Priority 600x First Look - A Pinion Gearbox, an Inverted Fork, and a Purpose-Built Bikepacking Frame

[@hardtailparty]

Learn more about the priority 600x and order yours here: bit.ly/3obBJw1

[@duzer]

My man!!! It gives me great joy to see this bike in your studio. I appreciate all the kind words…I’m gonna come your way someday for a little party on the AZT!!

[@hardtailparty]

Can't wait! Thanks for helping me get this bike in for review.

[@ccapp3389]

Worlds colliding! Love this!

[@zenofthemoment]

Fan of both of you guys. Looking forward to this!

[@edzeppelin933]

You two should go bikepacking together! Two smart bike brains!

[@lemonadejars]

❤ Duzer, such a positive dude. Whenever I’m feeling down I watch his videos for some good vibes

[@zenofthemoment]

Refer to Ryan’s videos on the belt he broke on the CDT. In summary, he learned from Gates that feeding the belt onto the (sprockets?) while under tension like you would a single speed with a chain, compromises the braided strands inside of the belt. When those go, you’re riding strictly on rubber, and it’ll break very soon from there. His videos about that incident will only serve to increase your confidence in belts, when treated properly. He hasn’t had one break in the several tours since, and I’d argue nobody has stronger legs than that dude!

[@petedog9581]

Ryan is an inspiration about setting goals and getting it done... and the best cycling ambassador on the planet. Props to John and Mira too.

[@frbrable]

I've had mine for about six months and love it! At first, I wasn't sure, because it was so different than what I was used to. But now it's become my go-to bike. I really like the Pinion gearbox. I love not getting greasy or having to think about lubing my chain. I have grown to love the relatively upright position (much less neck and shoulder pain on long rides). Granny gear is great and I can climb steep stuff. Cons: 1. Yes, it is heavier than I would like, but whatever; 2) It's not an especially fast bike, and it's not especially nimble. Oh, and that Gates carbon belt drive app actually sucks and is totally useless. But for long days of worry-free riding, this bike has been rad.

[@ClarkesOutThere]

Can't wait to see the review! I'm riding my 600x down the full Eastern Divide Trail in August. The Gates belt drive and Pinion gearbox proved to be bombproof on my bikepacking tours last year, but this 6,000 mile adventure will likely definitely push the limits. Overall, I've found it to be a very comfortable bike to ride loaded on long distances and across varied terrain. Way to go Ryan and Priority!

[@tikas408]

Great first look! I'm excited to see your review. I've had my finger on the trigger for this bike for a while now. Just waiting for the best time when the wife won't kill me for getting another bike. lol

[@rickelliott7653]

Great first impression review. I almost bought this bike about a year ago based on Ryan’s review but alas I’m a bigger dude and ended up with the Why Wayward for my Bikepacking needs. Ryan is an inspiration to all and he got me off my couch. I enjoy both yours and his YT channels.

[@sparks701]

About time. Lol. I requested they send you this bike a year ago to get it out there. Ryan’s videos are great and I thought this channel would bring it to a whole new world for bike packers. Excited to see you on it. A little skeptical of the fork but would love to see your opinion.

[@johnster187]

Ryan Van Duzer is an awesome guy and his energy is fantastic to see................. only good vibes from this man and i love his channel. ❤❤ Nice to see you reviewing his bike 👍👍also be nice to see you take this bike on a bike packing trip for a long term review.

[@jeffneisler1405]

Bought Priority's 20 inch kid's bike for my grandson which has the belt drive & internal gear hub a couple of years ago & can highly recommend. No issues & he loves it. I am planning on getting their 24 inch model soon for him to size up & passing down his current bike to my granddaughter as soon as she gets a little taller.

[@michaellee2652]

I'm glad that I found this channel. I'm moving back to the states and have a new bike waiting on me. I haven't ridden trails in 11 years and can't wait to get back into it!!! Things have changed a lot since I used to ride. I had 3 bikes back in early 2000's and switched over to rigid frames and commuter bikes. It's gonna be like riding for the first time!! Haha (of course on a Hardtail)!

