Priority Bicycles: Belt-Drive Simplicity from City Streets to Gravel Roads

Priority Bicycles is a New York City brand built around making bicycles easier to own. Its defining feature is the belt drive: a cleaner alternative to a lubricated chain that anchors a range spanning everyday commuters, recreational bikes and gravel machines. For riders comparing brands, Priority offers an interesting starting point: choose the riding purpose, then consider how much drivetrain upkeep you want in your routine. The manufacturer’s website presents that low-maintenance focus across its collections.

A practical question behind the brand

Founder Dave Weiner’s starting point was a familiar request from friends: which bicycle should they buy? According to Priority’s company history, he wanted an approachable everyday bicycle combining comfort, manageable weight and easy maintenance. The company launched its Kickstarter campaign on July 15, 2014, seeking funding for the first shipment of the bicycle later called the Priority Classic.

That origin helps explain the brand’s emphasis on ownership rather than racing pedigree. Priority describes itself as an online-first retailer, and its history also highlights bicycles supplied to hotels, universities, rental operators and tours. Those settings connect its founding idea with a practical need: bicycles that many different people can use repeatedly.

One belt-drive idea, different riding jobs

Commuting equipment versus mixed-terrain versatility

The Continuum Onyx illustrates Priority’s approach to a complete commuter. It combines a Gates belt with an Enviolo continuously variable hub, allowing riders to adjust resistance without selecting fixed gear steps. Included fenders and dynamo-powered front and rear lights make its equipment list particularly relevant when comparing bikes for regular journeys through changing weather and daylight.

The Apollo Gravel takes the same cleaner-drivetrain theme toward pavement and gravel roads. Its Shimano Alfine 11-speed internal hub provides discrete gears, while the range offers aluminum flat-bar and drop-bar versions alongside a titanium drop-bar option. The useful comparison here is between controls and intended routes: the Onyx emphasizes everyday commuting equipment; the Apollo gives mixed-terrain riders a choice of handlebar format.

Priority’s commuting collection also includes the single-speed Ace, the eight-speed Nexus-equipped Eight and the compact Folder. These show why the belt alone should not decide a purchase. Gear choice, frame access and storage needs can matter just as much as drivetrain cleanliness.

Choosing by the ride you actually make

Priority’s most useful distinction is its consistent attention to reducing routine drivetrain fuss across different bicycle types. Start with your hills, preferred riding position, lighting needs and available storage, then compare the relevant models. Explore our Priority Bicycles brand page to keep that comparison focused on your everyday riding.