Aventon Aventure.2 Step-Through Review

Aventon has taken the electric bike market by storm with a range of quality models, including the newly updated Aventure.2. Boasting top-of-the-line integration and features, this fat-tire e-bike is made for adventure, as its name suggests. We tested this bike on a variety of surfaces, including dirt, gravel, mud, sand, and pavement, and it impressed us across the board. With a large 720Wh battery and a powerful 750W rear hub motor, this bike is not only powerful, but it also has a respectable range. Add to that predictable handling, comfortable front suspension, and 4-inch wide tires, and the Aventure is ready to go just about anywhere. Additional features like fenders, working tail lights, and a unique companion app help to take this bike's performance to the next level.

Performance Comparison

Ride Quality

The Aventure.2 has a comfortable and predictable ride quality with versatility enhanced by its front suspension and girthy, 4-inch wide tires. This bike performs well on a wide range of surfaces, from pavement to dirt roads and smooth trails. It comes in 2 frame sizes and two frame styles, so you can be sure to fit the bike to your preferences.

With features like a lockable 80mm travel suspension fork and 4-inch wide knobby tires, it's clear that Aventon intended the Aventure.2 to be a versatile adventure-ready e-bike. It is by no means a proper electric mountain bike for use on technical trails, but it performs well on a wide range of surfaces, from paved and gravel roads to smooth trails, sand, and probably even light snow. The suspension fork helps to smooth over bumps, roots, and small rocks, while the large tires provide additional dampening and traction on soft or loose surfaces. The bike feels stable at speed; even when brought up to its top pedal-assisted speed of 28 mph or coasting down steeper hills, it handles well. Despite this bike's size and weight, the shorter wheelbase gives it maneuverability and a relatively short turning radius at slow speeds. Due to the width and profile of the tires it can feel a little resistant to leaning into longer radius turns, but it doesn't take long to get used to it.

The Step-Through version of the Aventure.2 we tested has a 400 lb rider weight limit and a low-slung frame that makes getting on and off the bike quite easy. This bike also comes in a traditional step-over frame style. The Step-Through comes in two frame sizes: S/M (tested) for riders between 4'11" and 5'7" and M/L for riders between 5'8" and 6'2". This means most riders should be able to match a frame size to their height for a more refined fit than the one size fits most approach of most other brands. Our test bike had a fair range of seatpost adjustment, while the stem and handlebar have a somewhat limited range of adjustability. The seated pedaling position is upright and comfortable, with an ergonomic-shaped saddle and riser handlebar.

The Aventure.2 comes with a quality build that enhances its ride quality. Importantly, it comes with powerful hydraulic disc brakes squeezing 180mm rotors that have no problem controlling the speed of this heavyweight. The 8-speed Shimano Altus drivetrain performed flawlessly for us during testing with accurate shifting and sufficient gear range. It also comes with front and rear fenders to keep you dry when riding in inclement weather or splashing through puddles or small creeks. The fenders are metal, so they can be a bit noisy riding in loose conditions, but overall, they are quite useful. A bright headlight and integrated rear lights that function as a brake light and turn signals are also included to enhance your visibility when riding in low-light conditions. The Aventure includes a rear cargo rack with a 55lb weight limit, and it has mounts for a front cargo rack, which Aventon sells separately.

Our biggest gripe with the Aventure.2 is its weight. At almost 76 lbs, this bike is on the heavy side, so transporting it can be challenging. It's too heavy to carry on most bike racks, and moving it up or down a flight of stairs or into the back of a truck isn't easy. This bike is best suited for ground floor storage and being ridden from where it's stored. When riding the bike, its weight is masked by the motors power; propelling the bike without power isn't very enjoyable. Another complaint we have is with the sound of the freehub body; the tic-tic-tic you hear while coasting is incredibly loud on this bike. Whatever motor noise this bike makes doesn't compete with the freehub sound.

