Aventon Ramblas ADV Review | Big Power & Range; Small Price

Aventon uses an unobtrusive color display, which is the type of thing I prefer on eMTBs. The unit sits near the stem and shows basic metrics like battery percentage, speed, and a power bar, giving you an idea of how hard the motor is working for you. You can also see what PAS level you’re in easily, as they are color-coded. I also liked that it’ll show you what gear you’re in. That’s not a must as gearing is more about feel and situational awareness, but again, it’s just a nice detail to include.

You can access a few basic settings directly through the controls by pressing the up and down buttons together, but most of the deeper customization lives in Aventon’s companion app.

Like most e-bike apps, it’s worth downloading for the practical stuff: registering your bike, keeping firmware up to date, and managing key settings. But it also goes beyond that with some genuinely useful ride-tuning options and (if you’re into it) a community layer.

Arguably, the best feature is the RideTune. Here, you can edit the max torque, assistance, and the measure of pedal response for the three manual ride modes. I feel like e-bike brands are very precise these days, and I’m happy with the standard settings, but if you know exactly what you want, tune away.

Within the app, you can also changethe top speed. The Ramblas is capable of reaching a 28 mph Class 3 limit, though you’re strongly encouraged to do that where allowed (always be a good citizen on the trails).

The app showcases some more data like your estimated calories burned, CO2 saved by riding a bike and not riding in a car if you’re commuting, and quick links to maintenance and nearby dealerships.

The community feature allows you to upload screenshots and talk with other Aventon users. You can also earn badges for use, climb the mileage leaderboards, and, if you’re the type who navigates by screen-mounted phone, there’s a route planner as well.

Overall, it’s a pretty complete and easy-to-use system, which is always a plus.

The big takeaway: the Ramblas ADV was a top-range test result by the numbers.

At the time we reviewed the original Aventon Ramblas, the motor was a delightful surprise. It was both one of the fastest hill climbers we had seen from a mid-drive, and it had one of the best long-range results we had seen, going 47-110 miles on paved roads. Usually, top-level hill performance (blasting power) reflected a trade-off with lower range (chewing through battery life).

Since then, we’ve tested the A100 motor on other Aventon models, including the Aventure M, and the efficiency story held up there, too, with similarly strong figures. That made me especially excited to re-test the Ramblas on our current eMTB range course, because the original review didn’t have the benefit of a standardized off-road route we now use for all our eMTB tests.

So how’d it do? 31.1 miles on full power with 2,390 feet of elevation gain across a mix of green, blue, and black singletrack. That’s currently on the podium in second all-time for full-power eMTBs we’ve tested, just a mile behind the Trek Rail+ 8, which has a larger 800Wh battery.

Realistically, riders won’t rest in max power the whole time as we do for our range testing so mileage can stretch further with a mix of Trail use or even Auto.

You can get in plenty of riding with the battery on board.

Typically, we run two hill tests for eMTBs: our standard climb at our test hill we’ve dubbed the Devil’s Backbone, which we use for all e-bikes regardless of category, and an eMTB-specific test on dirt we call the Water Tower climb. Unfortunately, it’s been raining cats and dogs, so we had to postpone the Water Tower test for now. We’ll update this review once we’re able to complete it.

However, the bike kicked butt at good ol’ Devil’s Backbone.

On this climb, it made it to the top in a time of 1:54, which is good for a 15.9 mph average. That makes it the second fastest eMTB at the standard hill since we established this location a year ago, and a top-three mid-drive overall.

This largely confirmed what we already knew: the A100 motor rips.

It’s not just a one-off here on the test hill either. I’ve set several new Strava PRs on my most frequented trail, which attests to the trail having serious moxxy. Part of that is thanks to it being one of the few times I didn’t encounter another living soul upon my ride, but regardless, the point I’m making is this thing can make your uphill feel pretty flat once you find the right rhythm.

