Best affordable mid-drive electric bike: Ride1Up Prodigy review

[@Electrek]

Thanks for supporting us making these reviews: You can find the Prodigy here: $2,295 bit.ly/Ride1Up-Prodigy-XR

[@paradislarry]

I'll pass ... the price, no throttle etc. make this bike an expensive investment with little to no real benefits for the hefty price, other than maybe the German made motor .

[@actionkey8042]

Hello. i won a ebike??? I got a message on this page this is true ?

[@ManipurSajikTampak.]

Hi, Will it be delivered in India? I need it 👍😘

[@actionkey8042]

@@ManipurSajikTampak. ))

[@bananadane]

I have one of the first batches of these bikes and it is exceeding my expectations on literally every level. As close to being a bionic human as I can imagine. Completely replaces a motorcycle for all transportation needs in an urban environment for round trips under 20 miles. Am able to ride to the trails, ride the trails, and ride home with battery left to spare. Boost levels are phenomenal. Weight and lack of rear shock limit dirt capabilities somewhat, but that's an inevitable compromise for anything in the < $5,000 category. 150 mile review: 9.5 out of 10. Recommend without reservation.

[@bananadane]

also I got the multi-tone paint and it is beautiful, like really stunning. as for the torque not only does it allow me to climb the steepest of steep paved hills at 10 to 15 miles an hour but I actively have to keep the front wheel on the ground while keeping enough weight rearward to keep traction in the rear steep dirt hills. it's an interesting and novel set of challenges but I welcome them

[@DaDaDanceProject]

Can you add fenders and rack afterwards? How is to ride on the pavement?

[@Csmcjewl]

Just sold my motorcycle this morning for this bike. Love it! ❤️

[@garyjohnson4575]

I never use the throttle...and rarely use more than pas2 for the monster hill climbs. It looks great.

[@NanoDex]

This bike looks awesome, like a cheap version of the specialized turbo vado models. In some ways its better than them even. Really nice!

[@jdavies]

What are pros/cons of this Ride1Up Prodigy vs a Priority Current with an Enviolo IGH?

[@drajdew1664]

Enviolo igh is very draggy.

[@pixelatedmushroom]

Why doesn't anyone make a mid-drive for under $1200. Make it with a steel frame, cheap components, I don't care. $2300 is too much for what you get here.

[@bop2864]

Check the overstock price now, you'll be very happy

[@erinkourelis7430]

We purchased this Vivi 27.5” electric bike and a Tentaquil 26” electric bike for our 13 and 14 year olds. kzbin.infoUgkxUiL0GnyDjP32RJdd660sP8mZk4CRLTCJ The Vivi was much easier to put together. With the Vivi, there was a video link to assist with assembly which made the process easier to follow (we did put the handlebars on upside down, but it was a quick and easy fix). With the Tentaquil, the assembly was not as simple to follow, but after we messaged the company for an assembly video, it was easier and they did respond quickly. The other major differences were that the Vivi has a grip throttle on the right handle (like a motorcycle) and the Tentaquil has a push throttle that you use your thumb to activate. The monitors were also different, so if you’re looking for something specific in terms of changing the bikes functions, pay attention to what the monitor offers. We were really impressed with the overall quality and functionality of both bikes, but if you’re looking for more power and an easier assembly, definitely go with the Vivi!

[@edlabelle3851]

Micah, what is your favorite Ride1Up bike and why?

[@DaDaDanceProject]

Why does the mountain xc version skips the fenders and rack? Can they be added afterwards?

[@TomJones-tx7pb]

I did that to my Specialized bike and it was a pain to get it right.

[@laszlototh3355]

Ride1up pls, PLS fill a warehouse in Europe so we could actually buy it, or other awesome ebikes of yours!

[@wakawaka1976]

How does this motor compare the the one on the entry level gazelle? Anyone?

[@polok890]

The names different, that's one thing

[@geemy9675]

the XC looks interesting but it would be nice to see a more mountain bike/gravel oriented review BTW even to ride on paved bike trails/roads, with all the bumps/potholes that we have here, I wouldn't want to go 28mph without at least a front fork or fat tires.

[@pinoyrunningpenguin]

They should have at least 2 sizes for this . People want the normal step over frame but it only comes in large . Not everyone is a 6 footer .

