Sweet Sexy Raul I didn’t have the front light on there before only on the black bike. The front light will still fit even with the change of fork, but for me it just doesn’t go with the style of the grey bike so I use clip on lights that I can remove easily when needed. I have new lights coming soon as well but we’ll see how good they are first
It’s much better now... I always have that worry in the back of my mind that my motor or battery is going to fail 😂 but really the upgrades have helped make me enjoy riding it. As I said in the other video I haven’t had the issues a lot of other people have had but I can’t sit back and tell people the bike is awesome where there are a lot of people that haven’t been able to ride for almost two years because MATE haven’t honoured the warranty
@Gareth Dix you're the real MVP swapped almost everything after I saw your vid.. some local bikestores wished me "luck" oh and talkin about the difficulty of the work..by the way found rubber shim rings to add to make the screen fit on the bar
That’s basically why I started learning how to do it all myself as my local bike shop wouldn’t touch anything on the bike and now I don’t take my other bikes there anymore either as I can do it all myself! 😂 Do you have the screen on the top bar or by the stem?
Thanks! I think every upgraded fork does the same as it has more travel than the stock one. The Himalo one is a good medium between too high and no suspension travel
That was really good thanks. 1st impression.. that bike looks stock 😂 Loved the handlebar stalk and BMX bars swap. Need to get onto that. Nice to learn about the reflective rim tape as well.. I hadn't realised the size needed. More please 👍
I’m loving the account name and photo 😂😂 the handlebar change I would say is how the bike should have looked... you do lose the folding ability but it saves so much weight. More videos to come on the bike!
I would speak to DATE X2 and they'll help you diagnose if it's the charger or the battery they also have both batteries and chargers in stock that are better than the original facebook.com/DATEx2/
Thanks for the great update and the information of the upgrade you did. Could you please be so kind and list all the parts, so that I could check how and where I can get the parts in Germany. Looking forward to your kind response. All the best, Frank
Hi, all the parts are listed under the description including if it needs a specific tool or other hardware to fit. But let me know if there’s something specific you’re trying to get in Germany as being in Switzerland I had to get some of the parts from across the border
I got mine from Chain reaction cycles because amazon couldn't deliver the one I wanted to Switzerland, but hopefully these links help 58T Chainring 130mm BCD www.chainreactioncycles.com/ta-130-pcd-alize-outer-chainrings-57-61t-/rp-prod175967 US Amazon alternative (affiliate link) - amzn.to/3FfZFT1 UK Amazon (affiliate link) - amzn.to/3ydfatw
At the time there wasn’t any help online specifically for the mate but other than the way the folding stem attaches ( 3 bolts) it’s the same as any other bike. I think I kinda figured it out from this video which translates to the mate pretty easily. The hardest part of the installation is getting the star nut in to sit correctly but I got lucky with the first bike and just whacked in with a hammer on the second bike I got a tool for it because it wasn’t as easy. But otherwise check out this video and it’s about a 15-20min change ua-cam.com/video/U9xF1Vt00bA/v-deo.html
There’s been a few people working on these which is pretty cool, I’m not a big fan of the bmx handbars sitting high off the frame though, although it works well with a normal set of bars
Hi Gareth, with the eggrider, do you still get the start-assist feature? On the stock Mate X this would have been a long press on the ' - ' (minus) which would enable acceleration up to 5kmh or so (to help you get started with pedaling ) - is this feature present on the Eggrider ? Would appreciate your input! Thanks
Yes by pressing the 🔼 button you get the assist feature although it’s originally designed for you to walk with the bike. I never really used this on the original display though as it goes way faster than I can walk, but let me give it a go later whilst sitting on the bike to make sure it works the same. Do you have the thumb throttle? I find it easier to use this as the start assist as you can control how much it comes on.
@@GarethDix thanks for taking the time to respond! I dont have the throttle, I disconnected it when I got the Mate (I do like to pedal and distribute 'effort' between the mate and myself at about 70/30 ratio. So i'm normally in mode 7-8 and on a mid-speed level. Hence I use the start-assist feature all the time.
Yeah I only use the throttle to get the bike going, on the eggrider you can even set the thumb throttle to only go to 5/6kmh exactly for that use. But I checked use of the 🔼 button to see if it did the same and it does!
I use these I may have tweaked some things since taking these screen shots but it should work nicely www.dropbox.com/sh/11hwgds7i9hsmsf/AADj4TSUJAFz2hLkjefuZn01a?dl=0
@samwalker6594 no worries let me know how it goes. It’s worth measuring your wheel if you aren’t using the same tyres as it’ll make quite a bit of difference to your speed etc
Hi Gareth, Thanks for this video - loads of cool upgrades here! With the eggrider V2, please can you share your settings (display settings, app settings and Lishui settings)
Sorry just saw your message I’ve added my settings as screen grabs from the app to the link below, hopefully these will work for you too www.dropbox.com/sh/11hwgds7i9hsmsf/AADj4TSUJAFz2hLkjefuZn01a?dl=0
I was going to but I think someone made one already which is the only reason I didn't... I think it was ebikeparts that did it as they also sell front forks for MATE X bikes
I use a couple of bungee cords on the rear rack of the black bike and usually my rucksack on the grey one. The lock also fits nicely over the bmx handlebar and is ok for shorter journeys
Ahh ok so Loosen the screws on the bottom of the folding stem first (there are two of them) with a Allen (Hex) key. Then fold the stem down which reveals a giant bolt and you’ll need a 10mm Allen (Hex) key for that, but after you unscrew that the stem comes off and the fork slides out from below
it's a 20inch fork but has more travel than the original so it ends up a little higher looking... I think all of the aftermarket 20" forks are about the same height because of that extra travel. There are people that are using a 24-26inch fork and it looks a little odd in my opinion, but I think with a set of ape hanger style handlebars you could go for a chopper type look.
I got them from Bros.ch as it’s one of the only places in Switzerland that had them. If you’re in the EU urbandrivestyle.com or in the US I think Enkicycles.com typically have them
I kept the original which are still going, but they are pretty thin and cheaply made so will upgrade these soon. They work but if you can put better quality ones in you’ll have less issues with punctures (unless you use slime or mr tuffy liners)
Not yet… I’ve been toying with the idea but at the same time for the way I use the bike I’m not sure it’s worth it. If you have a 750watt version it’s definitely worth the upgrade as pedalling at 40-50kmh with just the 58T on the front won’t be enough
The original fork has a screw in stem bolt at the top, and replacement forks take a star nut, so you need one of those. You also have to cut down the top part of the new fork as they all come longer than needed but you can either use a saw or pipe cutter to do this. The only other considerations are the bolt to hold brake caliper to the fork will likely be a bigger size and the fork being slightly longer just means you might have to feed the cable differently but it fits. Otherwise you can reuse race that’s on the current fork it’s a little fiddly to take off but not difficult… I really suck at anything DIY or building things and I’ve now replaced this on both bikes and it takes about 30mins. The starnut is the most difficult part but I have a tool for that now so it didn’t take as long on the second bike as it did on the first 😂
The best place is from a company called DateX2 Laurentiu who runs the company probably knows more about the electrics of this bike than Mate themselves! He can even give you options for upgraded controllers too
The bike still folds in half, the increase in height is around 10cm (depending on the fork). The wheels meet at the same height when folded as the whole front end of the bike is raised including the angle of the fold (not sure if I explained that correctly)
@@GarethDix I think I know what you mean. So it is still symmetrical when folded? And how's the durability of the bike and upgrades. Are you still using the bike?
Let me check when I get home as I never normally fold the bikes mainly because I couldn’t wheel them around when folded prior to the upgrades. But the durability is good on the upgrades… that said I don’t abuse the bike I just cruise around the city. I still have both bikes and ride them a lot. I’ll be making a video on my latest upgrades shortly… I’m just fixing an issue with one of the original parts that’s worn out.
I cycle on the street in the city so I’m only dropping of kerbs or running around cobbled streets so nothing crazy but mine is still going well. I’m thinking about swapping it out for a double crown one but more to see how it looks. There are now plenty of companies making similar forks to this one now too
Just saw that X-Tems finally launched their super strong folding stem for these BMX upgrades. This was the only thing holding me back (need to fold for storage), so I bought 2 as they're currently on sale. Thank me later, Mate/Lectric/Engwe/ADO etc riders! 😄
Yes there were a lot of people that didn’t switch to a bmw bar because of the non-folding so it should be an awesome product. If I hadn’t changed my bike from a BMX handlebar I would have been looking at one of these too. This might be the point where my gf will change to a bmx handle (the black bike)
@@GarethDix You'd only need the X1 stem. As for the gf's bike, can't believe you didn't swap her front fork for safety. One big hit at 20mph and the fork is using the rider as a shock absorber, which some of us find out the hard way. ;)
Her bike has all new suspension now since this video. She rode mine and realised how bad the stock forks and rear were. The stem works well with a BMX handlebar because of the shape, but it’s a little too tall for the new bar and forks I’m using now… when I post the next bike update video (I’m making it now) you’ll see what I mean
It depends on a lot of things... the customer service and lack of spare parts still doesn’t seem to have been resolved. There is a really good community around the bikes that have upgraded and fixed them, even produced batteries so if there are issues you can get past it... but for the cost the bike is now I would probably look at either a cheaper version of the bike from Fiido and upgrade it, check out some of the newer bikes that have better components like the Enki Billy... or if you really want a Mate X get the cheapest one you can get with no extras and upgrade it yourself (even motor replacements are available just Google DATE X2 and you’ll see Laurentiu’s upgrades).
