Anybody have any experience with either Priority or Head bicycles? I'm looking at either a Head Groove or a Priority Classic Plus, both belt-drive, IGH hybrid for routine trips around (a fairly flat) town. I figure even with a load and in traffic, no more than 30 minutes ride time across town.




Specs are pretty similar and what little difference there is in the price won't affect my decision.
The Head has 7-sp Alfine and the Priority's IGH is just 3-sp but where I live three is adequate to the task.
The Head's frame is (rust-proof) aluminum but all else being equal I would expect the Priority's steel frame to be longer-lasting (providing it doesn't rust).
The Head comes with 40mm tires, Priority with 35mm (which tells me the Head might be able to accommodate a larger max tire width).
The largest frame available for either is a touch too small for me -- the importance of which is somewhat mitigated by upright riding position -- but the largest Head is (I think) slightly larger than the largest Priority.

I find more reviews for Priority bikes in general but very few for either, and what reviews I do find aren't very critical or detailed, like they're afraid an honest critical observation could cost them sponsorship. Priority is (AFAIK) a real bicycle-oriented company, with actual customer service, whereas Head once was a top-notch sports equipment company but now is a trademark-for-hire.

Both have some traits in common with Walmart bikes, like a quill stem and loose bearings everywhere except the bottom bracket and the Alfine IGH. They're at a price point that's so low that my major concern is they'll be so clunky and unpleasant to ride that I won't want to ride them, so I'd prefer to avoid the religious wars (belt drive=inefficient, yadda, yadda, yadda) and just hear from people either who have experience with either brand, or have heard from someone who does.

I know nothing about either brand. It would be interesting if walmart quality bikes started showing up with belt drives. I doubt that will happen though. I'm not sure why you think a steel frame will last longer. For riding around town, the Head looks like the better bike.

If any can be seen locally I would do that first, otherwise the parts spec of the head seems better and the dark green won't show scratches/dirt as bad as the white frame.

"Mount your AMF Roadmasters".... My first non-wood tennis racket was an Arthur Ashe Comp. Just a name in cycling this day, but the parent company does good things in bikes , so, I'd go with that one.

Like a lot of other bikes, it'll probably serve you well enough. Most any bike will get you around town. Even the worst of quality bikes' will handle the rigors of less demanding rides about as well as the best bikes. The better bikes last longer of course, but the ride is pretty much the same.

Low initial cost bikes I might give a minor edge to Priority because they pretty much stick with belt drives and are well known for it. Though the Head mainly has parts that are maybe a slight notch better on some fronts. In the end if I am looking for a good starter geared belt drive the Priority Eight would be my choice. More modern standard parts, 8 speed Alfine (vs Nexus on other stuff), carbon fork to loose a tiny bit of weight but add in some vibration dampening. It is a good solid modern bike which should last quite a while with good care and is right under 1k.

My 8-yr-old has had a Priority Start 20 (aluminum frame) for most of the year and I have no complaints. It's well-made, and its unbranded components are fine. It worked well right out of the box. The Shimano Nexus 3-speed hub is okay so far.

Your post basically addresses and answers your topic question.

...I'll just chime in with the fact that it seems like a less than ideal decision to buy a bike that you know is too small for you.

My second racket was a Head aluminum and third was an Arthur Ashe Comp. My first skis were black Head standards. My second were Head Kiley’s in red. They make quality products.

If they are too small then get a men's bike. The ape hangers on the Head are nuts. You couldn't go 8 mph like that, or up any hill.
The other looks more sensible, except the grips pointing to the moon. LOL. How anybody rides like that is beyond me.

The priority is aluminum frame/steel fork like the head. Priority has people you can talk to on the phone, has spare parts available, has improved the spec of belt in the classic plus from what it was for a while, has been around and seems like they will continue to be around, has promotions, etc. I couldn’t find a compelling place listing the Head or any functional US site for the brand. The rear exit drop outs on the priority are obnoxious, especially if you put fenders on, but they do have alignment screws. The Head looks from the picture to have old style semi horizontal dropouts without any alignment aids that I could see in the pictures. These would be much simpler for removing the wheel, but potentially even harder to get things just right with proper tension. I have a Priority classic plus Gotham. It’s fine. I’ve modified it quite a bit for year round commuting. If you really want a belt drive bike but don’t have much budget, or you don’t expect to be changing your tires twice a year, it’s worth considering. If you know the step through is too small, consider the Large diamond frame, but if you’re close, the step through might be fine. The quill stem has adjustment room, it’s not a negative, and that can help. I like the parts spec of the Head better, but don’t like that it appears to be a drop ship only sort of thing. Also if it doesn’t have a center track belt I’d say no go. With either of these expect to do at least some fiddling and probably $100 or so to have a shop set it up.

SirLeaflock, thank you for all the actionable information.

The belt is the point. Step-thru, rim brakes and upright riding position are non-negotiable.

From this it appears to be a center drive crank and, you're right, I still don't see anything resembling an alignment aid for the rear wheel.


The more I think on it, the more about the Head doesn't sit well. Like how they could sell it for $100 less than the Priority despite it being better equipped (fenders & an 8-sp IGH). Target sells it for $900 but Peachfrog.com has it listed for $375. The Tuckahoe bike shop chain in New Jersey (which also has a store on Amazon) claims it lists for $1250 but they have it on sale for $500. My hunch is that they're the importer.

And I've been looking at all the high-quality images Priority put on line. If the photos are representative, it looks well thought-out.

And Priority has Black Friday deals ending today (the 11th).

Why is the center track belt so important?

My partner bought this Priority Brilliant L-Train 5 years ago. She loves it. The ride is on the sporty side. She's done 30mile + ride with it. It's an Alfine 8-speed with a Gripshift and Gates belt drive. The only maintenance that we've had to do with it is put in new brake pads, otherwise it's been reliable.

Gearing was a little tall for the hillier parts of Washington DC. And I always thought that the ride was a little stiff/wooden for a steel bicycle. But I never figured out if it was the frame or maybe the tires. But that stiffness contributed to the sporty feel of the bike. If we were going to hold onto the bike, I might try swapping in bigger volume tires to see it that helps. But we'll probably be selling this soon as we have too many bikes.

One of your posts suggested that you might be in NJ. We're in Central Jersey. If you have any interest, send me a message.

replaceable rings on the crank, less prone to squeaking rubbing against against the sides of the ring, higher quality parts on the center track products, ability to switch to a CDX belt if desired. The gates ST (side track) system is an oem only economy product. OK on a low mileage bike like the 20” bike I got for my kids, but not on a bike sold as all weather. The center drives shed mud and snow better.

I'd go with the Priority; as others have said, they're a bike company with customer service and spare parts; they're not going anywhere. In fact, I'd give them a call and explain what you want; they might be able to help. Good luck and show us pics!

I have Priority's Apollo 11 gravel bike. The quality is good, all-around.
I had some questions after the sale, and someone who knew responded very quickly in each case.
I wanted a different stem and smaller front pulley, and he pointed me right to them, and now I've got it set up just so.
They are a ma 'n pa bike company out of New York.

I have Head running gloves and a Head tennis raquet, both of which are good.