Aventon Pace 350 Review

Aventon Bikes got its start a decade ago as a manufacturer of track and fixed-gear bikes, before entering the ebike market back in 2018. At that time Aventon, which now deals exclusively in pedal- and throttle-assist electrics, introduced its first two ebikes in the Pace 350 Class 2 model and Pace 500 speed pedelec.

We reviewed the Pace 350 in 2019, and found the recreational/cruiser-style ebike to pack in an impressive level of performance for its $1,099 price tag. Like its predecessor, the second-generation Pace 350 has been launched in both step-through and diamond-frame versions with new refinements and a higher MSRP. We’ve been riding the high-step bike.

With an upright, leisurely riding posture, the fully rigid (as in zero suspension) Aventon Pace 350 has a 36V/350W brushless rear hub motor powered by a 417Wh internal battery. The nicely integrated downtube battery is a new wrinkle for the model, which originally had an externally mounted power pack of the same capacity. The keyed battery can be charged either on or off the bike.

The drive system has thumb-throttle assist as well as five levels of pedal assist up to 20 mph. The rider controls the system with a five-button controller next to the left handlebar grip, with data including speed, ride distance, odometer, and remaining battery life read through a backlit color display mounted over the handlebar stem. The display has a USB port and can be synced with Aventon’s mobile app for added features including collecting ride data, adjusting top assisted speed, setting display brightness, selecting assist level, and turning on the bike’s lights.

Speaking of lights, the Pace 350 has visibility covered at both ends with an LED headlight integrated into the handlebar stem’s faceplate and more LEDs in the 6061 aluminum alloy frame’s seatstays acting as tail and brake lights. The rear-facing package is a particularly slick new addition to the Pace 350.

A Shimano Tourney drivetrain with a right-hand trigger shifter offers seven gears (44T chainring and 11-28T cassette). Stout 36-hole double-wall aluminum wheels come wrapped in 27.5 x 2.2-inch ebike-rated Kenda Kwick Seven.5 Sport tires with reflective sidewalls and a low-profile tread pattern designed for both urban riding and off-road trekking. Tektro mechanical disc brakes with motor cutoff sensors and 180-millimeter rotors front and rear check the Pace 350′s speed.

Aventon specs the Pace 350 with a basic 31.8-millimeter-clamp stem rather than an adjustable-height one, which saves a few dollars, but our test bike had nearly an inch of spacers beneath the stem, so dialing in a comfortable height for the swept-back handlebars should not be a problem. Just use the multitool Aventon includes with the bike. Ergonomic lock-on rubber grips and a wide, very thickly cushioned comfort saddle round out the package.

Our size-large test bike weighed in at a touch under 50 pounds.

Before getting to how it rides, Aventon deserves serious kudos for making the Pace 350 look worlds better with the ebike’s second iteration. No more slapped-on external battery now that the power source has been integrated into the frame’s handsomely shaped half-oval downtube. Frame welds are all sanded and smoothed out to some degree, and as we mentioned earlier, the integrated tail and brake lights in the seatstays are pretty darn cool. You’ll also always have brake lights working even if the head and tail lights aren’t turned on.

Having tested the original Pace 350, the new bike felt instantly familiar to me. The upright riding position is suited to all-day comfort and cruising, and the wide tires, plush comfort saddle, and forgiving ergonomic grips kept the unsuspended bike from feeling harsh over road hazards and the occasional diversion onto dirt trails. And the hub motor ran more quietly than I remember from the first bike—always a welcome improvement on a leisure cruiser like this.

It also has plenty of power when you want it. Of course, one of the common knocks on hub-drive bikes with no torque sensor (the Pace 350 has only cadence and speed sensors) is that there’s some delay in motor engagement when turning over the pedals. But pressing the thumb throttle ensures a quick start, and also quickly propels the Pace 350 to its 20 mph cutoff speed (on flat ground, at least), if you don’t feel like pedaling at all. That said, the more you pedal, the more range you’ll get from the bike.

I liked keeping the bike in the third level of pedal assist to balance strong motor input with preserving battery life. In traffic, I’d turn to the throttle to quickly accelerate from a dead stop before the pedal assist could kick. A couple seconds of throttle is all I’d need at a time. Again, preserving battery life.

Riding in this fashion over a mix of hilly neighborhood roads and flat dirt and gravel paths, I went 29 miles over 1,500 feet of total elevation gain before dipping below 10 percent battery remaining—pretty much in line with Aventon’s stated range assertions.

The Aventon Pace 350 has an MSRP of $1,399 (in both the step-through and high-step versions) and is available at aventon.com and through authorized Aventon retailers. That price is $300 above the original Pace 350, but the bike’s still a terrific value—especially when factoring in pandemic-fueled supply challenges and price increases touching just about every manufacturing sector. That extra 300 bills also gets you a way more attractive bike and some nice performance and safety improvements.

However, the Pace 350 does not include the fenders or rear rack you find on many hub-drive ebikes at this price point, so consider whether those accessories are important to you. (Fenders here in Southern California? What for?) Aventon does offer racks, fenders, bike trailers, and more as add-on accessories, so tack them onto your order at online checkout if you want.