Priority Turi Review – Belt Drive Comfort Hybrid Bike

Brimming with stylish retro flair, the Priority Turi is an exceptionally crafted and comfortable head-turner. As a versatile general use bike, the Turi is well-suited for a wide variety of riders – commuters, errand runners, weekend leisure cruisers, or parents with kids in tow.

The quiet and low-maintenance belt drive begins to separate the Turi from a crowded marketplace, while its uniquely smooth Enviolo gearing system widens that gap.

Read our full review below to help you decide if the Priority Turi is a good match for your bike lifestyle goals.

Priority Turi Overview

RATING: Exceptional

MSRP: $949

BEST FOR: Short or longer distance cruising and fitness rides, or casual commuting

SIZES: Three sizes for heights 5’0 – 6’1

WEIGHT: TBA (with kickstand and pedals)

SPECIFICATIONS

GEARS: Enviolo seamless, continuous shifting
FRAME: Aluminum Alloy
BRAKES: Hydraulic disc

View on Priority

Why Choose a Priority Turi?

As long-time fans of Priority Bicycles, we’ve been testing and riding Priority kids and adult bikes for the last 10 years. From beach cruisers to city hybrids and casual neighborhood bikes, Priority offers a wide array of bikes for a wide array of uses.

The Priority Turi is one of their most versatile bikes and shouldn’t really be confined to a single “best use” category. It’s a bit city commuter, beach cruiser, and neighborhood bike. If we had to give it a label, we’d call it a comfort hybrid bike.

What type of rider is the Turi “comfort hybrid” best for?

Here’s our checklist. You…

• prefer riding a bike in a pretty upright position, but want the option to lean in for speed or hills
• want the luxury of ridiculously smooth shifting
• will be staying mainly on streets and sidewalks (or occasionally packed dirt) and want the efficiency of smooth, thin tires
• plan to ride mostly flat roads and mild hills
• love the security of the stopping power of hydraulic disc brakes
• want to deal with minimal bike maintenance (much more on this below, thanks to the belt drive)

What makes riding the Turi so comfortable and versatile?

The Turi’s frame geometry and flat handlebar design put the rider in a pretty upright, but slightly leaned forward position. This makes it feel almost as casual as a beach cruiser, but allows the rider to lean in to more easily gain speed or to power up hills. At the same time, the rider is plenty upright enough for a relaxed and comfortable field of vision.

Like a hybrid bike, the wide gearing range enables the Turi to climb mild hills and then gain speed when breezing down the other side. (Although if you need to climb extended mild hills, or a short steep hill often, a true hybrid bike with a lower gear would be beneficial.) The seamless Enviolo rear hub and shifter make for shockingly smooth changes in gearing.

For commuters, the thin tires with smooth traction have minimal rolling resistance for maximizing your efficiency and going the distance on streets and sidewalks. The hydraulic disc brakes provide quick and reliable braking in traffic or wet conditions.

What Makes the Priority Turi Stand Out?

If you’ve opted in to the idea of a Turi based on our assessment of who the Turi is best for, you still may need some convincing to shell out $949 for a bike. The Turi doesn’t come cheap, but is well worth the added investment over budget-friendly brands like Retrospec and SixThreeZero, and even equally expensive brands like Electra and Linus.

Here are three reasons we believe the Priority Turi is well worth its price tag.

(1) Enviolo Shifter and Internally Geared Hub
(2) Low Maintenance Belt Drive
(3) Exceptional overall quality

Why the Enviolo Gearing System Is Superior

The Turi’s Enviolo shifter and gearing system is its biggest point of differentiation from other bike brands, and even from other Priority bikes. As far as our research has shown us, Priority is the only bike brand in the US selling the Enviolo system on bikes that are not e-bikes. The technology is completely unique from traditional shifting systems, and has been overwhelmingly impressive during our testing.

To make something technically complex simple, Enviolo shifting can be called “stepless shifting” or “continuously variable”. While your average hybrid bike might have 7 – 21 distinct gears, the Enviolo system has an infinite amount between its highest and lowest gear. Enviolo compares it best to turning the volume knob on your car radio.

Enviolo vs. Traditional Derailleur

You’re probably familiar with how most bikes shift gears. Here you can see a side by side comparison of the gearing of the Turi with an internally geared Enviolo hub, and a bike with a traditional derailleur.

That derailleur you see here has seven distinct cogs, representing seven distinct steps or gears. The chain moves up and down those cogs to make it easier or harder to pedal.

A derailleur is generally the most finicky part of a bike, and often gets out of adjustment. That’s when your chain might get stuck in a gear, transition loudly from one gear to another, or even get stuck in a non-existent place between two gears. No one likes the feeling of gears grinding and struggling to find their place.

The Enviolo hub does not have cogs and has its mechanical elements housed inside the rear hub that completely protects all of the moving components so that it will never get damaged or out of adjustment. Another huge benefit over derailleurs is that with an internally geared system, you can shift into any gear while you’re completely stopped.