I have an ebike similar to the mate with the fat 20x4 tires. I’m in need of a new bottom bracket and while cranket any advice on which is best and sizes etc. I’m really struggling to find anything online that will work.
I actually haven’t seen anyone change the bottom bracket only really the chainring and arms… I’m guessing it’s one of the parts that hasn’t failed for most people yet. Are you trying to improve the cadence of the pedalling?
I think there’s a couple of other people in the comments that also bought the Fiido M1 as well and all you need to check is the diameter of the top tube on the current fork. These only come in a few sizes and the mate one is 28.6cm. If this is the same it should fit. The handlebars are the same, as long as the stem has a hole the right size for the top tube of the fork it should fit no problem.
I get most of my stuff for the bike now from Laurentiu from Date X2.... the website is a google form but it's legit... he knows more about these bikes than anyone so could probably give you options to upgrade as well! bit.ly/DATE-BFx
The difference is at the top end when pedalling. On the original it feels like you are pedalling in air when you get to about 20km/h+ whereas the 58T allows you to have some resistance to keep pedalling at that top end. It does affect the low end as it’s a little harder to start moving but it’s not bad with a 58T
Awesome video so thx a lot ! First question that comes to my mind is, in addition to the price of your bike, how much did all the upgrades cost in total please ?
The upgrades in this video were around $700 but that’s because the parts I can get shipped to Switzerland are limited (there’s no Amazon here) so you can get the equivalent cheaper in other countries. I’ve changed a few things since this video so I’ll be doing another one soon as an update to show what else has changed
The eggrider is a much smaller screen and has the buttons integrated. I don’t really like the giant standard screen as it calls too much attention to itself. The eggrider also has a Bluetooth connection so you can use your phone with the bike to change settings, track your journeys and even use it as a bigger screen if you need it. The main advantage of the eggrider for me though is being able to set two different profiles that can be switched at the touch of a button on the display. For example you can set the power profiles and speed limits differently, so here in Switzerland we’re limited to 25km/h on an ebike on the road, but off-road you might want to set it to 35km/h to help get up hills etc.
Whats the overall opinion on bike now...u got it for a while now...i sold my emtb... And im thinking about super73 and this one... But mate looks like is much more normal type of riding..u aint hunch so much... How is to pedal it? Is it weird?
I’m actually in the process of making a few update videos to this including a long term review of it. I also thought about the super73 but the European versions don’t come with a throttle and it doesn’t like it’s a great bike to pedal. The mate X actually rides like a heavy normal bike… I still think you’d need to upgrade parts on it but you can use it like assisted pedal bike rather than just the throttle all the time
I'd still love to know more about how you did the handlebars! I have a very similar bike with the weird lean forward fold down stem. There's just a central hex bolt in the base of it going into the frame. Unsure what I need there. I don't quite understand why your old screen didn't fit. If you mounted it onto that top bar the position doesn't look more than the original, unless the BMX bars are much wider? I'll measure mine. I also wondered about one of those additional short bars if I needed to raise the screen at all. Or did you mean the diameter of your bars? I don't have that same fat bit in the middle. So like the look of your BMX bars 😁
You just need a BMX stem which will clamp onto the tube of the front fork and handlebars. Then you screw that central hex bolt down from the top. The screen didn’t fit purely because of the diameter being too small on the BMX bars. But yes the BMX bars are a lot wider than the original ones by quite a bit so the buttons for the screen didn’t quite reach if I had the screen in the centre because the wire was designed specifically for the standard set up. It’s not a huge problem though. But for me it was a work around not a solution so I got the eggrider
@@GarethDix thanks very much for that info. The stem change sounds good then. I see, I understand now about the screen. Great to have a heads up to be able to appreciate what the problems might be. Hopefully save a few quid in the 11/11 sales. Many thanks 👍
No worries, the bmx stems are pretty cheap you don’t need to get an expensive one they’re all designed to take some abuse so don’t think you have to get a $100 one the one I bought was around $10 and it’s solid
Sure it’s 24 x 8mm with the DNM you can buy it with that bushing already installed, I just upgraded to a rockshox monarch and you have to buy these separately and you need two sets (and a bushing tool to install them)
I would say it’s more refined and will likely last longer but the DNM is more adjustable so actually more comfortable if you just want a soft ride... but either option is a million miles better than the original
Very nice Video. The brakes are not good enough downhill. Have replaced these with Shimano XT. The damper is a Monarch RL. I should probably still urgently replace the suspension fork. Pedals of course also replaced by those with spikes.
I’m planning on doing an updated video as I’m replacing the brakes and already replaced the rear shock with the monarch RL too. The fork definitely will make a huge difference especially in the braking as it doesn’t bounce all over the place then when you set the sag. What pedals did you use?
Hey Gareth. John here from across the pond so to speak. Ive watched this video countless times and have applied many of your upgrades to my own folding bike. It looks exactly like yours but is an unbranded version. Basically the same. However, my question is with the display you chose. My bike uses a 5s protocol and I can't find one that works. Did you have any issues with yours? It seems everything uses UART protocol which wont work with my bike. If you can go into more detail about all this I sure would appreciate it. Thanks in advance. Oh, I added a 1000w bafang front hub motor to mine today and love the results.
Which bike did you go with to start the build? And how is it to ride now compared to before? I’m not an expert on the controller side, but I’m pretty sure my bike uses a 5s protocol but there were versions from both China and Taiwan each using different controllers and motors. The controller in my bike is a Lishui and eggrider have different versions for this and bafang versions. But it’s worth dropping them a message with the details of the controller and the bike and they’re usually pretty quick to get back to people with whether they have a version that will work or not. But I gotta see what a 1000w motor on the front is like to ride that will be crazy fast!
@@GarethDix So the bike is unbranded from Bluenergy. I got it off Ebay. Almost positive it's the same frame as the Mate X, Yamee fat Bear, Rattan, etal. Just different components. In fact Alibaba has a 52v 17.5ah battery with "Mate X" replacement battery in the search title and has the exact same dimensions that fit my bike. Mine came with a Bafang 750w hub motor in the rear and as I mentioned, I recently added the 1000w bafang front hub as well. I'd say the bike in it's original form would go 22-26 mph. Now it hits 35mph with much more torque and acceleration. The dual throttles when slammed will get you across an intersection in a hurry which actually makes it a safer bike imho. The added speed helps me go more with the speed of traffic. Dang problem is the display doesn't work correctly and I cant get into the menu to change settings bc the "I" function went out (before the mod) and I can't find anything with the 5s protocol to replace it with. I'll have to check what controller I have if it even has a name I can read. Was your Eggrider plug and play or did you have to change out the whole wiring harness?? If I had to do it all over I'd but a Bafang HD mid drive on my mountain bike! LOL
Yes the bluenergy bikes are probably one of the only frames that is pretty much the same to a Mate X as a lot of them look similar but aren’t the same size or the geometry is different but this looks pretty much exact. It sounds like an absolute beast though, and it’s giving me ideas of making mine 2WD 😂 you have to do a video on this because I’m sure there would be a lot of people that would love to see that! The eggrider for me was the easiest upgrade, I just I clipped the old display and plugged this one in and everything worked. I changed the battery size and wheel diameter to get the speed and distance more accurate and it came with a specific connector for the mate X. It would be worth you looking up DATE X2 and speaking to Laurentiu as he also is running a 2WD bike but with dual 1000w Bafang hub motors (and 3 batteries) and knows the ins and outs of the controller so could really help and even if the controller needs to be changed he’s done this on a lot of bikes already too!
@@GarethDix That's great to hear Gareth, I'll look him up for sure. The not so great news is Eggrider got back to me after I gave them all the specs on my controller and said their product won't work with it. Sux!! I wrote them back asking them what I needed to change to make it work. Did that just now. I'd love to make a video of the process and results, but I just don't have the cameras and stuff needed to make even a decent video. It would be laughable honestly. If you'd be interested in the kit and battery I purchased, I'd be more than happy to share that with you and your followers. Lemme know for sure!
I also found it weird that it was the most successfully funded campaign on Indiegogo and yet there almost nothing on UA-cam about it at all 🤔 what do you want to see about the bike?
