Priority Bicycles

Priority Bicycles approaches the electric bike revolution from a pure, uncompromising cycling ethos. While most direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands focus on maximizing motor wattage, adding heavy fat tires, or copying vintage motorcycle aesthetics, Priority crafts high-quality, lightweight traditional bicycles equipped with a smooth "pedal-assist whisper" and on-demand throttles. They are globally renowned as the industry’s absolute pioneer of belt-driven bicycles, engineering specialized low-maintenance machines designed to eliminate the messiest and most frustrating pain points of bike ownership.

Corporate Profile & Contact Channels

• Founder & CEO: Dave Weiner (Alongside co-founder and CMO Connor Swegle).
• Ownership Structure: Privately held, highly profitable independent corporation. Bypassing venture-capital dependency, the brand scales via organic consumer growth and major commercial hospitality and corporate fleet partnerships.
• Corporate Headquarters & Showroom: 174 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013 (Located in TriBeCa, Manhattan).
• Customer Support Channels: (917) 819-1665 (Text or WhatsApp availability 365 days a year)
• General & Fleet Inquiries: info@prioritybicycles.nyc | info@prioritybicycles.com

The Origin Story: The Software Executive's Rebellion

The foundation of Priority Bicycles is built on a massive mid-career leap. In 2012, Dave Weiner was living the corporate dream, serving as the North American CEO of a major global software company. However, as a lifelong bicycle mechanic who spent his youth turning wrenches in local bike shops, his true passion never left the garage.

Weiner continuously noticed that his non-cyclist friends would buy bicycles with great enthusiasm, only to let them rot in basement corners after a few months. When he audited the cause, it was always the same: traditional bicycle chains would rust, gears would skip out of alignment, derailleurs would bend during storage, and fixing a flat tire required specialized tools and greasy hands.

In a bold move, Weiner quit his high-paying software executive position to build a "maintenance-free" bicycle. In July 2014, he launched a modest Kickstarter campaign with a funding goal of $30,000 to finance his first production run.

The campaign struck an immediate chord with the global public, smashing its goal within hours and ultimately raising over $556,000 in 30 days. Priority established itself as a massive direct-to-consumer success story, later seamlessly mapping their low-maintenance, grease-free engineering philosophy onto premium electric bicycles.

Brand Philosophy & Core Engineering DNA

Priority builds e-bikes for riders who value clean clothes, quiet operation, and absolute mechanical simplicity.

• The Gates Carbon Belt Drive Standard: Every single e-bike manufactured by Priority completely discards traditional steel chains in favor of an advanced, automotive-grade Gates Carbon Belt Drive system. Constructed with stretch-free carbon fiber tensile cords, these belts require zero grease or lubrication, will never rust, run completely silent, won't stain your clothing, and last up to three times longer than a steel chain.
• Sealed Internal Gearing: To complement the grease-free belt drive, Priority isolates the bike's mechanical gears away from the elements. They utilize internally geared rear hubs (partnering with Shimano Nexus and Enviolo) or sealed bottom-bracket gearboxes (Pinion). This means you can change gears instantly even while standing completely still at a red light, and the gear teeth are completely protected from rain, mud, and beach sand.
• Balanced Acoustic Weight Distribution: Priority prioritizes natural handling. By using ultra-slim, internally housed battery packs and pairing them with high-end mid-drive motors or lightweight hub systems, their e-bikes look like regular premium commuter bicycles and frequently weigh 15 to 25 pounds less than competitive DTC fat-bikes.
• The Full Commuter Delivery: Priority refuses to nickel-and-dime consumers over daily necessities. Their core models ship fully loaded straight out of the box with premium composite full-coverage fenders, integrated puncture-resistant tires, custom-tuned hydraulic disc brakes, and high-output front and rear safety lighting hardwired directly into the main battery core.

The Specialized Product Lineup

Priority’s electric fleet is split across dedicated urban commuting, coastal cruising, and high-tech executive touring.

1. The Media Darling: Current Plus

Widely celebrated by cycling critics as one of the finest, most intuitive mid-drive hybrid commuter e-bikes on the market under $3,500.

