You’re grinding up a steep, loose pitch in a low gear, and the rear tire lets go. The motor keeps pushing, the wheel spins and you stall. Giant and Liv say their newest e-mountain bikes will spot that moment and back the motor off for you.
The 2027 Giant Trance Advanced E+ and Liv Intrigue Advanced E+ share a carbon frame, a new 48-volt SyncDrive Pro 4 motor and a traction control system. Giant’s US site already lists the Trance Advanced E+ 1 at $8,000 MSRP, before tax, shipping and fees. Liv’s US page shows no model names or prices yet. Prices as of October 2026.
The bikes were laid out in BikeRadar’s launch report, which says Giant begins shipping in November.
How the traction control behaves
Sensors track pedal cadence and torque. If the rear wheel breaks loose, the system trims motor help for a moment, then returns to whatever mode you picked.
Giant says four parameters feed the logic. That lets the bike tell a real slip from ordinary trail chatter, and it only steps in when needed. The check runs on a 20 ms loop that weighs pedal torque, crank speed and how fast the rear wheel turns. A cadence spike with a torque drop reads as a spun tire. Sensitivity can’t be adjusted for now.
Newer e-bikes with Avinox motors already offer something similar, so Giant isn’t alone here. Its motor puts out 120 Nm and 850 W peak. That edges Bosch’s Performance Line CX (120 Nm, 750 W) and trails the Avinox M2S (150 Nm, 1,500 W). Giant claims 0.28-second response and full torque from zero cadence.
Where does it help? Loose, technical climbs in easy gears, where a big dose of torque meets a tire with little to bite on. On smooth dirt you’ll probably never notice it.
Trance and Intrigue side by side
| Spec | Trance Advanced E+ | Intrigue Advanced E+ |
|---|---|---|
| Motor | SyncDrive Pro 4, 120 Nm | SyncDrive Pro 4, 120 Nm |
| Main battery | 840 Wh | 560 Wh |
| With 280 Wh extender | 1,120 Wh | 840 Wh |
| Travel | 150 mm rear, 160 mm fork | 150 mm rear, 160 mm fork |
| Wheels | 29 in front, 27.5 in rear | 29 in front, 27.5 in rear |
| Claimed weight | 21.9 kg (48.3 lb) | 20.0 kg (44.1 lb) |
| US price | $8,000 (Advanced 1) | Not listed |
The Trance comes in Advanced 0, 1, SE and 2 builds. The 0 gets a Fox Factory 36 fork, Float X shock, carbon wheels and SRAM XX Eagle Transmission. The $8,000 Advanced 1 has a Fox 36 Performance fork, aluminum wheels and SRAM GX AXS Transmission, in Carbon/Tactical Grey or Dusted Peri. The SE uses Crest suspension and a TRP wireless derailleur. The 2 has a RockShox Psylo Gold RC fork and a 12-speed Deore drivetrain.
The rest of the system ties in. A wireless Ergo 5 remote handles modes, Walk Assist and a wired-in electronic dropper. Giant’s RideControl app adds an E-Lock, bike tracking and Apple Find My support.
What a US buyer can count on today
Giant’s page tells buyers to expect anything from same-day pickup to as many as 10 business days while a dealer builds the bike. It gives no ship date. I’d treat November as the earliest realistic time to ride one, and I’d call a shop before assuming a bike is on the floor.
The 280 Wh range extender bolts to the bottle-cage mounts and adds about 3.3 lb. Outside the UK and Ireland, the base Advanced 2 doesn’t include it. Ask whether it comes with the bike at the price you’re quoted.
My read
More torque means more ways to spin a tire. Traction control is the software answer, and I expect most full-power eMTBs to carry some version of it within a couple of seasons. Today it’s a feature to weigh, not a reason to buy on its own.
The $8,000 Advanced 1 sits close to the €7,999 Giant asks in Europe. That’s a carbon frame, 840 Wh and a mid-spec build, so it’s priced like a flagship-lite. Liv’s silence on US pricing is the bigger gap. Women shopping the Intrigue have nothing to budget against yet.
Giant has been in the news lately for a different reason: its SureLock bike lock recall covered LED key batteries. It’s a separate product, but a good prompt to register your bike and watch recall notices.
If I were shopping this class, here’s what I’d do:
- Ride one up something loose and steep before paying. Find out how abrupt the power cut feels, since you can’t tune it.
- Confirm the extender is in the box, and whether that price covers it.
- Ask whether software updates can change the traction behavior later.
- Keep shifting early. Liv’s own coaching says to ease off the pedals mid-shift, because a chain under load can snap.
Traction control won’t fix a wrong gear or a worn tire. With 1,120 Wh on a Trance, battery care matters too, so read our e-bike battery safety notes before you charge in the garage. And if smooth power is what you want, our guide to e-bike power control still applies. Where these bikes can legally ride is another matter, since state and city e-bike rules differ.
Still unknown: Liv’s US models and prices, a firm US delivery date, and whether sensitivity will ever be adjustable. Giant didn’t say how the system behaves in the worst conditions, such as wet roots or deep mud.
Modes, walk assist and other rider questions
What modes does a Giant e-bike have? The new E+ system offers six: Eco, Tour, Active, Sport, Power and Boost. Each can be tuned in the app. Liv lists Power, Sport, Active, Tour, Eco and an automatic Smart Assist mode.
How do I use walk mode? On these bikes, Walk Assist sits on the Ergo 5 remote. Check your owner’s manual for the exact button.
What bikes have traction control? These two, plus some newer eMTBs with Avinox motors. traction control is worth a closer look if you’re comparing systems.
Photo: Amflow PL Carbon Pro Electric Mountain Bike by TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped.
