We got a preview of it over the summer, but now the 2025 Leatt MTB clothing range is officially here. And there’s some great riding footage to get us psyched for a new season of hitting the trails in new shred-worthy mountain bike riding kit. The new 2025 line-up includes their all-new Women’s Trail & Enduro Apparel line, a new DH & gravity race kit developed with Pivot Factory Racing, and the simple low-cost Ride Kit 1.0 that pairs a set of long-sleeve jersey & pants combined for less than a hundred bucks for kids or adults…

2025 Leatt expanded mountain bike riding clothing line

Forgive me, but this is almost gonna seem like a regurgitated marketing press release from a new season of mountain bike riding clothing. But that’s kinda exactly what it is.

We already covered Leatt’s huge new move into MTB components in-depth this past July. There will be pedals, bars, stems, grips, and even a full-face-specific water bottle. All interesting new tech to geek out on with us. And at the time they teased us with new riding clothing too.

The big clothing news they gave us detail on then, were the sub $100 / 100€ sets of riding pants and long-sleeve jerseys that were meant to make their premium fit, quality materials, and style much more accessible to the average enduro and gravity mountain bike rider. And even cheaper for the next generation of kids shredding trails these days.

But they also promised more gender parity – expanding full Trail & Enduro line-ups for women. That’s a pretty big deal in our book.

Because what they had already offered for women was generally great – and has been some of my wife’s favorite riding gear for the past 2 years – but the options for women have always been quite limited.

So we’re happy to see more options for women. And we’ll definitely try to get a bunch of this new clothing in to test at the beginning of next season.

Plus, Leatt’s big deal is really protection, so there’s new knee & elbow pads, and new upper body protection vests, too.

OK, read on for the PR-speak directly from the mouths of Leatt…

All-New 2025 Leatt Women’s Trail range

Leatt’s new Women Trail jerseys are constructed from a Bluesign-approved fabric called IceYarn Knit, a quick-drying material. The casual T-shirts and long sleeves have subtle Leatt branding, with barely any logos visible apart from the small reflective branding at the back bottom hem (from $65 / 65€).

The new Women’s Trail shorts and pants include detachable chamois-liners and have a lightweight, flexible fit. The stretch of the waist and back panels ensure that the shorts or pants are comfortable from the first ride (from $99 / 99€).

All-New 2025 Leatt Women’s Enduro range

Leatt claims to have created THE Enduro pants and shorts for women. A flexible and supportive waist construction is combined with a 3-layer waterproof and taped seat liner. The result is full freedom of movement as well as complete waterproofing, no matter how muddy the saddle gets. The overall 4-way flex construction has an additional “DeFlextion” reinforcement in the seat area and knee section, making it as comfortable as durable. Storage comes in the form of five zippered pockets, one of which is mesh (from $99 / 109€).

Like the Trail range, the long and short-sleeved jerseys are made from IceYarn fabric. The prints and colorways are simple and understated, and the finish is super soft for sensitive skin. With laser-cut ventilation and an integrated goggle wiper, these jerseys have all the bases covered at a fair price point (from $65 / 65€).

Men’s premium Downhill 5.0 line-up

The 5.0 Gravity models are the result of all of Leatt’s R&D knowledge, plus the experience of the Pivot Factory Racing team. The 5.0 jersey uses state-of-the-art fabric construction technologies – the sleeves are made from a combination of CoWeave and DeFlextion materials. Using a custom-programmed 3D-knit, it has seamless transitions from ventilation areas into reinforcement areas. The sleeves have a tight fit, ideal for aerodynamics, while the torso section is looser to maximize freedom of movement.

The 5.0 Gravity pants also feature a CoWeave and DeFlextion seamless construction in the lower leg. The upper leg is made from a flexible, lightweight 4-way stretch fabric, while the seat area is enhanced with a bonded, waterproof liner. For a perfect fit around the waist, Leatt uses a slimline, lightweight, motocross-inspired Hypalon belt construction. Due to these advanced production techniques and the chosen high-end fabrics, the pants and jerseys aren’t cheap: Pants are $189 / 189€, Jerseys $99 / 99€.

The Ride Kit 1.0: ultra-affordable enduro, gravity & DH MTB riding sets

Less than 100 bucks for a jersey and pants set! And for kids, it’s less than 90.

The Ride Kit 1.0 shares the fit of the high-end 5.0 Gravity kit, but makes use of more “classic” fabrics and seam-stitched construction. The chosen material is still Bluesign-approved, flexible, breathable, and fast-drying. OK, fewer zippers & pockets and a simple moto-style buckle waist closure… but still some laser-cut vent holes and goggle wiper included.

This jersey-pant combo looks and feels way more expensive than it is. The cut and style, featuring minimal branding, makes it great for trail riding, as well. The pants and sleeves come in all black only, and the main body comes in a choice of black, grey, brown, or teal. Recommended retail pricing is: Adults $99 / 99€ and Kids (starting on a body height of 110cm) $89 / 89€ for set of both pants & long-sleeve jersey.

New 5.0 3DF EVO Pads protective gear

Leatt’s best-selling pads have been around for 8 years now. How to make a good product even better? Make it more lightweight, improve fit and breathability. That’s it.

The latest evolution of the 5.0 features a more ventilated, ergonomic 3DF pads, with a slightly lower profile. It is constructed with DeFlextion fabric, keeping it super robust, but still light and flexible. The main sleeve construction has also been ergonomically improved. The knee pad comes in three versions: a full-sleeve knee pad, a FastFit open-construction knee pad (no need to take the shoes off), and a knee-shin pad combo. Prices start from $99 / 109€. Elbow pads retail at $89 / 99€.

FlexMesh & FlexMesh Pro protectors get better ventilation

Leatt’s 2025 MTB range offers six new upper body protectors, including Chest and Backs-only. The biggest change has been made to the damping material and its construction, with the introduction of FlexMesh (single density) and FlexMesh Pro (dual-density) padding, a 3D mesh construction. Traditional damping material is heavy and bulky, and has small ventilation holes. Conversely, FlexMesh holes are bigger than the damping material itself, maximizing ventilation (Leatt claims plus 50%) and bringing the weight down by 11%. Flex joints allow for 3D flexing and a comfortable fit.

The hard shells covering the FlexMesh pads are also fully vented, and are available in black and white color options. Prices start at $179 / 189€ for a Chest/Back FlexMesh protector 4.5 Evo, and go up to the maximum protective product, the Body Protector 5.5 Evo (FlexMesh Pro at chest & back, plus additional flanks/rips, shoulder, and elbow protection) retailing at $349 / 379€.

Leatt.com/2025MTB

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Red Bull Rampage is back in the Utah desert. And for the first time ever, 8 amazing women riders will show off their freeride skills today – 2 days ahead of the men. It’s been 23 years since the first Rampage, and finally, the World’s Best Women Freeriders get their time in the spotlight… jumping off the red rocky cliffs and hitting handbuilt freeride lines to show off wild slopestyle tricks on the biggest stage in freeride mountain biking!

Watch it directly on Red Bull TV starting at 7pm local time in Virgin, UT (9pm on the East Coast, 1am GMT).

2024 Red Bull Rampage: Women take the freeride MTB stage

After first teasing us with a separate, smaller Red Bull Formation event for women in 2019, Rampage now invites 8 of the world’s best freeriding women to the iconic big mountain bike hotspot in Utah, just days before the men compete. It’s the 18th running of Rampage, and the first to give the women a spot at the event.

