Ride1Up Puts a German Mid-Drive E-Bike Under $1,300 With the Prodigy V2 Eco

E-bikes with genuinely good mid-drive motors have long carried price tags that push well past the $3,000 mark, while budget-friendly options usually settle for modest hub motors. Ride1Up is trying to collapse that gap with its new Prodigy V2 Eco, a Class 3 machine listed for pre-order at just$1,295.

The headline figure isn’t the whole story. At the center of the frame sits a German-built Brose TF Sprinter mid-drive rated at 90 Nm, fed by a 504 Wh pack built around Samsung cells and paired with an integrated torque sensor. Riders get assistance up to 28 mph (45 km/h). To reach this price, Ride1Up trimmed the finishing kit rather than the electric heart: the Maxxis tires give way to more budget-friendly rubber, the four-piston brakes become 180mm two-piston hydraulic units, and shifting duties fall to a 9-speed microSHIFT Advent derailleur with a Shimano Alivio 11-34T cassette.

Elsewhere the bike keeps a practical spec sheet — a 100mm suspension fork with lockout, built-in front and rear lighting, full-coverage fenders, a rear rack rated for 40 lb, an adjustable stem, and 27.5-inch wheels. Buyers can pick between step-through and step-over frames, which stand in for multiple size options by offering a lower or higher mounting point.

Ride1Up itself points to models like Trek’s FX+ 7S and Allant+ 8S and Specialized’s Turbo Vado SL 2 5.0, all of which list above $4,000. Those bikes bring dealer networks and more premium component choices, so it isn’t a like-for-like contest. Even so, a spread of more than three times the price makes the Prodigy V2 Eco a compelling proposition for riders who care most about the motor and battery. Shipments are expected to start within the next couple of weeks.