Priority e-Classic Plus ebike review: Easy, mellow cruising on a budget

In the United States the attitude tends to be bigger is better. Many of the electric bikes available top out at 28 mph and they’ve got huge motors with heavy batteries. It took some serious deep diving to find a collection of stylish and well designed options when we put together our list of the best budget electric bikes. Even among that list though, there are an awful lot of class 3 options and the experience isn’t always quite what everyone wants.  

There’s a new option though and it’s from a New York based brand that specialises in belt drive bikes. The Priority e-Classic Plus is a different kind of bike. The top speed is lower, it’s lightweight, and it’s designed as much for cruising to dinner as it is for any kind of serious commute. Style is an important part of the overall experience and there are a lot of little details clearly aimed at a less serious experience. When I talk about ebikes, this is the kind of bike I love to recommend to people. 

As much as I like a bike like this though, there are limitations to the Priority e-Classic Plus. To find out what it can do, I took it through the city to meet friends and eat dinner; I took it to the supermarket to fill up a backpack full of groceries and I also took it way out of its comfort zone. Taking a three speed cruiser bike up a hill I use for hill repeats felt a bit ridiculous but now I’m ready to tell you how this bike does on a sustained 12% climb. If you are looking for an inexpensive ebike that lets you leave your car at home, keep reading to see if the Priority e-Classic Plus is the right option for you. 

Design and aesthetics