I live in Seattle, where each workday begins with a check of the rain forecast. My 4.5-mile year-round urban commute involves two hills (400 feet elevation) - each way. I like to do as much of my maintenance and repairs as I can. Bike weight is not that big an issue for me - what with fenders, rack, panniers, lights, spare tube, multi-tool, lock, lunch, rain gear, clothes, etc. (Glass in the roadway is my biggest issue!!) I really want Priority to succeed long-term as a company.
My questions for commuters in hilly, possibly wet, places:
- How has the Enviolo CVT hub worked for you? On the uphills, I am on 24t in the front and 34t in the rear, for a ratio of 0.70 (on 700x32 wheels). The Enviolo/Nuvinci seems like it would be fine for that. I don't need an enormous gear range as I am anyway coasting or braking on the downhills.
- Does the Onyx use a bunch of proprietary parts? Much as I want Priority to succeed, I don't want to be in the same boat as Van Moof riders if the company goes under. I would like to be able to buy replacement parts from regular sources. Granted, the Onyx claims to be a very low-maintenance bike. So the most I would have to do, hopefully, is service the hydraulic brakes under normal wear and tear, and tend to the wheel axles and bottom bracket (did I tell you it rains a lot in Seattle!)
Thank you for sharing your perspective.