Ride1UP Prodigy ST E-Bike Review, 2023 | Electric Bike Report

One of the easiest ways to show off the premium quality of an e-bike has been to equip it with a mid-drive motor. Hydraulic disc brakes all look alike from 10 ft. away—same for drivetrains. But a mid-drive motor stands out, even at a distance. And because they have generally appeared on e-bikes around closer to $3000 and up, seeing one has meant that the e-bike in question is a step up.

But what if an e-bike with a mid-drive motor didn’t have to be that expensive? That’s where the Ride1UP Prodigy ST comes in. This is an e-bike that doesn’t skimp on quality. It’s built with a Brose mid-drive motor, hydraulic disc brakes, a 9-speed drivetrain and comes with a full accessory package including fenders, rear rack, lights and kickstand. In our Ride1UP Prodigy ST review we’ll look at how these choices affect the ride and just what sort of value proposition this e-bike offers.

Ride1UP is a company with a reputation for building high-value e-bikes; your dollar goes a long way with them. In addition to the Brose mid-drive motor, they chose a 500Wh battery which might seem to be a modest capacity, but when paired with a 250W motor, you’ll see just how much performance you can get with it.

So who will this e-bike appeal to? Primarily commuters, though that shouldn’t be a surprise, in part due to the included accessories. It will also appeal to riders who want finer control over the motor’s output and don’t mind getting more of a workout as they ride – but you can make any amount of work light too.

Ride1UP makes the Prodigy in not one, not two but three different versions. The XR and ST are both set up as commuters, with the difference being that the ST is a step-thru frame, rather than a traditional diamond frame, and it runs on the smaller side. The Ride1UP Prodigy XC opts for knobby tires, a suspension fork and lower gears for off-road riding. It also skips the fenders and rack.

Ride1UP suggests that the Prodigy ST will fit riders from 5 feet 1 up to 6 feet 3, while the XR and XC will fit riders from 5 feet 6 up to 6 feet 4. In nearly every instance a fit range of more than five inches is optimistic and riders at the high or low end of the size range may need to change out the stem and/or handlebar for optimal comfort, though they can manage with the bike as is.

At just 50 lbs (for the frame)., the Prodigy ST is notably lighter than most commuters we encounter. Even so, it has a total weight capacity of 300 lbs., and the rack will hold up to 40 lbs.

Let’s get into our testing and review to see how the Prodigy ST stacked up, and if that premium motor makes the rest of the bike worth while (spoiler alert: it does).