If you yearn to bike past paved roads, trip quick, and really feel the wind in your face, the aptly named Aventure Ebike from Aventon is perhaps your ideally suited companion. The $1,999 Aventure is an all-weather fat-tire e-bike with 5 pedal help ranges and an on-demand throttle for fast getaways at as much as 28mph. Its highly effective 750W rear hub electrical motor has a spread of as much as 45 miles, whereas its suspension and fenders make it nicely suited to rides on the seaside or trails. A built-in show consists of Bluetooth connectivity and may maintain your telephone charged, whereas a companion app tracks your rides and allows you to customise bike settings. The Aventure is a robust bike, and also you positively must train warning when utilizing it, but it surely makes for a really enjoyable trip.
Aventon’s Most Versatile E-Bike
Based in Ontario, Canada, Aventon makes a number of various kinds of e-bikes, together with cruisers, commuters, foldables, and fat-tire fashions. The full-sized Aventure is the corporate’s costliest mannequin to this point, but additionally probably the most versatile; it is designed to deal with any terrain, together with metropolis streets, climbing trails, mud, gravel, snow, and sand.
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The firm affords the Aventure in conventional and step-through body choices, in three sizes to accommodate riders between round 5’1” to six’4”, and 4 colours (black, inexperienced, pink, or sand). Step-through frames are simpler to get on and off, in addition to higher for driving whereas carrying a skirt. Traditional step-over frames are extra sturdy and safer for off-roading, one of many major makes use of of the Aventure.
(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)
For this assessment, Aventon despatched me the sand-colored mannequin with a standard body within the small dimension (I’m 5’6”). The firm additionally despatched me entrance and rear racks, which it sells for $39.99 and $49.99, respectively.
At a weight of 73 kilos and with 26-by-4-inch entrance and rear fats tires (HW), the Aventure is a beast of an e-bike. It encompasses a backlit coloration LCD (Aventon would not specify the decision, but it surely seems sharp) that reveals your pace, battery cost, energy help degree (0 to five), distance traveled, and different metrics as you trip. It additionally syncs your mileage and different metrics to the Aventon app (obtainable for Android and iOS), and gives a typical USB-A port so as to cost your telephone when you trip.
The Aventure ships as a Class 2 e-bike with a 750W (sustained) brushless rear hub motor with 5 pedal help ranges. The throttle is able to propelling the bike at as much as 20mph even once you’re not pedaling. With pedal help, the motor solely engages when the pedals are turning. When you maintain down the throttle on the left handlebar, the motor engages and the bike takes off, whether or not you are pedaling or not (extra on this in a bit).
Changing the bike’s pace restrict within the Aventon app
In the Aventon app, you’ll be able to improve the bike’s pace restrict to 28mph with pedal help, successfully turning it right into a Class 3 e-bike. With the pace restrict turned all the best way up, the throttle nonetheless maxes out at 20mph.
Alternatively, if you wish to trip it in an space that prohibits throttles, you’ll be able to unplug and take away it; in that case, the Aventure operates as a Class 1 pedal-assist-only e-bike. Class 3 e-bikes are restricted from sure bike trails and paths, so take note of the foundations and laws the place you trip. Aventon has a useful article on the variations between Class 1, 2, and three e-bikes on its website if you wish to study extra.
The bike encompasses a detachable 48V, 720Wh lithium-ion battery that gives a median vary of 45 miles per cost. The battery sits contained in the body, and you’ll take away it with a key for safety or charging indoors.
Your vary will range relying on the surface temperature; your weight; the wind pace; highway and terrain circumstances; the pedal help degree; and your use of the throttle. On pedal help degree 1, Aventon says the bike affords round 53 miles of vary. On degree 5, it will possibly go round 19 miles. On throttle alone, it ought to final round 27 miles. Aventon calculated these estimates utilizing a rider weight of 180 kilos on 80% flat terrain.
You should not expertise a lot vary anxiousness on the Aventure, however in the event you’re going for distance, it isn’t your greatest guess. For comparability, the $2,198 VanMoof X3, a Class 1 pedal-assist-only e-bike meant completely for metropolis driving, delivers as much as 93 miles of vary on a cost.
(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)
As for different specs and options, the Aventure has a large, snug seat and an aluminum alloy body that helps riders as much as 300 kilos. Levers on the left and proper handlebars allow you to management its entrance and rear hydraulic disc brakes, respectively. The brake levers are simple to have interaction, even with a single finger. Its entrance suspension fork affords 80mm of journey to soak up bumps on tough terrain. For security, it has built-in fenders in addition to built-in entrance and back lights which you could management through the show or app. The Aventure has an IPX4 water-resistance score, which implies it is effective to trip and park within the rain.
Assembling the Aventure
The Aventure arrives solely partially assembled however neatly packaged in a big field. Any storage racks you order arrive in separate containers.
In the field with the Aventure, you get two keys for eradicating the battery, a 48V 3-amp quick charger, a consumer handbook, and all of the instruments wanted to complete assembling the bike. You might wish to use your personal 15mm ratchet, as a result of the one Aventon gives would not really feel too strong.
