About The Liv Avail AR 3 Aluminum 9 Speed Road Bike

The Liv Avail AR 3 is an aluminum endurance road bike designed specifically for women, built by Liv — Giant's dedicated women's cycling brand — with frame geometry, handlebar width, and component sizing optimized for a broader range of women's proportions rather than scaled-down men's specs. The ALUXX-grade aluminum frame uses a 12x142mm thru-axle and accepts tires up to 38c, giving it meaningful real-world versatility for mixed-surface riding. A carbon fork with OverDrive steerer adds compliance and reduces weight at the front end, a pairing that meaningfully improves ride quality over a full-aluminum build.

The drivetrain is Shimano Sora 9-speed with a 34/50 crankset and 11-34 cassette — a wide-range setup that makes hills genuinely accessible without requiring a compact double or sub-compact gearing workaround. Braking is handled by Tektro MD-C550 mechanical disc calipers with 160mm rotors — not hydraulic, but consistent and easy to maintain. The Liv D-Fuse seatpost is a composite design with 14mm offset that absorbs road vibration longitudinally, a feature that makes a measurable difference on longer rides. At $1,450, the Avail AR 3 is positioned as a genuine starter road bike with room to grow into.

Who It's For

  • Women entering road cycling or returning after time away from riding
  • Riders wanting a women's-specific geometry that fits without extensive modification
  • Cyclists planning endurance riding, supported centuries, or recreational group rides
  • Riders who want disc brakes and tire versatility without a large initial investment
  • Not ideal for: riders ready for carbon, those who want electronic shifting, or racers needing a performance platform

What to Look For

  • Fit sizing: Available in XS through LG; Liv publishes rider height ranges for each size — start there, then confirm with a fitting
  • Mechanical vs. hydraulic brakes: The Tektro mechanical disc brakes require periodic cable adjustment; riders wanting hydraulic should look at the Avail AR 2 or higher
  • Seatpost compliance: The D-Fuse composite seatpost is a genuine ride-quality upgrade worth keeping when spec shopping the model range

Key Features

Frame: ALUXX-grade aluminum is Giant's standard alloy specification — a butted aluminum that is lighter and more refined than basic aluminum, with 38c tire clearance and full thru-axle front and rear. The geometry is Liv's endurance road design with a taller head tube and relaxed reach compared to race-oriented bikes.

Fork: The Advanced-grade composite fork with OverDrive steerer is one of the meaningful spec upgrades at this price point. Carbon construction absorbs road buzz at the front end, and the larger-diameter OverDrive steerer improves steering precision and front-end stiffness.

Groupset: Shimano Sora is a proven 9-speed road group. Shifting is reliable and mechanical — cables require periodic attention but the system is durable and widely serviceable. The 34/50 chainring and 11-34 cassette combination covers a broad gearing range suitable for hilly terrain.

Wheels and Tires: Giant S-R2 Disc aluminum wheels with stainless spokes and 12mm thru-axles front and rear. The Giant S-R3 AC 700x32c tires provide a comfortable road feel with adequate puncture protection for recreational riding.

Rider Intent Summary

  • Biggest strengths: Women's-specific geometry, carbon fork, D-Fuse composite seatpost, and wide-range gearing at an entry price point
  • Tradeoffs: Mechanical disc brakes and 9-speed Sora are the clear spec limitations; aluminum frame limits long-term upgrade potential
  • What makes it different: The D-Fuse composite seatpost is a ride-quality detail that most aluminum bikes at this price skip — Liv includes it standard on the Avail AR 3

Victory's Take

We recommend the Avail AR 3 as a capable first road bike for women who want proper fit, disc brakes, and the ability to ride comfortably — Victory Bicycle Studio stocks multiple sizes and can dial in your fit from day one.

What you get

  • Frame - ALUXX-grade aluminum, 12x142mm thru-axle, disc
  • Fork - Advanced-grade composite, full-composite OverDrive steerer, 12x100mm, disc
  • Groupset - Shimano Cues 9 Speed Mechanical
  • Wheels - Giant S-R2 Disc Aluminum Wheelset
  • Tires - CST Sprint 700x33
Liv Avail AR 3 Aluminum 9 Speed Road Bike

Liv

Liv Avail AR 3 Aluminum 9 Speed Road Bike

Regular price $1,450.00 USD
Sale price $1,450.00 USD Regular price $1,600.00 USD

Specifications

Frameset
Frame

ALUXX-grade aluminum, 12x142mm thru-axle, disc

Fork

Advanced-grade composite, full-composite OverDrive steerer, 12x100mm, disc

Wheels
Wheelset

Giant S-R2 Disc aluminum wheelset

Hubs

Giant alloy, 12mm thru-axle

Spokes

stainless

Tires

CST Sprint, 700x33

Drivetrain and Brakes
Front Derailleur

Shimano CUES U3030F

Rear Derailleur

Shimano CUES U4020

Cassette

Shimano CS-LG300, 9-speed, 11x36

Chain

KMC X11

Crankset

Shimano FC-U6030-2, 34/50

-XXS: 165mm, XS: 165mm

-S: 170mm

-M: 170mm

-L: 172.5mm

Bottom Bracket

Shimano BB-RS501

Additional Information
Max Tire Clearance

700x38mm

*Specifications subject to change without notice

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the bike packaged and how long does delivery take?

