There's no denying that electric bicycles today are marvels of engineering. A good number of modern-day e-bikes are capable of covering close to 100 kilometers – or 62 miles – on a single charge, and as battery tech continues to advance, chances are we can only expect that number to go up.
Having said that, most e-bikes up until now are sold with proprietary batteries, either by the e-bike system provider such as Bosch or Shimano, or by the bike manufacturer itself. Of course, from a sustainability point of view, this isn't the most ideal setup, as you're confined to the brand and specifications of said battery. With that, California-based electric bicycle label Aventon wants to defy convention by changing the power source of one of its new bikes, the Pace 350. The power source is indeed still a battery pack, but not one you'd expect. It's powered by a Worx battery that's also compatible with a variety of power tools.
Of course, it goes without saying that chucking a battery not initially designed for electric bicycles into an e-bike won't return the best range figures. Indeed, the Worx battery pack is rated for a rather adequate 28 miles per charge, provided that it's still in optimum operating condition. The benefit, however, lies in its practicality, as well as the potential cost savings it brings to the table. You see, a lot of us already have a collection of power tools, and if you just so happen to have a set of Worx tools in your shed, then you've managed to save yourself a couple hundred bucks for your e-bike battery, right?
Aventon's designed the system to be modular, too, and in the case of the Pace 350, it's capable of running two Worx batteries simultaneously. The two power units are housed in the frame's down tube, and take a total of four hours to charge. Given how small these batteries are, you can carry a few more in your backpack or in the bike's luggage racks for longer rides. On top of all that, the Pace 350's handlebar-mounted display gives you a good idea of battery status, as well as how much range you have left.
As for the Aventon Pace 350, well, as a bike, it's pretty basic. The bike is limited to an assisted top speed of 20 miles per hour, and gets five assist modes for you to choose from. The bike is outfitted with a 350-watt rear-hub motor, which is good for a previously mentioned top speed of 20 miles per hour. In terms of pricing, the Worx-compatible Aventon Pace 350 retails for $1,699 on Worx's official websites linked below.
