Review: The Aventon Abound LR Brings GPS Tracking for Under $2000

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I saw the Aventon Abound cargo e-bike all over the place as I tested this new Abound LR. They were in just about every situation you can think of: commuting with groceries, porting kids to and from school, and doing everything in between.

And while those folks seemed to be quite happy with their Abound bikes, I think they’d be even happier with this new Aventon Abound LR.

No, I’m not saying those folks need to ditch their current bikes for this new one. But considering the added refinement of this new bike–as well as the heaps of new tech built-in–I think this a bike that feels nicer than its price point indicates.

Quick hits: Seven things to know about the Aventon Abound LR

• Abound LR is the long-tail companion to the Abound SR e-bike
• Based around a 20-inch x 3” wide tire
• Abound LR uses a Class 2 motor system, offering pedal assist or throttle to 20 miles per hour (32 kph)
• Features a hub-driven Shengyi motor with up to 80 Nm torque and a built-in torque and cadence sensors
• Max gross capacity: 440 pounds (200 kg); max rack capacity of 143 lb (65 kg)
• A claimed range of up to 50 miles (90 km); we found about 40 miles (75 km) in our testing
• For more: aventon.com

Abound LR details

The Aventon Abound LR is a full-size long tail cargo bike with a platform and overall length that comes in at the same as other long tail cargo bikes along the lines of the Integral Maven, Tern GSD, Specialized Globe Haul LT, and other bikes.

Aventon’s whole MO with making its e-bikes has been about being an overwhelming value proposition over the competition. The motor dominates that value proposition in day-to-day use, as a powerful 750 W motor with a big, non-removable 708 Wh battery to boot. The Class 2 system offers throttle assist up to 20 miles an hour (32 kph), while pedal assist is available at up to 25 miles per hour (40 kph) through some in-app options. More on that later.

The Abound LR is also defined by its wide 20 x 3.0” tires, which folks tend to be drawn to for their comfort across rough surfaces and naturally higher levels of grip. Those tires are paired with a suspension fork up front with 50 mm travel. While the fork lacks an air spring for a wider range adjustment, this standard fork offers the ability to lock and unlock the fork. All of this combines to make the Abound LR a fairly comfortable cargo e-bike, even over broken pavement.

But what is perhaps the most interesting feature of the Abound LR is its suite of electronics, which it calls the Electronic Control Unit, or ECU. This is a new system for Aventon, connecting the bike not only to your smartphone app but to the internet. Aventon claims it offers remote locking among a number of other connected features.

The vast majority of these controls are accessible through Aventon’s app. There, the bike’s location be tracked remotely and geo-fenced to only be ridden within specific areas. There’s also remote locking of both the bike and battery, as well as built-in theft detection that can manually deactivate the bike if stolen.

The Aventon app and ACU also have other useful features. The bike’s battery, typically locked and sealed in the down tube, can be ejected for external charging using the app or the bike’s display. Further, a GPS function within the Aventon app shows the bike’s location and allows for setting geofencing boundaries.

This feature is particularly useful when sharing the bike with a teenager, as the pedal assist system will deactivate if the bike leaves or enters a prohibited zone.

Additionally, the bike has a motion detection and alarm system with three sensitivity levels. If the bike is moved excessively or leaves its approved geofenced area, the owner will receive an alert and the alarm will sound.

The ECU also allows for OTA (over-the-air) updates that can control things from battery management to assist level adjustments. All of this is controlled via a 4G cellular IoT service. The first year is free, but the service costs $20 per year after that.

While Aventon tucks away a majority of its tech in the Aventon app, the Abound LR’s display still offers the expected number of controls. Besides the ability to lock the bike’s kickstand, the display shows remaining range, level of assist, speed, and the bike’s odometer. Impressively, Aventon has also included a pair of turn signals built into the bike, though the signal lights are only found at the back of the bike.

To note, the Abound LR offers the aforementioned turn signals, lights front and rear, and even a brake light that activates when you pull the brakes.

The Abound LR is available in one size and two colors. Aventon says the Abound LR weighs in at 88 pounds (39.9 kg); the measured weight for my sample Abound LR came in at a hefty 90 pounds (41 kg). That is properly heavy and easily one of the heaviest cargo e-bikes you can buy, but it is surprisingly only slightly heavier than the shorter Abound SR cargo bike.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Aventon Abound LR meets UL 2849 standards for battery and electronics testing. Doing so not only shows the brand is willing to invest in third-party testing of its gear, but provides some level of assurance that the battery, motor, and electrics meet one kind of industry standard.

Accessories and options

The Abound LR comes with an accessory range that is more built out than its similarly-priced competition. Below is the list of accessories available at launch, though a range of panniers made specifically for the bike should biome shortly thereafter.

While we haven’t been able to use most of these, we recommend three specific options. One would be the front rack, as Aventon’s solution sees it bolted right to the head tube. Doing so means your gear stays put as you turn, keeping handling consistent.

We also recommend the rear seat pad and rear handlebar. Doing so allows you to ride with a passenger, so long as their weight doesn’t exceed that 143 lb (65 kg) claimed limit. Doing so makes the bike infinitely more usable, and far more versatile of a transportation solution than a standard bike.