All bikes are securely packaged to ensure that damage doesn't occur during shipping. All parts of the bike are padded and if needed, zip tied to minimize or eliminate movement inside the box. Once a bike is handed to the shipping company (usually Fedex or UPS), depending on your location, delivery will range from 1 day to 8 days. If you do choose the option for Professional Assembly or White Glove Delivery, this can add anywhere from 2 days to 5 days to the lead time.

Can I finance the purchase of my new bike?

Yes.  Simply select the Shop Pay Installments option which will allow you to buy now and pay later.  Shop Pay Installments is powered by Affirm.  If you would like to determine your spending limit, simply download the Shop app or the Affirm app on your smartphone and after you create an account on one of these apps, the app will let you know what is your spending limit.

Can I return the bike if it doesn't suit my needs?

Our return process is as follows. The customer is responsible for the return label ($150). Once the returned bike arrives at our warehouse, our team will inspect it and make sure it is in new condition and undamaged. Once we verify, we will process the return and issue a refund to the original payment method on file. To clarify the amount refunded, it would just be the amount of the bike (and tax if applicable) less the $150 shipping label that we provided, but the original shipping is not refunded. So if the original bike cost $4,500 and shipping was $150 (so you paid $4,650), you would be refunded $4,350 (the $4,500 less $150 for the return label) assuming the bike was returned in new and un-used condition and within the 30 day return period.

What does the warranty of my new bike or product cover and what is the warranty period?

Depending on the bike or any product, different companies have different warranty policies.  If you do ever have an issue with your bike or any product, simply email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we will assist with any warranty issues and clarify the warranty for the affected product.

Can I have my bike serviced at any bike shop?

Typically, to avoid any issues with your warranty, you should bring your bike to a certified mechanic or bike store for that bike (i.e. if you have a Trek bicycle, you should bring the bike to be serviced to a local bike store that is an authorized Trek dealer).  If you need assistance, simply email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we can direct you to a certified dealer of your bike.

Do you ship bikes internationally?

We unfortunately do not ship bikes outside of the 48 contiguous states of the United States. We do recommend for international customers to open (or use a current account) account with a freight forwarding company. If you use a freight forwarding company located in the U.S., make sure to put your billing address for a dedicated credit card as the same address as the freight forwarder so that you don't have any credit card or payment method issues).

Once you do this, simply place an order with us and we can ship to the U.S. address as long as the credit card doesn't get rejected. Once the freight forwarder has the box/order/shipment, you would instruct them to then ship to you in your home country and they would charge you their own shipping charge to ship to your international address.

Do you offer free shipping?

We do offer free shipping on non-bike orders over $100. We do not offer free shipping for bicycles unless it is a one time promotion. Generally, bike shipping will cost $150 and that covers just the shipping of the bike with no assembly. If you were to bring that bike to your local mechanic or bike store, you would pay them their assembly fee. If you choose our Professional Assembly option for $200, our service technicians would assemble the bike before shipping and then re-pack the bike safely for transit. When you receive the bike you would attach the front wheel, attach the seatpost/saddle, and raise the handlebars and clamp them. Those three items do have to be detached to minimize or eliminate the chance of damage in transit.

How much does shipping cost?

For orders of parts, accessories, apparel, etc. on orders under $100, shipping is a flat rate of $9.99. Regular bike shipping without assembly is $150, bike shipping with Professional Assembly is an additional $200 (so $350 in total which includes the $150 of regular shipping). Our White Glove Delivery option is $699 and that will cover the assembly of the bike and our White Glove Delivery partner delivering your dream bike to your front door, ready to ride!

How can I track my order?

When you place your online order, you will receive an instantaneous email update with your order number and order details, and shortly after, you will receive a follow up order email with the tracking number for your order.  If you still need assistance with your order, feel free to email us at online@victorybicyclestudio.com and we will respond asap.

What happens if my package arrives damaged?

If your package arrives damaged, email online@victorybicyclestudio.com with pictures of all angles of the box and pictures of the damaged product and we will work with you to either send a new replacement asap and coordinate return (or re-imburse you for labor or costs incurred to fix the issue at your local bike store).

Are pedals included with the bike?

If you do not see pedals in the bullet point product specs on the product page, the bike does not come equipped with pedals.  Many manufacturers do not spec bikes with pedals, so they are often purchased separately.

If I only pay the $150 for bike shipping, can I assemble the bike on my own?

Victory Bicycle Studio highly recommends that you bring your bike to your local certified bike store for the brand of the bike that you purchased. If you do attempt to assemble the bike and damage occurs, this may result in your warranty not being honored. For that reason, we do highly recommend to select our Professional Assembly option for $299.