The New Gorilla Brakes 2026 Demo Bike | Priority Vanth + HINE-R Development
Gorilla Brakes Development Bike
For 2026 we wanted something completely different for our development and test bike. A bike built around reliability, real-world UK riding and serious brake testing ahead of our Italy trip this October where we will be pushing the new HINE-R brake system and latest Enduro Pro V2 compounds to their absolute limits.
Why We Chose the Priority Vanth
Since around 2010 I have been obsessed with the idea of a Pinion gearbox mountain bike.
To me, it is exactly what a mountain bike should be. A sealed gearbox with enough range to ride pretty much everything, no derailleur hanging off the back wheel and a Gates belt drive instead of a traditional chain.
That means no chain lube, no rusty drivetrain, no smashed mechs and far less maintenance.
Living and working in the Northwest of England means our bikes take an absolute hammering year round. Mud, grit, rain, steep wet rock and horrible weather are pretty much standard riding conditions for us.
Our previous demo bike, a Privateer Gen2 141, went through:
The bike constantly needed maintenance.
When Priority released the Vanth, we watched a few reviews. Most focused on the same concerns: weight, gearbox drag and whether it really pedalled efficiently enough for longer rides.
That was something we were genuinely worried about because most of our rides are between 20 and 40 miles and we ride between 2 and 6 times per week.
But after two weeks of riding, we genuinely think the benefits massively outweigh the negatives.
For UK riding conditions, this bike makes perfect sense.
First Ride | Farlton Knott, South Lakes
Like any fresh build, we made a few changes straight away.
The bar and stem were swapped for Renthal components from personal preference and the stock TRP pads were removed immediately so we could fit our latest development compounds.
The bike is currently running our Gorilla Brakes Enduro Pro Ultimate brake pads , the same platform we are developing the new Enduro Pro V2 compound from.
The Enduro Pro range has become our go-to setup for aggressive UK riding, alpine descents, bike park riding and high heat testing because of its strong bite, consistent braking feel and impressive heat resistance.
Browse the Enduro Pro Ultimate Range
The first ride was local to us at Farlton Knott in the South Lakes.
Straight away the climbing impressed us. The huge range from the Pinion gearbox makes climbing smooth and controlled and being able to change gears electronically without pedalling is brilliant on technical terrain.
Descending is where the bike completely changed our opinion on gearbox bikes.
With the weight centred low in the frame and no heavy cassette or derailleur hanging off the rear wheel, the suspension tracks the ground unbelievably well.
The bike felt calm, planted and incredibly confidence inspiring.
Rock gardens, wet roots, steep chutes and rough terrain all felt smoother and more controlled than anything we have ridden before.
Honestly, this is one of the best descending bikes I have ever ridden.
Priority have made something seriously special here and I genuinely do not think many reviews give the Vanth enough credit.
Second Ride | Ambleside + Grizedale
The second major ride was around Ambleside and Grizedale with over 4000ft of climbing and around 34 miles total distance.
During this ride we developed a clicking noise under heavy pedalling loads and steep climbs.
Thankfully it turned out to be something simple. The idler pulley spacer washers were not sitting correctly on the sprocket. Once adjusted the noise disappeared completely.
For a long ride on a heavy gearbox bike, we expected to feel absolutely destroyed by the end.
But we did not.
Yes, on flat roads in harder gears you can feel some drivetrain drag compared to a traditional derailleur bike.
But in easier gears where climbing efficiency matters most, the drag almost disappears.
We even tested the Vanth against our Transition running SRAM GX and the Pinion system actually took less force to move in easier climbing gears.
This bike climbs unbelievably well.
At this point, whenever we pull a bike out of the Gorilla Brakes warehouse for testing, the Vanth is becoming the first choice every single time.
HINE-R V2 Brake Development
The Vanth is currently still running the excellent TRP Trail EVO brakes because we have not yet had chance to build the latest HINE-R V2 calipers.
We will be fitting the new calipers during the first week of June once the new seals arrive.
Over the last few weeks we have made several major updates to the latest caliper design:
- New stepped piston bore chamfer design similar to Shimano and SRAM systems
- Wider internal fluid ports for improved flow and easier bleeding
- Updated titanium hardware throughout
- New titanium banjo bolts
- Further refinements for improved piston retraction and serviceability
This is now becoming a true premium gravity-focused brake caliper built for real mountain riding and serious heat management.
Testing at Golfie, Scotland
Adam has already been heavily testing the latest HINE-R calipers up at Golfie in Scotland.
“Brakes were bloody incredible these last few days. Had some serious hammer. Blue rotors and everything.”
— Adam Read
Adam prefers using our Performance Sintered compound on all of his bikes because of its aggressive initial bite and excellent heat resistance during long descents.
Seeing blue rotors during testing is exactly the kind of abuse we want before final production.
We are not building these brakes for casual riding.
We are building them for real mountain riding, real heat and real descents.
Italy Testing | October 2026
This October we will be taking the Priority Vanth to Italy for a full working week of brake testing.
The goal is simple: push the new HINE-R system and our latest brake pad compounds to the absolute limit on huge alpine descents and sustained heat cycles.
The Vanth was chosen specifically for this because less drivetrain maintenance means more riding time and more consistent brake testing throughout the trip.
Over the next few months we will continue documenting:
- HINE-R V2 brake development
- Enduro Pro V2 brake pad testing
- Long-term gearbox reliability
- Gates belt durability
- Brake fade resistance
- Rotor heat management
- Real-world UK riding performance
Final Thoughts After Two Weeks
It is still early days, but honestly we are blown away by the Priority Vanth.
Yes, it is heavier than a traditional drivetrain bike.
Yes, you can feel some drag in harder gears on flatter terrain.
But for the type of riding we do, the benefits massively outweigh those negatives.
The bike descends unbelievably well, climbs far better than expected and should massively reduce the drivetrain maintenance we normally deal with in UK conditions.
At this point, the Vanth has already become our number one development and test bike.
We will continue documenting the full journey as the HINE-R V2 brakes are fitted, the Enduro Pro V2 compounds continue development and we prepare for Italy this October.