Would you like to buy a matex for cheap? It's never been ridden. I have had a professional bike installer put it together for me. You'll have to pay for shipping though. Plus $600 for the bike...
Howdy Gareth, great upgrades. I am definitely doing those also but was also eondring on uografing the brake disc to 180 oder 200mm. Is there any reasong you didn’t do the brakes? Cheers and thanks for the great video.
At the time I thought the brakes were good enough… but after riding the bike a little harder in the past year I’m upgrading these at the moment including the size of the discs as well to 203mm ☺️
I live in very steep downhill area and just ordered the saint 203mm even though my bike hasnt arrived yet 😂 hope i won’t be waiting a year for it in Austria
Someone I spoke to this week told me he had to wait two years for his bike and only just received it, but it was a special edition so the standard books should be ok
Hi Gareth - do you think Mate is worth a buy at this point? Have they improved since they first came out? Wanted to know if you’ve heard anything. Thanks
There has been some minor changes to the bike including they’ve streamlined some of the production so that it now uses the Bafang Motors for all of the 750 versions. However… I’d still say you’d need to upgrade the suspension and the chainring at minimum. On the Facebook group there are people that are still waiting for months to get their bikes and the customer service doesn’t look like it’s improved as there are people still waiting for parts from the original batch. That said there are a few specialists now helping to fix the bikes and creating new batteries/motors/controllers so if something does go wrong you can get it fixed rather than wait for mate to get back to you.
No worries, it’s also worth checking out the mate X owners group on facebook and you’ll get a lot of responses some good some bad… I still like the bike now it’s upgraded but there’s a few other similar bikes out there now as well
Hello. Love your upgrades. I want to do the bmx handlebar swap. Could you tell me if you needed a quill stem adapter for the conversion or does the standard fork steerer tube take the bmx stem? Thanks
You don’t need a quill stem adapter as the bike doesn’t have a quill stem. The top nut you see when you fold the handlebars down is basically like a screw version of a starnut. So you’ll need a BMX stem to fit the handlebars but you need to measure the amount of steerer tube from the forks sticking through the frame and get the BMX stem to fit. If your measurements are correct you can literally swap that handle bar over in about 15mins it’s really easy with the original fork.
They’re 100mm (technically 4inch) some people are running 80mm tyres on the rims to make the bike more agile but I just love the hench look of it on the 100mm
@@GarethDix yu should put a 20x4 double shoulder fat fork ( himalo gold Amazon)your mate x would look really sick with that fork , bmx bar & those vee tire speedsters 👊🏽😎
I think it's around 700g it's really light compared to the original and gets the centre of gravity of the bike a little lower. It's made of chromoly but haven't had any issues with it flexing or bending so far!
Awesome vid !!! More fork questions I have the Yamee fatbear plus I’m looking at a new fork There is now a option of getting 34mm over the 32mm stanchions The himalo 32 is 98 bucks the 34 is 160 I have playing around take down this bike on green and blue single tracks just to see and it held up lol But I’m worried about snapping a 32mm fork I read on a review the himalo broke How has your experience and research panned out on this ? Also will my front fender fit
My Himalo fork is still going but I wouldn’t take it down a trail as it’s pretty lightweight. If you’re planning on using this off-road I would go with the 34mm stanchions as it would probably handle more of a beating. I believe there are a few proper forks coming on the market now (although really expensive) for 204 bikes. But if you get the 34mm version and they’re any good let me know and I’ll check them out. If you’re serious about hitting trails though you might want to consider a larger fork - it messes with the geometry and looks a little weird but you’ll get a lot more travel and can get them from rockshox or fox so you’ll know they’ll hold up
@@GarethDix thanks man that helps I have rockshox Lyrik ultimate 160mm on my mountain bike ( I ride allot of technical DH ) I really have no business taking a foldable ebike on those trails but hell it worked lol I will get the 34mm and get back to you , I just ordered the A5 RR 1 rear shock
@@GarethDix it’s suppppppppper jittery with the spring fork ( why I wanted a air fork ) Also I was doing some single track in to a creek crossing and climbing the way up ( about 15 feet steep ) the metal bracket that hold the bike up when you fold it on the bottom , caught a root and I flipped shit and face planted in the mud while the 60 pound beast landed on my leg lol Felt like I got Thai leg kicked lol So I found the limitations haha There are allot of videos of dudes taking these on single tracks even jumps ( crazy fuckers ) But while I have you will a new fork handle my stock fender ?ua-cam.com/video/B38bK_saNIM/v-deo.html
To be fair the spring fork was bad enough for me riding around the city in the wet, just going around corners any bump and you felt like you’d lost contact with the floor 😂 But damn I had the. Folding mechanism clasp loosen whilst riding it and that made a little bit of pee come out. The stock fenders will fit, but they break off over time as the mounting weld on the fender is pretty weak
They’re really nice… just make sure you are at pressure or they feel like they’re pulling you sideways when you turn at first… I found that out the hard way 😂
@@GarethDix sideways so you have get use to them they gotta better than juggernauts 4 " fat tires.I need something with less rolling resistance for the street.
Yeah the compound is a little harder and the centre of the tread is different which means less rolling resistance but as soon as you put it onto its side there’s loads of grip. You might want to also look at kenda street hog 3 as well as these are a little pointy so less contact patch or the innova semi slick. Both come in 3.5” and 4 1/4” so either wider or narrower but I think super73 use these on their bikes too (all S73 tires should fit)
Some of them yes… the eggrider may not as the controller is different so I’m not sure if the guys at eggrider have a version that is compatible, but the tyres, forks, rear suspension pedals and handlebars should be. I keep meaning to get an M1 just to see how it compares
It is a pretty large bike, I’m about 178/9cm and my gf is 174cm and even with the seat at the lowest setting I can’t put both feet flat on the floor. But to ride it’s fine as you can see the pedals are pretty short so I tend to have to stand up to pedal hard.
The one I’m using is 165 but plenty of people are using a 190. You need to make sure the hardware that comes with it is 24x8mm… but I’ve left links in the description of a couple of different options as well
I think there are only few different sizes but I went with a 22.2mm as I knew it would fit most of the components from the standard bars (which are the same size at the ends). But this meant the standard display mounting bracket was too big as the standard bars have a wider diameter in the middle so you have to add something to it or mount it near the stem. The wider diameter bars look good though they normally come in 31mm and 31.7mm you just got to change the handle bar grips and potentially get longer screws for the other components if they don’t fit back on
@@GarethDix have you been able to do the fork fitting on your second bike. I would like to see how its done, as I am planning to do change shocks and also fit the BMX bar for my bike. if you have any guide, it would be quite helpful while fitting my bike. :)
I ended up doing it during our lockdown here so couldn’t film it as I was in the basement and it’s a little too dark for video. Martin from the community made a step by step guide here ebikeparts.shop/?p=1193 But any questions you have I’m happy to answer. I will say fitting the bmx fork at the same time is so much easier than doing it later!
Just a quick update, the guys are ebike parts have just uploaded a video on changing the front fork and handlebars ebikeparts.shop/upgrading-the-mate-x-ebike-with-bmx-handlebars/?fbclid=IwAR3jwkuuLww4Oj8NnAI5coeP9aTpgzp8bslLBIgYLAHzzodi07cml2ONrks
Hi Gareth. I've just fitted the same tires. I'm noticing the handlebars trying to pull left and right. Did you notice anything different with the steering at all when you fitted yours?
Yes first make sure the tyres are at pressure as I had this happen a lot when they were too low... it happens slightly when they are new but once you run them in this doesn’t happen at all
it depends on where you're located but DateX2.eu and ebikeparts.shop are the two best places to get anything Mate X related, the guys really know the bikes very well and carry chargers and batteries etc.
Love the video. I took your advice on some of these things but ran into a problem when swapping out the handlebars... once I completed the swap the bike no longer turns on.. checked every connection and key. Do you have any ideas?
Do you have the Taiwan screen or the China screen? If it’s the Taiwan screen it’s likely the screen itself or the buttons has a lose connection but these are hardwired in. Does the thumb throttle still work on the bike if the screen is t on? Have you tried unplugging the screen connector on the front wiring loom and replugging it back in? It sounds like there’s a lose connection somewhere as the screen and wiring loom are pretty heavy so something is more likely to have been pulled than broken
So the bike uses a 20”x4” tyre normally, some people have gone down to a 20x3.5” or up to a 20x4.25”. The tires on my bike are Vee Tire Co speedster enkicycles.com/products/vee-tire-co-speedster-20-x-4-0-tires They’re sold out there but lots of places sell these
Sweet bike, I have to motor scooter and will downgrade to one and am in the process of making a list to build and fayboy bike. Thanks for the info your looks so 😎!
