The Aventon Pace 4 has landed, and it’s clear this fourth-gen Pace isn’t coasting on the success of its predecessors. Available now and new for 2025, this Pace makeover made calculated yet bold moves – a stiffer frame, a new take on what a cruiser handlebar should be, and injected with tech and innovative security features.
At just 53 lbs, it’s shed a few pounds since we last met, and it shows in the new advertised range of up to 70 miles, 10 from the last-gen’s 60 miles.
Aventon also equipped the Pace 4 with its popular Aventon Control Unit (ACU), the ‘brains’ behind the bike’s smart tech features, and the sleek new BC147 display.
After spending the last week getting to know the Pace 4, this refresh doesn’t feel like a ground-up overhaul, nor do I think it’s meant to be; instead, it feels more like a calculated refocus to bring back to market a bike that focuses on a practical, everyday electric cruiser.
My Experience Riding The Aventon Pace 4 E-Bike
At first glance, the Pace 4 has an almost youthful look largely due to the BMX-style handlebars, a bold deviation from the dutch cruiser bars we were accustomed to from Paces of the past. The low step through frame makes getting on and off faster and easier. I was sent the Blue Steel color for testing, but you can also opt for Mica or Flint colorways if this blue isn’t to your taste.
In terms of frame geometry, there’s a few changes as well worth mentioning. The top tube has been stretched by roughly 3 inches along with a longer reach, also extended by 3 inches. Once you pair this loner reach with those BMX-style bars that don’t have the same swept back design giving an upright and relaxed posture, and compound that with a non-adjustable stem, you end up with a pretty long reach and riding posture that requires you to lean forward with a small amount of your weight leaning into the grips. I think a different handlebar or an adjustable stem (or even a few extra steer tube spacers) would help mitigate the reach.
Comfort in all other areas of the pace 4 is spot on and plenty comfy. The saddle is plush and complimented by the suspension seat post. The lock-on rubber grips have a nice feel and add to hand comfort, especially in wrists and joints, an area common for frustration among those of us that ride often enough.
The 500W rear hub motor (peaks at 864W) seems to be a good pairing for the Pace 4, giving me enough acceleration from a stop when needed and tackling hills with relative ease. Grades over 10% will struggle on throttle alone but I found a 12% climb to be fine simply using pedal assistance.
The dual-sided torque sensor on the Pace 4 is nice and the pedal assistance feels more natural than Aventon’s torque sensors of the past. Power delivery feels more measured and accurate based on my pedaling effort. Plus, as an added bonus, paired to this 500W motor the overall resulting ride is very quiet and smooth.
The Pace has 3 riding modes, Eco, Sport and Turbo, each progressively getting more assertive at each level. If you want to dive even deeper into the motors ability, the Aventon app allows for motor tuning where you can set custom power and torque levels to dial-in the type of acceleration and power you are looking for. For some, this will mean dialing it back and slowing it down, for others, it will be cranking it to 11, and that’s the beauty of motor tuning.
The Shimano Altus 8-Speed drivetrain is straightforward as expected. Once I got my cable tension set correct, the Pace 4 shifts smoothly and confidently, it was a little too tight out of the box and with a quick adjustment, it’s been smooth sailing ever since.
Braking is covered by the Tektro Hydraulic Disc brakes with 2-piston calipers and 180mm rotors both front and back. As expected, they handled the Pace 4 without any issues, always bringing the bike to a safe stop every time I needed it. This is not surprising, most e-bikes under 70 lbs perform very well with this setup, plus, Tektro has the added benefit of being well known to bike mechanics and servicing or replacement parts is generally very easy to get a hold of.
Overall, the new Pace 4 is very easy to ride, from start to finish. The low step-though height of the frame makes for easy access and the quiet, fast rolling 27.5×2.1” commuter tires glide along without a fuss. For a bike marketed as a cruiser bike that gives ‘effortless motion’ (Aventon’s words, not mine), it does seem to deliver just that, and in a comfy package.
Range
Estimated Range (from Aventon):
- Up to 70 miles
Real World Range Test Results:
- MIN PAS Test: 71 miles
- MAX Test: 44 miles
Range is another area that received a bump in the new Pace 4. The previous gen, the Pace 500.3, had a maximum range of 60 miles and now, the range has been pushed out to a more generous 70 miles.
