2020 Aventon Level Review

To run the forums, host the website, and travel, I charge a universal service fee for my reviews. This in-depth review was sponsored by Aventon. My goal is to be transparent and unbiased with you, this video and writeup are not meant to be an endorsement of Aventon products. I welcome your corrections, additions, and feedback in the comments below and the Aventon electric bike forums.

Observations:

• The Level is a hybrid that straddles the line between Class 2 and Class 3, with a throttle that provides power up to 20mph while pedal-assist can push you further up to 28mph. This is a rare configuration and a nice setup for those who want the Class 3 speeds while also making use of a throttle from time to time
• Aventon started in 2013 making fixed-gear bicycles, and over the years they have steadily grown in size and turned to focus more and more on the Ebike space. The Pace 350 and 500 are some of their most popular Ebike models from previous years, and this year is the first year they have produced a Class 3 commuter like the Level

Pros:

• Comes with a solid warranty that offers one year of comprehensive coverage and an impressive lifetime of coverage for the frame, widely available thanks to Aventon’s hybrid model of selling directly to consumers with online ordering in the United States (with free shipping!) and also partnering with dealers across the US and in Canada. Dealer support is great not just for support but also for test rides and fitting as you also have three frame sizes to choose from
• Having those three frame size options means the Level will be a great fit for a wide range of riders, and the curved top bar also helps with approachability, blending the line between high-step and mid-step
• I found the Level to be a very comfortable ride, you have a mid-range SR Suntour coil suspension fork up front combined with nice wide Kenda tires, and my favorite feature is the wide handlebars which felt great for me as a tall rider with long arms, as well as providing nice stability at higher speeds
• Included accessories are excellent in terms of quality and performance, you get a rear rack with standard gauge tubing and weight limit (25kg/52lb) and plentiful attachment points for bungees or panniers, as well as sturdy full-coverage aluminum alloy fenders, alloy construction means they will rattle less than plastic while being a bit more resilient than steel
• The drivetrain, in particular, stands out to me as an above-average component for this price range, the Level is equipped with a Shimano Acera derailleur and rapid-fire trigger shifters, this is a one-by-eight setup with a cassette range of 12 to 32 teeth – a pretty decent range that will do great for starting out or tackling hills, as well as being able to handle Class 3 speeds on the top end. Shifting up and down the gears is smooth as expected from the Acera and I enjoy the satisfying tactile feedback of the trigger shifters
• Excellent tires from Kenda, these are the Ebike-specific Quik Drumlin series featuring an efficient hybrid tread pattern, reflective sidewall striping for safety, and puncture protection – the perfect tire for a high-speed commuter like the Level. At 2.2 inches wide they are just a bit bigger than the usual commuter tire, which I think is excellent because the extra air provides some more cushion while the efficient center of the tread pattern minimizes drag
• The 500 watt motor from Shengyi is the same tried-and-true motor from the Aventon 500, it can peak at up to 750 watts and is more than capable of pushing the Level up to Class 3 speeds of 28mph. I was able to reach the top speed with only moderate exertion on the pedals, and my understanding is that the Level can actually be unlocked to handle up to 32mph of speed… but only when riding on private property as that much power is illegal in most cities. I think Aventon has done a good job with their tuning here as the Level felt as powerful as some other 750-watt Ebikes I have ridden recently
• When riding below 20mph the variable throttle is responsive and satisfying, and I appreciate the tuning from Aventon that allows full-throttle power in any assist level, useful if you are riding in a low level of assist and need to suddenly accelerate to avoid a collision or conquer a particularly steep hill. As with most electric bikes, you can engage the throttle while pedaling or simply use it by itself
• The cadence sensor is a sealed 12-magnet sensor located on the left side of the bottom bracket, this is a great setup that is high resolution and the sealed nature keeps it immune to damage
• Hydraulic brakes do a great job for stopping power, these are the Bengal Aries 3 disc brakes with 180mm rotors in the front and rear, I found the levers easy to actuate and did some hard stops from full speed in the review video to demonstrate their effectiveness. These brakes include motor inhibitors which will cut power to the motor instantly when you pull on either lever, always a welcome safety feature!
• I’m a big fan of Aventon’s displays as they are large with great informational readouts, grayscale LCD technology is extremely easy to see in any light setting, and the battery readout is a full 10 bars – nice and precise compared to many Ebikes that only show a four or five bar readout
• Seating position is forward which feels good for commuting while still being more relaxed than the forward-aggressive stance on a mountain or road bike, rubber grips are locking and won’t rotate if you bear down on them while riding at higher speeds, and the Level feels incredibly stable even at top speed. The wide handlebars help with this, as does the rock-solid frame with the thick downtube
• Speaking of the downtube, Aventon has integrated the battery into the underside of the downtube, this combined with excellent integrated cable management lends a beautiful and sleek appearance, most people will not even realize this is an Ebike until they hear the motor (which is fairly loud). I’m a fan of this smooth integration as it helps the Level to have a lower theft risk than some electric bikes with more obvious and exposed electronic components
• The battery is high capacity at 48 volts and 14 amp-hours, constructed of high-quality Samsung 18650 cells, and features a charging port for off-bike charging as well as an LED indicator for checking the charge level. The battery fits snugly into the frame with a two-step removal process that helps keep it secured, and the on-bike charging port is high up on the right side of the downtube, great positioning compared to some Ebikes that place the charge port down near the bottom bracket and cranks where it’s at risk for damage if the bike is moved or knocked over while charging
• The kickstand is sturdy with a wide base, adjustable for length, and rear-mounted which means no risk of locking it up with the left crank arm. This rear position is even more important on the Level since we have the motor in the rear, as well as the rear rack, which means the bike will be nice and stable on the kickstand even when carrying cargo
• Aventon has assembly and tutorial videos, as well as manuals, for the Level (and all of their electric bike models) available on their website, and I was particularly impressed by the manuals. You can easily download them in PDF format, they’re extremely well written and easy to read, a welcome surprise as most Ebike manuals are too generic and vague to be of much help
• The standard charger provides 3 amps of power, better than the typical 2 amp chargers that come with most electric bikes, so you get a little bit faster charging time with the tradeoff of more weight. This charger weighs in at 1.8 pounds, so it’s still light enough to transport in a backpack… or pannier bag! This is handy if you have an exceptionally long commute and need to charge while at the office, although for most commuters the Level should have more than enough range to get you there and back, especially if you pedal regularly to help out the motor

