Why I Made Brilliant a Priority
When I launched Priority Bicycles back in the summer of 2014, I had noticed a trend in the bike industry: everything was getting more complex. There were massive technical innovations going on upmarket with more features than ever, yet the bicycles being sold for everyday riders hadn’t changed in years. All of these new innovations and features were not making bicycle ownership any easier for the casual cyclist.
So, I set out with a goal of making cycling simpler. The result was our first model, the original low maintenance bicycle, the Priority Classic. We designed the belt-driven Classic to be ready to ride when you are. Additionally, we backed all of our products with 7-days a week customer service. Our core foundation was simple, and this simplicity is what has made us successful.
It didn’t take us long to realize that not every casual cyclist is made equal. Some wanted to cruise and others wanted to commute; some value versatility, while others value speed. We diversified, spending hundreds of hours engineering and designing six new bicycle models based on the feedback from our riders to better serve their needs. We learned that this process is very time consuming, and if we were going to be able to offer the product range we wanted for our riders with unmatched customer service, we were going to have to find additional ways to do it.
Concurrently, another company had launched with similar values — Brilliant Bicycle Co. They too believed in simplicity, quality, and serving the everyday rider by giving customers the best possible value through an online business model. Despite how similar our values are, our products are distinct. Priority dedicates a large portion of R&D toward creating a low maintenance riding experience, while Brilliant has become an expert in blending unique style and high quality with easy in-home assembly. The brands offer complementary models, designed for a diverse set of riders and riding styles.
I started thinking, could we combine the strengths of both companies — in terms of not only our products, but our industry relationships, operations, and customer service — to offer an even better experience for riders? Could our two brands be more effective under one roof?
So we talked, and not surprisingly, we hit it off. Along with our distinct products, the insights and expertise each party brought to the table was invaluable, including strong supply chain relationships, top quality customer service, and knowledge of unique rider profiles.
At the beginning of 2017, Priority Bicycles and Brilliant Bicycle Co. began operating as two brands within one company. While the brands will maintain differentiated product lines with distinct brand identities, the customer service experience, production, and operations are now unified. Together we can offer a wider range of bicycles and accessories for a variety of riders. Above all else, our goal remains the same: making cycling simpler. And that’s why I think this is a Brilliant start to the year.