“Red Bull says the Formation freeride progression sessions paved the way for this year’s step up. “Through exposure to the dirt and steep lines, the entire women’s field advanced their skill set on the Utah terrain at Formation then linked together top-to-bottom runs on previous Rampage venues.

Fearless riders like Casey Brown and Camila Nogueira are known for their hard-charging style and ability to tackle big drops while riders known for flips, whips, and superwomans such as Robin Goomes, Vaea Verbeeck, Vero Sandler, and Vinny Armstrong will also star.”

Later today we’ll see 8 women take on the world’s toughest mountain bike competition. They will ride an all-new course that they’ve been dialing in, starting nearby the biggest & steepest lines from 2018/2019. That’s also where the men and their small dig teams are now out scratching new tracks into the side of the loose cliffs and building new jumps to create flow out of the jagged landscape.

Watch the women here, later today!

(Kind of like how you should #watchthefemmes on the road-side of pro cycling.)

“Watching Rampage (on site previously as a fan) felt like I was witnessing the pinnacle of the sport and you knew you were part of something special. Whether or not they have Rampage as their goal, I think the trickle-down effect of having women at the event will be massive for mountain biking.”

– Casey Brown, Canadian freerider

2024 Red Bull Rampage Invited Women Riders

• Camila Nogueira (ARG)
• Casey Brown (CAN)
• Robin Goomes (NZL)
• Vaea Verbeeck (CAN)
• Vero Sandler (UK)
• Vinny Armstrong (NZL)
• Georgia Astle (CAN)
• Chelsea Kimball (USA)
• plus alternate Micayla Gatto (CAN)

Anytime: Freeride mountain bike film

In the meantime to get in the freeride mood, check out Red Bull’s latest Anytime film – “an immersive film featuring the world’s best female and male freeride mountain bikers“. If that trailer piqued your interest, you can head over to RedBull.com here to watch the full one-hour film. You weren’t going to be productive at work today, anyway.

Men will Rampage this weekend, too

On Saturday morning, 18 men will line-up on top of the mountain, including 2023-winner Cam Zink, 4x champ Brandon Semenuk, World Cup DH racer Brendan Fairclough, 2022 runner-up Szymon Godziek, and more…

RedBull.com

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Rapha knows that for many women, traditionally tight-fitting cycling gear is not always the most comfortable way to dress to ride. So to inspire more women to feel confident on the bike, they developed a more inclusive and often times more modest, range of warm weather performance women’s cycling gear. Yes, it includes the first-ever cycling-specific hijab. But there’s also some more common clothing items seen in activewear off the bike. Like a new skort with a premium cycling chamois (and cargo pocket) inside. And an extended long jersey and padded long pants that simply deliver extra coverage.

Rapha ‘This is How We Ride‘ inclusive women’s cycling kit

Rapha’s new women’s cycling clothing collection is “designed by women riders for women riders”. The idea is to break down barriers that keep some women from getting on the bike in the first place.

Their new inclusive women’s clothing campaign is called: ‘This is How We Ride‘. All the classic jersey & shorts favorites are still there, just now with more options for riders looking for a different way to show their on-the-bike style.

“For too long, women in cycling have been overlooked, undervalued and made to ride and wear kit that limits self-expression. Rapha is determined to help change that narrative and strives to create cycling apparel that makes all riders feel empowered, comfortable and confident.

Designed from the ground up by an all-female team, Rapha Women is a new and expanded range of women’s riding apparel developed through years of research. The result is a range of all-new and unique silhouettes, including the Women’s Padded Skort, Women’s Rapha Wind Gilet, Women’s Rapha Jersey, Women’s Rapha Wind Jacket, Women’s Cropped Cargo Top and Women’s Regular Cargo Shorts, to offer more options for self-expression to women on the bike.”

This new Rapha Women launch is a continuation of the British brand’s “commitment to further promote and grow women’s cycling”. We’ve seen several women-specific Rapha collaborations over the years, from pro cycling to fashion, to the playful spirit with Outdoor Voices.

“It was really exciting to take on a project like this and work with an all-women team to create a whole new collection that enables women to express themselves and feel comfortable and confident on the bike… We’re continuing to work on projects and innovations that open up the sport for women, so this is just the beginning!”

– Lauren Hunt, Rapha Women’s Apparel Designer

And again at the end of this summer, the biggest global annual women’s cycling event – the Rapha Women’s 100 – will again encourage women around the world to come together to ride 100km on that Sunday. This year will be the 12th running of the Women’s 100.

What’s new?

“The collection includes Rapha’s first range of modest wear developed alongside London-based cycling collective Cycle Sisters, an award-winning charity which inspires and enables Muslim women to cycle.” That includes the headline-grabbing hijab. But there’s also a new Long Jersey and Padded Riding Trousers that maximize rider performance and warm weather comfort. And yet, they still deliver the extra coverage that will help get more women on the bike.

The new Padded Skort and Cropped Zip Tank top go the other direction, opting for less coverage, but with style. They are just about giving women more options for how they look when riding. Because not everyone always wants to feel like they’re aspiring to be a road racer. Some cyclists just want to ride their bikes, and feel good at the same time.

2024 Rapha Women’s Inclusive Cycling Kit

The new $120 / 115€ Rapha Women’s Padded Skort comes in black or blue & 6 sizes (XXS-XL). It features Rapha’s award-winning women’s chamois pad & a cargo pocket on the right leg. The new $100 / 90€ Cropped Cargo Top gets black or sea green and 6 sizes. It’s a short-fit tee, big on rear pocket storage. Not nearly as crop-top short as the full-zip $75 / 68€ Cropped Zip Tank with its zippered rear essentials pocket. Or the $90 / 80€ Half Zip Tank with more fabric, so more rear pocket storage.

In the modest line-up, the new $45 / 40€ Rapha Women’s Hijab comes in dusted blue, mushroom gray, or black. Fully covering a rider’s head and neck, it’s made from a light 100% recycled polyester with a mesh neck panel for max breathability. And of course, it fits comfortably under a helmet. The $135 / 125€ Long Jersey in 6 sizes and mushroom gray or black, is simply a longer cut extending past the hips. It features a half zip, backed by a mesh panel for ventilation without exposing skin. Then, new Rapha Women’s Padded Riding Trousers are $240 / 222€ technical long cycling pants in 3 colors. With a slightly loose but tailored on-the-bike fit, they promise comfort, full range of pedaling movement, and a bit of water-repellant weather protection.

The latest $120/ 115€ Rapha Women’s Jersey comes in jeweled blue, sea green, or black. There’s also an updated Wind Gilet (vest) for $135 / 125€ in jeweled blue or tan. And a new $190 / 170€ Wind Jacket in those same two colors. Plus, there’s an updated pair of Rapha Women’s Regular Cargo Shorts for $179 / 160€ in dark navy blue or classic black.

All of the new Rapha Women’s collection are available now.

Rapha.cc/story/How-We-Ride

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DH World Champ Valentina Höll got a new TY Tues just in time for the start of the 2024 World Cup season, so we thought we’d track it down for a Pro Bike Check. But, it is kitted out with all-new BlackBox Flight Attendant prototype gravity suspension from RockShox – a RockShox BlackBoxxer fork – so we couldn’t officially get the bike for a full photoshoot. Instead, we lurked around the World Cup pits, start line, and along the racetrack to get a closer look…

YT Tues adjustable carbon DH bike of World Champ Vali Höll

YT just released the latest evolution of their carbon Tues mk4 DH bike a couple of weeks back. And lucky for her, it already came in white to match her kit. All she needed were some rainbow accents. YT just added a simple rainbow Tues decal behind the seattube. And RockShox managed to top it off with a special World Champ BlackBox edition of their recently updated Boxxer.

