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No matter where you do it, riding around on a bicycle with kids and/or cargo is going to elicit smiles and waves from people on the street.
I’ve ridden several different styles of e-cargo bikes and have enjoyed them all, and the Aventon Abound is no exception. The Abound is powered by a rear hub-based motor, and uses a long-tail frame to ferry around cargo and passengers. While there are some downsides to this configuration, it is an inexpensive and efficient way to build a bike that works well and is enjoyable to ride.
The Abound can’t compete with a bakfiets-style bucket bike in terms of stability and absolute cargo capacity, but it’s significantly cheaper and more exciting to ride, especially when unloaded. I’ve been testing the Abound for about eight months and in that time have used it in all sorts of different scenarios; it has yet to let me down.
Key e-bike details
Basics
- Model Reviewed: Family Cargo Line
- Base Price: $1,799
- Price of accessories needed to carry kids: $185
- Class: 2
- Max Speed: 20 mph
- Estimated Range: Up to 50 miles
- Weight: 82 lbs
Motor & Electronics
- Motor: Aventon 750w, 48v rear hub
- Torque: unknown
- Motor location: Rear wheel
- Battery: 48V, 15Ah (720Wh), LG Cell, UL 2849 Compliant
- PAS Sensor: Torque
- Throttle: Yes
- Display: Aventon LCD display
Components
- Brakes: Tektro hydraulic disc
- Drivetrain: Shimano 7 speed
- Belt Drive: No
- Tires: Aventon branded (Similar tread pattern to Schwalbe Marathon)
Misc
- Recommended Rider Height: 4’11” – 6’3″
- Max Rider Weight: not given
- Payload Capacity: 440 lbs
What we like about it
- Fun: First and foremost, the Abound is a fun bike to ride. Especially when ridden solo, it’s zippy, corners well, and the long wheelbase makes it very stable at speed. Fun-factor is an oft-overlooked aspect of buying a bike, but it should be one of the key parts of the experience.
- Versatility: With a couple of key accessories, the Abound can do a heck of a lot. We’ve found it works great with two preschool age kids (30-40 lbs each) for short trips, or just one child for longer ones, and also is a great option for riding solo with or without inert cargo.
- Price: The best cargo e-bikes on the market cost as much as a small used car. The Abound can nearly match those high end offerings at a fraction of the price. It doesn’t have the same level of finish or number of accessories as every other bike out there, but it gets the important things right at a much more approachable price point.
- Range: Aventon lists the estimated range of the Abound at 50 miles, which seems a little ambitious. Using the motor conservatively, 35-40 miles is probably more accurate. It depends, of course, on rider and passenger weight and whether or not there’s any additional payload. My preference is to use the highest power assist level and the throttle generously and simply juice up the battery more often, which usually ends up around 20-25 miles per charge.
- Dropper post: Many e-bikes are only available in a single size, with most companies opting for a one-size-fits-most approach. Generally this works, and for anyone not on either end of the height bell curve, you should be fine. The Abound is specced with an easy to operate dropper post, which makes for tool-free saddle height adjustment for different users, a very welcome feature.
- Lights and turn signals: Turn signals are an unexpected but useful feature on the Abound, and though I don’t always remember to use them, in certain situations they really make a big difference for safety. Typically I try to ride on routes where I’m not fighting for space with cars, but it does happen from time to time, and having good lights plus functional turn signals is reassuring.
Where it falls short
- Bells and whistles: It is perhaps unfair to compare the Abound to more expensive bikes, despite the fact that in many ways it performs as their equal. One of the things it lacks, however, is, quite literally, the bells and whistles. The Abound doesn’t come stock with a bike bell, and it ought to. It’s something you’ll need while riding around multi use paths and near parks. I also found myself wishing for a cafe lock of some kind. For quick drop-offs it’s helpful to be able to lock a bike up with an integrated wheel lock for peace of mind. For longer stops, a heavy-duty chain lock is a necessity.
- Handling/Weight limitations: This isn’t just an issue for the Abound, as it can plague any longtail-style bike, but having too much weight over the rear wheel of the bike significantly compromises handling. For me, that threshold was around 60 lbs, which is the weight of two bundled up toddlers. More than that and I was uncomfortable with how the bike felt underway. It’s still fine to ride, but it doesn’t feel as stable or planted as it should. Your mileage may vary.
