It’s Our 10-Year Anniversary!

We’re officially 10! In celebration of our presence in the cycling industry, we’re celebrating a decade of innovation, forward motion, and making you the center of our world. We sat down with our CEO and Founder, JW Zhang, to get his take on the past 10 years, from where we started, where we’ve come, and where we’re going!

What are your core principles and values?

Coming from a family with a background in manufacturing, I usually joke that the ‘manufacturing gene’ is in my blood. Whenever I saw a product on the market that I liked, I always thought to myself, ‘How could I make this better?’ That’s how Aventon was born; I saw a need for high-quality, reliable bikes and knew there was an opportunity to make a big impact on the market.

Bringing ideas to life, producing exceptional products, and pricing them reasonably are at the core of Aventon. And while innovation is something I always strive high for and incorporate into the products we produce, at the end of the day, it’s our passion that drives us forward. My personal passion for bikes, the joy I felt riding around my hometown as a child, and even now; Regardless of the type of day I’m having, my bike is my happy place, and I’m driven to find a way to spread that joy to everyone at all stages of life.

What inspired you to build your business?

The idea started out of a necessity I noticed when I was in college: this need for accessible, reliable, and affordable transportation, both on and off campus. The deeper I got into conceptualizing what Aventon would be, the more I was inspired to challenge the status quo of a stagnant industry. It was so much more than just producing a bicycle that was affordable. I wanted to build a better product, construct it with cleaner welds, and enhance it with a more dynamic design, while making it more accessible to more people.

When ebikes started to grow in popularity, I knew it was the right direction to move towards since it meant making cycling accessible to more people. It was important to me to still maintain our founding philosophy and simply apply it to a new industry: make purposefully-built, innovative ebikes that look like bikes, just with an electric charge.

What makes you unique?

Bikes are my passion, and, in particular, how they’re made. I enjoy the whole process, from their conception to the first introduction into the market. Quality is important to me: from precision to ingenuity in design to premium components and innovative features. But before the how, is the why. I’ve invested my heart, mind, and soul into this industry. Bikes are so much more than just bikes. If you ask anyone, you’ll hear hundreds of reasons why they ride. Getting to know Aventon consumers and their whys helps to not only guide me in what I should be producing but affirm that these products are making a real impact on people’s day-to-day lives.

How do you want people to feel when they think of your business?

My goal is for others to associate ‘Aventon’ with happiness. Whether that’s trying an Aventon for the first time and feeling the motor kick in, getting on one on a day-to-day basis to run errands or just stay active, or getting back on after a seasonal break or some time off. No matter what someone is going through, the type of day they’re having, or the emotions they’re carrying, I want Aventon to be that outlet that allows them to find a little bit of joy throughout their days. To know their bike can be their escape; Their outlet. Because at the end of the day, sharing a brief, evening neighborhood ride with your significant other, biking with your dog to the park, or grabbing your favorite cup of coffee without worrying about where to park are only going to make us happier and healthier.

What are you most proud of from what you have brought to life in the last ten years?

There isn’t necessarily one single thing I’m most proud of as it is what Aventon has become as a whole today. To be able to say we’re achieving our goal of being ‘the people’s brand’ is the greatest achievement. A brand that’s accessible to everyone. Where speed, expertise, apparel, or gear aren’t what defines who can ride and who can’t. Instead, anyone can enjoy our bikes. Although I love manufacturing and building great bikes, it’s so much more than that. It’s creating a community. Where anyone and everyone can come together, ride together, and be healthier, happier, all while making the world a better place.

And for that, I have every single Aventon rider to thank from the day we started to today. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, our riders and the riding community have made Aventon into what it is today. You’re the reason Aventon was started, the reason Aventon expanded into electric bikes, and the reason Aventon will continue to push forward at full-throttle.