Aventon – Aventure Step-Over Ebike w/ 45 mile Max Operating Range and 28 MPH Max Speed – SoCal Sand

I am new to the world of ebikes. Before getting the Anventon Aventure Step-Over, I did a ton of research on ebikes to first, get a good idea of exactly what they are, and second, to get a good understanding of which one would be best for me. To be quite candid, I found the Aventon line of bikes to be by far among the absolute best choices available.
In order to keep this review neat and orderly, I want to separate it into sections, outlining several different areas. The first is unpacking.
UNPACKING
When I went to the FedEx pickup location to retrieve the bike, I was more than a bit surprised at the size of the shipping box, and even more so by the weight. I’m not sure what I was actually expecting, but the size and weight gave me a certain amount of security about the quality of the bike. The shipping box is VERY WELL BUILT, and more than capable of handling almost any shipping conditions. The box is sealed extremely well with very large staples. After getting the box open, I was once again surprised by the compactness and placement of the bike and its components. I seriously thought there had to be parts missing, but there weren’t. It was just an amazing job of packing.
Each component was wrapped in cardboard and Styrofoam and securely held in place by high-quality zip ties. You will have to use heavy duty scissors or snips to cut the ties, and you most certainly do not want to use a knife or razor. But I’m jumping ahead of myself. I took out each component, and only after I had removed everything from the box did I begin the task of removing all the shipping wrapping and ties. Although I didn’t know it at the time, unpacking and removing all the shipping materials took much longer that the actual assembly of the bike.
ASSEMBLY
Another factor that led me to believe that there must parts missing was that the user manual and assembly guide are not just thrown into the box like so many companies will do, but are stored away inside the box in one of the two smaller cardboard boxes that hold all the tools and hardware necessary for assembly. I have to give Aventon their props here…they included a Swiss-Army-knife-type tool with all the necessary assembly tools. I have never seen anything like this before, and again, props to Aventon! This is a tool that will be useful around the house for years to come.
The assembly took 30 minutes from start to finish. This was about 3 or 4 hours less that I had planned. Knowing what a bike looks like, I was able to assemble it without much reference to the Quick-Start Guide or User’s Manual. I will confess that I watched a couple of videos that dealt exclusively with the Aventon Aventure assembly, and I would highly recommend you do the same.
Assembly consisted of mounting the rear wheel, the handlebars, attaching the fenders and pedals, and securing the light and display in place, and as well, ensuring everything was tightened properly. You don’t want to tighten them too tight because after the initial assembly, you will want to test-fit the bike, and make any adjustments to ensure optimal comfort, such as the position of the handlebars, proper placement of the display and headlight, seat height, and so on.
It is during assembly that you will discover why the bike is so heavy. There is absolutely NOTHING cheap used on this bike! The frame is 6061 Single-Butted Aluminum Alloy, which is also used in commercial and military aircraft…so it is undoubtedly quite strong, and will hold up to the toughest environments. You will also notice the huge wheels…they are 26” wheels with four-inch fat tires. Aventon uses a Shimano Acera 8-speed drivetrain. The battery is 720 Wh, which is one of the higher capacity batteries available on ebikes. In short, as you go through the assembly, you will come to understand first-hand why the bike is as heavy as it is.
THE RIDE
After getting the bike assembled, it was time to make sure everything was working correctly. This is where I encountered the only real negative aspect of the entire experience. The instruction manual states that the battery must be turned off while charging. I have never had to turn a battery on or off, ever. Without any further input from the instruction manual, I assumed it simply meant that we are to make sure the bike is turned off using the display controls. So I turned the display off and believed this is what they meant by making sure the battery was turned. After charging the battery overnight, I walked the bike outside, got on, and tried to turn on the display. Nothing happened. I tried removing and replacing the battery. Nothing. Nothing I tried worked. And then, after watching several videos on the internet, I discovered one that actually explained what this meant. There is a button at the top of the battery that to me simply looked like a small reflector. Not so. This is the button used to turn the battery on and off. Push it briefly to turn the battery on, and press it for 2 to 3 seconds to turn it off. Lesson learned.
So, I turned the battery on, and then turned on the display. To the left of the display, there is a touch pad with several buttons. The manual explains in good detail what each of the buttons is used for. So after familiarizing myself with all the different options as shown through the display, it was time to actually ride the bike. I have a gravel driveway that is around 200’ long. I got on the bike, got comfortable, and began pedaling. After a few strokes I pushed the throttle. I was not prepared for the level of acceleration, and within a few very short seconds I was hurtling down the gravel driveway. Although I didn’t panic, the thought of hitting a bunch of loose gravel and taking a spill was at the forefront of my thoughts. I managed to slow down before a disaster occurred, and got to the end of the driveway. I turned on to the road, and in a few seconds I was up to 20.1 mph, no pedals. I discovered that using pedals got me up to 28mph. These are the factory defaults. I would strongly suggest leaving the factory settings alone. It may not seem like a lot, but almost 30mph on a bike is plenty fast enough.
