Aventon Pace 500.3 - Early Returns
10-05-23, 06:10 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Aventon Pace 500.3 - Early Returns
Well, I've *almost* bought an e-bike for a couple of years now. But I finally went and did it. I am 63yo and seriously out of shape (6ft, 270lb), plus I have some joint issues in my neck and wrists that cause real pain.. So the ideal bike I was looking for was a comfort bike with an upright riding position, a high torque mid-drive motor and torque sensor, good battery life, hydraulic disk brakes, and "chubby" street tires about 2.3 - 2.5in, UL-listed powertrain and still reasonably priced - $2500 or less. I was also leaning heavily toward a step-through design and didn't want something *too* heavy.
I still haven't found that bike, but I got tired of waiting and didn't want the great to be the enemy of the good. I saw that the recently introduced Aventon Pace 500.3 had added a torque sensor, and upgraded the controller for improved performance on hills. I felt more comfortable with Aventon than pure direct-to-consumer bikes, because these are also sold in many bike shops - so I could try it before I buy and get dealer service easily enough if needed. I saw that two local shops had them and went to pay one a visit. The price was discounted a bit to $1,699, which lowered risk and would allow me to buy a guest bike later if I wanted to. I liked it on the test ride in the neighborhood and purchased!
It has many of the things I wanted - step-through design, true comfort bike geometry, torque sensor, hydraulic disk brakes, a UL-listed powertrain, and a 2-year warranty to boot. It's fairly light weight for an e-bike anyway, rated at 52lb, so not too difficult for me to load it in/out of the hitch carrier or carry it across a few stairs when needed. Minus the battery it's probably about 44lb.
It doesn't have the mid drive motor and high torque, but what I have found is that even at 270lb, it's powerful enough for me to ride up moderate slopes with pedal assist. I haven't taken any real long rides, but range looks like it will be somewhere between 30-60 miles even at my size, depending on the terrain, which will be plenty for anything I plan to do. I ride it at about 15mph in eco-mode typically, while supplying some leg power, as I want to get exercise. I only use the throttle for taking off and entering the roadway.
I did swap in a Specialized Body Geometry/Cup saddle and a Thudbuster ST seat post, and may add a lower tier Rock Shox fork as well. You don't need the fork on paved roads, but there is a dirt/gravel road here in the wildlife refuge with miles of nasty washboards that vibrate the crap out of your hands, wrists and forearms - so that would be the main reason for getting a basic airspring fork.
I don't ride in cold weather, so more extensive experience will have to wait until next year, but I've got about 75 miles on it over half a dozen rides, and so far, so good :-)
P.S. One demerit for this bike is that the step-through model doesn't have any water bottle bosses on it. My typical ride is half an hour to an hour, so it's not a dealbreaker.
I still haven't found that bike, but I got tired of waiting and didn't want the great to be the enemy of the good. I saw that the recently introduced Aventon Pace 500.3 had added a torque sensor, and upgraded the controller for improved performance on hills. I felt more comfortable with Aventon than pure direct-to-consumer bikes, because these are also sold in many bike shops - so I could try it before I buy and get dealer service easily enough if needed. I saw that two local shops had them and went to pay one a visit. The price was discounted a bit to $1,699, which lowered risk and would allow me to buy a guest bike later if I wanted to. I liked it on the test ride in the neighborhood and purchased!
It has many of the things I wanted - step-through design, true comfort bike geometry, torque sensor, hydraulic disk brakes, a UL-listed powertrain, and a 2-year warranty to boot. It's fairly light weight for an e-bike anyway, rated at 52lb, so not too difficult for me to load it in/out of the hitch carrier or carry it across a few stairs when needed. Minus the battery it's probably about 44lb.
It doesn't have the mid drive motor and high torque, but what I have found is that even at 270lb, it's powerful enough for me to ride up moderate slopes with pedal assist. I haven't taken any real long rides, but range looks like it will be somewhere between 30-60 miles even at my size, depending on the terrain, which will be plenty for anything I plan to do. I ride it at about 15mph in eco-mode typically, while supplying some leg power, as I want to get exercise. I only use the throttle for taking off and entering the roadway.
