Earlier this month, I used to be invited to Huntington Seaside, California, to be launched to Aventon’s new eCargo bike, the Abound SR (Quick Rack). In contrast to the prevailing Abound, this new model is a bit taller, and sports activities a shorter wheelbase, a greater stem and stack top, and a extra snug handlebar.
The brand new Class 2 Abound SR will get Aventon’s new digital management unit (ACU). This new ACU gives clever security options, akin to 4G and GPS Monitoring, distant locking, and an alarm system. There are extra options that I’ll get into under.
The brand new dimension of the bike makes it simpler to journey and maneuver, in addition to simpler to park and retailer. Nonetheless a brilliant succesful eCargo bike, the Abound SR is nice for hauling the youngsters to high school, selecting up groceries, commutes, and any all-around errands. It’s an actual multitasker.
It has as much as a 60-mile vary and a prime velocity of 20mph that’s unlockable to 25mph within the app. The brand new, decrease step-through body makes mounting and dismounting simpler. It makes use of a 750W, 36V rear hub motor, and it additionally boasts a 440lbs payload capability.
Abound SR Element and Retail
Retail: $2199
- Body: 6061 Aluminum Gravity Forged
- New show unit with 3 ranges of pedal help: Eco, Sport, Turbo
- Rear hub drive motor with 80Nm of torque
- Battery, Aventon 36V, 20Ah, 708Wh, LG 12700 cells
- Weight: 80lbs
- ACU – Aventon Management Unit ft. Sensible Safety + Trip Options
- Suspension seatpost
- Included rear rack, fenders, and mesh wheel guard
- Quill stem with BMX-style handlebars
- Tektro Hydraulic brakes
- Shimano Altus 8-speed drivetrain.
- Sensible Lock kickstand
- Double-sided backside bracket torque sensor
- Three colours: Haze, Stealth, and Cobalt
Preliminary Ideas on the Abound SR
My spouse and I’ve been toolin’ round on the unique Abound eCargo bike for near a yr and are very pleased with it. So after I attended the Aventon launch of the Abound SR, I used to be interested in what modifications they had been making to what I assumed was an already nice eCargo bike.
I discovered myself impressed with the modifications that had been made. These weren’t modifications for the sake of change. The updates on the brand new Abound SR enhance on the already nice Abound platform, like the brand new and improved show.
It was good to see. I’m a fan of a lot of the latest bikes that Aventon has been releasing. As an example, moreover the OG Unbound eCargo providing, there’s the Ramblas, which is a fairly priced and enjoyable eMTB that is filled with options and nice for somebody interested in eMTBs.
The Aventon Management Unit (ACU)
The Aventon Management Unit (ACU) helps to maintain you “linked and guarded”. The safety features embody a distant lock, geofencing, and passcode. These safeguard your Abound SR providing you with peace of thoughts. When you find yourself driving your Abound SR it is possible for you to to depend on GPS monitoring, a 4G connection, and cloud synchronization, so you will get real-time bike stats.
ACU Options
- Peace of thoughts with a sensible Password-protected login, good locking kickstand and battery, alarm system, geofencing, distant shutdown, and theft safety.
- Connectivity: 4G/Bluetooth enabled (OTA Updates), GPS monitoring together with journey log and statistics, Irregular occasion logging, and Energy standing reporting.
- Trip Tune permits the rider to fine-tune the texture and efficiency of the three ranges of pedal help for the final word customized journey expertise.
- All-new handlebar show unit with straightforward one-touch entry to all bike options and pedal help ranges with out having to take your fingers off the bars.
The Abound SR will include 4G connectivity free for the primary yr, however meaning you’ll possible need to pay a subscription payment after the primary yr to take care of all the options.
Using the Unbound SR
After arriving in Huntington Seaside, it was time to journey the bike. It was a foggy morning on the seashore, which was type of good.
The route featured 17 miles alongside the water by Huntington and Newport Seaside, then onto a ferry to get throughout to Balboa Island, and again to the lodge by way of Pacific Coast Freeway for lunch.
One factor I seen proper off the bat, was that the seapost was a bit’ brief for me. I’m solely 6’1″ and I had the inventory put up 2mm previous the “minimal insertion” line, and nonetheless wanted extra seatpost to get first rate leg extension. The inventory seatpost is a suspension put up, which compounded the difficulty of it being too brief.
That being stated, a brand new (non-suspension) put up shouldn’t be a giant expense. However, maybe Aventon may supply longer inventory suspension posts on their web site. This might eradicate the guesswork of ordering one for the patron. The brief put up didn’t cease me from having a bunch of enjoyable on the journey.
Twin Torque Sensors
As we rode, I used to be loving the smoothness of the facility supply possible due to Aventon’s twin torque sensors. It’s not just like the older hub motors discovered on much less well-liked eBike manufacturers. These really feel both on or off, missing any sense of finesse. Nonetheless, the Aventon twin torque sensors allow you to really feel that you’re in fixed management.
The slightest enter to the pedals offers quick help. The more durable your effort, the extra pedal help the Unbound SR rewards you with. That was good. On prime of that, I discovered the brand new handlebar and stack top to be very snug as effectively.
The unique Abound has a kind of lengthy, foldable/collapsable stems. The brand new Abound SR eradicated that sort of stem. Aventon spec’d the SR with customary spacers, stem, and riser bar whereas nonetheless protecting the flexibility for the bike to suit a variety of customers.
Nice Lights, Mediocre Suspension
The Abound SR’s built-in entrance and taillights, labored nice. The rear brake gentle and switch alerts are an awesome contact for a motorcycle of this worth level. Actually, each the brake gentle and switch alerts in all probability made issues a bit safer on the busy PCH whereas driving again to the lodge.
The entrance suspension fork wasn’t tremendous nice, however labored OK. I’m unsure concerning the longevity of the fork, however after a yr, the one on our OG Abound is holding up fairly properly. It hasn’t given any points.
Additionally, in Aventon’s protection, all the suspension forks I’ve ridden on cargo bikes at this worth level aren’t nice. I’m reviewing one other eCargo bike from a competitor, and it possible makes use of the identical unnamed 50mm journey fork, however the bike prices over twice the worth of the Abound SR.
I simply don’t assume a suspension fork is an crucial spec for a 20″ wheeled cargo bike. I often lock them out and journey like that. And, talking of non-imperative specs, the suspension seatpost must be revisited.
When it got here to the suspension put up on the Abound SR, it was nearly unnoticeable to me and provided no actual profit to journey high quality. I may’ve executed with out it because it was exacerbating the seatpost size subject.
I might discover a dropper put up much more helpful within the eCargo bike house.
In Conclusion
I feel Aventon is doing good work currently and isn’t the identical Aventon of 2017. They’re persevering with to supply high quality eBikes at accessible costs. The Abound that I personal and the Abound SR that I reviewed, are each nice bikes with nice options at an awesome worth level.
It’s an affordable buy-in value with much less danger for people who find themselves entertaining the observe of driving much less and driving extra. I see this as one of many largest advantages of the eCargo bike.
I might extremely suggest the Aboud SR to anyone prepared to offer the eCargo bike a go. I’ve gotten just a few pals on the OG Abound, they usually’re pleased with their purchases.
The Aventon Abound SR is offered for pre-order at present and can ship come 11/25/24. Hit the hyperlink under to get yours now.
