can it really compete with the big brands?
for starters
The Aventon Ramblas is a class 1, mid drive, hardtail eMTB (e-mountain bike). This bike is absolutely loaded with big brand bike parts, and I can’t wait to share it with you! Let’s dive in.
design & comfort
The Aventon Ramblas has boost spacing and thru axles front and rear. Size small is a 27.5 while M, L, & XL are 29er. The crank arm length on my Large was 165mm. A size Large MTB usually comes with 175mm. Having that 10mm reduction is huge for reducing pedal strikes. The Ramblas comes equipped with a 150 mm dropper post on the M, L, & XL while the S gets a 125mm dropper. I didn’t see any branding on it but it performed well out on the trail. The bars are 760mm wide and the cockpit is super clean. The frame design is perfect in my opinion with a 66.5 degree head tube angle and a 74.5 degree seat tube angle. This geometry allows you to get rowdy when you want, but also have good climbing ability when you need it.
motor power
Aventon helped design the A100 mid drive motor that comes on this bike. They didn’t just grab an off-the-shelf motor and make it work. The A100 puts out 100Nm of torque and it’s fully customizable in the app. The power output blows away any Shimano motor I’ve been on. Class 1 means no throttle, 750W or less power output, and 20mph max. That’s exactly the stats of the Ramblas.
BRAKES & TIRES
The Ramblas has SRAM DB8 4-piston brakes with a 200mm rotor in the front and 180mm in the rear. They had great stopping power, and unlike other SRAM brakes, this setup takes mineral oil. The hubs that came stock on the Ramblas are Novatec, which you guys know I really like. The 29″ tires that came on my size Large were Maxxis Rekon, great tires but this version is a lower end Rekon. I actually got 2 pinch flats out on the Back 40 in Arkansas, but the 2.4″ width felt super grippy.
drivetrain
The drivetrain on the Ramblas is a full SRAM Eagle setup. The shifters and rear derailleur are SRAM NX. This is a 1×12 setup with a 34T SRAM chainring and an 11-50 Eagle cassette. This bike incorporates the new SRAM UDH which means you can find a derailleur hanger in any local bike shop, OR… you could upgrade to the new SRAM Transmission down the road. Last step in the drivetrain is the chain. A lot of bikes I review will have a full drivetrain the same and then throw on a 3rd party chain. Not so with the Ramblas. It’s a SRAM Eagle chain with a quick connect.
BATTERY & OPTIONS
The battery is 708Wh, and Aventon claims it will get you 80 miles of range on the lowest setting. So far, I’ve ridden this bike really hard and I feel like I’ve gotten really good range out of it.
Front fork
The Ramblas come with a RockShox Silver 35, which is a coil fork instead of an air fork. However, I quickly found out that its 130mm of travel was really capable and really responsive. The Ramblas has a tapered head tube, so if you do decide to upgrade your fork later you totally can.
pros
- I’ve spent this whole post gushing over how awesome I think this bike is, but if that didn’t come through please please please go watch the video. The stoke level is high!
cons
- There is a noise that comes from the freewheel between the crank arm and the chainring. This happened with some Shimano motors of the past.
- I wish the wheels were tubeless ready.
conclusion
Okay, so now you know everything there is to know about the Aventon Ramblas, and why I think that this bike could be the bike of the year. The fact that Aventon builds their own frames, they came up with their own motor design, and this is their first iteration of an eMTB and they’ve completely knocked it out of the park… I haven’t seen any other brand be able to do this. AND, I don’t think the big brands are getting anywhere close to these specs for this price ($2,699 May 2024). If you want to pick up your own Ramblas, please use my link! It really helps the channel and it doesn’t cost you any extra.
Click here –>https://alnk.to/hsv3LyU to get your very own Ramblas!