Aventon Soltera 2 Step-Through E-Bike Review, 2024

Our range tests showed I higher floor, but lower ceiling than the quoted range.

In the minimum pedal assist range test, test rider Josh used the Eco mode to take him 36.9 miles in a time of 2:50, for an average speed of 15.4 mph. We were expecting the Soltera.2 to take him farther, as Aventon claimed this bike should go at least 46 miles. Not bad range for that speed, but we were hoping for at least 40 miles.

In the maximum pedal assist test, with test rider Brendan pedaling in Turbo mode, the battery had enough juice to take him 29.02 miles, in a time of 1:42, for an average speed of 18.1 mph.

Hello! While the Eco-mode range test came up short, the Turbo range test comes as a remarkable (and pleasant) surprise. To cover nearly 30 mi. at 18 mph means that the Aventon Soltera.2 ST has the capacity to serve as a speedy commuter. Daily charging may be necessary, but there are worse consequences.

The Aventon Soltera.2 ST weighs just 46 lbs. due, in large part, to the low weight of the 350W motor and 346Wh battery. That’s a combination that can perform remarkably well on flat ground, but hill climbing is a strength-to-weight contest. There are two other details that will bear on the Aventon Soltera.2 ST’s results: The electronics feature a 36V architecture, rather than 48V, which is a bit like substituting a cocktail straw for a traditional soda straw. Also, the 350W motor generates only 45Nm of torque.

With testrider Justin aboard and the Soltera.2 ST set to Turbo, it climbed Hellhole in a time of 2:13. That makes for an 8.2 mph average. That’s a rather leisurely result and not one that will wow people looking for an e-bike that performs well in the hills.

That the Aventon Soltera.2 ST was unable to finish the hill test on throttle alone doesn’t surprise us. That’s not an outright fail, though. We conceived of this test as a stringent evaluation. In fact, we don’t expect every e-bike to pass.

What this demonstrates is that the Soltera.2 ST will be most successful under lighter riders who live in flat places. It’s also important to remember that a modest result on the hill climb also means that this is an e-bike that won’t offer the most vigorous acceleration from a stop.

Our favorite e-bikes generally feature hydraulic disc brakes combined with 180mm rotors. It’s a setup that offers terrific power and modulation and can be spec’d on affordable e-bikes. The Aventon Soltera.2 ST is equipped with Tektro mechanical disc brakes paired with 180mm rotors. Substituting mechanical disc brakes for hydraulic disc brakes will see a drop in overall brake power and modulation, but it does carry two benefits: First, it reduces weight a bit, helping to keep this e-bike fairly light. Second, it helps to keep this e-bike as affordable as possible, as hydraulic systems are more expensive.

For our hill test, we did three tests, coming to a dead stop from 20 mph. The Aventon Soltera.2 ST averaged 22 ft. 10 in., which is not a bad result, but does fall shy of our average of 21 ft. 10 in. Consider that 12-in.-longer stopping distance the price of lighter, less-expensive brakes.

While this result is below our average, it’s not a bad result at all.

The Aventon Soltera.2 ST is a different take on what an e-bike is. We see a number of e-bikes that feature big tires and a suspension fork in order to give riders as comfortable an experience as possible. With its stiff aluminum fork and 38mm-wide tires, the Soltera.2 ST feels sportier.

While the rider won’t enjoy as much cushion as they would experience with some other e-bikes, they will get a richer sense of the road surface and it will give the experience of turning in a bit more aggressively.

The Aventon Soltera.2 ST doesn’t feature a true step-thru design, despite its name. This is what’s called a mixte frame design, but does feature a markedly sloping top tube, which will give riders better standover clearance, a good thing for riders with a shorter inseam. The difference will only matter to the rider who needs a very low standover height due to limited range of motion, i.e., stiff knees or hips. The standover height for both the regular and the large sizes is 25.5 in.

With the regular size of the Soltera, while the standover height is a tad high, the reach is great for smaller riders, at just 15.6 in. (398mm). The large is truly a different size; the reach increases to 16.3 in. These are modest reach figures that will serve riders who stand less than 5 feet 9 inches. That said, the more diminutive the rider, the more we would suggest exercising caution when looking at sizing; we don’t have a high level of confidence that someone 5 feet 4 or shorter will be comfortable with that reach.

While the handlebar does feature a slight rise, the stem is not adjustable, so riders will be limited in the degree of adjustment possible beyond raising or lowering the saddle.

What makes the Aventon Soltera.2 Step-through an e-bike that is distinctly different than other e-bikes in this price range is the torque sensor. It makes for a more hand-in-glove experience. The effect of the motor blends with the rider’s pedaling, so that when pedaling, what someone feels is superhero strength, not the starting and stopping of the motor. We think it gives an e-bike a more quality feel.

We liked the original Soltera from Aventon; it exhibited a terrific blend of great spec and affordability. Aventon offered it in a couple of configurations; one of those, equipped with rim brakes and single-speed drivetrain, wasn’t our favorite. We like that they kept the Soltera.2 affordable but have made disc brakes and a 7-speed drivetrain standard equipment.

We’ve been seeing torque sensors appear on increasingly affordable e-bikes. This is what happens when a technology begins to gain wider acceptance: prices drop. We think this is a terrific development because we enjoy the effect a torque sensor exerts on an e-bike’s motor. Having the e-bike’s motor accelerate when we push harder on the pedals is all the fun of pedaling a bike but doing it while being a superhero. Talk about delight.

That said, riding an e-bike with a torque sensor does ask the rider to work harder than if they were riding an e-bike with a cadence sensor. And the idea of more work or working harder isn’t going to music to some ears and its important for us to acknowledge that. The best way for us to describe the difference is to say that an e-bike with a torque sensor is for the rider who wants a workout.

Aventon’s display is notably better than what we typically see in this price range. Also, they offer a smartphone app (both iOS and Android) that gives a rider the ability to adjust some of the motor’s performance parameters. It offers some security features and will allow a rider to track their routes via GPS. That a buyer receives all this increases the value of the Aventon Soltera.2 markedly.

When an e-bike is as affordable as the Aventon Soltera.2 Step-through, any criticisms to the spec need to acknowledge that any upgrade we might suggest will result in a price increase. One thing that could use work that shouldn’t increase the price is in class 3 settings. The bike tends to fall short of the stated 25 mph max. The only real gripe on what is otherwise a great motor for the type of tool this bike is meant to be.

Where e-bike tech is concerned, trickle-down tech is a thing. Good e-bikes are getting cheaper. This is one of those e-bikes that we would be happy to point to for family and friends asking our advice.

Happy Riding! Make sure to let us know if you have any questions down in our comments section or if you think we left anything out in this review of the Aventon Soltera.2 Step-Through.