corrado33

You can get many... many miles out of an IGH. I've put at least 3000 miles on mine since I got it in November. Most people suggest that you re-lubricate it at 1000 miles or so, mainly due to the skimpy lubrication from the factory. The entire gearing assembly comes out when you pop the lock ring off. I used some ATF to soak it in. It was actually pretty simple. No harder than regreasing a typical axle bearing.

I have a surly with a nexus 8 and rollerbrake on it. Here's the procedure for removing the wheel.

1. Shift to 1
2. Disconnect shifter cable from hub by using a small 2mm allen to hold the shifter part against the spring.
3. Do the same for the rollerbrake side.
4. Remove the small bits of housing that attach in front of both the brake and shifter parts (pull them out of the stops on the frame) (I don't have full housings on this bike.)
5. Let air out of tire (fender is tight clearance.)
6. Loosen axle nuts and remove wheel, being careful not to snag the cables you just removed.

EDIT: Wait, I just realized. Are you physically removing the cable from the 10 mm hex bolt part? That's not at ALL what you need to do and is extremely unnecessary.


Putting the wheel back on has the added step of tensioning the chain correctly, but that's normal for any SS-type bike. I will agree that I dread taking the wheel off of this bike, but honestly it's because it takes about twice as long as a typical bike, which still isn't long at all. Now-a-day I can get it off and on in about 10 minutes or so (assuming I patched the tube or replaced it.) Just taking the wheel off and back on? 3-5 minutes probably.

Agreed, lube the hubs well. Mine didn't have a lot when I opened it up. Also, rollerbrakes require their own type of lube that you should buy from shimano. Those also need lubed occasionally. (It's weird, lubing a brake...)

JonathanGennick 

Things are better on the Priority Eight in this regard than on the Classic. The Eight uses chain tensioners that stay set when you drop the wheel, and the vertical dropouts eliminate any conflict w/the fender. I was able my first try to remove the shifter cable using just my bare hands, which leaves you needing just the one wrench for the axle bolts.

mikeblancom

Well, you left out the two allen wrenches but yes, it is out of hand. A bike with a chain, depending on the tires, you can change a flat with no tools except something to inflate the tire. You have to carry the tools in to stores and bars with you to keep them from being stolen while the bike is locked outside. Not to mention the additional time to change the tire fiddling with the fender of all things while you're in front of some crackhouse. There's very little that can go wrong with a bike that you can't put up with long enough to get home when you are riding around town or to work but a flat tire you have to be able to fix.

Alligator

Just received my Priority Continuum. It's a great bike for the price. The ride is unbelievably smooth with the belt, and the hub works well, although I won't be able to pedal at 30 mph down a steep hill. It just isn't geared high enough. For average everyday commuting, this is an excellent bike thus far. And virtually no maintenance, especially in Minnesota winters!

infinity_mpg

I'm writing this because I scoured the interwebs for user reviews before buying my new commuter and there wasn't much out there. Hopefully this will help someone else.

I was debating between a Priority Continuum and Specialized Vita Vinyasa, both bikes were comparable in price, weight (~30lbs), w/ hydraulic brakes, reinforced tires, fenders. It was a hard decision! Brief specs and pros/cons of each:

Priority Continuum:
built to be low maintenance
gates belt drive & nuvinci 330 hub

Pros: no grease on your pants, nuvinci tech was intriguing, no chain/gears to maintain, responsive customer service
Cons: couldn't try it in person so a lot of questions around ride and fit, buy direct from company which requires putting the bike together yourself, uncomfortable grips

Vita Vinyasa:
hybrid w/ rack fenders bell pannier included
1x10 shimano deore

Pros: vita has great reviews, tested a similar bike and it rode well, accessories i needed for commuting, available from LBS w/ 2 tune-ups included, women's-specific fit, nicer grips
Cons: yoga bike concept felt gimmicky

My commute is 4 miles each way with moderate hills. I was upgrading from a 3spd cruiser and looking for a bike which would make the uphills easier. The gear ranges between the two bikes looked comparable and in the end not having to deal with a greasy chain is what tipped the decision to the Priority.

