This e-bike is something of a paradox. At every turn, this is a premium e-bike, and yet, it is affordable. At first glance, it appears to be a commuter, but a deeper look reveals that it is equipped for trekking, that is, long-distance touring, and thanks to knobby tires, it can handle leaving the paved road and exploring remote locales. And boy, does it have the range to make that happen.
The Prodigy V2 LX is Ride1UP’s most expensive bike to date, but when surveying the landscape for what to compare it to, you’re looking at a bike that’s at least $1000 cheaper than most comps – sometimes even $3000 less.
What makes the Ride1UP Prodigy V2 LX worth considering dropping cash on is the fact that there is an unrelenting focus on the rider’s experience. They started with a 250W Brose mid-drive motor and a 504Wh battery for excellent range. They paired that with an Enviolo Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) hub that grants the rider the perfect gear whether going up, down or dead ahead. Thanks to the Enviolo hub, Ride1UP was able to spec a Gates belt, rather than a chain, which offers a few different benefits, but for starters, it’s quieter and makes the process of operating it somewhat more instinctual.
The proverbial goodie bag goes deeper too. Stopping duties are handled by 4-piston Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. Also, they even throw in a complete commuter package including front and rear lights, fenders, a rear rack and kickstand. Another unusual feature on this e-bike is the air-spring fork. The difference between air forks and a coil-spring fork is like the difference between lemons and lemonade.
I’ve reviewed three variations on the Prodigy and this latest one is the best one yet; Ride1UP has created a special e-bike here. This may be the best-value e-bike they’ve ever made. Note: I said best value, not least expensive. Someone on a snug budget can find more affordable e-bikes we’ve reviewed from Ride1UP’s lineup, but it would be difficult to create an e-bike that could give the buyer more — of anything — for this price.
That’s a pretty good overview. But it’s time to dig into the data of our testing.
