Aventon Ramblas review

Should you buy one?

Buy the Ramblas if you want a real hardtail mountain bike with a mid-drive motor, you ride singletrack and steep dirt climbs, and you’re comfortable with Class 1 rules: pedal assist only, cut off at 20 mph. I rode mine for several weeks. When I filmed it in June 2024, I said it was probably the Aventon I liked best, because most of my riding then was on trails. In July 2025 my Aventure 3 review ranked the Aventure 3 first for the gravel riding I do now. For singletrack and steep dirt climbs, the Ramblas is still the Aventon built for the job.

Skip it if you want a throttle, rear suspension, or a cruiser for flat bike paths. It’s built to climb and handle rough ground, and on smooth pavement a lot of that hardware sits idle.

The deciding factors: whether you’ll actually ride dirt, and whether you can find one. The original Ramblas is gone from Aventon’s site. The current model is the Ramblas ADV, so a new purchase means the ADV, while the original is now a used-market buy.

See the Ramblas ADV at Aventon (affiliate link; the original Ramblas is no longer sold, and the ADV replaces it).

Quick specs

Sources: my video (2:47 to 4:31), because Aventon’s original Ramblas page no longer exists. The motor is Aventon’s A100 mid-drive, the fork is a RockShox 35, the tires are Maxxis Rekon and the drivetrain is SRAM Eagle. The assist levels are Eco, Trail and Turbo, plus Off. The ADV price is from Aventon’s Ramblas ADV page, fetched Oct 22, 2026. I rode the Large frame at about 6’1”.

Who it’s for

• Riders who want their first e-mountain bike without paying what the big trail brands charge. In the video I put comparable bikes from other brands in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.
• Climbers. The A100 mid-drive is the bike’s strength, and it shows more the steeper the hill gets.
• People who already ride a regular hardtail and want the same feel with help on the way up.
• Tall riders. I’m about 6’1” and rode the Large comfortably.

Who should look elsewhere

• If you want a throttle for easy rides home, look at the Aventure 3. The Ramblas is Class 1 with no throttle, and so is the Aventure M.
• If a smooth ride matters more to you than trail handling, the Mokwheel Obsidian has full suspension and 4 inch tires.
• If you mostly ride roads and greenways, a commuter like the Soltera 2 costs far less and weighs less.

What the specs mean on the road

250W sustained, mid-drive. It climbed with far more force than the number suggests.

Class 1, no throttle. Assist stops at 20 mph and you have to pedal.

35mm fork stanchions. The lockout firms it up for pavement.

3 assist levels. Eco, Trail and Turbo cover easy cruising up to steep climbs.

Ramblas vs Ramblas ADV vs Mokwheel Obsidian vs Aventure M

Ramblas figures come from my video; the original product page no longer exists. Every other column comes from the current manufacturer page.

The ADV keeps what I liked about the original: the A100 motor, 29 x 2.4 Maxxis Rekon tires, a 12-speed drivetrain and a RockShox coil fork. On paper the main differences are in the parts list. Aventon now names SRAM DB6 four-piston brakes and a 150mm Manic dropper. I didn’t ride the ADV, so I can’t tell you how those changes feel.

For the side-by-side with the Obsidian, see the Mokwheel Obsidian vs Aventon Ramblas comparison.

The frame and build

This was Aventon’s first mid-drive motor and its first proper e-mountain bike, and it doesn’t feel like a first try. The frame is aluminum, not carbon. Aventon smoothed the welds so the joints look clean instead of beaded, and no wiring runs outside the frame. I said it was probably one of the best-manufactured Aventon bikes I’d tested, and I’ve tested the first and second versions of their whole lineup.

It’s a hardtail: a RockShox 35 fork up front and nothing in the back. Some commenters thought that was a corner cut. My answer is that not many years ago, every mountain bike had front suspension only. Someone also asked whether the fork locks out. It does, which helps on pavement or a long smooth climb.

There’s a mount for an optional headlight, but mine didn’t have one installed. If you’ll ride at dusk, budget for a light.

Controls and display

In my video I called it a very, very clean design and a big change from Aventon’s other e-bikes (2:30-2:56). The display is tucked under the bar, out of the way when you’re looking down the trail, instead of perched on top where a crash can snap it. The remote cycles through Off, Eco, Trail and Turbo.

Aventon combined clamps to keep the bars clean. The brake lever shares its clamp with the shifter, and the dropper lever and brake also share one mounting point. The grips lock on with a nut, so they won’t twist when you’re hanging on through a rough section.

The front brake uses mineral oil, so it’s a hydraulic system.

How it climbs

The motor is the reason to buy this bike. On paper it’s a 250W motor, which sounds weak. It isn’t. The A100 puts out a huge amount of torque, and on steep dirt climbs it pulled me up hills where I would have been walking a regular bike.

