Priority Skyline Review: Automatic Shifting Electric Bike!
Hey everyone, Micah here with Electric and today we’re reviewing the new Priority Skyline electric bike. Come along with us while we check it out. ebikes over the years, but this one stands out in a really big way. It’s not just another city cruiser with a motor strapped on it. The Skyline feels much more refined, more integrated, and a lot of that comes down to the insane tech packed into this thing. We’re talking a fully electronic, fully automatic shifting gearbox, a belt drive system from Gates, and a smooth yet punchy 750 W motor with an integrated torque sensor. It’s basically a high-end, almost futuristic commuter bike, but built by a direct to consumer company that still somehow prioritizes quality components and a clean, neat design. That’s because Priority Bicycles, the folks behind this ebike, have one foot in the traditional cycling industry and the other foot in the newer world of affordable ebikes that average folks can buy. The result, highquality ebikes at very fair prices. And when it comes to quality components, the standout feature here has got to be that pinion C1.12i smart shift gearbox. This is a seriously high-end part, something you would usually only find on boutique European bikes that cost thousands more than this. Instead of a traditional derailer or even an internally geared hub, the Skyline uses a sealed gearbox by the bottom bracket there with 12 perfectly spaced gears and a whopping 600% gear range. But the big party trick is the smart part, the electronic shifting. You can manually shift if you want using these nice little tactile buttons near your right thumb, but honestly, after the first few minutes of getting used to the automatic shifting, I just stopped using the manual shifting altogether. The automatic shifting just works too well. If you go into the pinion app, you can customize it so your shifting experience is set up the way you want it. You can select your ideal cadence and what gear the bike automatically downshifts into its stops so that you can start in the right gear. For me, I’m in a very flat city, so I found that I prefer to basically start in around fifth or sixth gear already. But hilly terrain riders may prefer lower gears, especially if you’re often starting at the bottom of a hill. Though, of course, you can always just downshift real quick if you need to, especially since the pinion gearbox lets you shift at rest, unlike a derailer. And the cool thing is that even if you are using that throttle, no pedaling at all, you can still see the bike automatically shifting behind the scenes so that if you do decide to start pedaling, it’s already in the perfect gear based on your current speed. And that’s just kind of wild. I did need to adjust my riding habits slightly though. Like for instance, I would have to briefly ease up on the pedals when I would want the bike to shift. Kind of like how you’d naturally back off to shift on a normal drivetrain. But once I got used to it, the shifting felt very intuitive. Basically, I’ll just start pedaling and then I pause briefly when I’m ready for a shift and then it shifts for me. It’s not like a rough automatic transmission feeling. It’s relatively smooth and pretty quiet and definitely weirdly satisfying. Now, at first I thought that the shifting was a bit loud. And let me put the camera down here and see if you can hear it as I change speeds here. So, even on throttle, you know, you can hear it going like each time uh it shifts as you speed up and slow down. But, uh, you know, the more I thought about it, when I ride my derailer bikes, every time I shift, it goes kunk clunk clunk. So, I guess that little is not as loud as I originally thought it was. The gearbox also works beautifully with that Gates carbon belt, which is another huge highlight for me. No greasy chain, no lube, no noise. It’s basically zero maintenance. And I mean that literally. Yeah, you might check the belt tension once every few months. And and yeah, there is an oil port on the gearbox to top it up once every 10,000 km or 6,000 mi. So, while it’s not technically 100% maintenancefree, it’s about as close as you can physically get. Add in the hydraulic disc brakes, which are also almost zero maintenance, and the only things you really need to occasionally do are check your tires and your brake pads. Power-wise, the 750 W hub motor gives you plenty of go. It uses a torque sensor, so the pedal assist feels more natural, ramping up based on how hard you’re basically pushing. In class 3 mode, I was easily cruising around at 28 mph on flat ground, or technically slightly above it, but we’ll keep that a little secret between you and me and the internet. The bike actually ships as a class 2, but you can unlock that class 3 performance right in the settings. There’s also a thumb throttle that works up to 20 mph and it cuts out above that. And so that’s great if you want to take a break from pedaling or you just need a quick boost. But you can remove the throttle if you either don’t want it or you live in a state where throttles are not allowed on a class 3 ebike. The battery range is solid, too. The 720watth battery is fully