Aventon Ramblas eMTB e-bike review: the trails are waiting
MSRP $2,899.00
“The Ramblas makes off-road riding easier and smoother than typical e-bikes, including all-terrain bikes.”
Pros
- Strong hardtail e-mountain bike frame
- Aventon mid-drive with 100nm torque
- Precise SRAM gears and shifting
- Strong stopping power with SRAM brakes
- RockShox front fork smoothed the ride
- Priced competitively for its quality
Cons
- Front fork suspension isn’t adjustable
- Speed limited to 20 mph
- No brake light
If you’re a newbie looking for your first electric mountain bike (eMTB), look closely at the Aventon Ramblas. And even if you’re an experienced mountain bike rider, you should check out what Aventon includes in its first eMTB. You may be surprised at the quality Aventon builds into the Ramblas, especially given its relatively low cost.
The Ramblas may be Aventon’s first eMTB, but they knocked it out of the park.
A quick note about pricing: Mountain bikes take a beating. They are designed to navigate the toughest trails and areas where no trail exists. The best mountain bikes cost more than other bikes because of the demands placed on them. The Ramblas eMTB costs more than Aventon’s other e-bikes, but it’s still a bargain compared to eMTBs from traditional brands.
Aventon Ramblas eMTB: highest and best use
Aventon has a history of developing solid e-bikes that perform very well, such as the Aventon Soltera.2, which scores high as an excellent city bike. The Ramblas may be Aventon’s first eMTB, but they knocked it out of the park.
Designing the Ramblas involved multiple eMTB-related decision points. I’ll explore some of Aventon’s good eMTB design decisions below, but from my perspective, Aventon made the right choices.
The Aventon website includes the Ramblas in the Commuter e-bike category and lists its suitability for urban riding. Indeed, the Ramblas is rugged enough for city riding, but I’d rule it out as a choice for many city dwellers because it doesn’t have a cargo rack or fenders. Fenders protect clothing from dirt and water kicked up by the wheels. You’ll need a backpack to carry your stuff without a cargo rack. There’s also no brake light function with the frame-integrated tail lights, which could be helpful on trail,s but is more important when riding on streets. The Ramblas could take city life, but that’s not its best use.
Decisions, decisions, decisions
The following are key factors in designing — or buying — an eMTB and why the Ramblas gets such high marks.
Ruggedness
An eMTB’s frame strength matters when banging against trees and running hard on rocky trails. The Ramblas has a smooth 6061 single-butted aluminum step-over frame with no visible welds. Aventon also wisely chose a hardtail frame, the classic style for mountain bikes, because of its strength and simplicity.
Weight
Low weight is desirable for mountain bikes for those inevitable times when you have to lift them from tight spaces or carry them for even a short distance. The test e-bike weighed 56.6 pounds with the battery installed. The Ramblas is relatively lightweight, considering its frame size and 29 x 2.4-inch tires, and I found it surprisingly easy to lift to put in the back of an SUV, for example.
Power
Mid-drive motors are preferable for electric mountain bikes because they produce more torque than hub-drive motors. Hub-drive motors often have higher top speeds than mid-drive models, but torque matters more for eMTBs. Aventon developed its mid-drive motor, the A100, which produces 100 Newton meters of torque, 250 watts of sustained power, and 750 watts of peak power.
Speed
The Ramblas has three levels of pedal power assistance — Eco, Trail, and Turbo — which are selected with a simple three-button control on the left side of the handlebar. You can use the Ramblas Ride Tune app to adjust the amount of assistance, maximum torque, and pedal response to your preference. Its 20 mph top speed and lack of a throttle make it a Class 1 e-bike. Sticking to Class 1 is the right decision because speeds faster than 20 mph aren’t typically useful on mountain trails, and some eMTB areas don’t allow e-bikes with throttles.
Any skills growth I’ve had riding the Ramblas has come from trusting the bike, especially descending unfamiliar trails.
Range
Aventon rates the Ramblas’ range per charge at up to 80 miles, which is high for an e-bike with a single battery. Range varies depending on speed, terrain, incline, rider weight, air temperature, and seasons. Factors that support the Ramblas’s generous range are its overall low weight, restriction to pedal power assistance, 20 mph assisted speed limit, and the generous 36V 19.2Ah battery. Even so, to get 80 miles of range, you’ll need to stick to the lower power assistance levels and slower speeds.
