Derailleur |
Shimano Deore, Shadow+ |
| Brakes |
Tektro HD-M745 Orion, 4-piston, hydraulic disc, 203mm |
| Brake Levers |
Tektro HD-M745 Orion |
| Cassette |
Shimano Deore, 10-speed, 11×46 |
| Chain |
KMC e.10 Sport |
| Crankset |
Forged alloy, steel direct-mount 36t, MRP 1x CS guide |
| Rims |
Giant XCT 29 wheelset, alloy, 25mm inner |
| Hubs |
Giant eTracker Sport, [F] 15mm Thru-Axle [R] 141mm QR |
| Tires |
Maxxis Rekon 29×2.4 Foldable, 60TP, EXO, Tubeless Ready |
| Color |
Ocean Storm |