(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)
The meeting course of includes putting in the handlebar, entrance wheel, entrance fender, pedals, and seat. Aventon affords detailed directions within the bike’s consumer handbook and in a step-by-step meeting video on YouTube.
After watching the YouTube meeting video, a useful good friend of mine put the bike collectively on his personal, with out wanting on the handbook, however sustained a minor lower within the course of as a consequence of Aventon’s subpar instruments. From begin to end, the meeting course of took an hour and 40 minutes.
I’m not very useful, and doubt I’d have the ability to assemble the bike by myself. For an additional charge, certainly one of Aventon’s sellers or a cell service supplier comparable to Velo Fix can assemble the bike for you.
(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)
The Aventure would not include an air pump, so it’s possible you’ll must buy one. Aventon recommends that you simply use a pump with a Schrader valve and strain gauge to inflate every tire between 5 and 30psi.
After placing the Aventure collectively, the one remaining steps have been to inflate the tires and modify the seat top. I used to be keen to check it instantly, and, thankfully, its battery arrived partially charged. I learn the consumer handbook entrance to again the evening earlier than, so I felt snug powering it up and taking it for a check trip.
At the chance of stating the plain, the Aventure is not a toy. Taking the time to learn the consumer handbook is of the utmost significance. Pay particular consideration to the protection warnings and battery directions to keep away from harm and pointless put on to the charging parts.
Easy to Operate
Powering the bike on requires just a few steps: slide the battery into the bike and push it into place, press the ability button on the battery twice till it turns blue, and maintain down the ability button on the left handlebar for 3 seconds to activate the show.
In addition to the ability button, the show controller on the left handlebar has plus and minus buttons to extend or lower your pedal help degree; a light-weight button to show the entrance and back lights on or off; and an info button to entry the principle menu and scroll by means of varied driving metrics. With the buttons on the handlebar, you’ll be able to swap the pedal help degree whereas the bike is in movement or stationary.
(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)
The LCD reveals your mild standing, battery cost share, pace, and energy help degree always when it is on. Tap the knowledge button to scroll by means of different knowledge, comparable to your journey distance, odometer studying, common pace, max pace, journey time, and energy burned. The display screen additionally reveals the quantity of carbon emission and the variety of timber you saved throughout that journey by driving as a substitute of driving.
To enter the principle bike settings menu, press and maintain the knowledge button. Here, you’ll be able to clear journey knowledge, set the display screen brightness, change your pace models (miles or kilometers per hour), entry system info, and join the bike to the app. According to the consumer handbook, you need to have the ability to modify the bike’s pace restrict from the principle menu of the LCD, however this feature is not obtainable on my unit. I can, nevertheless, nonetheless modify the pace restrict within the app.
In testing, I had no downside connecting the bike to the Aventon app. After you obtain the app and arrange an account, press Pair, activate the bike’s show, long-press the knowledge button, choose Connect to App, use your telephone to scan the QR code proven on the bike’s show, and eventually give your bike a nickname. When the app asks for permission to make use of Bluetooth to connect with the bike’s show, press OK to finish the pairing course of.
From that time ahead, once you activate the bike’s show, it ought to mechanically connect with the Aventon app (so long as your telephone is inside Bluetooth vary). You can test the connection standing within the high left nook of the app; it’ll say Connected in yellow or Disconnected in grey.
To mechanically document your rides, you need to pair your bike with the Aventon app. Alternatively, you’ll be able to manually observe a trip by tapping the yellow Go button on the backside of the app. At the underside, the app additionally reveals just a few different tabs: Ebike, Record, Discover, and Me.
The Aventon app
In the Ebike tab, you’ll be able to view your driving knowledge; flip the bike’s lights on or off; and entry further settings through the gear icon within the high proper nook. Tap the gear icon to regulate your bike’s LCD brightness, auto power-off time (as much as 100 minutes), pace restrict, pace models, and pedal help degree.
One small gripe: Even although I’ve my pace unit set to mph, the app reveals the pace restrict in km/h. When I press the plus and minus buttons, the app lets me modify the pace restrict from 20 to 51km/h (round 12 to 31mph).
In Record, you’ll be able to view your driving knowledge by month and see the way you stack up towards different customers on day by day, weekly, month-to-month, and all-time leaderboards. Aventon ranks the leaderboards based mostly on the gap you trip. The high rider on the time of this writing had logged greater than 250 miles in a month.
In the Discover part, you’ll be able to scroll by means of a social feed of posts from different Aventon riders and create your personal. In the Me tab, you’ll be able to view any digital medals you may have earned (Aventon awards them for 10 miles, 100 miles, and 1,000 miles, for instance), find sellers for service wants, entry Help content material, chat with Aventon’s assist representatives, change your password, and extra.
Battery Balancing and Charging
Aventon recommends absolutely charging the (massive and heavy) battery after every use so it is able to go the following time you wish to trip. It usually takes between three and 7 hours to totally cost the battery.
You can cost the battery whereas it is on or off the bike, however be sure that it is powered off (the indicator mild must be off). Aventon stresses the order of the charging course of: Plug the charger into the battery’s port earlier than plugging it into an influence outlet. When it is completed charging, unplug it from the outlet, after which take away the wire from the battery’s port.
