Priority Continuum Onyx Bicycle Review

[@rockpaperstone8722]

By far the best review I've seen on this bicycle. Your comments about the bicycle's weight and light system were especially appreciated. Very nice review!

[@wallyklw5]

im a prospective buyer. sent Priority a question today via email. had an answer in under 1 hr. that is good service.

[@henrypscott]

Thanks for the great review; your clear and thoughtful discussion of the pros and cons you encountered was very helpful as I shopped for, and eventually purchased, a Continuum Onyx myself. I've also been impressed by how easy it has been to get quick support from Priority.

[@TheSp00dles]

Thanks for posting this. Was nice to see a review that was a bit more focused on real world usage. I had the same issue on another bike with the NuVinci hub sticking in very cold temps; great to hear that there is a solution to that problem.

[@GordoGambler]

The solution is getting rid of this boat anchor hub. LOL.

[@curtn7076]

Nice review..very professional. I have a 25lbs Motobecane cafe 8 that is an 8 speed Shimano Nexus internal gear rear hub and I love it. I've had this Mobe for about 12 yrs and put about 55,000 miles on it and still riding good but some wear noises are coming up in the hub now and I really like this Priority bike and just might pull the trigger on it. Thanks for the review!👍

[@radiohobbyist13]

During the daytime I run two flashing headlights and two flashing taillights. If a motorist sees your lights and is annoyed by them that means that they actually saw you and probably won't hit you. The number one excuse that motorists give for hitting cyclists is "I didn't see the guy". I would much rather annoy people for a few moments than to be lying dead in the street. You know as well as I do that the consequences for hitting and killing a pedestrian or cyclist is usually very minimal in our car-centered society. I recently had a cop tell me that I had the best light setup that he's ever seen. I do not flash the lights at night. At night I run the lights at medium intensity and wear a Class 2 hi-vis reflective safety vest and have applied additional reflective striping to my helmet. I go HOME at the end of every ride, not to the Emergency Room. I work at the local hospital and much prefer to be there only when I'm being paid, not as a patient.

[@KandiKlover]

I use a C3Sports Mini Pursuit 100 in a Green/Amber combo. It lights up the whole street at night and really pops still during the daytime too. Got it from Police Bike Store.

[@apache-yaquibrown4060]

Make a video on your lighting and reflective gear set up. 🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️🚴‍♂️

[@Lactuca]

In my experience you could be a strobe light incarnate and motorists would still claim they "didn't see you"

[@fingling8]

I appreciated your review of the Onyx. I've been wanting one since they came out--indeed, since the previous Continuum came out. It's good to have some tips about what aftermarket lights might work, and I am always looking for comments about how the bike fares in sub-zero weather. I live in the north where it rarely gets to -40 (and I wouldn't likely be riding in it if it were), but is often -25C (-13F). Your -25F comment warns me about the viscosity and lets me know it's fixable. And the spinning comment about downhills is also useful. Although I have no need to pedal if it's that steep a hill, it's good to know there is a kit for alternate gearing. I mostly want a low-maintenance bike with good lighting, and fenders are an absolute must. (I don't understand how folks on fat bikes, which are so ugly in my view, can bear the skunkmud stripe up their backs! Now to find some reviews of the new 600 ...

[@CykelSierra]

I'm curious about the gear ratio. How many wheel revolutions per crank revolution in the lowest and highest gear?

[@ModernMowerSterlingHeights]

Your review sold me the Priority Onyx. The only thing you didn't get to talk about, because your in Portland, was the commute in the snow. I bought one, and I will commuting through a Michigan winter on studs. :))

[@Philippe620]

So, how is the snow commute?

[@gcdtrek1]

I was on the fence with this bicycle but I decided I am going to purchase it after this review.

[@tonyabreu6912]

Great review hopefully will be getting a turi or contenum very soon

[@mykolamaistrenko374]

Thank you for great review

[@BenjaminDavinchi]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I know this review is from a few years ago so after all these years, is the gear range good enough for bike touring especially for uphill positions?