Range

With a large 720Wh battery, we expected the Aventure.2 also to be capable of significant range. However, the large and comfortable tires affect the power consumption and range quite a bit. In our range test, we were able to ride 28.1 miles with 1,325 feet of elevation gain/loss in a time of 1 hour and 58 minutes. It's a few miles shy of the distance traveled by the top performers in this metric, most of which have similar or smaller battery storage capacities. That said, 28.1 miles is a respectable distance to travel on one charge without pedaling. Aventon claims a range of 60 miles with a rider using pedal assist, which seems plausible.

It is worth noting that the Aventure is quite heavy, weighing in at 75 lbs 9 oz, and this weight is definitely a factor that we believe could result in a reduction of its range. Likewise, the 4-inch wide knobby tires certainly create a bit more drag than narrower, smoother tires, further reducing their rolling efficiency. The Aventure's 750W motor is quite potent and likely uses battery power a little more quickly than less powerful motors. All that said, the range for this bike is still pretty impressive.

Power

With a robust 750W motor (1,130W peak), the Aventure.2 is amongst the most powerful motors we've tested. When using the throttle, it accelerates very quickly and has no problem reaching and maintaining its top speed of 20 mph, even up gradual hills. The 4 levels of pedal assist provide a great range of output and speed, and this bike is capable of pedal assist speeds up to 28 mph.

While performing our standardized range test using the throttle only, it quickly became apparent just how powerful the Aventure.2 was. From the first press of the throttle, the powerful motor made an impression and continued to impress for the duration of our test period. 750W refers to the nominal power of this motor, a baseline that the motor can perform for a sustained amount of time without damaging itself. The motor has a peak wattage number that is higher than its nominal rating and tells us how much power it can generate for a short time. In this case, it's 1130W, which is enough power to easily propel you up the steepest of grades.

Simply press the throttle with your thumb, and the Aventure springs to life, quickly accelerating up to its top throttle speed of 20 mph. It has no problem starting from a complete stop. In our acceleration test, the Aventure hit 20 mph in 7.8 seconds with no assistance from our legs. We were quite impressed by its ability to accelerate and hold speed while going up the gradual hills of our range test course, where most other bikes began to slow and bog down. In our uphill acceleration test, the Aventure shot up to 18.8 mph, only slowing to 15.1 mph in the steepest part of our course.

The Aventure.2 ships in its Class 2 mode; switching it to Class 3 requires downloading the Aventon App and bumping up the top speed up to 28 mph. It has four levels of pedal assist that provide support based on a torque sensor, as well as 0 or Off setting. Similar to using the throttle, the 750W motor feels very powerful when using pedal assist, and this bike has absolutely no problem getting up to and maintaining its top speed of 28 mph in level 4. Since it uses a torque sensor, the bike reacts quickly to rider input. This is a vastly superior system to the cadence sensor the outgoing model had; the bike seems to intuitively add power when you need it. The throttle can also easily be removed from this bike, and it can be operated as a Class 1 e-bike.

User Interface

Aventon pulled out all the stops with the user interface on the Aventure.2. With a backlit, color LCD screen, intuitive controls, and a companion app, this is one of the best displays we've tested. The color display is centered above the stem, where it is easy to view while riding. Turning the bike on requires pushing a button on the battery and then holding the power button on the remote for a few seconds.

The 2.25" x 1.75" color display comes to life with tall, crisp numbers and letters on a black background with bright white numbers and blue graphics. The display shows you everything you need to know about your ride at a glance, including state of charge, current speed, pedal assist level, and “ride data.” The battery indicator sits near the top of the screen as a small battery graphic with five blue bars, each representing 20% of the battery charge accompanied by a numerical percentage. The real-time speed indicator is in the center of the screen, with large numbers displayed in your chosen units (imperial or metric). The pedal assist level is in the bottom left corner of the screen. The remainder of the bottom of the screen is the ride data field that shows trip distance and odometer as the default and can be toggled through various other data, including average and max speed, trip time and calories burned, and even the number of trees saved. The display also has a USB port to charge your phone or other devices off the bike's battery, a handy feature for users who wish to run an app while riding.

