Electric mountain bikes have spent the better part of a decade shaking off their stigma, and Aventon — one of the brands that helped kick off the e-bike wave in the first place — has just given fence-sitters another reason to commit. Its new Current line packs a hefty spec list into three trims priced from $3,999 to $7,999, which the brand says undercuts comparable bikes by nearly half.

The headline hardware is shared across the range: an Ultro X mid-drive motor and an 800Wh integrated battery with a claimed range of up to 105 miles per charge. In practice, that means climbs stop eating your afternoon. Riders can cover more trail and squeeze in bigger descents even when time is short, and the motor's assist takes the edge off fatigue while easing strain on joints, hips, and back — a genuine difference-maker on long days or for anyone returning to riding after a break.

There's a proper grab-bag of assist modes, too: Auto, Eco, Trail, Turbo, and a Boost mode that dishes out up to 850 watts and 120Nm of torque in 60-second bursts, handy for punching through steep, technical sections. Internal torque sensors read your pedalling so the power delivery feels natural rather than jerky, and assist sensitivity can be tuned via a top tube display or the app.

The geometry leans all-mountain: 140mm of rear travel, a 150mm fork, 29-inch wheels, and a 64.6-degree head angle, with a longer wheelbase for stability on rock gardens and tight switchbacks. The bikes also run Aventon's ACU Smart Bike system, which covers the data-hungry end of the market — GPS tracking, jump counts, ride recording — plus 4G connectivity for live bike tracking, geofencing, and over-the-air updates mid-season.

So which trim makes sense? The ADV, at $3,999, runs the same motor and smart system as its pricier siblings on an aluminium frame that adds about 5 pounds — arguably the value pick. The $5,999 EXP steps up to a carbon front triangle with SRAM Maven Base brakes and Rockshox Super Deluxe Select suspension, positioning it as a do-everything option from local singletrack to multi-day backcountry trips. At the top sits the LTD: only 99 individually numbered units at $7,999, with Rockshox Ultimate suspension, SRAM XO transmission, Crankbrothers Synthesis wheels, and carbon finishing kit — part race bike, part collector's item.

For travellers, the appeal is simple: e-mountain bikes widen who can ride what. Longer range and intelligent assist open up big alpine loops, remote trailheads, and bucket-list descents to riders who'd previously find them out of reach, or let mixed-ability groups ride together without anyone getting dropped. If a road trip or bike holiday has been on the cards, the Current line makes the electric option genuinely competitive on price as well as performance. Full details are at aventon.com. — As reported by Outside Online