Someone’s keen to make an impact – and clearly capable of doing so. Aventon is making its debut on the German market this year. And the US manufacturer is really putting the pedal to the metal. Following the Current e-mountain bike and the Trava – which leans towards a touring ebike – this is now the third new model to be launched in quick succession. With the Naro, Aventon is introducing a full-suspension low-step bike designed for urban riding.
1. A mixed trio
2. Aventon Naro: New low-step bike in two sizes
3. City ebike focuses on comfort and easy gear changes
4. Lightweight Ultro L mid-drive motor with sufficient power
5. Battery quite large for short distances
6. Digital is normal on the new Aventon Naro
7. Fully equipped – but just one model
1. A mixed trio
If you mentally line up all of Aventon’s new models from 2026 side by side, a clear distinction emerges. The Current, equipped with 140 millimetres of suspension travel – typical of a classic trail bike – is clearly aimed at a sporty audience who prefer to explore off-road terrain. In contrast, the Trava feels more at home on tarmac cycle paths and offers a choice between derailleur and hub gears.
In comparison, the focus of the new Naro is on maximising riding comfort. According to Aventon, the company has developed this new model specifically for those looking for an ebike with which they can mainly cover short distances in the city. For the manufacturer, therefore, features that we typically associate with a city ebike play a central role:
- comfortable yet safe getting on and off the bike
- a more upright riding position for a better view of traffic
- low maintenance
- easy gear changing
- the option to carry moderate loads
- effective protection against theft
2. Aventon Naro: New low-step bike in two sizes
The first two points are directly linked to the frame with its low step-through. It forms the basis of the Naro. At first glance, there is nothing particularly striking about it. You’re sure to find similar designs among numerous competitors. At the same time, there is simply nothing that one could seriously take issue with. And the frame does exactly what is primarily expected of it. Its clearance at the bottom bracket is 381 millimetres above the ground. This makes it easier to get on and off the bike than would be possible with a mid-step frame or even a diamond frame.
Aventon offers the aluminium frame in two sizes: S/M and L. The former is said to be suitable for people between 160 centimetres and 175 centimetres in height. Anyone measuring at least 175 centimetres and no more than 195 centimetres should opt for the L size. An angle-adjustable stem allows for fine-tuning of the riding position. Depending on the setting, the handlebars can be positioned higher or further away from your upper body, allowing you to sit in a slightly more upright or stretched-out position.
3. City ebike focuses on comfort and easy gear changes
This way, you can keep an eye on what’s happening around you. To ensure this feels as comfortable as promised, a suspension fork absorbs the vibrations caused by bumpy roads, cobblestones or any potholes. However, the fork can’t do much more than that. With a suspension travel of just 60 millimetres, its capabilities are simply limited. Thanks to the additional suspension on the seat post, this should still be enough overall to get you from A to B in a relaxed manner in everyday life.
It’s also relaxing to know that when you get on your ebike, everything will still work just as well as it did when you last parked it. No need to adjust the rear derailleur, clean and grease the chain, or retighten the shift cable. Aventon achieves this level of peace of mind through the combination of a hub gear system and a carbon belt. Compared to other systems such as a Rohloff Speedhub E-14, a 3X3 Nine and even the simpler 3X3 Six, the fitted Shimano Nexus Inter-5E offers a narrower gear range and greater differences between the individual gears. However, the gear hub is considered to be exceptionally robust and reliable. In addition, Aventon uses its electronic version, which even enables automatic gear shifting. The right-hand shifter suggests that it is also possible to switch to manual shifting if desired.
For once, the belt is not from the market leader Gates, but from Dayco. However, this US-based company is just as specialised. It has been working on drive systems for over a hundred years and nowadays supplies belts for diesel and petrol engines, as well as for hybrid cars. With this in mind, the decision to choose Dayco as a supplier makes perfect sense.
4. Lightweight Ultro L mid-drive motor with sufficient power
The electric drive on the Aventon Naro, on the other hand, is an unknown quantity with significant implications. That said, we are giving the manufacturer the benefit of the trust. After all, it has developed its previous motors in collaboration with Gobao. And the fact that Gobao’s systems consistently deliver positive surprises is evident from the ebikes produced by Hepha. The Naro is fitted with the Ultro L mid-drive motor. This surprises with its astonishingly low weight. At 1.95 kilograms, it is on a par with an absolute lightweight such as the Maxon Bikedrive Air S. Even a good rear-hub motor like the Mahle X30 weighs only a few grams less.
Given its weight, it’s perfectly acceptable that the Ultro L doesn’t quite reach the levels of a full-power motor. However, with its torque of 70 Newton-metres and peak power of 600 watts, it certainly has nothing to be ashamed of. Especially a city ebike rarely requires more than that. The various assistance levels can be customised using the Aventon app. On paper, this looks well thought-out. Let’s wait and see if this proves to be the case during a future test ride.
5. Battery quite large for short distances
We could, however, imagine a little more rigour in the choice of the appropriate battery. As a reminder, the new Naro aims to offer a solution for people who mainly ride short distances. For shorter rides, lower battery capacities are sufficient. In our view, the 600 watt-hours used here could just as easily have been 400 watt-hours. Presumably, this would still have yielded a range of 50 kilometres or more. Furthermore, this would have reduced the weight of the ebike even further, as well as that of the battery itself, which you could then have carried more easily and charged at a location of your choice.
6. Digital is normal on the new Aventon Naro
As usual, however, Aventon has delivered a strong performance with the Naro in terms of smart technology and digital security. Based on its frame-integrated control unit, known as the Aventon Control Unit (ACU), the ebike system offers a wide range of digital functions. These include satellite-based tracking of the bike, triggering an alarm in the event of unusual movements of the locked bike and sending corresponding notifications to your smartphone, protecting access to the ebike display with a password, and defining an area beyond which the ebike must not be moved.
The necessary communication takes place via 4G and Bluetooth interfaces. The manufacturer therefore sends updates for the ebike system exclusively wirelessly, over-the-air.
7. Fully equipped – but just one model
Anyone looking, in the truest sense of the word, for more tangible advantages of the model will find them in the comprehensive range of features for city riding. Understandably, mudguards and a side stand must not be missing from this model. And they aren’t. What isn’t a given, however, are the lights that switch on automatically thanks to integrated sensors, as well as a rear rack approved for a load of 27 kilograms. Certainly not at a price of 2,599 euros. That’s what Aventon is asking for the Naro. Only one version is currently available. However, you can choose between three colours: Haze, Polar and Stealth.
Aventon Naro at a glance
- Frame: aluminium
- Frame sizes: S/M, L
- Suspension fork: 60 mm
- Motor: Aventon Ultro L
- Battery: Aventon, 600 Wh
- Display: Aventon A280
- Drivetrain: Shimano Nexus Inter-5E
- Brakes: Tektro HD-M3120
- Weight: from approx. 25.9 kg for frame size L
- Maximum permitted total weight: 150 kg
- Colours: Haze, Polar, Stealth
- Price: 2,599 euros
Pictures: Ride Aventon Germany GmbH