Aventon Aventure 2 Review – Is This The Best Entry-Level Fat Tire Ebike?

When it comes to ebike styles, fat tire ebikes are one of my favorites. The big tires and large frames typically make for a comfortable ride. They’re also a versatile style of bike, able to handle a lot of different use cases. And since ebikes have motors that help move the bike, the rolling resistance that comes with having fat tires isn’t a problem. 

I have a lot of different fat tire ebikes that I ride, but most recently, I’ve been riding the Aventon Aventure 2. This is an entry-level fat tire ebike from Aventon, one of the largest ebike manufacturers in the United States. The Aventure 2 is an update on their popular Aventure 1, with a few upgrades that make for a potentially better riding experience. 

After putting several hundred miles on my Aventon Aventure 2, I thought it’d be useful to share my experience with his bike, some reasons you might want to get it, and some of the negatives that I’ve noticed after riding it for a while. 

If you’re interested in my video review of the Aventure 2, you can check it out here:

Quick Overview

As usual, with all my ebike reviews, I like to first go over the general specs of the bike. Here are some of the basic specs to know about the Aventure 2.

• Top Speed: 28 mph (need to unlock the speed limiter using the Aventon app)
• Motor: 750-watt rear hub motor
• Range: Up to 60 miles of advertised range
• Tires: 26×4 fat tires
• Battery: 48V, 15Ah (720Wh)
• Brakes: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes
• Shifter – 8-speed Shimano shifters

The Aventure 2 comes in two frame options – a step-over and a step-through frame. I opted for the step-through frame, which I think is the better choice because it makes getting on and off the bike easier. 

In terms of looks, this is a sleek-looking bike. The battery for the Aventure 2 is integrated into the frame, which gives the bike a clean appearance. One nice thing is that the Aventure 2 uses the same battery as their other bikes, which means if you have other Aventon bikes, you’ll be able to use the same battery. Having an extra battery on hand is nice when you need to take longer rides. 

In terms of power, the bike uses a 750-watt rear hub motor. The top speed of the Aventure 2 is 20 mph out of the box, but you can use the Aventon app to increase the top speed to 28 mph. Aventon advertises 60 miles of range on a full charge, though you’re unlikely to get that with normal usage. I’m not sure what the range is in a real-world setting, but I haven’t had any range anxiety riding it around. The display gives good information about your battery percentage, so you’ll have a good idea of how much battery you have left from the display.

The other mechanical parts of the bike are about what you’d expect. The Aventure 2 uses Tektro hydraulic disc brakes, which are fairly standard amongst fat tire ebikes. You have an 8-speed Shimano shifter which provides good gearing. The 26×4 fat tires help the bike conquer any terrain and weather conditions. The bike also has a front fork suspension, which helps make for a smoother ride. You also get a rear cargo rack and fenders, both of which help with commuting.

The big change with the Aventure 2 compared to the Aventure 1 is the change in the pedal assist from a cadence sensor to a torque sensor. Most entry-level ebikes opt for a cadence sensor, which is a simpler pedal assist sensor that measures the rotations of your pedals to determine motor power.

In contrast, a torque sensor bases the motor power on the pressure the rider places on the pedals while pedaling. The advantage of this is that it provides a more natural riding experience, but it does require a bit more work when pedaling compared to a cadence sensor. For the most part, Aventon has opted to go with a torque sensor for all of their newer bikes, which should be considered a good thing. There are advantages and disadvantages to the torque sensor, but it seems like most people prefer the torque sensor when given the choice.

My Experience With The Aventon Aventure 2

I’ve been using the Aventure 2 as my regular commuting bike and as a food delivery bike (I deliver food with apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats). So far, I’ve had a good experience with it. The bike is powerful and feels well-built. It’s also a comfortable ride that should fit most riders.

For commuting, the Aventure 2 works out well since it has nice fenders and a good rear rack. To carry things on the rear rack, I use panniers or secure things to the rack using straps. The fenders keep dirt and water off me when I ride. The suspension and large tires make the bike well-suited for dealing with bumps and potholes when riding in the city. 

As a food delivery bike, the Aventure 2 works out well also because it has a lot of range and is fast. The step-through frame also makes it easy to get on and off the bike, which is really important when you’re delivering food and constantly getting on and off the bike. I also got a front rack for the Aventure 2 but ultimately decided to remove it since I didn’t like the way it looked and it didn’t feel very functional to me. I had one delivery for example where I dropped the customer’s order since I didn’t have it secured on the front rack:

One important thing to note is how different this bike feels once you unlock it. When I first rode the Aventure 2, I didn’t unlock it with the Aventon app, so it was capped at 20mph. As a result, the ride felt sort of sluggish. When riding it, I would quickly hit that 20mph limit, and then I was essentially pedaling entirely using my own power if I wanted to maintain that speed. 