Thanks! It’s pretty similar to a scooter in you get the 750 version. But there are more and more 204 bikes out there now as well which look pretty good, so worth also checking out the UDX
I just plugged it in and it worked... I’ve messed around with the settings as well a little to give it a little more oomph If you ordered it from eggrider they normally supply an adapter so it can connect
Hi friend!!! I was amazed by your upgrades. I think now it is a proper ebike. I want to upgrade my rear suspension since it sucks. What was your initial eye to eye dim? Also can I install a little larger suspension than the factory’s?
I’m using a 165 but lots of other people are using a 190 with no issues other than it makes the bike taller and changes the geometry slightly. Since this video I actually upgraded the rear shock to a rockshox monarch RL (also 165) which is really nice but the DNM is now on the black bike and my gf loves it
Purchase same tire the are massive! Question bro do you have link for the bmx handlebars and the steam I think I'm doing that mod on my sondors fold? Thanks in advance for the info!!
Yeah the tyres look so much wider! Although weirdly not as tall as the standard tires (which is a good thing). Any 1/18” stem will fit the Mate but I’m not sure if the Sondors fork size is the same. I used this stem www.chainreactioncycles.com/seal-bmx-switch-front-load-stem/rp-prod162975 and this handlebar www.chainreactioncycles.com/blank-for-peace-bmx-bars/rp-prod129720 this handlebar is lower and narrower than a normal BMX handlebar so a lot of the guys in the community are using ones that are 30” wide x 9” wide, would love to see a photo of the sondors with it after you do it though!
I have a 165mm but a lot of people also use a 190mm it just makes the back of the frame taller but it is more comfortable. The 200mm is possible but it’s probably a little too large
Nice video because I'm going to do the same changes to my bike,well is not the same brand but it's the same frame and I'm going to do it because I had an accident 3 months ago so the car destroy the back of my bike's frame so I ordered another one👍🏼👍🏼
Oh no! I hope you were ok? These mods should work with any bike with a similar frame but you might just want to check the measurements as they might be slightly different for the front fork and rear suspension. What frame did you buy in the end?
It’s a decent bike to do upgrades to… but if I were doing it today and in Europe I would get DateX2 to build me one from scratch with the upgrades already done
The latest versions may have C slightly upgraded components but I doubt to the standard of what I added to the bike. The upgrades in this video were around $750 if I remember correctly. But I’m almost done with a new set of really expensive upgrades which have changed the look of the bike completely
Can you give some of the brand names of the parts you've upgraded .. I have the same bike but in a different name :) Wanting to upgrade the handle bars to BMX ... I ride my bike standing up instead of sitting :) in Emode .. peddling mode sitting LOL .. something different isn't wrong it's just what you want to exercise and enjoying the ride at the same time :) .. not often you see a ebike a guy standing up riding for 5 kilometers at a time between rests :)
I like to stand and ride the bike too sometimes... not sure I’d do it for 5km straight but I see the appeal. The links to the exact parts I used are in the description but: The bmx Bars are Blank for Peace The Stem is Seal BMX Tyres are Vee Tire Co Chain ring is TA Front fork is Himalo Rear shock is DNM (but I’ve since replaced this with a rockshox monarch Starnut and top cap is Nukeproof And the reflective tape is CustomTaylor33
Great video Gareth. Are you almost glad it wasn't perfect so that you had to improve the bike out of necessity? I bought a different fat tyre folding bike two years ago and its fantastic but I did have to learn to fine tune it. I think buying something that isn't perfect forces you to get stuck in. It certainly did with me. I love what you've done to your bike. Any more future upgrades or bike purchases?
At the time I wasn’t... and I’m not exactly mechanically inclined but used the lockdown to learn and do it all myself and loved updating it to the extend that I might even consider building my own in the future. If there hadn’t been a lockdown and I had to spend my limited free time upgrading the bike rather than riding it I think it would have been pretty annoying 😂 But next on my list for this bike is the lights, seat and mudguards. What bike do you have?
It's a FatMini. Essentially a Voltbike Mariner clone. I hadn't even ridden a bike for about 30 years. I had to tighten spokes up to stop some initial clicking, then I decided to seal the controller housing after reading incidents of water getting into the enclosure. Then I had a puncture in the rear tyre which was a mammoth task when you haven't owned anything like this before. Obviously that wasn't the fault of the bike but all of these things plus upgrades I've made like adding saddle bags and filling the tyres with slime have taught me quite a bit in a short space of time. Oh and I also discovered a lot rust under the steel mudguards so I took them off and sealed underneath with black waxoyl.
Ashley Brayson the tyre change the first time is a pain especially as the rear usually has a much bigger bolt. In my case it was overtightened and I had to get huge torq wrench to loosen it. I have the standard metal mudguards on mine which I’m thinking about cutting down to make them look good, but the waxoyl is a good idea I might do this to my gf’s bike as I’m not sure how long they’ll last. But it’s interesting how lots of these companies are skimping on the details for their launch
I see they do a 61T chainring. Assuming this would be an excellent speed upgrade from my current 51T, does anyone know if this is a good/bad idea? I hoping to improve my top speed pedal assist.
I know a lot of people have also changed to a 60T but I’m not sure if a 61T would need a longer chain to accommodate. If you want to go big you could change the rear to a 11-34 freewheel with the 60T and that would give you a good combo if it’s a 750 motor
Which length are you looking for? The fork I used is this one www.aliexpress.com/i/4000935309168.html and has dimensions on the image but if you need another measurement let me know and I can measure it for you
Nikon I can take a look and measure the original... it’s worth noting that you have to cut the top tube of any new fork to shorter nit because they come longer than needed. It’s not that difficult though and my gf wants me to upgrade her bike so I might video it for everyone
@@GarethDixI will not saw off, I will put the rings so that the steering wheel is higher. My height is 185 cm. Or is it enough like on your e-bike for my height? Thank you!
hello gareth. firts congrats for your upgrades. it's sound great. i have a question about the fork. i have the same frame but it's not a mate x ;) i gonna buy the same as you mentionned above. did you have to cut the fork steerer or it's the same lenght ? thanks a lot.
I think all forks will come longer so have to be cut but I used a pipe cutter so made it really easy to make a straight cut and I didn’t need to file it down. If you change the fork you’ll need a star nut and headset as the original screws in (which isn’t that common). But if you need any help just let me know
@@GarethDix thanks a lot gareth for answering me. understood about the fork. i have a last question. i think that we have the same motor. 500w 48 v. there is a great power with the handle but i feel that the pedaling assistance doesn't get enough power. hard to be above 20KMH. probably settings with display. and with the handle easy to reach 40kmh. i don't understand ...thanks
You can usually unlock the settings in the display by inputting a code and set the Max speed the assist works to along with the amount of amps the motor runs at for increased acceleration. How much you can push it not only depends on the motor but the controller and size of the battery as well. Just be careful if you change these settings as the motor/controller can overheat so could be worth looking at an MX2 to monitor the temp and cut it
@@GarethDix ok thanks a lot. i found something. if you change P6 wheel size. it goes very very fast so becareful ;) and i discovered the P assist. amazing. 35 or 40km/h. it goes alone. just turn the legs whitout efforts and it helps the motors just a little bit. it saves battery. i realized in this case i have to change to 58T (TA) like you ;)
@@GarethDix hello gareth. question about star nut and headset. star nut is 28,6 ? and for the headset. which one did you get ? i can't use the original ? thanks
Hi Gareth. Great video. I've just changed my 52t chainring to a 58t on my engwe upgrade ebike. But now I'm having issues with the chain jumping between gears on the rear cogs. Did you have any similar issues? Ps I bought the same chainring as you and my bikes a 8 speed
Yes I had the same thing and all that’s needed is the derailleur to be adjusted which sounds complex but it’s really not... just a couple of screws to change how far the chain goes to get to each gear. I used this video from park tools to learn how to do it. Watch the video the whole way through first though before trying it but honestly it’s a really easy ua-cam.com/video/UkZxPIZ1ngY/v-deo.html
@@GarethDix Thanks for the reply. I'll check the video out properly when I get chance. I was also wondering did you have to get longer chainring bolts to fit the bashguard? My new chainring is wider than my old 52t
G Pin even though the newer chainring is thicker I just used the same bolts and it’s held together no problem... I can’t remember if the bolts were slightly too long for the original chain ring
Hi I wanted to upgrade to a 58t. Just want to know what I need to look for when buying the 58t? Like how far the 5 holes are apart? Also is the chain too tight or still have some slack ? Lastly when going uphill do u have issue ...what the difference when going uphill. Thank you
@@ghostk2660 the distance between the bolt holes is 130mm. The chain on mine is fine, in fact the, the chain used to come off the chain ring when going over bumps but now it doesn't. The only thing is you'll probably have to adjust the rear derailleur. I bought the one in Gareths link.
Great looking upgrades! I'm not fond of too low of handlebars for someone who is 6'1, and I actually enjoy the original adjustable height. That said, this makes it look more like a "sporty retro" bike and I like that. Would it be possible to get a longer fork stem to achieve this? Perhaps stem riser?