I noticed on the road the ride was smooth and effortless. The bike handles beautifully. There are no vibrations or other quirks that make the ride anything less than enjoyable. At the end of the road I turned around and rode back to my house alternating between pedal assist and no pedal assist. I live on several acres, so when I got to my house I took off across the pasture, a very lumpy and bumpy place. I can’t say the ride was comfortable, but it wouldn’t have been comfortable in a Mercedes S650 Maybach either! This is where I discovered I had not completely tightened down the handlebars. When I hit the first hole, I was thrown forward, and as I was, the handlebars moved forward on me. I narrowly averted ruining a brand new bike, and made it back to the house to make sure EVERYTHING was tightened down. I spent the next several hours alternating between road and off-road riding, including up and down hills, and across ravines. As it started getting dark, I decided to call it quits for the day. I still had 57% battery life left. I’ve been riding every day since.
CONCLUSION
The Aventon Aventure Step-Over Ebike has been a joy! It is tough and rugged, and has been more than capable of handling every riding environment and condition I threw at it. It rides smoothly on paved roads, and handles the rigors of off-road riding amazingly well. The bike is so well constructed that I have zero concerns about not still riding it years down the road. This would be the perfect bike for in-city commuting, or using as a business bike to run errands in and around town. In all honesty, if I didn’t live so far away from work, I would be using this as my transportation to and from my job. This bike is a keeper, and I simply cannot express enough just how happy and pleased I am to be a very happy and satisfied owner of an Aventon Aventure bike!
PROS:
Superior construction materials, such as the 6061 Aluminum Alloy frame.
Superior quality components, such as the Shimano shifter and Kenda tires.
The ability to choose between several different sizes of bike.
Excellent acceleration.
Effortless shifting.
Large, easy-to-read display.
Headlight
Super-comfortable seat.
Super-capacity 720 Wh battery, and 750 W motor!
The Aventon app.
The eye-appeal! I have had so many people comment on what a great looking bike it is!
CONS:
A bit pricey for the average consumer, especially in replacement parts.
The weight could be a hindrance in certain situations such as up and down stairs, and especially when trying to find a bike rack that can support almost 75 pounds of weight.

This is my first e-bike and it has helped me to rediscover my childhood enjoyment of bike riding on a whole new scale. Although I’ve enjoyed riding bikes when the setting called for it (down in Seaside on vacation, or around the neighborhood with the kids), I’ve never been a serious cyclist. This new bike from Aventon has nonetheless been easy to set up, and a real blast to ride. I’ve found myself riding all around our little town here in Georgia (the abundant bike and golf cart paths help) without the slightest concern about running out of steam, or some joint acting up miles from home. It’s been totally liberating and tons of fun.
e-bikes in general are a great way to get around, and this Aventon unit is an excellent example: well built, long lasting battery (Aventon claims about 45 miles and I have no reason to doubt this), quality components like hydraulic disc brakes, nice fat tires, and intuitive operation. For those new to e-bikes, it’s worth noting that an e-bike is not like a motor scooter or electric motorbike in that e-bikes generally need to be pedaled. The system allows you to add a variable amount of electric assistance to your own pedaling, making long rides and steep hills a breeze. Because the assistance is adjustable, you can get as much or as little exercise as you like. There’s also a throttle that can be used in a pinch to keep moving even without pedaling, but generally you control the speed via your legs, making the bike easy to use and control. This also means that the bike isn’t going to run away from you (or with you) since it will stop when you stop the pedals. In my experience, the Aventure was well behaved. You can definitely feel the assist kicking in after starting to turn the pedals, but generally the motor is well controlled, especially at the lower assistance levels. The disc brakes are easy to modulate and confidence inspiring. The seat is comfortable, but could probably be changed out (there’s a quick release) if you wanted something different. It’s worth noting that this bike does NOT have a quick release on the front wheel, so you need to pack a wrench if you intend to dismount the wheel.
The bike includes a surprisingly effective headlight (given its small size) and a nice bright red tail and brake light, both of which make it reasonably easy to spot even as the sun goes down.
