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2016 Giant bits – Particle flow saddles, longer dropper posts & LIV enduro, carbon women’s mountain bikes

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2016 Giant LIV Intrigue Enduro and Lust Carbon womens full suspension mountain bikes

For 2016, Giant’s women’s line adds the LIV Intrigue SX, a more aggressive version of the standard 140mm full suspension trail bike.

It’s spec’d with a 160mm Rockshox Pike on the front and a SRAM X1 1×11 group using a 30tooth chainring. It has a new 50mm Contact Slam stem to give it a more aggressive feel to match the longer fork and subsequent slacker head angle. The frame is unchanged, keeping 140mm travel in back, but this hints at a possible Enduro bike for women in the future.

Meanwhile, the The Lust finally gets a carbon version for the German market, giving them the same upper end frame the rest of the world has enjoyed for some time…

2016-Giant-LIV-Intrigue-SX-womens-enduro-mountain-bike

Other spec includes Giant’s AM-2 27.5″ wheels and Schwalbe Rock Razor and Hans Dampf tires, SRAM Guide Guide brakes and Giant cockpit with Contact Switch dropper post.

2016 Giant LIV Intrigue Enduro and Lust Carbon womens full suspension mountain bikes

The carbon Lust Advanced 1, now available in Deutschland. It’s a 100mm travel 27.5″ bike.

2016-Giant-LIV-womens-foam-mtb-grips01

The ladies get these squishy, grippy foam grips.

2016-Giant-LIV-Contact-SL-particle-flow-womens-mtb-saddles02

They also get new Contact SL saddles with Particle Flow. The men’s Contact saddles get three variations depending on rider physiology, flexibility and riding position…the women’s only get Forward and Upright.

2016-giant-bicycles-contact-particle-flow-saddles

The padding is upgraded to what they call Particle Flow, which essentially puts miniature particles into suspension, allowing them to better flow and form around your sit bones to spread the pressure across a wider area rather than create hot spots.

Then, depending on which version you get (Forward, Neutral or Upright), the top layer of padding changes shape and the saddles get slightly wider. Giant will provide dealers with a saddle fitting tool that, unlike most systems where you sit on a box and they measure sit bone width, actually looks like a saddle and goes on your bike while you ride a trainer. After two minutes, you hop off and the bike shop employee checks four different zones for depressions to determine which version would fit you best.

The saddles will be available in SLR trim with carbon rails, carbon composite shell and lightweight foam (claimed weight 180g, $225). The SL model gets lightweight metal rails and standard composite base (210g, $110).

2016-Giant-Contact-SL-particle-flow-saddles01

Mountain bike (above) and road (below) versions are both available.

2016-Giant-Contact-SL-road-bike-saddle-01

2016-Giant-Contact-SL-road-bike-saddle-02 2016-Giant-Contact-SL-road-bike-saddle-04

They’ll come stock on the all-new 2016 TCR Advanced SL road bike here.

2016-Giant-contact-sl-switch-dropper-post-0mm-longer-drop01

The Giant Contact SL Switch dropper post gets a new design with 0mm offset to give it a better saddle position. It also gets two taller heights, 125mm and 150mm drop, in addition to the original 100mm drop.

The internals are the same, using their flippable cartridge that lets you run the cable internally or externally.

Giant-Bicycles.com

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Jason
8 years ago

Any changes to the Giant Contact SL Switch remote?

Chip
8 years ago

The saddle looks almost identical to a Romin.

Elon Rubin
Elon Rubin
8 years ago

@Chip which is fantastic! much rather have that saddle on my TCR vs a Romin

MM
MM
8 years ago

Dropper with 0 deg offset + 150mm travel = winner winner chicken dinner. Will happily ditch my KS Lev integra to go back to the giant post.

craig
craig
8 years ago

Giant seem to be doing a great job of subtly developing LIV as a stand-alone brand

Jon p
Jon p
8 years ago

If you take off the barrel adjuster on of the black flex noodle and it on a brake noodle like for v brakes just put it on the switch it hs the same fitting as the just take the cores and ends off and switch them and you have a super clean set up. If you want I can send you photos.

TypeVertigo
8 years ago

@craig
They are. They even make Liv-branded jerseys, shorts, and gloves.

Vincent R
Vincent R
8 years ago

Where are the 29ers ?

Mac
Mac
8 years ago

@Jason:
Yes, new saddle clamp w/o setback. Option for stealth cable routing and three versions with 100, 125 and 150 mm of travel.

blueberrypi
blueberrypi
8 years ago

Installed the 150mm Giant dropper on my Trance, first ride today. Worked fantastic. Super smooth and tons of drop vs my previous dropper seatpost. Highly recommended.

Teo
Teo
8 years ago

@blueberrypi
Where did you buy from the 2016 seatpost?
Is it already available?

Darren Petty
8 years ago

Disappointed that the internals for the new dropper post have not been improved! Just sent mine back for the 2nd time as they develope too much play after a few months of use. Can move the nose of my saddle 10mm!!
Plus the bottom activation cam is made from coated mild steel & not stainless so corrodes away after a few months ! Will be getting a Reverb instead next 🙁

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