I did swap in a Specialized Body Geometry/Cup saddle and a Thudbuster ST seat post, and may add a lower tier Rock Shox fork as well. You don't need the fork on paved roads, but there is a dirt/gravel road here in the wildlife refuge with miles of nasty washboards that vibrate the crap out of your hands, wrists and forearms - so that would be the main reason for getting a basic airspring fork.
I don't ride in cold weather, so more extensive experience will have to wait until next year, but I've got about 75 miles on it over half a dozen rides, and so far, so good :-)
P.S. One demerit for this bike is that the step-through model doesn't have any water bottle bosses on it. My typical ride is half an hour to an hour, so it's not a dealbreaker.
Last edited by YankeeRider; 10-05-23 at 07:53 AM.
Likes For 2old:
10-05-23, 02:13 PM
#3
2 Old 2 B New B
YankeeRider, I hope you enjoy your Aventon as much as I do my Aventon Level.2. I too have wrist pain as well as back problems. I modified my bike with more swept back handlebars, a suspension seat post and clip less pedals. I only use boost level 1 so I get a little exercise. The Level.2 came with suspension forks and with the other mods has a good ride. Not pain free but tolerable. 35 psi in the tires helps too!
Likes For spudston:
10-05-23, 02:49 PM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
P.S. Thanks for the nudge - it made me think and I went out after work and it was actually warmer than the forecast and at least I got in one more ride... I'll try to keep looking for what may be other good days while they last :-)
Last edited by YankeeRider; 10-05-23 at 04:07 PM.
Likes For YankeeRider:
10-05-23, 04:17 PM
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
YankeeRider, I hope you enjoy your Aventon as much as I do my Aventon Level.2. I too have wrist pain as well as back problems. I modified my bike with more swept back handlebars, a suspension seat post and clip less pedals. I only use boost level 1 so I get a little exercise. The Level.2 came with suspension forks and with the other mods has a good ride. Not pain free but tolerable. 35 psi in the tires helps too!
10-18-23, 12:33 PM
#6
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 540
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
196 Posts
I think you made a good choice, Yankee. I'm another one with a Level.2 who installed an adjustable stem to get them a bit more relaxed. However, it's not stable enough now to ride no-handed; it immediately goes into a death wobble if I try because it was designed for that aggressive "urban commuting" steering geometry. I was questioning my judgment to get this instead of the Pace 500, but it's a moot point now.
I've got about 800 miles on mine now and everything is holding up well. The hydraulic brakes and nice integrated lights are especially nice. I get respect from motorists as I'm easy to see and predictable. The latest Pace 500.3 has integrated turn signals too, which I wish I had, but I'll make do with hand signals or get a helmet with turn signals maybe.
Aventon quality is very good; it's hard to portray online, but when you see them in person and ride around the parking lot, it's immediately noticeable.
I got back into cycling via eBikes. I felt like I was too out of shape to commute on my "acoustic" bike and went all fall, winter and spring on the eBike. I love being able to take it easy and arrive at work without sweat, then I can wick up my effort a bit on the way home. Or, I can load up 50 lbs. of groceries and still be able to climb the hills.
+1 to riding all winter. I'm in Wisconsin and I do it. I just skip it on the snow days and days below about 20°F. I swap the bike helmet for a ski helmet, cycling gloves for ski gloves (warmer) and just try not to wear too much jacket. Legs are a bit cold after my two mile commute, but I can cope. You'll feel so much more energized if you keep riding all winter.
As you get into better shape, you can do more and more of the work, until you find yourself daring to not use the motor at ALL. At that point, you'll realize you can ride an acoustic bike that weighs half as much and be well on your way to decent fitness.
Got to watch the eating and drinking habits. I lost 15 lbs when I started road biking and stopped drinking, but then started drinking again and gained 3 back. If I could knock off the drinking, I'm sure I'd lose another 10 with no other changes. (I need to lose 25 lbs. more to get back into the "normal" weight range; I'm 5'8, 182#; need to be 159# max.)
Good luck and keep it up! Your bike will satisfy you, I'm sure.
Idea for your guest/2nd eBike: Lectric XP Lite. It's only $800, it's a simple single speed, but it folds and is light enough to reasonably load into your car and take with you. My 11 year old daughter rides mine.
I've got about 800 miles on mine now and everything is holding up well. The hydraulic brakes and nice integrated lights are especially nice. I get respect from motorists as I'm easy to see and predictable. The latest Pace 500.3 has integrated turn signals too, which I wish I had, but I'll make do with hand signals or get a helmet with turn signals maybe.
