Aventon Ramblas ADV Review

Downhill Performance

The Ramblas ADV bridges the gap between a daily driver and a trail-hungry e-mtb with a 66.5-degree head angle and 130mm of RockShox travel. It's got the bones of a serious mountain bike, though the coil-sprung fork is a bit of a compromise. The 35mm stanchions are plenty stiff, but lighter riders might find the non-adjustable fork unforgiving on the chattery bumps.

This bike absolutely rips when the trail points down. Thanks to the included dropper post, you can tuck in and let the bike's 54-pound heft plow through technical sections with surprising confidence. The SRAM DB6 brakes offer impressive bite and heat management, delivering a consistent feel on long, brake-burning descents and giving you the confidence to ride faster. They also use SRAM's stealth routing, which keeps the brake lines close to the handlebars before dipping into the headset cable routing, giving the front end a pretty tidy appearance.

To give the Ramblas a fair shake on the descents, you have to look at it through the lens of its intended rider. This bike is not a slack-and-loose, gravity-hungry hardtail or a budget-friendly substitute for a $10,000 e-MTB. While we pushed this bike hard and crushed some technical singletrack lines, it finds its true calling on rolling cross-country loops, fire-road climbs, and flow trails.

At moderate speeds, the handling feels composed and intuitive; at higher speeds, the 66.5-degree headtube angle makes it clear it's out of its comfort zone. We hit several jump lines while testing, and while the bike blessed us with some air time, it seems to prefer life closer to the trail.

The frame is stiff and tracks quite well; you won't find any rear-end wiggle (or compliance) from the aluminum chassis. The slightly longer chainstays help to lengthen the wheelbase and take the edge off sharp hits. The flip side of that is the bike isn't in a hurry to change direction and is somewhat reluctant to get the front wheel off the ground. The long (1230mm) wheelbase lets you sit within the bike, offering a composed feel and more stability than you'll find on most electric hardtails.

Setting up the Maxxis Rekons tires tubeless made a big impact on the bike's traction and handling, a small upgrade we definitely recommend. The bike does not include tubeless valve stems or tubeless sealant, but the rims have the requisite tape installed, and the tires are tubeless-compatible. The extra traction and increased comfort give the bike a more confident and composed feel.

Climbing Performance

Yes, it's an ebike, but the Ramblas is a pedal-assist bike that still needs you to put in the work on hills. The geometry, in particular the 74.5-degree seat tube angle, is better suited for steady climbs than for steep technical routes. Longer chainstays help keep your weight in front of the rear axle, and that really helps to keep the front wheel on the ground, especially when you're in one of the bike's more powerful settings. While it doesn't ride as aggressively as some higher-end mountain bikes, the Ramblas is built to be an all-arounder, and it succeeds.

The Ramblas isn't exactly lightweight, registering XXX lbs on our GearLab bike scale, but that weight is masked by the bike's torquey motor. We were often caught off guard when we had to lift the bike, whether on a jump, over a downed tree, or onto a bike rack. We're accustomed to talking about bikes in the lighter-is-better way, but there is an upside to the Ramblas' mass. The bike feels rigid and planted, giving it commendable traction on climbs. Many users may opt for tires with more tread to take full advantage of the bike's abundant power.

The Ramblas uses Aventon's own A100 motor, with 100 Nm of torque and 750 watts of peak power, which feels like borrowing a pro athlete's legs. It makes every climb feel high-energy and exciting; your fingers never leave the brake levers. Three levels of fully customizable assist are available to help you scale any pitch.

-Eco mode, the assist does more than just help with the bike's weight; it makes the whole bike feel much lighter, and pedaling doesn't require the force you might expect.

-Trail mode, the bike gets a lot punchier and more playful, with the front end wanting to pop up more easily. This mode was our tester's favorite, but it benefits from a steady rhythm; if you hesitate or stop pedaling for a second, the assist cuts out, and even the temporary feel of the bike's full weight can disrupt your flow.

-Turbo mode is where things get really exhilarating. The motor is a bit more audible, with a low growl, as it delivers a powerful surge, making the bike feel overly caffeinated. It's a raw, dynamic experience that definitely keeps you on your toes and erases the inclines you're conquering.

Climbing in Turbo mode requires less finesse but more confidence; the bike is prone to steamrolling the terrain. This power requires some discipline to maintain traction, but was massively improved by removing the tubes and setting the bike up tubeless. The bike feels thrilling when leaning into uphill corners, but struggles in tight switchbacks, where its length can feel cumbersome. If that all sounds complicated, you can put the bike in Auto mode, and it will select the appropriate power level based on the terrain and your input.

Range

Aventon stuffs a 708Wh battery into the Ramblas downtube and hides it with a removable plastic guard. While this is a sizable battery, we expected the bike's motor would take a heavy toll on it. During our testing, we rode the bike on over a dozen trail rides, some of which had considerable climbing and even some cold weather, but we never fully depleted the battery.

To test the range of the Ramblas ADV, we topped off the battery and had our 180-lb test rider climb and descend a closed course. We put the bike in its most powerful (Turbo) setting and had our tester pedal just hard enough to trigger the torque sensor but not enough to raise his heart rate. He kept his pedaling input as close to 100 watts as possible for over 100 minutes, and the bike covered 29.1 miles with 5,711 feet of vertical gain. We stayed in Turbo mode until the bike reached 10% charge, and it lowered its power, slowing down until we finally reached the end of its charge.