Internally Geared Hubs – Enviolo vs. Shimano

All Priority bikes feature internally geared hubs (most by Shimano) that offer the benefits we’ve just talked about over derailleurs. And while we’ve always enjoyed our other Priority Bikes, once we got a taste of the speciality Enviolo hub (offered only on the Turi and a few others) we were immediately converted to this more high-end offering.

Standard internally geared hubs, like the Shimano Nexus used on many Priority bikes, have three or seven distinct gears. To shift into a new gear, you need to stop pedaling. You can be coasting, or at a complete stand still. While the benefits of internally geared hubs over derailleurs are numerous, it can be annoying to stop pedaling to change gears, especially if you’re trying to climb a hill.

The Enviolo hub’s “stepless” system enables you to finesse your gearing to a uniquely perfect spot at any time – pedaling or not, and even if climbing while standing. Shifting just requires you to twist the grip shifter on your right hand, and the process is completely silent. There is no clicking into place when the bike finds its new gear, just a perfect gliding sensation as pedaling becomes easier or harder.

And as an added bonus, instead of showing gear numbers in the grip shifter’s window, a little man on a hill is shown. As you twist the shifter, the image of the hill gets steeper or flatter to visually demonstrate which gearing is best for hills or flat roads.

Enviolo is a feature you never knew you needed because you didn’t know such luxurious technology existed. It’s like a Smart TV. Once you’ve converted, other systems just seem lackluster. 🙂

Enviolo Benefits in a Nutshell

So to sum it up, here’s what you’ll enjoy with an Enviolo gearing system that you won’t with a traditional derailleur:

• Stepless shifting – a continuously variable amount of gears that shift soooo smoothly that it’s honestly hard to put into words!
• Minimal maintenance – with the gearing housed inside the rear hub, it’s protected so that your shifting will always be effortless and smooth, without the need for regular adjustments
• Shift at any time – whether you’re pedaling, coasting, stopped at a cross walk, or standing up to climb a hill, you can effortlessly shift at any time
• Super Quiet – In general, internally geared hubs paired with a belt drive are much quieter than a derailleur and bike chain. The Enviolo system is even more so, eliminating the light clicking noise the Shimano hub has while pedaling. (Although while coasting, it does still click.)

Low Maintenance Belt Drive

The Turi’s carbon belt drive (vs. a traditional bike chain), combined with the low-maintenance internally geared Enviolo hub, makes this bike a dream for riders who don’t want to deal with regular bike maintenance.

The Gates carbon belt drive on the Priority Turi has many benefits:
(1) Bike chains are made from steel and and need to be cleaned and lubed regularly to keep them rolling smoothly. Belt drives just need a spray of water to clean!
(2) Since belt drives don’t have grease, they can’t cause your hands or pants to get black or greasy.
(3) A belt drive is very unlikely to fall off. On the other hand, it’s quite normal for a bike chain to fall off. For the average rider, getting the chain back on can be a pain.
(4) Made from carbon fiber threads, rather than steel like a bike chain, a carbon belt drive won’t ever rust.
(5) A carbon Gates belt drive is more durable than a bike chain and has a much longer lifespan.
(6) The overall ride feel of the Turi’s belt drive is smoother and more buttery than a bike with a chain.

Exceptional Quality

We’ve tested many adult and women’s bikes over the past few years from a wide variety of popular brands like Electra, Trek, Cannondale, REI, Retrospec, SixThreeZero, and Linus. While the Turi is on the expensive side for a non-technical (road, mountain, gravel bike etc.) bike, we actually feel that its price tag is quite reasonable given its exceptional quality.

Overall Bike Feel

When compared to all of the other bikes and brands we’ve tested, the Priority Turi has an impressively precise design feel. Nothing rattles and every part of the bike was carefully considered for ease of use and longevity.

As a comparison, we’ve also tested the similarly priced Linus Dutchi 7i. While this bike is certainly a beauty and all of our test riders enjoyed riding it, its overall quality doesn’t quite match the Turi.

The Linus’ braking system required a ton of adjusting before it worked well enough, and even then, its braking power leaves something to be desired for its price. Additionally, its chain guard often rubs the chain and crank arm, which can make for a noisy ride.

Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Besides the high-end belt drive and Enviolo gearing we’ve already discussed, the Turi features hydraulic disc brakes. This style of brakes is considered the most high-end of braking systems, offering superior stopping power. One of their biggest benefits is that even in wet road conditions, you can depend on their consistent ability to stop quickly.

Does your average rider using the Turi need hydraulic disc brakes? Probably not, but having them is certainly some delicious icing on the cake.

Double Kick Stand

Two feet instead of one is just SO MUCH BETTER. With a double-footed kick stand, your bike remains upright, instead of angled precariously to one side ready to fall over at any moment.

