Anyone have the scoop on Priority Bicycles?
 

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above link to new bike mfr. from what i know it seems an attempt to stand out from the crowd.
uses nexus internal gear, uh oh.
pedal brakes
belt driven transmission
straight handlebars.
price is $429

what say you?
is it fitting a niche, and has any rode one of these?

$799 for the 8 sp is a deal. Wheelsets aren't much less than that.

i can see how it may be a good value. question. what about fixing a flat. A major headache with a nexus 8-speed hub. and doesn't one have to adjust the hub afterwards?
also you said wheelsets are not much less than $799. i didn't see where they specifically listed the set, other than listing it as a double wall.

My daughter has one -- the Priority Classic. It's a modestly priced bike that has transformed how she thinks about cycling. Sure I could have gotten her some other brand, but I got her the Priority, and she's been really happy with it and how it rides, and she's enjoying riding for the first time.

The belt drive is a big win. I'm a bike geek, but my daughter is far from being one herself. Not having to keep a chain oiled up all the time -- well, she wouldn't anyway, so it's better that she has belt drive and can just hop on the bike and ride. Three speeds are perfect for the terrain where she lives, and the flat-resistant tires are what I would want her to have in the urban area she commutes in.

I have a Priority Eight on order for myself. Should be here by end of the month. I am planning to have the neighborhood kids unbox it and assemble it for me. We might make a small party out of it if the weather is nice.

I am impressed, actually. Seems like a great option for short commutes or a ride to a farmers market or the corner grocery (or pub). I had considered belt drive for my next commuter but I'm concerned about sub zero temperatures and snow/ice on the belt drive system.

Hah! Ask me after next winter. Munising's a perfect place to test all that. We get tons of snow, plenty of ice, and some of us do get out and ride in it. For example -- https://www.loosescrews.com/an-interview-with-chris/ -- my young friend has ridden back and forth to school every day this winter. I admire him for keeping up with that like he has. (And he cuts me no slack when I complain about the cold). It's a pretty safe bet the Priority Eight will get ridden a lot next winter.

The point I was trying to make was $799 for a complete bike is a good price.

gotcha.

There is one extra step required when removing the wheel, which means it takes an extra minute or two compared to a qr wheel with a multi-speed cassette. However, no, it does not require adjustment every time you remove the wheel - the shift cable housing goes into a cable stop on the hub that keeps the cable length consistent. You may be thinking of old Sturmey Archer IGHs where the cable was mounted to the frame and the position of the wheel would affect the adjustment.

A guy I work with has a Priority Classic. I haven't pedaled it, but handled it a bit. I haven't purchased a new bike of any sort in years, so $450 seems a little high for such a basic bike but I guess that's how things are now.

I have never seen one in person, but it is not a terrible price. The belt drive and IGH both add to the price.

These look a lot like Public bikes, but with a belt. It would be worth comparing the two brands, IMO.

yes that's another thing. i never had a bike with a igh, but others have mentioned it costs a bit to overhaul/repair one of those, and what is the lifespan of a igh.
a rear derailleur only costs 25 bucks or so and rarely gets bent or in need of replacement, at least not in my bicycle riding experience, but i only ride paved roads.

IGHs are generally more reliable than derailleurs. Fixing them is a pain but they rarely need to be fixed.

And that's the point, that they rarely need to be fixed. Hardly anyone outside the enthusiast community maintains, or wants to maintain, their bike.

I put Chain-L on my friends' bikes because it lasts the longest, and my friends almost never lube on their own. (And when they do lube, they glop it on). So I give them the best shot that I can by using a long-lasting lube. In a sense, Priority Bicycles is doing the same thing by spec'ing belt drives and internal-gear hubs that can run for years without any maintenance. The logic is compelling. I see bent hangers and dry chains all the time, whereas belt-drive and IGH sidestep those problems.

I'm not saying IGH is for everyone, but I think it can work very well for non-enthusiasts just want to be able to hop on a bike every now and again and ride.

i see your point. ighubs are maintenance free, for all practical purposes. the 650 dollar question for me is; how many miles would i get from a 8-gear igh, as fewer gears are impractical where i live. i ride on average 5000 miles a year over pot hole cities, so i need a VERY strong set of wheels, 3-crossed, and preferably 34-36 spoked, with brass fittings.
is this 8 speed up to it. i have never heard of a conversation on ighubs and their longevity. i get what you are saying, that this bike is for the casual riders, and thats not me.
i had the impression that this bike was set up to be a city bike, similiar to the bikes in the program that they have in nyc, since the bike company is on hudson in nyc.

