Aventon Soltera 3 electric bike review: Single-speed hybrid fun

Belt drive bikes offer some huge pluses. First, they typically require less maintenance, with many belts lasting twice as long as a typical chain. Secondly, there is no grease to speak of, so no black spots on your work pants. Third, in the case of the Soltera 3, the belt comes from the Gates brand, whose drivetrain belts are as good as can be. Belt-drive bikes are silent and often smoother than their chain-drive counterparts.

However, the inclusion of a low-maintenance item like a belt drive paired with hydraulic disc brakes, which require bleeding almost every year, struck me as an odd choice. If Aventon wanted to make the Soltera 3 as hands-free as possible, a cable-actuated brake would have been a more convenient option.

Another thing that immediately stands out about the Soltera 3 is its relatively light weight. At 37 pounds, the Soltera 3 is heavy for an analog bike. But it’s certainly not heavy for an e-bike, and it’s almost as solid, nimble, and navigable as a traditional bike. One problem I always have with e-bikes is their heaviness. Since they are often made to replace a car, they are designed with payload in mind. E-bike batteries are also heavy.

Adding to that feeling of “this is it”. Just like My other bikes, “The Soltera 3 simply looks great, which isn’t often the case when it comes to e-bikes. The matte black finish my test bike arrived in looks great because matte black never looks great. (Plus, the Soltera 3 is available in matte blue and sleek silver.) But beyond the finish, the bike’s geometry; its wide, almost perfectly flat handlebars; and its narrow (by ebike standards) 700×36 tires make it It feels closer in DNA to a road bike than a traditional e-bike.

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Photography: Michael Venotolo-Mantovani

I’m 6’4″ tall, and the extra-large Soltera 3 I tested was at maximum saddle height. It worked for me, but I couldn’t recommend riding the Soltera 3 to anyone larger than me. However, with four sizes ranging from small to extra-large, the line covers a wide range of riders, from my height all the way down to 5′.