Hello all,

This is my first post. I am close to purchasing my first bike since I was a kid and narrowed down to two bikes that are really intriguing to me:

1. Studio by Republic Bike: GUSTN (Muffin Airless Tires, Gates Carbon Belt Drive, Shimano Nexus 3-Speed Internal Hub, Shimano Front & Rear Roller Brakes)

2. Priority Bicycles: Classic Plus Gotham Edition (Priority Puncture Resistant Tires, Gates Carbon Belt Drive, Shimano Nexus 3-Speed Internal Hub, and Priority V-Brakes)

My ideal bike is low-maintenance and easy to ride. My kids just all got bikes and now my wife and I want to join them in local neighborhood bike rides, some slight incline/decline, but mostly road.

Total out the door cost difference is $260 more for the GUSTN. What are your thoughts?

Thank you!

-Emmanuel

Hi Emmang, welcome to BikeForums. I'm not familiar with Republic Bikes, but have heard good things about the Priority products. Here's a link to another post that may be helpful.


I think you would be happy with either bike. I have to say, for purely subjective reasons, I'm not a fan of airless tires or roller brakes.

Thank you for your response Moe!

The link to the Priority thread was helpful too.

Would you say Shimano roller brakes are not as good as V-Brakes? I guess I was assuming that the roller brakes were one of the upgrades of the GUSTN compared to the Priority Plus.

For what you want to do, either bike will suit your needs. Rollerbrakes are generally heavier than other bike brakes. This is one reason they are less common on many bikes, where weight can reduce speed and becomes a deterrent for more serious bikers. Given that you'll be riding with kids on mostly flat surfaces or easy rolling hills you probably won't notice the weight difference. Having said all that, there is a definite difference in style between the two bikes which will translate into comfort for you. This difference is rider dependent so I'd go with the one you find easier and more comfortable to ride.

On a purely personal - non-technical - level, the GUSTN looks like the more expensive bike while the Gotham may be the better value.

Roller brakes have the advantage of being weather proof, but that's about it. If you plan to ride in all sorts of nasty weather they would be a good choice. My all-weather commuting bike had actual drum brakes and it was comforting to know that they would reliably stop when it was wet out. You'd probably fiddle with roller brakes a bit less than V-brakes. The only adjustment would be adjust the cable for stretch or wear. Rim brakes require the same cable adjustment, but also you need to adjust the pads in the right position and angle, and also the spring tension of the arms to ensure that the brakes are centered. Once adjusted, though, you shouldn't have to do much. In other words, I don't see roller brakes as an upgrade to v-brakes for most riders. They're just different and it's not worth paying more for just "different".

Hi Emmang, Welcome to the forum. I didn't know about Priority Bicycles until after purchasing my Cannondale Quick 1 or else I would have bought the Priority Continuum which is about the same as what I paid for the Cannondale. I love the idea of having a chain-free, low maintenance bicycle which would be use for my daily work commute. If anyone on this board owns a Priority Bicycle similar to the mentioned model, please share your thoughts. I am thinking about purchasing one sometimes next year.

Thanks! Yes, I LOVE the look of the GUSTN and like the look of the Priority Gotham. But if everyone seems to agree that there’s not much difference between the two except for looks and brake type, I’m leaning towards the Priority.

Thanks Pugs! Have you looked into the Studio GUSTN? I agree that their Continuum model looks great too... it’s out of my price range though.

I have never heard of this brand until today. Thanks. Have never owned a bike with roller brakes so I don't know what they're like but I'm still stuck on disc brakes for my bikes.

Here is a visual of the GUSTN:


Studio by Republic Bikes: GUSTN

And a visual of the Priority Classic Plus Gotham Edition:

The Priority bikes look nice with good features, I checked their site and they only seem to have the 2 higher end models in stock, I'd love to take a spin on that 600 with the transmission.

After initially ordering the Gotham (backordered until May 26th), I cancelled the order and decided to order the GUSTN instead.

I will keep everyone posted on my thoughts since I can’t find reviews on it anywhere.

Just got my bike! Had first ride yesterday (4 miles with slight incline/decline). Belt drive very smooth, I like the simplicity of the 3 speed, and the brakes work very well. My behind was quite sore afterwards and I figure I need to get used to riding lol.

Emmang - you may end up needing to swap tires out to get a little comfort. The specs you posted included 'airless' tires, which are likely solid foam - they won't absorb shock or vibration as well as a pneumatic tire.

I agree that 3 speed is all you need unless you're mountain climbing - I also commute on a 3 speed, I've got a Sturmey Archer 3sp on my commuter. I use downtube shifting, I got the hub cheap and built the wheel a few years ago, put it on my trusty Bianchi:

I had the 600, very cool bike, super smooth and kush. Loved the Pinion gear.

I like the Gustin the best, it has a very modern look to it.

Hey Emmang, curious how the bike has turned out after a couple years? I’ve owned a Republic single speed (Socrates?) since 2014 and been wanting a GUSTN, and finally ready- but still no one seems to have heard of them or reviewed them. I need super-low maintenance and durability for city commuting, and love these bikes, but just wanna make sure I’m making a smart purchase- and I hadn’t heard of Priority…