Aventon’s Slim Solterra Is The Affordable Ebike For Old-School Single-Speed Pedalers

Sometimes, you just want to keep things simple. Before ebikes became so popular, cycling was (and still is) a diverse universe of bike types that catered to every riding style, from burly mountain bikes to carbon-fiber racing specials to super-lightweight urban tools known as “fixies” with one fixed gear – and not much else.

Admittedly, I did not own a fixie, but I rode (and still own) a bike close to it, a super-simple, stripped-down “single speed” bike with a freewheel instead of a fixed gear, often called a “single.” It’s still a hoot to ride, and a great reminder of the KISS principle when it comes to personal transportation.

Lately, I’ve gotten in a series of single-speed ebikes for review, including the SWFT Volt, the Cowboy 4, and now the new Solterra from Aventon. The VanMoof bikes look like single-speed machines, but they have internal gearing so, technically, they aren’t. But they do have That Look.

Solterra Tech Overview

The glossy black $1,199 Solterra I received for review is a clever mix of old and new technologies. Like many old-skool single-speed bikes, it uses rim-grabber brakes (by Tektro) instead of discs. If you opt for the $1,299 7-speed shifter version of the Solterra, it includes Tektro mechanical disc brakes, but fair warning, you do lose style and street cred points. A step-though Solterra variant is also available.

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The Solterra bikes have no suspension, and roll on fairly skinny wheels and tires. The Kenda K193 tires are wider than pure road bike tires, but only just, and the wheels are the more modern 27.5-inch variety instead of the old 26ers. A 350-watt motor hides in the rear wheel hub, and the single gear is connected by chain, not a belt, to a large front sprocket. The removable 9.6 Watt-hour 36-Volt battery hides in the frame, and the somewhat larger lower spar of the all-aluminum frame is really the only semi-obvious indication that the Solterra is packing some extra power on board.

Up top, Aventon’s app-connected and excellent color LCD display keeps tabs on things, and a small thumb throttle is hidden on the left bar below the small D-pad style controller. A discreet but just bright enough LED headlight sits in front of the display, and two large, sleek and stylish bright red LED tail lights are cleanly frenched into both rear triangle frame spars – an Aventon trademark.

They also function as brake lights – even when the lights are set to “off” – and I wish more bike makers would follow Aventon’s example here and just make rear lights function as brake lights as a de facto industry standard. It makes a big difference for a rider safety.

I’ll admit I’ve been a little spoiled by other bikes in this category from LeMond, Cowboy, and VanMoof that have done an excellent job hiding the many wires that are needed on an ebike, so the slight mess of wires under the Solterra’s handlebars stood out when I got it, as did some wiring runs at at the back of the bike, but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t wrangle in a minute with a couple of zip ties. Seat height set, battery charged and tires aired up, it was time to take the Solterra for a ride around Portland.

Riding Experience

I’m 6-foot-1 inch tall with a 34-inch inseam, so on occasion, a bike maker’s “large” frame size isn’t quite large enough, especially between the seat and bars, but fortunately the Solterra fit just right and I was instantly comfortable on the bike. It took me a mile or two to forget the impulse to feel for shifter controls on the right bar, but with pedal assist set to Level 3 (of 5), I was rolling at 20mph in the flat with just the right amount of pedal effort. Pedal assist speed limits can also be set in the very useful Aventon app. At 42 pounds, the Solterra isn’t a flyweight bike, but as ebikes go, it’s on the lighter side to be sure, and with that low weight comes agility and a more “regular bicycle” feel to the ride. Warmed up, I rode for miles with the assist set to 1 (”Eco”), and even zero (no assist, but with systems running), until I got to my hill test section.

Topping the 1.5-mile, 700-foot elevation gain climb was something I could barely do on my old non-electric single speed, and I was much younger (and lighter) in those days, so it’s been a good test of this new crop of single-speed machines and their assist power. The Solterra is geared tall, so I cranked the assist up to the max (Level 5) and got out of the saddle. Cranking up the hill, I held a steady 10mph as the rear hub motor quietly whirred away, and once at the top, the battery still held a 50% charge. Aventon says the battery will give an average of 42 miles of assist in mixed conditions, so despite my maximum draw on the powertrain up the hill, I still had at least 20 miles of range remaining at lower settings. A nice “hidden” feature is that if you completely run it out of battery power, you’re not stranded as it’s easy to pedal the lightweight Solterra with no assist at all, although a steep hill may be a real challenge.

Heading back down the hill, the Solterra just touched 40mph on a steep section but felt solid and confident at speed, including through some fast sweeper turns near the bottom of the run. It was early spring while I was riding and there was some water on the roadway in spots so I got a bit of a bath since there are no fenders on the Solterra. Aventon does offer fenders and racks, although any bike shop could probably figure something out if you know you’re going to be riding in the wet (as we often do in Portland). Back in the flat, I easily rolled home at Level 2, and for a short bit, I even let the thumb throttle and battery do all the hard work for a mile or two, and it was able to move me right along at up to 20mph. A nice “modern” option to be sure.

Conclusions

I enjoyed my time aboard the Aventon Solterra. It’s a fast, fun, sleek and good-looking ebike that is a joy to ride, especially if you like the single-speed vibe but maybe want something with a bit of juice to back up your efforts. It’s not really a commuter bike per se, although some may find it the perfect dry-weather work ride when all you need to carry can fit in a backpack or bike bag. Really, the Solterra is about having fun while riding rather than being a workhorse, and in that regard it’s right on target and at $1,199 MSRP, certainly affordable. I’d like to see the base bike get some hydraulic disc brakes, as wet rims make for slow and noisy brakes, and a bit more attention to the wiring. And maybe a few more lumens out of the front headlight as well. But as winter turned to spring here in the PNW, I found more time (and dryish weather) to ride the Solterra, and bottom line, it always made me smile.