So, what changed to get that new range? Well, a couple things.
First, we moved from a 48V system on the 3rd-Gen Pace to a 36V system on the new Pace 4. Aventon’s push with the last 3 bike releases has been to streamline batteries that can be used across their lineup of bikes, so the Abound, the Level.3 and the Pace 4 have all come with the same 36V battery. The Pace 4’s 36V battery carries a beefier 20 amp-hours, giving us 720 Watt-hours (Wh’s) of power over the previous generations 672Wh.
This change to 36V’s along with a lighter bike, a more refined torque sensor that can better measure and deliver a more precise motor assistance level and some clever programming have all teamed up to give us a few more miles of range, and that always feels like a win.
For my test, I hit the road in PAS 1 (Eco) and was able to cover 71 miles before the battery opted out and left me pedaling home. Conditions for the ride are kept pretty ideal. I ride on a public bike path with very little stopping, only slowing for the occasional pass in a busy area of walkers/joggers. The course was mostly flat and smooth and I weigh about 175 lbs.
If you weigh more, stop and go more, and have more elevation in your area, you can expect the numbers to be lower. But all-in-all, it’s nice knowing how far you can stretch it out in ideal conditions. This ultimately means more miles and less range anxiety.
Power (Motor & Battery)
Powertrain on the new Aventon Pace 4 is composed of a 500W rear hub motor activated by a torque sensor and paired to a 36V battery.
The motor is Aventon’s 500W motor also seen in their recent release of the Level.3, its nominally rated at 500W’s and peaks at 864W’s with torque numbers that have not yet been released by Aventon. Paired with a new dual-sided torque sensor, the Pace 4 has a smooth and natural feeling torque sensor that is subtle yet very effective.
On hills the motors 60Nm of torque holds its own largely due to the bikes lighter 53 lb weight. Plus with the Aventon App, you can custom tune the motor at each level of assistance dial-in a power delivery that matches your style of riding.
Another new move in the Pace 4 was the switch to a 36V (20 Amp-hour) system over the Pace 500.3’s 48V (12.8 Amp-hour) system. Why the change? Aventon has been leaning into the 36V system for the last couple bikes released (Level.3 and Abound) in an effort to streamline supply chains. This move is not only a 1-product solution for several bikes, but it cuts costs when creating new bikes and makes finding spare batteries that much easier as one battery will fit several different bikes and it just feels like a smart move that I think more brands should follow for all the same reasons I just mentioned.
Aventon also ditched the use of physical keys to secure the bike’s battery. Now, just use the app or display to release the battery and you are good to go. As someone who is tired of the ever-expanding set of keys, this is a very welcomed pivot.
All in all the battery and motor combo works as well, it has good power, and with the move to a 36V system, sourcing spare parts will be less of a headache for owners.
Components
In terms of how you interact with the Pace 4, there have been a few changes in the components as well, fortunately they were changes we asked for.
First the fun stuff. Aventon packed the new Pace 4 with their Aventon Control Unit (ACU), a small but mighty box placed near the bottom bracket that acts as the brains behind the Paces all-new tech package.
The ACU interfaces via the bikes display as well as the Aventon App. The ACU controls the new security and tech features that bring a whole new ‘cool’ factor to the bike. With the ACU, bike owners can set a ‘geo-fence’ security perimeters – think an invisible fence line you can set in the app and if the bike moves outside that perimeter, you get notified.
There’s also the 4G data connectivity where the bike still has a signal of data even if your phone is not paired to it, allowing for tracking at all times in the event of a lost or stolen bike. In addition, Aventon tossed in other layers of security like a smart rear wheel lock that immobilizes the bikes rear tire, a remote deactivation in the event of theft and even abnormal activity alarms that sound (and you get an app notification) if the bike is disturbed while you are away.
Up in the cockpit, we have a bold move when it comes to the handlebars, Aventon ditched the more traditional dutch cruiser bars that are generally swept back and opted to replace them with a more BMX-styled handlebar. It’s a cool look that took me a second to embrace, but it has certainly grown on me in my rides. Lockon rubber grips, Shimano trigger shifters and a push throttle finish off the cockpit with the exception of the new display we jump into in the next section.
Aside from the new tech and handlebars, the component basics are all in place, we have an 8-Speed Shimano drivetrain built on the same 48T chain ring with a 12-32T cassette with a 3-piece crank and 170mm alloy cranks. Pedals are the flat composites with slight studs and reflectors for some added traction and visibility.
