Yup, all of us.
I like bikes. I like to ride them in the mountains. I like to ride them to surf and around town. And I especially like to ride bikes with my daughter – cruising on the beach (or the trails), getting ice cream, and doing dad and daughter things. Most of all, I like to ride them instead of driving. And in this modern age, nothing makes riding around town more efficient, and more fun, than riding an e-bike.
Now, there are all sorts of e-bikes to choose from in this market. But I found one that’s easy to use, easy to assemble, and easy on the wallet. The Aventon Level.2 is the perfect e-bike for commuting, surfing, having fun with your kid, or even riding to the local ski lifts in the winter. The thing is so simple to use it hardly bears thinking about, but I figured it might be worth breaking down the aspects that have stood out to me over the past couple months of use.
Setup and Adjustment
First, you can buy direct from Aventon and the Level.2 is easy to set up for yourself. Simply use the included Allen wrench to make all the necessary adjustments, and follow along with this easy-to-watch video. Seriously, it’ll feel like you’re a bike mechanic or something. And that’s just it. The whole bike is easily adjusted to fit you. I have a “regular” size, which is for people 5’3″ – 5’10″ (I’m 6’0”), and it fits pretty much our whole family. Not only is the seat adjustable, but so is virtually every piece on the bike from the handlebars to the computer mount and even the throttle. All tweak-able so it feels right for you and anyone else you might actually let ride it.
One note on the fit and weight of this bike (50 pounds), the step-over frame is something you could easily pack on a heavy duty bike rack to transport with your car if need be. Each family member seemingly uses this machine for different purposes – son commutes to school, daughter, well, ice cream, and wife wherever she pleases. And then it fits me too. While perhaps a tad small, it’s all about the diversity – I can easily adjust, then remove, the seat and attach a surf rack for transport (see e-bike surf rack options here). And then turn around and attach fancy saddle packs to the rear rack for a quick work commute. If you’re traveling at night, the brake lights are super visible and the front-mounted headlight is a powerful safety feature. The Level.2 is our all-rounder.
All your dreams can be controlled here. Photo: Aventon
Bike Features
Now, about the speed. The Level.2 features both pedal drive, and a throttle. The brushless, rear-hub motor is probably the most powerful aspect of the bike and will run at a peak of 750 watts and sustain 500 watts. That means with the pedal power alone, you can reach speeds up to 28 miles per hour. If only using the throttle, you can maintain an easy 20mph. If you have to, you can start from a standstill with said throttle. But the bike really hums when you get going with the pedal drive before going into cruise mode with the throttle on your left hand.
All of this is trackable with Aventon’s handlebar computer, that can obviously be synced with an app on your phone. The LCD display is easy to see and keeps track of mileage and remaining battery power. But this little computer is also where you control your assist level. There are five levels of pedal assist and I usually go straight to level five, just cause my big bones like the power. Everyone has a different level right?
Brake lights. Seriously, one of the Level.2’s most important safety features.
Speaking of power, the Level.2 is powered by a long-lasting internal Lithium-ion battery that can last up to 60 miles. This dog wants to run forever but I’d be careful with the charging mount (don’t leave it charging overnight and be kind to your bike’s power source). Each charge should take around 4-5 hours.
Bottom line, the Level.2 is what is says it is: a damn good commuter. The 65mm-travel fork isn’t for the backcountry. But it’ll do you right on urban trails and greenbelts. The alloy frame looks really good. I’ll probably upgrade mine with beefier tires, and you can do little custom things to yours to make it, well, yours. This one’s ours. And as you can see, we have a good time on it.
To learn more, check out the Level.2 on Aventon.com
