Aventon drew a target, aimed, and shot at the big bike brands when they launched the Current.
The eBike brand is known for making quality, affordable bikes that give riders what they want. Namely, an affordable bike that has all the electric componentry and technology that they need to get around without spending a bunch of money on parts that aren't going to drastically effect their ride. The brand has grown and is now one of the most sought out eBike brands in the business.
What they aren't really known for is performance mountain bikes. So when they launched the Current it shocked many for two reasons. First, it was a bit off brand for the company. And second, it was only $3999 (originally priced at $4599, but reduced this past month), but packed specs that put it in the same power category as the big brands.
So what it is the Aventon Current?
It's a mid-drive, full power eBike. Here's the electric specs:
800 Wh battery
120 Nm of peak torque
850 W of peak power
Integrated top tube touchscreen display
105 mile range
4G capabilities
Aventon did a great job with the bike specs as well:
150/140mm of travel
Eagle 70 Transmission Drivetrain
DB8 Stealth brakes
Solid alloy frame
Psylo Gold fork
Rockshox Deluxe Select+ rear shock
It's not a high-end spec, but it's a well-rounded parts package that gives you a solid platform without expensive bells and whistles.
So how does it ride?
Aventon did not set out to revolutionize mountain bikes. No, they set out to build a quality eMTB that can handle serious trail riding without breaking the bank. The big question is whether they towed the line between performance and price in a way that makes this a viable option for the rough, chunky, techy trails of Southern Utah.
Which is exactly why we are testing it here.
First Ride Impressions
To get a feel for the bike, I decided to take it to one of the most popular trails in our area, JEM. I wanted a trail that would give me some good climbing couple with a killer downhill without a ton of tech so I could get comfortable with the motor and the engagement.
Heading out from the truck, I put the bike in Auto mode. It only took me a few minutes to get a good feel for the assist and how to properly use the pedals as my throttle. I headed up Dead Ringer into a solid 20 mph headwind. The bike climbed well. The motor and algorithm kept the front wheel planted and I never once lost rear wheel traction due to an over powered pedal stroke. I quickly learned that the bike will suppress the assist power when it detects that the rear wheel has lost traction or is not planted on the trail. The little whoops that punctuate Dead Ringer made this evident. Staying seated, I would hit the bump and keep pedaling as the bike went up and over. The rear wheel would come off the ground and the power would die. This felt a bit like having a governor on the motor when I came back down. I remedied this by reducing the rebound (it was too high to begin with) and I stopped pedaling when the bike came off the ground. Once the rear wheel was back on the ground, I could hit the pedals and the motor would assist as expected.
The downhill was a riot. I could feel the weight of the bike, it's 56 pounds, on the tight switchbacks of the JEM Drop. Other than that, it was a ripper of a downhill. The bike felt planted and predictable. I would guess that any seasoned mountain biker could jump on this bike and feel at home in just a few minutes. Aventon did a great job of creating a bike that will fit most riders' needs.