What makes a RockShox BlackBoxxer fork?

The white and rainbow stripes are nice, but what about those 38mm gold stanchions? RockShox says that it’s actually the same exact low-friction hard anodized coating that they give to all Ultimate-level forks. Only this time in gold for the World Champion.

For those who are wondering, it is definitely not Kashima. And side-by-side (on bikes cropped out of the same photo), it’s clear that RockShox BlackBox gold has a slightly more yellow/orange tint to it vs. the bronze of Fox. But the RockShox gold is likely to stay World Champ-only.

Colors are just there to distract you from the fact that this RockShox BlackBoxxer is a Flight Attendant-equipped DH fork. It’s the first gravity fork to get Flight Attendant, since the trail tune of the Zeb when Flight Attendant first debuted. We just spotted an all-new Vivid Coil and Vivid air shocks turning up with a new automatic gravity-tune. So now it seems like a Boxxer Ultimate Flight Attendant fork will round out the mix for automatic electronic suspension control from XC to DH!

It’s also worth noting that Höll has the 2-button lefthand AXS controller on her bar that now allows for Override Mode to change suspension modes if she needs something different on the fly than what Flight Attendant is thinking.

RockShox BlackBox Vivid Coil Flight Attendant to match!

We only really spotted the name Vivid on a RockShox coil shock last week, but we suspect that’s what’s hiding under the BlackBox stickers on Höll’s Flight Attendant coil shock. Rumor has it that this new BlackBox coil is more tunable via customizable shim stacks vs. the Super Deluxe Coil. On the outside they look remarkably similar, so I’ll be curious to learn more once SRAM officially releases them.

And of course, again we have AXS battery-powered electronic Flight Attendant automatic suspension control to match the BlackBoxxer fork.

Quarq MTB DUB-spindle power meter?

One neat feature we saw added with XC Flight Attendant earlier this spring, is that Höll’s bike wouldn’t need a separate pedaling sensor, if it has a power meter. And it doesn’t have the regular pedal sensor in the BB spindle. Instead, there appears to be the Quarq AXS transmitter from a DUB-Pwr power meter attached on the driveside crank arm. Yet, SRAM does not yet offer a Quarq power meter spindle upgrade for any of their MTB cranksets.

And there does not appear to be any Quarq electronics in the non-driveside BB spindle.

So perhaps, this Quarq AXS transmitter is just a smaller, simpler solution for a pedaling sensor?

World Champion Build

Besides the secret RockShox BlackBoxxer stuff, Höll was racing the fresh track with Continental Argotal tires mounted to alloy DT Swiss FR1500 wheels with Peaty’s valves and sealant inside.

She was running a mechanical SRAM X01 DH groupset with its 7-speed mini block cassette, carbon cranks, and Crankbrothers Mallet DH clipless pedals.

Her cockpit is a 35mm Renthal Fatbar with a matching bolt-on stem, Ergon GDH Team grips, and an Ergon SM Downhill Pro Titanium saddle mounted to a Thomson seatpost. Ample stopping power comes from SRAM’s new most powerful ever 4-piston Maven Ultimate brakes in splatter red ano.

Tough luck in Poland, but a solid finish

Höll didn’t have the best luck on the Szczryk mountain track at the Bielsko-Biała DH World Cup. In her qualifying run she broke her chain on the start ramp, but as a protected rider didn’t have to stress. Semis went well with a fast time that meant she was the last Elite Woman to start the finals.

Then, fully committed to a high-speed turn in the upper portion of the track, Höll washed out her front tire in one of the fast-changing wet ruts and ended up on the ground. Still, she stayed composed, got back on the bike, and managed a solid 6th place finish.

Good enough to keep her in 1st in the overall standings heading into Leogang in a couple weeks.

Another week with that #1 number plate on her RockShox BlackBoxxer fork.

YT-Industries.com & SRAM.com

The post Pro Bike: Vali Höll World Champ YT Tues & DH RockShox BlackBoxxer Flight Attendant Fork appeared first on Bikerumor.

Self-described “Tiny Enduro MTB rider” Isabeau Courdurier won this weekend’s Bielsko-Biała UCI MTB World Series race on an unlabeled carbon prototype Lapierre Spicy enduro bike. The French company’s all-new stealthy black carbon enduro bike completely reshapes the old Spicy’s proven layout, topped off with the latest prototype RockShox Flight Attendant Enduro suspension…

Lapierre Spicy CF prototype carbon enduro mountain bike

It’s been a few years since we last saw any Lapierre enduro news. And in fact, a Pro Bike Check that we did with Isabeau Courdurier in Zermat 3.5 years ago was our last up close look at the Spicy.

Well, Courdurier has an all-new prototype carbon enduro bike, and she’s just raced it to a win at the new Polish stop on the pro enduro circuit.

What do we know?

We suspect that this unlabeled black prototype bike will be the 2024 Lapierre Spicy CF full-carbon enduro mountain bike.

It shares a Horst-link 4-bar suspension design similar to the current Spicy, but the actual shock layout and upper link are completely reshaped. This new bike keeps the lower shock mount on top of the chainstays – where there’s a flip-chip that would change BB height and the bikes angles. And the shock still pierces the seattube.

But now the main rocker link pivot moves forward from the seattube onto a spar off the downtube. That also shifts the upper shock mount forward and down, and the seatstay pivot forward, bringing the angle of the shock closer to horizontal when uncompressed. And even more horizontal when weighted by the rider. All resulting in a bit lower positioning of weight in the new prototype design.

What do we expect?

Lapierre isn’t too shy about letting the bike be seen. But there are still no logos, no labels, and no official details. So we’ll have to just guess it’s about the same 170mm front & rear travel as its predecessor.

Comparing Courdurier’s previous generation and this new prototype, we can see that her bike is still set up as a mullet. The prior bike could also swap to a 29″ rear wheel with a chainstay flip-chip, and we suspect that will remain.

The new bike also does look to be a bit slacker, although not by a lot. And it has more standover clearance, a welcome update for the 153cm tall Courdurier who rides a small frame.

Prototype RockShox Flight Attendant Enduro suspension?

Courdurier’s carbon prototype Lapierre Spicy bike was also sporting some prototype RockShox Flight Attendant Enduro coil suspension out back. (In addition to a Zeb Ultimate Flight Attendant fork.)

It doesn’t have the exact same Vivid Ultimate label that we also spotted on the Flight Attendant-equipped coil spring we spotted on a YT. But it also does not have a standard Super Deluxe Coil decal.

In fact, it looks like there might be some black tape obscuring part of the label. There’s actually a second RockShox sticker wrapped over the shock’s original decal, too.

So, this could be the all-new RockShox Vivid Coil Ultimate Flight Attendant shock? Or maybe something else is hidden inside?

Lapierre Spicy prototype anticipated launch?

In any case, the new prototype Lapierre Spicy carbon enduro bike has already been race-proven. And the frame looks polished enough that we expect Lapierre will probably release it this summer as a MY25 bike.

