The Aventon Pace 500 electric bike
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The Aventon Pace 500 e-bike combines comfort and power in a rugged frame that won’t break the bank.
The bicycle as a means of transportation is not new, and the United States is probably the furthest behind in maintaining it as a regular form of transportation. Here in northeast Tennessee, we’re just getting used to the painted bike lanes all over our city.
We are not BicycleInsider. This review is not painted as “by bike experts, for bike experts”, but rather as an introduction for newcomers to e-bikes and the Aventon Pace 500. From what we’ve seen , the Aventon Pace 500 is a great introduction to the e-bike phenomenon.
Aventon Pace 500 Electric Bike Design and Features
The Aventon Pace 500 is a step-over cruiser frame with swept handlebars. It weighs 52 pounds, can reach up to 28 miles per hour with pedal assist, and has a range of 25 to 48 miles on a single charge.
It has eight gears with five levels of pedal assist. It has a weight limit of 300 pounds.
Display shows current speed and battery information
A digital display shows information such as speed, range, remaining battery and pedal assist level. There’s also a hidden USB-A port to connect and charge your phone if needed.
Integrated headlights and taillights turn on at the press of a button. The taillights come on when the brake levers are pulled.
The pedal-assist controller is located on the left handlebar, right next to the throttle. Buttons for powering the bike, toggling the lights and controlling the level of throttle assist are here.
Controller offers quick access to pedal assist and light control settings
The throttle lever is next to the controller and can be easily pressed with your thumb. It is useful for starting from a stop and accelerating on demand without pedalling.
The battery is integrated into the frame with a charging port at the top. The 500W motor is in the rear wheel and does not stand out.
The crossbar design reminds us of the bikes we rode as kids. It’s a classic design and feels sturdy when driving around town.
Assembly, riding and maintenance of the Aventon Pace 500 electric bike
I was a bit intimidated when I took up cycling again at 31. The Navy did a number on my joints and my back, but maybe that’s why I was the perfect candidate to try Aventon’s bike. Low impact exercise and pedal assist have made this a much more accessible activity.
If biking is something you are interested in for exercise, commuting, or even just for fun, the Aventon Pace 500 has proven to be a great option. There are lighter e-bikes out there, but we think this one is the perfect combination of size, range and durability.
Assembly
The Aventon Pace 500 arrived in a few boxes and required assembly. It didn’t take long and the instructions were simple.
All the necessary parts and tools were included in the box, and an official YouTube video guided the process. The front wheel had to be fixed, the handlebars adjusted and the battery inserted.
After inflating the tires and checking the seat position, it was ready to roll. Note that we’ve added a few accessories to this bike, a MagSafe mount keeps our iPhone in place and visible on the handlebars, and an AirTag is hidden in a reflector under the seat.
The battery takes between 3 and 7 hours to recharge. It doesn’t have battery memory issues, so recharging after every ride is recommended.
Driving the Aventon Pace 500
Once we got used to having a throttle and pedal assist, the ride came pretty naturally. The brakes felt good and brought the bike to a stop quickly, then the throttle got our ride back on track quickly.
The screen clearly displays the necessary information, even in direct sunlight. As we drove through town, we could see exactly how fast we were going and the slowly decreasing battery level.
Eight-speed shifter is simple to use
After driving through town to a local seafood restaurant, it showed we had done nine miles and had about 70% battery left. This corresponded to the nominal range of 40 miles.
It’s not a sport bike, so there are no shocks to soak up the bumps. We could feel every big bump and crack in the road.
The seat is comfortable, but takes some getting used to. We were certainly sore after the first two long drives.
The bike runs perfectly and makes a pleasant rumble when the engine is running. It’s not noisy but audible in quiet places.
The motor is enclosed in the housing of the rear wheel
Speed increases rapidly as you increase pedal assist levels. Being able to hit 20 MPH with just a few pedal strokes is quite exhilarating.
