2021 Aventon Aventure Review

Video Review

Written Review

Power — Bafang hub drive, 750 nominal watts

Speed  — 20 mph (32 mph unlocked)

Battery and Range — 48 volt 15 ah Samsung cells, 45 miles, 

Pedal assist sensor — Cadence sensor

Display — Color LCD

Frame and weight — 6061 Aluminum alloy, 73 pound curb weight, 300 pound carry capacity

Suspension —  Zoom Forgo, 80 mm travel

Gearing — Shimano Acera, 8 speed

Brakes — Bengal Ares 3, hydraulic disc, 180 mm rotors

Warranty — 1 year comprehensive, Lifetime frame

Price — Starting at $1,899 USD

Today we’re reviewing the Aventon Aventure. And just as the name implies, this is an adventure ready electric bike. It’s got the right geometry, and enough power, range and speed to take your further, faster and make your journey that much more enjoyable. The Aventure is a competent trail bike, but it’s also got plenty of attachment points all over the frame to turn it into a commuter with a front basket and rear rack, or even a utility e-bike that can tow a small trailer. 

The Aventure has a starting price of $1,899 and comes in three different frame sizes that can accommodate riders from 5’1” all the way up to 6’4”. It also comes in two different colors, Camouflage Green, which is the color we received for review, and Fire Black. There’s also a downloadable companion app that not only tracks and records your ride data, it also has a social feature that allows you to discover and connect with fellow Aventon riders. But hands down the coolest information the app provides is the total carbon emissions reduced and trees saved by your ride. It literally shows you in real time the positive environmental impact you are making by using an ebike instead of a car, bus or some other gas-powered transportation. Now THAT is pretty cool.

Ok let’s dive into the specs.

The Aventure has a Bafang 750 watt hub motor that can bring this bike up to a top speed of 20 mph out of the box, or around 32 mph in the unlocked configuration, which we were able to hit pretty easily during testing. Like all Bafang motors, this one is strong and has great pull right off the line and all the way up to top speed. 

You can reach the 20 mph top speed with the throttle, or the 32 mph top speed with the cadence sensing pedal assist. Like pretty much all cadence sensors, this one has some latency with motor activation and deactivation, but the good news is the Aventure’s throttle is live from 0 mph, which means you can just use that to override the cadence sensor whenever you’re at a crosswalk, or starting from a dead stop in a high gear. That’s a huge plus.

I’m also a fan of the double sided aluminum bash guard because not only does it protect the chainring teeth in the event of strike, it also helps prevent derailments by keeping that chain locked into place. And since this is being billed as an adventure bike, this was a good call. 

The battery on the Aventure is a 48 volt 15 amp hour battery with Samsung cells and a max estimated range of nearly 45 miles. The battery here is another hugely impressive feature on the Aventure, not just because of the specs, but because of how seamlessly it integrates into the frame. It’s clean.

The battery locks to the frame and is removable with the included key. It just takes a second to pop it out and a few more seconds to slide it back into place. 

The Aventure weighs in at about 73 pounds and has a max carry capacity of 300 pounds. The frame here is great as well. The geometry is ideal for trail riding and feels like it wants to be ridden aggressively. And while it’s not technically a step thru frame, that top tube does swoop down a bit, and that’ll make putting down a foot while in a corner that much easier. 

I also appreciate the fact that Aventon has bosses all over the place on the Aventure frame. The bosses on the stem will allow you attach a front basket that actually attaches to the frame. That does two things. First, it means your front basket can actually support weight, and second, it makes it easier to steer. And I guess as an added bonus it also keeps the stuff inside the basket from actually spilling out. Aventon does offer their own basket for $39.99 USD, which isn’t bad, but you can also grab an aftermarket one if you prefer. 

There’s also bosses on the rear of the frame in case you want to add a rear rack. Aventon’s rear rack runs for $49.99, but again, you could also get an aftermarket rack if you prefer.

There’s also bosses at the very rear of the Aventure, near the derailleur, and you could probably use those to attach a trailer. Oh and of course there are bottle cage bosses.

I guess that makes the Aventure, pretty boss, am I right?

Speaking of derailleurs, the Aventure has a Shimano Acera derailleur with an 8 speed cassette and trigger shifters. I mean, come on. That’s a huge upgrade from the traditional Tourney derailleur, and just adds even more value to the Aventure overall. The Acera shifts smoothly and is extremely snappy, even when taking multiple gears at a time, and the 12-32 tooth spread makes pedaling at the top speed of 32 mph actually feasible. 10 points to Aventon.

One thing I would like to see in a future version of the Aventure is a steel cage for the derailleur. It’s a super affordable piece of hardware but can add a lot of protection. 

To bring the Aventure to a stop we’ve got Bengal Ares 3, dual piston, hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm rotors. This is the first time we’ve tested Bengal brakes, and we are impressed. The stopping power is excellent and they’ve also got motor inhibitors to ensure the shortest possible stopping distance. 

In the front we’ve got Zoom suspension forks with approximately 80 mm of travel. These suspension do have preload adjust and lockout, so you can dial them in to match your riding style. The suspension on the Aventure do a good job of soaking up some of the turbulence from trail riding, but they’re not meant for anything too extreme. If your trail looks like a Red Bull course, turn around. 

The Aventure has an integrated headlight and tail light and oh man is that headlight bright. Normally right about here we would advise you to get an aftermarket light for additional lumens, because honestly, most ebike headlights are pretty dim. But, and I’m surprised I’m saying this, but the headlight on the Aventure is probably good enough ride at night with. 

The tail light is also pretty cool, though not quite as impressively bright as the headlight. Still, it’s constant on, and flashes brighter when you hit the brakes to let those behind you know you’re slowing down. Honestly, Aventon just did a really good job with the safety features on this bike.

The wire management is also worth noting. It’s clean, with everything grouped and bundled, and internally routed. There’s also flares on the frame where the wires go in, and really that just adds more value to the overall fit and finish.

The display is bright and easy to read in direct sunlight, but if you wear polarized sunglasses you may find the polarization grays out the screen. It is adjustable though, so you can tilt if forward and back until you find the sweet spot, and just like the app we mentioned earlier, the display also tracks how much carbon emissions you’ve reduced, as well as how many trees you have saved. I’m not sure how Aventon is calculating that, but I really appreciate the positive lifestyle angle. I mean, who doesn’t want to have fun riding your ebike while ALSO saving the planet?

See more of the Aventure: http