Power Output

The electric mountain bike market is going through something of a power and torque arms race right now, and Aventon is not losing. Slugging it out with the most powerful motors offered, the A100 motor delivers 100 Nm of torque, which is more than most of the motors on the market today. We tested the Ramblas on a dynamometer, but to activate the motor's torque sensor, we had to pedal the bike. Despite repeated attempts with power-meter pedals and different riders, we weren't able to get a batch of results that felt scientific enough for comparison's sake. We'll have to rely on Aventon numbers and our feel while comparing it to other bikes.

The A100 motor delivers 250W of constant power and 750W of peak power. Using the Aventon app, you can make a wide array of adjustments to each of the bike's power settings. The bike's stock settings deliver 60 Nm of torque in Eco mode, 75 Nm in Trail mode, and 100 Nm in Turbo mode, but each of those values can be adjusted to your liking. Additionally, you can adjust the Pedal Response, which dictates how fast the bike reacts to your input. The higher you tune this setting, the more responsive the motor is and the faster the assist kicks in. You can also independently adjust the motor's assistance. Simply put, this is the multiplier effect that the bike uses to gauge your power with the torque sensor and add its own. Everytime we experienced something we didn't like about the motor's performance, we were able to make an adjustment that brought it inline with our expectations, this level of tuning lets you make the bike work for you and your style.

This motor operates at a noise level similar to other e-bike motors, but there is a discernible “clunk” sound that we have noted on both Ramblas bikes we've tested. The clunk sounds like an engagement clutch or something similar, but notably, our testers don't feel a hiccup in the motor's power when this happens.

E-Bike Controls

The Ramblas features its own custom display and remote, which feels a lot like a Shimano e-bike system but with a few unique twists. The three-button remote sits right by your left thumb, making it super easy to reach without moving your hand. The top button kicks everything into gear, while the bottom two let you toggle through power levels or dig into the settings. We also loved that the dropper post lever shares a mount with the brake clamp, which keeps the cockpit clean and clutter-free. Plus, if you're heading out on the road instead of the dirt, you can even bump the top speed up to 28 mph.

The full color screen is mounted right next to the stem and is a breeze to read at a glance. Each power mode has its own color, so you always know exactly how much help you're getting without having to squint at the text. It gives you all the basics: speed, trip distance, and battery life, and even includes a clock, which is a surprisingly handy touch. You can keep an eye on your battery through a simple bar graph or check the exact percentage if you have range anxiety.

The charge port on the Ramblas is tucked away on the left side of the seat tube, protected by a rubber flap. This is a smart placement; being higher up and on the side means it stays relatively clear of the mud and gunk your tires kick up during a ride. We're always a little picky about where these ports are placed, because the fewer chances for dirt and water to sneak in, the better.

The bike comes with an IP67 rating, which is basically a fancy way of saying it's built to be exceptionally weatherproof. Specifically, the 6 means it's completely dust-tight, so no grit is getting into the electronics. The 7 is the impressive part; it means the electronics are sealed well enough to survive being dunked in about three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. The rest of the bike, however, will not enjoy the bath.

Build

This bike comes with some surprisingly high-end touches that you might not expect at this price point. The way the cables run through the headtube keeps the look sharp and uncluttered, even if it makes repairs a bit more of a project. The wide handlebars and short stem make the steering feel measured and precise, while the SRAM NX drivetrain and DB6 brakes are fantastic additions; you usually have to pay much more to get this level of gear. The brakes give you plenty of confidence-inspiring stopping power, but the front brake on our test bike needed to be bled after the first ride. The 150mm dropper post is a game-changer for technical riding, and an updated lever makes it a cinch to activate. The Maxxis Rekon tires are great all-rounders, but tires are often a regional choice. If you're an aggressive rider or ride in loamy conditions, some more aggressive tires would be a nice addition. The frame and fork have room for 2.6" tires.

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There are a few items that you don't see on most mountain bikes, and they help the Ramblas do more than just ride trails. A dedicated kickstand mount on the chainstay (and included kickstand) is great for those who use the bike for commuting or park without a bike rack.

A headlight and built-in taillights aren't something you see on most electric mountain bikes, but they have little weight penalty, and since they run off the bike's big battery, you'll never have to worry about whether they're charged.

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Our only real gripe is that the new suspension fork isn't adjustable. With a 300-pound weight limit, this bike will accommodate a wide range of riders, but the one-size-fits-all suspension feels inadequate, especially for riders outside the middle of the weight range.

Should You Buy the Aventon Ramblas ADV?

When we reviewed the original Aventon Ramblas over a year ago, we told you that it was a strong contender and an excellent value. Today's Ramblas ADV takes that bike's winning formula and adds even more value and updated parts without raising the price. If you're looking for an excellent value on a gateway drug that is the electric mountain bike, this is the most compelling bike we've tested. We wish Aventon had added a fork with some adjustability for riders of different weights, but the addition of tubeless-compatible wheels is a huge plus. This is an adventure bike; it's fun to ride, and while it has a mountain bike pedigree, it really leans into its versatility. Those who want to ride it mostly on the paved paths or around town won't be disappointed.

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