Is it time for 2020 bikes already? Liv Cycling is looking ahead, as they’ve just announced 2020 models of their women’s-specific Avail Advanced endurance road bikes. Hitting the market this summer, the newest Avail Advanced bikes are designed to be comfortable, well-rounded pavement pounders aimed at long distance riders.
Giant is also now introducing 2020 models, starting with their endurance road Defy Advanced bikes. Basically the men’s equivalent to the Avails, their geometry and frame compliance lean toward rider comfort. Build specs are different for the men’s and women’s bikes, but they do share some key updates and components.
Liv fine-tuned the newest Avails to be comfortable and easy handling bikes for all-day rides, but without excluding key performance factors. The new models use Giant/Liv’s various technologies to produce frames that are lightweight yet responsive on climbs, and offer solid control on descents.
Liv followed their 3F (Fit, Form and Function) design philosophy when revising the new Avail Advanced bikes. As Liv’s product development advanced engineer Sophia Shih describes;
“The Liv 3F Design process includes thousands of data points about women’s anatomy, sizing variations, and muscle energy and outputs.”
To answer to the question ‘What makes it women’s specific?’ Liv’s frames actually use a different carbon layup, which was engineered to optimize power transfer specifically from female riders. As you might assume, Liv’s geo is indeed different from Giant’s men’s bikes. Comparing the same frame sizes, the women’s bikes have slightly shorter top tubes and a lower standover height. The Liv bikes also come with narrower handlebars and shorter stems.
The Avail Advanced bikes are all made from Advanced-Grade Composite, and take advantage of a few of Giant/Liv’s core frame building technologies. First off, the frames follow Giant’s CompactRoad construction, which optimizes weight, stiffness and ride quality. They also feature PowerCore bottom brackets to ensure stability and pedalling efficiency.
To further ensure rider comfort, the new Avail Advanced bikes offer clearance for wider tires (32c comes stock) and they’re set up with D-Fuse SL composite seatposts to help reduce road vibrations.
Other frame features include internal cable routing, an integrated seatpost clamp, and disc brake compatibility. The frames can also carry Giant’s Ride Sense sensor, which bolts onto the frame and transmits speed and cadence data to any ANT+ or Bluetooth device.
2020 Liv Cycling Avail Advanced:
At the top of the heap is the Avail Advanced Pro Force. This model includes an OverDrive 2 full-composite fork, and features SRAM’s Force etap AXS electronic drivetrain and crankset. The Avail Advanced Pro Force sells for $5500, and comes in Charcoal.
The Avail Advanced Pro 2 rides on the same frame and OverDrive 2 fork as the Force model, but sticks to mechanical shifting with an Ultegra groupset. The Avail Advanced Pro 2 sells for $3700 in Chameleon Blue.
The Avail Advanced 1 (pictured above), 2 and 3 provide a few entry to mid-spec models for recreational or price conscious riders. These models still offer full-composite Overdrive 1 forks and vibration reducing D-Fuse composite seatposts. The various models come equipped with Shimano’s Ultegra, 105 or Tiagra components, and their prices range from $1950-$2820. Each model gets its own color, with the Advanced 1 available in Pearl White, the Advanced 2 in Chameleon Plum/Black, and the Advanced 3 in Metallic Red.
Liv Cycling’s 2020 Avail Advanced bikes are available worldwide as of this summer. Now let’s see what Giant has coming on the men’s side…
2020 Giant Bicycles Defy Advanced:
In many of the same ways as the Liv’s, Giant Bicycles‘ Defy Advanced endurance road bikes have been updated for 2020. Their Advanced-Grade Composite frames offer clearance for 32c tires, and come with Giant’s D-Fuse composite seatposts. The top Defy model also comes stock with a composite Contact SLR D-Fuse handlebar, and they all ride on tubeless tires.
The highest-spec Defy Advanced Pro O RED’s frame and OverDrive 2 fork are made entirely from Giant’s Advanced-Grade Composite. This model features SRAM’s RED etap AXS drivetrain and a RED D1 DUB crankset. The cranks come with a Quark DZero power meter installed, and the frame comes with the RideSense sensor so you can log your ride metrics on any ANT+ or Bluetooth device. Color options include Matte Gunmetal Black, Gloss Black and Gloss Blue. The Defy Advanced Pro O RED retails for $7500.
In the entry and mid-range class, the Defy Advanced 1 (pictured above) and 2 both offer composite frames, and full-composite OverDrive forks. The Advanced 1 model runs a Shimano Ultegra drivetrain, while the Advanced 2 uses 105 components. The Defy Advanced 1 comes in either Wine Purple or Charcoal/Pure Red, and the Advanced 2 is offered in Gunmetal Black or Metallic Orange/White. The Defy Advanced 1’s MSRP is $2820, and the 2 model sells for $2350.
