Ride1Up’s highly regarded Prodigy e-bike is now significantly less expensive. At just $1,495, this is the most affordable Brose-powered electric bicycle that a large shop has ever offered.
When the Prodigy was introduced almost two years ago, the industry was shocked to see an already reasonably priced commuter e-bike with Brose power. It sold cost US $2,295 at the time, which was unusual for electric motorcycles in the US with Brose engines.
Although the original Ride1Up Prodigy V2 has since been improved, it still boasts a lot of power.
E-bikes with motors from higher-end European manufacturers like Bosch and Brose generally cost a premium, often landing in the $3k-$6k range. We rarely see them on budget-focused electric bikes. But San Diego-based Ride1Up, which has long prided itself on offering affordably-priced yet high-performance commuter electric bikes, managed to deliver its Brose-powered high-speed electric bikes for what seemed like a steal at the time. Now with the new clearance pricing starting at US $1,495, the 28 mph (45 km/h) commuter e-bikes are even more attractive.
With a whopping 90 Nm of torque, Tektro hydraulic disc brakes on 180 mm rotors, 500 Wh frame-integrated and removable batteries for 30-50 miles (50-80 km) of range, nine-speed Shimano drivetrain, color LCD TFT display on the handlebars, and built-in LED lights, this is a crazy good price for a much more premium-level bike than belongs in this price category.
Of course, the underlying question remains, “Why is the price so good?”
The Prodigy received largely glowing reviews upon its reveal, including from us. But no matter how good the bike was, the fact of the matter is that much of the US e-bike industry is still dealing with relatively full shelves in its warehouses. A buying and producing spree coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic coincided with the proliferation of new e-bike brands and models, which meant that many companies were left with more e-bikes than they could sell.
The saturated market landed at a time when the economy began cooling off again, further impacting e-bike sales.
With the Ride1Up Prodigy V2 replacing the V1s as the shiniest new flagship commuter e-bike from the brand, Ride1Up appears to be clearing out its existing V1 inventory.
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