Aventon Abound LR vs the competition

Like the Aventon Abound SR, this bike doesn’t have much competition. Much of that comes from its sheer value for money. Finding a cargo e-bike with a similar form factor isn’t all that difficult, but finding one that is about as competent as this in most situation is hard to find. With that in mind, I think there are two key competitors: the RadPower RadWagon 5, and the Specialized Globe Haul LT.

The RadWagon 5 is its most obvious competition. Both offer a full-length long-tail cargo bike form factor, Class 2 levels of electric assist, fat tires, and the ability to carry cargo when needed. It even has similar BMX-style riser handlebars! Frankly, the Abound LR feels a bit more polished in comparison; the assist is more natural feeling, the bike handles a load more easily, and the range of accessories is broader.

Then there is the Specialized Globe Haul LT, a bike we haven’t been shy about praising. The Globe Haul LT feels like a more realized version of this bike: more powerful, more integrated, and with a wider range of accessories. And while I’d say the Globe Haul LT is less likely to sway and rock side to side when loaded up, the Abound LR is more stable-feeling than one might expect at this price point. All of this comes at a price, one that is harder to justify with this new Abound LR.

The Abound LT has a higher payload capacity than the RadPower. Better still, it offers a combination brake light/turn signal rear light, and perhaps more importantly, a lower price point. That will speak to a whole lot of folks.

Riding the Aventon Abound LR

Like the Aventon Abound SR, the Abound LR offers the feeling of getting a whole lot for your money. The sage green feels modern and on-trend. The hydroformed alloy front end looks expensive, too. Further, the compact color display on the left side of the handlebars is bright, the buttons are clicky and feel high-quality, and it all feels of decent quality.

What’s more impressive is that the first impression largely carries over the longer you ride it. The hub drive motor is responsive enough from a stop to not really need the throttle, as long as you’re not accustomed to current-generation high-end mid-drive motors from Bosch and Shimano. Further, while I don’t think this Shengyi motor isn’t quite as powerful at peak power as some competition, I never felt like I was short on assist. Considering the price point, I give the Abound LR high marks.

The Tektro hydraulic disc brakes aren’t anything to write home about, but they too feel about as good as you’d think. They’re strong and never quite felt like they faded, even after repeated long descents.

That positive first impression is doubled by the ride smoothness. The suspension fork and suspension seat post in tandem do a good job of smoothing out the cracks in the road, while the 3-inch wide tires and long wheelbase only add to the comfort.

This is a great bike to ride on its own to cruise on. There’s plenty of comfort from the big tires and built-in suspension. It’s also easy to maneuver around people at low speed or even at higher speeds on the road. Add a set of standard panniers and the bike doesn’t even break a sweat.

Interestingly, while I found the Abound SR to lack some stiffness front to back, I didn’t find that to be quite as much of an issue on the Abound LR. Loads under 50 pounds or so felt easy to ride with, with no noticeable change to ride smoothness or handling. Add more weight, however, and the Abound LR felt sturdier than the equivalent SR. That bodes well for folks looking at the Abound LR: This is a bike that should handle kid hauling fairly easily.

This additional stiffness is particularly interesting, considering the Abound LR offers the same payload capacity as the shorter Abound SR. If I had to spend my own money on the two bikes, I’d choose the Abound LR.

What about weaknesses? Well, they’re basically the same as the Abound SR.

The wide tires are comfortable and grippy, but boy, do they feel sluggish. Even with electric assist, it can be a bear to maintain anything over 18 miles per hour (30 kmh) on this bike without working hard. The bike loses speed relatively quickly and requires continual input to keep going. Not a big deal for an e-bike, but it stands out in stark contrast to the more efficient competition with narrower tires.

Above all else, however, the bike is heavy. You feel it every time you need to reposition the bike to park it, every time you need to carry it upstairs, and certainly, if you ever need to load it onto a rack for travel. This isn’t the end of the world, but you won’t want to carry this up apartment stairs with much regularity.

While I cannot speak to the long-term durability of this bike, my local Aventon dealers were quite frank in saying that these bikes aren’t immune to durability-based issues. However, none of those issues had to do with electrics like the motor, battery, or wiring. Moreso, it had to do with its entry-level derailleurs and brakes that tended to wear out quickly.

That additional labor can result in added costs over even a standard e-bike. This isn’t a knock against the Aventon, but rather a warning against lower-priced e-bikes in general: labor costs will be higher than a standard bike, and there’s more maintenance to boot. Take care of the bike and it’ll take care of you.

There’s also the question of the tracking service that comes from the Aventon ECU. There isn’t much information on where the tracking information goes, nor is there information regarding what Aventon does with it. The tracking can be turned off, but the system itself can’t be removed.

Conclusion

I came away more impressed with the Aventon Abound LR cargo e-bike than I have with a cargo bike at this price point in quite some time. I’m not quite ready to say that this is the least expensive way to get into a reliable, full-time car replacement, but I can wholly recommend the Abound LR as a real deal tool for commuting and carrying cargo alike.

Much of that recommendation comes at its price point. At $1999, I can’t think of any cargo e-bike currently on offer that have the integration, range of features, refinement, and range of accessories available. Raise your budget and there are a wide array of options that carry humans and pets more comfortably. But given the price, I can’t find much to complain about.

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