Once I unlocked it, however, the bike felt like a different bike. Unlocked, the Aventure 2 has a top speed of 28mph so normal pedaling can keep you at around 25 mph or so without exerting much energy. If you get this bike, I highly recommend unlocking it so it has a top speed of 28mph. Even if you don’t need to go that fast, it’ll still make the bike feel faster and more powerful.

The other feature worth discussing is the torque sensor. Aventon has switched to torque sensors for their new models of ebikes, replacing the cadence sensors they used to use. The advantage of a torque sensor compared to the typical cadence sensor is that it gives the bike a more natural feel when pedaling since the motor power is based on the pressure you apply to the pedals. I generally consider torque sensors to be better than cadence sensors but it definitely gives the bike a different feel compared to a cadence sensor, mainly in that you have to pedal harder to reach higher speeds.

Which sensor you prefer is going to be based on your personal preferences and while I do like torque sensors, I think their advantages are overblown by many. My advice if you’re unfamiliar with the difference between these pedal assist sensors is to test ride bikes with both sensors so you can get a sense of how the different sensors change the ride experience.

The Main Reasons To Consider The Aventon Aventure 2

There are dozens of fat-tire ebikes to choose from, so why would you consider the Aventure 2 over other options?

The main reason would probably be so you can get service from a local bike shop. Of the direct-to-consumer ebike manufacturers, Aventon is one of the few that also uses a dealer model. That means you can purchase Aventon ebikes from a local bike shop and have them service your bike. As ebikes get more popular, more shops will work on any brand of ebike, but it’s not a guarantee, and having a shop that you know will work on your bike is very helpful, especially if you aren’t particularly handy with bikes. 

The dealer model that Aventon uses also means you can test-ride their bikes before you purchase them. This is a big advantage since it means you can see how a bike feels before you purchase it. As much as you can read reviews and look at photos, you really can’t know how a bike will feel until you can ride it. That being said, while test-riding a bike is nice, it still can be difficult to get a good feel of a bike after only riding it a few times around the block.

In terms of specs, I think the Aventure 2 offers good specs for the price point. You get a powerful motor and hydraulic disc brakes. Having a torque sensor is also very nice for an entry-level fat-tire ebike. The ability to unlock the bike to 28mph makes this bike really good for people who want the extra speed.

Finally, Aventon is a big brand located in the United States and while there are no guarantees, it does provide a little more comfort that you’ll be able to get parts and support from them now and in the future.

Downsides Of The Aventon Aventure 2

There are a few downsides I’ve noticed with the Aventure 2 that I think should be mentioned. The most noticeable thing to me is that the pedals are low to the ground, making it so when you take sharp turns, your pedals will sometimes scrape the ground. This can be addressed by being aware of your pedal position when making turns, but it can be annoying (and potentially dangerous depending on how aware you are and how sharp of a turn you’re making). My advice when turning on the Aventure 2 is to avoid overly sharp turns that bring your pedals too low to the ground. You’ll get used to this with some more riding.

Another minor nitpick is with the front basket. This is an optional accessory that I got to give myself additional cargo space. After using it for a bit, I decided to take it off because I felt it got in the way and wasn’t particularly useful. The main downside is that the basket doesn’t hold anything well because it’s open in the front. If you don’t strap things down. it’ll fall off. It’s also too high up, which means if you put anything big in it, it’ll get in the way of the handlebars. There was also a bit of an optical illusion where it made me feel like my handlebars weren’t aligned properly with the front wheels. My advice is to skip the front basket and stick to the rear rack for cargo.

Final Thoughts

The Aventure 2 is a good bike that offers a lot of value for the price point. This isn’t the cheapest entry-level fat-tire ebike, but it is at the same price point as other entry-level fat-tire bikes from similar companies. The big selling points for the Aventon Aventure 2 are the torque sensor and the ability to unlock the bike to 28mph. Also, being able to buy and test ride the bike at a local bike shop, as well as get it serviced makes it a good option for someone who wants to get a fat-tire ebike and be that sure they can get it serviced somewhere.

I hope you found this review of the Aventon Aventure 2 helpful. I have a lot of fat-tire ebikes and this one is one I’ll be riding for a while. I’ll be sure to follow up with updates as I put some more miles on it.

If you are interested in purchasing the Aventon Aventure 2 and would like to support us, you can get it using our Aventon referral link.

Disclosure: Aventon sent us the Aventure 2 to review. We did not receive payment for this post and Aventon did not review this post or have any editorial say over it.