Liv Allure E+: The First Trip to the City

Not standing still, trying out new things, pursuing different approaches – that’s probably what many of us take on in our quest to evolve. Since bicycle brands are defined by people, they feel the same way. In the past 14 years of its existence, Liv has shaped and refined its sporty character. Now, the offshoot of the Giant Group, which is specifically dedicated to female bikers, is entering previously uncharted territory: the comfort zone of riding an ebike in the city.

Mud, stones, roots, grass, leaves, forest and meadow, up and down, two, one or no wheel on the ground – this is what the playground of Liv ebikes has looked like so far. Four e-mountain bike series and one for trekking ebikes. Off-road: five, leisurely through the city centre: zero. With the new Allure E+, Liv is expanding this calculation. The city ebike, which has been completely redesigned from the ground up, places a lot of emphasis on comfort and wants to be more of an accessory than a sporting good.

It should be convenient

The shape of the frame already clearly shows where the journey is heading. There is exactly one to choose from – a low-step. This makes it easier to get on and off the bike conveniently, regardless of the weather, the surroundings and, above all, the clothing chosen.

Liv has chosen many components so that no worry lines appear on your forehead in the first place. The focus is on the drive. With the SyncDrive Sport and the SyncDrive Core, the manufacturer has installed two motors that are known to do their job quite reliably and remain in the background in terms of noise level. The SyncDrive Sport is a little more fun to drive due to its higher torque, while the SyncDrive Core is more energy-efficient.

More torque or more gears?

Liv combines the motors with hub gears from Shimano. Each of the three models in the Allure E+ range has a different one. At first glance, it may seem a little irritating that the top model, Allure E+ 1, has the lowest number of gears. However, the Shimano Nexus Inter-5E is the only gear hub that is approved for a motor with a torque of 60 Newton metres or more. Those who want to savour the 70 Newton metres of the SyncDrive Sport must therefore inevitably have to come along with five gears. The Allure E+ RT with a coaster brake provides seven gears, the Allure E+ 2 eight.

Compared to derailleurs, hub gears usually require less maintenance. Especially when a belt is used instead of a classic bicycle chain. It does not need lubrication, can be easily cleaned with water and lasts much longer. Unfortunately, Liv only plays this trump card on the top model. In the other two cases, you still have to clean and re-oil diligently.

Quite a few buttons

All three models have the EnergyPak Smart Compact battery in common. Integrated in the down tube, you can remove it from the side for charging. According to the manufacturer, its capacity of 500 watt hours is enough for a maximum of 100 kilometres of electric support. The RideControl Go control unit is located on the top of the down tube. Press the on/off switch to activate the electric drive. From there, you can also change the assistance levels and see the current charge level of the battery.

All this information and functions, and many more, are also provided by the handlebar-mounted RideControl Ergo 2 control unit together with the RideDash Evo display. Why Liv still considers the control unit on the down tube to be useful is not entirely clear to us. Everything is done equally quickly via the handlebar combination – plus all the numbers you can call up from the display. Sometimes less really is more.

Functional and attractive

Important in everyday life is the question of what situations an ebike is equipped for. The Liv Allure E+ has everything you would expect from this type of ebike. In addition to the complete lighting system and mudguards, it also has a rear carrier and side stand. The matching tyres with their 50 millimetre width and reflective stripes provide both the desired comfort and safety. If you live in a town where rough cobblestones give the city centre a historical flair, you will be pleased to know that Liv adds a suspension seatpost to the suspension fork. This is the exception rather than the rule among city ebikes.

Of course, the appearance of such a bike should not be neglected. Liv hasn’t gone completely overboard here either. With its cables completely routed in the frame, the Allure E+ looks very attractive in itself. With the exception of the version with the coaster brake, each model has been given two colours. That is at least one more than on many other low-step bikes on the market. The seat stay also has an appliqué in brown or white leather. A small, discreet eye-catcher that is certainly appealing.

Really a “female” low-step?

Apart from such details, is the Allure E+ really a low-step bike that is specifically designed for women? Liv has made this claim to itself from the very beginning. Giant’s range includes two ebikes that have such a kind of frame and lend themselves to comparison.

The first is the Giant Anytour E+. It originates more from the trekking sector. That is why it has an 11-speed derailleur and no hub gears with belt or chain. The top model in the range also features a SyncDrive Sport motor and even comes with a larger battery. On the other hand, there is no suspension seatpost.

Shorter and narrower than others

However, in order to assess the degree of women’s specificity, other aspects are decisive. One of these is the frame size. The smallest frame size of the Anytour E+ is an S. Giant recommends 162 centimetres as the minimum size for riders here. In contrast, you can buy an Allure E+ in an XS. In the case of the Allure E+, both the XS and S sizes are equipped with shorter cranks and narrower handlebars. Here, 165 centimetres are compared to 170 centimetres and 63 centimetres to 67 centimetres. These adjustments correspond to the smaller body measurements that generally characterise women of this size.

Even closer than the Giant Anytour E+ is the Giant Dailytour E+ to the Liv Allure E+. Both are meant for people who ride their ebike almost exclusively in urban environments. While the whole Dailytour E+ model range is based on a SyncDrive Core motor, the Allure E+ is ahead by exactly 20 Newton metres of torque, at least in its top model with the SyncDrive Sport. The Dailytour E+ counters with a larger battery and a higher-quality charger for faster charging. The hub gears are the same, as is the choice of coaster brake and belt. The Allure E+ again has the suspension seatpost advantage over the Dailytour E+.

Whether a seating position is perceived as comfortable and whether you feel fundamentally at ease on the bike, even on longer journeys, is again directly related to frame size, handlebar width and crank length. For all three values, the same statements apply as for the comparison between Anytour E+ and Allure E+. The new Liv model seems to be the better choice, especially for women with a lower body height.

Live Allure E+ 2022 at a glance

• Variants: Allure E+ 1, Allure E+ RT, Allure E+ 2
• Motor: SyncDrive Sport, SyncDrive Core
• Battery: EnergyPak Smart Compact 500 Wh
• Display: RideDash Evo
• Suspension fork: SR Suntour NEX E25 Coil
• Drivetrain: Shimano Nexus Inter-5E, Shimano Nexus 8, Shimano Nexus 7
• Brakes: Shimano MT200, Tektro HD-M275
• Maximum permitted total weight: 156 kg

Pictures: Giant Germany GmbH