[@flywheel702]

I bought 2x Prodigy bikes based on KZbin video reviews. Big mistake! The women's one was fine. The men's bike was badly damaged in transit and had to be returned. (Reading other reviews that shipping damage is a common problem). Received the replacement bike, assembled it only to find the electric cable that runs through the frame to the Brose display had been crushed in the shipping process & the bike wont power up. Contacted Ride1Up for a replacement cable & they were going send out a replacement cable. It's now been 2 weeks & still have not received a cable or an email. It's now been 4 weeks since I received the bikes and I still can't use my bike. I've requested a return label & refund. Over it.

[@paradislarry]

I'll pass ... the price, no throttle etc. make this bike an expensive investment with little to no real benefits for the hefty price, other than maybe the German made motor .

[@bop2864]

Mid drive motors are not compatible with throttles - it's possible with hub motors but the riding experience is not as refined

[@Anderson_999]

That rack looks rather light duty and those tires look very susceptible to punctures, especially given how often the "bike lane" in the US is really just the shoulder of the road and full of debris from cars. Still great to see a quality mid-drive motor at that price.

[@EbikeSchool]

What makes a tire look susceptible to punctures? How can you tell how thick it is or what type of anti-puncture lining it has in the rubber layers just by looking at it?

[@subinct]

Micah, Please talk about UL certification on your reviews.

[@scottrichards3587]

Maybe no suspension was a decision made to increase the range. Bike suspensions absorb forward momentum. Fat tyres also do, but their main drawback is a huge increase in rolling resistance which inhibits both range and speed. If this bike had internal hub gearing it would be on my list for consideration.

[@UltrafiAV]

This bike looks fantastic. And for me, I don't want/need a throttle or suspension; I want a bike, not an electric scooter., so no issues there. But to make this an all-weather commuter, I think a Gates carbon belt and an internal gear hub option would make this model damn near perfect. Thanks for a great review.

[@jasweb147]

Would be about $1K more.

[@maryl.7226]

You probably know they did exactly this with the Prodigy v2!

[@debbie4710]

So do you know of a mid drive with the throttle and suspension. I have actually been trying to find one. I live I'm a area. The country where I need a little more speed. Especially at stops. Not so nice for them to wait a few seconds.

[@wakawaka1976]

Did you check out the Lectric Premium?

[@drakejohnson6652]

Almost want to kick my own ball...as I not 3 weeks ago bought the awesome specialize SL EQ 5.0 w/ extender batt. I get amazing mileage and the ride with its future stem shock system is stealthy smooth. I paid through the nose but hold my head high. That said if I had come across this beautiful beast, it may have tilted the scales especially cost wise. If you are in the market for a sweet ride of the mid drive nature, I can not and do not see a down side to this ride...you may want to ride 1 up.

[@jasweb147]

I'm stuck and don't know which to get. I want the Specialized Turbo Vado 3.0. I'm having a hard time dropping $4K for a bike. I don't know what to do as I know the Specialize is buttery smooth. :(

[@catherinemushaw1956]

@@jasweb147 that's a down payment for a car ...

[@jasweb147]

@@catherinemushaw1956 I was blessed to be able to find a 2022 Vado 3.0 that was blemished for $2600. You can barely see where it was damaged.

[@Alttabbins]

I'm glad you addressed the XPremium. Its a great bike but tough to compare. This bike is more in line with what most regular riders want. I'm excited for this bike.

[@DWMtukwila]

too bad they are heavy, like most ebikes in this price range. It does not make a lot of difference when riding, but an elderly woman putting it on a bike rack or carrying it up stairs means that weight is very important.

[@seantang89]

How tall are you Micah? Want to gauge size of the bike. Thank you

[@TheJournier]

I have the Prodigy ST and I can attest to how great this bike rides. The Brose motor is quiet and delivers the right amount of power for enjoyable pedaling. It's not too much, nor too little. It's a well-thought-out bike priced very well.

[@kevintkeefe]

How many boost levels are there? How is this one for hills? I was thinking i would need a throttle in hilly Atlanta...

[@DaDaDanceProject]

Can you do some gravel and trails with the ST?

[@darinsmith2458]

Maybe if it had a carbon gates belt drive..

[@Todd66]

Pretty good looking bike. Love the tail light. I agree with throttle and suspension. Get the front suspension and a suspension seat post. Brose makes a pretty reputable line of ebike motors.

