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Ride1Up has been disrupting the world of electrical bikes with edgy designs that take among the identical inexpensive parts discovered on different e-bikes and bundes them collectively in extraordinarily inexpensive packages.
The Ride1Up Prodigy was among the finest values within the mid-drive electrical bike recreation for years. So we have been excited when Ride1Up reached out in regards to the new and improved model 2 of the Prodigy.
Meeting
As a full-sized electrical bike, the Ride1Up Prodigy v2 comes 85% assembled in a big field. For those who’re comfy placing collectively IKEA furnishings, placing the previous few items of the Prodigy collectively shouldn’t be an issue.
Alternatively, in the event you’re not feeling nice about using round on one thing you constructed, it’s value making a couple of calls to discover a native bike store that may assemble it for you. Professional tip: organize this forward of time and have the bike shipped on to them. They’re professionals in the case of receiving and assembling bikes. And as a bonus, you gained’t have to determine methods to match the outsized field it is available in onto or into your automotive.

After dropping the entrance tire on and connecting up a couple of bits, we aired up the tires and threw it on the charger. E-bikes usually ship with a half cost, so it’s positively good observe to get it absolutely charged up earlier than your first experience. That units the battery up for achievement and allows you to expertise what the bike is like at its finest in your first experience.
The Driving Expertise
After a couple of hours on the charger, it was time to hit the tarmac. Heading out on the Prodigy v2, the tires instantly stood out. The 27.5″ diameter tires are gentle and have an ideal strategy angle whereas their 2.25″ girth gives each elevated floor space for higher traction and extra cushion. They someway really feel greater than they’re in the case of each traction and luxury.

This mix is delivered superbly by the Maxxis Rekon Race two-tone tires. They characteristic a pure rubber look on the sidewalls with the extra conventional black rubber on the tread. The fashionable design of the tires complemented the matte black body on our evaluate bike and actually gave it an aesthetic but trendy look.
All over the place we took the Prodigy v2, it was the star of the present due to its appears to be like. That’s not widespread for us in Southern California and we experience dozens of e-bikes round on native streets and trails. There’s one thing particular in regards to the look of the Prodigy v2’s newly redesigned body that folks simply gravitate towards. The matte black body’s smooth, trendy traces are the right showcase for this technological marvel.
Ripping down the hills in direction of the seaside, the Prodigy v2’s Tektro Orion 4P hydraulic brakes have been among the finest we’ve examined. They characteristic 4-piston calipers that have been clearly designed for greater than we might throw at them as a result of they did a improbable job of bringing the bike beneath management. Braking is made simpler by the Prodigy’s light-weight design, tipping the scales at simply 58 kilos / 26.3 kilograms, which is a pleasant change in comparison with most of the outsized, chubby fats tire e-bikes available on the market.

The thinner profile bike is a results of a whole overhaul by the Ride1Up group that actually took the already spectacular, class-leading Prodigy to the following degree. When it initially got here out a couple of years in the past, it was essentially the most inexpensive e-bike we might discover with a reputation model mid-drive motor bundle.
The brand new Prodigy v2 additionally encompasses a Brose mid-drive motor which has been upgraded with the addition of a brand new rear shift sensor. This ties into the motor controller, permitting it to chop energy to the motor when the rear derailleur is shifting. That is big for maintaining the bike in tune and maintaining the derailleur alive. We’ve personally seen derailleurs get digested by overly excited e-bike powertrains once they attempt to shift whereas the motor is laying down the ability.
When using the Prodigy v2, feeling the motor reduce out is an odd sensation, however after a couple of miles of placing the motor to work on a few of our native hills, it began feeling extra pure. Many larger finish mid-drive motors are beginning to add this characteristic as a result of it will increase the longevity of the bike’s core parts, and it was good to see it on the Prodigy v2.

The Prodigy v2 now comes with a entrance air shock in all configurations, which is an improve from its unique kind. It’s not a record-breaking fork by any stretch of the creativeness, however it’s a very nice addition to have on a trail-friendly bike just like the Prodigy v2. The redesigned body additionally contains an built-in rear rack that has maybe our favourite design factor in it.
The rear LED was molded straight into the rear curve of the rack and it provides your complete bike a futuristic, Blade Runner look. If you plug the bike in to cost, the lights pop on, and seeing cool white gentle blasting out the entrance and a blast of pink curving seamlessly across the again brings a smile to my face virtually each time.

Up prime on the handlebars, the Brose management module and show reside on the left facet of the handlebars. It’s a compact unit with the hidden energy button up entrance. Importantly, the up-down button to vary pedal help ranges is simple to search out on the facet of the show closest to the rider. The crisp shade show is compact however straightforward to learn, although we did discover the help degree title to be difficult to see at a look when touring at larger speeds.
Brose makes use of names like Eco and Sport for its pedal help ranges, so not solely do it’s a must to discover the textual content on the show, it’s a must to learn it and perceive what that degree means earlier than issues click on. Having ranges 1-5 in a single, daring nook of the show is simpler and requires much less processing, although this may very well be simply private desire.

The Prodigy v2 is nicely fitted to consumers on the lookout for a trail-ready bike kitted out with mid-tier parts and the lighter weight they arrive to the occasion with. The high-step diamond body is true in step with what the mountain bike crowd is on the lookout for, and the Maxxis tires are greater than as much as the duty when it’s time to get soiled.
With the rack out again, a set of excellent wanting alloy fenders and LED lights, it’s additionally an ideal possibility for commuters, although we’d suggest a set of hybrid tires (just like the Schwalbe Tremendous Moto X) on it if that’s what you’re after.
General
Ride1Up continues to ship among the finest values on the planet of inexpensive e-bikes, and it’s nice to see how they rounded off among the tough edges on the Prodigy on this second model. The tuning of the motor along side the built-in torque sensor and shift sensor delivers some of the intuitive rides we’ve skilled this yr.

Its full-sized body is gentle and agile with appears to be like to match its spectacular efficiency. The Brose mid-drive motor with its 90Nm of torque pushes out loads of energy whenever you need it, although it does drink closely from the battery in the event you lean into it. Our vary various from 20 to 45 miles per cost, which was decrease than anticipated as a result of we have been leaning closely into the motor “for science.”
For extra details about the Ride1Up Prodigy v2, try the specs beneath or head to the official Ride1Up Prodigy v2 website.
Ride1Up Prodigy v2 Specs
- MSRP as examined: $2,395 (on sale on the time of publication for $2,295)
- Motor: Brose TF Sprinter German-made mid-drive motor with 90 Nm torque
- Sensor: Brose Built-in Torque Sensor
- Battery: 36V, 14 Ah Phylion BN21 battery pack constructed with Samsung Cells
- Vary: 30-50 miles relying on rider weight, terrain, incline, degree of help, and so on.
- Class: Class 3 electrical bike, with 28 mph pedal help
- Body: Aluminum alloy
- Tires: 27.5″ x 2.25″ tubeless Maxxis Rekon Race tires
- Included Equipment: Entrance and rear LED lights, rear built-in rack, entrance and rear alloy fenders
- Mechanical Drivetrain: microSHIFT RD-M619M Introduction 9-Velocity derailleur and cassette with shift sensor
- Weight: 58lb
Disclaimer: Ride1Up supplied the Prodigy v2 to the writer for the needs of this evaluate.
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