There’s a few things you can do, the new fork is a little taller than the original already so that adds some height to the front. When the fork is replaced you have to cut down the tube to make it fit flush with the new stem, but you can use some headset spacers to add some extra length. By far the easiest way would be to get some taller handlebars, I purposely got some short ones as I prefer leaning over the front and they’re 8.75inches in height but in the same brand they do a version that is around 9.85inches tall and other brands do even taller ones. I think it’ll be important to work out how tall you need them before you switch as you can’t adjust it afterwards
Thanks for the video and tips. I did most of the upgrades and I love them, but 2 bike shops refused to install the himalo fork. They say it's way thinner than the stock fork and can easily snap with the heavy weight of the bike. What's your experience so far with the himalo fork?
The Himalo fork might be thinner but it’s better made overall, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone mention in the groups they’ve had one snap (a few mentioned a loss of pressure from a failed seal) but the original fork has had a quite a few reports of the brace either snapping whilst riding or the bike arriving with a snapped front fork. That said if you want to do heavy off-road trails the Himalo might not be suitable (although still better than the original). I haven’t had any issues with the Himalo fork and I’ve probably put 1000km on it. I liked it so much I upgraded the black bike as well as it saves so much weight and feels much more controlled
A lot of bike shops won’t even adjust minor things on ebikes (even when they don’t concern the electrics) unless it’s a bike they sell. Even the bike shop I use for my other bike, which I didn’t buy there, will service my normal bike but won’t touch this bike. Ironically this has made me learn how to service my own bikes so now I don’t need to take it there anymore 😂
@@GarethDix atleast now I know it wasn't just me.. lol. I was really upset with my LBS about that at first, but it also pushed me to do everything myself. I'm proud of my work. Your upgrades and suggestions made this bike so much better. Thx again!
All of the upgrades I did myself... the tires were pretty easy just taking the rear wheel off was a little more difficult but only took a few mins longer than the front one
I don’t think there’s a distributor in India but there are bikes in India from what I can see on the Facebook groups so maybe it’s only available though mate.bike
There’s a few of these bikes running double crown forks but I think they’re mostly 20*4 as a 26” fork would be pretty high up and make the wheel look a little weird. The only two things to consider with a double crown is that you can’t turn the front wheel as far (the frame being as thick as it is) so if you have to manoeuvre the bike in tight spaces it’s a little more restrictive otherwise it should affect normal riding. The other part is just getting a handle bar that suits the double crown fork as the standard ones look weird and a BMX one you’ll want one that matches the lines of the fork to make it look good.
Hey nice video thanks for all the info! You mentioned you are un Switzerland. Me as well! Where are you based ? I do have the exact mate in green color like yours and i was thinking of goibng through most of your updates but i am not really well equipped to do the hard stuff.. maybe you know a bike shop that's worth it..? Or maybe you d be interested in giving me a hand ? ;) let me know thanks again mate!
Hi, I’m Based in Basel and there are a few MATE X bikes here. But honestly don’t worry none of the updates I’ve done are hard they’re literally a few bolts and then add the new part on. The only one that takes a little bit more effort it the front fork as you have to cut the top tube a little... but like you I’m not exactly good with this type of stuff so i actually looked through a lot of UA-cam Videos from ParkTools and GCN to figure out what was needed. But yeah shout if you need a hand and I’m happy to help... a lot of the bike shops here won’t work on the MATE X because for some reason they’ll only work on electric bikes if they sold them. There’s a great place in Basel called Gellert VeloTeam that have helped service some of my old bikes
Has anyone tried putting these forks on a Bluenergy fat bike please? That bike is very similar to the Mate X and the forks look the same as the mate's original forks.
Pretty sure there’s someone in the comments with a blue energy bike that was also modding it. But these forks will fit if the tube the current fork on you bike (you’d have to unscrew the stem) is the same size 😊
@@GarethDix Thanks for your reply. I just don't see how the fork is fitted to my bike. After you fold down the handle bars, there is just one nut at the top of the forks. I looked at the video on Mate's site to see how the forks fit and there are two nuts at the top of the fork stem, I don't have those on my bike. I must look on one of the channels with the Bluenergy bike.
Nice looking rig , I’m in the process of tuning my Mate X too when it arrives , as I live in Copenhagen infact round the corner from Mate HQ 😉 so I’m right on thier cases Anyways ,I got shock, forks, bar / stem , tires chainring , pedals, some colorful nuts and bolts , and some cool “Oakley stickers too , all on the way , for the build , so looking forward to tricking my rig , 🤘🏾 as youres is how I always thought a Mate X should look , and not with that rinky dink folding bars/ stem bollocks ha , Ps bruv what tracking system do you use/recommend for the Mate rig ? cheers 🤘🏾
Awesome where did you get the coloured bolts from? But yeah can’t wait to see it! The modifications are worth the extra money as they not only change the look of the bike but the ride is how it should have been in the first place. I’ll drop you a separate message on the GPS as I don’t want everyone knowing where it is 😂
Gareth Dix Hey bruv 😈💪🏾 how you doing , Anyways update on my build , handlebars /stem (Blank) has turned up loads more to come though still waiting for my bike too , but you know already the score on that ay 😂 ., anyways I’ve got a few question about the build , I’m gonna get a new controller ok, do I need to get new /longer connecting cables to fit the new controller ? Question two , could I fit a thumb throttle on the rig ? Oh yeah about that “ Tracker , DM me on insta on that case ok 😉 and about those colored wheel nut, I got them on “Ali Expess” infact that company is making a fortune from me 😂😂😂😈 cheers bruv, I’ll keep you updated on the build ok 🤘🏾
When you say controller you mean the controller on the handlebar for the screen or the controller for the motor that’s inside the bike? If it’s the one for the screen and you’re getting an eggrider, the eggrider comes with an extremely long cable so there are no issues there. With other screens you might not have to extend the wiring, but you can always mount the buttons differently (I’ve seen a few people mounting them lower down near the stem) instead of extending it. Both my bikes came with the thumb throttle but if yours didn’t there should be a plug available to just add that in afterwards although maybe someone else that has added this afterwards can confirm?
Gareth Dix Sorry bruv 😂 I should’ve been more pacific , I meant the Eggrider , will I need to get new ( longer ) connector leads for it , or will the stock lead be long enough so I can just slap on the “rider “ plug in and “ rip the streets 😉 Anyways update on my “upgrades “ I got the Blank bars/stem combo and I’ve got some “Rock bro’s” pedals , still waiting for shocks /forks , kenda tires , rim reflector tape and other bits and pieces And ive ordered a “Bikefinder tracker , ive heard good things about it I’m liking the “nudge alarm feature on it too plus you’re rigs insured for a subscription ,,👍🏾 and still waiting for my Interstellar Night Mate to bloody turn up though😂😂😈👍🏾 will keep you updated Cheers
Yeah the eggrider is plug and play no need for anything else if you ordered the mate x one (it comes with an adapter for the mate X plug) but the cable is long enough... technically it’s too long so you end up having to wrap it around the new bars. But you got a lot of upgrades about to happen! Let me know how the bike finder goes it does look really interesting as a product and no harm in using multiple GPS products
Hi Gareth Thanks for your helpful video. It has proven very useful for me. Regarding the handlebar and the stem, I noticed in your video (3.20) you had used a nukeproof product. I would like to change my mate bike handlebar/stem too, but I wondered what the nukeproof product was and whether I need it to change the handlebar and stem. Maybe you can post a link to it. Many thanks. 👍 Reza
Hi Rez’s, the nukeproof product is the headset for the starnut... you don’t actually need this unless you are changing the front fork as well. If you’re sticking with the original fork you can use the giant one that comes with the bike... just remove it... switch the stem and then screw it back on 👍🏻
I’ll add it to the description later as I forgot to do that earlier but this is the product but anything with a starnut and headset will work just depends on how you want it to look www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/us/en/nukeproof-top-cap-and-star-nut/rp-prod92345
Had my heart set on one. Ticked all the boxes being a big lad wanting something for a 17 mile country road commute daily. But the reviews put me off. I can get one on the Cycle Scheme essentially knocking 25% off the RRP. Not sure whether to wait for the successors to get released. Looking at the specs of the Founders Edition it seems to have the updated 1000w bafang motor and the uprated Samsung battery.
As you mentioned the cycle scheme I’m assuming you’re based in the U.K.? If so you might actually have a better situation as there’s a U.K. specific distributor that also deals with customer service issues on bikes bought from them and aside from some of the questionable quality of parts... the customer service is by far the biggest issue with the bike so might be worth having a conversation with them at matebike.uk because if something does go wrong they might already have parts in stock to replace under warranty... something MATE has never been able to do yet
@@GarethDix yes based in UK. I had already been in touch enquiring about suitability for a heavier rider. I'm currently just over 130kg. Losing it slowly. But don't want to burn through any motors and battery for being a heavy git! I'll get in touch with them regarding UK parts and warranty etc. Will see if any local bike specialists can work on the bikes too.
