Priority Bicycles has spent the last decade proving that bicycles don’t need to be complicated to be good. Now the New York-based bicycle company is taking one of its more playful pedal bikes and giving it the electric treatment with the new Priority E-Sauce.

The E-Sauce is based on Priority’s existing Sauce, a chunky-tired, belt-driven, single-speed bicycle that was originally expected to appeal to a fairly narrow group of riders. (Fun fact: it also comes in an 8-speed internally geared hub variant, known as the Hot Sauce.)

Instead of living out its product life in obscurity as a bike between niches, Priority says the bike found a much wider audience than they originally expected thanks to its relaxed riding style, distinctive looks, and ability to handle everything from city streets to trails.

Unlike many of the e-bike companies we cover, Priority didn’t spring up during the e-bike boom with a catalog of imported electric bicycles. The Manhattan-based company was founded by legit cyclists and spent years building traditional bicycles before increasingly embracing electrification. Its calling card has long been bike-shop-quality construction paired with unusually low-maintenance components, particularly Gates carbon belt drives, which the company features on every model it offers, right down to their cute little kids’ bikes.

That same formula carries over to the E-Sauce, which uses a single-speed Gates belt drive rather than a derailleur and chain. Power comes from a 750W rear hub motor, and there’s a throttle for riders who don’t feel like pedaling.

Source link