Aero bike design is the relentless pursuit of speed through measured improvements—how many grams can we shave, how much drag can we reduce, how much can we improve the stiffness-to-weight ratio? But at Liv, there’s something else we want to know: how does it feel? That’s why we tested the new EnviLiv in the wind tunnel and on the road with Liv Racing Collective pro triathlete Lisa Tertsch. We put women first, from start to finish line.
Liv: What types of triathlon are your main areas of focus?
Lisa: I mainly focus on the Sprint and Olympic distance races on the World Triathlon Circuit, so mainly drafting races between one and two hours of duration.
Liv: Why is the EnviLiv your top choice for your discipline?
Lisa: The EnviLiv is my top choice because it allows me to tackle all varieties of courses – from the flat and fast to the more technical with hills and/or corners.
Liv: What races have you competed in aboard the previous generation EnviLiv? What courses was the bike well-suited for?
Lisa: The previous generation bike was more suited for the flat and fast courses. It was ideal for some of the World Cup and World Championship triathlons.
Lisa Tertsch racing the previous generation EnviLiv.
Liv: When asked to help with the testing of the all-new EnviLiv, what were some aspects of the bike you were hoping to see improvement in? What were you hoping would stay the same?
Lisa: I was hoping to see some improvement in the weight while keeping the stiffness the same, which is a hard balance to strike.
Liv: What was the experience like testing the prototype EnviLiv in the wind tunnel?
Lisa: It was incredible and the first time I got to have this experience. I have heard about fellow athletes being in the wind tunnel before, but mainly long distance athletes, not from the shorter distances that I race in. The experience was so valuable to me because I got to see how my race bike gets developed and how much care and attention to detail goes into designing a new bike model.
Liv: What type of information was gathered from your session in the wind tunnel?
Lisa: The goal of the wind tunnel was for the team to make sure the EnviLiv prototype was hitting the target numbers. We also looked at how the aerodynamics changed with different positions on the bike using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
Liv: While testing the prototype EnviLiv on the road, what were you looking for in the performance of the bike?
Lisa: I was looking at how the bike performs in different conditions and I noticed a very positive difference in the handling of the bike, especially on descents and corners. Also the way the new cable routing is done makes it much easier to take apart and reassemble for traveling. Technical courses are prevalent in the races I do, so for me it is really important that I feel at one with the bike and can trust it no matter what the race throws at me.
Lisa Tertsch testing the new EnviLiv prototype on the road.
Liv: Now that you have the final version of the all-new EnviLiv, what are your thoughts on the bike?
Lisa: I think it is a great bike for all types of conditions, no matter if I want to go really fast on a flat ride or for a hilly and technical ride. It is my favorite bike that I have ridden so far.
Liv: What are your goals for the 2023 season aboard the EnviLiv?
Lisa: My main goal for this summer is to qualify for the Olympics in Paris. I also want to get some more international podiums at the World Cup and World Triathlon Championship Series and show consistent top-level performances.
Liv: Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience testing the EnviLiv and/or the final product?
Lisa: I am grateful that I got the opportunity to be involved in the testing and development of the new EnviLiv and I cannot wait to test the final product in races.
