Ride1Up – Prodigy ST Version 1 (late 2023)
Use – Daily Commuting.
Frame – I chose the ST frame due to ease of mounting and as a lighter weight option. All good except I miss having two mounts/drops for accessories. The ST has 1 vertical mount which is occupied by my Folylock bike lock. No mounts remain for a water bottle. I would get the XR version the next time. The paint and finish are as good as any bike I’ve owned. For whatever reason, the front end shimmies like crazy when the handlebars are not being held. The bike shop could not find the cause but confirmed the problem.
Drive System – the Brose mid-drive delivers smooth performance without fault. It’s quite a bit better than my Rad Power/ Rad City Cycle 750W hub drive. This is why I bought the bike. The mid drive though, being mounted at the bottom of the bike causes serious consequences for pedal clearance. The pedals when extended straight up and down for my other 2 eBikes was 6.5 to 7 inches of clearance. The Prodigy mid-drive is only 2 +3/4 inches which causes frequent pedal strikes on the road in turns. Pedaling around speed humps may cause an accident scenario. Off road riding with the Prodigy ST/XR is out of the question as the pedal clearance is not suitable, among other things.
Battery. I feel the eBike companies are not committed to better explaining the performance of their batteries. The usual excuse is – there are too many variables (rider weight, terrain, wind and weather etc). Some of this is true however, here is what I found on the Prodigy ST. Conditions – flat, asphalt road or trail, good weather, 200 lb rider, no luggage except a small backpack in a lightweight basket, relaxed (commute) riding style.
Pedal Assist Off – the bike is heavy, tough to ride and not as useful as a regular commuter bike. It’s ok if you want to work the legs and lungs on the road instead of at the gym.
Eco Setting/ Range 55 miles – the power at this level overcomes the added eBike weight and brings the performance close to a regular hybrid bike. The benefits of an eBike however are not realized at this setting ie if it only had an Eco setting, I’d stick to a regular bike. It was a painfully boring test of 55 miles. Might be useful for sidewalk riding – when it’s allowed. Usually cruised with Eco Setting at 0-12 Mph.
Tour Setting/ Range 42 miles – The best setting for routine/ longer rides with noticeable performance on the straights. Not a great help for accelerating from a stop in traffic. Have to “guess” shift to very low gear to get going or struggle if a higher gear is accidentally used. Usually cruised with Tour Setting at 15-18 Mph.
Sport Setting/ Range 27 miles – a fun setting for faster, short commutes. Very helpful when accelerating from a complete stop or getting out of the way of traffic. Also useful when trugging a bit through grass. You may need to charge every evening at this setting. 2 batteries or mid-day office charging will be needed for longer commutes. Cruised around 19-22 Mph. For me, this would be the sweet spot if 40 miles could be achieved.
Boost Setting/ Range 22 miles – great acceleration for short zips around the city and adjusting for conditions while cruising in other settings. The best setting for accelerating from a full stop in traffic or crossing roads. Not useful as a constant setting for daily commuting. Used only at stops and when needed (like a hill). Able to cruise at 22-25 Mph. 29 Mph is doable if at a full pedaling sprint but not sustainable on the flats. Charging required every evening or at the office.
Displays – 1.5 inch color is functional but small even with my 20/20 vision. Average array of sub displays. Routinely used the clock along with battery/ range indication and PAS level. It would be nice to be able to reset the trip while riding. There is no stop watch or manual counter. Although the instructions say you can turn off the headlight via the digital control – it’s unfortunately not possible. Further, unlike my other eBikes, the Prodigy has no display either on the gears or display to indicate which gear you are in. This is awkward when planning for stops and other performance anticipated actions.
Lighting. The headlight is the best integrated system I’ve used. I commute in the dark + have ample brightness and forward reach for road use. I augment the light with a superior handlebar mounted cygolight. The tail light is also a great integrated addition. It would be better if an option to switch it to flash is possible. I also installed a Cats Eye rear light to ensure a more visible flash. There is no option to shut the integrated lights off while riding. Must be a California law that we all suffer for.