The 12-speed SRAM Eagle drivetrain helps. Drop into the lowest gear and the motor and gearing together let you spin up grades that feel ridiculous.

The tradeoff is Class 1: assist stops at 20 mph and there’s no throttle. The upside is access. In many places, Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on trails that ban throttle bikes. Check your trail system’s rules before you buy.

How it handles

The Maxxis Rekon 29 x 2.4 tires are real mountain bike tires, not the street-oriented tread some e-bikes ship with. They grip on loose dirt and roll well enough on hardpack. A commenter asked if they’re tubeless. Mine weren’t set up that way out of the box. The ADV page lists its Rekons as tubeless ready.

The dropper post makes a big difference. Drop the saddle from the bar before a descent and raise it for the climb, without stopping.

There’s a chain slap guard on the chainstay, so the chain isn’t chewing up the frame paint every time you drop off a ledge.

Another viewer asked if it works for city riding with hills. It does, and it rides well on paved paths too. The fork lockout helps there, because it stops the front end from bobbing on smooth ground.

Charging and daily use

The charger uses a proprietary plug, so you can’t borrow a standard one from another bike. Don’t lose it, or you’ll be buying another one from Aventon. The port sits behind a flap, which keeps dirt and water out on the trail.

I kept the Ramblas after the review and planned to put 100 to 200 more miles on it for a follow-up. I didn’t do a range test in the main video, so I won’t give you a range number. Aventon rates the ADV at up to 90 miles.

Pros and cons

Pros

• The A100 mid-drive climbs with far more force than its 250W rating suggests
• Clean build: smooth welds, internal wiring, display tucked out of harm’s way
• Proper trail parts: RockShox fork with lockout, Maxxis Rekon tires, dropper post, 12 speeds
• Chain slap guard and lock-on grips
• Comfortable on paved paths as well as dirt

Cons

• No throttle, and assist stops at 20 mph
• Hardtail only, so a rough descent beats you up more than a full-suspension bike would
• Proprietary charger plug
• Headlight is optional and didn’t come installed on mine
• The original is discontinued, so new buyers are looking at the ADV

FAQ

Is the Aventon Ramblas a real eMTB?

Yes. It’s Aventon’s first proper e-mountain bike: a mid-drive motor, a RockShox fork, a dropper post, a 12-speed drivetrain and 29 inch Maxxis tires. It’s built for dirt, not just styled for it.

Does it cost $5,000?

No. I said in the title that it beats $5,000 bikes, and some people read that as the price. It isn’t. The current Ramblas ADV is $2,899 as of Oct 22, 2026.

Ramblas vs Ramblas ADV: what changed?

The motor, the 29 x 2.4 Rekon tires and the 12-speed setup carry over. Aventon’s ADV page lists SRAM DB6 four-piston brakes, a 150mm Manic dropper, a 708Wh battery and a 54 lb weight. I’ve only ridden the original, so the table above compares the specs on paper.

Ramblas vs Mokwheel Obsidian?

They’re different tools. The Ramblas is a lighter-feeling Class 1 hardtail with a mid-drive and no throttle. The Obsidian is a 77 lb full-suspension fat tire bike with a 750W rear hub, a throttle and a 940Wh battery. Pick the Ramblas for climbing and handling, and the Obsidian for comfort and power on demand. Read the comparison for more.

Does the motor help going downhill?

You don’t need it on the way down. My point in the video was that the motor and a low gear get you back up the hill so you can ride down again.

Does the fork lock out?

Yes.

What size should I get at 6’1” and 170 lbs?

I’m about 6’1” and rode the Large. At that height and weight, I think the Large would be fine.

Is it any good on city streets and hills?

Yes. It works well on paved paths, and the mid-drive makes hills easy in any setting.

Are the tires tubeless?

Mine weren’t. The ADV’s Rekons are listed as tubeless ready.

Is it a budget mid-drive eMTB?

For a mid-drive mountain bike with these parts, yes. It costs far less than the $5,000 to $10,000 trail bikes I compared it to in the video.

Price

Aventon no longer lists the original Ramblas, and I couldn’t confirm its launch price from an official page, so I won’t quote one. The successor Ramblas ADV is $2,899 on Aventon’s site as of Oct 22, 2026. If you find an original Ramblas used, the comparison table above shows what you give up and gain compared with the ADV.

Check the Ramblas ADV price at Aventon (affiliate link).

Related reviews and guides

• Mokwheel Obsidian review
• Mokwheel Obsidian vs Aventon Ramblas
• Aventon Aventure M review
• Aventon Aventure 3 review
• Aventon lineup guide
• E-bike classes explained
• Compare e-bikes