Liv Thrive E+ 2 Pro electric bike review

That is the primary foray into women-specific highway e-bikes for Liv. There are two fashions to select from – the Thrive E+ 1 Professional, which has greater spec elements, and the Thrive E+ 2 Professional, which is what I attempted. Being 5’5” (1m66) I attempted out dimension S.

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Body

To have a look at the bike, I have to say that I just like the metallic turquoise and black design (formally described as silver and pine) of the aluminium body and fork. The way in which the battery has been seamlessly built-in inside it means it doesn’t look apparent that that is an e-bike. In fact, when driving it, people will know what that is an e-bike while you sail previous them effortlessly on the hills!

I discover the design enticing, and that alone makes me wish to be seen on the bike. Some e-bikes do look very very similar to an “electrical bike” however this appears extra like an atypical hybrid that occurs to have a motor.

Though Liv is connected to Large, the Thrive E+, like different Liv bikes has been constructed underneath the 3F design ethos (match, kind, perform) particular to all bikes and considering ladies’s physique dimensions, energy patterns, user-friendliness, and thrilling designs. The Thrive E+ is sort of a sporty hybrid and the shape mirrors that of the non-assisted hybrid Alight vary.

It is usually good to see that the bike has different touches to make the Thrive a very good utility bike, such mounts for a rack, mudguards, and it comes fitted with a bell too.

Motor System

Working the Thrive E+ and realizing how a lot battery cost (vary) stays is easy and simply carried out by the use of totally different buttons on the handlebars. On the left-hand facet of the handlebars are the controls, often known as RideControl One.

There’s an on-off button, with 5 LEDs to the appropriate of it indicating how a lot vary (battery cost) is left. 5 LEDs to the left of the on-off button point out how a lot energy help is being given. Separate buttons can improve and reduce the extent of energy help, in addition to placing it into ECO mode.

Gears are operated by levers in precisely the identical manner as on customary hybrids. When pedalling alongside, even when on low help or no help in any respect, I can nonetheless really feel the traction within the crank space which makes pedalling motion clean, and requires much less effort than when on a non-assisted bicycle.

This sensation might be due to the Large SyncDrive Professional motor, powered by Yamaha, and constructed into the body – this drives the chain immediately. With Good Help Know-how (Pedal Plus 6-sensor expertise) which means when pedalling, sensors choose up the quantity of energy you transmit by the pedals and may then calculate the quantity of help wanted, and replicate your pedalling fashion. So the result’s a clean pure really feel when pedalling.

Moreover, it will give an optimised vary when setting out with a completely charged bike. Battery consumption varies relying on which of the six help settings are used.

I have a tendency to make use of the bottom help setting more often than not when driving round Central London, which is essentially flat, and I tend to place in a bit of labor myself too! For mild inclines I then transfer to the second setting, whereas the third setting works for the steeper hills in South London, at round 10 per cent gradient. For these wanting much more help on the hills, or who stay in notoriously hilly areas just like the Surrey Hills or Sheffield, there are nonetheless two additional help settings that can assist you.

In fact, the upper the setting used, the shorter the vary of the battery. Primarily based on my private utilization, the battery lasted round 110km earlier than it went flat. Consumption would rely upon the terrain you journey. In ECO mode, the quantity of help required robotically adjusts itself relying on the terrain you encounter, and the engagement of the SyncDrive motor.

One other setting, which is by way of a button on the backside of the management panel, is stroll help. That is actually helpful if you need to wheel the bike up a ramp. That is notably helpful on condition that the bike weighs 18.5kg.

Speaking of battery, the Liv Thrive E+ 2 Professional is fitted with a Large EnergyPak 375, 36V Built-in Lithium-Ion battery. One of these battery has a decrease discharge fee than different batteries on e-bikes, that means that leaving it unused for a interval of some weeks shouldn’t pose an issue.

As well as, this battery might be totally charged to 100 per cent of capability 1000 occasions, after which period the battery is totally charged as much as 80 per cebt of full capability 800 extra occasions. Thereafter, charging the battery as much as 60 per cent of capability might be carried out an additional 600 occasions.

So, for instance, in case you are commuting by bike 30km per day and doing a 50km social journey on the weekend on primarily flat terrain with the odd hill, you would wish to cost the battery twice per week, and it might be 10 years earlier than the battery started to lose capability! That definitely provides me confidence.

Charging the battery from flat to 100 per cent takes round 3.5-4 hours, and is finished utilizing the Large EnergyPak 6A quick charger. One useful function is the power to cost the battery whereas off the bike, so that you don’t want to fret about discovering a big and presumably an indoor house for the entire bike. Eradicating the battery from the bike entails unlocking the casing on the body and is simple. In case you are glad to cost up the bike immediately with out eradicating the battery, the socket is straightforward to search out and slots simply into the lead.

Elements

The gearing is an effective vary, so you continue to have help for hills care of a 10-speed 11-32 Shimano Tiagra groupset paired with a 34/50 chain ring. If you would like extra alternative of gears the Thrive E + 1 Professional is fitted with and 11-speed Shimano 105 groupset with the identical spec chain ring.

Tyres are Maxxis Re-Fuse 32mm Folding MaxxShield tyres, these might be run as tubeless, and are nicely suited to deal with multi-terrain settings, together with gentle gravel paths. I cycled alongside the Wandle Path, a multi-terrain observe in South London and the bike greater than coped in all of these areas. Shimano MT201 hydraulic disc brakes offers confidence too when on undulating roads and tracks.

Efficiency

Though the Thrive E+ is about up for a sporty journey, consolation shouldn’t be compromised as a women-specific Liv Sport saddle is fitted to the aluminium seatpost. Relating to pace, keep in mind that the motor on the Thrive E+ 2 Professional limits the utmost pace to 25km/h (15.5mph) and a battery energy of 250 Watts, a authorized requirement within the UK. In fact, in case you reduce out the engine and let the bike plummet down a hill you possibly can resolve how briskly you wish to go!

Worth

At £2,749 the Liv Thrive E+ 2 Professional could appear a little bit steep in contrast with different hybrid e-bikes. Nonetheless, the standard body and motor, together with the Good Help Know-how come at a value. That is on no account on the excessive finish, and this value level represents good worth on condition that the elements are designed to final for lots longer than a few years.

Particulars

Body: ALUXX SL-grade aluminium
Fork: ALUXX SL-grade aluminium, 12 x 100 thru-axle
Motor system: Large SynchDrive Professional, 360 tuneable assist, powered by YAMAHA
Crankset: Large, 34/50T
Cassette : Shimano Tiagra cassette, 11-32
Chain: KMC 10-speed e.10 sport, e-bike optimised
Entrance and rear derailleur: Shimano Tiagra
Shifters: Shimano Tiagra 10-speed
Brakes: Shimano MT201/BR-U300, hydraulic disc, 160mm
Wheels: Large Efficiency Tracker Street Hubs, sealed bearing; Large GX disc; spokes, stainless
Tyres: Maxxis Re-Fuse 700 x 32c Folding MaxxShield
Handlebar: Large Join XC Flat, 31.8 x 580mm for XS/S, 620mm for M/L
Stem: Large Contact
Seatpost: Large D-Form, Aluminium
Saddle: Liv Sport
Equipment : Large EnergyPak 6A Quick charger
Sizes: XS, S, M, L
Weight: 18.4kg (small)
Contact: Liv-cycling.com