Aventon quality is very good; it's hard to portray online, but when you see them in person and ride around the parking lot, it's immediately noticeable.
I got back into cycling via eBikes. I felt like I was too out of shape to commute on my "acoustic" bike and went all fall, winter and spring on the eBike. I love being able to take it easy and arrive at work without sweat, then I can wick up my effort a bit on the way home. Or, I can load up 50 lbs. of groceries and still be able to climb the hills.
+1 to riding all winter. I'm in Wisconsin and I do it. I just skip it on the snow days and days below about 20°F. I swap the bike helmet for a ski helmet, cycling gloves for ski gloves (warmer) and just try not to wear too much jacket. Legs are a bit cold after my two mile commute, but I can cope. You'll feel so much more energized if you keep riding all winter.
As you get into better shape, you can do more and more of the work, until you find yourself daring to not use the motor at ALL. At that point, you'll realize you can ride an acoustic bike that weighs half as much and be well on your way to decent fitness.
Got to watch the eating and drinking habits. I lost 15 lbs when I started road biking and stopped drinking, but then started drinking again and gained 3 back. If I could knock off the drinking, I'm sure I'd lose another 10 with no other changes. (I need to lose 25 lbs. more to get back into the "normal" weight range; I'm 5'8, 182#; need to be 159# max.)
Good luck and keep it up! Your bike will satisfy you, I'm sure.
Idea for your guest/2nd eBike: Lectric XP Lite. It's only $800, it's a simple single speed, but it folds and is light enough to reasonably load into your car and take with you. My 11 year old daughter rides mine.
Likes For Smaug1:
10-23-23, 10:16 AM
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I think you made a good choice, Yankee. I'm another one with a Level.2 who installed an adjustable stem to get them a bit more relaxed. However, it's not stable enough now to ride no-handed; it immediately goes into a death wobble if I try because it was designed for that aggressive "urban commuting" steering geometry. I was questioning my judgment to get this instead of the Pace 500, but it's a moot point now.
I've got about 800 miles on mine now and everything is holding up well. The hydraulic brakes and nice integrated lights are especially nice. I get respect from motorists as I'm easy to see and predictable. The latest Pace 500.3 has integrated turn signals too, which I wish I had, but I'll make do with hand signals or get a helmet with turn signals maybe.
Aventon quality is very good; it's hard to portray online, but when you see them in person and ride around the parking lot, it's immediately noticeable.
I got back into cycling via eBikes. I felt like I was too out of shape to commute on my "acoustic" bike and went all fall, winter and spring on the eBike. I love being able to take it easy and arrive at work without sweat, then I can wick up my effort a bit on the way home. Or, I can load up 50 lbs. of groceries and still be able to climb the hills.
+1 to riding all winter. I'm in Wisconsin and I do it. I just skip it on the snow days and days below about 20°F. I swap the bike helmet for a ski helmet, cycling gloves for ski gloves (warmer) and just try not to wear too much jacket. Legs are a bit cold after my two mile commute, but I can cope. You'll feel so much more energized if you keep riding all winter.
As you get into better shape, you can do more and more of the work, until you find yourself daring to not use the motor at ALL. At that point, you'll realize you can ride an acoustic bike that weighs half as much and be well on your way to decent fitness.
Got to watch the eating and drinking habits. I lost 15 lbs when I started road biking and stopped drinking, but then started drinking again and gained 3 back. If I could knock off the drinking, I'm sure I'd lose another 10 with no other changes. (I need to lose 25 lbs. more to get back into the "normal" weight range; I'm 5'8, 182#; need to be 159# max.)
Good luck and keep it up! Your bike will satisfy you, I'm sure.
Idea for your guest/2nd eBike: Lectric XP Lite. It's only $800, it's a simple single speed, but it folds and is light enough to reasonably load into your car and take with you. My 11 year old daughter rides mine.
I've got about 800 miles on mine now and everything is holding up well. The hydraulic brakes and nice integrated lights are especially nice. I get respect from motorists as I'm easy to see and predictable. The latest Pace 500.3 has integrated turn signals too, which I wish I had, but I'll make do with hand signals or get a helmet with turn signals maybe.
Aventon quality is very good; it's hard to portray online, but when you see them in person and ride around the parking lot, it's immediately noticeable.
