oldguy47

noticed that Costco sells the Embark for 3000

Magnum PI

I just received my Priority 600 2 weeks ago and started riding it around town. I hope to take it up in the hills soon to test the gearing range. But it arrived quickly and assembled within 90 minutes. Quality seems OK for a frame built in China and put together there. added a rear rack and the pedal straps as well for my commute. I'll write a more detailed review as I go.

Magnum PI

Shifting is incredibly smooth and it does not take much to lighten your pedaling mode to enable a shift with no load. The generator light has a new feature that allow it to charge your phone while you ride. Have not tried it yet but a nice feature if you commute or use strava/GPS while you ride. Also the 2019 edition comes with a carbon fiber seatpost.

JonathanGennick 

You probably also have Pinion's new edition shifter. Pretty sure it was spec'd on the latest production run. Cable routing is a little bit nicer with it.

Payton1221

So for you Priority 600 owners, how do you compare your overall speed with it compared to bikes with typical front/rear derailleurs? I would think it's a little less efficient, but is it very noticeable? I bought a very inexpensive bike with a Nexus 8, and I found it to be noticeably slower . . . I question if the Nexus on it was inferior to a more expensive bike (thinking perhaps they received their hubs at a discount for a REASON).

Magnum PI

Yes, it supposedly has a new shifter, but I have no idea what the previous shifter was like. Would be nice if the bike was lighter, but for what it is supposed to do it seems spot on. First Gates belt drive experience for me as well.
I have to post more in order to post pictures, I usually read a bunch of stuff on the forums without comment. Too much commentary going on in the world today. Although cycling unites us all!

JonathanGennick 

I like the cable routing better on the new design because the cables leave the shifter going parallel w/the handlebar. That in theory should make it easier to attach the pogies that I run in winter to keep my hands warm.

jade408

Don't have a Pinion. But here is my own completely unscientific experiment/experience.
Bike 1: Nexus 7, upright geometry - slow and inefficient
Bike 2: Alfine 8, "sports touring geo" - much speedier, more efficient. I surmise partially due to hub but mostly due to better fit and geometry
Bike 3: 2 x 6, vintage road bike geo, but with bars positioned higher for comfort. Faster than Bike 2, more efficient feeling
Bike 4: Alfine 11, custom bike with low trail sports-touring like geo, similar upright setup to Bike 2 - fastest of all the bikes (of course none are road bikes). This one has faster handling/steeper geometry than the others. Somewhat faster than bike 3, but bike 3 feels speedy as well. The gearing here is also better for me, so that helps too.

So my hypothesis is geometry matters a lot. But I am not a fast rider. That being said, my times are around 25% faster from bike 2 to bike 4. And bike 3 the delta is around 10%. Will need to ride 3 and 4 back to back as they are in my possession now.

General Geoff

Still considering a Pinion equipped bike as my next two wheeled purchase. The Priority 600 is a steal at $2300, and while I would love to purchase a made-in-USA bike, to get the same feature set as the Priority I'm looking at spending $6,500+ on a Co-Motion w/Pinion and their Pathfinder package (dynamo hub and lights/usb charger).

Any other under-$4000 options available for Pinion bikes in the states?

ChrisWagner

I've been searching for over a year and have found nothing that suits my needs. At this point I consider either a) waiting patiently until something does show up or b) take a Euro vacation to revisit some old friends & haunts, find an acceptable pinion bike for myself, secure same and return home to the US, I leaning towards b.

JonathanGennick 

What is the pricing like in Europe? Is there a specific model there that you are looking at?

ChrisWagner

I really like Tout Terrain product. When I use their bike builder web site, convert Euro>$ and compare the same bike sold here the delta will pay for my trip over and back if I don't go crazy. Plus there is a huge used bike market over there full of very nice bikes at reasonable prices.

Payton1221

Thanks for posting this.

Ridefreemc

I cannot make out the manufacturer of this beautiful bike. Would you share the name please?

hefeweizen

Love that Ti bike.
I wish I could get that pinion gearbox on something like this.
https://www.giant-bicycles.com/us/contend-ar-2-2020

General Geoff

If you could, it would tack $1500 onto the price.

hefeweizen

ridefreemc check it out here https://www.nuabikes.com

Ridefreemc

Thank you.

Archwhorides 

My Priority 600, which I purchased last Fall as my new winter commuter, is not getting the use that it deserves, and now I have a new e-bike (Budnitz Model E) coming that will reduce it's use further. My S.O. is putting her foot down and says that I must drop one bike, so somewhat sadly I'll be seeking a good home for the Pinion, along with the 650b Suomi studded tires that I purchased for it.

General Geoff

Archwhorides, shoot me a PM when you're ready to sell. I could make a road trip up to Boston and pick it up in person.

Archwhorides 

This I will do.

mkblackwell

Wait a minute... and how many pairs of skis does S.O. own?...

Anyway, that Budnitz is a really sweet looking bike!

Archwhorides 

LOL, a rational point MKB, but am I prepared to take this logic to the mat?

(BTW, she's talking about getting even more skis....)

Magnum PI

Pinion 600 new ownership update. Smooth as silk shifting, quiet drivetrain. I think some of the inertia during pedaling is absorbed by the belt drive, but only using my butt-powermeter instrument.
650B wheelset a bit heavy and some definite road resistance with the lower pressure wide profile tire patch. Comfortable for commuting, but haven't taken it on my usual Giant Carbon Defy routes yet. I think the gear range is impressive. I keep wondering how much better it would be if the frame was titanium. Then again, the price would be substantially higher. Still quite a bargain at $2200 considering the smotth and sealed Pinion gearbox.

General Geoff

Thanks for your update and feedback!