Drivetrain
Instead of the more typical 7- to 9-speed Shimano derailleur and gear set, the Ramblas employs a Sram NX 12-speed drive train. The added gears provide more options for varied terrain and I found that shifting gears was fast and sure, with no hesitation.
Front suspension
Front fork suspensions are particularly important with eMTBs, protecting the bike and rider from the damage and pain of hard impacts. The Ramblas has a well-regarded RockShox 35 Silver R front fork with 130 mm travel to lessen the effects of impacts. I was pleased at how well the fork smoothed ripples and rough spots. Also, the bike’s low overall weight lessened the jolt from the suspension-less rear wheel. The fork isn’t adjustable, but it worked well for me.
Water resistance
The Ramblas is IP67-rated, which means it should be waterproof when immersed in up to one meter of water. You don’t need to worry about crossing streams or riding in rain and mud. However, you should still be careful when washing and cleaning the bike and avoid using a pressure washer or power sprayer.
Brakes
When you’re unsure what surface or obstacle you will encounter around the next corner, which is part of the fun and challenge of mountain biking, you’d better be able to stop quickly and confidently. Aventon equips the Ramblas with SRAM hydraulic disc brakes with 4-piston calipers and 200 mm front and 180 mm rear disc rotors. In testing, the Ramblas brakes were excellent on- and off-road, including hard stops on wet pavement.
Simplicity
If you’re going to ride an eMTB through rough country, the simpler, the better. Anything that can get caught on branches or high-growing vegetation can slow you down. The Ramblas’s lack of fenders, racks, a large headlight, and mirrors means there’s less to worry about. The information display is sufficiently bright and informative, but it’s tiny and tucks under the handlebar near the steering post, making it less likely to be damaged. Simplicity also helps keep the weight down, so it’s a double benefit.
Aventon Ramblas eMTB: Comfort and convenience
The Ramblas isn’t a beach cruiser with soft fat tires, but the 29-inch by 2.4-inch Maxxis knobby tires still help smooth the ride. The tires aren’t tubeless, which might bother some riders who prefer superior protection against flats.
Aventon equips the Ramblas with a dropper seat connecting to a handlebar lever. When you are in a tight spot off the road, you can push the lever and let your body weight push the seat down so you can wrangle the bike more freely. Push the lever with no weight on the seat for the most efficient pedaling and to return it to your full riding height. I’m sure it matters to more accomplished riders, although I only used it to see how it worked.
The Ramblas is available in four frame sizes (S, M, L, XL) for riders 5 feet, 1 inch to 6 feet, 5 inches tall. I’m 5 feet, 8inches and ordered a medium frame for testing.
Aventon Ramblas eMTB: Riding impressions
I’ve been riding the Ramblas for several months, and in that time, I’ve gained confidence in my ability to ride off-road, although I’m still at the beginner level. Any skills growth I’ve had riding the Ramblas has come from trusting the bike, especially when descending unfamiliar trails.
I rode the Ramblas on forest trails and whatever off-road conditions I could find in north central Connecticut. The Ramblas makes off-road riding easier and smoother thanon typical e-bikes, including all-terrain bikes.
I have also been surprised by how much I enjoy riding the Ramblas on regular roads and how I often choose the Ramblas for errands or for pleasure riding, particularly when I also want some exercise.
Aventon Ramblas eMTB: Options and accessories
Aventon doesn’t offer options or accessories for the Ramblas other than an extra battery. I heard there may be a rear rack coming, but it’s not on the Aventon site now, and looking at the frame, I see it’s hard to see how you would mount it.
If you were going to consider the Ramblas solely as a tough city or commuter bike, the lack of optional fenders could be a drawback if you want to protect your clothes from dirt and water kicked up by the tires. The Ramblas’ simplicity is one of its virtues as an eMTB because there’s less to break, fall off, or get out of alignment. In that light, an empty options and upgrades list is fine.
Our take
After spending time with the Ramblas, the simple lines of its hardtail frame speak even more loudly to me of its absolute suitability for mountain biking. My riding experiences lead to an unqualified recommendation that anyone considering a new mountain bike check out the Ramblas. Aventon sells directly from its website, and it’s sold at more than 1,800 bike shops.
