Aventure Electric Bike Review: What's The General Consensus On Aventure E-Bikes?

An In-depth Look at the Aventon Aventure.2

When you set out to find an all-terrain electric bike, you don’t just want a car that saves on gas – you’re looking for a core to open up new experiences. What you want is a machine sturdy enough for a gravel path, powerful enough for a steep hill and comfortable enough for a long weekend ride. And time and time again I see “Aventure” pop up in the search results for just that, promising toughness, rugged usability and performance. But what is the real deal with this hot e-bike? Is it the latest flavor-of-the-minute product on Amazon just hype, or does it really fulfill its promise of adventure? That’s where this extensive review comes in. We will get into the nitty-gritty of how the Aventure will perform, how it will feel and what it will be like to ride, exploring every facet to give you the meaty, real-world information necessary for you to decide whether the Aventure is the electric bike to power your adventures.

The Aventure is Aventon’s top of the line all-terrain e-bike. To truly appreciate where it fits in the market, it is important to take a look at the whole ecosystem of products that Aventon offers. They have carefully selected the perfect selection of bikes for all types of riding, whether that's commuting or leisurely riding. Here is the entire spectrum of their electric bike collection:

• Aventure Series (All-Terrain Fat Tire)
• Level Series (Commuter)
• Pace Series (Cruiser)
• Sinch Series (Folding Fat Tire)
• Soltera Series (Lightweight Urban)
• Abound Series (Cargo)
• Ramblas Series (Electric Mountain Bike)

First Impressions and Ride Performance

The Aventure, more precisely the new Aventure. 2, is what we are into. Now established as the benchmark in the fat tire e-bike game. As soon as you lay eyes on it, the Aventure. 2 makes a strong impression. It's a very large, substantial bike with a frame that really looks and feels solid. Welds are clean, the paint finish is top-notch, and the battery, while integrated into the downtube, makes for a cool, modern look that hides the bike's rough and tumble tendencies. Swinging a leg over, the riding position is prominent straight away. You sit upright, and this commands the road ahead almost like an armchair with pedals, giving you confidence long before you start to pedal. Magic happens on the first pedal stroke, and you have its key feature - the torque sensor - to thank. Unlike more basic cadence sensors that result in jerky, full-on or full-off power delivery, the Aventure. 2’s built-in torque sensor senses how hard you’re pedaling and adds the perfect proportion of extra power via a 750W rear hub motor that is intuitive and amiable. It all feels extremely natural, as if out of nowhere you were gifted superhuman legs. On flat pavement, it cruises with a satisfying hum, and the 4-inch fat tires absorb small road imperfections, resulting in a surprisingly plush ride. Flip the bike uphill and it genuinely comes alive. The motor has plenty of torque to tackle hills without making you feel like you need to stand up and mash. It’s less that you’re struggling than that you are — or should be — serenely powering your way to the top. It’s when you take it off pavement onto a gravel path that its name starts to feel most earned. The large contact patch of the fat tires ensures you’ll have plenty of grip across all types of terrain. The plush front suspension fork with up to 80mm of travel soaks up larger bumps and ruts with ease, keeping the front wheel grounded and your hands at ease. Another strong point is the color LCD display: bright, and easy to read in direct sunlight, it provides all vital information at a glance like speed, battery life, distance and pedal assist level. It even syncs with the Aventon companion app, so you can view ride info and adjust settings.

Key Considerations Before You Buy

The Aventure series is designed for outdoor enthusiasts, but there are other things to take into account before you buy. First, consider your main use case. The Aventure’s beefy mass and size might be overkill if your riding is 90% smooth paved city streets and bike paths. In that situation, a bike such as the Aventon Level. 2, their hero commuter, could be a better option, with its quicker handling and faster-rolling pavement tires. Second, there’s the logistics of ownership. The Aventure. 2 is a heavy electric bike with a weight of approximately 77 pounds. This mass helps give it a stable, planted ride quality, but it also means that hoisting it onto a car rack or carrying it up a flight of stairs is a bona-fide physical effort. Third, investigate the ecosystem and support of the brand. Aventon has a nice cachet for customer service and a growing cadre of local bike shops carrying and servicing Aventon products. That can be a value-add when it comes to initial assembly and regular tune-ups, not to mention any possible warranty claims, and it provides a peace of mind that’s often lacking with direct-to-consumer brands. Last, the added technology – app connectivity and color display – are hard to resist, just make sure you’ll actually use them. For the techie rider who is crazy about data and customization, it is a big plus. For the rider who just wants to get on and go, it’s a nice bonus but perhaps not a deciding factor. These are the things that keep you looking past the spec sheet and instead thinking about how the Aventure will work its way into your real life.