Aventon ships this bike in a very well packaged box and all components are thoughtfully protected. Assembly is not difficult, even for the uninitiated, and all needed tools are supplied. Just add a helmet and a pump for the tires. That said, Aventon suggests having a local bike shop put it together for you and that’s not a terrible idea, especially if you’re concerned about the weight of this unit. My bike did need some minor adjustments, but so far I’ve been able to do anything needed at home.
Pros:
– Well made and attractively designed, with the battery neatly integrated into the frame.
– Excellent performance with tons of power for high speed cruising (up to 28 mph) and steep hill climbs.
– Big fat tires and suspension mean it can easily traverse even rough terrain.
– Long battery life. After a ride of about 7 miles, my bike was still above 90% (the official range figure is about 45 miles).
– Good quality hardware – hydraulic brakes are very strong and even the small included headlight is quite effective at night (an upgraded unit is available if needed).
– Easy to assemble with all required parts, tools, and charger included.
– Good service and support.
– Control unit can connect to an app on your phone for logging and tracking as well as deeper configuration of speed limits and assistance options.
– Step through or step over designs in a variety of sizes and colors.
Cons:
– Heavy. Removing the battery can help make it easier to transport.
– No front wheel quick release.
– Like all bikes, it will require some periodic service, and the heavy nature of e-bikes means certain consumables like brake pads wear more quickly than for regular bikes.
Overall I couldn’t be happier with my Aventure and am looking forward to many enjoyable hours with the wind in my hair and a strong motor to back me up when my legs run out of push.

The E-bike market has seriously exploded. The days of 2-3 popular electric bike companies are long gone. Now, the problem isn’t finding a company that makes e-bikes, instead its sorting through the 10’s of options available to you. The problem with many e-bike brands right now is that there are some poorly made and designed electric bikes. With all that in mind, I’m sure you are looking for someone to tell you about their experience with a certain brand has been a good or bad one. My time with the Aventon Aventure has been a positive one and I recommend the bike to someone looking for an all-terrain adventure bike.
The unboxing:
The bike came in a very large and very heavy cardboard box. I highly recommend having someone with you when you receive the bike to move it to a location where you plan to assemble. The bike was well packaged with Styrofoam supporting the bike from banging around during shipping. I have no complaints about the packaging work done by Aventon.
Assembly:
There are two main parts you will be assembling for the Aventure model. The front wheel needs to be attached to the frame, including the brakes. Then, the handlebars need to be attached. Neither of these proved to be difficult at all. The biggest advice I can give you is to make sure you look at the assembly instructions, it’ll clear up any assembly things that aren’t super obvious. Besides that, you need to do some small things like the mud fenders, and the pedals. You should not expect a big job assembling the bike at all. It was very straight forward.
Riding the bike:
The suspension on this bike is very nice. I think its because of the suspensions soft spring rate, and the big beefy tires. However, there is a bit of a knock on the bike’s suspension, or lack thereof. There is no rear suspension. The front shocks are fantastic, but having a rear shock seems like something Aventon could have including in a bike at this price point. Luckily, you can buy a seat with a built in shock. So, this isn’t a huge deal and should not stop you from buying this bike. Thankfully the big tires helps incredibly in keeping the ride comfortable. There’s clearly something different about riding a bike with big fat tires. Those tires also just give you a sense of invincibility. I never once worried about running something over with the bike that would throw it off and make it unstable. I rode it on a couple dirt paths with big tree roots and some rocks, the bike absolutely ate it up. This is a fantastic all-terrain e-bike. The bike is a hybrid system where you can be either full-time electric motor, full-time pedaling, or a pedal assist mode where you use the electric motor and assist with some light pedaling. The bike has some good top speed, but it takes a second to get it going. I tend to mostly do pedal assist as it’s a nice middle ground between getting some exercise, but still covering a large distance pretty quickly. The brakes on the bike work very well even though the bike is quite heavy. The display on the bike is amazing, its plenty bright and has a good resolution. The display gives you all the information you need and is laid out in a clear way that you get used to quickly.
Conclusion:
The bike has some pros and some cons. I wish Aventon would have included rear suspensions, and maybe a slightly bigger motor since the bike is a bit sluggish on takeoff. However, these are nit-picks and when you consider the great price point, sleek design, and its usability thanks to the rugged design, the bike is a good buy. The colors offered by Aventon provides as much or as little style as you might want. The build quality feels solid, all the moving parts are well fitted, and nothing feels like its going to break, and that’s important because this bike is made to go off-road. The ride is soft even without rear suspension. The speed and range numbers are fantastic for the price point and capability of the bike. If you want an off-road capable electric bike that has some nice features like a great display and good build quality, you should buy the Aventon Aventure.

Such a fun bike. Was easy to put together. Love the Color. Good times.