integrated into the down tube, so it keeps the frame looking nice and clean, though the top tube is weirdly chunky up there. But of course, the battery is removable for charging. When it comes to range, I can tell you that on my rides where I would use just a bit of throttle and medium pedal assist, I was getting 25 mile loops and coming back with about 40% battery charge remaining, putting me at an extrapolated range of about 42 m per charge. So, that 20 to 60 m range estimate they put on their spec sheet, it’s basically exactly spot-on. Now, if you do ride slower than I do, you’re going to get closer to that 60 m figure. Comfortwise, this bike is pretty dialed in. It rolls on 27 1/2×2 in Maxis Metro Pass tires, which are smooth, but still absorb some of that road chatter. There’s also the Sunour suspension fork with 80 mm of travel to soften up sidewalk cracks and potholes and other things the city might throw at you. And I really appreciated the adjustable stem, which let me dial in a nice and upright, relaxed riding position. I definitely prefer to sit a little more upright on my rides, so that’s a nice feature for me. The handlebars are pretty wide, which gives you great stability. Though, I will say if you’re someone like me who rides between cars during traffic a lot, you’ll want to keep an eye on that handlebar width when you’re lane splitting. One of the many areas on the bike that highlights just how well it’s designed is how well it rides without hands, which is a direct indication that someone who knew what they were doing designed the bike’s geometry, the fork trail, etc. That’s instead of like many direct to consumer ebikes where they just seem like someone drew up the basic shape of what a bike typically looks like, which isn’t quite enough to get you a bike that simply wants to ride as stable as this one does, whether you’re an active participant in that or not. Then there’s the commuter setup. full aluminum fenders, an integrated rack rated for almost 50 lbs, front and rear LED lighting powered off the main battery, and even a USBC charging port at the display for your phone or other accessories. The headlight is 500 lmmens and is mounted on the stem for a nice steady beam that follows your steering. And the tail light is brake sensing and tucked neatly into that fender. It’s all just a clean and thoughtful design, so you’re not carrying around extra exposed wiring for more pieces that can get tangled up in the bike rack. Man, it is a nice day to be out riding. Doesn’t matter what bike you’re on, but it is real nice on this one. Okay, so I’ve praised the bike a lot so far. I do really like it, but let’s talk about what’s not perfect. First of all, the bike is 68 lb, which is definitely on the heavier side for a commuter bike. You’re not carrying this thing upstairs very easily, that’s for sure. Ah, yes. The joys of apartment living. [Music] And the electric gearbox only shifts with power. So, if your battery dies mid ride or like once where I just wanted to move the bike a bit and not actually turn it on, you’re kind of stuck in whatever gear you were last in. But those are pretty much the two biggest complaints I could find. And there’s just not much else to complain about on such a nicely designed and executed bike. And for those trade-offs, I’ll gladly take it for the performance and the lowmaintenance ride experience that this bike offers, not to mention all of that impressive tech in the automatic shifted gearbox. As for its MSRP of $3,999, the Priority Skyline is definitely in premium territory. Though that $300 off sale during the launch does help bring it closer to affordability for some. But remember this is Priority’s topofthe-line ebike. They have several more models that start under $2,000. So we’re looking at their flagship model here, which is sporting a gearbox normally seen on European luxury ebikes that cost well over $6,000 and sometimes a lot more than that. So the full package here feels like a great value for what you’re getting. It’s the kind of bike that’s not just good today. It’s built to be good years from now and hold up as a true car replacement. A bike that you can use day in and day out. That 6,000mi oil check for the gearbox, you could be doing that several times over many, many years on a bike built like this. [Music] So, if you’re looking for a powerful, smart, lowmaintenance commuter ebike that blends high-end components with practical features and a clean design, the Priority Skyline Smart Shift deserves a serious look. It’s a future forward ride that delivers on its tech. [Music] Thanks for watching everyone. We hope you enjoyed that review of the new Priority Skyline. If you did, why don’t you give the video a thumbs up and don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our future electric vehicle videos. We’ll see you here next time.
The Priority Skyline electric bike is a rare mixed breed of high-quality yet surprisingly reasonable pricing. Its automatic shifting electric Pinion gearbox is its crown jewel, and the bike deserves a second look by anyone who values a great handling, great pedaling e-bike for city commuting.
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