Braking on the Pace 4 remains the same with the industry workhorse, Tektro Hydraulic Disc Brakes with 2-Piston calipers and 180mm rotors both front and back.
Wheel and tires keep things straightforward with a 27.5 inch wheel with 36 holes, a nutted axle and tubed with schrader valves. Wrapping those wheels are e-bike rated Innova 27.5×2.1” commuter slicks with some good wet surface siping channels, and a reflective sidewall for another layer of visibility.
Screen / User Interface / App
The Pace 4 also received a facelift with the integration of the new BC147, with a full color display that Aventon says drew its design inspiration from our beloved MP3 players of the early 2000’s.
Beyond its MP3 player aesthetic and control of the ACU security features, the BC147 display displays all the needed info for your rides like speed, time, battery level, PAS and Riding modes. Holding the ‘+’ button will activate the lights and holding the ‘-’ button will activate walking mode, a subtle 3 – 4 MPH pace so you can walk with your bike somewhere instead of dragging or pushing it. Holding both plus and minus will allow you to tweak additional settings like speed, display brightness, battery release and more.
The Aventon App quickly and easily pairs to the bike via a QR code through the app and with it connected, a suite of new options is at your fingertips. Aside from the security features already discussed, you can also adjust speed and power, do a little motor tuning yourself to tweak the torque and power to match your style. Plus, the app has the ability to quickly locate all the Aventon dealers and service centers nearby. And if you are really in a pinch, you can access Aventon support right from the app as well.
Aventon Pace 4 Model Options
Options on the Aventon Pace 4 are straightforward and to the point. The only frame style is the Step-Through frame coming in two sizes, a S/M that fits riders from 4’ 11” to 5’ 7” and the L/XL fits riders between 5’ 7” and 6’ 1”.
Colorways on the Pace 4 are between the Blue Steel like I was sent for this review, a nice matte metallic blue with white accents. If the blue isn’t your style Aventon also offers the Pace 4 in Mica (kind of an earthy grey/silver) and Flint, a shade of grey so dark, to me, it looks black. But, to be fair, I’ve only seen the Blue Steel in person, not Mica or Flint, so they may look different in person.
In terms of accessories, Aventon let me know there are no new ‘Pace specific’ accessories, but the bike comes equipped with several mounting points so you can equip the Pace to match whatever your day has in-store. Mounting points are along the front fork arms, on the seat tube and points for fenders and racks.
Is The Aventon Pace 4 Worth Buying?
When the dust settles, the Acenton Pace 4 brings us a new look, a new feel and a whole slew of new smart tech and security features. It’s not easy making an investment in a bike these days when you have the looming concern about theft, this leap forward in smarty tech goes a long way for bike security, and hopefully starts a small wave of theft deterrence along the way.
Plus, a little piece of mind just feels good these days, doesn’t it?
Could it be improved? Sure, this sleek cruiser stepped outside the confines of the traditional cruiser world by swapping the dutch cruiser bar with a BMX bar (and the accompanying longer reach) which has taken me some time to get used to, but it’s grown on me over time. And while the new display might look great, the smaller font can be a struggle for some to see.
But, in the world of e-bikes, these are small gripes and don’t take away from the larger picture – Aventon delivered a solid cruiser that has excellent range, practical speed, industry-leading security and tech all wrapped up in a nice modern look and at a price that doesn’t require a second mortgage.
So yeah, the Aventon Pace 4 isn’t re-inventing the wheel here, they took an already winning concept and just added to it.
Pros
- Aventons ACU provides industry-leading smart security and tech features that go well beyond a simple lock and key with GPS based tracking, 4G data connectivity, geo-fencing and a smart wheel lock.
- The new Pace 4 rolls quietly and efficiently giving me excellent range taking me beyond 70 miles in a real world range test
- The new Gravity Cast frame and internal honeycomb structural support teamed up for a stiffer and more responsive ride.
- The Aventon App pairs quickly and gives full control over the bikes settings, OTA software and firmware updates as well as advanced bike settings and fingertip access to a national directory of Aventon partnered dealers and service centers.
Cons
- BMX Bars and extended top tube stretch the reach out a bit further than I wanted, an adjustable stem would have helped with fit here.
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