- Tricky assembly process: The bike that Aventon sent to me arrived on my doorstep partially dissembled in a cardboard box, and while I’m fortunate to have a home workshop space and some degree of competence when it comes to bike maintenance, some of the process was awkward due to the size and weight of the bike. This can be avoided by purchasing through a bike shop, however.
- Storage: Several comparable long-tail style cargo bicycles, like the Tern GSD, share very similar dimensions to the Abound, but have a very handy built-in feature that the Abound lacks: the ability to be stored vertically on end. For people with limited storage space, this makes a big difference. The Abound is both heavy and long, and storage is something that needs to be considered ahead of time.
In-depth review
The Abound does everything a good e-bike should. The rear hub motor is powerful and spins up quickly, and the brakes work without fuss. Many e-bikes in the same price range spec cable-actuated disc brakes, which aren’t powerful enough, but the Abound’s hydraulic brakes are flawless. Hydraulic brakes are a necessity on a bike this big and heavy, and these do their job well. The handlebar rise and sweep is spot on, too—it’s comfortable from the get-go. The parts on the Abound may not all be name brands, but they work exactly as they should.
The torque-based sensor that engages the motor also works very well. The controls at the handlebars are relatively intuitive, and the turn signals and brake lights are advanced features that aren’t often included on e-bikes at any price point.
The left handlebar has the throttle control which you can easily press with your thumb. It also has the turn signal buttons and other controls for the LCD display.
Like the other Aventon models, the LCD display is of high quality and shows lots of helpful information such as odometer, speed, turn signal indicators, pedal assist level, battery level, and more.
It’s worth noting that Aventon sells both directly to consumers as well as via a dealer network. Working with dealers is valuable as it allows you to speak with knowledgeable people about the bikes before you buy them, and also have a point of contact in the event of any issues. The DTC model is also a great option if you don’t live near a dealer.
My favorite thing about the Abound is how much fun it is to ride. Especially solo, the acceleration is addicting, and the handling is spot on. When loaded, with weight over the rear wheel, this handling is somewhat compromised, but it doesn’t take too long to recalibrate and adjust accordingly. I would not recommend utilizing the highest assist setting when you have kids on the back: it’s actually too powerful!
My children also enjoyed the experience of riding on the Abound. While they’re not able to see quite as much as they would while sitting in a bakfiets, riding along higher on the bike and feeling the bike move around underneath you is just as much fun for the passengers as it is for the rider.
Compared to other styles of e-bike, there are some trade-offs in the design. Bucket-style bikes such as the Urban Arrow Family offer more carrying capacity and increased stability due to their front-loading design, but aren’t as efficient when used for quick solo trips. The Abound works great for this. In fact, I think this is the best use case. Running errands with a bakfiets is much more cumbersome than with a long-tail bike. The speed of the narrower, lighter bike makes more sense for solo trips, but it still gets the job done when you need to scoop kids after school. It’s extremely versatile, especially with the addition of some of the accessories that are also available.
While the Abound does come with a small zippered cargo storage area between the rider and cargo area, I found the zipper to be difficult to fully open and close. It does zip open, but it takes some extra effort to navigate the corners of the compartment. As a result, I rarely used it.
We tested the Abound with the rear handrail and seat pad kit, which is sold separately by Aventon. For any child-hauling, this is a necessity. The handrail is also compatible with different child seat adapters that allow for a full seat and harness assembly for younger children. The seat pad ($63) and handrail ($122), as pictured below, which cost an additional $185. The running boards, where kids place their feet come with the base model.
In addition to being fun and versatile, the Abound is a great value. At only $1,799 it somehow manages to perform almost as well as bikes that cost three to four times that much. It has powerful and reliable hydraulic brakes, a suspension fork and a Shimano drivetrain and everything works harmoniously together to deliver a functional and complete riding experience.
There are compromises to reach this pricepoint, however: it uses a hub-based motor instead of a more expensive and capable mid-drive one, the contact points and controls are in-house Aventon-branded instead of name brand parts, and it lacks a cafe-lock. These things are reasonable trade-offs though for the price.
