Giant Cycles Liv Embolden E+ 0 (2026 – ) review

The Liv Embolden E+ 0 is a good-looking electric bike. It’s not as aggressive as some e-mountain bikes, and for riders just looking to get into off-road riding, that’s probably a good thing. But for more serious off roaders, it does come with a few design flaws, which we’ll get to shortly. There’s no getting away from the fact it’s a burly bike with an oversized frame where the battery sits. But it at least looks a lot sleeker for it, for those with memories of older e-bikes with their external batteries. Where it becomes more ‘woman-friendly’ with its design is the low standover height, the sloped top tube making it easier for people to get on and off the bike without pulling a hamstring. Of course, the bike does come with a dropper post, so if you do need to jump on or off quickly, you can simply press the lever on the handlebar and drop the saddle saving you dangling your feet dangerously off the ground as you try and dismount. The motor charge point is also neatly designed on the side of the motor housing so it’s not subjected to direct water ingress from rain. The Embolden uses an aluminium frame, so it’s not lightweight by any stretch of the imagination.

We tested a size small but your 5’ 6” reviewer was on the cusp between this and medium, which with hindsight might have been better for the more stretched out position most modern mountain bikers are now used to for the extra stability it brings. As the Embolden E+ 0 is a ‘trail’ mountain bike, it comes with a reasonably modern geometry. Where it perhaps isn’t keeping up with modern trends is the chainstay length, this distance between the pedals and rear axle critical to the way a bike handles. It’s 468mm across all four sizes (XS-L) and, in the world of mountain bikes, that’s pretty long. Why does that matter? Because longer chainstays mean more stability, sure, but it also means the bike isn’t as agile or playful as it could be. It makes getting the front wheel off the ground more difficult as the weight distribution in the bike is skewed towards the front. In regular people speak, it just means the bike can be a little more difficult to handle on jumpy, tight and twisty trails. If you’re simply riding on bridleways or down straight tracks, then you won’t notice it as much. Otherwise, the riding position is what you make of it. We adjusted the saddle position for a bit more reach, and instantly felt in better control of the bike.

It’s difficult to get away from the fact it’s so heavy. But, once you’re riding and the motor is turned on, riding is a breeze. The drive system is a SyncDrive Pro 3X mid-drive motor, which offers up to 100Nm of torque and 800 watts of power. While that doesn’t match other big brand numbers, it’s certainly nothing to sniff at – and this bike definitely needs this type of power. Beyond the weight of it, it’s quite an easy bike to live with. You can remove the 800Wh battery with a key if you want to charge it away from the bike. This is good for deterring thieves, too, if you stop at a café you can remove the battery. The motor assistance is controlled via a handlebar mounted unit called the RideControl Dash 2. It does look a little dated compared to the likes of the Bosch Kiox, for example, but it does the job and can be paired with the RideControl app so you can really personalise your support modes as well as control the e-bike lock and tyre pressure monitoring systems.

The motor itself is decent enough for most riders and, for local trail riding and getting out on the bridleways, it’s got more than enough kick. We really liked the Auto mode, which can be selected by holding down the ‘up’ button on the control unit. This automatically adjusts the assistance based on the terrain and your cadence. You can also stretch about 60 miles on one charge – if, of course, you’re not blasting in ‘turbo’ mode. Another mode that’s worth mentioning is ‘walk assist’, which makes pushing it up a really steep, muddy hill much more palatable. The brakes on the Embolden E+ 0 are Shimano Deore XT hydraulic discs. They took a little bit of bedding in to really get them to bite, but for a mid-range set of brakes they’re tough enough to work on the type of terrain you’ll likely be riding on this bike.

With a stern mountain bike reviewer face on we’d say the Embolden E+ 0 is an entry to mid-level performance electric mountain bike. And thus, it rides like one. It’s not got particularly modern geometry, and as a trail bike it comes with 150mm/140mm suspension travel so we’d be realistic in our ambitions at the kind of terrain we’d be tackling. After a few rides repeating the same tracks trying to figure out how to get the best out of the Liv and really push the limits of bike and tester we’ll say it’s not got the inspirational riding style that would encourage you to really push yourself. Rather, it’s a mountain bike for longer, more relaxed loops across the moors. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing – Liv isn’t pretending the Embolden E+ 0 is a downhill bike, and the marketing blurb feels right when they say that it “makes new terrain feel welcoming and longer rides feel achievable—with less stress and more fun.”

At £4,999, the Embolden E+ 0 is the most expensive of the Embolden E+ range. There are cheaper options but you don’t get the 800Wh battery or Fox suspension on other options. It’s a difficult price, as it is quite a lot of money – but not in comparison with many electric mountain bikes of this types. That being said, with the recent release of the Avinox M2/M2S motors, you can now buy a massively powered bike like the Amflow for around the same price, if not a little less money. How long it takes to charge the 800Wh battery varies – if you use Giant’s ‘Smart’ 6A charger, it can go to zero to 80 per cent in under three hours. If you use a 4A charger, then it takes slightly longer but preserves the battery life. This bike came with a 4A charger, as we believe most models after 2023 do, so expect it to take at least 4 hours to get enough charge for a decent ride. How much it costs to charge at home will depend on your energy tariff.

Without having lived with the Liv for months on end or even having to work on it, it’s difficult to assess the bike’s reliability. But, over the course of an extended test, it’s not missed a beat and, besides its heftiness, has been easy to live with.

Liv (and Giant) offers a lifetime warranty on its bike frames, and two years on its e-bike components including the battery as standard. However, you can register to ‘unlock’ up to five years of what the brand calls, ‘extended support’ on e-bike motors and batteries. In reality, this means you get a discount if you need to replace the motor or battery outside of the warranty period. If you were to buy a second-hand Liv e-bike, you’d receive a two-year warranty on the frame only, and none on the electrical components.

Outside of the usual componentry and e-bike related tech, the equipment list on the Liv Embolden E+ 0 is small. Things to note include the safety features from the app, for example the Apple Find My compatibility and e-locking, which can be handy for those leaving the bike in a public space if no substitute for a proper lock. There is the option to buy a range extender battery in either 200Wh or 250Wh size, which can benefit you if you’re someone who prioritises battery range.

The Liv Embolden E+ 0 is a bike that’s designed to tempt women onto mountain bikes. If you respect its design – it’s a trail bike, not a downhill bike – and its limitations, then it’s a decent offering. It is a little expensive but offers plenty of power and torque for when the trail points upward.