Avaris 3.6 E-Bike Review

Are you already a participant in the great electric bike revolution that has been sweeping the world for the last couple of decades or have you yet to make the switch. If you are sitting there and have not invested in an e-bike, I completely understand your reservations. When I first made the switch, I was reluctant and wasn’t sure how much of a difference it would make to my life. However, I was wrong to be concerned.

Any concerns about whether I was wasting my time or not with an electric bike were gone in a second.

The difference to my life that having an electric bike has made has been phenomenal. Although I don’t always use it to commute to work, I do break up the week by using it every other day and driving on the alternative days. In terms of fitness, I have definitely seen a massive improvement and the cost of my fuel has gone right down. This pleased me to no end as I have been trying to reduce my carbon footprint and the amount of damage I cause to the planet.

One great model I had the pleasure of testing out was the Avaris 3.6 road e-bike. This is perhaps one of the lesser-known brands. However, don’t let that put you off, as this bike packs a punch in the motor, has a long-lasting battery that offers you some serious travelling range and has a lot of great features built by the most recognizable names in the cycling industry.

To find out more about this bike and what I thought about it, to see if it suits your needs and preferences, continue reading the review below.

Overview

The lightweight but incredibly satisfying Avaris 3.6 is the most recent incarnation of the company’s flagship electric bike. The company have made no secret that they want to build bikes for all users. Whether you are looking for something to take a leisured ride on, have adventures on or take an eco-friendlier approach to your daily commute, Avaris bikes like the 3.6 are designed with this in mind.

The company have provided the bike with a rechargeable battery that can be removed from the frame, something that not everyone appreciates. It’s something I like though as it means you can charge as you go. They have also adjusted and made improvements to the LCD interface, upgraded the gearing system, and updated the brakes.

Compared to some bikes featured on this site, this is quite a straight-forward model. It looks great, rides well, offers power assistance when you need it and does the job it was designed for in subtle style.

The Battery

The first thing I wanted to draw your attention to is the battery. The Samsung battery that provides the power to the motor for the pedal assist element of this bike is the real brains behind it all. There are five different levels of pedal assistance. Each of these work as you would imagine, with PAL 1 only providing a slight level of assistance switching through to PAL 5 which will make everything seem that much easier as you ride. Whether you are tackling hills or smooth flat surfaces.

One of the most important and impressive things about the battery is just how much ride coverage it gives per charge. You can ride for approximately 60 to 80km, which sets this as a definite leader. What’s more, charging time is only 3 to 5 hours. So even if you need to charge while you are at the office or work, you can do this, and your bike will be ready to get you home at the end of the day.

The Bafang Motor

The motor that powers the pedal assist is the Bafang Cassette motor. Bafang have a long and tested history within the electric bike market and their branding on any motor is a good sign, in my humble opinion. The top speed this bike will give you is a reasonable 14.9mph, which may not sound a lot, but makes for a pleasant enough experience.

This motor is a real workhorse, which is great, as it is paired with the exceptional Samsung battery. I found when I was first learning about bikes, that even if I didn’t know much about a specific component or part, it helped if I understood the brands and manufacturers that are famous for designing and making those. Bafang has always been associated with quality motor designs. And this is no exception.

Bigger, Brighter and Clearer LCD Display

Avaris have adjusted the size of the LCD display that comes with their electric bikes for this new model and made it much bigger than the previous one. This ensures that it is always easy to read the important information you want to monitor in connection with your rides.

Its interface has also been upgraded to make it much easier to use. If that wasn’t enough, work has also been carried out on its communication protocol and the options that are offered with regards to tracking have been improved.

Avaris has clearly taken inspiration from high-end computers when putting the new display together. Metrics that are easy to look at with the touch of a button or two are the remaining battery life, distance covered overall, single trip distances, average speed, maximum speed, and current speed.

Although it is located on the handlebar, it features a special bracket that allows it to be installed in two different positions. This gives you some flexibility in finding the best angle of display for you personally.

The Ride

Riding the Avaris 3.6 electric bike was a reasonably positive experience. I do not have too many complaints really. The motor, battery and pedal assistance all helped to make it a smooth and fun ride. Going up hills is not always a piece of cake on a normal bike, even if you have thighs like Chris Hoy. Like so many electric bikes, the Avaris 3.6 does help to make it a little easier. I would not recommend taking on anything too steep, but for the average hills you may travel over as part of your commute, it is bound to come in useful.

The Tektro Mechanical Disc Brakes With 160mm Rotors

If the brakes on a manual, pedal-only powered bike are essential, when you have all that power propelling you forward, it is vital that your e-bike has a good set of brakes. The Avaris 3.6 comes equipped with the Aires Mechanical disc brakes that have been designed by industry leaders Tektro.  While I will be the first to admit that I much prefer hydraulic brakes, as they instill greater confidence and are far easier to engage with. That being said, the Tektro Aires mechanical brakes system with 160mm rotors offers stunning degrees of control over stopping distance.

You have to factor in this bike’s top speed too, to understand why these brakes are an excellent feature. The bite is still great, if a little unreliable at times.

The Shimano 16-speed Gear System

There are 16 speeds and while some are a lot more practical and functional than others, the fact that there are 16 means there is a lot of wiggle room.

Even if you do not know the first thing about bikes, the gearing system or anything too technical, the chances are you’ve heard of Shimano. The company is synonymous with high quality components, and particularly, gearing. Therefore, before I even tried out this bike, I knew I was in for a treat. While I would suggest that some of the gears are unnecessary and make little to no change, there is a seamless transition when you are shifting gears up or down.

Additional Extras and Accessories

The main accessory that the Avaris 3.6 electric bike comes with is the option of fender mudguards. These not only give your bike a great look and feel but help to protect it from all the dirt and debris that the wheels may pick up when you are out and about.

Summary – Is the Avaris 3.6 Electric bike right for you?

When it comes to deciding whether or not the Avaris, or indeed any bike, is right for you, you need to think about a lot of things. By all means, use this review and others as a guide. Always make sure you look at reviews by people who have actually used or own the bike in question.

Then, really, it all comes down to your own personal taste and preference. One bike that is excellent for one person and their situation, and circumstances, as well as location, might not suit another. And it is the same for you. I can’t tell you to go and buy this bike, but I can give you my honest opinion. Perhaps it is not the best out there, but for what it offers at the price it retails, it is a solid and reliable electric bike that never feels like a drag to ride.