[@ssmtb]

Props to Priority for sending this in for review! Looks like a really interesting ride, can't wait to hear Steve's inputs 🤘 Update: wow just saw Priority's Sauce model, looks amazing 🤩

[@devondyreson]

Can’t wait for the first big USA bike manufacture to release a Pinion Drive bike! Love belts and internal gears.

[@hardtailparty]

Another perspective: what a great time to support smaller companies that are willing to think outside the box and try new things.

[@devondyreson]

@@hardtailparty I do have belt driven bikes from smaller companies. But I’m getting sick of fixing/maintaining traditional drivetrains on my family/friend’s bikes. Wish belts were standard for intro bikes and chains/derailleurs reserved for upper level models.

[@johnnydoe66]

Ryan has definitely proven this concept with all his epic bicycle adventures. Personally I wouldn't really call this a mtn bike, but a "fat" tire touring/adventure bike. Ryan and Priority have in a sense designed a chimera bicycle; mtn + tourer + bikepacker. I have watched Ryan's videos and he has definitely taken his Priority loaded on a wide variety of trails/roads, even having to push the bike because of the amount of weight he was carrying. Looking forward to your review as more of a dedicated mtn biker vs. bike tourer/packer.

[@PsychicDavidJames]

I have two of their bikes, the 600 and the Apollo and they've been a great company to deal with.

[@hardtailparty]

Glad to hear that. I've had wonderful interactions with them too, but I always wonder if reviewers get special treatment or if everyone gets that same attention. So glad to hear your experience mimicked mine.

[@MikeSuding-]

@@hardtailparty I have a Priority 600 and a Sauce. They have been great to me.

[@davegonz2000]

I love watching Ryan's channel. This should be interesting.

[@kevinreillysr.9938]

This bike just goes and goes and is great for AZ trails, Ryan is the man....

[@2scoops624]

Love Ryan Van Duzer, love Hardtail party

[@ElevationEveryWeekend]

I am fascinated by the pinion concept for touring and bikepacking, so glad to see this. I’d love to see it more in the fat bike world, as REEB is about the only one I am familiar with. Haven’t tried the Wren fork but do have their Perseverance bars with the arm cups and love them for this style of riding.

[@ginocecchetto8286]

Carver builds more pinion drive fatbikes than anyone else. I ride a full custom geo pinion drive Ti Omega Beast and love it.

[@danwebber9494]

I chuckled at your car comparison, I do the same thing. ‘72 Land Cruiser, VW sand rail, turbocharged Forester, etc.

[@thezonemtb]

I love watching Ryan videos. I do wish this bike was offered in my wife's size. At 4'10" and needing a standover less than 26" it makes it difficult to find bikes to fit her.

[@hardtailparty]

Check out prevelo

[@thezonemtb]

@@hardtailparty She rides a Pivot Mach 4. So there are options but not many

[@chuckrodgers4780]

Looking forward to your ride review. I think if you changed the bar and stem to better fit you and your likes would be perfectly acceptable for the test . Anyone buying a new bike will tweak the contact points to their liking. Have fun !!

[@William.N]

So many things on that bike that I am looking forward to hearing about!

[@swnorcraft7971]

I'm adding a shout out to Ryan.....Thanks for bringing this bike to my awareness! Love it! My sister has one as well.......

[@jackcarter233]

My favorite category of biking is mountain touring now. Supple fat tires are perfect for adventure cruising & exploring.

[@zenofthemoment]

I would kill to have a pinion gearbox on my Surly Ice Cream Truck. 🤘

[@chrislonsberry1974]

Great initial review. I own this bike and I have nothing but good things to say about it. I’ll be curious to see your ride review.

[@djiembefolaDan]

shout out to Ryan Van Duzer, an amazing guy with the best attitude ever. I've been looking at this bike and almost pulled the trigger twice! I do all kinds of riding , a lot or road, gravel,and mtb; got all the bikes for each. This seems like a killer go-anywhere bike. I 'm not a bikepacker (yet) , I just think this bike is so practical ! I'm 6'1" , inseam 34 and long arms, I figured a Large would be the ticket. What do you think? Thanks again, love the worlds colliding here......

