The weather keeps toying with us giving hints of full-on springtime. It has us excited for the snow-levels to rise and the trails starting to dry out. If you’re also looking forward to the start of mountain bike season, but are still trying to navigate the field of potential new bikes we thought we’d do a little head to head comparison on the Liv Embolden 1 vs 2.
No doubt you’ve seen several companies offering very similar bikes with slightly different parts-builds, and perhaps wondered what the price difference actually buys you. In this case the Liv Embolden 1 has an MSRP of $2300, and the Embolden 2 is $1850. Both bikes feature the same frame and geometry, so what makes up the difference? Let’s break it down.
Starting with the Embolden 1 you get Liv’s ALUXX-Grade Aluminum frame designed around 130mm of front suspension travel and 120mm for rear, and a playful and capable 27.5″ wheelsize.
The front fork is a RockShox Recon RL, and the rear shock is a RockShox Monarch R. A solid duo for customizing your ride feel with both compression and rebound adjustment.
The drivetrain is equipped with SRAM Eagle SX shifter, derailleur, cranks, and chain, and has a SRAM Eagle NX 12-speed cassette providing a wide gear-range and crisp shifting.
One of the nicer add-ons for the Embolden 1 (and accounting for some of the price difference) is a dropper seatpost. This one is made by Giant and is their “Contact Switch” model. For the new rider a dropper post might have a slight learning curve to get used to but offers the flexibility of lowering your saddle and getting it out of the way for descents, and with the push of a button returning it to full ride height for the climbs.
Lastly it’s worth pointing out the Embolden 1’s tires with a Maxxis Recon 2.6″ tire up front, and a Maxxis Ardent Race 2.6″ in the rear. Both are tubeless-ready! And the bike features Shimano MT420 hydraulic 4-piston brakes to slow it all down.
Switching over to the Liv Embolden 2 we can see the same ALUXX-grade aluminum frame, clad in a different color, with the same geometry and travel. Liv swaps out the Rockshox suspension for a Giant Crest fork and a Suntour Raidon R shock offering the similar adjustability and performance, but at a lower price-point.
The Embolden 2’s drivetrain has a Shimano Deore shifter and Shadow+ derailleur and a wide -range 12spd cassette. A few dollars are saved with a Praxis Cadet crankset (instead of doing a full shimano kit).
Most noteably the Embolden 2 does not come with a dropper post. Which certainly saves some dollars, and some would argue that it allows you to select your preferred dropper post when/if you choose to upgrade to one down the line.
Wheels and tires are effectively the same as the Embolden 1 (with a few minor differences) and the Embolden 2 also has Shimano hydraulic disc brakes, though a single-piston version.
OK, TL;DR folks, don’t worry, we’ve got you. Both versions of this bike great 27.5″ mountain bikes with balanced suspension, and solid drivetrains. Most of the price difference is made up in improving some creature comforts such as a dropper post, and upgraded brakes and cranks on the Embolden 1. And for those who are eager get out riding sooner the Embolden 2 is a great way to save some dollars and hit the trails, and if/when you choose to make some upgrades you can do it on your own time and pick the parts you want!
If you’d like to stop in and try out both bikes don’t hesitate to give us a call to set up a test ride. Inventory of some sizes may vary (as with everything these days), so we’d love to make sure we have them on-hand and ready for you to ride.