edwong3

Check out this relatively new entry into the market. For the money ($1,399), it's hard to go wrong. 👀

Doc_Wui

I have a attitude problem with Aventon putting a Class 3 sticker on a bike with a throttle. I read my local state (IL) statutes and they clearly say our Class 3 must get to 28 mph with the motor activated by pedals only. However, as my ebikes have throttles and will go as fast as the battery I put in them allows, that's hypocritical. Still, I feel that the bike makers ought to stay within the legal descriptions.Keep themselves and buyers out of legal trouble. Ebikes are wonderful, but a few owners will get into trouble with 25 mph, and there are law firms in my area already on the local news trying to collect big bucks off e-scooter accidents. ("Harumph,, Harumph, His ebike was illegal,when he plowed into my clients, a group of nuns on their weekly 6K jog!")

On its own merits though, the Aventon is a good deal in our present US ebike market. If any of my old senior citizen buddies wanted an ebike, I'd recommend they visit the shop in my area that carries them.

edwong3

I hear what you say. I thought it was a unique feature for a 28 mph capable e-bike with a throttle. But have you seen some of the really powerful models some niche manufacturers are trying to sell on the market? Those bikes would not pass as e-bikes as defined by the Feds and states. They're more like light electric motorcycles or mopeds, and want to make people think they can ride these legally without a license, registration or plates. Maybe in some jurisdictions it may be possible.

Regardless, I am not in the market for a speed pedalec (Class 3) as I am legally disabled but luckily not in a wheel chair or any mobility device. To me, my little "puddle jumper" of an e-bike with it's max speed of 25 kph or 15.5 mph is plenty satisfying enough. I have no business on a 28 mph bike even though in theory, you can ride it much slower.

To each his or her own I guess, and maybe someone will find this post useful to them.

fly135

If you watch the video, you will see that the throttle is limited to 20mph. That's the same with my street ebike, which is unlocked for pedaling up to 28mph. Mine will only get up to about 24mph on a fully charged battery while pedaling easy, and a lot of effort on the pedals might get you another mph.

I'm impressed that you get hydraulic brakes at that price. It's looks like a pretty good deal.

2old

Good deal, but illegal to sell as a bike in CA or any state with the "Class" system. Class 3 bikes (28 mph with PAS only, and must be operated on a bike lane contiguous with a street). However, like the behemoths, it can go on ATV trails, and if an individual owned one, it's unlikely they would ever need to worry wherever they rode it.

Doc_Wui

My $55 hydraulic brake upgrade (Shimano front/rear calipers plus levers/cables all bled and ready to go) just arrived. I thought it would take 8 weeks, but shipped out of Washington state as opposed to Shenzen, China. Probably means they only cost $30-40 at a bike factory to add onto a bike that already has rotors.

fly135

Good price. Did you have integrated shifters? I would like to upgrade a mountain bike from mechanical to hydraulic, so a link would be appreciated. $55 would be super cheap if the shifters are included.

edwong3

I am of the opinion that all states should have adhered to the definition of e-bike per the Federal Government which basically says:

• Electrically driven bicycle has less than 750 watt motor
• Functional pedals
• Max speed is less than 20 mph

OK, so in some jurisdictions, a 28 mph speed limit is allowed but can only be operated in PAS mode, at least in CA. In New York City, PAS mode only but limited to 20 mph, in other words, a Class 1. So say that you bought a Class 3 while living in CA, and then are transferred to NYC, does it basically mean that the bike is "illegal" there?

But going back to the bike in question, since in most jurisdictions throttles are allowed and limited to 20 mph, there is very little chance that one could be fined or sanctioned for the fact that the bike is actually capable of reaching higher speeds when engaging in PAS mode.

Doc_Wui

No intergrated shifters, On bikes which had combo shifter/brakes, I get rid of them and used the mechanical brake levers with brake switches that came with the motor kit. Then I add a Shimano Quickfire trigger shifter, model 310, about $17 per side, a big improvement over old twist shifters. I believe they can be ordered to fit any speed derailleur.

I got the hydraulic kit on ebay. about half the price as opposed to amazon. I assume they're real and not knockoffs.

I will have to replace those ebike brake levers with these hydraulic levers, and I will lose the brake switch functionality, but I've got cables coming with magnetic switches which glue onto the hydraulic brake levers.

I do own a regular hybrid bike with hydraulic disks, but the other bikes are either mechanical disks or v-brakes. I don't have a problem with any of the three types. That BBS02 bike has a mechanical disk in front and v-brakes in the rear. It's always stopped well. I'm just tryying out these hydraulics, because it's only 52 dollars. Maybe they're no good. We'll see.

bhtooefr

That's not quite it.

Max throttle-only speed is 20 MPH for the Federal definition of what can be sold as an e-bike. There is no maximum speed for PAS under the federal definition.

Federally, you can legally sell a "Class 2+3" that throttles up to 20 and pedal assists up to 28, as a "low-speed electric bicycle". Or you could sell a Class 2+infinity that throttles up to 20, but never stops pedal assisting. (This could even be in a velomobile, where 750 watts plus whatever the rider's putting in could get you up to freeway speeds just about.)

The state laws are about what you can use, the federal laws are about what you can sell as a bicycle, instead of as a form of motorcycle.

Yes.

And, note that the proposed New York state law would also allow classes 2 and 3, but with Class 3 only allowed in NYC (not the rest of the state) IIRC, and limited to 25 MPH, not 28. So, even with that, if you brought your California (or the rest of the US using the class system) Class 3, you wouldn't be allowed to use it because the speed limiter is too high, you'd need specifically a New York Class 3 to have a legal Class 3 there. Yes, that is incredibly silly - AFAIK every other state adopting the class system is adopting the California version as-is.

However, the jurisdictions using the class system don't have provisions for a Class 2+3 (it has features (28 MPH PAS) disqualifying it from Class 2, it has features (throttle) disqualifying it from Class 3, due to how those classes are worded). So, while enforcement may be unlikely, it's certainly possible.

Myself, I'd like to see 2+3 treated as equivalent to 3 legally - realistically, nobody's going to allow a Class 3 access to a trail where Class 2 is banned, so there's no reason to ban a 2+3 at that point.

edwong3

@bhtooefr
"And, note that the proposed New York state law would also allow classes 2 and 3, but with Class 3 only allowed in NYC (not the rest of the state) IIRC, and limited to 25 MPH, not 28."

I guess we'll have to call that NYC legal e-bike a "Class 3 LITE". State and city governments are a joke, and no, I am not getting political.

Thanks for your insightful input. It was well explained and we need more informed posts like yours.