Aventon Aventure M

Aventon touts its Aventure M as offering all-terrain utility with a high-tech twist.

It’s the second model in Aventon’s lineup to pack a mid-drive motor, and it builds on the solid foundation of the Aventure 3 by adding SRAM brakes and a 10-speed Shimano CUES drivetrain with electronic shifting. The shifting and pedal assist both have automatic modes.

Of course, this technology doesn’t come cheap, and the Aventure M is Aventon’s most expensive e-bike. In this review, we aim to find out if this tech is worth the extra cash.

Assembly and Setup

Aventon packages its bikes well, providing everything buyers need for setup, including assembly instructions, tools, grease, and a spare derailleur hanger.

Aventon’s shipping box makes it very easy to get their bikes out. Just pull out four tabs and lift the cover off, allowing the bike to be taken out of the side of the box.

After removing the protective packing, attach and align the stem and handlebars and install the front wheel, headlight, fenders, cargo rack, and pedals.

Specifications

The Aventure is an all-terrain bike with 4” tires, an 80mm suspension fork, and a suspension seatpost with 50mm of travel.

The aluminum frame has a clean, modern design and sleek paint finish. It’s only available as a high-step, but buyers can choose from two sizes: regular or large.

We’re testing the large frame in the Camouflage colorway.

Aventon says the regular frame fits riders from 5’3” to 5’10”, and the large fits 5’10” to 6’4”. Both sizes can carry 400lb.

The Aventure M ships as a Class 1 e-bike without a throttle. Mid-drive e-bikes don’t usually have throttles, but Aventon sells one for this bike for $10.99.

Pedal assist is limited to 20mph, but it can be adjusted between 12 and 28mph in mile-per-hour increments.

The Aventure M has a 36V electrical system and Aventon’s A100 motor with 250W of power, 100Nm of torque, and torque sensors. Power comes from a 19.88Ah (716Wh) battery, which is mounted in the down tube and secured with an electronic lock controlled through the display or app.

The included 4A charger returns a full charge in just 5 hours. The battery and charger can be swapped between the Aventure 3, Aventure M, Level 3, and Pace 4.

The Aventure M has a five-button control pad and Aventon’s BC280 display. This center-mounted display is bright and easy to read. Aventon provides a comprehensive explanation of the controls and features in the user manual.

The Aventure M has UL 2849 certification for the whole bike, and UL 2271 for the battery, along with IPX6 weatherproofing on the bike and IP67 on the motor, meaning it can be ridden in the rain worry-free.

The bike has 26” aluminum rims with thru-axles front and rear. It rolls on 4” Innova 4.0 tires with puncture resistance and a knobby tread.

The drivetrain and brakes are solid for this price point. The 44t chainring and 11-39t cassette provide an excellent gearing range. The electronic paddle shifter, which is powered by the bike’s battery, controls the 10-speed Shimano CUES derailleur, providing clean shifts and optional automatic shifting based on pedal cadence and torque. The SRAM DB4 hydraulic brakes are a nice upgrade over what’s usually found in this market segment.

The Aventure M has 720mm riser bars with lock-on rubber grips, the padded Aventon seat is comfortable, and alloy platform pedals round out the touchpoints.

The bike comes with full-coverage metal fenders and a MIK-compatible rear rack rated for 59lb. In addition to the headlight, taillights are built into the seatstays. These have turn signals, but no brake activation. There are mounting points on the head tube for a front rack, and bottle cage bosses on the down tube.

Additional Features and Customization

The Aventure M boasts a rich suite of useful features accessible from the display or app.

Ride Tune

Of the new features on Aventon’s latest run of e-bikes, Ride Tune is my favorite. It makes it easy to customize pedal assist by adjusting motor torque, assistance level, and pedal response in every PAS level. When tweaking the settings in the app, graphs in the app illustrate how the changes will impact performance and range.

Automatic Modes

The Aventure M can take care of shifting gears and PAS levels. The automatic shifting is based on torque input and pedal cadence, and can be tuned in the advanced settings. The auto PAS changes levels based on terrain and pedaling. Enabling both features allows the rider to relax while enjoying optimized range and performance.

Anti-Theft

The bike’s anti-theft features include an optional custom password to prevent unauthorized use of the display and an integrated wheel lock that makes it hard to push the bike away. Both can be accessed from the display or app.

