Priority Bicycles

From crowdfunded to crowd favorite

by Shelly Leachman

With a goal of raising $30,000 to fund the inaugural shipment of their fledgling company’s first model, Dave Weiner ’02 and Connor Swegle ’02 launched Priority Bicycles in 2014, via crowdfunding app Kickstarter. Within 30 days, they’d raised $565,000 with over 1,500 bicycles backed. Two more fully funded Kickstarter campaigns would follow, as interest grew exponentially in Priority’s “low-maintenance” bicycles, which did away with chains in favor of carbon belt drives.

Ten years on, and with Weiner, as CEO, and Swegle, as chief marketing officer, still at the helm, Priority has multiple models and ships thousands of bicycles around the world, competing with major brands like Trek and Giant. They also partner with premium resorts, educational institutions and top-rated tours in major U.S. cities and locations spanning the globe, making their bikes available in fleets to tourists, commuters and more.

he college friends turned business partners share more about Priority’s rise, in their words:

“We created a strong, independent direct-to-consumer brand over the last 10 years that has expanded organically from one casual bicycle on Kickstarter to over 30 models. We’ve done it by combining innovative product design, technology and year-round customer service to offer something new to the traditional bicycle marketplace.

“Ten years ago, we wanted to make a bicycle that was easier to ride, buy and maintain, and to make high-quality bicycles and accessories available online, directly to customers. People wanted bicycles, but didn’t have time to go to a shop, didn’t like the quality of products available at big box stores, or were worried about the upkeep of their bicycles. Priority was founded to solve those problems by focusing on a lowmaintenance design, selling direct to consumer and being available 365 days a year — yes, even taking calls from a freezing playground with our kids on Christmas.”