You should be fine and depending on where you’re riding you might want to think about the 750 if you do a lot of steep hills I find the 250 good enough for flat riding (although not as fast). The founders edition if mates normal timelines for pre-orders are anything to go by you’ll likely get it at some point next year. I’d also check out The Enki Billy as well, same kind of style but looks like it has better components straight out of the box... not sure if these are already available this side on the pond though
That is literally the next thing I’m looking for... I haven’t found anything that looks good and is comfortable...any suggestions? Just don’t want something the size of a sofa 😂😂
What upgrades have you made to your MATE X?
you never added back your front light. Does it not fit on the new fork? or was that just a personal decision?
Sweet Sexy Raul I didn’t have the front light on there before only on the black bike. The front light will still fit even with the change of fork, but for me it just doesn’t go with the style of the grey bike so I use clip on lights that I can remove easily when needed. I have new lights coming soon as well but we’ll see how good they are first
@@GarethDix nice. how are you liking it now. i watched your other video, and am curious if you've changed your mind.
It’s much better now... I always have that worry in the back of my mind that my motor or battery is going to fail 😂 but really the upgrades have helped make me enjoy riding it. As I said in the other video I haven’t had the issues a lot of other people have had but I can’t sit back and tell people the bike is awesome where there are a lot of people that haven’t been able to ride for almost two years because MATE haven’t honoured the warranty
where to find bike
A very informative, detailed video on upgrading Mate X. Thank you!
No problem… since this I’ve upgraded it a lot more…. But I’ll make that video soon!
Great vid Gareth!
Thank you!
@Gareth Dix you're the real MVP swapped almost everything after I saw your vid.. some local bikestores wished me "luck" oh and talkin about the difficulty of the work..by the way found rubber shim rings to add to make the screen fit on the bar
That’s basically why I started learning how to do it all myself as my local bike shop wouldn’t touch anything on the bike and now I don’t take my other bikes there anymore either as I can do it all myself! 😂
Do you have the screen on the top bar or by the stem?
Its like the Himalo fork upgrade raises the bike up a little, which i like, nice bike man 😎💯👊🏽
Thanks! I think every upgraded fork does the same as it has more travel than the stock one. The Himalo one is a good medium between too high and no suspension travel
That was really good thanks. 1st impression.. that bike looks stock 😂
Loved the handlebar stalk and BMX bars swap. Need to get onto that.
Nice to learn about the reflective rim tape as well.. I hadn't realised the size needed.
More please 👍
I’m loving the account name and photo 😂😂 the handlebar change I would say is how the bike should have looked... you do lose the folding ability but it saves so much weight. More videos to come on the bike!
my battery does not charge- what can i do
I would speak to DATE X2 and they'll help you diagnose if it's the charger or the battery they also have both batteries and chargers in stock that are better than the original facebook.com/DATEx2/
Thanks for the great update and the information of the upgrade you did.
Could you please be so kind and list all the parts, so that I could check how and where I can get the parts in Germany.
Looking forward to your kind response.
All the best, Frank
Hi, all the parts are listed under the description including if it needs a specific tool or other hardware to fit. But let me know if there’s something specific you’re trying to get in Germany as being in Switzerland I had to get some of the parts from across the border
Can you upload the link of the tires.
Which part of the world are you based in? They come in and out of stock all the time
nice build. where did you buy the 58t chainring?
I got mine from Chain reaction cycles because amazon couldn't deliver the one I wanted to Switzerland, but hopefully these links help
58T Chainring 130mm BCD
www.chainreactioncycles.com/ta-130-pcd-alize-outer-chainrings-57-61t-/rp-prod175967
US Amazon alternative (affiliate link) - amzn.to/3FfZFT1
UK Amazon (affiliate link) - amzn.to/3ydfatw
Nice video. Is there a video on changing the forks or did you have the knowledge?
At the time there wasn’t any help online specifically for the mate but other than the way the folding stem attaches ( 3 bolts) it’s the same as any other bike. I think I kinda figured it out from this video which translates to the mate pretty easily. The hardest part of the installation is getting the star nut in to sit correctly but I got lucky with the first bike and just whacked in with a hammer on the second bike I got a tool for it because it wasn’t as easy.
But otherwise check out this video and it’s about a 15-20min change ua-cam.com/video/U9xF1Vt00bA/v-deo.html
I'm more interested in the upgrade LCD / TIRES especially and Breaks .... :)
There’s a lot of guys in the mate X groups upgrading their brakes with the Magura MTe5 which are apparently a lot better so worth taking a look at
nice bike, looks great.
Thanks… more changes coming
You need the turtle neck stem from David Brandnew.
There’s been a few people working on these which is pretty cool, I’m not a big fan of the bmx handbars sitting high off the frame though, although it works well with a normal set of bars
A beautiful bike! what is the tire size ?
Thank you! the tires are 20”x4.0”
Thanks
Hi Gareth, with the eggrider, do you still get the start-assist feature? On the stock Mate X this would have been a long press on the ' - ' (minus) which would enable acceleration up to 5kmh or so (to help you get started with pedaling ) - is this feature present on the Eggrider ? Would appreciate your input! Thanks
Yes by pressing the 🔼 button you get the assist feature although it’s originally designed for you to walk with the bike. I never really used this on the original display though as it goes way faster than I can walk, but let me give it a go later whilst sitting on the bike to make sure it works the same.
Do you have the thumb throttle? I find it easier to use this as the start assist as you can control how much it comes on.
@@GarethDix thanks for taking the time to respond!
I dont have the throttle, I disconnected it when I got the Mate (I do like to pedal and distribute 'effort' between the mate and myself at about 70/30 ratio. So i'm normally in mode 7-8 and on a mid-speed level. Hence I use the start-assist feature all the time.
Yeah I only use the throttle to get the bike going, on the eggrider you can even set the thumb throttle to only go to 5/6kmh exactly for that use.
But I checked use of the 🔼 button to see if it did the same and it does!
@@GarethDix thanks sir! Happy riding!
Hi there, thanks so much for this video! I got the EggV2 and was curious what your settings are?
I use these I may have tweaked some things since taking these screen shots but it should work nicely www.dropbox.com/sh/11hwgds7i9hsmsf/AADj4TSUJAFz2hLkjefuZn01a?dl=0
Thanks so much for taking the time to share @@GarethDix - thoroughly appreciated :)
@samwalker6594 no worries let me know how it goes. It’s worth measuring your wheel if you aren’t using the same tyres as it’ll make quite a bit of difference to your speed etc
Hi Gareth,
Thanks for this video - loads of cool upgrades here!
With the eggrider V2, please can you share your settings (display settings, app settings and Lishui settings)
Sorry just saw your message I’ve added my settings as screen grabs from the app to the link below, hopefully these will work for you too www.dropbox.com/sh/11hwgds7i9hsmsf/AADj4TSUJAFz2hLkjefuZn01a?dl=0
@@GarethDix thats really helpful. Thank you so much! :)
Can you please make a video on how to change the front fork step by step?
I was going to but I think someone made one already which is the only reason I didn't... I think it was ebikeparts that did it as they also sell front forks for MATE X bikes
Hey nice upgrade doing the same to mine. What’s that your using to hold the extreme granite d lock?
I use a couple of bungee cords on the rear rack of the black bike and usually my rucksack on the grey one.
The lock also fits nicely over the bmx handlebar and is ok for shorter journeys
@@GarethDix alright thanks for the tips! 🙏🏿
handlebar and fox are must upgrades......
Completely agree! What did you switch to?
Can you make a vidieo of how to take the stemp of the mate bike i can not figure out and can you do the same tho a mate citt😄
Which part are you having trouble with? And I don’t have a mate city so I’m not sure if uses the same method.
@@GarethDix what tool do you use to get the stemp or fork out😄
Ahh ok so Loosen the screws on the bottom of the folding stem first (there are two of them) with a Allen (Hex) key.
Then fold the stem down which reveals a giant bolt and you’ll need a 10mm Allen (Hex) key for that, but after you unscrew that the stem comes off and the fork slides out from below
Sorry I know this was a while ago but why choose the 26 inch fork over a 20 inch fork ? Thanks
it's a 20inch fork but has more travel than the original so it ends up a little higher looking... I think all of the aftermarket 20" forks are about the same height because of that extra travel. There are people that are using a 24-26inch fork and it looks a little odd in my opinion, but I think with a set of ape hanger style handlebars you could go for a chopper type look.
where did you get the tires
I got them from Bros.ch as it’s one of the only places in Switzerland that had them. If you’re in the EU urbandrivestyle.com or in the US I think Enkicycles.com typically have them
Did you also change inner tube of kept original ones ? They are selling Vee tubes as well.. just curios :)
I kept the original which are still going, but they are pretty thin and cheaply made so will upgrade these soon. They work but if you can put better quality ones in you’ll have less issues with punctures (unless you use slime or mr tuffy liners)
do you have an 11-34 freewheel at the back?