[@frbrable]

Yes, for you, I would go for the large. I'm 5'11" with a 33" inseam, so right between sizes. I have tried both large and medium and went with the medium, but I could have made large work. The top tube will still be pretty close to your crotch in large, but I'd still say that's the right size for you.

[@wesleywermuth9545]

Can’t wait for the ride review. Looks like a cool bike!

[@fpeter01]

Finally a unique HT!

[@charlesholland6851]

I think their bikes are sweet. We have a casual group ride and this guy had a commuter bike from them. In my opinion, it was sick!!

[@mattfinch3895]

Modern pedal drive are the future.

[@swnorcraft7971]

I have owned this bike now for 3 years. It came with TRP 4 piston brakes. Very recently changed to TRP Spyke mechanicals for the field serviceable aspect and less complexity. ( I really wanted the Paul Klampers but just couldn't go the price) Coupled with Jagwire Mountain Pro cables, hard to tell the difference from hydraulic. I laced 10mm wider rims to accommodate 3 inch tires. They run fine......albeit very small running clearance for mud etc on the rear as you have shown. I believe the 600X is spec'd out for 2.8" tires. My bike does have a through bolt axle on the rear (my preference) and QR bolt on the front I have a Cane Creek Thudbuster seat post and a Jones H bar with 2.5" rise. My stem also has a 2.5" rise. I can't do flat bars due to a neck injury some years ago. This has been a fantastic machine! I don't have anywhere near the miles on it that Ryan has....just need more time. I agree, that you get a lot of bang for your buck with the 600X. A similar bike in another brand like Reeb would be at least 2K more...... Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to your ride review!

[@hardtailparty]

The reeb will be TONS different, especially in terms of geometry. There are quite a few pinion hardtails out there, the geo is quite different for all of them.

[@MF50s]

Can't wait for ride review

[@bushflyr7335]

FINALLY! :D Gearboxes are absolutely the future. After getting my Zerode I'll never be buying another derailleur bike. The Pinion setup is just SO good. The ONLY downside (besides cost) is the high engagement angle. It's not an issue for me at all, but I can see it being annoying if you're doing a bunch of super techy climbs where you have to do a ton of ratchet pedaling. You need to get a Viral Skeptic in for testing next.

[@hardtailparty]

I've ridden two zerodes, cool bikes. I'll make a video about the pros and cons of pinions in my opinion soon...

[@swnorcraft7971]

I removed the side stand on mine. It slaps up and down on single track. I figured with how much it weighs, it could potentially weaken the chain stay over time.

[@thuggooch1776]

I'm excited to see you reviewing this bike! I have the same problem with my 600X I'm a short guy who should have gotten a small but I'm also very happy with the extra bag space. I've got my Priority 600X setup with a much shorter stem and a set of Moloko bars from Surly. I also added a set of WTB Ranger 29x3.0 tires and they seem to work good on these rims. Thank you for sharing this video I look forward to hearing more.

[@freekit9997]

Can I ask you how tall you are and what your inseem 's like? I'm hesitating, small or medium...

[@thuggooch1776]

@@freekit9997 I’m 5’7 and I have no idea what my inseam is. I usually try to get 30 length pants but end up cuffing them lol. I ride a medium 600x though.

[@politan83]

I'd be curious for what you'd think of the Priority Sauce.

[@hardtailparty]

I love the idea of the sauce. I don't think the gearing or the geometry would suit my preferences for where I love, but I love its simplicity.

[@timcolton4680]

Why can't you use the Coast Dropper, you mentioned you were not able to use it but didn't go into why. I about ready to pull the trigger on a 600x, I'm 5'10" & 32" inseam and am on the edge of a Small or Medium. I don't care about the size of the center bag. What do you think. Thanks Love Ryan's channel too, watch all the videos, super guy.

[@hardtailparty]

I did go into it. The seat tube is too long for my legs with the dropper on it. If I had sized down I would have been able to use it. My fault.

