SWMBO = She Who Must Be Obeyed!

I hadn't heard that one in a while.

Ahhh, I remember that actually, from Rumpole of the Bailey (unless it originated before that)

Priority Classics are on sale $100 off, today only.

Priority recently announced a M/L size stepthrough, for those 5ft8 and taller. I definitely would have chosen that size if it were available when I won my bike.

I've scratched my head a few times about the stepthrough sizes. They offered a XS/S and a S/M size and I picked the latter. In their website photos, there appeared to be one bike that had frame tubes so close together you couldn't fit a large bottle in the cage, and maybe a thumb's width of room for a fender; and another size that had the tubes further apart and longer chain stays. From ordering the larger of the two, I expected the latter, but in review it looks like the latter only existed in renderings. I've certainly never seen a photo of one other than that studio side view which might be a rendering. My bike and all the photos I've seen of others have the closer tubes and shorter stays. Mine definitely said S/M on the box.

Just a fun little engineering trade for those who are interested in such things. I figured something out about Priority's original design and their final product. The early shots of the bikes are shown with long chain stays and a few inches gap between rear wheel and seat tube. But their production bikes have the seat tube moved back, with about an inch gap. The reason was the C-drive belt system whose longest available belt is 1280 mm. This was probably a price decision vs. the Gates system which has longer available belts. You can see a few other little differences in geometry (head tube got longer, BB lower. maybe down tube fatter?), components, and gearing.

Rendering?
http://www.prioritybicycles.com/medi...ite_1000_1.jpg

Photograph

http://www.prioritybicycles.com/medi...rick_1_1_1.jpg

Depends which belt. The newer Gates center track belt is totally reliable in snow and freezing slush, I would be suspicious of the knockoffs. Without the center track, I suspect that refreezing snow could wedge under the belt and throw it out of alignment.

I have a Priority bike in the work stand right now. Some of my observations echo those of previous posters, and I have a few to add.
It is a cool looking bike, and certainly feels light weight for the style.

http://i63.tinypic.com/11ls8oy.jpg

It was brought to me by an owner who generally likes it, but it has a few issues.

It is equipped with a Shimano 3 speed coaster brake hub. The brake reaction arm strap had broken, and the reaction arm had rotated around to the seat stay.
He did not notice that there were 4 broken spokes in the rear wheel, so it's up for a rebuild.
The tensioners are supposed to act as anti rotation washers as well as belt tensioners.
The drive side tensioner has a hole with flats, the problem is, Shimano 3 speeds do not have anti rotation flats on the drive side, and besides, this is sized for a Sturmey Archer axle, so the 3/8" Shimano axle freely rotates within it.

http://i67.tinypic.com/2dj6hd2.jpg

The non drive side tensioner has a round hole which contributes nothing by way of anti rotation. I will have to thoroughly check the hub to ensure the axle has not rotated in relation to the cones and lock nuts, but a cursory inspection seems to look OK.

http://i65.tinypic.com/nc0f0x.jpg

The headset is indexed as previously noted. This is not acceptable, no matter what they say. I will disassemble, clean, lube and adjust.

Front fork dropouts were way out of whack.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2colk7p.jpg

Much improved with some tweaking.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2lasw8l.jpg

Finding more issues as I go along here. Sorry for the blurry photo, but that is a piece of paper or shop rag pinched in the lower headset cup.

http://i63.tinypic.com/2zzj6ea.jpg

here it is with the cup removed. thick enough to cause improper seating of the cup in the head tube.

http://i68.tinypic.com/2ckj1s.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/rk6mah.jpg