I got back into cycling via eBikes. I felt like I was too out of shape to commute on my "acoustic" bike and went all fall, winter and spring on the eBike. I love being able to take it easy and arrive at work without sweat, then I can wick up my effort a bit on the way home. Or, I can load up 50 lbs. of groceries and still be able to climb the hills.
+1 to riding all winter. I'm in Wisconsin and I do it. I just skip it on the snow days and days below about 20°F. I swap the bike helmet for a ski helmet, cycling gloves for ski gloves (warmer) and just try not to wear too much jacket. Legs are a bit cold after my two mile commute, but I can cope. You'll feel so much more energized if you keep riding all winter.
As you get into better shape, you can do more and more of the work, until you find yourself daring to not use the motor at ALL. At that point, you'll realize you can ride an acoustic bike that weighs half as much and be well on your way to decent fitness.
Got to watch the eating and drinking habits. I lost 15 lbs when I started road biking and stopped drinking, but then started drinking again and gained 3 back. If I could knock off the drinking, I'm sure I'd lose another 10 with no other changes. (I need to lose 25 lbs. more to get back into the "normal" weight range; I'm 5'8, 182#; need to be 159# max.)
Good luck and keep it up! Your bike will satisfy you, I'm sure.
Idea for your guest/2nd eBike: Lectric XP Lite. It's only $800, it's a simple single speed, but it folds and is light enough to reasonably load into your car and take with you. My 11 year old daughter rides mine.
. Regarding the quality, I agree. There are dozens of new small companies selling low-er cost e-bikes than you will find at the big, traditional brands. However you can see that many of these companies are very small companies that are really trying their best to wring out every dollar of cost from their operation, and my concern is that some may be cutting some corners I don't want cut, and it's not just the component choices that are of concern. I am sure that it costs Aventon more to offer a dealer network, that's backing a 2-year warranty, and offering pre-sales test rides on a fully assembled bike, to have gone through the UL safety certification process with the powertrains on the their bikes, so as to verify for customers that the likelihood of electrical fires is low. But these things reassured me and that was what made me finally pull the trigger. Aventon is probably still not that large a company, but they do things like the big boys do, and still manage to keep their prices very reasonable.And thanks for your encouragement - we are all on our own unique fitness journey! So long as we don't give up, we are moving forward.
Last edited by YankeeRider; 10-23-23 at 10:28 AM.
11-15-23, 11:48 AM
#8
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 540
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
196 Posts
20 degrees? You're a better man than I . Regarding the quality, I agree. There are dozens of new small companies selling low-er cost e-bikes than you will find at the big, traditional brands. However you can see that many of these companies are very small companies that are really trying their best to wring out every dollar of cost from their operation, and my concern is that some may be cutting some corners I don't want cut, and it's not just the component choices that are of concern. I am sure that it costs Aventon more to offer a dealer network, that's backing a 2-year warranty, and offering pre-sales test rides on a fully assembled bike, to have gone through the UL safety certification process with the powertrains on the their bikes, so as to verify for customers that the likelihood of electrical fires is low. But these things reassured me and that was what made me finally pull the trigger. Aventon is probably still not that large a company, but they do things like the big boys do, and still manage to keep their prices very reasonable.
And thanks for your encouragement - we are all on our own unique fitness journey! So long as we don't give up, we are moving forward.
. Regarding the quality, I agree. There are dozens of new small companies selling low-er cost e-bikes than you will find at the big, traditional brands. However you can see that many of these companies are very small companies that are really trying their best to wring out every dollar of cost from their operation, and my concern is that some may be cutting some corners I don't want cut, and it's not just the component choices that are of concern. I am sure that it costs Aventon more to offer a dealer network, that's backing a 2-year warranty, and offering pre-sales test rides on a fully assembled bike, to have gone through the UL safety certification process with the powertrains on the their bikes, so as to verify for customers that the likelihood of electrical fires is low. But these things reassured me and that was what made me finally pull the trigger. Aventon is probably still not that large a company, but they do things like the big boys do, and still manage to keep their prices very reasonable.And thanks for your encouragement - we are all on our own unique fitness journey! So long as we don't give up, we are moving forward.
https://www.certipedia.com/search/ma...ates?q=Aventon
It's better than not having been considered at all, but not as good as if they'd gotten the .2 version certified.