Plus, the inclusion of gravity-focused RockShox automated electronic suspension control suggests that when RockShox’s Flight Attendant Enduro launches, Lapierre will likely be on the short-list of OEM bike makers to offer it.

LapierreBikes.com

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Liv Cycling, the bike company dedicated to getting more women to ride bikes, launches the new Intrigue X Advanced and Intrigue X series. These bikes are designed for intermediate and expert-level trail riders. Liv says that the Intrigue X is a “standout performance mid-travel trail bike”. And that it’s “perfect for navigating everything from playful, gravity-fed trails to rugged singletrack.”

Key features include mid-travel suspension (150mm front, and 140mm rear), and adjustable geometry. The adjustable geometry is done with both the flip-chip Maestro 3 suspension and the new flip-chip headset.

“More and more women are mountain biking, and this mid-travel trail category is where we saw a huge opportunity for our community,” said Ludi Scholz, Liv’s Global Off-road & Gravel Category Manager. “The Intrigue family has always been about getting more women out onto the trail, progressing their skills, and growing their confidence. With the introduction of the Intrigue X, we are proud to provide a bike that can handle rough terrain, while remaining super agile and efficient. Coupled with customizable geometry, this is the bike that will grow intermediate riders into advanced, advanced into expert, and beyond.”

Adjustable Geometry

Bot the Intrigue X Advanced and Intrigue X boast adjustable geometry. This will allow riders to customize the geo to match the trail, riding style, and rear wheel size. The flip chip Maestro 3 system enables adjustments the the headtube and seat tube angle, as well as bottom bracket height. This is a proprietary tech that was introduced with the Intrigue LT range last year.

Additionally the new flip chip – headset offers customizable reach with positions of -5mm (short), 0mm (mid), or +5 (long). These adjustments can improve handling and stability while offering a personalized fit for riders.

Composite Frameset

Models in the Intrigue X Advanced series feature a lightweight Advanced-grade composite frameset.

The Intrigue X series frame is made with ALUXX SL-grade aluminum, which offers “durability and value”. All models will have integrated downtube storage for a convenient solution for tool and snack storage. There will also be a set of frame mounts underneath the top tube for attaching a compact gear bag.

Additionally, the Intrigue X is equipped with OverDrive, which is Liv’s oversized fork steerer tube technology. It’s designed for precise front-end steering performance and comes spec’d with oversized headset bearings (1-1/2″ lower and 1-1/8″ upper). It also has a tapered steerer tube. This system ensures the ideal balance of steering stiffness and responsiveness.

With 140mm Maestro rear suspension and 150mm of front suspension, this mid-travel trail bike is built for efficient climbs and smooth, controlled descents.

Wheel Configuration

The Intrigue X has different configurations based on size. Frame sizes XS and S are exclusively designed for an MX setup. That means a 29″ wheel up front and a 27.5″ wheel in the rear. This optimizes rear wheel travel and provides a nimble rear end and a fast rolling front end.

Frame sizes M and L come with 29″ wheels in the front and the rear. This offers the flexibility to switch to 27.5″ in the rear (sold separately). Being able to switch offers riders the choice between fast and comfortable or quick and agile riding characteristics.

The Intrigue X Advanced models feature the Giant TRX Whee Systems with carbon rims. While the Intrigue X models come with the Giant TRA Wheel Systems with alloy rims.

Both of these wheel systems are equipped with Wide Guard rim technology. This includes a broad 30mm inner rim width and a robust 5mm sidewall, helping reduce the risk of impact punctures. These wheel systems also allow the rider to run lower tire pressure without the need for heavy tire inserts. This ensures better grip and control on rough, technical terrain.

Some Other Notable Features

Some other notable additions include internal cable routing and integrated cable ports. This provides a super clean look and smoother performance for derailleur, back, and dropper seat post cables. Both the drive-side chainstay and down tube are equipped with frame protection guarding against rocks and debris. You’ll also find a clear 3M protective strip on the upper part of the downtube. This is there to safeguard the frame during shuttle vehicle transport.

All models in the Intrigue X Advanced and Intrigue X series are available in XS, S, M and L

Liv-Cycling.com

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Fem van Empel is the Cyclo-Cross World Champion for a second year in a row on Cervélo’s carbon R5 CX cyclocross bike. We caught up with her bike for a closer look at what the, now 2x Elite World Champ, was racing to a fresh set of rainbow jerseys…

Oh, and those fan-held flags above, they were created by her uncle & illustrator Wouter van Empel who was leading a supporters club around the muddy fields of the Tábor course.

Cervélo R5 CX of 2024 World Champion Fem van Empel

Dutch domination was the rule for the elite racers at the 2024 UCI Cyclo-Cross World Championships in Tábor, Czechia this weekend. Nicknamed SuperFem, the 21-year-old Fem van Empel continues to rack up big wins on her Cervélo R5 CX cyclocross race bike.

Developed in a partnership between Team Jumbo Visma & Cervélo, first as a race bike for Marianne Vos and Wout van Aert, van Empel has put the bike to good use, as well – winning almost every race she entered on this bike.

The Cervélo R5 CX has been ridden to the past 3 Elite Women’s World Championship titles. First, by Vos with a Shimano build.

Now twice by van Empel on SRAM.

What’s different on Fem’s bike? And what stayed the same?

What’s the same is the shorter list. A classic double clamp to make sure the seatpost stays securely in place when jumping back onto the saddle. And a 2-piece FSA AXR cockpit with fully internal cable routing and a separate carbon handlebar.

The biggest difference on Fem van Empel’s Cervélo cross bike is the SRAM Red AXS groupset. The majority of elite pro cyclocross racers do seem to be on Shimano Di2, but there’s a solid contingent on SRAM AXS, too.

Curiously, a lot of top riders race not on the top-tier group, but on Force, as well.

And even 2x World Champ van Empel is no different, with a little Red & Force mix-and-match.

Part of that stems from Red’s road focus and its chainring integration. Not available in appropriate 1x chainring sizes for CX racing, van Empel opts for the non-series carbon crankarms and 4-bolt AXS power meter spider on her Cervélo R5 CX. This lets he ride a relatively small 42T SRAM X-Sync chainring for the muddy Tabor course.

While her mechanic can easily swap out a bigger ring for faster, drier courses, like the recent Spanish World Cup track in Benidorm just a couple of weeks ago.

She also opts for Force AXS shift/brake levers with non-series graphics. The difference isn’t huge, but teams have told us that pros with smaller hands prefer the slightly shorter Force hood shape and the longer shift button. Those levers are connected to Red brake calipers, and top-level CenterLine XR rotors.

Btw, another athlete not racing on a Shimano groupset, but who still prefers XTR pedals.

Little pro CX details

Van Empel’s mechanics add a few small additions to tweak the bike for cross racing. Of course, since she runs a 1x, she doesn’t need the braze-on front derailleur hanger. But instead of just removing it, the bolt on an alloy chain retention device, with an adjustable plastic puck that sits just over the top of the gold flattop chain as an insurance policy against dropped chains.

While some CX pros ask for frames without water bottle bosses, most still prefer the versatility for hot weather racing or training. And van Empel’s mechanics keep things clean with little stick-on covers to keep mud out of the bolt holes.

