Aventon Abound launched as higher-quality low-cost electric cargo bike

The Aventon Abound has just been launched as a new high quality addition to the growing sea of electric cargo bikes released over the last few months. Many brands are hopping on the bandwagon to bring a new cargo e-bike to market, but few are as nice as this with a reasonable price to match.

Most cargo e-bikes can be divided into two groups: There are amazing, cream of the crop, ultra high quality cargo e-bikes. I’m talking R&M, Tern, Urban Arrow, etc. And then there are cargo e-bikes designed for riders on a budget. The new Lectric XPedition takes the cake there, but models from Rad, Blix, Eunorau and others also offer good options in the sub $2,000 ballpark.

But the Aventon Abound joins a select few cargo e-bikes that fall in the middle ground. They’re nicer than budget models, but they don’t require a second mortgage either.

At $2,199, the Aventon Abound feels quite fairly priced for what you get.

Check out my video review below to get a better sense of the bike by joining me for a ride. Then read on for my complete, detailed review.

Aventon Abound video review

Aventon Abound tech specs

• Motor: 750W rear-geared hub motor
• Top speed: 20 mph (32 km/h)
• Range: Up to 50 miles (80 km)
• Battery: 48V 15Ah (720 Wh)
• Weight: 81 lb (36.7 kg)
• Tires: 20 x 2.4″
• Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes with 180 mm rotors
• Extras: Suspension fork, torque sensor pedal assist, LED color display, smartphone app integration, LED headlight, tail/brake light, turn signals, Y-kickstand, Shimano 7-speed drivetrain, included fenders and long rear rack platform with matching running boards, mounting points for front and rear rack accessories

What makes this electric cargo bike special?

First of all, the build quality here is simply superb.

As usual, look to Aventon’s frame to see just how much attention to detail goes into the fabrication. The sweeping frame tubes, the buttery smooth welds, the paint quality. It’s all just top notch stuff. You can tell the company takes pride in its design.

The use of a fully-integrated battery hides away an ugly black box, yet keeps the battery removable to make it easy to charge it off of the bike.

The idler pulley keeps the chain neatly tucked out of the way and prevents the long chain line from getting slap-happy. The chain guard also keeps you nice and clean so you won’t get oil on your ankle.

Then there’s the ruggedness. The three massive bolts on either side of the chainstays only hold on the running boards, but I think they’d support a truck. One of those three bolts would be more than enough.

Next, look at the components that come on the Aventon Abound. The seat has a dropper seat post with a handle under the saddle. That allows riders to instantly lift the seat up higher to achieve a comfortable pedaling height, then drop the seat back down when they come to a stop.

If you’ve got a couple kids on the back rack and want your feet flat on the ground at stops for increased stability, you can do it with a single click. There’s not hopping off the bike to fidget with a seat post latch. For a cargo bike that could have a heavy load of groceries or kiddos on the back, being able to flat foot it when you come to a stop is a big deal. And that step-through frame also makes it easy to hop and off when you drop down onto your feet from the saddle.

This dropper seat is a feature that is normally found on much nicer e-bikes. I’ve rarely seen it on e-bikes under the $4,500-$5,500 price range. But the Aventon Abound comes in at $2,199 with this slick feature.

And that’s on top of the torque sensor, another pricier component that makes a huge difference in the ride quality. It turns the pedal assist into a super smooth, immediately responsive system. It just feels so intuitive that pedaling becomes a pleasure compared to cadence sensor e-bikes with their signature lag between when pedaling starts and when the motor kicks in. There’s almost zero lag on the Abound.

Then you can add in the punchy hydraulic disc brakes, the beautiful color display, the turn signals on the rear, the smart phone app that gives you more control and data from your rides, the stable double kickstand, the front suspension, the standard tires that don’t require any special tube sizes, and that massive rear rack that is just begging to use any of the pile of accessories that turn the Aventon Abound into a serious utility tool.

Need to carry kids? They’ve got you covered. Need to buy a ton of groceries? There’s an accessory for that. Hauling cargo? They’ve got that too.

Many e-bikes have interesting accessory options, but I love how the Aventon Abound actually comes with many as standard equipment. That massive rear rack and the zippered storage bag behind your feet are both included, as are the fenders and LED lighting. You can trick the bike out with lots of extra stuff, but even if you stay bone stock, you’ve still got a pile of useful accessories on the bike for free.

And we haven’t even talked about the power. I promise there’s a motor buttoned up under all of those safety panels in the back, hidden away from prying eyes. Those panels are there to keep kids and cargo out of the rear spokes, and they also hide away the motor to make people think you’re actually just a really strong pedaler.

Well, if you’re not using the throttle, at least.

The 750W of power is more than almost anyone should need, unless you’re towing a cement mixer back there. The motor is not overpowered feeling off the line, but has plenty of torque for carrying heavy loads and climbing hills.

Basically, you can get a nice and relaxed ride on low power pedal assist, or you can get a more thrilling and powerful ride on higher pedal assist or throttle operation. It’s all up to you.

In conclusion

To bring this review to a nice and tidy close, I’ll put it this way: The Aventon Abound is what you get if you want a higher quality electric cargo bike for a more budget-friendly price. Period.

The parts and the build quality belong on a bike with a several hundred dollar higher price.

There are other “nice” budget e-cargo bikes out there. The Lectric XPedition gives Aventon a run for its money at value with its $800 lower price tag. It’s an awesome super-budget option. But it’s nowhere near as high quality as the Aventon. So if you can swing it for a fancier e-bike that is still reasonably priced, the Aventon Abound will make you happy.