First Look: The New Liv Intrigue X is Highly Adjustable

All come with 4-piston brakes, a 36mm stanchion fork, and a Maxxis Minion DHF/Dissector combo, clearly setting out the bike's more gravity-oriented intentions.

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Frame Details

The new Intrigue X looks almost identical to the Intrigue LT, with the same twin-link suspension layout and similar tube shapes. A notable distinction between the two is the reduced suspension travel of the Intrigue X (140mm with 150mm fork), and the addition of a reach-adjust headset. Also, while the top-end Intrigue LT makes use of Fox Live Valve, there is no electronic adjustment of suspension damping to be seen on any of the Intrigue X models.

The Intrigue X runs boost rear-end spacing with UDH On both the carbon and alloy models, a plastic door on the downtube provides access to a storage compartment wherein you'll find a water-resistant bag to accommodate tools, spares or snacks. There's protection on the underside of the downtube, and some on the drive side chainstay too, though it looks as though coverage is lacking in that key area just aft of the chainring.



All sizes can accommodate a water bottle inside the front triangle, the bosses for which are provided on the door of the frame storage compartment. There's a second set of bosses on the underside of the top tube for secure mounting of a tool strap, etc.

Though the two most expensive options run electronic shift drivetrains from SRAM, all frames have the internal routing to accommodate the cable for a mechanical derailleur. The maximum tire clearance is specified as 2.5" and the maximum chainring size is 34T. All bikes run a press fit bottom bracket and are shipped tubeless.


Suspension

A custom-tuned 185mm x 52.5mm trunnion shock delivers 140mm rear wheel travel through the Maestro 3 suspension platform. The swingarm is a one-piece affair, with a lower arced link connecting it to the front triangle and an upper rocker link that drives the shock. We are told a trunnion mount shock was chosen to give the bike a lower starting leverage ratio for a more supportive pedaling platform. Leverage starts at around 2.8 and is progressive until bottom out, finishing up around 2.25.


Anti-rise values are consistent throughout the full range of travel, sitting at 55% around the sag point. That should make for a predictable handling bike when braking. With anti-rise sitting below 100%, it should be relatively free to extend and compress when you yank on the rear brake, as compared to a bike with anti-rise values north of 100%.


Liv provide anti-squat information for a 30T chainring and the 21T cog of the cassette. The values are quite consistent through the travel. Around the sag point, anti-squat is just north of 80%.

Like most manufacturers, Liv do not make use of size-specific damper tunes. The target rider weight range for this bike is 50 kg - 90 kg, and so riders must rely upon the shock's external adjusters to dial in the correct compression support and rebound speed.

Only the Intrigue X Advanced 0 and Advanced 1 models utilize a piggyback-equipped shock. Meanwhile, the more affordable Advanced 2 and Advanced 3 models, as well as the aluminum options, sport lighter and more compact in-line variations.


Geometry

Despite its relatively reduced travel, the Intrigue X is not much of a departure from the Intrigue LT in terms of its geometry. With a 3-position flip-chip at the seat stay-rocker interface, there are three bottom bracket heights and three sets of head and seat tube angles to ponder per size. The M and L frames have a further set of geometry figures to consider, given that they can also be set up in the MX configuration, though they are both shipped as complete 29ers.

The flip-chip raises or lowers the bottom bracket by 5mm, delivering a 0.3° or 0.4° change in head and seat tube angle. The slackest configuration of all the bike sizes in their stock wheel size configuration gives a 64.4° head angle. The M and L bikes can go slacker if switched to MX, with a head angle as slack as 63.5°. Seat tube angles vary between 75.9° and 77.5°, and are, broadly speaking, steeper on the larger frame sizes.

Importantly, you can run all three geometry positions irrespective of rear wheel size. The only exception to that are the XS and S frames; they are not compatible with a 29" rear wheel at all, but in the MX configuration, you can run any of the three geo positions (Low, Mid, High).

Liv is well known for its conservative reach figures, biasing sizing to cater to women. In their stock setup, reach on the XS, S, M and L is 401mm, 415mm, 440mm and 460mm - catering to riders between 150 cm and 181 cm tall. Meanwhile, chainstay length remains consistent at 439mm, irrespective of the changing front triangle size.

The flip-chip brings about a +/- 4mm change in reach, dependent on whether the high or low position is chosen. However, reach can also be adjusted independently of BB height with offset headset cups. The bikes ship with the neutral headset cup, but a set of cups is provided that can be used to lengthen or shorten reach by a further 5mm.

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Models and Pricing

There are six price points for the Liv Intrigue X, but you won't find all six models in any single region. In the US, customers are limited to the Intrigue X Advanced 1, the Intrigue X Advanced 3, the Intrigue X 1 and the Intrigue X 2. You can see what bikes are available in your market and how much they retail for in the chart below.

Spec highlights include Fox Float shocks, Fox 36 Float forks, Maxxis Minion DHF and Dissector 2.4" tires (tubeless), and travel adjustable dropper seat posts across the board.

Bars are 760-800mm wide (size-dependent). Cranks are 165mm on the XS, ad 170mm on the larger sizes.

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Reviews and Tech First Looks Trail Bikes Liv Intrigue X