As I mentioned before, your gearing matters. Gone are the days when you could live in high gears and so long as you gave it a good push,h the motor would rip. Cadence matters more now, but if you have good shifting habits and find the right gear for the right occasion, the motor is very rewarding.

The Ramblas ADV is a terrific all around Trail bike. It’s very approachable, has enough playfulness to it to keep things fun, but is just as reliable and dependable for most any situation you find yourself in, short of dedicated, full-time downhill riding.

Fit-wise, Aventon provides solid options. There are three sizes to choose from, ranging from about five and a half to about six and a half feet. Dropper length was good at 150mm, and the TranzX dropper is a reliable performer. The 760mm is a touch narrower than my preference, but I think this is largely about pleasing the largest number of people, so it’s a good selection.

The chassis feels rock steady. I can’t detect much flex to it, and I think it feels composed beneath you across most riding scenarios. The styling is sharp, and the color and size options are nice to see. I was a little sad to see it’s now only offered in three sizes, when the original came in four, but they’ve got a few years of sales data now. I’m sure they’re making what people are buying, so those sizes should suffice.

Geometry lands right where you want it for a modern XC and Trail hardtail. The frame features a steep 66.5-degree head angle and 74.5-degree seat angle, right in line with modern geometry to maintain composure on a variety of trails while delivering pedal efficiency on climbs. The longer wheelbase and chainstays keep the bike planted, and the frame itself feels stiff.

The fork is solid. The 130mm RockShox Psylo is one of the better coil forks you’ll find, though it has limitations. The lack of compression adjustment is the main drawback, and it’ll be felt most by heavier riders. If you’re not pushing the upper end of the weight range, though, it’s a capable fork that does its job well as long as you keep your lines and trail choices reasonable.

Braking is in the “solid to good” range. The DB6s are technically a downgrade from the DB8s of the previous generation, but they still work reliably even if they feel a touch less powerful by comparison. I’m a SRAM fan though and think they’re better quality than others, and along with the 200mm rotors, braking feels safe.

The Maxxis tires are a highlight. One of my bigger gripes with the previous generation was the lack of a tubeless-ready setup, and Aventon addressed that with the ADV. If you like running lower pressures for traction and comfort, it’s great to have that option. The tread grips well, cornering feels predictable, and the bike holds speed nicely. The 29” wheels front and rear suit the intended trail/XC personality well.

As a complete package, the value proposition is still very strong. You’re getting a high-power ride with excellent range, a good feel on trail, and a spec sheet that doesn’t skimp on recognizable components. A small wishlist item would be some rack mounts.

Along with the included front and now rear lighting (taillights seldom seen on “pureblood” eMTBs, but I like this and think more should try it), I think this could make a nice hybrid commuter option you can mountain bike on too. I could up the touring or bikepacking potential as well.

As you can imagine, I cycle through a lot of bikes. It’s the nature of my job. The Aventon Ramblas is one of the few I kept around for more than a year. It became my go-to loaner for friends and family who wanted to come ride with me, and I logged plenty of miles on it myself while letting others test out my full-suspension bike. So it’s a bike I know intimately, so I was pleased to see the refinements showing through on the latest Ramblas ADV model. It found ways to improve, which further pushes up the already high value.

On the trail, it’s simply a good bike. It stays composed, it feels dependable, and that motor can put a smile on just about anyone’s face when it’s ramping you up to speed and helping you clean the tougher climbing sections.

Looks are subjective, but I’m a fan. The frame styling is sharp, the color options are well-chosen, and the display setup is sensible without feeling flashy or overbuilt. I also love the addition of a rear light, because, why not add that?

There is room to upgrade some components if you want an even more capable machine, so while it’s not perfect, it still remains one of the best options you can find for under $3,000 for a full-power eMTB rider. Newcomers to the sport or long-time riders alike will appreciate what the Ramblas ADV can do.

Happy Riding! Make sure to let us know if you have any questions or if you think we left anything out in this review of the Aventon Ramblas ADV down in our comments section.