The controls of the Aventure.2 consist of a remote unit with five buttons and a thumb throttle situated next to the left grip on the handlebar. The throttle is engaged by pressing and holding the thumb paddle in any of the four pedal-assist levels. There are a total of five buttons on the remote, and their use is relatively intuitive. A small button on the side of the downtube/battery needs to be pressed first, but then the remote's central power button turns the bike's power on or off. The + and - buttons are used to shift up and down through the bike's four pedal assist levels. Pressing and holding the - button while the bike is on engages the bike's walk assist mode, which allows the bike to power itself at a walking pace. Pressing and holding the + button turns the headlight on or off and adjusts the brightness of the screen. The left and right buttons activate (and cancel) the turn signals located on the backs of the seat stays. A short press of the power button scrolls through the bike's data fields. One thing that sets the Aventure.2 apart from other e-bikes we've tested is the Aventon App. The App is free to download to your smartphone, and when paired with your bike, it allows you to access a number of cool features. You can track and record your rides, share pictures and adventures with other Aventon owners, configure your settings, and much more.

The 720Wh battery is cleanly integrated into the downtube of the bike's frame. The key is used to lock and unlock it and can easily be removed for security or charging off the bike. A relatively standard charging cable plugs into the battery's charging port, which is covered by a large rubber cover, giving it IPX4 water resistance and keeping dust and debris out. Aventon claims a charging time of 4-5 hours.

Ease of Assembly

Aventon has their packaging and delivery of bikes dialed, and the Aventure arrived mostly assembled with only a few easy steps remaining to complete the job. Due to this bike's weight and the size of the box that it comes in, we recommend a second set of hands to assist with moving it around and removing it from the box. Otherwise, the assembly can easily be completed by one person; Aventon has helpful assembly videos for those wanting some guidance.

Once the bike is removed from the box and its protective packing materials, the remaining assembly is easily completed with the included tools and detailed instructions that can be found on the Aventon website. The primary steps remaining include attaching the stem and handlebar, the front wheel, the seat/seatpost, and the pedals. Once those simple steps are completed, the Aventure is ready to ride. In total, it took around 40 minutes, including unboxing, to get this bike rolling.

Should You Buy the Aventon Aventure.2 Step-Through?

Looking for an electric bike that won't limit you to just paved paths? The Aventon Aventure.2, with its fat tires, front suspension, and robust motor, could be your ticket to freedom. We loved just about everything about this bike, especially the comfort provided by the tires; they're comfortable, they add traction, and the powerful motor ensures that you won't be pushing their mass all by yourself. Perhaps most importantly, this bike is enjoyable to ride; it elicits smiles constantly. Quality components create few distractions from the pleasure of riding.

The 750W motor produces an impressive amount of torque, and its 720Wh battery gives it a respectable distance range. The Aventon companion app and a quality interface make it easy to control the bike, adjust settings, and record your rides. A super sleek design with excellent battery integration completes a bike that performs well and looks good. Our only reservations in recommending this bike would be its size and weight; transporting it requires some consideration.

What Other E-Bikes Should You Consider?

This is a great adventure-ready e-bike, and fat-tire bikes like this one are gaining popularity. If you'd like to compare to something similar, the Blix Ultra has a similar design approach with a slightly longer wheelbase, giving the bike a relaxed feel and an even larger footprint. You might also consider the Ride1Up Rift; with its larger battery, greater range, and excellent rack; it's compelling but heavy. If you like the relaxed disposition of this bike but don't need sand-capable tires, we recommend the Ride1Up Cafe Cruiser, especially for those who want to kick back and cruise. If you need a city bike for a hillier metropolitan area, you'll want to check out something with a bit more power, like the Ride1Up 700-Series, which is a GearLab favorite.