Am I really sitting on a bike without a top tube? Strange. The handlebars are wide and almost curved, the riding position is relaxed and sporty, the view across the cockpit falls on a fat tyre with a lot of knobs, which is tucked into a voluminous MTB suspension fork. And it sounds like one too, by the way: It whirs over the first few metres of asphalt. The riding position of the Victoria Avyon does not disappoint: despite all the comfort offered by the thick suspension fork, the bike is lively and actually very manoeuvrable. The knobbly tyres and wide handlebars certainly contribute to this, but the steering geometry of the bike is also a far cry from the typical step-through bike.
The Victoria Avyon makes an extremely secure impression: everything under control! This is supported by the Performance Line CX motor from Bosch, which delivers plenty of power for the mountain. We particularly liked the crisp "Auto" mode of the Smart System, where the motor control centre reacts finely to the power requirements of a particular situation and pushes with the full force of 85 Newton metres on hills or at traffic lights. But skilfully gentle.
The power boost doesn't end quite as smoothly beyond the 25 km/h mark. All of this is perfectly displayed on the tidy Kiox 300 display on the handlebars, which is very easy to operate from the left-hand side of the handlebars. Like the motor, the whole thing is powered by the powerful 750 Powertube in the down tube - but there are deductions here - the removal from the admittedly beautifully designed battery compartment of the Victoria Avyon is a real fingernail breaker.
Appearance and handling of the Victoria
Victoria is a brand of the German bicycle and component manufacturer Hartje. Comfort is its speciality, so it is surprising that it can also offer comfort with sporty genes. And then on a step-through bike. If the seat ergonomics are already convincing, the stem can also be adjusted. Grips with small pads support the wrists. The gears are a perfect match for comfort, but less so for sport: an Enviolo hub ensures a smooth glide through the gears. And this fits perfectly with the belt, because other bikes have gearshift clicks.
However, the gearing could be geared a little longer; if you like to ride at lower cadences, you will hardly reach the support limit. And with a bike of around 30 kilos "live weight", you are usually only going downhill anyway. Speaking of weight: The MIK system carrier with adapter for baskets and transport boxes can carry 25 kilograms. The Victoria Avyon copes best with this in the test range, even if there is a noticeable difference compared to good diamond frames.
If you don't want it quite so brute, you can swap the MTB tyres for gravel-style tyres - and enjoy a smoother ride. Nice detail: The rear light line is well integrated into the mudguard and even has a brake light function. At the front there is an 80 lux spotlight, like the rear light from Contec, a Hartje accessories brand.
Conclusion on the Victoria Avyon 5S
The Adventure Avyon from Victoria is as comfortable as it is sporty and can also cope with inhospitable terrain. The workmanship and performance are also of a high standard. The rare combination of MTB genes and Enviolo gears - the tyres roll audibly - costs a whopping 4899 euros.
The Victoria Avyon 5S in detail
- Price: 4899 Euro
- Frame sizes: L/56, M/53, S/46
- Test bike weight: 30 kg
- Permissible total weight: 140 kg
- Frame: 6061 Aluminium
- Fork: Suntour Mobie 34 Air
- Circuit: Gear hub Enviolo HD 42/28
- Motor/battery: Bosch Performance CX Smart System / PowerTube 750
- Brakes/ø: Shimano BR-MT 420/410, 203/180 mm
- Tyres: Maxxis Forekaster 27.5 x 2.35
- Lighting system: Front: Contec DLux 80 E+, 80 lux, rear: Contec TL-335 E-Stop
- Maximum carrier load: 25 kg
