The Aventon Level.2 is a hybrid commuter e-MTB, which is made to cross between the city streets and the country paths.
It’s pitched at the beginner market, so isn’t made for the gnarliest terrain or capable of war on the trails.
However, it’s designed to be versatile across different terrain and provide comfortable features, which can be ridden by the masses.
Trying to span two different types of terrain is never easy and we see a lot of manufacturers get it wrong.
So does Aventon manage to pull it off with the Level.2?
Let’s find out in our Aventon Level.2 review….
Our Verdict
The Aventon Level.2 is targeted at the entry-level market and it offers an ease of use and comfortable riding experience, which lends itself to newbie riders.
The battery range is impressive, the motor operates well and you have decent luggage-carrying capabilities.
Will this bike offer fun trail riding? No way – the suspension is nonexistent, brakes are under-gunned, and the weight is too high.
However, if you’re new to riding and want a reliable commuter, which can also hit a gravel path on the weekend, this will do the job, and for a bargain price.
Peaks:👍
- Ease of use
- Comfortable
- Price
- Versatility
- Luggage rack
Troughs:👎
- Heavyweight
- Motor
- Gets found out on lumpy terrain
- Suspension
Aventon Level.2 Review
Price: $1,699
Weight/Frame
The Aventon Level.2 is an aluminum framed commuter e-bike, which also can head off-road when needed.
From the outside, it looks like a bit of a shopper, with a luggage rack fitted to the rear and a conservative geometry, which is made for ease of use.
That’s a plus point – it’s easy to hop aboard the e-MTB and it feels comfortable, which opens the bike up to the mass market and doesn’t take a great deal of skill to master.
You sit quite high and upright in the saddle, which isn’t the best for descending and once we get into the other features, you’ll soon realize this isn’t a bike for the wild and rowdy terrain.
It’s also pretty heavy – the Aventon Level.2 weight comes in at 28.1kg, making it cumbersome on tricky terrain.
It comes fitted with a luggage rack, which is a useful feature for daily shopping and also weekend adventures – it has a high load-baring capacity, allowing you to heap loads of gear on there when needed.
The Aventon Level.2 step-through only comes in 2 frame sizes – regular, which the company says is suited to people who are between 5ft 3 and 5ft 10 tall, and a large frame size, suited to people who are 5ft 10 to 6ft 4.
Those are quite wide parameters and it can feel a little bit of an awkward size for some riders.
Battery
The Aventon Level.2 commuter e-bike is fitted with a 672Wh LG Cell battery – it isn’t the most advanced or intelligent model we’ve ever seen, but it does provide an admirable range.
We found we could push out just under 100km on one charge, on flatter terrain, which is a decent length of ride for a beginner bike.
If you throw in a few chunky climbs then the top-range figure does begin to fall, purely down to the bike’s heavy weight.
That’s worth remembering because if you throw a lot of climbs into the mix and hammer the assist, you will run out much more quickly.
If you do run out, it will take around 5 hours to get your battery back up to 100% of charge from empty – middle-of-the-road in the market.
It isn’t the most complex battery we’ve ridden with and it can feel a little simplistic in the way it releases its power at times, but at the price you’re paying, we wouldn’t expect a top-spec model.
100km is still a decent range on a bike of this size and price.
Motor
It’s fitted with a custom motor, which can kick out 500Wh over a sustained period and a peak power output of 750Wh.
It isn’t the most powerful, with the Aventon Level.2 torque only kicking out up to around 50Nm in total.
When you take into account the bike’s relatively heavy weight, 50Nm isn’t enough to propel you up tricky climbs, without a big slice of human effort too.
That’s compounded further if you are carrying a heavy load on your luggage rack.
The motor can be throttle-activated or pedal-assisted, depending on what country you buy the bike in (there are laws against throttle-activated e-MTBs in certain nations, where extra licensing is required, such as the UK).
The improved torque sensor in the new Aventon Level.2 e-bike does improve the riding experience though – the power delivery feels natural, which makes you feel composed on the trail.
The motor is also fitted with a walk-assist mode, to help you push the bike if it's laden with gear or groceries.
ℹ️ Not the most powerful motor on the market, but it does have a decent user experience and it feels nice to ride with.
Motor Display
The display on the Aventon Level.2 does the simple things well.
You get your amount of battery life displayed as a percentage, which is a big tick from us, and you also get several other data points – such as the amount of distance traveled, speed, and a few more.
The handlebar-mounted screen is quite wide, making it easy to view and it’s easy to flick between your different riding figures.
No fuss and certainly not advanced, but it does the simple tasks successfully – that’s enough for us on an entry-level bike.
Suspension
This is where you realize the Aventon Level.2 isn’t made for a great deal of adventurous trail riding.
It only comes with 95mm of travel at the front end and has a hardtail – that means the bike really suffers when things become lumpy and bumpy.
There just isn’t the amount of cushioning to cope with the impacts and you soon feel it through your arms and back.
The forks are a custom model and lackluster in their performance, so please bare this in mind.
ℹ️ If you want to take on some adventurous trail riding, this e-MTB is completely inappropriate. It doesn’t have a suspension capable of anything other than a gravel path or forest road.
Wheels/Tires
The Aventon Level.2 comes fitted with 27.5-inch aluminum wheels at both the front and the rear.
They provide a firm footing on the trail and cope with the bike’s heavy (ish) weight – they also have a reasonably wide tread, which helps the bike feel stable when you’re carrying extra gear on the back.
The wider tread also helps increase the balance of the bike and makes it easier to ride for people who are new to e-MTBs.
You get a pair of custom hybrid tires on there, so the bike can make the switch from the urban to country environment.
They feel pacy on the concrete, while also having a little bit of bite in the tread, so you can build up traction off-road too.