Tires and Fenders. The stock tires in 2023 were Schwalbe G1 Speeds. They are slick with no flat protection. Got 2 flats in the back and 1 in the front in the 1st month while riding on clean asphalt roads/ concrete trails. Never experienced this level of tire and tube failure on any bike. Both were changed to anything other than the Schwalbe slicks. No problems since. I’ve always used fenders due to commuting in all-weather. No issues with the rear fender. The front fender has no clearance with the stock or any other tires. This is unacceptable as everything gets bound up between the tire and fender. If the fender gets nudged slightly in either direction, it rubs on the tire. I eventually removed it until I can work out another fender with more functional clearance.
Handlebars, grips and seat. The handlebars are functional but inferior to my Rad City eBike. There is little to no adjust ability + the plain, almost straight and narrow geometry could be easily improved. The grips are, as other stock bikes, basic rubber and crappy. They were tossed in the garbage along with the tires. The cut-out saddle is more comfortable that most stock ones I’ve experienced for short trips. Nevertheless, for greater sit-bone support and comfort on longer rides, I swapped it out for a Brooks B17 leather saddle that has served seasoned riders for over a century.
Buying experience. I found the buying experience positive despite the high cost of the bike and distance shipped. Be prepared to wait for about 3-4 weeks if you order from the east coast. The bikes are designed at the company in San Diego but manufactured cheaply many thousands of miles away in some corner of China. If costs could be kept under control, I’d buy a bike from a North American manufacturer over China. Customer support was helpful when I contacted them re explaining the range indications on the display.
In sum, I’d recommend the Ride1Up Prodigy ST as a lower cost, entry level mid-drive bike. I feel that Ride1Up could easily improve the bike without major compromises or cost. As of 2024, Ride1Up introduced the Version 2 + hopefully they’ve improved on a pretty good bike with minor advancements in components, performance and the riding experience.
Use – Daily Commuting.
Frame – I chose the ST frame due to ease of mounting and as a lighter weight option. All good except I miss having two mounts/drops for accessories. The ST has 1 vertical mount which is occupied by my Folylock bike lock. No mounts remain for a water bottle. I would get the XR version the next time. The paint and finish are as good as any bike I’ve owned. For whatever reason, the front end shimmies like crazy when the handlebars are not being held. The bike shop could not find the cause but confirmed the problem.
Drive System – the Brose mid-drive delivers smooth performance without fault. It’s quite a bit better than my Rad Power/ Rad City Cycle 750W hub drive. This is why I bought the bike. The mid drive though, being mounted at the bottom of the bike causes serious consequences for pedal clearance. The pedals when extended straight up and down for my other 2 eBikes was 6.5 to 7 inches of clearance. The Prodigy mid-drive is only 2 +3/4 inches which causes frequent pedal strikes on the road in turns. Pedaling around speed humps may cause an accident scenario. Off road riding with the Prodigy ST/XR is out of the question as the pedal clearance is not suitable, among other things.
Battery. I feel the eBike companies are not committed to better explaining the performance of their batteries. The usual excuse is – there are too many variables (rider weight, terrain, wind and weather etc). Some of this is true however, here is what I found on the Prodigy ST. Conditions – flat, asphalt road or trail, good weather, 200 lb rider, no luggage except a small backpack in a lightweight basket, relaxed (commute) riding style.
Pedal Assist Off – the bike is heavy, tough to ride and not as useful as a regular commuter bike. It’s ok if you want to work the legs and lungs on the road instead of at the gym.
Eco Setting/ Range 55 miles – the power at this level overcomes the added eBike weight and brings the performance close to a regular hybrid bike. The benefits of an eBike however are not realized at this setting ie if it only had an Eco setting, I’d stick to a regular bike. It was a painfully boring test of 55 miles. Might be useful for sidewalk riding – when it’s allowed. Usually cruised with Eco Setting at 0-12 Mph.
