Brilliant L-Train Belt Drive Commuter Bicycle - Nexus 7 Speed

The L-Train is a Gates belt drive bicycle featuring a Shimano Nexus 7-Speed internally geared hub. It is a true NYC commuter bike from Brilliant Bicycle Company, a sister company to Priority Bicycles.

I discovered Brilliant through packaging associated with a Priority Bicycle. After inquiring I discovered the L-Train. I also found the bike on Amazon with Prime 2-day shipping for $650. Having previous experience with Priority Bicycles, I had little worry that this would be anything other than a stellar bicycle - and I wasn't let down. It is a great bike!

The bike has a vintage / classic vibe with the round tubes and diamond frame. It also has touches that reference the actual L-Train Subway line, such as the Subway Grey and White paint scheme. The polished aluminum parts are representations of the grab bars on the NYC L-Train. I asked what the brown leather was a representation of and Brilliant told me "we think it looks good on the bike."

The Gates Belt Drive system is as trouble-free and reliable as you would imagine. Should you need any minor adjustments there is an app available that gets things tune in perfectly.

The Shimano Nexus Inter 7 speed hub provides smooth shifting and low-maintenance riding. If you haven't experienced a Nexus hub shifting you are missing out. There is no delay like there is on a standard derailleur and cassette based system, as there is no revolution of the chain required to make the transition between gears. If you want, you can be at a full stop and go from gear 7 to gear 1 in a single twist without any snapping or popping a similar move would make on a traditional drive setup.

I like the setup, and would love to see a version of this bike with a NuVinci 380 internally geared hub. The 7-speeds of the Nexus Inter7 don't provide the lowest of lows, but it does have a decent range of around 245%, which is enough for the hills and flat areas of my town. The high gear is pretty much spot-on, and the low is low enough that there isn't much of a struggle on most hills.

Overall, this is a great bicycle and I'm supremely happy I purchased it. The styling alone makes it a hipster delight, and the smooth ride of that steel frame + fork makes commuting nice and easy.

You can purchase this bike through Amazon:

https://amzn.to/2A9zBuP

Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Thanks for watching another KevCentral bicycle video. Be sure to visit www.brilliant.co for more information on the L-Train, and also visit my YouTube Community tab for Wednesday updates. Want even more? Be sure to visit www.kevcentral.com regularly for even more information!

L-Train subway line video clip compliments of Priority Bicycles footage archive.