[@timcolton4680]

@@hardtailparty Oh, thanks for the info, I use the Coast Dropper on my current hardtail and cannot live without it and want one for the 600x so still not sure if the small or medium would be better for me. Living in South Texas I'd rather get it right the first time and keep from ending a medium back for al small, probably not good.

[@jasonkroll2735]

Like the inverted forks these days . Keeping a lookout for that review ....especially since there's a possible problem with them. Great Priority review is a lil heavy. But seems tough.

[@hardtailparty]

Pinions are NOT light. Expect +2lbs at least with a pinion

[@CarsandBikes]

I am torn between this and the Niner SIR 9. I love the Pinion but I don't know if I will miss the Reynolds 853.

[@russelrivera5044]

Funny, I just reached out to priority asking if they would send you their Sauce for review. The gearing seems steep, but I wonder if it would make a suitable retro klunker. Great review as always!

[@JB-1138]

The Sauce looks fun. I really like the handlebars.

[@user-lc2mu9jk2b]

Both of you, Steve and Ryan, inspire me and are my favorites. Riding and bikepacking on hard tails. Waiting for the review and hopefully see you ride together and share your mutual thoughts.

[@superandy89]

I wish Costco would run a discount on this bike. They have other Priority bikes, just not the pinion ones.

[@sleepyholler9519]

You’ve done a video on the Wren before I was hoping you’d talk about it more in this video. It seems there might be some action on inverted forks recently. What are your thoughts on them in General and with the Wren specifically.

[@hardtailparty]

I have a dedicated video coming soon

[@Happy_Biker]

This is really exciting for me. 👍

[@pmm1044]

I am interested in it cuz it is low maintenance!!!!

[@phatso786]

Can you review the NS Eccentric aluminum. It's a sub $400 frame with modern geo and they have a steel version as well

[@tyrdle]

I can't wait to be able to afford one of these in 10 years

[@roesch1111]

I wonder if you can get the bike with the P18

[@israeladams6439]

i put a salsa carbon fork on my 600x, didnt like the stock suspension forks, but it is my fav bike..

[@ryansager6100]

How did this change the weight and feel of the ride?

[@israeladams6439]

@@ryansager6100 much lighter, and able to put stuff n things on the forks, sooo much better..

[@johnnykramolis7469]

wow amazing bike.

[@jurisx85]

That bike is pushing every boundary and preconceived notion in the bike world. Id be interested to know your thoughts on gear boxes and their future for Mtb.

[@hardtailparty]

I'll make a video covering that topic soon.

[@cjohnson3836]

I mean, touring bikes with chunky tires aren't new. Surly had one that ran 29x3. What this does different is the pinion drive

[@ginocecchetto8286]

@@hardtailparty Steve, I have over 18,000 miles on pinion drive mountain and fatbikes. Would really like to chat with you to front load you with some info and connect you with Marc Seemann at Pinion/Gates North America.

[@stevencole7331]

I wonder if its the same gates manufacturer as my timing belt i put on my kia last year . If these are equivelent to a timing belt they should have a long lifespan . Not sure why the belt you had broke but that may have been defective . I would like to give backpacking a go someday . Ryans adventures are fun to watch and incentive to give it a go . Interesting to see what a dedicated mountainbiker thinks of this bike and what it can do safely .

[@hardtailparty]

Same parent company, but different division

[@quesoner34]

@hardtailparty what'd you do to break the belt? I was contemplating getting one, but am concerned for it's longevity as I regularly monster truck over fallen trees and sometimes hit the sprocket on those.

[@hardtailparty]

If your sprocket comes in contact with rocks or roots, I don't recommend a belt drive.

[@quesoner34]

@@hardtailparty Yeah, that's what I thought, might keep oiling that chain then. Thanks for the response and keep it up! 👍

[@mellissanash7517]

I'm sure you know GoodYear calls the Peak their XC tire fwiw. What's the max it can fit in 29er?

[@hardtailparty]

It really surprised me how thin the sidewalls were, even for an xc tire.