Not yet… I’ve been toying with the idea but at the same time for the way I use the bike I’m not sure it’s worth it. If you have a 750watt version it’s definitely worth the upgrade as pedalling at 40-50kmh with just the 58T on the front won’t be enough
Could you change the fork without problems? Had to adjust something?
The original fork has a screw in stem bolt at the top, and replacement forks take a star nut, so you need one of those. You also have to cut down the top part of the new fork as they all come longer than needed but you can either use a saw or pipe cutter to do this.
The only other considerations are the bolt to hold brake caliper to the fork will likely be a bigger size and the fork being slightly longer just means you might have to feed the cable differently but it fits.
Otherwise you can reuse race that’s on the current fork it’s a little fiddly to take off but not difficult…
I really suck at anything DIY or building things and I’ve now replaced this on both bikes and it takes about 30mins. The starnut is the most difficult part but I have a tool for that now so it didn’t take as long on the second bike as it did on the first 😂
@@GarethDix thank you for the quick answer
No problem I had so many questions about it I should have made a video when I changed the fork on the other bike 🤦🏻♂️
Gareth can you share how did you secured the fenders? thank you very much :)
As in how they bolt on?
How can I get a new controller for my Mate X
The best place is from a company called DateX2 Laurentiu who runs the company probably knows more about the electrics of this bike than Mate themselves!
He can even give you options for upgraded controllers too
I'm planning on doing the same suspension upgrades. Does the bike fold in half still? Do the wheels meet at the same height or are they now offset?
The bike still folds in half, the increase in height is around 10cm (depending on the fork). The wheels meet at the same height when folded as the whole front end of the bike is raised including the angle of the fold (not sure if I explained that correctly)
@@GarethDix I think I know what you mean. So it is still symmetrical when folded? And how's the durability of the bike and upgrades. Are you still using the bike?
Let me check when I get home as I never normally fold the bikes mainly because I couldn’t wheel them around when folded prior to the upgrades.
But the durability is good on the upgrades… that said I don’t abuse the bike I just cruise around the city. I still have both bikes and ride them a lot. I’ll be making a video on my latest upgrades shortly… I’m just fixing an issue with one of the original parts that’s worn out.
Hey Gareth. How's that front fork suspension going? Any issues? Amazon review shows a bent wheel dropout. Have had any hard landings on the new fork?
I cycle on the street in the city so I’m only dropping of kerbs or running around cobbled streets so nothing crazy but mine is still going well. I’m thinking about swapping it out for a double crown one but more to see how it looks. There are now plenty of companies making similar forks to this one now too
Just saw that X-Tems finally launched their super strong folding stem for these BMX upgrades. This was the only thing holding me back (need to fold for storage), so I bought 2 as they're currently on sale. Thank me later, Mate/Lectric/Engwe/ADO etc riders! 😄
Yes there were a lot of people that didn’t switch to a bmw bar because of the non-folding so it should be an awesome product. If I hadn’t changed my bike from a BMX handlebar I would have been looking at one of these too.
This might be the point where my gf will change to a bmx handle (the black bike)
@@GarethDix You'd only need the X1 stem. As for the gf's bike, can't believe you didn't swap her front fork for safety. One big hit at 20mph and the fork is using the rider as a shock absorber, which some of us find out the hard way. ;)
Her bike has all new suspension now since this video. She rode mine and realised how bad the stock forks and rear were.
The stem works well with a BMX handlebar because of the shape, but it’s a little too tall for the new bar and forks I’m using now… when I post the next bike update video (I’m making it now) you’ll see what I mean
Looking at getting one ....do you recommend it...?...👍
It depends on a lot of things... the customer service and lack of spare parts still doesn’t seem to have been resolved. There is a really good community around the bikes that have upgraded and fixed them, even produced batteries so if there are issues you can get past it... but for the cost the bike is now I would probably look at either a cheaper version of the bike from Fiido and upgrade it, check out some of the newer bikes that have better components like the Enki Billy... or if you really want a Mate X get the cheapest one you can get with no extras and upgrade it yourself (even motor replacements are available just Google DATE X2 and you’ll see Laurentiu’s upgrades).
I have an ebike similar to the mate with the fat 20x4 tires. I’m in need of a new bottom bracket and while cranket any advice on which is best and sizes etc. I’m really struggling to find anything online that will work.
I actually haven’t seen anyone change the bottom bracket only really the chainring and arms… I’m guessing it’s one of the parts that hasn’t failed for most people yet. Are you trying to improve the cadence of the pedalling?
Hi cool bike mate, i am ordering a fiido m1 which looks alot like the mate x, do you maybe know if that same front fork and bmx handlebar will fit ?
I think there’s a couple of other people in the comments that also bought the Fiido M1 as well and all you need to check is the diameter of the top tube on the current fork. These only come in a few sizes and the mate one is 28.6cm. If this is the same it should fit. The handlebars are the same, as long as the stem has a hole the right size for the top tube of the fork it should fit no problem.
Hi I have a mate 750 that needs a new screen, lights and mudflaps.
Any advice on where I can get these would be appreciated
I get most of my stuff for the bike now from Laurentiu from Date X2.... the website is a google form but it's legit... he knows more about these bikes than anyone so could probably give you options to upgrade as well! bit.ly/DATE-BFx
I am thinking of buying 58t. is the difference in speed with the original ?
The difference is at the top end when pedalling. On the original it feels like you are pedalling in air when you get to about 20km/h+ whereas the 58T allows you to have some resistance to keep pedalling at that top end. It does affect the low end as it’s a little harder to start moving but it’s not bad with a 58T
@@GarethDix Thank You!
Let me know how it goes!
Awesome video so thx a lot !
First question that comes to my mind is, in addition to the price of your bike, how much did all the upgrades cost in total please ?
The upgrades in this video were around $700 but that’s because the parts I can get shipped to Switzerland are limited (there’s no Amazon here) so you can get the equivalent cheaper in other countries. I’ve changed a few things since this video so I’ll be doing another one soon as an update to show what else has changed
Couldn't you update your links? Many of them are dead!
Let me take a look later everytime I post new ones they keep changing 🤦🏻♂️
Thank you for good information and motivarion from Oslo 👍 What’s the point of changing eggrider?
The eggrider is a much smaller screen and has the buttons integrated. I don’t really like the giant standard screen as it calls too much attention to itself. The eggrider also has a Bluetooth connection so you can use your phone with the bike to change settings, track your journeys and even use it as a bigger screen if you need it. The main advantage of the eggrider for me though is being able to set two different profiles that can be switched at the touch of a button on the display. For example you can set the power profiles and speed limits differently, so here in Switzerland we’re limited to 25km/h on an ebike on the road, but off-road you might want to set it to 35km/h to help get up hills etc.
wow... amazing...
Thanks! 😊
Whats the overall opinion on bike now...u got it for a while now...i sold my emtb... And im thinking about super73 and this one...
But mate looks like is much more normal type of riding..u aint hunch so much...
How is to pedal it? Is it weird?
I’m actually in the process of making a few update videos to this including a long term review of it. I also thought about the super73 but the European versions don’t come with a throttle and it doesn’t like it’s a great bike to pedal. The mate X actually rides like a heavy normal bike… I still think you’d need to upgrade parts on it but you can use it like assisted pedal bike rather than just the throttle all the time
I'd still love to know more about how you did the handlebars! I have a very similar bike with the weird lean forward fold down stem. There's just a central hex bolt in the base of it going into the frame. Unsure what I need there.
I don't quite understand why your old screen didn't fit. If you mounted it onto that top bar the position doesn't look more than the original, unless the BMX bars are much wider?
I'll measure mine. I also wondered about one of those additional short bars if I needed to raise the screen at all.
Or did you mean the diameter of your bars? I don't have that same fat bit in the middle.
So like the look of your BMX bars 😁
You just need a BMX stem which will clamp onto the tube of the front fork and handlebars. Then you screw that central hex bolt down from the top. The screen didn’t fit purely because of the diameter being too small on the BMX bars. But yes the BMX bars are a lot wider than the original ones by quite a bit so the buttons for the screen didn’t quite reach if I had the screen in the centre because the wire was designed specifically for the standard set up. It’s not a huge problem though. But for me it was a work around not a solution so I got the eggrider
@@GarethDix thanks very much for that info. The stem change sounds good then.
I see, I understand now about the screen. Great to have a heads up to be able to appreciate what the problems might be. Hopefully save a few quid in the 11/11 sales.
Many thanks 👍
No worries, the bmx stems are pretty cheap you don’t need to get an expensive one they’re all designed to take some abuse so don’t think you have to get a $100 one the one I bought was around $10 and it’s solid
Great Video! Could you tell me what the right bushings dimensions are for the rear suspension?
