A closer look at Linda Indergand's Liv Pique with the intelligent Fox Live Valve system

Switzerland's Linda Indergand has been one of the big surprises of the start of the World Cup season. After some years in which her results were modest, Linda signed for the Liv Factory Racing team in 2021 and started with a second place in the short track of Albstadt that almost ended in victory. Her bike, a Liv Pique Advanced Pro is one of the most advanced on the grid thanks to the Fox Live Valve electronic and intelligent suspension system and we were lucky enough to see it up close, how much do you think it weighs?

Linda Indergand's Liv Pique Advanced Pro with the Fox Live Valve system in detail

Liv is a brand parallel to Giant that has the honour of being the first one dedicated exclusively to developing bicycles for women. It offers both road and mountain models specifically designed for women's physiognomy and musculature. But in its XC line, the jewel in the crown is the Liv Pique Advanced Pro, a full-suspension MTB featuring Giant's own Maestro system. One of the most highly rated full-suspension systems on the market since it first saw the light of day 15 years ago. It has now been completely revitalised with the advanced Fox Live Valve electronic suspension system.

 

The Fox Live Valve is undoubtedly a milestone in mountain biking, and electronic suspensions will be the big players in the market in the coming years. That's why we wanted to stop at Linda Indergand's Liv Pique Advanced Pro, one of the few World Cup bikes to integrate the system.

 

To summarise what this complex system does, the Fox Live Valve consists of a control unit and two sensors that are installed in the fork and at the end of the left chainstay. Wires run from the control unit that automatically manage the opening and locking of both the suspension and rear shock, and with the information from the two sensors plus that of an accelerometer built into the control unit, the system detects and acts in real time.

In other words, if we are riding on "flat" terrain and we step on a root with the front wheel, the Fox Live Valve will open the fork when we pass over it and close it again as soon as we have passed it. It will do the same for the shock independently. This is the most evolved system on the market and is of course much faster and more precise than manual ride control.

 

The complete Fox Live Valve system weighs around 270g, which does not represent an increase in weight of around 100g compared to the same bike without this system, as you have to subtract the weight of the locks and other components that are not needed with the Live Valve.

 

From the control unit you can select 5 modes in which the Live Valve works. These are based on the speed of response, with 5 being the quickest to react to an obstacle, closing or opening the suspensions instantaneously (we are talking milliseconds), and 1 being the smoothest. Liv Factory Racing told us that Linda initially opted for the faster modes, but as the kilometres went by she chose the softer ones. In Nove Mesto Linda Indergand competed with Fox Live Valve mode 2 activated.

The reaction time setting for each mode is programmed by Fox and cannot be changed at the moment, not even in an official team like this one, but it is expected that in future versions it will be possible to reprogram it. We are approaching a suspension setting that has nothing to envy to that of sports such as motorcycling or motor racing.