Cons:

• The standard configuration of Aventon Ebikes means that you cannot use the throttle from a dead stop, you have to start pedaling first and once you get moving you can switch over to the throttle. This may be a confusing setup if you’re used to electric bikes, and a bit frustrating if you are a rider who likes to get started with the throttle and then switch over to pedaling. Fortunately, thanks to the good gear range on the Level it’s pretty easy to start pedaling on human power alone, and I’ve heard that some riders will simply use the “Walk Mode” to get started and then engage the throttle. Aventon limits this functionality as a safety feature to prevent unexpected or unintentional acceleration when stationary, a common cause for accident and injury among riders who are new to electric bikes, or new to cycling in general
• Only one color option… so hopefully you like “Earth Grey”! I do love the color scheme and find it sleek and sporty looking, although I would like to see a white or similar light color option as many people prefer it for the safety offered by higher visibility
• The level does not include any lights, this is a bit surprising for a commuter that has so many other great features, so you’ll have to add lights of your own if you need them. I do understand Aventon’s choice here, the idea is that riders who want lights will often have specific lights they prefer, while other riders don’t need or want lights and would be paying extra for an unused feature… so skipping the lights saves costs for everyone and riders who want lights can pick the perfect setup. That’s a fair deal, with the biggest downside being that lights added won’t be integrated into the electrical system for ease of use. Just make sure you pick up lights if you ride at night! I noticed that Aventon has a large selection of lights and other accessories available on their website, and they seem to be very competitively priced
• The display is not removable so there is some risk of damage or tampering when parked outside, fortunately, these are durable displays so that should be a minor concern. There are no USB charging ports either so you won’t be able to charge your phone while you ride, which isn’t a big deal although the Level is a great candidate for mounting your phone on the handlebars thanks to the extra real estate there
• As mentioned above the motor is fairly loud when you get up to higher speeds, this is normal for a hub motor setup but you may get tired of the sound if you ride for long periods at high speed
• I think Aventon picked a great suspension fork in the SR Suntour MOBIE A32, but I do want to call out that since it is a coil suspension fork it is a bit heavier and not quite as high-performing as an air fork, however, this is a minor complaint as the SR Suntour fork performs great and helps to keep costs low
• All sensing systems have their trade-offs and the trade-off for cadence-sensing pedal-assist is that it’s just not very responsive compared to a torque-sensing system, cadence-sensing also means a sensor delay when starting and stopping pedaling. Fortunately, these are easy to work around thanks to the wide gear range and motor inhibitors on the brakes, and cadence sensors are actually preferred by many riders as they can be easier on the knees and other joints. For reference, torque sensors require more force on the crank arms to get more power from the motor, whereas cadence sensors (like on the Level) simply require you to cycle the cranks with light pressure in order to get full power
• There are no bottle cage bosses, although that’s understandable since the curved nature of the top bar limits the space for mounting bottle cages, it would still be nice to see them especially for mounting other smaller accessories
• The wheels do not have quick-release skewers which means that if you do have to change a flat it’s going to require more tools and effort. On the Level, I don’t see an issue with this since these Quik Drumlin tires have excellent puncture protection, and lack of quick-release does also help to minimize theft risk