California's Aventon wants you to leave your car at home and hop on the Soltera instead, which ships as a Class 3 ebike with both pedal assist and throttle only, can be had as a single-speed ride or with a 7-speed derailleur, and is available in step-over or step-through frame options.
Billed as "nimble and powerful enough to replace your car in the city yet lightweight enough to carry up a flight of stairs after a day’s work," the Soltera features a 350-W rear-hub motor for up to 20 mph (32 km/h) over five levels of pedal assist via cadence sensor. A thumb throttle is also available, to get you up to the same top speed without using your legs, but can be removed for riding in areas where throttles aren't allowed.
The ebike comes with a 36-V/10-Ah removable battery rocking LG cells that sits flush in the downtube, for an average of 41 miles (66 km) of per-charge range, though Aventon does offer some real-world test figures based on the 7-speed version.
The company reports that the test rider managed to achieve a per-charge range of 63 miles (101 km) with level 1 pedal-assist engaged (up to 6 mph), 25 miles (40 km) at level 3 (up to 14 mph), 22 miles (35 km) at level 5 (up to 20 mph) and 20 miles on throttle only.
Whether you opt for the step-over or step-through model, the 6061 aluminum alloy frame offers a slight forward riding stance for "greater control and stability as they navigate their commutes." At 41 lb (18.5 kg) for the single-speed or 43 lb (19.5 kg) for the 7-speed with Shimano RD-TY300D derailleur, it should be a relatively easy carry up the steps to the office building or the end-of-day haul up to the apartment.
The absence of suspension here means you'll feel any bumps that don't get soaked up by the aluminum rims wrapped in 700Cx35C Kenda K193 tires. Stopping power on the single-speed model comes from Tektro caliper brakes, while the 7-speed flavor gets Tektro M280 mechanical disc brakes with 160-mm rotors.
Elsewhere, there's IPX4 water resistance, frame-integrated lighting front and back, a backlit LCD color display that shows key ride and bike info, and can pair with the Aventon app for recording and sharing rides, adjusting settings and more, a Selle Royal saddle and included kickstand. None of the models are supplied with fenders or cargo racks, though such things can be optioned in.
The Soltera is available now, with the single-speed ebike priced at US$1,199 and the 7-speed costing a hundred bucks more. The video below has more.
Product page: Soltera