The most popular pro CX tubular, no longer made in Europe

The Rhino tubular is maybe the most popular & most common mud tire on the professional cyclocross circuit. Still, Fem van Empel was racing on the most high-performance of them all. The handmade 100% cotton casing is the most supple Dugast makes for cross. Plus, she gets the factory Neoprene sidewall treatment (the little star logo on the sidewall). And Dugast’s latest Monsoon “superior” compound rubber that promises “lower rolling resistance” AND “enhanced grip”. It’s a next level after their 11 Storm rubber, both introduced after being bought by Vittoria a few years back.

Also, Fem van Empel was racing on 32mm Rhinos, a shade thinner than the max allowable 33s we saw on most of the men’s bikes. A couple years ago chatting tires with the staff behind Team NL, they told us essentially that the smaller and lighter riders (like van Empel) can race the smaller tires to save every last gram without sacrificing grip or comfort.

Of note, this might be the last season to see all these Dugast tires handmade in Europe. Dugast shut down their Dutch production at the end of 2023. And moved it all to the Vittoria factory in Thailand from this year. So outside of existing stock, Dugast will make all new CX tubulars in Asia, now.

Race-ready for a muddy World’s course

Wheel-wise, Fem van Empel races on Reserve 36|39 mixed depth carbon tubulars. Also from the same Pon Holding corporate family as her Cervélo bike. Built light enough to win Tour de France climbing stages, but also clearly strong-enough to race cross. Her wheels are 28mm wide – 36mm deep up front & 39mm deep in the back. And they are laced up to DT Swiss 240 EXP hubs for proven durability and ease of servicing.

Fem van Empel delivered another emphatic win in the Czech mud aboard her Cervélo R5 CX in its stock Jumbo Visma team-edition black & yellow paint job. With another World Championship title she can go back to racing her white bike painted with rainbows for another year. The real question is, will Cervélo think up an all-new World Champ’s custom paint job to celebrate her win a little differently this coming year?

Cervelo.com

The post World Champ Fem van Empel’s Cervélo R5 CX: Fem-tastic Cyclocross Pro Bike Check appeared first on Bikerumor.

The Intrigue LT Advanced Pro is Liv Cycling’s longest travel mountain bike, rolling up with 150mm in the rear paired with a 160mm fork. Replacing the 27.5″ Hail, intentions of the mullet-capable Intrigue LT are broad-brush. With three possible geometry configurations and an MX or 29″ wheelset, Liv position the Intrigue LT as a bike for park laps, backcountry singletrack and enduro racing.

You can get it in aluminum or carbon. Models made of the former are simply named the Intrigue LT, while the lighter carbon options are filed under Intrigue LT Advanced Pro. Across that spectrum, you can expect to pay anything from £3,199 to £12,499. The Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 reviewed herein is that £12,499 model.

Indeed, over the last 2 months, i’ve had the pleasure of testing this eye-wateringly expensive trail bike that is pure dripping in high-end componentry. From Zipp 3Zero Moto Carbon wheels to Fox Live Valve suspension, the Advanced Pro 0 is aimed at those who aren’t short of a bob or two.

Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 | An Overview

• Bike: Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro
• Fork Travel: 160mm
• Rear Wheel Travel: 150mm
• Frame Material: Carbon
• Size Availability: XS-M (+L in USA)
• Price as tested: £12,500
• Weight, as tested: 13.69 kg (tubeless, without pedals or bottle cage)

The Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro runs Giant’s Maestro suspension platform, a dual-link affair where the shock-driving rocker and the lower link both rotate clockwise as the rear wheel is displaced through its 150mm travel.

For such a long-travel bike, Liv has done well to keep weight to a minimum; our small test bike weighed in at 13.69 kg. That’s partly owing to the lightweight carbon frame, constructed using what Liv call their Advanced Composite Technology. But, the Zipp carbon wheels, lighter EXO casing Maxxis tires and the SRAM XX1 Eagle drivetrain with carbon cranks will all be major contributors.

In line with its gravity-based intentions, the Intrigue LT gets powerful brakes in the form of the Shimano XTR four-piston variety, with a 12-speed Eagle drivetrain and wide-range cassette for winching to the drop-in.

Liv has endowed the Advanced Pro 0 with the lesser-spotted Fox Live Valve Suspension System, wherein the fork and shock dampers are able to automatically adjust oil flow as you ride along, with the aim of firming-up or softening the suspension to meet the demands of varying terrain. We get into the details of that later on.

Another bonus feature of the Intrigue LT, that is also present on the more affordable alloy models, is the built-in storage. Accessed via a door on the downtube is a discreet compartment complete with velcro-secured foam bag that can be used to keep hold of whatever you deem most important. For me, that’s been a multi-tool and puncture repair plugs.

Sizing & Geometry

Liv sells the Intrigue LT Advanced Pro in XS-M in the UK, with a size L also available to US-based customers. That four-strong range covers riders from 150 cm to 181 cm, according to Liv’s sizing chart. The XS & S bikes ship with an MX wheelset (29″ front, 27.5″ rear), while the M & L bikes both comes as a complete 29er. That said, the option remains to run a 27.5″ rear.

Notably, only the reach and seat tube length increase as you move up through the frame sizes. Indeed, all get the very same chainstay length of 442mm which, particularly in the context of the XS frame’s 402mm reach, is rather generous. While many brands have moved towards a more proportional approach to geometry, increasing rear-center length with reach, Liv and Giant are yet to go down that path.

They do, however, steepen the seat tube angle for the larger frame sizes. That helps to offset the rearward bias that taller riders, with their taller saddle height, would otherwise be subjected to in the seated pedaling position.

Regardless of size, the Intrigue LT has a 65.1° head angle. That number pertains to the middle flip-chip position, which the bike is meant to arrive in. Strictly-speaking, a 5mm Allen key is all that is needed to adjust the geometry, though I have to say the job was made immeasurably easier with the use of a bike stand.

Though it can be done, the intention isn’t that you adjust geometry mid-ride. The flip-chip is there to give riders freedom to choose the geometry that works best for them and the type of trails they ride most.

The low position slackens the head and seat tube angles a little while concomitantly lowering the bottom bracket by 4/5mm. Here, the bike is better-configured for descending on steeper terrain. On the other hand, no one will be blown away to read that the high position steepens the head and seat tube angles, while raising the bottom bracket. Here, ground clearance is greatest, which should prove beneficial for climbing over choppy ground.

Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 | Ride Impressions

Setup

I tested the Intrigue LT in a size small; at 163 cm tall, I am smack bang in the middle of the rider height range for that size.

The £12,500 Advanced Pro 0 model was shipped to me with the tires set up tubeless. Sans pedals, it weighs in at 13.69 kg which is impressively light for a bike of this travel bracket.

As per, I cut the 760mm Giant Contact SLR Trail handlebar down to my preferred 740mm – many of my local trails run through dense plantation forest. It has a 20mm rise. Happily, Liv left the fork’s steerer tube long, offering plenty of scope for moving the 50mm stem up and down to dial-in ride height.

The dropper seat post came in its 120mm drop position. With my saddle height of 620mm (with the stock 170mm cranks), I was able to take full advantage of the longest travel setting with 150mm drop. Very pleasing indeed. The only other change was to replace the Liv Sylvia saddle with my preferred SQlab 6OX Infinergy Ergowave Active 2.1 saddle.

Liv shipped the bike with its flip-chip set to the high position. That’s the geometry position that offers the most ground clearance, the steepest head tube angle (65.5°), and the steepest seat tube angle (77°). It also gives the longest reach of 421mm, and the shortest effective rear-center length of 440mm. In the context of the long travel bikes I have tested recently, that reach number is very much on the shorter end of the spectrum. And, in the context of other brands’ recommendations for a 163 cm rider, it is again relatively short.