[@danstenis660]

Enviolo CVT hubs supposedly have less efficiency compared to other drivetrains, both traditional and other hubs. Do you feel like it is too much work to ride the Continuum Onyx fast compared to other drivetrains?

[@stoutdog56]

I think the Continuum Onyx is a great value considering all the features. I almost went with it but decided on a Aventon Soltera ebike instead. As my conditioning improves and my weight drops I have a Priority 600 waiting for me.

[@peterlyons8079]

Any tips on how you connected the Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ-X to the front dynamo? I'm interested in a similar upgrade.

[@acraigwalker]

Had to cut the wires on the Priority light, and reconnect to the new light. I mounted the new light and routed the wires the same as previous. I used small screw on wire connectors (from Home Depot) and wrapped in electrical tape.

[@Regantdarcy]

Good review. The frame on my Giant Escape Hybrid just cracked in half, so I am looking to upgrade to one of Priority’s bikes with a carbon belt drive. The Coninuum seems the closest to my Giant Escape than the rest of their bikes. My Giant was an 8 speed and I was wondering if the Continuum is similar in gear range? Thanks.

[@HuntersCyclingAdventures]

Priority is an amazing company I love my 600x

[@IS-xk3iq]

Sounds like Priority has outstanding customer service.

[@howardpearlman6328]

They are very responsive and supportive. Very friendly too.

[@sheslayfree]

Great video. I am looking to put on the same light on the same bike. How did you install the new IQX light? Did you have to cut the wires and solder them?

[@acraigwalker]

I did have to cut the existing wires and connect the new light. I used small screw on wire connectors, didn't solder (but you could).

[@whittiercheech5659]

liked the bike. thank you

[@seanbill942]

Great review, very helpful!

[@martind349]

When this guy says he never gets a flat in Oregon that is impressive. Very thorny blackberry vines are everywhere.

[@majchers]

Use Schwalbe puncture resistant tires (several available). I had 3 flats on my O-Australia trip.

[@Flyer7375]

❤ Thank you for a professional yet short review that covered all the pros and cons. I'm 77, bike for recreation & exercise in a very plain area, and this bike seems to meet the criteria except the weight. Wonder if you can recommend a bike with a similar profile - hybrid with internal hub - CVT or 7 speed, but with a weight around/under 25 lbs! My thanks in advance for your feedback.

[@lazurm]

Shah, Look at the Priority Apollo. It will totally fit your need.

[@joshuaolson7723]

How’s this bike holding up? Any issues? Has it really been maintenance free?

[@acraigwalker]

I'm finishing up my third winter with the bike. I had to replace the carbon belt last year, which Priority replaced under warranty. I expect I'll need to replace brake pads soon. I mentioned previously the issue with the transmission freezing the first winter, but no repeat since repairing it. It's a great winter workhorse bike.

[@joshuaolson7723]

@@acraigwalker Thanks for the update Craig. Did your belt break or just get worn out? How many miles did you have on it? I've been super impressed from what I've heard about their customer service, so I'm not surprised they were good about replacing it. I wrote them an email on a Saturday afternoon asking 6 different questions, and they emailed me back later that night with answers to all my questions. That's impressive.

[@williamwilson7857]

@@joshuaolson7723 Eddie is super responsive from Priority. They understood quite nicely how they should treat customers.

[@ZabDevin]

Great video . Thank you. You didn’t mention the seat though. It looks pretty thin. I would replace it. By the way, you have a great narrator voice. Sounds like a you should be narrating “Date Line” or something, LOL.

[@waynerogers7839]

How is the bike on hills. I have slopes of 8-10% that I have to contend with.

[@lazurm]

One major problem with a dynamo system is that when you stop the light doesn't illuminate. This can be dangerous at stops. I much prefer the brighter hand mounted lights that are popular today (i.e. the Ceco light and many others). These can also be used as a flashlight (when taken off the bicycle) if doing emergency road repairs at night.

