Price: $549
Weight: 30.3 lb. (one size)
Gearing: Shimano Nexus 3-speed internal hub, Gates Carbon Drive belt
The right bike for: Anyone who lives along the coast, stores bikes at the beach, or just wants a true, lightweight beach cruiser.

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If for every neglected, corrosion-inflicted beach bike a Priority Coast could swoop in and swap places, there’d be more cruisers cruising and fewer leaning against porches or, worse, in pieces. The salt air is no match for the Coast’s rustproof components, which include stainless steel spokes, an aluminum frame and fork, and a grease-free Gates Carbon Drive belt.

Sealed bearings and water-resistant grips and saddle defend against seaside mist and sand, and Kenda puncture-resistant tires are hardly fazed by razor-sharp clamshells and broken glass. For bopping around town, you’ll likely spend most of your time in the middle gear, but you’ll be thankful for easier pedaling should the street take a slight upturn and a harder gear when you want to cover a little more ground in a little less time to get home for post-beach cocktails. A double kickstand keeps the bike from tipping when parked, especially if your Priority Front Basket ($60) is loaded with beach essentials (there are also mounts for a rear rack). The traditional cruiser-style handlebar has a 3-speed twist shifter on the right and a front hand brake on the left (though you have the option of using the coaster brake).

Designed with the traditional beach cruiser–style bike in mind, but updated to outlive the ones of yore, the Priority Coast will find a lifelong home in any seaside town.

The Priority Coast’s lightweight, aluminum frame comes in five colors: white, black, indigo, sunset rose, and the newest color, sky blue (shown here).
Trevor Raab

Coast-to-Coast Frame Options

There are two Priority Coast frames: the diamond you see here and a step-through model. Both are available as a singlespeed ($499) and a 3-speed ($549). The diamond singlespeed model is available in three matte finishes: black, indigo, and white; the 3-speed comes in sky blue and matte white. The singlespeed step-through comes in sunset rose; the 3-speed comes in matte white. The matte black, singlespeed diamond Coast is the only version that has black tires; the rest have gumwall. Gearing on the diamond-frame models is 46t front, 22t rear; on the step-through, the rear gets 24t. Three-speed models get a Shimano Nexus 3-speed internal hub. All models have both a coaster brake and a left-side front hand brake. The diamond (or traditional) fits riders 5-foot-5 to 6-foot-5; the step-through fits riders 5 feet to 5-foot-11.

Water, Salt, and Sand—Be Damned!

Almost every part of the Priority Coast was specifically chosen to be able to withstand sand, salt, and ocean mist, starting with the aluminum frame, fenders, and fork. Beneath the fenders are alloy wheels with heavy-duty, 13-gauge, stainless-steel spokes. Sealed bearings on the bottom bracket, pedals, headset, and front wheel keep sand and water from sneaking in. The grips and seat are water-resistant, and the Gates Carbon Drive belt is rust-, grease-, and maintenance-free. There are some parts, however, that are not immune to the elements, including the front brake, 3-speed hub, and shifter.

Accessorize Your Coast for Carrying Stuff

The Coast does not come standard with racks or baskets, but Priority offers a wide range of selections, including some rust-free options. For less than a hundred bucks, you can outfit your Coast with a rear rack and front basket or rack.

The center, double kickstand may not seem like a big deal, but trust me, it is. When loading down a rack or basket, there are few things as annoying as having to hold the bike steady while doing so—only to have the handlebar flop to one side, pulling the weight of the bike, and your gear, down with it. A center-mounted kickstand keeps the bike balanced and steady while you’re loading and unloading your beach essentials or groceries.

Ride Impressions

This bike is truly geared for beach towns—or, at the very least, level locales where life slows down and no one’s in a hurry. A Gates Carbon Drive belt on a Gates 46t crankset and 22t cog, paired with a Shimano Nexus 3-speed internally geared hub, offers some gearing options. In the lowest gear, slight inclines are a little easier, but not enough that I’d consider a longer, hillier commute on the Coast. And in the hardest, I could cover a little more ground at a faster pace, but nothing that would change this bike’s intended use. It wants its rider to be totally chill, and it does that very well.

I often found myself barely hanging on to the cruiser-style handlebar—using just the fingers on one hand to guide the bike along and even turn corners. And the super-wide saddle (10 inches at its widest part) is so comfortable, it’s like surfing your favorite recliner, as long as you keep rides relatively short. There are two ways to stop the Coast: a left-side rim-brake lever and a rear coaster brake. Familiarity had me going for the hand brake at first, but laziness made me a coaster-brake convert—and gave me another reason to relax my arms.

With its rust-proof parts, low-maintenance drivetrain, cruiser-style frame, flat-road gearing, and chill factor, the Priority Coast takes into account every element a beach town might throw its way.