Brakes
The Aventon Level.2 comes with a custom pair of hydraulic disc brakes – a basic model, which does enough to stop the bike when needed, unless you’re pushing it to the max, with lots of extra weight on the rear end.
It’s a no-thrills component, which does just about enough.
Drivetrain
The Aventon Level.2 is fitted with an 8-speed Shimano drivetrain.
We think the gearing is a little under-gunned for a heavy bike, which could well be carrying extra loads too.
It can sometimes feel sluggish and because you don’t have a super powerful motor, on the climbs the bike can feel particularly labored.
A few more gears would ease that issue and take the pressure off the rider.
Price - $1,599
The Aventon Level.2 has recently dropped in price slightly to $1,699 and for an entry-level e-MTB, we think that’s fair.
It’s a capable e-bike, which can just about manage crossing from city to country and its luggage-carrying capabilities make it pretty versatile.
Some areas need vast improvements, such as the suspension and the brakes, however, this really is a low price for an e-MTB, so you expect a few issues.
If you just want to spin to work or head on an easy-going weekend adventure, this will do enough for you – if you want to be a bit more adventurous, this bike won’t offer enough fun factor.
Aventon Level.2 Facts & figures
Geometry configurations
| FRAME SIZE | REGULAR | LARGE |
|---|---|---|
| HEIGHT | 5’3" - 5’10" | 5’10" - 6’4" |
| TOP TUBE LENGTH | 579mm | 603mm |
| REACH | 364mm | 385mm |
| HEAD TUBE LENGTH | 150mm | 160mm |
| STANDOVER HEIGHT | 662mm | 695mm |
| WHEELBASE | 1097mm | 1122mm |
| MIN SADDLE HEIGHT | 835mm | 907mm |
| MAX SADDLE HEIGHT | 1015mm | 1080mm |
Full Specs
| SPECIFICATION | ||
|---|---|---|
| Model | Motor | Throttle |
| Level.2 Commuter Ebike | 750w (peak), 500w (sustained), 48v | Throttle On Demand |
| Display | Speed | Battery |
| LCD Smart "easy Read" | 28 Mph | 48v, 14ah (672wh) LG Cell, Ul 2849 Compliant |
| Sensors | Pedal Assist | Charger |
| Torque Sensor | 5 Levels | 48v, 3 amp Fast Charger |
| Range | Frame | Weight |
| Up To 60 Miles | Double-butted Aluminum Alloy | 62 Lbs |
| COMPONENTS | ||
| Pedals | Fork | Crankset |
| 9/16" alloy platform | Coil spring suspension, thru-axle, 65mm travel with lockout | 170mm w/ 46 t |
| Rear derailleur | Brakes | Chain |
| Shimano 8 speed | Hydraulic | 122 link, 8 speed |
| Rim | Spokes | Tubes |
| Double wall aluminum 36h front & rear | Black stainless 13g front / 12g rear | Butyl rubber, schrader valve |
| Hubs | Tires | Saddle |
| 36h disc thru-axle front, nutted rear | 27.5" X 2.1" Hybrid tires, reflective sidewalls | Aventon by velo |
| Seatpost | Stem | Seat clamp |
| Aluminum alloy, 27.2Mm, 2-bolt clamp | Threadless, 31.8Mm, 7 degree rise | 31.8Mm quick release |
| Handlebars | Headset | Grips |
| Aluminum 31.8Mm, 680mm | Sealed bearing headset | Ergonomic comfor |
| Cassette | Shift lever | |
| 12-32t, 8 spee | 8 speed trigger | |
How Does it Compare?
The Aventon Level.2 featured in our Best Entry Level Electric Mountain Bikes guide for 2023, so we’re going to put the bike up against another e-MTB from the list.
That bike is the Cannondale Neo Allroad EQ.
Let’s start with the price. The Cannondale comes in at $1,825, $126 more expensive than our Aventon. They both made it to our list of top electric mountain bikes under $2,000.
It’s another hybrid commuter, which is meant to span the city streets and the country paths – with similar design qualities and limitations.
The Cannondale is a winner when it comes to weight – it comes in just over 23kg, which is 5kg lighter than our Aventon.
That makes the bike much easier to manipulate and move around on the trails – it still has a reserved geometry, but it feels easier to handle.
You lose out in the battery department though – the Cannondale only comes fitted with a 418Wh model, much smaller than 672Wh LG model on our Aventon. The Level.2 has a superior top range figure as a result.
The motors on both bikes are under-gunned – the Cannondale only has 45Nm of its disposal, compared to 50Nm on our Aventon. However, due to being lighter, the Cannondale climbs much better.
The Cannondale is a hardtail, like our Aventon, and comes with only a tiny 50mm of travel in the forks, even less than the small amount of travel on our Aventon. It makes both bikes poor descenders and only capable of incredibly simple gravel paths or forest roads.
The Cannondale is also fitted with a poor pair of custom brakes and a 7-speed drivetrain, less than the 8-gears on our Aventon.
Both bikes are limited when it comes to trail ability, but the larger battery, slightly more travel in the fork, and more advanced motor, make the Aventon Level.2 specs more advanced and it makes the bike the winner in this comparison.
Final Thoughts
The Aventon Level.2 is a basic, entry-level, commuter e-MTB, which can also take on a slice of simple off-road action.
Ease of use is one of the main selling points and the bike is limited if you want to take on adventurous terrain – in fact, it simply can’t venture out into the wild.
However, if you want a reliable commuter, with a decent range, which can carry luggage and head out onto some gravel sections or forest roads on the weekend, this isn’t a bad option.
At a budget price, it’s very appealing and that’s why it sells in such high numbers.
It isn’t advanced or groundbreaking, but it’s a trusty steed for daily riding.
Worth a go in our opinion, so what are you waiting for?