[@mellissanash7517]

@@hardtailparty Let's hope it's not thin enough to cause problems. I did a search again and it looks like it also comes in a CX variant(35mm) that is 120tpi 1-ply and a slightly heavier 60tpi model. Schwable does this with the Rocket Ron too making a CX sized tires.

[@FordTechGuy]

I purchased the 600x a year ago. I'm sure it would fit up to a 29 x 2.5 with no problem. The first thing I did was get rid of the Goodyear tires and I run 29 x 2.4 Maxxis Rekon (not the race version) They really work well on this bike. I also had NOBL build me some 35mm carbon wheels with Vesper Hubs. There are slightly lighter than the OEM wheels and I really like them much better than the WTB's it came with. All tubeless of course. The OEM Goodyears are tubeless ready, but the bike ships with tubes in the tires.

[@EricHorchuck]

Yeah, I really hate that it has quick release, or as we call them in Philadelphia, "easy steals". I was going to buy this for a daily commuter / around the city bike but I really don't want to carry a chain big enough to go through both wheels and the frame just to stop at a store for a bottle of water, etc.... From what I've been told, please correct me if I'm wrong, you can't change a quick release to a straight through bolt because the frame is designed for one or the other is that correct or is it just the fork is designed for one or the other? Thanks! Great first look. Take care, -E EDIT: I really want a belt drive internally geared bike. The only option I can think of here in the States is the Cannondale Bad Boy 1. I really wish someone would do a serious review on that like you do. Is it comfortable to ride around all day? Is it a piece of junk? LOL. It's probably the main reason I haven't bought it yet I haven't found one good review, or even one bad one, which kind of has me wary of it.

[@MathisMade]

Please have Priority build you a signature bike. I would totally buy it, we ride pretty similar.

[@hardtailparty]

My signature bike is a Binary Maniak. I'll see if Priority wants to partner on designing a model together, I think it could be fun!

[@MathisMade]

Yes! Even that, but one with a pinion gearbox. :)

[@hardtailparty]

@@MathisMade pinions require a much longer chainstay, so sadly my favorite geo isn't possible with a pinion.

[@rpiian]

Definitely a cool bike. Excited to hear your ride impressions! I agree about the seattube though, that's longer than most Lg Mtb frames.

[@Mt.herzberg99]

Lovely

[@BrandonMeyer1641]

This bike seems very strange to me. From the bars, to tires, to the geo, to the fork, to the drivetrain, it’s all just very weird. I’m sure it has a place and some people would really love it but it just doesn’t seem like the bike for me. Priority is an interesting company. They are all about the belt drives, cruisers, and bikes under $1000. My feeling is that they cater more towards “lifestyle” cyclists, or riders who aren’t very serious or care about maintenance. That is why they go for internal gearing and belt drive. It’s simple and low maintenance for the end user. I think when priority made this bike, they still had that same end user in mind. Hence, the kickstand. Id be hesitant to buy this bike especially considering the price. Regardless, I am interested to see what you think of it Steve.

[@hardtailparty]

Ryan has put more miles on his priority 600x than almost anyone in these comments sections (including me) will ever put on all their bikes combined. He's dragged that thing all over the world and it's still going strong.

[@frbrable]

I think that you're probably partly right. I have this bike and ride it 3-4 days per week between commuting and on local gravel roads and trails. Will probably do several multi-day, not-especially-technical-but-remote bikepacking trips in a year. I ride about 2,000 miles per year, so not a ton, but enough that I don't think I'm a lifestyle cyclist. I have a lot of hobbies and learning in-depth bike maintenance and repair doesn't interest me as other things (although I'm slowly learning). But yeah, I get what you mean. I think the bike _is_ somewhat weird looking. You should try one out!

[@JB-1138]

Have you seen the Priority Sauce? 👍🏼👍🏼

[@sethmoniz915]

Yay!

[@dgriffinm]

It’s cool, I’d ride a belt drive

[@psps6623]

7:23 Hey!..............It's "Mr. Idiot" to you, sir