• The Powertrain ($3,299): Driven by a highly sophisticated Bafang M420 mid-drive motor kicking out an immense 95Nm of torque paired with a hyper-sensitive internal torque sensor. Instead of a sudden jolt, the power delivery mimics your exact muscle input, making you feel like you possess bionic legs.
• The Configurations: Fueled by a massive 720Wh integrated down-tube battery pushing up to a 75-mile maximum range. It can be ordered in a traditional step-over or step-through frame, paired with your choice of a Shimano Nexus 5-speed internal hub or a stepless Enviolo CVT hub for infinite gear ratios under load. Fully switchable between Class 2 (throttle) and high-speed Class 3 (28 mph assist).

2. The High-Tech Masterpiece: Skyline smart.Shift

The absolute pinnacle of Priority's luxury executive engineering, bringing automotive-grade transmission shifting to the cycling space.

• The Pinion Gearbox ($3,999): Swaps standard bicycle components for an enclosed, electronic Pinion C1.12i 12-speed gearbox mounted down at the bottom bracket, providing a staggering 600% gear range. It features semi-automatic intelligence, automatically downshifting to a pre-selected "launch gear" the second you come to a complete stop at a red light.
• The Core: Driven by a robust 750W rear hub motor running on a 720Wh battery pack, it effortlessly commands Class 3 speeds up to 28 mph, smoothed out by an 80mm SR Suntour front suspension fork.

3. The Unsinkable Coastal Transport: E-Coast

The market’s first and only fully rust-proof, single-speed electric beach cruiser, engineered specifically to live in harsh, salty maritime environments.

• The Coastal Blueprint ($1,999): Standard beach cruisers rust out in months due to ocean air and sand grinding away at chain lubricants. The E-Coast runs a specialized single-speed Gates belt drive that requires zero grease. If it gets covered in sand, you simply spray it down with a standard garden hose.
• The Setup: Driven by a punchy 500W rear hub motor and a twist throttle, it rolls on high-volume 26x3.0-inch CST Big Boat cruiser tires, providing a cushiony, couch-like ride across boardwalks and wet sand.

4. The Daily Neighborhood Companion: Glide

A featherweight, highly approachable mid-step cruiser built for casual neighborhood path riding, quick grocery runs, and effortless city commuting.

• The Balance ($1,799): Weighing a remarkably light 49 pounds, the Glide mounts a 350W low-drag motor inside the front wheel hub while nesting its 374Wh battery pack inside the center down tube, creating a beautifully balanced, nimble weight configuration.
• The Transmission: Runs a zero-maintenance Gates belt mated to a Shimano Nexus 3-speed internal rear hub, providing just the right amount of mechanical range for rolling neighborhood hills.

Brand Strengths & Limitations

The Strengths

• Virtually Zero Maintenance: No greasy chains to ruin your work pants, no derailleur hangers to bend, and no chain lubrication schedules to maintain. You can leave a Priority e-bike sitting in a humid garage for six months, hop on, and ride instantly without a single squeak.
• Superb Unassisted Riding Quality: Because these bikes weigh under 55 pounds and roll on fast, efficient tires, they behave beautifully even if you turn the motor completely off, operating exactly like premium traditional acoustic bicycles.
• Exceptional Customer Care Support: Operating out of their Manhattan showroom, Priority maintains a legendary 365-day support team accessible via direct text, phone, or video call to quickly walk owners through any mechanical tuning steps.

The Limitations

• Lower Raw Throttle Muscle: If you are hunting for a heavy, throttle-heavy moped that will rocket you off the line like a dirt bike without you ever pedaling, Priority's front and mid-drive configurations will feel underpowered. Their systems are engineered to assist your physical cycling cadence, not replace it entirely.
• A Rigid Performance Focus: Aside from the electronic Skyline commuter, Priority e-bikes feature rigid frames without heavy rear suspension linkages. While their high-volume tires and gel saddles handle standard road vibration exceptionally well, they are not off-road mountain bikes meant for technical rock-shredding trails.