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Priority Bicycles Brings Sensible Simplicity to Kids Bikes With The Start

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Priority bicycles Start kids bike, family shot

Last year Priority Bicycles was launched with a hugely successful Kickstarter campaign for their first bike, the Priority Classic. The Classic was designed as a simple no-maintenance commuter, and since it sold extremely well the company is back this year with their new kids bike, the Start.

Company founder and CEO Dave Weiner is a father of two who decided to revisit the design of kids bikes, which haven’t seen much innovation in quite a long time. Weiner set out to create something that would be easy to maintain, always ready to ride and will last for generations.

Intended for children aged 2-8, the Start comes in two models with either 12” or 16” wheels, and is built with durable, no-fuss components like rust-free aluminum frames, non-inflatable tires, greaseless belt drive and tool-free adjustable (and removable) training wheels.

Click past the break for more details and photos…

Priority bicycles Start kids bike,  red 16"

The Start rides on some of the coolest looking tires this writer has laid eyes on, and I’m sure most kids would agree. The air-free Easy Go tires look like traditional tires that have been drilled out, with open holes in the sidewalls to provide compliance for absorbing bumps. These tires can never be punctured, will never need their air pressure checked, and you’ll never gear up for a ride only to find a surprise flat tire waiting for you. Priority says the tires will last for up to 2500 miles.

Priority Bicycles says they’re the first to offer a belt drive system on a kid’s bike. It’s quite a sensible idea as it runs clean, requires almost no maintenance and the belts are durable for the long run. Not having to deal with messy hands or greasy clothing from rerouting dropped chains is a definite plus, and the belt drive hasn’t pushed up the price of the bike like you might expect.

Priority bicycles Start kids bike,  dad guiding kid

Priority’s Start System training wheels adjust to three heights with a simple hand operated knob, with no tools required. Level three is where kids start, with the training wheels situated just slightly off the ground to keep your child supported. Level two raises the wheels to encourage introductory balance skills, and level one raises them more so kids have to fully balance the bike but still have a little tip-over protection. Installing, removing and adjusting the training wheels can be done by hand so whenever or wherever your little one suddenly gets the groove, you’re ready to adjust or remove them.

The Starts’ aluminum frame is lighter than steel, and it can be left outside with no concern about rust. The bikes feature a comfortable saddle with a handle for parents to assist with balancing or carry the bike easily, a quick-release seat clamp, and a front brake so kids can learn the levers while still having a coaster brake to fall back on.

Priority bicycles Start kids bike,  frame styles and sizing

Two different frame styles are available, a diamond style and a step-through with a slightly lowered top tube. The diamond style frame is essentially the boy’s model, and comes in red with gold details, or blue with silver accents. The step-through models are a little more girly with options for pink and gold, or turquoise and silver.

The Priority Start’s Kickstarter campaign goes live today, and the bikes will be sold at an introductory price of $199 and $209 USD, after which the price will go up to $249 and $259. The first production units are expected to ship out in October.

Check out the Kickstarter campaign here or go to Priority Bicycles’ website for more info.

prioritybicycles.com

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Dr. Unk
8 years ago

Step thru frame? What’s the point of a 1/2″ lower top tube on a 12″ wheeled bike?

Ultraclyde
Ultraclyde
8 years ago

Neat idea about applying these particular technologies to tyke bikes. Kudos.

But for kids bikes we are missing one key spec…How well does the coaster brake / belt drive / airless tire hold up to repeated mad brake-lock tire skidzzzz?

Dinh
Dinh
8 years ago

I’m also a father of 2 kids. My oldest is 3 now and he trained on a push bike at the age of 2. Now he’s using a pedal bike from Commencal (Ramones 14): 1st try, he knew how to pedal, did not fall, got his balance. Having training wheels on a kid bike is a step back. A push bike teach them balance, control, how to lean in turns… And the Ramones 14 looks so rad!

JAKE
JAKE
8 years ago

Good work Woody Allen,

FoolCyclist
FoolCyclist
8 years ago

Sensible kids’ means no training wheels. Not this idea. Training wheels only discourages the kids by teaching poor balance and turning mechanics. Nice try.

Jim Mac
Jim Mac
8 years ago

@Dinh, I agree. My 1st son started on a balance bike at 2, was pedaling at 3 and on a BMX bike & track by 4 or so. The biggest thing I noticed is that training wheels don’t allow you to learn to lean (and balance) into turns.

Dinh
Dinh
8 years ago

@Jim Mac, thanks for the advice for his next bike!

Rider X
Rider X
8 years ago

I wonder if they took a moment to adjust the pedalling stance? Every kid bike I have seen to day has way too wide of a pedalling stance (Q factor) as they use modified adult components. Looking at my poor three year pedalling with her feet way out past her knees I figure there has to be a better way.

Sully
Sully
8 years ago

My kids are only getting one summer out of bike before they have grown too tall. The ideas are very good, but no one owns kids bikes long enough for many of those features to really matter. Craigslist is great for kids bikes. Been picking up name brand kids bikes for less than $40 the last few years, then selling them 8 months later for a profit!
I would love to put those tires on my daughter’s 20″ wheeled specialized though…..

Dave
Dave
8 years ago

Non-inflatable tires kills this for me. Traction is terrible on them, no matter how many holes you carve out.

Beyond that, I’ll echo everyone else on the training wheels. Balance is the primary skill on a bicycle, not pedaling. Training wheels just handicap the kid out of the gate. It would also be nice to see some hand brakes, since it’s easier to teach a kid “grab this to stop” than “Ok, now pedal the opposite direction”.

These guys are doing it right: http://www.supurb.de/ Picking up the 16″ for my 3.5yr old who’s begging for a pedal bike to replace his Strider.

Alb
Alb
8 years ago

Ditto Rider X – the double chaincase is usually to blame

Bert Sawicki
Bert Sawicki
8 years ago

Training wheels and coaster brakes should be outlawed! I’m not a fan of solid tires

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
8 years ago

agree w/jim mac. bought my kiddo a used rig at 3 from clist for $20. removed cranks. instant push bike. a few months later installed cranks. he turned 4 soon after and was on the bmx track racing a couple of weeks later.

satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
8 years ago

..or start with a bmx pit bike. one and done

J-Red
J-Red
8 years ago

Rider X: that’s a great point I had never considered. Alb, it’s not the chain case, it’s the width of the bottom bracket and axle. I’d venture to guess that having a 3piece crankset would make a narrower bottom bracket possible, but good luck finding a three-piece on a kids bike. Would likely need narrower tires too for chain clearance (or belt, in this case)

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