The indicator mild shines pink whereas the battery is charging and turns inexperienced when the method is full. Aventon recommends eradicating the charger from the battery inside one hour of the inexperienced mild.
The Aventure’s battery
(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)
For house causes, I retailer the Aventure exterior on my coated patio. However, I all the time retailer and cost the battery indoors, as Aventon recommends within the consumer information.
The process for the primary thrice you cost the bike is completely different than subsequent ones, as a result of it is advisable to steadiness the battery. Aventon additionally recommends repeating the battery balancing process after a interval of long-term storage in the event you expertise a noticeable vary decline, or as much as as soon as a month as a “proactive battery maintenance” measure for frequent customers.
To steadiness the battery, Aventon says to cost it for “just under 12 hours (but never exceeding the 12-hour mark),” whatever the distance you trip or the quantity of battery that is still. For the balancing course of, it is effective to maintain every part plugged in after the indicator mild turns inexperienced. After balancing the battery, you’ll be able to return to the conventional charging process.
Familiarizing your self with the battery charging and balancing procedures takes a little bit of time, but it surely’s a part of your accountability as an e-bike proprietor—consider it like getting your automotive inspected or altering its oil. I retailer the consumer handbook close to the battery for straightforward reference.
My Experience With the Aventure
The Aventure seems slick and attracts consideration; folks all the time praise the bike when I’m out driving it. With its built-in battery, the Aventon seems sleeker than its most important opponents, the RadRover 5 and Himiway Cruiser, each of which value $1,699.
Left to proper: Aventon Aventure, VanMoof X3
(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)
The Aventure can really feel a bit jerky once you begin pedaling or faucet the throttle, however will get extra snug as you spend time driving it. That mentioned, you’ll want to brace your self for fast acceleration earlier than you begin to pedal or faucet the throttle.
In response to buyer suggestions, Aventon decreased the acceleration fee of pedal help ranges one and two to offer a smoother, extra snug trip. Models that shipped since March 22, 2021 (together with my assessment unit) incorporate these modifications, however I nonetheless really feel a little bit of a jolt when the pedal help operate kicks in.
At the identical time it modified pedal help ranges one and two for a smoother acceleration transition, Aventon made a significant change to the throttle operate. Based on consumer suggestions, the corporate eliminated a security function that prevented the throttle from activating till you pedaled not less than 1 / 4 rotation.
(Photo: Angela Moscaritolo)
As the corporate explains in a weblog submit, “While this safety feature is something we stood by, it has become clear to us through the amount of feedback we’ve received … that while this feature is appreciated, it prevents people from using the throttle in some of the ways they’d like to; for instance, the need for some assistance while starting on a steep hill since that quarter rotation may prove to be too difficult on such a steep incline or forgetting to gear down when hitting continuous stop signs.”
This means fashions shipped since March 22, 2021 function an on-demand throttle, so you’ll be able to activate the throttle from an entire cease. The firm acknowledges that “this change brings forth the possibility that you may accidentally hit the throttle switch,” by which case “your ebike will accelerate, whether you’re sitting or standing next to it, and will continue accelerating until the throttle switch is released.”
(Note that Aventon sells a retrofit show and controller bundle for $179.99 that addresses the abrupt pedal help acceleration concern and gives on-demand throttle performance for fashions bought earlier than March 22, 2021.)
One time, whereas strolling the bike in a crowded car parking zone earlier than hopping on, I both unintentionally tapped the throttle or the pedal, as a result of the bike rapidly accelerated. It was a bit scary, however I did not lose management of it. As I discussed, it takes time to grasp the Aventure, and you need to use it with the utmost warning as a result of it may be harmful. It’s much more highly effective than the VanMoof X3 I’m used to driving.
(Photo: Ali Jaber)
Safety considerations apart, the Aventure could be very enjoyable for off-roading, and I particularly take pleasure in driving it on the seaside. After I trip previous the crowded areas and hit a abandoned strip of sand, I really like switching it to pedal help degree 5 and driving quick. When set to most brightness, the LCD is straightforward to learn, even within the daylight.
Though some may declare driving an e-bike is pointless for health, it will possibly nonetheless provide you with a great exercise. As talked about, the Aventure is a heavy bike. Without the motor, I can barely pedal it. On sand, I positively cannot trip it with out the assistance of pedal help or the throttle, however on pedal help degree one or two, it nonetheless affords a great exercise—my legs have been sore for days after an extended seaside trip.
A Fun Off-Road Companion
The $1,999 Aventon Aventure is a rugged fat-tire e-bike that transitions nicely from paved highway to dust, gravel, sand, snow, or mud. With a median vary of 45 miles, a most pedal-assisted pace of 28mph, and a throttle that propels you as much as 20mph with zero effort, it will possibly take you far and get you there quick. We additionally like its app-based and onboard connectivity. The bike’s pedal help acceleration is not all the time the smoothest and the throttle requires warning, but it surely makes for a enjoyable, thrilling trip. If you want journey, the Aventure is bound to please.
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