Tour Setting/ Range 42 miles – The best setting for routine/ longer rides with noticeable performance on the straights. Not a great help for accelerating from a stop in traffic. Have to “guess” shift to very low gear to get going or struggle if a higher gear is accidentally used. Usually cruised with Tour Setting at 15-18 Mph.
Sport Setting/ Range 27 miles – a fun setting for faster, short commutes. Very helpful when accelerating from a complete stop or getting out of the way of traffic. Also useful when trugging a bit through grass. You may need to charge every evening at this setting. 2 batteries or mid-day office charging will be needed for longer commutes. Cruised around 19-22 Mph. For me, this would be the sweet spot if 40 miles could be achieved.
Boost Setting/ Range 22 miles – great acceleration for short zips around the city and adjusting for conditions while cruising in other settings. The best setting for accelerating from a full stop in traffic or crossing roads. Not useful as a constant setting for daily commuting. Used only at stops and when needed (like a hill). Able to cruise at 22-25 Mph. 29 Mph is doable if at a full pedaling sprint but not sustainable on the flats. Charging required every evening or at the office.
Displays – 1.5 inch color is functional but small even with my 20/20 vision. Average array of sub displays. Routinely used the clock along with battery/ range indication and PAS level. It would be nice to be able to reset the trip while riding. There is no stop watch or manual counter. Although the instructions say you can turn off the headlight via the digital control – it’s unfortunately not possible. Further, unlike my other eBikes, the Prodigy has no display either on the gears or display to indicate which gear you are in. This is awkward when planning for stops and other performance anticipated actions.
Lighting. The headlight is the best integrated system I’ve used. I commute in the dark + have ample brightness and forward reach for road use. I augment the light with a superior handlebar mounted cygolight. The tail light is also a great integrated addition. It would be better if an option to switch it to flash is possible. I also installed a Cats Eye rear light to ensure a more visible flash. There is no option to shut the integrated lights off while riding. Must be a California law that we all suffer for.
Tires and Fenders. The stock tires in 2023 were Schwalbe G1 Speeds. They are slick with no flat protection. Got 2 flats in the back and 1 in the front in the 1st month while riding on clean asphalt roads/ concrete trails. Never experienced this level of tire and tube failure on any bike. Both were changed to anything other than the Schwalbe slicks. No problems since. I’ve always used fenders due to commuting in all-weather. No issues with the rear fender. The front fender has no clearance with the stock or any other tires. This is unacceptable as everything gets bound up between the tire and fender. If the fender gets nudged slightly in either direction, it rubs on the tire. I eventually removed it until I can work out another fender with more functional clearance.
Handlebars, grips and seat. The handlebars are functional but inferior to my Rad City eBike. There is little to no adjust ability + the plain, almost straight and narrow geometry could be easily improved. The grips are, as other stock bikes, basic rubber and crappy. They were tossed in the garbage along with the tires. The cut-out saddle is more comfortable that most stock ones I’ve experienced for short trips. Nevertheless, for greater sit-bone support and comfort on longer rides, I swapped it out for a Brooks B17 leather saddle that has served seasoned riders for over a century.
Buying experience. I found the buying experience positive despite the high cost of the bike and distance shipped. Be prepared to wait for about 3-4 weeks if you order from the east coast. The bikes are designed at the company in San Diego but manufactured cheaply many thousands of miles away in some corner of China. If costs could be kept under control, I’d buy a bike from a North American manufacturer over China. Customer support was helpful when I contacted them re explaining the range indications on the display.
In sum, I’d recommend the Ride1Up Prodigy ST as a lower cost, entry level mid-drive bike. I feel that Ride1Up could easily improve the bike without major compromises or cost. As of 2024, Ride1Up introduced the Version 2 + hopefully they’ve improved on a pretty good bike with minor advancements in components, performance and the riding experience.
