General Geoff

Man, this new company just keeps stepping up their game!

https://www.prioritybicycles.com/products/the600


All the wonderful utility/commuter features of the Continuum but with a Pinion gearbox instead of a Nuvinci CVT. 600% ratio spread across 12 evenly-spaced gears. Gotta start saving now, maybe I'll pick one up next year!

blakcloud

This bike came up in another thread, could have been Commuting, which piqued my interest. It's too bad that you can't actually touch one unless you buy it or go to NYC. I would love to try one.

General Geoff

Yeah, buying sight-unseen is a hurdle. But the bottom line is that this bike is probably the absolute cheapest Pinion-equipped, fully built bicycle on the market, and with only three frame sizes available, it's not too difficult to order the right size frame for someone who's had a few bikes in the past. Some compromises have to be made to get such an advanced drivetrain at (relatively) low cost.

Hoopdriver

Nice package. Other than the aluminum frame and the dorky ergo grips (and the annoying grammatical mistakes on their web site), it's almost perfect.

Kedosto

Bill Gem

blakcloud

Except when you live in Canada like I do.

leonidnk

Yes, $ 2,199.00 is a very low price for one Pinion Gear Box bike.

joelcool

I've got a Priority 8 - it's an internally geared hub with the belt drive. I found it on CL, and even though it's too small for me I bought a long seat post for it so I could fit. It's my crappy weather bike, and I love it - I'm actually looking forward to the rain this year. The pinion gear is even better.

I've got no interest in Priority, but based on my experience, I'd buy with confidence if I was looking for something like that, and it was in my price range.

Archwhorides 

I pulled the trigger on the 600 today as my winter commuter (ordered 650b studded tires too, it gets icy around here). I'll be psyched to try out this ride, particularly as the thermometer drops.

General Geoff

Congrats! I'd love to see pics once you receive it and put it together.

blakcloud

Well, nice choice on so many levels. It will be interesting to hear your thoughts throughout the winter on this bike. Congratulations.

joelcool

I'm interested to see what you think about the pinion gear box.

Congrats!!!

TimothyH

Please let us know all about it, especially sizing.

I was interested in a Marin Nicasio RC but this is the next level and I'm really interested in this bike.


-Tim-

Archwhorides 

The package is arriving tomorrow and I'll assemble by the weekend. Initially I'll be riding with the WTB 650b 47mm fatty tires, but I'm going to try out the 40mm studded tires for "fit" as soon as they arrive. I'll be sure to share impressions and pix as the project develops.

TimothyH

Chiru Divider

Archwhorides 

That frame is beautiful in titanium, not bad for $3275 with Pinion C12

JonathanGennick 

I'm keen to hear how those A10s fit. Let me know if you get a full 40 mm width from them.

Peter White also has 294s in 650b. Had a brief email exchange w/them over those. Fitting them would be a roll of the dice, and I'd lose the fenders. The A10s that you bought look like the better choice.

Archwhorides 

Looking at Peter White's website, the A10 650b x 40mm is actually running closer to 38mm wide, so they have less volume and diameter than the 47mm OEM tire.

Dave at Priority is very interested in this discussion (not surprisingly), and based on my report to him about the issues of 650b studded tire fit and A10 availability, he purchased a set and mounted them on one of his cycles. He confirmed that the volume (and overall diameter) is less with the A10, and he recommends adjusting the fenders accordingly and purchasing smaller volume tubes than the 47mm tire requires. Other than that he thinks this studded tire option is the best for this cycle and wheelset.

I'll be adding a more detailed report and pix this weekend.

JonathanGennick 

I'm optimistic that choices will improve in the future. I'm seeing 650b tires on so many bike models these days. My hope is that eventually some aftermarket brand will put out a correspondingly sized studded tire. A Gravdal in 650b x 47 mm would make my day. For now, I agree with you and Dave on the A10s.

RobSN

The other thread is in the Touring section where I pointed out that this bike has the 12 gears rather than 18 more common on touring bikes (600% gear range vs. 636%). But don't let that put you off! I've got a P1.18 touring bike from Cycle Monkey in San Francisco (Tout Terrain Silkroad Xplore Gold), but when I was commuting to work, I'd have reckoned I'd died and gone to heaven with the Priority bike. I think it sounds fantastic, and as I said in the Touring section, once you've tried the Pinion gearbox, going back to derailleurs is difficult indeed (feels to me on my other bikes like I've gone back to the dark ages )

Archwhorides 

I spent the morning assembling the 600, making some mild modifications and giving it a rainy test ride.

My initial impressions with pix below:

1. As others here have noted, it seems that Priority is trying to give its customers a fully fitted commuter (fenders, dynamo, headlight/tail-light, disc bakes, etc a la Breezer) with the 12 speed Pinion at the lowest possible price. I think they have met this goal.
2. The stock setup has a cruiser feel, with the upright stance, wide handlebars (28") and fat tires, which will satisfy some. I prefer a more aggressive stance, so I cut down the handlebars to 25" and flipped them to extend and lower the reach. I am happy with these modifications, although I may eventually swap in straight bars and a longer stem for the same reach. I am 6' with a long torso, and I am afraid that riders taller than 6'-2" will find the frame too small, although handlebar/stem replacement could address this issue somewhat.
3. I swapped in my trusty C17 carved saddle and SPD MTB pedals to nearly complete the current version, pannier rack and studded tires to follow.
4. The frame and components get the job done well for the price and target market, however nothing is standout other than the drivetrain.
5. Pinion/Gates 12 speed drivetrain is so beautiful, smooth, quiet, and wide-ranging, it practically brings me to tears. I can't wait to ride it in snow.
6. The 650b WTB Horizon fatty tires at 50 psi damp out road irregularities nicely, I'm looking forward to trying them out on my pot-holed commute.
7. My jury is still out on the dynamo hub and integrated light setup; however I haven't figured out all of the different pushbotton modes and whether it can be turned off or not.

My last impression is of how beautifully balanced the Priority 600 feels, which also makes it feel much lighter and more nimble than its appearance or book-weight of 30 lbs would suggest. I like my current lighter 8 speed Alfine IGH cycle quite a bit, but I'm predicting the Pinion bike is going to become my daily driver, even after winter ends.


Priority 600 size L out of the box, nicely packaged with accessories and tools a la Ikea.....


Stock assembly, eazy peazy


Flipped the handlebars to lower them with more reach, swapped out stock pedals and saddle


As quiet and smooth as a newborn kitten


Lots of cables nicely managed

RobSN

Yep, that is one seriously nice commuter set up you've got there. Abandon all hope, all ye former derailleurs who enter unto the land of Pinion.

JonathanGennick 

Pro tip on the photos: Force your camera flash to be on even during daytime when shooting the bike. The effect from the retroreflective paint is brilliant.

Ok. Not really a pro tip. Just is something fun I discovered by accident

I love the combination of belt drive and internal gearing -- whether hub or gearbox -- for winter. I also like the balanced feel of the bike.

There are to my knowledge no modes on the lights. They are either on or off. There's a capacitor or something that has to run down when you turn them off, which causes me some amount of confusion sometimes when I lose track of how many times I've hit the switch.

General Geoff

That looks awesome! As a 6'2" person though I am a bit concerned about the large frame not being quite large enough. Thank you for the report and the photos!