Liv recommend a sag of 25-30% for the rear shock. I ran it at 29% sag, and never felt a need to deviate from that. I set up the fork as per the weight-based recommendations on the back of the fork leg; that’s 68 PSI for my 60 kg, with the rebound damping dial set to 14 clicks from fully closed.

Initial Thoughts

For the first ride, I headed straight up to the local enduro trails via the fire road. The first thing that hit me was the effortless speed provided by the fast-rolling tires and the low weight of the bike overall. The two combined make pedaling feel like a breeze. After a summer of riding the comparatively heavier and slower-rolling YT Capra Core 3 enduro bike, this was pleasantly refreshing.

For the sake of getting to grips with how the bike’s handling is in its acoustic state, if you will, I left the electronics of the Fox Live Valve system off – at least for the first few rides. For seated pedalling, the rear suspension does bob up and down a fair bit – something that can be rectified with the Live Valve System switched on – i’ll go deeper on that later.

Climbing

In both the high and low geometry positions, the Liv Intrigue LT felt like a spritely climber of technical terrain. While its fast-rolling rear tire was energy-saving on fire roads, it did have a tendency to break traction over wet or loose rock, especially when the gradient tipped up.

When grip was maintained, the relatively long chainstay came in handy for climbing steep sections. I did feel the seat tube could have been a little bit steeper to bias weight even further forward, but it wasn’t too bad with the saddle pushed forward on the rails. I’m not really a fan of 170mm cranks, and I reckon Liv could have easily justified use of shorter 165mm cranks on this small frame – only the XS gets those.

The low geometry position isn’t so low that I had any issue with regular pedal strikes, even with those 170mm cranks.

Descending – High Geometry Position

Dropping into a steep, technical enduro trail, the bike immediately felt like a handful. Its light overall weight and the lightly damped suspension combined to make it feel lively and too energetic for my liking. On steep sections, the conservative 65.5° head angle of the high position made itself apparent. On the whole, the bike was out of its depth.

Thankfully, slowing down the rebound speed on both the fork and shock improved matters greatly. The bike was now more calm, and less of a rocking-horse on the rougher, chunkier sections of trail. That made it a lot more manageable.

The bike felt really well suited to trails with comparatively less gradient. It is a quick handler, and really shines on the nibbly, technical tracks that snake down the hillside with compressive, swoopy turns, and off-camber rooty sections that seem to come at you relentlessly.

Flicking and slotting the bike into tight turns was a real pleasure. The Intrigue LT invites you to have fun with it, squaring off turns in the knowledge that it will effortlessly pick up speed again thanks to its light frame and wheel combination.

On the flip-side, the bike was not the most confidence-inspiring on fall line sections. Beyond a certain gradient, the geometry felt unbalanced, throwing me forward onto the fork. There was little drama to report, however, owing to the fact that the Fox 36 proved to be very supportive in those scenarios. Despite the fact that the low speed compression was set to fully open, the fork remained confidently high in its travel.

Descending – Low Geometry Position

Still, the sensation was a little unsettling, and so I switched the flip-chip to the low position in the hope that a slacker hand angle (now 64.6°) would improve the situation. And, it did, but not as much as I was hoping.

While it was comforting to see more wheel out front, the sensation of being thrown onto the fork was not greatly diminished. Looking at Liv’s geometry table, I can hazard a guess as to why that is. Moving from the high to the low position increases the bike’s rear-center length (to 433mm) while simultaneously reducing the reach (to 413mm). So, the rear wheel trails further behind, while room in the cockpit is slightly reduced.

That simply didn’t work well for me, and a feeling of vulnerability remained. I also felt that, on the exit of compressive turns, I had a tendency to sit my weight back into the bike, looking for a middle that wasn’t quite where I was expecting it to be.

I find bikes that are more equally matched in their reach-to-chainstay length ratio, or those where the reach slightly exceeds the chainstay length, feel more balanced overall, and deliver a more confidence-inspiring ride when the trail gets very steep.

It’s worth pointing out that my experience on this small frame may not be at all consistent with a taller rider’s experience on the medium or large frame. On the medium, the rear-center length and reach match at 442mm apiece. On reflection, I could likely have tolerated the longer reach of the medium quite well, but at the expense of losing out on bum-to-saddle clearance that would come with the 30mm taller seat tube.

In line with the bike’s intentions, I did pilot it around the local enduro race. The only spec change I made was at the rear tire, where the Dissector EXO was replaced by a Continental Kryptotal Fr Enduro which offers improved braking traction and a more puncture-proof casing.

The bike impressed on the flat-out, chunky sections of track where carrying speed is paramount. Pumping through features was generously rewarded. It again impressed when the track demanded short, sharp, out-of-the-saddle efforts. As alluded to earlier, it fell short of expectations when pointed down the steeper tracks, forcing a certain tentative approach from its rider.

Fox Live Valve | An Overview

Fox Live Valve is the electronically-controlled suspension damping system that launched back in 2018. Still, very few bikes are equipped with the system, the Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 being one of them.

It comprises an accelerometer on the fork arch, an accelerometer near the rear axle, and a 3-axis accelerometer on the main control unit that, on the Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro, is positioned on the underside of the top tube.

The fork and swingarm accelerometers report on the severity of bumps occurring at each wheel, while the central unit’s device reports on gradient; i.e. it tells the system whether the bike is rolling along the flat, pointing up a climb, or pitched down a trail.

Collating that information, with measurements taken 1000 times per second, the system makes decisions on whether the suspension’s mid-to-low speed compression damping circuit should be open or closed. There’s an electromagnet inside the dampers that controls the valve, opening it or closing it within 3 milliseconds; i.e. much faster than you or I could operate a remote lockout.

So, Live Valve can control whether the bike’s suspension is firm, or whether it is plush, the former being preferable for outright pedal efficiency, and the latter being preferable for bump absorption when descending. There is no intermediate position; the valve is either open or closed.

It is user-tuneable, though. One can use the Live Valve App, or the control unit on the bike itself, to move the system between settings 1-5. To explain, i’ll use the two extreme ends of the spectrum.

First, it’s important to note that in all settings, Live Valve is biased to the closed position, delivering a firm suspension feel. It will “look” for reasons to open the damping. In setting 5, the Live Valve system needs to experience the biggest bumps in order for the compression damping to open up. In setting 1, the bump threshold is much lower, so smaller bumps you might find on a gravel road should be sufficient to open the valve, softening the suspension.

After the threshold-exceeding bump has triggered the valve to open, it will revert to closed again after a certain amount of time has passed – unless another threshold-exceeding bump is hit again, in which case the timer starts over. In setting 5, the specified time is relatively short, while in setting 1, the specified time is much longer, allowing the damping to remain open for longer. The system also adjusts the timing based on whether or not you are climbing or descending. We are also told that the decision-making for the shock and the fork can be separate, depending on the situation.

How did I test the Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 Fox Live Valve System?

I spent an afternoon riding the same 90 second descent over and over again, changing the Live Valve setting between runs. The track is mellow in its gradient, but littered with roots, rocks, steps and compressive turns. Altogether, there’s a lot going on, with only two or three (very brief) smooth, flatter sections to speak of.