[@acraigwalker]

The light continues to illuminate when stopped. At least for a few minutes, but less bright.

[@lazurm]

@@acraigwalker I found this out after my post. Still, a few minutes can be tense and it can't be used as an emergency light as described in my post. It's good as a added weight backup light but I'd prefer the current small, rechargeable, powerful lights available today, front and back.

[@stevec.1319]

Excellent review, thank you Craig.

[@Teapot-Dave]

Your bike-lanes look as good as some of them here in the UK ; gravel, broken-glass, and random bits of old car debris. The Councils think that they are being "green" and "cycle-friendly" because they have installed a few miles of bike-lane, but they are generally not maintained and I have never ever seen any of them being swept. Also, cars still seem to have the right-of-way to cut across a bike-lane to get into a side-road. I have had a few debates with some arrogant idiot car-drivers in my time....

[@klazerftw562]

Hi, I actually just received this bike for myself recently and was wondering, where did you get your hand grips on the bike from? I was thinking of replacing the stock grips on my continuum myself as I don't really like the feel of it.

[@acraigwalker]

I bought Ergon GP1 grips from Performance Bike (RIP), the model with shorter right hand for bar shifters. But still had to carve some materal off the end. I love these grips.

[@mariopiernes6944]

I will recommend Ergon grips, they are fantastic!

[@tracycummins4709]

Thanks for sharing.

[@vampirebatbite]

great review

[@Globeguy1]

Is your Continuum Onyx still running without any issues?

[@acraigwalker]

I've been working from home the past year, so haven't been commuting and riding this bike nearly as much. But it is still working great.

[@williamwilson7857]

Did you get a chance to try their more expensive model with pinion gearbox, the 600 ?

[@jakobw135]

Why is the cross bar THICKER than the top bar and seat post? How does the Nuvinci compare with the Pinion version of this bike?

[@howardpearlman6328]

Pinion has 600 percent range, top to bottom (emphasis on climbing gears). Nvinchi has either a 330 or 480 percentage range.

[@howardpearlman6328]

Your comment on gear ratio is spot on. I bought the gear ratio gear and belt and found it removed the lower climbing gear ratio without improving the higher downhill ratio, i still spin out. Good bike for inclement weather, not so much for recreation,; my most fun bike is the specialized diverge with red shift seat and handlebar shock sbsorbers. As you said, good for a commuter bike. Absolutely love the silent mtn free gates belt. Btw my bke has a nvinchi 330, get the 480 with better gear ratio if you can.

[@MatDart]

This is a long time since your post - but in case it helps: I recently bought a 2nd hand bike with nuvinci 330, Gates belt etc very similar spec to this one (Foffa, made in UK). I was dissapointed at low gear ratios at first but followed instructions in the manual to "Reset to full overdrive" and got a great improvement. Preciously I was getting 3 wheel revs to one pedal rev in the hightest ratio, and after reset I now get approx 3.8 wheel revs... might be worth looking into on yours?

[@howardpearlman6328]

@@MatDart Reset to full overdrive? Didn’t know that existed. Will look that up. Thanks!

[@majhoolmaroof2065]

What type of bike is your 19lbs. bike!?

[@acraigwalker]

I have a Merlin titanium road bike, and a Motobecane CF gravel bike.

[@airgreek]

What grips did you buy

[@acraigwalker]

I got Ergon GP1 grips, the model with the right hand shorter than the left for the bar shifter. I still had to carve some off to fit properly.

[@someguy9520]

I can't really agree on the flashing light part. I know many motorists that hate it when they see flashing bike lights. One question: Why get a 150$ dyno light? i mean it's not gonna make that much of a diffrence since they are(at least where i live) set to 6V and 0,5 Amps. So you only get 3 Watts. I mean a really efficient LED light gets about 100lm/Watt. So we're talkin 300lm at max. For 150$? I paid 100€ for a 1200lm 18650 battery driven light.