They seem to use SGS (another UL competitor) to have the battery pack certified.
My charger is UL Listed; that's good. I don't know why they didn't just use UL for everything; probably could've gotten a package deal. (They should've hired me when I was available, hehehe.)
I'm going to make a separate post on safety certifications on eBikes here in a minute; it might be of interest to more than just you and I.
Last edited by Smaug1; 11-22-23 at 04:21 PM.
Likes For Smaug1:
02-09-24, 10:47 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,380
Bikes: 1982 Bianchi Sport SX, Rayleigh Tamland 1, Rans V-Rex recumbent, Fuji MTB, 80's Cannondale MTB with BBSHD ebike motor
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 668 Post(s)
Liked 529 Times
in
355 Posts
Just bought a Aventon 500.3 for the girlfriend. Only a couple of short rides so far but she is beyond happy with the bike.
Test rode the bike in a DC shop. Liked the bike so much the GF accidentally ordered on line during the drive home when comparing prices. Bike was delivered in 3 days, assembled by me in maybe 20 minutes. Impressively the bike came with everything needed to assemble. A multi tool, heavy pedal wrench, even a package of grease. Bike was packed with jute, cardboard and paper, no zip ties or plastic, so all packing material went into recycle. Nice touch I thought. Charged the battery, inflated tires and went for a ride, very easy.
Felt bad about the test ride then on line order, but the shop was listing the bike for $200 more than the on line price. Ended up getting the bike, including tax, plus fenders, rear rack and a folding lock for the list price in the shop. In the shop's defense Aventon says assembly is $180, so probably the difference there.
GF was a non-rider but wanted an ebike so we can tool around together. Started her on an old acoustic bike, which she didn't like. She fell off my oversized Cannodale/BBSHD conversion. Bounced real good, thought that was the end of riding. She was adamant about an upright riding position, step through frame and no "skinny" tires. I wanted a low weight bike to make it easier to ride. Bike pretty much checks all the boxes.
We rode the Trek FX-2, which fit her perfectly and was very light. Super nice bike but very pricy and underpowered. Smaller battery but sufficient for the type of riding we will do. Noticed a direct correlation between bike weight and power/battery capacity. I was wondering about the Trek's small, non-geared hub motor pushing the GF up hills. She needed a large frame.
Bike has integrated head light, brake light and turn signals. Head light works surprisingly well, nice beam pattern and plenty bright. I'm envious of the brake light. Turn signals seem nice but personally wonder how effective they will be. They are on the frame next to the hub, rear facing only, not very visible and obscured by the rear wheel.
Bike is very stable to ride, super easy to get on and off of. Hydro brakes modulate well, trigger shifter works. Wish the assist levels were adjustable. Bike really takes off even in the lowest assist level. I was looking forward to experiencing the torque sensor but initial ride it doesn't seem to do anything differently from the pedal assist on the BBSHD. Bike has a thumb throttle which has a nice smooth delivery with slow boost ramp up. Assist cuts out at 20 mph, but can dial this up to 28 mph via a phone app. Controls are intuitive and well placed. Battery is good sized, well integrated and easy to remove. Battery in the down tube means no water bottle bosses, but the straight upright riding position allows backpack hydration bladder. Plan on fitting a front basket at some point.
So all around a nice bike. Looking forward to a good year of riding together.
Test rode the bike in a DC shop. Liked the bike so much the GF accidentally ordered on line during the drive home when comparing prices. Bike was delivered in 3 days, assembled by me in maybe 20 minutes. Impressively the bike came with everything needed to assemble. A multi tool, heavy pedal wrench, even a package of grease. Bike was packed with jute, cardboard and paper, no zip ties or plastic, so all packing material went into recycle. Nice touch I thought. Charged the battery, inflated tires and went for a ride, very easy.
Felt bad about the test ride then on line order, but the shop was listing the bike for $200 more than the on line price. Ended up getting the bike, including tax, plus fenders, rear rack and a folding lock for the list price in the shop. In the shop's defense Aventon says assembly is $180, so probably the difference there.
GF was a non-rider but wanted an ebike so we can tool around together. Started her on an old acoustic bike, which she didn't like. She fell off my oversized Cannodale/BBSHD conversion. Bounced real good, thought that was the end of riding. She was adamant about an upright riding position, step through frame and no "skinny" tires. I wanted a low weight bike to make it easier to ride. Bike pretty much checks all the boxes.
