Earlier this month, I was invited to Huntington Beach, California, to be introduced to Aventon’s new eCargo bike, the Abound SR (Short Rack). Unlike the existing Abound, this new version is a little taller, and sports a shorter wheelbase, a better stem and stack height, and a more comfortable handlebar.
The new Class 2 Abound SR gets Aventon’s new electronic control unit (ACU). This new ACU offers intelligent safety features, such as 4G and GPS Tracking, remote locking, and an alarm system. There are more features that I will get into below.
The new size of the bike makes it easier to ride and maneuver, as well as easier to park and store. Still a super capable eCargo bike, the Abound SR is great for hauling the kids to school, picking up groceries, commutes, and any all-around errands. It’s a real multitasker.
It has up to a 60-mile range and a top speed of 20mph that is unlockable to 25mph in the app. The new, lower step-through frame makes mounting and dismounting easier. It uses a 750W, 36V rear hub motor, and it also boasts a 440lbs payload capacity.
Abound SR Detail and Retail
Retail: $2199
- Frame: 6061 Aluminum Gravity Cast
- New display unit with 3 levels of pedal assist: Eco, Sport, Turbo
- Rear hub drive motor with 80Nm of torque
- Battery, Aventon 36V, 20Ah, 708Wh, LG 21700 cells
- Weight: 80lbs
- ACU – Aventon Control Unit ft. Smart Security + Ride Features
- Suspension seatpost
- Included rear rack, fenders, and mesh wheel guard
- Quill stem with BMX-style handlebars
- Tektro Hydraulic brakes
- Shimano Altus 8-speed drivetrain.
- Smart Lock kickstand
- Double-sided bottom bracket torque sensor
- Three colors: Haze, Stealth, and Cobalt
Initial Thoughts on the Abound SR
My wife and I have been toolin’ around on the original Abound eCargo bike for close to a year and are very happy with it. So when I attended the Aventon launch of the Abound SR, I was curious about what changes they were making to what I thought was an already great eCargo bike.
I found myself impressed with the changes that were made. These weren’t changes for the sake of change. The updates on the new Abound SR improve on the already great Abound platform, like the new and improved display.
It was nice to see. I am a fan of most of the recent bikes that Aventon has been releasing. For instance, besides the OG Unbound eCargo offering, there’s the Ramblas, which is a reasonably priced and fun eMTB that is full of features and great for someone curious about eMTBs.
The Aventon Control Unit (ACU)
The Aventon Control Unit (ACU) helps to keep you “connected and protected”. The security features include a remote lock, geofencing, and passcode. These safeguard your Abound SR giving you peace of mind. When you are riding your Abound SR you will be able to rely on GPS tracking, a 4G connection, and cloud synchronization, so you can get real-time bike stats.
ACU Features
- Peace of mind with a smart Password-protected login, smart locking kickstand and battery, alarm system, geofencing, remote shutdown, and theft protection.
- Connectivity: 4G/Bluetooth enabled (OTA Updates), GPS tracking including ride log and statistics, Abnormal event logging, and Power status reporting.
- Ride Tune allows the rider to fine-tune the feel and performance of the 3 levels of pedal assist for the ultimate personalized ride experience.
- All-new handlebar display unit with easy one-touch access to all bike features and pedal assist levels without having to take your hands off the bars.
The Abound SR will come with 4G connectivity free for the first year, but that means you will likely have to pay a subscription fee after the first year to maintain all of the features.
Riding the Abound SR
After arriving in Huntington Beach, it was time to ride the bike. It was a foggy morning at the beach, which was kind of nice.
The route featured 17 miles along the water through Huntington and Newport Beach, then onto a ferry to get across to Balboa Island, and back to the hotel via Pacific Coast Highway for lunch.
One thing I noticed right off the bat, was that the seapost was a little’ short for me. I’m only 6’1″ and I had the stock post 2mm past the “minimum insertion” line, and still needed more seatpost to get decent leg extension. The stock seatpost is a suspension post, which compounded the issue of it being too short.
That being said, a new (non-suspension) post is not a big expense. But, perhaps Aventon could offer longer stock suspension posts on their website. This could eliminate the guesswork of ordering one for the consumer. The short post didn’t stop me from having a bunch of fun on the ride.
Dual Torque Sensors
As we rode, I was loving the smoothness of the power delivery likely thanks to Aventon’s dual torque sensors. It’s not like the older hub motors found on less popular eBike brands. Those feel either on or off, lacking any sense of finesse. However, the Aventon dual torque sensors let you feel that you are in constant control.
The slightest input to the pedals gives immediate assistance. The harder your effort, the more pedal assistance the Unbound SR rewards you with. That was nice. On top of that, I found the new handlebar and stack height to be very comfortable as well.
The original Abound has one of those long, foldable/collapsable stems. The new Abound SR eliminated that type of stem. Aventon spec’d the SR with standard spacers, stem, and riser bar while still keeping the ability for the bike to fit a wide range of users.
Great Lights, Mediocre Suspension
The Abound SR’s integrated front and rear lights, worked great. The rear brake light and turn signals are a great touch for a bike of this price point. Honestly, both the brake light and turn signals probably made things a bit safer on the busy PCH while riding back to the hotel.
The front suspension fork wasn’t super great, but worked OK. I’m not sure about the longevity of the fork, but after a year, the one on our OG Abound is holding up pretty nicely. It hasn’t given any issues.
Also, in Aventon’s defense, all of the suspension forks I have ridden on cargo bikes at this price point aren’t great. I’m reviewing another eCargo bike from a competitor, and it likely uses the same unnamed 50mm travel fork, but the bike costs over twice the price of the Abound SR.
I just don’t think a suspension fork is an imperative spec for a 20″ wheeled cargo bike. I usually lock them out and ride like that. And, speaking of non-imperative specs, the suspension seatpost needs to be revisited.
When it came to the suspension post on the Abound SR, it was virtually unnoticeable to me and offered no real benefit to ride quality. I could’ve done without it as it was exacerbating the seatpost length issue.
I would find a dropper post a lot more useful in the eCargo bike space.
In Conclusion
I think Aventon is doing good work lately and isn’t the same Aventon of 2017. They are continuing to offer quality eBikes at accessible prices. The Abound that I own and the Abound SR that I reviewed, are both great bikes with great features at a great price point.
It’s a reasonable buy-in cost with less risk for people who are entertaining the practice of driving less and riding more. I see this as one of the biggest benefits of the eCargo bike.
I would highly recommend the Aboud SR to anybody ready to give the eCargo bike a go. I’ve gotten a few friends on the OG Abound, and they’re happy with their purchases.
The Aventon Abound SR is available for pre-order today and will ship come 11/25/24. Hit the link below to get yours now.