IoT Services

Aventon’s IoT Service is an optional feature that activates GPS and connects the bike to a 4G network. It costs $20 per year after the first year. The IoT services include remote lock and unlock, monitoring the bike’s location, and a tamper-detection system, which responds to unusual activity by setting off an alarm and sending an alert to the associated phone. The alarm is weak, but with the password and wheel lock engaged, a thief would have to carry the bike away.

Riding the Aventon Aventure M

I easily found a good position on the Aventure M, with enough room on the seatpost and in the cockpit, and the bike was comfortable from the first pedal stroke. The stated height range of 5’10” to 6’4” seems accurate.

The Aventure M is intuitive and easy to control. The automatic shifting and pedal assist are handy features. The automatic pedal assist did a fine job of maximizing battery range without depriving me of the motor power I needed. However, the automatic shifting changed up through the gears sooner than I normally would. Tweaking the settings helped somewhat, but I still preferred to change gears myself.

In Class 1 mode with motor speed limited to 20mph, Turbo and Sport PAS levels feel very similar, except when climbing hills. In Class 3 mode, the spread of assistance across the three PAS levels is much more apparent, as Sport remains limited to 20mph but Turbo powers the bike to 28mph.

As mentioned, torque, motor power, and pedal response are customizable, but even with the stock settings, pedal power is intuitive and responsive. The mid-drive motor provides a much more natural pedaling experience than hub-drive e-bikes.

The mid-drive motor also gives the Aventure M better weight distribution than Aventon’s hub-drive models. This makes for a more enjoyable ride on trails, as it’s easier to navigate obstacles. The 10-speed drivetrain’s wide gearing range and the motor’s finesse and torque also prove valuable on technical sections.

The Aventure feels very planted on descents and corners well, despite the fat tires. The 80mm fork and 50mm suspension seatpost effectively absorb impacts and smooth out the ride.

At 73lb, the Aventure M is far from light, and while the motor does a fine job of masking the weight, the bike is challenging to maneuver without the motor’s help. The bike’s weight and big tires may not fit some bike racks, and moving it indoors or getting it up stairs is hard work.

Pros

Mid-drive Motor

The A100 mid-drive motor is powerful and quiet. Pedaling is natural and intuitive, the motor powers up steep hills, and battery range is excellent, making the Aventure M great for both daily commutes and weekend adventures.

Tech Features and Customization

The Aventure M is full of useful features. The PAS and automatic pedal assist make it easy to relax and enjoy the ride, though I wasn’t a big fan of the auto-shifting. The Aventon app offers deep customization of motor output and a range of useful anti-theft features.

Ride Quality

An e-bike can offer features galore, but if it doesn’t ride well, it’s kind of pointless. The Aventure M combines style and substance with a comfortable and versatile ride. The good weight balance and stiff frame contributed to solid off-road ability. The suspension seatpost makes a big difference to comfort, and the bike is responsive on the road and corners well despite the fat tires. I truly found it a pleasure to ride on varied terrain.

Cons

Price

The Aventure M is an impressive e-bike, but it’s also pricey. The Aventure 3, which comes with many of the same high-tech features, just with a rear-hub motor, an 8-speed Shimano mechanical drivetrain, and Tektro brakes, costs $900 less and would make many recreational riders happy.

Suspension Fork

The 80mm suspension fork performs well, given its budget nature and short travel, but at a price of $2,899 at the time of this review, the Aventure M should have an air fork with more travel.

Awkward Charge Port

Aventon has put the charge port in an awkward position on all of its recent bikes. It’s hard to reach, and it exposes the port to water and dirt.

Test Results

Small Elevation Hill

The Aventure M’s 250W, 100Nm motor makes it a capable climber. It ascended our first test hill in 3:05, taking second place in the comparison group. Most notably, it was 15 seconds faster than the Tenways AGO X, which is lighter and has narrower tires, but also has a 250W mid-drive motor and 10-speed drivetrain.

Medium Elevation Hill

When faced with our steeper but shorter test climb, the Aventure M put on another fine show, ascending in 2:31. Again, the Aventure M came second, and again the AGO X was left in the dust.

Acceleration

The Aventure M accelerates well under pedal power, with a 0-20 time of seven seconds using PAS level Turbo. This puts it close to the fastest bikes we’ve tested, a second ahead of the AGO X, and six seconds clear of the Himiway Rambler, another mid-drive bike.