A Portable Alternative: The ENGWE EP-2 Boost

When weighing some of the more powerful and well-equipped electric bikes out there against the Aventure, it's worth not wasting time to overlook crowd-funded alternatives which tend to outperform in certain categories like portability and cost. One of those standouts happens to be the ENGWE EP-2 Boost. Master versatility with this folding electric bike, which combines all-terrain readiness and urban convenience. It comes with a powerful EU-legal 250W brushless motor which can be unlocked to full power, with an amazing 55 N.m of torque and a dedicated Boost Button to give a quick power surge to pass through steep inclines as you wish. You get an engaging ride feeling with an advanced torque sensor that convincingly reads your intent and provides assistance. Wide 20 x 4.0 fat tires and strong one-piece wheels ensure this electric bike can brave all terrains, from smooth asphalt to gravel and dirt roads. And its excellent folding design is ideal for storage and transportation, with a folded size of 99x55x75cm. You can store it in a closet, a small apartment, or a car trunk. Its removable 48V 13Ah high-capacity battery provides up to 50km of autonomy for those who enjoy long rides. Safety comes first with a pair of powerful 180mm front and rear disc brakes for stopping power you can trust, and bright built-in lights. If you are in the market for a high-performance all-terrain fat tire electric bike which is also highly portable, the ENGWE EP-2 Boost is an incredibly attractive offer.

Aventon E-Bike Comparison

5 FAQs About the Aventure E-Bike

What is a torque sensor, and why is it such a big deal on the Aventure. 2?

A torque sensor is an advanced piece of technology that senses how hard you are pushing on the pedals. It tells the motor not only that you are pedaling, but how hard you are pedaling. With a silky smooth, near-intuitive power assist that feels intuitively great and accentuates the effort you’re putting in. It’s a welcome advancement from the more basic cadence sensors on a lot of cheap e-bikes that rev the motor up or down based on whether the pedals are spinning, which often results in a jerky, unpredictable feel. The Aventure. 2’s torque sensor has a lot to do with the premium ride feel, as it leaves you feeling connected to both the bike and the trail.

Is the Aventure. 2 too heavy for a person to use normally?

The Aventure. 2 is a heavyweight electric bike, no doubt. This 77-lb weight in fact comes as a result of its strong motor, large battery capacity, and strong frame which makes it phenomenally stable and durable. In riding, it’s an advantage, one that makes the bike feel planted and stable. However, off the bike, it can present an obstacle. Getting it on a car rack or carrying it up a flight of stairs takes a lot of muscle. That’s a point worth considering if you need to lift your bike a lot. If you have ground-floor storage and an appropriate bike rack, though, the weight is a lot less of an issue in everyday use.

What is the real-world range you get with the Aventure. 2?

Aventon claims a range of up to 60 miles, but that’s under ideal conditions (lowest assist level, flat, light rider). In the actual world, your range will depend on a number of factors: the level of pedal assist you use, the number of hills you climb, your weight and, even wind conditions. Most riders claim a very usable real-world range of anywhere from 30-50 miles when using a combination of assist levels. For most rides (commuting or pleasure riding), the 48V 15Ah battery has more than enough capacity to keep range anxiety at bay.

Can I use the Aventure. 2 as my daily commuter bike?

Absolutely. It’s an all-terrain bike, of course, but with the features it has, it's a great but rugged commuter too. With a powerful motor that negates hills, an upright riding position for good visibility in traffic and fat tires and suspension that soak up potholes and rough city streets, the bike offers a cushy ride. It also includes fenders to keep you clean and integrated lights for safety. The main things to consider are that it’ll be bigger and heavier to store at home or in the office, and it won’t be able to cover pavement as efficiently as a dedicated commuter bike with narrower tires.

Just out of the box, how challenging is the Aventure to assemble?

Aventon bikes arrive mostly assembled and are known for being well-packaged and with clear instructions. Someone with an average level of mechanical skill and the required tools (which the bike mostly includes) spends perhaps an hour on final assembly — attaching the handlebars, front wheel, pedals, and seat. But the bike is heavy and unwieldy to handle alone. If you're unsure of your mechanical skills, we highly recommend having the bike shipped to your local bike shop for professional assembly (note that this will also make sure everything is safe, secure, and dialed in right from the get-go).

In the end, the Aventure is fast and strong, great looking and a perfect e-bike for a tough rider.