Although we wouldn’t recommend repeating this for obvious safety reasons, we also ridden gravel trails with the Pace 500. Parts of the nature trail near our house are gravel rather than paved. The bike was able to propel us, pedal assisted, up a small, sloping gravel trail with no problem.
If the bike detects a loss of traction, the pedal assist feature will turn off abruptly. The bike handled the gravel path without issue during our multiple passes, and the tires held up well.
Riding on a gravel road is difficult but possible
On paved roads, the bike works perfectly. It glides smoothly over pavement with little effort and makes slight inclines feel like nothing with pedal assist.
It’s an e-bike with electric components and a motor, but rain isn’t an issue – we got caught in a downpour while riding. However, Aventon cautions against prolonged exposure or use of vehicle mounts during rainstorms.
Aventon rates this e-bike at a top speed of 28 MPH. We got close to that number, but you’ll need to pedal pretty hard at the highest gear with Level 5 pedal assist to hit it. Our usual top speed was around 20 MPH.
Maintenance
Unlike some of the things we looked at for AppleInsider, the Aventon Pace 500 is a machine that requires regular maintenance. Aventon recommends weekly and monthly checks.
Regular maintenance ensures proper operation
Like any bike, it requires regular checks on parts tension, chain stretch and lubrication, and wiring integrity. The homeowner can easily perform basic cleaning and checks using the tools in the box.
Brake pads, shift cables and tires may need to be replaced from time to time. In this case, it may be best to find an e-bike specialist to do the job for you. We certainly will be.
App Connectivity and Apple Health
The Aventon e-bike offers a connected app experience. It provides trip data, measurements of total trip time and distance, and can even record a trip.
The Aventon app has some interesting data, but it’s isolated without Apple Health support
The app connects to the bike via Bluetooth. The app should remain open for accurate tracking during a ride.
The Aventon app has a built-in community where users share photos and bike ride stats. The app’s features may be interesting and useful for some, but it wasn’t something we were interested in.
Instead, we relied on the workout tracking on the Apple Watch. After a few moments of riding, the Apple Watch would detect a bike ride and offer to follow it.
Tracking bike rides with Apple Watch yields useful health metrics
The Apple Health and Fitness tracking metrics are far superior to those offered by the Aventon app. This is due to user health tracking rather than just cycling.
We’d be more interested in the Aventon app if it had Apple Health integration. This would combine our training tracked on Apple Watch with accurate bike data from Aventon for a better data set.
It’s unlikely that Aventon will ever implement such features, so we’ll stick with Apple Health. The Apple Watch can even intelligently determine whether the cyclist is on an e-bike with pedal assistance or not.
Should you buy the Aventon Pace 500?
The Aventon Pace 500 has a low-end price for e-bikes, but still has everything you need. It has a powerful, long-range motor and durable construction.
The Aventon Pace 500 is a great e-bike for first-time buyers
Like any vehicle, e-bikes can range from minimal specs and builds to high-end luxury appliances. We’ve seen prices ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 across the spectrum of features and designs.
The Pace 500 lands in a good spot. It’s not in the cheapest bracket, for good reason, but it’s not too expensive at $1,699.
We think this is a great option for new e-bike owners.
Aventon Pace 500 Advantages
- 40 mile long range
- Fast at a top speed of 28 MPH
- Solid frame, good tires
- Bright display
- Easy-to-reach controls, throttle
Aventon Pace 500 Cons
- Heavy at 52 pounds, but not too heavy
- Virtually no shock absorption
- Aventon app is too basic, not integrated with Apple Health
Rating: 4 out of 5
It’s a great e-bike, and if we were rating it on the bike alone, we’d probably rate it closer to 5 out of 5.
However, this is a technology website, and the technology is lacking here. The connected Aventon app experience requires a serious upgrade and link with Apple Health.
Where to buy the Aventon Pace 500 electric bike
The Aventon Pace 500 is available on the Aventon website. There are two color options – SoCal Sand and Midnight Black.
There are two frame sizes depending on the height of the user, Regular and Large. Both cost the same amount.