We rode the Trek FX-2, which fit her perfectly and was very light. Super nice bike but very pricy and underpowered. Smaller battery but sufficient for the type of riding we will do. Noticed a direct correlation between bike weight and power/battery capacity. I was wondering about the Trek's small, non-geared hub motor pushing the GF up hills. She needed a large frame.
Bike has integrated head light, brake light and turn signals. Head light works surprisingly well, nice beam pattern and plenty bright. I'm envious of the brake light. Turn signals seem nice but personally wonder how effective they will be. They are on the frame next to the hub, rear facing only, not very visible and obscured by the rear wheel.
Bike is very stable to ride, super easy to get on and off of. Hydro brakes modulate well, trigger shifter works. Wish the assist levels were adjustable. Bike really takes off even in the lowest assist level. I was looking forward to experiencing the torque sensor but initial ride it doesn't seem to do anything differently from the pedal assist on the BBSHD. Bike has a thumb throttle which has a nice smooth delivery with slow boost ramp up. Assist cuts out at 20 mph, but can dial this up to 28 mph via a phone app. Controls are intuitive and well placed. Battery is good sized, well integrated and easy to remove. Battery in the down tube means no water bottle bosses, but the straight upright riding position allows backpack hydration bladder. Plan on fitting a front basket at some point.
So all around a nice bike. Looking forward to a good year of riding together.
Likes For Pop N Wood:
02-11-24, 11:32 PM
#10
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 540
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
196 Posts
My Level.2 has the battery in the down tube but has water bottle cage bosses bosses there, so that’s not the reason it’s absent.
I also feel like the assistance in PAS1 was a bit much and I told them so. They said they would pass it onto the engineering team, but it has apparently been ignored.
These bikes have a good mix of quality, value and efficiency. I’m finding their range estimates are accurate for taking it easy on PAS1, which is refreshing.
Congrats to your girl!
I also feel like the assistance in PAS1 was a bit much and I told them so. They said they would pass it onto the engineering team, but it has apparently been ignored.
These bikes have a good mix of quality, value and efficiency. I’m finding their range estimates are accurate for taking it easy on PAS1, which is refreshing.
Congrats to your girl!
02-13-24, 09:39 PM
#11
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Just bought a Aventon 500.3 for the girlfriend. Only a couple of short rides so far but she is beyond happy with the bike.
Test rode the bike in a DC shop. Liked the bike so much the GF accidentally ordered on line during the drive home when comparing prices. Bike was delivered in 3 days, assembled by me in maybe 20 minutes. Impressively the bike came with everything needed to assemble. A multi tool, heavy pedal wrench, even a package of grease. Bike was packed with jute, cardboard and paper, no zip ties or plastic, so all packing material went into recycle. Nice touch I thought. Charged the battery, inflated tires and went for a ride, very easy.
Felt bad about the test ride then on line order, but the shop was listing the bike for $200 more than the on line price. Ended up getting the bike, including tax, plus fenders, rear rack and a folding lock for the list price in the shop. In the shop's defense Aventon says assembly is $180, so probably the difference there.
GF was a non-rider but wanted an ebike so we can tool around together. Started her on an old acoustic bike, which she didn't like. She fell off my oversized Cannodale/BBSHD conversion. Bounced real good, thought that was the end of riding. She was adamant about an upright riding position, step through frame and no "skinny" tires. I wanted a low weight bike to make it easier to ride. Bike pretty much checks all the boxes.
We rode the Trek FX-2, which fit her perfectly and was very light. Super nice bike but very pricy and underpowered. Smaller battery but sufficient for the type of riding we will do. Noticed a direct correlation between bike weight and power/battery capacity. I was wondering about the Trek's small, non-geared hub motor pushing the GF up hills. She needed a large frame.
Bike has integrated head light, brake light and turn signals. Head light works surprisingly well, nice beam pattern and plenty bright. I'm envious of the brake light. Turn signals seem nice but personally wonder how effective they will be. They are on the frame next to the hub, rear facing only, not very visible and obscured by the rear wheel.
