It’s not too long ago that women looking for a bike found themselves confronted with the famous ‘shrink it and pink it’ design strategy. With a good number of brands seemingly convinced that female riders simply needed a smaller and preferably cute-coloured whip, few options existed for those after a bike that fit and worked well. One company who couldn’t be accused of this however was Giant, who for years now has been dreaming up better bikes, better gear and better opportunities for women and girls in cycling.
With Liv bikes and equipment, Giant has long been providing women with the tools for riding, designed from the ground up. And it doesn’t end there – with their #LivForward movement they’re empowering women to ride, whether that’s with online ride guides, through sharing inspiring stories or powering the CCC-Liv professional WorldTour team.
At the heart of all Liv does is the 3F Design Philosophy, standing for ‘fit, form, function’. Liv bikes and equipment are designed from scratch for women, with no compromises, providing the compass that guides their research teams as they strive for the best you can find.
The road is calling
With the likes of 3-time world champion Marianne Vos and current South African national champ Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio in the CCC-Liv team, Liv road bikes are racing and winning at the highest level. Marianne is an all-round cycling superstar, so good in fact that she has drawn comparison to great Eddy Merckx as being ‘the finest cyclist of her generation’. The team have been racing the early Spring Classic races on their Langma Advanced bikes.
Created using Liv’s 3F design philosophy, the Langma Advanced Pro is featherlight racing bike, delivering the advantage for every ride, be that a hilly duel, a local crit or the race to the café.
Adding disc brakes into the mix, the Langma Advanced Pro Disc puts true year-round versatility at your disposal. On our wet little island in the sea, covered as it is with some questionably bumpy roads, the stopping power of disc brakes and the 25mm tyres smooth out the ride.
Once the action really hots up, aero advantage is key. In a sport where winners are sometimes decided by seconds, the Envi has been designed to propel you faster than ever before. Powering through the flats and dropping ice down the underpants of headwinds, the cutting edge tube shaping and geometry adds comfort and power in the push for the line.
And don’t worry if you’re not all about racing – Liv still has your back. The Avail is a lightweight and comfortable bike engineered for day-long rides with your buddies. The 28mm tyres and disc brakes provide a smooth ride with plenty of stopping power should that cake stop appear unexpectedly.
Explore your world
The Liv design philosophy extends way beyond the road. From the Flourish Hybrid, which provides a stylish way to get around town, to the versatile trail-friendly Pique SX the Liv line up proves their commitment to women riders. The Alight sits happily in the middle ground, just as content on the commute to work as on longer weekend rides out into the woods.
Forget ‘shrink it and pink it’. Come down and check out the Liv range in one of our stores and get involved in the #LivForward campaign. Once you’ve ridden a bike designed for you, you’ll agree - shrunk and, er, ‘punk’ these aren’t!
