Priority Vanth first ride: plows rough terrain with rock-solid stability

Show summary Hide summary

• Prototype build: what I actually rode
• Geometry numbers that shaped the ride
• How the suspension behaved on high-speed roughness
• Cornering, mid-stroke support and stability
• Jumping and manualing — how lively is the Vanth?
• Drivetrain and gearbox: everyday use notes
• Practical impressions and rider-focused pros and cons
• Where to find full specs and the production configuration

At Whistler Bike Park I rode a prototype Priority Vanth that grabbed attention with an unusual high-pivot linkage, an in-frame gearbox, and a Gates belt drive. The bike handled rough, fast tracks with surprising composure. My short test focused on suspension and handling rather than a full component deep dive.

Prototype build: what I actually rode

The demonstrator bike I sampled used non-final parts. The prototype carried a Pinion 12-speed gearbox during testing. Priority has chosen a different route for production models.

• Production gearbox: Pinion C1.9i 9-speed with Smart.Shift.
• Rear shock: Prototype used an older Fox Float X2 unit. Production bikes will get current-year Float X2 options.
• The frame lacked clear Priority branding. Small “Project 174” stickers hinted at Priority’s address on Hudson St.

Geometry numbers that shaped the ride

I rode an S2 size. It fit my 5’10” frame well for park laps. The geometry influenced how the bike felt on steep, rough trails.

• Reach: 475 mm
• Rear center: 448 mm
• Head angle: 64°
• Seat tube angle: 78.5°

The slack head angle and long chainstay provide a stable platform. The reach felt a touch long for lifty tricks, but it sat well in fast descents.

How the suspension behaved on high-speed roughness

The Vanth uses a rearward axle path and about 165 mm of rear travel. On Whistler’s chattery trails the bike soaked up bumps impressively.

• Small-bump compliance: very good; the rear wheel tracked smoothly over chatter and small roots.
• Big hits: handled most square-edged impacts without bottoming, though a few absolute monsters challenged it.
• With the shock pressure matched to rider weight, the bike used nearly full travel each lap.

Given the 27.5″ rear wheel, I was surprised by the level of control. At no point did the bike feel under-traveled for aggressive park lines.

Cornering, mid-stroke support and stability

The Vanth impressed in berms and high-speed sweeping turns. Mid-stroke support combined with the rearward path kept the bike stable.

• The wheelbase grows under compression, which helps the bike feel planted.
• It remained balanced front-to-back, allowing confident line choice at speed.
• Quick, tight turns still felt manageable despite the long rear center.

Steering felt natural, and the bike tracked predictable arcs through big berms and chunky descents.

Jumping and manualing — how lively is the Vanth?

The high-pivot design sacrifices a bit of pop. Getting lofty off shallow lips required more effort than on more “poppy” frames.

• Jump pop is muted compared with bikes with more rearward axle path freedom.
• Manuals and lifting the front wheel are harder due to the 475 mm reach and long rear end.
• Suspension tuning might improve these traits, but I had limited time to experiment.

Drivetrain and gearbox: everyday use notes

The Vanth prototype ran a Gates belt drive and a Pinion gearbox at the bottom bracket. Both systems worked cleanly on the trail.

• Gates belt: quiet, smooth, and felt stiff under hard pedaling. I could not test mud-shedding in dry park conditions.
• Pinion gearbox: shifts were precise. A useful perk is shifting while stopped at a trailhead.
• One drawback: there is no obvious visual gear indicator at a glance.

Practical impressions and rider-focused pros and cons

From my brief time on the prototype, the Vanth shows clear strengths and some trade-offs. Below are the main points to consider.

• Pros: excellent small-bump absorption; strong mid-stroke support; very stable at speed; neat integration of Pinion and Gates systems.
• Cons: less pop on jumps; front-wheel lift is more demanding; prototype components differed from production spec.
• Note: dropper cable on the demo was too short, so climbing and seated pedaling impressions are limited.

Where to find full specs and the production configuration

Priority swapped the prototype’s Pinion 12-speed for the production C1.9i 9-speed Smart.Shift gearbox. The final builds will also use current-year Fox Float X2 shocks depending on trim.

For full technical details and model options, see Priority’s official launch coverage and spec pages.