I won a Priority Classic in a Christmas contest from Two Wheeling Tots, see my review thread here: http://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/...e-3-speed.html To me it seems about par for the money, not that I paid any! :D The company is still small enough that emailing customer support gets a personal response, which is nice.

They are running another Kickstarter now for their latest model, which has a beach cruiser style frame and fenders.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...-survive-beach

I mentioned in another recent thread, in re: the difficulty of fixing flats, the tires on these bikes are really, really tough ones. I haven't figured out the model but they aren't "supple" in the slightest. The ride is still ok, there's plenty of other ways the bike is comfy.

I've no idea. My total experience on these hubs is about six blocks so far. They're Shimano though, right? So I'm not worried. Shimano rarely disappoints me.

I'm likely to moderately abuse mine too. Lots of gravel and doubletrack where I live, and I'm not above riding street bikes on some of the singletrack. Add in a healthy dose of teenager-use, and possibly a jump or two at the skate park, and I do not expect the bike to be babied.

Winter will be the worst. I'm eager to see how the Priority Eight performs during the winter. Auto companies do a lot of their winter testing in my region. My cousin was just up the other week to do some ice and snow testing on a vehicle at a track in the Keweenaw. Winter here will be an interesting test. Have to get through summer and fall first though.

The Priority Classic model gives an upright position similar I think to what those city bikes give. The Priority Eight is meant to give a more leaned over riding position, and more gearing choices. Pretty sure both have 38mm flat-resistant tires for urban riding.

I just placed request to order a Priority Eight. They said the lead time now is late April - let me know how you like it!

I live in a city and want something low maintenance that I can take to the grocery store etc. I was considering a Spot brand but this seemed like the same features for half the price.

Now to just get my GF on board and order her the Classic (and to search for some grocery panniers)....

So far, so good. I'm having to relearn how to shift though. Derailleur bikes you need to be pedaling to shift them, but I am finding that a brief pause in the pedal stroke is the ticket with Shimano's internal geared hub. Pedaling lightly seems to be ok too.

We made an event from the unboxing, and I took a few photos of the assembly:

Unboxing the Priority Bicycles Eight ? Jonathan Gennick Living in the 906

The subdued branding and color on the bike make it a fun one to bling out. I've been adding a few purple bits to the frame -- seatpost, water-bottle bolts, that sort of thing. Easy stuff. Fun to do. Not obtrusive. Adds some nice color. Here's a photo of what I've done so far:

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=512531

[h=2]anyone have the poop on priority bicycles[/h]
Yes. But I cleaned it off. (Sorry. Pay no attention. I just couldn't resist.)

Thanks for the quick update. Just recomfirmed my decision to go through with the order.

Can only speak for Classic but changing a tire is rough.
 

I have a Classic and the amount of tools you have to take to change a tire is a little out of hand. 10mm wrench to remove the cable, you need that and another to remove the coaster brake. You'll need an Allen wrench to work belt tighteners. You have to remove the rear fender to get the rear tire off- that's right. The wheel comes in from the back so the belt can be tightened and it won't clear the fender. The large wrench for the wheel nuts. Someone said they'd like to have skewers....well you can't (at least on the back wheel) cause the shifter rod goes through there. A chain guard would keep grease off your pants leg and be a lot easier in every respect. The internal hub clicks not just when you're coasting but when you're pedaling in second or third, and if you don't have the wheel exactly straight it squeaks like gym shoes on a wet tile floor as the belt goes around. The extra thickness of the sprocket for the belt drive means the guidelines on the shifter don't work so if you take it to a bike shop plan on adjusting it when you leave.

^^^ That mirrors my experience with the exception that it didn't seem like a big deal to me. Seriously, a socket set and a screwdriver is "out of hand"?

Nexus hubs are plenty reliable, but suffer from scrimpy lubrication from the factory. Best to open them/pay someone to open them to properly grease the points of ingress on the hub, especially to use in foul weather.