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Can you feel the electricity around the island? The rise in ebikes (electronic bikes) has skyrocketed in the last few years and shows no signs of slowing down. Here in Coronado, the bulk of riders tend to be teenagers, but lately, adults have been seen all over the island commuting to work, down the Strand, the surf, golf course, tennis courts and even on the sand along our bays and beaches – yes, Coronado Lifeguards have confirmed that it is indeed legal to ride ebikes on the beach.
The Coronado Times Bridgeworthy Traveler recently assembled, then “ebiked” all over Coronado, shot some photos/video and put together this overview of the Aventon Aventure ebike. As we journeyed around the island behind the handlebars, thrills were had, adventures were achieved and expectations were surpassed. Before we dive into the review, it’s important to note the three different types or classes of ebikes….hey, we didn’t know the differences either:
Class 1, Class 2, Class 3
- Class 1 ebikes provide low-speed, pedal-assist up to 20 miles per hour. No throttle. Any age can operate and a helmet required at 17 and under.
- Class 2 ebikes offer low-speed, throttle and pedal-assist up to 20 miles per hour. Any age can operate and a helmet required at 17 and under.
- Class 3 ebikes offer speed pedal-assist up to 28 miles per hour. Must be 16 years old to operate and must wear a helmet.
Unboxing & Assembling the Aventon Aventure
The entire ebike arrived in one large box courtesy of a very strong delivery person bringing it from the truck to porch. We dragged the 80 pound box to the back yard to start the process of putting it together.
- Get a buddy – it took two people to remove the main pieces from the box.
- Majority of bike is assembled, the remainder took about 45 minutes.
- Tools – Aventon includes tools needed to make assembly simple.
- Pro Tip – watch this video as you start putting it together – it was very helpful.
- Bottom line – we are not that mechanically-minded and it was a breeze…really.
Get Up and Go … Fast
The Aventure has significant power through and through. The rider can immediately feel the quality craftmanship of this ebike as you pedal, accelerate up to or blow past 20mph. The front wheel suspension fork gives you a smooth ride over bumpy roads or sandy beaches – it can easily be locked for trekking along paved paths or roadways to maximize efficiencies. The speed (throttle or on pedal-assist) is truly exhilarating.
Favorite Features of the Aventon Aventure
- Fat tires – this bike is meant to tackle roads, dirt paths and beaches
- Range – it averages 45 miles on a single charge (loop around the island about 7 times)
- Speed – up to 20mph on throttle and up to 28mph on pedal assist
- Solidly Built – this ebike is high quality by touch and by the way it rides
- Right Sized – small (5’1″ to 5’9″), medium (5’7″ to 5’11”) and large (5’11” to 6’4″)
- Fast Charging – get a full charge in just 4-5 hours
Good to Know
- Does not require a key to “operate it.” This means if you leave your battery in it, the throttle can be activated if ebike is turned on. Always lock your ebike and consider taking battery with you depending on where you lock it up.
- Throttle takes 1-2 seconds to activate. This means that the “pedal assist” or throttle isn’t immediate and will increase as you go. Gives you time to get settled, change lanes, turn, etc., but might take a few rides to get used to.
- It’s solid. Get help to load or unload it onto racks or into a van/truck. Aventon does makes lighter & more portable options (check out the Sinch foldable ebike).
Cruising Around Coronado (In Photos)
Summary
The Aventon Aventure is not your typical, mass-produced ebike. Craftsmanship is solid and it feels customized to the rider (conveniently comes in three sizes). It’s heavy (73 pounds), but moves effortlessly with the help of a 750 watt motor, front suspension and easy to shift gears. This is more machine than human-powered bicycle and it will absolutely give you cruising with ease and controlled speed as you zip around town, across the sandy beaches or off-island exploring the “hard to pedal” parts of San Diego. Price ranges from $1699 to $1899 – Black Friday sale happening this week.
About Aventon
Aventon was born in 2012 with a small delivery van and a single-roomed warehouse office. Our mission is to provide superior quality performance bicycles and components. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Aventon Bicycles continues shake the industry with innovation & design with passionate and creative team members. Each bicycle we produce extrudes our love and devotion to bicycles. It’s simple: less talk, more do.
Safety
You’ll notice in the above video the attention to detail regarding the proper use of a helmet, coming to a full stop at stop signs, following the rules of the road, locking up your ebike, etc. It is critical that ebikes be operated with safety for both the rider and for those around you.
The City of Coronado is having a series of “Bike Rodeos” to help educate all ages or riders and we cannot encourage this enough. The next one is December 10th, details below:
This review is part of a partnership with Aventon.
