Testing the Priority E-Classic Plus E-Bike in Jackson, WY | Photo Connor Burkesmith Mountain Weekly News
Want a snazzy and rugged e-bike cruiser? Priority Bicycle’s new e-Classic Plus is fantastic. From the leather saddle and handlebar grips to the bike’s Gates Carbon Drive Belt, the e-Classic Plus is full of great features. After testing the bike, we’re stoked to test more bikes from Priority. Read our comprehensive review below to see how this model stacks up against the fierce competition among e-bikes.
About Priority Bicycles
Priority was founded in 2014 via a Kickstarter campaign that raised $565,000 with over 1,500 bikes funded. That campaign was the first of three fully-funded Kickstarter campaigns, all of which delivered on time to all backers. Since its founding, Priority has developed multiple models and shipped thousands of bikes across the globe.
The company strives to achieve its goal of making the best bicycles in the world for this price point through high-quality parts, an efficient supply chain, low overhead, and an online business model. They avoid fancy stores, frills, and gimmicky bells and whistles. In addition to a broad collection of kid and adult human-powered bikes, Priority now offers three styles of e-bike: rear hub motor, drive motor, and front hub motor (what we tested).
The e-Classic Plus retails for $1,699 which is in line with other similar e-bikes we’ve tested. Given how smooth the ride was and how sleek the bike looks, we’re eager to see where it stacks up in our next e-bike rankings.
Frame Sizes
The Priority E-Classic Plus comes in two styles: step-over (what we tested) and step-through. The step-over comes in two sizes: Small-medium for folks 5’6″ – 5’10” or medium-large for folks 5’11” – 6’3″. The step-through comes in a single size optimized for folks 5’2″ – 5’10”. Both frame styles come in a variety of colors.
The bike’s step-over frame uses the traditional diamond frame shapes. The bike weighs 49 pounds and can carry 275 pounds. Unfortunately, the frame doesn’t have a quick-release seat post so any at-home or on-the-fly adjustments require an Allen wrench. The comfy seat makes bumpy shortcuts a breeze. The rigid frame allows for great power transfer and eliminates rattle on cracked city streets. The gum-colored tires are a classy touch.
250W Motor
This Priority E-Bike is a class 1 e-bike and can reach a top speed of 20 mph. The battery is seamlessly incorporated into the downtube while the motor is hidden in the front hub. The low-drag 250W front hub motor comes with three assist levels – 3 being the most powerful and one being the least powerful. Level three provided a good level of pep once the bike was rolling. We’d love to see more oompf when getting up to speed in future models. We also felt that the motor is slow to turn on when you start pedaling and also lags in turning off when you stop pedaling.
We’re hopeful that Priority can address these opportunities in the next generation of the bike. Returning to things Priority got right, we were super stoked with the rust/grease-free Gates Carbon Drive Belt. It’s both clean and quiet.
Compare Prices
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Amazon US$19.98ViewAmazon.com Price: $19.98 (as of 10/01/2023 12:24 MDT) Details
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Priority Bicycles$499.00View -
Priority Bicycles$1,699.00View
Battery
The 374Wh 36V 10AH removable battery’s position in the downtube adds to the bike’s overall stability and low center of gravity. The low center of gravity makes the bike a joy to wiggle around corners. When pedaling, the battery provides up to 60 miles of range. Without pedaling, the bike can go 20 miles.
When testing the bike with pedal assist levels off to simulate a dead battery, we identified an opportunity to smooth out the pedaling experience in the next generation of the bike possibly by adding more gears (but the belt drive equivalent).
Components
Priority keeps components straightforward and easy to maintain. The belt drive eliminates the need to own chain lube and the belt lasts 2-3x longer than a chain. The hydraulic disc brakes are super reliable. The brakes were very capable given the bike weighs 49 pounds. The bike’s heft makes loading it into a car or onto a rack a two-person activity.
The bike tech doesn’t stop at the battery and motor. The Alloy Double-Leg Center Mount kickstand makes parking the bike a breeze. The bright brake lights are super helpful. A simple LCD screen, located on the left handlebars, shows assist level, speed, odometer, and battery level.
Overall Impression
The Priority E-Classic E-Bike ($1,699) is sturdy, sleek, and simple. It’s great for light commuting. Priority does a great job offering same-day shipping to ensure your purchase arrives as soon as possible. When ordering, you can get peace of mind given the 1-year warranty on parts, 2-year warranty on electrical components, and 5-year warranty on the frame and fork.
We’re excited to test more bikes from Priority in the future.
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