Following that test session, there’s no doubt in my mind that Live Valve executes on its promises. Differences between the Live Valve settings are appreciable, particularly when switching between the two extremes; going from setting 1 to setting 5.

Riding a continuous descent, there is no tangible ride feel difference between Live Valve in setting 1, as compared to riding the bike with the system switched off entirely. Descending is totally uncompromised.

Switching from setting 1 to setting 3, a very subtle difference is detectable. Over the course of that 90 second descent, i’d say there were just two or three occasions where I felt the suspension revert to closed. That was felt as a sudden, surprise harshness, and on both occasions the result was a less well controlled run.

Then, going to setting 5, the suspension was obviously reverting to closed more frequently. Runs in setting 5 were harsh and tiring, and finding the best line proved more difficult. For uncompromised descending, you’ll want to depart from Liv’s recommended setting 3, and run it in setting 1 (or possibly 2, but admittedly this was not tested).

A second test scenario involved rolling out of a steep, rough downhill trail, into a smooth, slightly uphill fire road sprint. Here, I was looking to see how quickly the system would revert to closed, firming up the suspension to provide an efficient pedaling platform for rapid acceleration.

Unsurprisingly, setting 5 was the best setting in this scenario. Only setting 5 reacted sufficiently fast enough after the transition onto the fire road, with settings 1 and 3 both keeping the valve open, and the suspension soft, too long for my liking.

For a gentle climb on a smooth fire road, I found that setting 5 was the best for removing the pedal-induced bobbing of the suspension. Settings 1 and 3 both allowed the shock to oscillate freely about the sag point.

Is Fox Live Valve worth it?

This is an important question to answer, especially considering that it is likely a contributing factor in the sky-high asking price for the Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0. Unfortunately, my answer has to be no.

In the context of this bike and its intentions, I feel there is no place for a system as complex as Live Valve. If I had found a single setting wherein continuous descending was uncompromised and the damper firmed up quickly enough for a fire road sprint, then things might be different. As it is, I found no such Goldilocks setting.

I get the impression this system would find a better home on a XC race bike where efficiency is everything. Those tracks tend to continuously undulate, and the demands placed on the suspension can change many, many times over the course of a lap. In that scenario, the hands-free experience brought by live Valve stands to be advantageous.

Ultimately, I feel the Intrigue LT and its rider would be better-served by a mechanical suspension lockout in the form of a remote on the bar. That way, the rider would be able to lock out the suspension on the climbs, and during a sprint, opening it up again before dropping into the next descent. Sadly, the frame does not provide routing for that simpler solution.

Concluding Remarks

On the whole, the Intrigue LT in a size small does feel quite compact for this 163 cm rider. The short reach lends itself well to trails where rapid changes of direction require the rider to duck and dive about the cockpit. I would however, strongly advise anyone taller than 163cm to consider up-sizing to the medium, especially if they feel the 420mm seat tube would be manageable.

That said, I found the bike was abuzz with agility, also owing to its light damper tune. To my mind, this custom-tune is what gives Liv an edge over some of its competitors. An over-damped shock tune is a common complaint of mine – examples here and here – so it has been thoroughly refreshing to ride a shock that is better-suited to my weight, and to be able to appreciate the wide range of adjustment offered by the external dials. It’s worth noting that not every model of the Intrigue LT has the same shock tune, but they are all custom-tuned with feedback from the same rider in the interest of consistency.

As for Live Valve, I have a hard time finding justification for it here, especially as the Intrigue LT is marketed more toward the winch-and-plummet crowd.

Ultimately, I feel Liv would’ve done well to shorten the rear-center length on the small frame (and the XS) to balance things out a little. Liv’s off-road product manager, Ludi Scholz, explains that the lack of size-specific chainstays is down to a matter of resource availability. This more proportional approach to geometry is something that other brands such as Juliana, Cannondale, Norco and Privateer appear to be having success with.

Pros

• Very light for a 150mm travel MTB
• Fast-rolling bike with a lively character
• Adjustable geometry
• Appropriate shock tune for the lighter rider with a good range of adjustment on offer
• Adjustable-travel dropper seat post
• Lifetime warranty

Neutral Comments

• More of an all-round trail bike than an out-and-out enduro race bike

Cons

• Geometry feels a little unbalanced (size small)
• Insufficient chainstay protection
• Over-priced
• Frame storage door rattles when loaded with cage and bottle
• Internal cable routing is not fully guided
• Fox Live Valve offers no tangible benefit on this bike

Component Performance

• Fox 36 Factory Live Valve Fork with FIT4 Damper – Smooth, supportive, with meaningful damping adjustments readily available.
• Liv custom-tuned Fox Factory Live Valve Shock – Delivers a lightly-damped tune which proved excellent for this light rider, with a broad range of adjustment readily available.
• TranzX Travel-Adjustable Dropper Seat Post – Super easy to adjust drop length without the use of any tools whatsoever. The post was smooth, and performed flawlessly throughout the test period.
• SRAM XX1 Eagle AXS Drivetrain – Shifting was flawless out-of-the-box. The rear derailleur clutch is sufficient, and I have no dropped chain incidents to report.
• Zipp 3Zero Moto Carbon Wheelset – The wheels performed flawlessly. They’re both light and quiet, and the ZM2 hub delivers quick engagement thanks to its 132 POEs. And, the rims did not manage to pinch any holes into the relatively lightweight EXO casing tires.
• Giant Contact SL Stem 50mm Stem – No real qualms, though I wonder whether the speed of front-end handling may have benefited from a slightly shorter option.
• Giant Contact SLR TR35 Carbon Bar – No qualms.
• Liv Tactal Pro Single Lock-On Grips – Nice short length (110mm on XS & S), appropriate for smaller hands. Rubber is quite hard though, and I found the heavily textured pattern made me squeeze the grips tighter than was strictly necessary.
• Shimano XTR Four-Piston Brakes – Great to have tool-free adjustment of reach, with bite-point adjustment available with use of a screw driver. Brakes were powerful enough for the intended use, and did not require any bleeding over the course of the test period.
• Front Tire – 29″ x 2.5″ Maxxis Minion DHF, MaxxTerra, EXO Casing – Strikes a good balance between grip and rolling resistance. A higher grip option would be the MaxxGrip equivalent, coming at the expense of rolling resistance. That said, I found that grip was always plentiful.
• Rear Tire – 27.5″ x 2.4″ Maxxis Dissector, MaxxTerra, EXO Casing – Offered very little rolling resistance, but also lacked braking traction with a tendency to lock up and skid quite easily. For enduro, I feel the bike would benefit from an upgrade to the Maxxis Minion DHRII tire of the DoubleDown casing variety. That said, I am happy to report zero punctures.
• MRP AMg V2 chainguide: I have no dropped chains to report. The bash guard portion took a few knocks, but is still in great condition.
• Liv Sylvia Saddle – Not tested.

The Value Proposition

Given that the Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 is several thousands of pounds more expensive than the Intrigue Advanced E+ eMTB, its £12,499 ($12,500 USD) price tag seems utterly stratospheric. Consider that the latter also gets a full carbon frame, Fox Live Valve suspension, as well as an 85 Nm mid-drive motor.

Comparing it with the more affordable Intrigue LT Advanced Pro models, again the price seems wild. The next most expensive offering is the Advanced Pro 1, coming in at £5,999 ($7,000 USD). It lacks the Fox Live Valve system, and is downgraded to the Performance Elite suspension components from Fox. It also loses the Zipp 3Zero Moto wheels in place of Giant’s own TRX carbon wheelset, and loses the AXS drivetrain for the SRAM GX Eagle cable-operated version.