Bike is very stable to ride, super easy to get on and off of. Hydro brakes modulate well, trigger shifter works. Wish the assist levels were adjustable. Bike really takes off even in the lowest assist level. I was looking forward to experiencing the torque sensor but initial ride it doesn't seem to do anything differently from the pedal assist on the BBSHD. Bike has a thumb throttle which has a nice smooth delivery with slow boost ramp up. Assist cuts out at 20 mph, but can dial this up to 28 mph via a phone app. Controls are intuitive and well placed. Battery is good sized, well integrated and easy to remove. Battery in the down tube means no water bottle bosses, but the straight upright riding position allows backpack hydration bladder. Plan on fitting a front basket at some point.
So all around a nice bike. Looking forward to a good year of riding together.
Test rode the bike in a DC shop. Liked the bike so much the GF accidentally ordered on line during the drive home when comparing prices. Bike was delivered in 3 days, assembled by me in maybe 20 minutes. Impressively the bike came with everything needed to assemble. A multi tool, heavy pedal wrench, even a package of grease. Bike was packed with jute, cardboard and paper, no zip ties or plastic, so all packing material went into recycle. Nice touch I thought. Charged the battery, inflated tires and went for a ride, very easy.
Felt bad about the test ride then on line order, but the shop was listing the bike for $200 more than the on line price. Ended up getting the bike, including tax, plus fenders, rear rack and a folding lock for the list price in the shop. In the shop's defense Aventon says assembly is $180, so probably the difference there.
GF was a non-rider but wanted an ebike so we can tool around together. Started her on an old acoustic bike, which she didn't like. She fell off my oversized Cannodale/BBSHD conversion. Bounced real good, thought that was the end of riding. She was adamant about an upright riding position, step through frame and no "skinny" tires. I wanted a low weight bike to make it easier to ride. Bike pretty much checks all the boxes.
We rode the Trek FX-2, which fit her perfectly and was very light. Super nice bike but very pricy and underpowered. Smaller battery but sufficient for the type of riding we will do. Noticed a direct correlation between bike weight and power/battery capacity. I was wondering about the Trek's small, non-geared hub motor pushing the GF up hills. She needed a large frame.
Bike has integrated head light, brake light and turn signals. Head light works surprisingly well, nice beam pattern and plenty bright. I'm envious of the brake light. Turn signals seem nice but personally wonder how effective they will be. They are on the frame next to the hub, rear facing only, not very visible and obscured by the rear wheel.
Bike is very stable to ride, super easy to get on and off of. Hydro brakes modulate well, trigger shifter works. Wish the assist levels were adjustable. Bike really takes off even in the lowest assist level. I was looking forward to experiencing the torque sensor but initial ride it doesn't seem to do anything differently from the pedal assist on the BBSHD. Bike has a thumb throttle which has a nice smooth delivery with slow boost ramp up. Assist cuts out at 20 mph, but can dial this up to 28 mph via a phone app. Controls are intuitive and well placed. Battery is good sized, well integrated and easy to remove. Battery in the down tube means no water bottle bosses, but the straight upright riding position allows backpack hydration bladder. Plan on fitting a front basket at some point.
So all around a nice bike. Looking forward to a good year of riding together.
Last edited by YankeeRider; 02-13-24 at 09:43 PM.
Likes For YankeeRider:
02-14-24, 02:14 PM
#12
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 540
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
196 Posts
I would think that a more leaned-forward bike would be easier on the back, since the shocks from the road would be split between the spine and arms, but I guess it depends on the back problem. Some people have back pain from bending forward, others have it from sitting too much.
02-19-24, 06:40 AM
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,380
Bikes: 1982 Bianchi Sport SX, Rayleigh Tamland 1, Rans V-Rex recumbent, Fuji MTB, 80's Cannondale MTB with BBSHD ebike motor
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 668 Post(s)
Liked 529 Times
in
355 Posts
I have a set of the SKS strap on bottle bosses, but that would strap in the battery. She got the step through so no top tube. I could put them on the seat tube, but that would be a long reach, especially for a new rider.
Been 25 degrees around here.
02-19-24, 06:46 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,380
Bikes: 1982 Bianchi Sport SX, Rayleigh Tamland 1, Rans V-Rex recumbent, Fuji MTB, 80's Cannondale MTB with BBSHD ebike motor
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 668 Post(s)
Liked 529 Times
in
355 Posts
I would think that a more leaned-forward bike would be easier on the back, since the shocks from the road would be split between the spine and arms, but I guess it depends on the back problem. Some people have back pain from bending forward, others have it from sitting too much.