Range Test 1 – PAS Turbo (3/3)

Using Turbo mode, the Aventure M’s 20Ah battery managed 39.62 miles and 1,689 feet of elevation. This was the best result in this group, beating the other bikes by between five and 11 miles.

Range Test 2 – PAS Sport (2/3)

In the second range test, knocking the PAS level down to Sport boosted range to 51.67 miles, another great result that left the other bikes floundering up to 16 miles behind.

Brake Test

The SRAM DB4 brakes did not disappoint in the braking test, as the Aventure M stopped from 20mph in just 17 feet. The four-piston calipers provide great lever feel and precise modulation that increase confidence, especially on loose and wet surfaces.

Conclusion

The Aventure M delivers on Aventon’s promise of mixed-terrain capability, with some handy tech features thrown in that elevate the riding experience.

The A100 mid-drive motor provides intuitive power delivery and optimal weight distribution, making this bike noticeably more refined on technical terrain than fat-tire e-bikes with rear-hub motors like the cheaper Aventure 3.

In our testing, this bike demonstrated strong climbing ability, quick acceleration, and exceptional range.

That said, the $2,899 price tag raises some questions. The significantly cheaper Aventure 3 offers many similar features, albeit with a hub motor. The Aventure M’s suspension components feel a bit cheap, and the location of the charge port is both impractical and a worry.

Despite these concerns, the Aventure M excels as a versatile do-it-all e-bike that may well justify its premium pricing. It handles daily commutes and weekend trail rides, making it a compelling option for riders seeking one bike for all rides.

Score Breakdown

• Build quality: 90
• Performance/Innovation: 95
• Design: 90
• Ride quality: 90
• Price/Value: 85

Overall: 90

Detailed Specifications

Electric Bike Class: 1 or 3
Warranty: 2-year
UL Certification: UL 2849, UL 2271
IP Rating: Bike – IPX6 bike, Motor – IP67
Total Weight: Claimed: 73lb – Actual: 73.6lb
Motor Brand: Aventon A100
Motor Type: Mid-drive
Motor Nominal Output: 250W
Max Torque: 100Nm
Battery: 36V 19.88Ah (716Wh)
Range Claimed: 85 miles
Range Test 1 (PAS 2/3): 51.67 mi – 1,879 ft. – 15.12mph avg.
Range Test 2 (PAS 3/3): 39.62 mi – 1,689 ft. – 17.2mph avg.
Top Speed: 28mph
Throttle: No (available for purchase)
Pedal Assist: 3 levels
Sensor Torque
Charger: 4A output
Charge Time: 5 hours
Display: 3″ Aventon BC280
Frame: Aluminum
Fork: 80mm, lockout
Brake Levers: SRAM DB4 hydraulic
Brake Calipers: SRAM DB4 hydraulic
Brake Rotors: 200mm (f), 180mm (r)
Crankset: Aventon 170mm, 44t
Derailleur: Shimano CUES 10-speed
Shifter: E-Shifter
Freewheel: 10-speed 11-39t
Rims: 26” Aluminum
Tires: 26” x 4” Inova, puncture resistant
Fenders: Metal, included
Lights: Front and rear integrated
Grips: Lock-on
Saddle: Aventon
Pedals: Alloy platform
Handlebar: Aluminum riser 31.8, 720mm
Kickstand: Yes
Payload Capacity: 400lb
Rack Capacity: 59lb

Geometry Details

Size: Large
Seat Tube: 18“ (480mm)
Reach: 16“ (428mm)
Stack: 26” (663mm)
Stand Over Height: 32” (813mm)
Virtual Top Tube Length: 25” (643mm)
Min Saddle Height: 33.5” (851mm)
Max Saddle Height: 41” (1041mm)
Wheelbase: 47” (1194mm)

If you’re looking for an even more active Aventure experience, a more premium ride, or something with legit overlanding potential, the Aventure M is well worth checking out.

If you are looking for a versatile, powerful, and smart e-bike that can handle trails, gravel, and pavement with a level of sophistication that most fat tire bikes lack, the Aventure M is an excellent choice.

This is by far the best fat tire e-bike that I’ve ever tested…

The Aventure M delivers on Aventon’s promise of a more sophisticated fat tire e-bike.

Aventon took everything we liked about the Aventure and made it better. It’s not just about going further, it’s about riding smarter and having fun.

I love this mid-drive motor, and it’s just a super fantastic bike.