[@georgemitchel7349]

Great review. Thank you! Does it have wheel quick release for front and rear wheels?

[@dennisluz6453]

Just wondering. I am over 75 years old and would use the ebike almost strictly for city commuting and maybe some country paved backroads. Since there is no throttle that means I have to constantly pedal right?

[@oakdalegirl57]

Looks Awesome - wish they made it in a large frame. Frame fits 5-1 to 6-4? I have a one size fits all ebike now and it's really a medium frame which is way too small for my 6-2 height.

[@double-bass]

🚲Would absolutely appreciate your comment! I watched your video about EU vs USA E-Bikes, great job. I'm about to move to Germany and was thinking about shipping two of the prodigy bikes. Do you think it's a good value if shipping is free? Or any other bike you would suggest? I don't want to spend an arm and a leg on it. 😅

[@Rehman-Sports]

Ride1up always gets good reviews but my first ebike from them would randomly shutoff at 50% battery need to be plugged in to start working again

[@fatbikedad384]

Good review, question: does the browse unit have a walk assist button? There is a staircase overpass on my ride to work.

[@goobfilmcast4239]

IMHO, for riding thru car traffic and clearing intersections quickly (and safely), a throttle is essential... other than that, this puppy is a home run for Ride1Up !

[@oorandur7686]

Why car manufacturers doesn`t do like that? I`ll put some suspension on Your car but, for example, remove all the glasses from the windows etc.

[@chriscardenas5398]

Info commercial

[@vpham92688]

Too bad they didn't offer a belt drive option with IGH. ... I'd image that would be like $400-500 more.

[@michelemegnin2834]

Can the seat and handle bars on this bike be upgraded? Are they compatible with standard accessories.

[@cadriver2570]

Totally agree on throttle. Coming from working out it is nice. Can you add a throttle to this bike somehow?

[@marcogutierrez4567]

Can you remove the back rack? It may be handy but I think it would look better without it

[@richard6318]

Sometimes wires cuts off when you fall they should be properly hidden

[@AJJ704]

I would be happy just to get the front suspension. Maybe they’ll add a model in the future.

[@marcogutierrez4567]

Can you remove the back rack? It may be handy but I think it would look better without it

[@parasharkchari]

Ride1up usually wins the title for good value in this market. The only thing that really prevents me from buying one is the core flaw (that they also admit) in that they only generally come in one frame size. In my house, multiple people share the bikes, and there's nearly a foot of height difference between the tallest and shortest adult in the house. Yeah, there's a step-through version, but even then, the shortest person is right at the bottom end of the proposed height range and that still leaves an uncomfortable ride with arms stretched out and and all.

[@parasharkchari]

Leaving aside the cost, that's not the issue. It's that there is no such thing as a "one-size-fits-all" frame in the bicycle world. Even if I bought 2 or 4 of them, the fact that only myself and my father-in-law would be comfortable on them (because of our respective heights) is the problem. My wife and mother-in-law are far too short to fit comfortably even on the step-through. They'd end up leaning and reaching for the handlebars and still be unable to stop without getting out of the saddle even with the seat all the way at the bottom. In fairness, finding a decent fit for them even for regular bicycles is hard enough. Whereas if Ride1Up made a small or XS frame like some other manufacturers, their products are a slam dunk. If indeed I was living a bachelor's life, I wouldn't have to think about this.

[@parasharkchari]

Winner, winner, chicken dinner. You guessed correctly, though that technically applies to my mother-in-law, who also rides. Even otherwise, when something like the Core-5 which does say a 5'0" rider could ride it, the thing is that it's at the extreme bottom end of their recommended height range, and they've tried a lot of bikes that are sized as such, and it's just not been comfy for long rides. Folding bikes generally work just fine, but they've commented -- and I agree -- that the small wheels and long stem (and narrow bars for compactness) on a lot of folders makes it feel very twitchy, which is harmless most of the time, but on some of the hills we have here, it can feel terrifying when you're coasting at over 50 mph. Something that none of us feel on a bike with full-size wheels and more normal geometry.

[@18andlikeit]

@@parasharkchari my God.. 50mph? How is it even possible to reach such speeds on these bikes unless your decending down Mt Everest? Terrifying indeed..

