AMA Question: Any plans for mid drives in future models?

Aventon's Response: Nothing for now, but it's been highly requested, so I'll let our engineers know.

AMA Question: Aventon seems to be having a lot of quality issues lately with batteries, particularly affecting the Soltera. There has not been any clear communication about this from Aventon, and customer support is very slow to respond/follow up. What is going on?

Aventon's Response: Yeah, recently we've identified a large portion of our Soltera inventory was delivered with DOA batteries. This put a pause on all shipments of this model, requiring an inspection of 100% of the inventory to remove any defects. Good news! We have completed inspecting 3/4's of that inventory which have now been released and are ready to ride.

AMA Question: Can I provide a few feature requests?

Aventon's Response:  Provide? We WELCOME these requests; it's a huge reason why I wanted to chat with you guys. I hear you loud and clear and I'll share with the team!

AMA Question: What was the reason for choosing a hub motor over a chain drive?

Aventon's Response: Hi, Hub drive is easier to adapt to different frame styles! It gives more freedom for a bicycle design. Also it is less expensive and more direct with less wear and tear on other parts of the drivetrain like chain and sprockets.

AMA Question: Did you design the Aventure? If so, nice job. I chose it over similarly priced competition based on the specs and, secondarily, the looks.

Aventon's Response: Hi, I joined the company after Aventure was already on the market. I agree that Aventure is a nice bike, love the unique and strong design. I would have chosen Aventure too. Which color do you have?

AMA Question: Your Level Commuter bikes have been rather out of stock lately. are you planning on releasing a new level?

Aventon's Response: Hi, Make sure to sign up for our Newsletter, so that you can be the first person to hear any upcoming news :-)

AMA Question: I commute to work - if my hub motored bike has a flat on the back… what do I do? Isn’t it 1000% harder to deal with than a regular rear wheel? Is it easy to pop off the tire and replace the tube?

Also I’m thinking about a rad power bike vs an aventon (soltera7spd) to replace my current diy ebike. Rad seems heavy as a horse, how does aventon keep their bikes light? Will the bike components wear down faster on aventon? Am I comparing apples to oranges?

Aventon's Response: Hello, changing a flat on a hub motor bike is very similar to a traditional bike. The only additional item is unplugging the motor cable before removing the wheel. The wheel is a bit heavier but the rest is just the same axle nuts and clearing the chain from the cogs.

The Soltera 7 is a great bike that weighs in around 43 lbs. The road bike style of frame, 700c wheels and 350w motor keeps the bike light and responsive. Check our dealer locator for an Aventon dealer near you for a possible test drive. You will definitely feel the difference!

AMA Question: Thanks for doing this! I’m new to ebikes and have had my Level for a few weeks now—I’m loving it so far.

Can you explain a bit more how the PAS and throttle work? It seems like each PAS level correlates to a certain speed range. Is this accurate? Also, the throttle seems to just not really work on steep hills. Why is that? And finally, this might be a dumb question, but what does the PAS actually do—move the pedals, move the wheels?

Aventon's Response: Hello, the Level is a great bike. The throttle can be used without pedaling like when you are taking off from a stop. You can continue on the throttle without pedaling up to 20mph. The PAS can be set from 1-5 and will engage when you pedal. Each setting has a different top speed so the bike will accelerate to that speed setting as long as you keep pedaling.

AMA Question: With the increased weight of the bike (batteries, motor) I notice that often the maximum weight for the bikes has not been increased. Do you have any recommendations for manufactorers who have bikes for riders who already bring some weight with them?

Aventon's Response: Hello, some of the newer bikes with the 4.0 wide tires have increased weight capacity. Our Aventure e-bike has a 400lb capacity. There are also cargo style bikes out there designed to carry more weight as well.

AMA Question: How do you feel about those anti-ebikers that says it's "cheating"?

Aventon's Response: Hi, there are so many reasons for riding an e-bike. I am a regular cyclist and love having the e-bike option in my bike fleet. Sometimes I just feel like riding casual instead of all the bike gear. It also helps get people out on bikes that aren't currently riding.

AMA Question: From a riding (rather than a maintenance) perspective, how would you describe the difference between mid-drive and hub-drive bikes.

Aventon's Response: Hi, the mid drive bikes I have ridden are all more gradual with assist and that level of assist will increase with your pedaling force. They use a torque sensing system that adds to your effort. The hub motors have a stronger acceleration usually and have the option of using a throttle when you want to rest your legs. Both are great motor styles but have slightly different riding characteristics.

AMA Question: Just wanted to chime in as an Aventon Adventure owner, I was not happy when my front fork suspension was rough and gritty or when my rear hydraulic brake seals broke, but I was very happy when Aventon was quick about sending me all the replacement parts within a week and I didn't have to send anything but a video. For $2,000 USD, it's the best bike I've ever owned in it's price range.

Aventon's Response: Hello, awesome, that's great to hear! Glad you are enjoying your bike! Have a great ride!