[@Jonathan906]

I have this bike, and find that I like the dyno light more than I had expected. It's always "just there", and I never have to worry over whether I've charged it recently. Sure, my battery light is way brighter, but the dyno light brings a lot of convenience, mainly due to it's always just being there on the bike.

[@polyrhythmia]

Wished that NuVinci shifter had some kind a click stops to make it easier to tell if you've shifted.

[@PartyHousePH]

It's CVT.

[@jacksatriano3719]

Flashing lights are not a good idea. They're illegal in Washington (not sure about Oregon). They annoy drivers and make it difficult to track your position.

[@acraigwalker]

Thank you for your thought-provoking comment. I agree that increasingly bright flashing bike headlights are bothersome to motorists and other cyclists, especially at night. In my case, I use lower lumen settings in flashing mode, and make sure the light is pointed slightly down. More than once I have had cars turn or pull out in front of me, though never at night. So now I always flash my headlight riding in daylight, too. While admitting my bias, as a motorist I welcome the added visibility and awareness the flashing bike lights provide me, though less so when overly bright.

[@pauldow1648]

@@acraigwalker I think flashing lights are good. Motorcyclists use them as a device to prevent accidents. Many cars use lights as a form of driver attentiveness. If Washington State does not allow cyclists to use lights sensibly to help prevent accidents ..... That is just stupid wrong.

[@Lolimaster]

If they complain about that FIRST they should create a proper bicycle lane well isolated from motorized vehicle. A bicycle lane is not some painting on the road NO.

[@adamh7947]

How fast is the top overdrive setting on flat pavement?

[@howardpearlman6328]

You spin out at around 15mph, and thats with the 52 tooth front gear. ☹️

[@adamh7947]

Thanks!

[@GordoGambler]

@@howardpearlman6328>>> I've seen the new fad 1x bikes do the same. LOL

[@wheelsonfire1982]

@@howardpearlman6328 I noticed the Continuum Onyx hub got upgraded from n330 to n380 on their latest models, I wonder if the new one is sufficient

[@Mikhail_Koks]

👍🏻

[@adrianotero7963]

I'm between the Priority and the Trek Soho....any comments.....

[@dwightmcclure4090]

This bike is not rode in a upright position

[@tybowman6946]

What about noisy hub/bearings while pedaling or coasting? You failed to mention that.

[@Vasileski88]

150$ for a headlight?!

[@GordoGambler]

For a light that NEVER fails, ALWAYS ON, NEVER needs a F---ing battery?? Hell YAH. My Edelux is 7 years old, 18,000 miles.

[@kottelkannim4919]

It is a perfect fit for a 1,300$ commuter bike whose review ends with a scene filmed from a drone camera.

[@GordoGambler]

The solution is getting rid of this boat anchor hub. LOL. Hopefully it's toast in 2021. A Rohloff14 will do anything and last longer than you prolly. I also have a SA XL-RD5w, Nexus 7i and SA RD3. The 7i is the perfect commuter drive, no doubt, especially with a disc. It's like half a Rohloff. LOL. A SA RD3 is no slouch either, on a narrower frame. I just did three 100+ mile day rides. The frame is a 1973 CCM with new 650B wheels, 42 lbs empty. It'll easily do circles around this Priority/ Nuvinci. Nothing better than a SA XL-FDD dyno DRUM brake hub. Mine has 27,000 miles, 8,100 on a 120 lb tour bike. In 2018, I did a 3,900 mile loop to Seaside and back to Edmonton. Was in west Portland 6 days.

[@drewendrisk]

1000$ - it is electric, isn't it?

[@dw2843]

No, it does have a dyno though.

[@palmeraz73]

no

[@tomallen6073]

Who the hell rides their bike in 25 degrees temps? There’s your problem.

[@r-w-r]

I have a skinny tire road bike that I ride until snow or ice makes it a no-go. I've ridden as cold as 13° and find at the beginning of the ride I am as comfortable as I am walking wearing the same cold weather gear. Eventually biking generates more body heat than walking and I become even warmer.