This is a small detail, but incredibly appreciated. Most other bike brands have not yet converted to this kickstand of the future. 🙂

Other Things to Consider

Gearing Range – Will You Be Climbing Hills?

One limitation that the Priority Turi has is that it could benefit from a lower lowest gear. (Low gears make it easier to pedal and thus easier to go up a hill or incline. High gears make it harder to pedal but move the bike forward more with each pedal stroke. Higher gears are meant for gaining and maintaining speed on flat roads and downhill.)

In the Turi’s lowest gear, climbing an extended moderate hill in the neighborhood (about 0.3 miles) was certainly manageable, but as the quads burned, I was wishing I could shift into a lower gear.

Additionally, climbing a short, very steep incline on our daily commute was a struggle. With momentum going into that incline, I powered through it in the lowest gear, but someone who rides bikes more casually may need to get off and walk in that situation.

On the high end of gearing (which is best for speeding through flat straightaways or even downhill), you’ll never be able to pedal so fast that you feel like you’re “spinning your pedals”, even on the downhill. I personally never found a situation where I needed to be in the highest gear, even pedaling downhill. I just didn’t need to fly down a hill that fast.

But the good thing here is that the Turi’s gearing range provides plenty of tension under the pedals to gain speed in pretty much any situation. On that same quad-burning extended hill climb, coming home in the opposite direction I could choose to coast or pick up speed by pedaling.

In the end, if you’re going to be climbing hills frequently, you may want to consider a true hybrid bike that has a wider and lower gearing range.

Mid-step Frame

Traditional men’s bikes have frames with a high, flat top tube called a diamond frame. Traditional women’s frames have a low step-through design (originally to better manage riding in a skirt).

The Turi has what’s called a mid-step frame which is somewhere in the middle, and looks very gender-neutral. From a functional standpoint, it makes frequent stopping and starting at traffic lights easier as you can just slide forward off the saddle.

But for mounting and dismounting, if you’re not very flexible or agile, lifting your leg up and over the middle of the frame can be a little difficult. For me, it’s actually easier to swing my whole leg over the saddle.

This is completely a matter of preference, but if your body is getting less flexible as you age, a lower step-through frame like on the Priority Coast might be a better option for you.

Adjusting the Fit – Saddle and Handlebars

All sizes of the Turi have a seat post that has several inches of seat height adjustment. The saddle also sits on a set of rails that allow you to move the saddle forward or back to fine-tune your fit.

The stem of the bike can be raised or lowered to dial in the most comfortable riding position. The handlebars only have a very slight rise, but they can be rotated towards or away from the rider for further fine-tuning.

I prefer a slightly more upright body position, so as a tall rider, I raised the handlebar stem to its maximum, and rotated the handlebars toward me to minimize my reach.

Assembly Simple, Aided by Video

The assembly of the Turi is quite straightforward, although I would anticipate it taking about 45 minutes to an hour. Priority’s Turi assembly video is incredibly helpful.

The video is a little outdated, as it does show some steps that are no longer necessary. Priority has clearly streamlined their packaging and customer assembly process, so that’s a win!

If you prefer not to assemble your own bike, you can order the bike to include assembly at a local bike shop.

Taking Kids Along for the Ride

As a family bike riding website, we are always looking for bikes that make it easy to add child bike seats or trailers. With the Turi’s wide gearing range and powerful hydraulic disc brakes, its a solid option for the additional weight of biking with babies and toddlers.

Rear Child Bike Seat with the Priority Turi

With the addition of a rear rack, the Turi is fully compatible with a rear child bike seat. To make it as streamlined as possible, Priority sells the Burley Dash rack mounted bike seat and corresponding rack on their website. If you choose to buy a rack and seat elsewhere, be sure that your rack has a high weight capacity to accommodate the weight of the seat and your growing child.

The placement of the mid-step top tube will prevent you from mounting a rear child bike seat to the frame.

Front Child Bike Seat

The Priority Turi has a threaded headset that is ideal for mounting a front child bike seat, like the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini. Here you can see the Priority Classic with the same style of headset, and how it works with the Thule Yepp Nexxt Mini mounting bracket.

Bike Trailer with the Priority Turi

The Turi’s rear axle is compatible with most bike trailer hitch couplers.

Priority Turi Bottom Line

With the Priority Turi, you won’t be sacrificing style for substance. Equally stellar in visual design and performance design, the Turi’s Enviolo shifting, Gates carbon belt drive, and exceptional quality provide a smooth and quiet riding experience.

For a look at other adult bikes we love, check out our 10 Best Bikes for Women page.

FTC Disclosure: Affiliate links are included in this review.  No monetary compensation was provided for this review, however, the reviewed product was supplied by the manufacturer or distributor to help facilitate this review. All opinions and images are that of Two Wheeling Tots LLC.  All content and images are copyrighted and should not be used or replicated in any way. View our Terms of Use.