Bicycle Review
Weekends are the best, aren't they? My favorite are the slow days spent around the house just soaking up all that summer has to offer. This weekend was especially nice as the weather was picture perfect in Indiana. It's hard to imagine that in just a few short months we could be seeing beautiful snowflakes falling, but I suppose that's why I've always liked the Midwest - you get a little bit of it all!
Tyler and I went on a nice long bike ride on Saturday morning so we could enjoy the sunshine and so I could test out my new Priority Bicycle I talked about on Friday. As promised, I've provided a review of my experience below.
Pros
- Look/Design - loved the classic look and simple options
- Weight - the aluminum frame made the bike light and easy for me to carry
- Customer Service - everything from the website, delivery and email response time was top notch
- Assembly - Tyler was able to put the whole thing together in no time and I heard very little frustration while he was doing it - all good signs!
- Price - $400 for a quality bike is a great deal
- Business Philosophy - really like the company and what they stand for
Cons
- Seat - it is supposed to be designed for comfort, but I'm still sore two days later
- Handlebars - the bike offers a lot of adjustment options, but I didn't care for how upright I had to sit
- Brakes - surprisingly intuitive to use the foot braking system, but I felt like I had to be constantly pedaling
- Gears - second and third gear made a strange noise. I'm sure it could have been adjusted a bit, but it was annoying
- Commuter Bike - perfect for running errands around town, but I didn't feel like I would want to really get out and do a lot of riding on it
- Speed - despite my constant pedaling, Tyler still had to coast a good portion of the time to stay with me. I hoped I would gain a lot of speed with a lighter bike, but his bike still outpaced me like I was sitting still.
My ultimate decision? I returned the bicycle.
While I liked so many things about my Priority Bicycle, I just didn't like it that much more than what I already owned. I'm planning to take my old bike into a shop to have it tuned up and some new tires put on, and I think that will be just the upgrade the bike needs. I do plan to keep an eye out on Craigslist for a nice road bike, though.
If you ARE in the market for a new bike, I would highly recommend checking out Priority Bicycles! While it wasn't a perfect fit for me, I think it might be great for you! A bike like this would be perfect for a short commute to work, a weekend ride to the farmers market, or quickly getting around a college campus.