Liv Devote Advanced Pro review: ace gravel bike specifically for women

The Liv Devote Advanced Pro review in a sentence: if you're a woman, this is the one bike to rule them all when it comes to versatility and adventure. 

Released into the wild in 2020, the Liv Devote is a women-specific gravel bike from Liv Cycling. Designed for women, using data only from women including Liv’s extensive line-up of pro cyclists and ambassadors, and created with Liv’s team women engineers, this is one incredibly well designed ride. 

It’s got all the features and cutting edge tech you’d expect from a top-notch gravel bike (no stinting on parts or ‘pink tax’ here) and a few additional elements that make it particularly suitable for smaller riders, including smaller frame sizes and a shorter reach on the brakes for better control and comfort. 

Designed for adventure and versatility, the Devote is at home on and off road, and has all the attachment points you could want to load it up with luggage. The ride position is upright and comfortable yet offers all the control you could want, and feels Liv aren’t lying when they describe it as the ‘ultimate adventure bike’ - it makes you want to explore more, ride further, check out that interesting rocky road or muddy lane, and you know you’ll have a blast while doing it too. 

The Liv Devote Advanced Pro is the range topper, and is built for riders who like variety in their ride as it feels at home on gravel, tarmac and forest single track. It's one of the best gravel bikes around, so let's take it for a spin…

Liv Devote Advanced Pro: price and availability

In the UK, this gravel bike can be bought direct from Liv for £4,999. We've reviewed the top-of-the-range model here (natch), but cheaper Livs of similar quality are available, if you don't mind losing a few features here and there. 

In the USA it's $6,150 and in Australia, AU$6,699.

Liv Devote Advanced Pro women’s gravel bike: frame and spec

This model of the Liv Devote is built around an Advanced Grade carbon composite frame; lower tier models have a slightly more budget carbon, but the same frame geometry. The carbon frame is fitted with a wireless SRAM eTap AXS groupset, carbon wheels, carbon seatpost and handlebars, and chunky 40c slick tyres.

A very chunky downtube and bottom bracket area adds stiffness to the drivetrain area which means an efficient transfer of power from pedal-stroke to bike without losing energy through unnecessary flex. However flex in certain parts of the frame is needed for comfort, so while that area is chunky and stiff, a more compliant structure is used in the seatstay and seat tube. This helps isolate the rider from the lumps and bumps that tend to come with gravel ride to help make the experience more comfortable.

The bike comes with Giant’s new CXR-2 carbon wheelset which has been designed for gravel use. They feature a hookless rim which, Liv claims, is easier to service and more durable as well as lighter than rims with a hooked design. And if you’re wondering, Liv and Giant are sibling brands, which is why you’ll see some Giant components on Liv bikes.

Another great feature of the CXR-R wheels is the wide 25mm inner rim width and 31mm outer rim width which means you can fit very chunky tyres, and the room in the frame further supports this. Maxxis Velocita EXO 700x40c tyres with a tubeless set-up come as standard on the bike, though you may wish to swap these for something with a bit more tread if you’re going to be riding in muddy conditions and you can fit up to a 700x45c, or 650bx50c if want something with really serious traction.

On the frame itself are pretty much all the attachment points and lugs you could want for attaching racks, bags, mudguards and bottle cages, and cables are routed internally with bashguards on the downtube and chainstay to keep the frame protected.

The cockpit combines comfort and control with a Giant Contact SLR XR D-Fuse handlebar with a slight flare and shallow drop which is, again, designed specifically for gravel riding and cyclocross. It’s designed with a degree of flex to help absorb vibrations from rough ground, and is complemented by Liv All Conditions handlebar tape which is cushioned.

SRAM eTap AXS is a wireless groupset, and it’s not only super-easy to set up and maintain, with a handy app that takes you through the whole process, but also offers smooth, easy shifting that’s really intuitive to use. Wireless shifting means no cables and therefore a lower bike weight, though you do need to remember to charge the batteries. However one full charge has lasted me several hundred miles of riding so it’s not something you’ll need to do every week.

Gear-wise, 30/43t double chainring plus 10-36t cassette offers plenty of low gears that make spinning up long steep climbs a doddle, but still also meant I had enough gears at the high end to put down some speed on the road. The AXS hydraulic disc brakes also don’t compromise on power and control.

A bit more comfort and compliance is built in in the form of the D-Fuse seatpost, plus a seat tube and integrated seat collar design that allows it all to flex along the whole length and damp those gravel vibrations. The Devote is also compatible with a 30.9 dropper seatpost if you wanted to make it really off-road ready.

Liv Devote Advanced Pro: performance

On- or off-road, the Liv Devote is an absolute pleasure to ride. It combines a feeling of efficient power transfer with bump-absorbing plushness courtesy of that carbon frame design and those chunky tyres which means once you’ve got it up to speed, it flies smoothly over the top of gravel paths without shaking your hands and shoulders to bits.

The long wheelbase and wide handlebars place you in a position that feels upright and comfortable enough for long journeys but allow you to get into a stable position for technical descents and singletrack. It’s sure-footed enough to make you want to push its limits and yours, experiment, try new routes and go down that interesting gravel path you’ve always wondered about.

The fact that you can load it up with luggage makes it multi-day adventures, bikepacking or touring a doddle, and there’s enough clearance to add mudguards or tyres with a chunkier fit for wet-weather and winter riding.

Controlling your speed on descents, even when heavily loaded with luggage, is easy with powerful hydraulic disc brakes that offer smooth, subtle performance.

Liv Devote Advanced Pro: verdict

Capable, confident and fun, Liv Devote Advanced Pro is great on and off road. It feels incredibly comfortable and efficient, and is ready to load up with bags and head to the horizon. If you’re a female rider who loves to explore, can’t resist the lure of an interesting gravel path and is looking for one bike that can handle nearly everything you throw at it, whether that’s gravel, tarmac, mud or grass, then the Liv Devote is the bike for you. It also offers great value for money at this price point.