[@bindingcurve]

@@parasharkchari Then buy a different bike for the people who need a smaller one. SIMPLE. Or do you want ONE bike for all?

[@parasharkchari]

​@@bindingcurve I think you missed the point of my original post. As far as the e-bikes that I own, I *did* buy a different brand. My only point was that _if_ Ride1Up offered more appropriate frame sizes, then I would have gone with them because their value proposition is otherwise superior to those of other brands. It's not that I think no other e-bike brands exist; Just that I wish they could have had products in their line that worked on sizing rather than me having to pay slightly more and getting slightly less for my money with a different offering.

[@pipito588]

PRODIGY is there in EU where i can buy?

[@actionkey8042]

AWESOME

[@MichaelMah-ok1zi]

I just bought this bike in the step through version and agree 100% with Micah that it is an awesome bike, mostly because of the motor, which is probably the quietest and smoothest in the market. The rest of the components are nice too. Suspension would be nice but you can add that later by changing the fork, and adding a suspension seat post. It is like a Specialized Turbo Vado but at 1/2 the price. Only the top model of that bike gets this motor. If commuting is your main use, highly recommend. For trail riding the XC model would be better. BTW this motor is much better than a rear drive with a torque sensor, like the Ride1Up Lmtd and Aventon Level 2. Much smoother, quieter, and responsive.

[@Electrek]

That’s awesome, we’re of the same mind here. What a great bike!

[@GrotrianSeiler]

Your videos are excellent. All very comprehensive and concise. Nice.

[@Observer8513]

Очень красиво. Какая страна, город где снимали?

[@ohtoriginalhimbeertoni]

Und ist der Berg auch noch so steil, in`s schwitzen komm ich nicht. Mein Motor macht die Arbeit und ich tritt lässig mit....😎 kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJ6vpJqjgtSfibs

[@xuepingsong5329]

I wonder if this tech is transferrable to exoskeleton suits

[@buwungpuyuh8950]

Great ebike, its on my bucket list. Thanks

[@ebikeengineer]

I love the tail light built into the rear rack. Aluminum fenders? I'd rather have polymere which doesn't dent or bend when struck. But in the end, no throttle no buy.

[@allwheeldrive]

I'd highly suggest trying a mid before making that determination. It is, indeed, like your legs have twice the power! No throttle in this case is not an issue.

[@ebikeengineer]

@@allwheeldrive my current ebike is a 750W mid drive.

[@ebikeengineer]

@Garrus Vakarian because not every one is a twenty something in perfect health. Sometimes you're on a ride and there are issues that prevent pedaling. Getting old socks sometimes.

[@18andlikeit]

@Garrus Vakarian I own a hub drive and there's nothing jerky or dangerous about it at all. All PAS power level transitions smooth as butter. But I guess this may not be the case with the cheapest ones.

[@18andlikeit]

@Garrus Vakarian mine is cadence sensor.

[@Wilem35]

Where is the hill climb?

[@booksquotes948]

mercedes ebike review ?

[@jrnamida5470]

What is the weight? Very important detail for people that live in condos, walk up, and apartments.

[@kadirkayhan5120]

Just look it up

[@Electrek]

50 lb

[@drajdew1664]

The actual weight has been reported by users as 57 LBs although the website reports it as ~50 LBs.

[@ArmandGirard]

@@drajdew1664 Most likely the 50 pound weight is without battery (batteries typically weigh 7-10 pounds)

[@tedsommer9149]

Forgive me if this was obvious, but what is the “affiliate link” mentioned in the discussion about price? Assuming it might be a slight discount but I didn’t see it anywhere in the comments.

[@Electrek]

Hi, it’s in the description but here it is also: bit.ly/Ride1Up-Prodigy-XR

[@jimwortham8634]

No problem not the least interested

[@mahirakalucasahammed2443]

0:00 i, i’m a one man motorway

[@jayantbagve6102]

what is the cost in Indian Rupees???

[@jigs8437]

It's not available in India sorry

[@Zetler]

Never buy a bike without suspension.

[@Electrek]

Just FYI, even early mountain bikes didn't have suspension. Suspension is not a requirement for a good bike...

[@catherinemushaw1956]

If you actually need a new spine, than SUSPENSION is a must !!! ...

[@bop2864]

Aftermarket suspension seatposts can cushion a lot