Aventon lists the estimated range of the Abound at 50 miles, which seems a little ambitious. I typically utilize the highest power assist setting, so 20-25 miles per charge has been more common for me. I also like to use the throttle when starting from a stop as it’s easier to control than pedaling from a standstill. If using the motor conservatively, 35-40 miles is probably feasible. It depends, of course, on rider and passenger weight.
It was an unexpected surprise to realize that the Abound has turn signals in addition to hardwired lighting. Even now, I still forget to make use of the turn signals sometimes, but there are times when they’ve really helped to stay safe on the road. I usually try to pick routes that avoid spending long periods of time on busy roads but it does happen occasionally. Having good lights and functional turn signals is a reassuring feature.
Another very useful feature Aventon specs on the Abound is the dropper post. It’s easy to operate and allows for tool-free saddle height adjustment. This makes it really convenient to swap between different users which increases its versatility a great deal. Since many e-bikes are only available in a single size, with most companies opting for a one-size-fits-most approach, this helps to make it work for more people.
To operate the dropper post, pictured below, you place your hand on the saddle and pull the lever below it. The seat post smoothly slides up or down until you release the lever.
I have mostly good things to say about the Abound, there are a few things that could be better. First and foremost, the Abound should come with a bell! Indeed, every e-bike should have one, but especially a cargo bike intended to be carting around children and bulky items on mixed-use paths.
It would also be nice for it to have some kind of locking mechanism for those instances where you need to park it quickly, but might be out of sight for a minute. Cafe locks tend to be standard on more expensive bikes, but it makes sense that something similar can’t be included at this pricepoint. Perhaps Aventon will offer a solution as an add-on in the future.
The most significant issue, which I found created some usability issues, is not specific to just the Abound, but to long-tail bikes in general. By placing weight high up and over the rear wheel, the handling changes when the bike is loaded vs when it’s unloaded. The long wheelbase makes for a stable platform, but at a certain point the handling characteristics become at minimum uncomfortable and in the worst case scenario, dangerous. I found that it started to get uncomfortable with around 60 lbs of human cargo (roughly the weight of two bundled up toddlers). It was still OK to ride, but less stable and planted. I wouldn’t feel comfortable riding it with more than 80-90 pounds on the rear.
I also ran into some issues during the assembly process. For anyone accustomed to working on minor repairs on non-electric bikes, the basics will translate. In fact, Aventon even includes some tools with the bike to aid in assembly and repair. The primary difference is that the Abound is significantly bigger and heavier than a standard bike, so maneuvering it to access hard-to-reach places or tricky angles is almost impossible without a dedicated e-bike specific work stand. For people who aren’t comfortable working on their own bikes, purchasing through a dealer may be a better option.
Several other long-tail style cargo bicycles on the market, such as the Tern GSD, share very similar dimensions to the Abound but can be stored vertically on end. This is something that would be nice for people with limited storage space. Like most e-cargo bikes, the Abound is both heavy and long, and not everyone will have a dedicated space to store it.
Despite these minor issues, I’m a fan of the Abound. We use it in conjunction with our other bicycles and always seem to be finding a new niche where it excels. It’s enjoyable to ride and despite its limitations, they’re easy enough to work around, especially considering the price. I don’t think there’s a better entry-level e-cargo bike currently on the market.
Taking a step back to look at the bigger picture, right now e-bikes exist largely in a sort of legal Wild West. Applicable regulations do exist, but they’re not entirely keeping pace with the products on the market. For the most part, e-bike manufacturers do the right thing: they test products to adequate safety standards, solve issues as they arise vis a vis recalls or failures, and provide guidance on maintenance and repairs whether via a shop network or as a direct to consumer entity.
Not all of them do so, however, and it falls on laypersons to vet each manufacturer to make sure that the products they sell are safe and reliable. It makes a big difference when companies are transparent about the standards they meet, and Aventon is one such company. The company’s bikes all meet the UL 2849 standard, a safety certification that examines the electrical drivetrain, battery, and charger systems in e-bikes to verify that they’re safe.
Hopefully broader adoption of e-bikes will continue to give rise to common-sense standards and laws to better protect riders and improve the experience for all involved!