So far, I'm still getting used to it & not sure I made the right choice. The bike is 10 pounds lighter than my old one making it way easier to carry up stairs, etc. As far as the hills are concerned, I'm feeling the "squishiness" others have described with the NuVinci where you can feel that you're losing efficiency at the low end of the gear range. This is supposed to ease up after breaking the bike in, here's hoping. The range of the NuVinci hub doesn't feel that much wider than my 3spd, I find myself looking for more room on the top and bottom. The shifting is seamless but I'm not sure it offers much advantage over other IGHs. I would have liked to try out the Continuum vs. the Eight.

The belt drive is my favorite thing about it so far. No greasy hands or clothes and no worries about leaving the bike out in the rain. The pedals are fantastic - hefty and grippy. The stock handlebar grips were disappointing and I swapped them out for Ergon GP2s (totally worth it). Too soon to tell about the seat. The bike is smooth, silent, and has a nice subtle look. Hoping it grows on me more as I break it in and fine tune the fit.

BTW: I also looked at the Fairdale Weekender Archer also but couldn't find the one I wanted in my size. My SO ended up buying the Fairdale for commuting and loves it.

There's my wayyy too long two cents. Would love to hear anyone else's experience with similar equipment.

infinity_mpg

Update: after a couple months the hub still felt off, priority/NuVinci replaced it and gear range is wider plus performance is more responsive.

Alligator

What do you mean by "felt off"? Mine doesn't have enough gearing when I'm going downhill at ~20 mph. Otherwise, it works great.

infinity_mpg

The range was more limited and it was taking a lot more effort to get the pedals to turn before the hub was replaced...like pedaling through mud.

LazerPops

I got a priority classic off kijiji last year for $220 (can). I hadn’t had a bike since I was a kid and the 3 speed and coaster brakes were just plain fun. I love riding it and it got me into riding after a near 20 year hiatus. I put 1000km (600 miles) on it in the first year. Pretty good considering the length of the cycling season in Edmonton. The 3 speeds are a little difficult on the hilly sections of my commute and was terrifying during a brief stint of single track I attempted. On steep climbs, if I stood over the pedal and really jammed on it the belt would skip. Also, I burned out the bottom bracket which definitely didn’t make those hills any easier. Still, I think the simplicity made it the perfect bike to get me into the sport though I wouldn’t recommend to anyone who lives in a hilly area. Now I am looking at upgrading to something with a little more range.

seibaatgung

I have a priority apollo. Kind of steep price given the lack of belt drive bikes with drop bars, but otherwise fast and reliable

Rick

Not a steep price at all, for a bike with a belt drive. They have 13 belt drive models. There are two models with the Pinion 12 speed. I have a Rohloff equipped bike with the gates belt. I have had one flat since March 2014. I just watch the air pressure and ride. I have took a hose to it a few times also.

TiHabanero

I have built two of the Priority bikes with best drive and IGH 3 speed. Nice bikes and went together without a hitch. As note previously rear wheel removal and installation will be a major PIA, not only due to the IGH, but the rear fender.
One thing I must comment on is the perceived high maintenance of externally geared bikes. I have commuted for decades using standard derailleur bikes and have not found them to be a maintenance issue. Commuted for 20 years year round, rain, snow, ice, blizzards, sub zero, etc. Outside of ice build up on the rear gear set in extreme conditions the derailleur has worked quite well. Maintenance is simply lube and wipe every week. a 5 minute operation. Yes, this is the upkeep that is required for both the IGH and the derailleur bike. Lube and wipe the chain. No biggie in my book.
I really like IGH, but only for my customers, not for me.

Symox

I like their approach - use a belt drive and internal hub (or pinion bottom bracket style ) gearing to make bike as clean (no oily chain) and maintenance free as possible. I actually enjoy working on my bikes but I now a lot of folks who just want to commute do not.

I think their 600x bike looks great for touring and/or mountain biking. I saw a video somewhere on youtube...

here it is

seibaatgung

Ok, not that steep accounting for weight, igh, etc. But there aren't many options for a gravel bike with belt drive and drop bars, which is probably the best rig for commuting.