Air 28

The Air 28 is for the low-maintenance city rider who values quiet and clean lines over outright power. A Gates carbon belt and torque sensor at $1,299 make it the pick for flat urban commutes and riders who never want to touch chain lube. Skip it if you climb steep grades or carry loads — the single-speed belt and 265 lb payload are its clear limits, and the 40 Nm hub is modest.

The 8.0 rewards ride quality and value: the belt-and-torque-sensor combination delivers smooth, near-silent assist that punches above the price, and at 49 lb it handles nicely on pavement. Brakes-and-safety are covered by hydraulic discs. It loses ground on motor-and-power-delivery and versatility — one gear means the assist has to do all the work on hills — and real-world range is only moderate off the 345Wh pack.

The trade-off is deliberate minimalism: you give up gears and hill-climbing muscle for a bike that's quiet, tidy, and almost maintenance-free. For flat cities that's a genuinely satisfying package at this price. If your terrain has real climbs, step up to the Priority Current Plus, which keeps the belt and torque sensor but adds a 90 Nm mid-drive and a CVT — for well over twice the money.