Still, the price difference between the Advanced Pro 1 and Advanced Pro 0 seems wholly unjustified from a performance perspective.

liv-cycling.com

The post Liv Intrigue LT Advanced Pro 0 with Fox Live Valve | Review appeared first on Bikerumor.

Last year saw the first official Tour de France Femmes race after a hiatus of more than 30 years, marking a seminal moment for gender equality in cycling. The 2023 edition begins on Sunday 23rd July in Clermont-Ferrand, and will see the peloton cover 956 kilometers over 8 Stages.

Ahead of the action, Out in Front takes a timely look back at the history of women’s cycling. Former Tour de France riders, Denise Kelly, Marilyn Trout and Maria Canins (two-time winner of the Tour de France) make special guest appearances in what is a very emotional, but equally inspiring reflection of how far women’s professional cycling has come, and how far is still to go.

A total of €250,000 will be awarded across the different stage, jersey and team competitions, including €50,000 to the winner of the final general classification. That compares to the €500,000 that will be claimed by the winner of the men’s Tour de France in just two days’ time.

From Canyon: In the creation of this film, as well as in sponsoring female teams, ambassadors, and a host of initiatives to inspire women to jump on the saddle, we are explicitly committing to long-term investment in women’s cycling. This way, the ongoing efforts of female athletes both on and off the bike, are acknowledged, promoted, and celebrated, showing the younger generation of women that there’s a place for them in cycling.

How to watch the 2023 Tour de Frances Femmes

In Europe and the UK, the 2023 Tour de France Femmes will be live streaming on Eurosport. Access requires the Standard Subscription to Discovery+, which is currently priced at £6.99 per month.

To watch in the US, you’ll need to be a subscriber to NBC’s streaming platform, Peacock.

letourfemmes.fr

The post Tour de France Femmes | Out in Front with Canyon // SRAM appeared first on Bikerumor.

The Liv Rail MIPS helmet is, without a shadow of a doubt, the brand’s most premium off-road helmet to date, featuring the lightweight MIPS Air Node liner to help protect against rotation-induced concussions, with a three-part in-mould construction home to a dual-density EPS. Independent helmet safety testers, Virginia Tech, gave it a 5-Star rating, with a score of 11.08 (the lower the better). That puts it in 41st position, just shy of the 11.01 score awarded to the more expensive Troy Lee A3 MIPS.

At $189.99 USD, the Rail is a rightfully feature-packed, lightweight mountain bike helmet, with a full wrap of the EPS giving it a high-end aesthetic. It gets a quality height-adjustable cradle, a magnetic Fidlock buckle securing the highly-adjustable chin strap, and a vent-free top surface for the positioning of an action camera. On that latter point, riders should be aware that a lot of event organizers have banned the securing of action cameras to the helmet body, only allowing them to be placed on the peak.

There are no fewer than twenty ventilation ports. The flexible peak has three-positions, the top-most of which allows for the stowage of googles when not in use.

Liv Rail MIPS MTB Helmet | Review

The Liv Rail MIPS covers head circumferences from 51cm to 59cm with just two sizes; Small for 51-55cm and Medium for 55-59cm. With a head circumference of around 54cm, I was given the Small to test. It weighs in at 335 grams, just shy of the 350 gram claimed weight.

My first impression? I really like the look of this helmet. It has a quality, two-tone finish, glossed up on top with a matte trim. It’s classy, in my opinion.

The rear cradle offers four-position height adjustment to suit a variety of head shapes. The helmet is ponytail compatible if I run the cradle in its lowest position, but at least on my head that does pull the top of the helmet down firmly, creating a pressure point on the front of my skull, just aft of my hairline.

That’s not super comfortable for me, so I prefer to run the cradle in a higher position, forgoing the ability to pop my ponytail through the gap it creates. This makes for a much more comfortable fit, to the point where that pressure point is essentially eliminated.

The retention system can also be tightened at the rear of course, via an easy-to-use dial. It doesn’t cinch the plastic cradle down evenly through 360° as is the case with some other high-end helmets; it tightens from the rear, pulling the cradle forwards, with the front half of the cradle remaining fixed to the EPS. It certainly does the job, however.

In general, the helmet has a slightly wider fit than others I have tested recently; certainly wider than the ABUS Cliffhanger, with a broader shape that is more similar that offered across the range from MET helmets. Indeed, Liv say the Rail was created with use of a new, rounder head form to give an increased fit range.

For me at least, there is a little side-to-side wiggle room, but not so much to concern me. For those who often struggle to find a good fit as a result of having quite a broad temple region, it could be worth giving the Liv Rail a try. Of course, it is always best to try before you buy.

The Liv Rail provides reasonably deep coverage at the rear, but not quite as deep as that delivered by the Troy Lee A3 MIPS.

The Rail’s chin strap is very long, meaning it will adapt nicely to a wide range of wearers. For me, there was a lot of excess strap, but I was able to tuck it securely underneath the small rubber tab on the right side, where it was no trouble at all. It’s great to see the strap can be adjusted at the cam divider so that riders can dial in the perfect fit. It’s so important to get the correct ratio of strap length fore and aft of the ear in order to prevent the helmet being pushed away from your head during a crash. Of course, if you were to roll any distance while crashing hard, there’s a good chance you’ll hit your head more than once.

The MIPS Air Node liner is interesting, in that it is integrated into the comfort liner. It is one of MIPS’ lighter weight offerings, but still delivers 10-15mm of dissociation between the helmet’s main body and the liner that remains in close association with the wearer’s skull. This small amount of free movement is what allows the MIPS liner to reduce the forces involved in impacts where the rider’s head is forced to rotate violently.

The pads contacting the skull/hair are backed with a low-friction plastic liner that sees low-profile pockets of air distributed across its surface. The liner connects to the helmet’s main plastic liner via “nodes”, which are essentially velcro, indicated on the comfort liner by the raised circles and arrows. You can read more about MIPS Air Node, and how to care for it here.

I did manage to get some rogue strands of hair trapped in the liner. That happens with any MIPS equipped helmet I wear, and it doesn’t bother me particularly. If however, it is something that really puts you off, I’d recommend taking a look at Lazer’s range of helmets that use a liner-free technology for dealing with rotational impacts.

I’m happy to report I have not crashed while wearing this helmet, so a full report on its capacity to keep me safe cannot be provided. To conclude this review of the Liv Rail MIPS helmet, here are some Pros and Cons that any prospective purchaser should consider…

Pros

• Very secure, highly adjustable retention system
• Ponytail compatible
• Goggle compatible
• Lightweight
• Well-ventilated
• 5 Star Rating from Virginia Tech

Neutral Comments

• Wider fit for more rounded skulls that are broader in the temple region

Cons

• Nowhere to securely stow sunglasses
• There are a number of cheaper MIPS equipped helmets that have a better (safer) score from Virginia Tech – the Specialized Tactic 4 for example

Pricing & Availability

The Liv Rail MIPS off-road helmet has an SRP of $189.99 USD. Elsewhere, it is priced at $209.99 CAD // $3,390 MXN // 145 EUR in France // 149 EUR in Italy.

It is available as of today in S (51-55cm) and M (55cm-59cm), in Matte Black Diamond (below) and Matte Air Glow (tested).

liv-cycling.com

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