I recently upgraded the handlebars on my Aventon Level 3 to a set that was a little more swept back. Not exactly cruiser bars, mind you, but not as flat as the stock Level 3 bars.
I got these SENQI City Bike Handlebars (31.8mm) and they’re a great fit. When I rode Matt’s bike back in August I liked the handlebars on it, and I figured I woiud replace the stock Level 3 bars at some point.
The stock bars are little too aggressive. In fact, I find the bars on my Trek 7200 a bit too aggressive but they have the shifting integrated into the bars so they’re not easy to swap. Basically I wanted a little more upright position for riding, since I am mostly commuting to work, not out to win any races.
As for the swap, it probably took me about an hour. I didn’t rush, and I probably spent another 10 minutes after just making adjustments and riding in the alley to see how it felt.
The swap involved removing all of the stuff… grips, brakes, throttle, control pad, display… and my bell and phone holder. The pages on doing the Level 3 Handlebar Install and Handlebar Upgrades helped, but it’s not too complicated if you go slow, make notes, snap a few photos, and keep track of all the bolts.
Using a bike hex tool set wasn’t great so I’d recommend a screwdriver handle with a set of bits or separate hex keys. The fold-up sets are great for travel adjustments but not for this specific task.
(Above is a photo with the old handlebars right before I did the swap. I had tried to go for a ride but got rained out… good time to work in the garage on bike stuff!)
The cables for everything on the bars didn’t quite reach long enough for me to swap the throttle and control pad, so I gave up on that idea. (The idea was to move the throttle over since I don’t really use it. I wish disconnecting it altogether was easier.)
I do need to say that while I like the Aventon bike I am disappointed in the lack of specs on their components. I mean, this handlebar page doesn’t even have half of the information I’d like it to have. I would have perhaps ordered the bars from Aventon but experience tells me they don’t have specs on some things (or are not willing to share) and I may have another post about that soon.
Anyway… new handlebars, done… and I like them!