I do wonder what the bolt upright position of the ebike will do powering up hills. Guess that is where the motor comes in.
Likes For Pop N Wood:
Likes For tesla_exp:
03-02-24, 08:57 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: SF Bay Area, East bay
Posts: 7,662
Bikes: Miyata 618 GT, Marinoni, Kestral 200 2002 Trek 5200, KHS Flite, Koga Miyata, Schwinn Spitfire 5, Mondia Special, Univega Alpina, Miyata team Ti, Santa Cruz Highball
Mentioned: 53 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1610 Post(s)
Liked 2,593 Times
in
1,225 Posts
Purchased the pace500.3 stepthru for my wife. She did well on her hybrid but wanted to stay up with me on longer rides. Sale priced and 3 accessories for $1400. Only use the barend mirror. Good power range. Got her started up and she enjoyed the ride but was still lagging back. She did a lot better when I noticed she hadn't kicked in the motor yet, lol. They say the battery has no memory so you can charge it after each ride if you want. She carries her water in a handlebar bag.
Likes For curbtender:
04-20-24, 05:55 AM
#18
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I would think that a more leaned-forward bike would be easier on the back, since the shocks from the road would be split between the spine and arms, but I guess it depends on the back problem. Some people have back pain from bending forward, others have it from sitting too much.
04-22-24, 08:51 AM
#19
Commuter
Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: SE Wisconsin, USA
Posts: 540
Bikes: Main Bikes: 2023 Trek Domane AL3, 2022 Aventon Level.2 eBike, 1972 Schwinn Varsity, 2024 Priority Apollo 11
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 238 Post(s)
Liked 323 Times
in
196 Posts
My recumbent is the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. Switching off to my normal bike really makes me feel the pain in my neck, which in my case radiates down to my arms and hands. Riding the bent actually relaxes my neck, it will crack and pop as I ride.
I do wonder what the bolt upright position of the ebike will do powering up hills. Guess that is where the motor comes in.
I do wonder what the bolt upright position of the ebike will do powering up hills. Guess that is where the motor comes in.
04-22-24, 12:59 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Gateway to the West
Posts: 811
Bikes: You mean this week?
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 29 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 29 Times
in
20 Posts
Actually Bachetta now sells a Pronto, which is a factory ebike recumbent. And just about every recumbent trike manufacturer offers a factory e-option. HPVelotechnik offers a more upright etrike that splits apart for transport in the average hatchback.
https://bacchettabikes.com/products/bacchetta-pronto
https://bacchettabikes.com/products/bacchetta-pronto
Likes For mobilemail:
04-23-24, 02:33 PM
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,380
Bikes: 1982 Bianchi Sport SX, Rayleigh Tamland 1, Rans V-Rex recumbent, Fuji MTB, 80's Cannondale MTB with BBSHD ebike motor
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 668 Post(s)
Liked 529 Times
in
355 Posts
Do you find it strange that they don't make factory recumbent eBikes yet? Seems like an empty niche in the market right now. Maybe not a huge niche, but there is no competition there right now I would certainly be on board with a factory recumbent eBike. Something in the $2k range?
I ride a Rans V rex. Would be prety easy to hang a mid drive on the front of that. No end of places to mount a battery on that. But I like the bike the way it is
04-24-24, 10:14 AM
#22
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Gateway to the West
Posts: 811
Bikes: You mean this week?
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 29 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 29 Times
in
20 Posts
I think you could get your best value per buck on picking up a used two-wheeled recumbent, as that seems to be a real buyer's market right now. You could end up with a nice e-bent for ~2-2.5K total investment, and that includes a very high capacity battery. (I added a Bafang BBS02 and 52V 25AH battery to my recumbent trike for $1500).
There aren't nearly as many two-wheeled e-bents because there aren't really a lot of two wheeled 'bents made right now. The ones that are made are mostly very high quality, but not cheap. But with upper end diamond frame bikes easily passing $7K nowadays, I suppose it's to be expected.
There aren't nearly as many two-wheeled e-bents because there aren't really a lot of two wheeled 'bents made right now. The ones that are made are mostly very high quality, but not cheap. But with upper end diamond frame bikes easily passing $7K nowadays, I suppose it's to be expected.
