Aventon advertises a range of up to 60 miles on the Pace 500.3, as measured during their own range testing with the bike limited to Class 2 speeds, in Eco Mode, on flat ground, and with a 160-lb rider.
We evaluated this claim through two separate Range Tests, which are explained in the graphic above. Our results in this test showed a low- and high-end bracket of roughly 35 miles (using the maximum amount of motor power in Turbo Mode) to 68 miles (with the minimum amount of power in Eco Mode).
A quick disclaimer: this specific data was gathered using the step-thru version of the bike. The only difference between the two is the additional material of the top tube on the high-step frame, which should have a negligible impact on range.
These results easily met our expectations – and even exceeded them – for a few reasons. First, simply because we were able to achieve a better range than advertised.
Second, the Pace performed incredibly well when compared to similar e-bikes we have tested. Its results in Turbo Mode greatly surpassed the performance of its competitors (see the comparison graph above), and its results in Eco Mode were only slightly less remarkable. Furthermore, when compared to the previous iteration of the bike, the 500.3 achieved between 15% and 65% better range depending on the pedal assist setting!
Third, and more technically – the Pace 500.3 demonstrated that its motor and battery pairing was surprisingly efficient. We explain this in more detail in our guide to e-bike batteries, but the ratio between a motor’s watt output and a battery’s watt-hour rating is important. We typically prefer at least a 1:1 ratio between these numbers, which the Pace’s 500W motor and 48V, 614 Wh battery exceeds. Based on these numbers, we expected the bike to travel roughly an hour and 15 minutes in Turbo mode, but we were able to travel for almost exactly two.
Much of the Pace 500.3’s efficiency and good range can be attributed to its torque sensor. Since this results in the bike’s motor splitting the effort with its rider, it doesn’t need to draw so much power from the battery. This extends the amount of charge the battery holds, which lengthens the distance the bike can travel.
In the big picture, the Pace 500.3 can travel a significant amount of distance that will likely cover a long commute, a handful of leisurely cruises, or quite a few short workout sessions.