Sure it’s 24 x 8mm with the DNM you can buy it with that bushing already installed, I just upgraded to a rockshox monarch and you have to buy these separately and you need two sets (and a bushing tool to install them)
@@GarethDix Great thx for the fast reply! So the rockshox monarch is a much better option in your opinion?
I would say it’s more refined and will likely last longer but the DNM is more adjustable so actually more comfortable if you just want a soft ride... but either option is a million miles better than the original
Great video thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching I hope this will be helpful 😊
Very nice Video. The brakes are not good enough downhill. Have replaced these with Shimano XT. The damper is a Monarch RL. I should probably still urgently replace the suspension fork. Pedals of course also replaced by those with spikes.
I’m planning on doing an updated video as I’m replacing the brakes and already replaced the rear shock with the monarch RL too. The fork definitely will make a huge difference especially in the braking as it doesn’t bounce all over the place then when you set the sag. What pedals did you use?
@@GarethDix Why replace it? I think yours is very good!
It is… but I had to change the suspension on the black bike too so I put the DNM shock on there and got the Monarch for the grey bike
Looks great
Thanks so much!
Ciao potresti mettermi il link del manubrio con il pezzo di supporto sotto grazie
Hey Gareth. John here from across the pond so to speak. Ive watched this video countless times and have applied many of your upgrades to my own folding bike. It looks exactly like yours but is an unbranded version. Basically the same. However, my question is with the display you chose. My bike uses a 5s protocol and I can't find one that works. Did you have any issues with yours? It seems everything uses UART protocol which wont work with my bike. If you can go into more detail about all this I sure would appreciate it. Thanks in advance. Oh, I added a 1000w bafang front hub motor to mine today and love the results.
Which bike did you go with to start the build? And how is it to ride now compared to before? I’m not an expert on the controller side, but I’m pretty sure my bike uses a 5s protocol but there were versions from both China and Taiwan each using different controllers and motors. The controller in my bike is a Lishui and eggrider have different versions for this and bafang versions. But it’s worth dropping them a message with the details of the controller and the bike and they’re usually pretty quick to get back to people with whether they have a version that will work or not. But I gotta see what a 1000w motor on the front is like to ride that will be crazy fast!
@@GarethDix So the bike is unbranded from Bluenergy. I got it off Ebay. Almost positive it's the same frame as the Mate X, Yamee fat Bear, Rattan, etal. Just different components. In fact Alibaba has a 52v 17.5ah battery with "Mate X" replacement battery in the search title and has the exact same dimensions that fit my bike. Mine came with a Bafang 750w hub motor in the rear and as I mentioned, I recently added the 1000w bafang front hub as well. I'd say the bike in it's original form would go 22-26 mph. Now it hits 35mph with much more torque and acceleration. The dual throttles when slammed will get you across an intersection in a hurry which actually makes it a safer bike imho. The added speed helps me go more with the speed of traffic. Dang problem is the display doesn't work correctly and I cant get into the menu to change settings bc the "I" function went out (before the mod) and I can't find anything with the 5s protocol to replace it with. I'll have to check what controller I have if it even has a name I can read. Was your Eggrider plug and play or did you have to change out the whole wiring harness?? If I had to do it all over I'd but a Bafang HD mid drive on my mountain bike! LOL
Yes the bluenergy bikes are probably one of the only frames that is pretty much the same to a Mate X as a lot of them look similar but aren’t the same size or the geometry is different but this looks pretty much exact. It sounds like an absolute beast though, and it’s giving me ideas of making mine 2WD 😂 you have to do a video on this because I’m sure there would be a lot of people that would love to see that! The eggrider for me was the easiest upgrade, I just I clipped the old display and plugged this one in and everything worked. I changed the battery size and wheel diameter to get the speed and distance more accurate and it came with a specific connector for the mate X. It would be worth you looking up DATE X2 and speaking to Laurentiu as he also is running a 2WD bike but with dual 1000w Bafang hub motors (and 3 batteries) and knows the ins and outs of the controller so could really help and even if the controller needs to be changed he’s done this on a lot of bikes already too!
@@GarethDix That's great to hear Gareth, I'll look him up for sure. The not so great news is Eggrider got back to me after I gave them all the specs on my controller and said their product won't work with it. Sux!! I wrote them back asking them what I needed to change to make it work. Did that just now. I'd love to make a video of the process and results, but I just don't have the cameras and stuff needed to make even a decent video. It would be laughable honestly. If you'd be interested in the kit and battery I purchased, I'd be more than happy to share that with you and your followers. Lemme know for sure!
I was planning to buy it for travel to work, the restaurant is 8 miles far from where I live do u recommend it?
Just saw this… but sure as long as it’s not 8 miles uphill (the bike has no motor temp sensor to protect it from overheating).
Plz make more videos about the mate x I really want to buy one but nobody talks about it
I also found it weird that it was the most successfully funded campaign on Indiegogo and yet there almost nothing on UA-cam about it at all 🤔 what do you want to see about the bike?
Would you like to buy a matex for cheap? It's never been ridden. I have had a professional bike installer put it together for me. You'll have to pay for shipping though. Plus $600 for the bike...
Fraction Meister $600 would be worth it
Howdy Gareth, great upgrades. I am definitely doing those also but was also eondring on uografing the brake disc to 180 oder 200mm. Is there any reasong you didn’t do the brakes?
Cheers and thanks for the great video.
At the time I thought the brakes were good enough… but after riding the bike a little harder in the past year I’m upgrading these at the moment including the size of the discs as well to 203mm ☺️
I live in very steep downhill area and just ordered the saint 203mm even though my bike hasnt arrived yet 😂 hope i won’t be waiting a year for it in Austria
Someone I spoke to this week told me he had to wait two years for his bike and only just received it, but it was a special edition so the standard books should be ok
Hi Gareth - do you think Mate is worth a buy at this point? Have they improved since they first came out? Wanted to know if you’ve heard anything. Thanks
There has been some minor changes to the bike including they’ve streamlined some of the production so that it now uses the Bafang Motors for all of the 750 versions. However… I’d still say you’d need to upgrade the suspension and the chainring at minimum. On the Facebook group there are people that are still waiting for months to get their bikes and the customer service doesn’t look like it’s improved as there are people still waiting for parts from the original batch.
That said there are a few specialists now helping to fix the bikes and creating new batteries/motors/controllers so if something does go wrong you can get it fixed rather than wait for mate to get back to you.
Thanks for the comprehensive answer!
No worries, it’s also worth checking out the mate X owners group on facebook and you’ll get a lot of responses some good some bad… I still like the bike now it’s upgraded but there’s a few other similar bikes out there now as well
Hello. Love your upgrades. I want to do the bmx handlebar swap. Could you tell me if you needed a quill stem adapter for the conversion or does the standard fork steerer tube take the bmx stem? Thanks
You don’t need a quill stem adapter as the bike doesn’t have a quill stem. The top nut you see when you fold the handlebars down is basically like a screw version of a starnut.
So you’ll need a BMX stem to fit the handlebars but you need to measure the amount of steerer tube from the forks sticking through the frame and get the BMX stem to fit.
If your measurements are correct you can literally swap that handle bar over in about 15mins it’s really easy with the original fork.
Hey buddy, are your rims 80mm or 100mm wide?
They’re 100mm (technically 4inch) some people are running 80mm tyres on the rims to make the bike more agile but I just love the hench look of it on the 100mm
@@GarethDix yeah, bout to go wider from 80mm to 100mm for same vee tire speedster, for my build
It does look a lot better as the proportions suit the bike better… just go easy on the first couple of rides as it will feel pretty different in turns
@@GarethDix thankx mate👊🏽😎
@@GarethDix yu should put a 20x4 double shoulder fat fork ( himalo gold Amazon)your mate x would look really sick with that fork , bmx bar & those vee tire speedsters 👊🏽😎
If I replace the mechanical brakes with hydraulic ones with sensors, will I need additional cables? Is the replacement a plug-in?
You have to change the whole system including all the cables but the connector for the motor cut off should be the same
Nice bike...what is the weight of bmx handlebar? Is it chromoly, carbon or steel?
I think it's around 700g it's really light compared to the original and gets the centre of gravity of the bike a little lower. It's made of chromoly but haven't had any issues with it flexing or bending so far!
Awesome vid !!!
More fork questions I have the Yamee fatbear plus
I’m looking at a new fork
There is now a option of getting 34mm over the 32mm stanchions
The himalo 32 is 98 bucks the 34 is 160
I have playing around take down this bike on green and blue single tracks just to see and it held up lol
But I’m worried about snapping a 32mm fork
I read on a review the himalo broke
How has your experience and research panned out on this ?
Also will my front fender fit
My Himalo fork is still going but I wouldn’t take it down a trail as it’s pretty lightweight. If you’re planning on using this off-road I would go with the 34mm stanchions as it would probably handle more of a beating. I believe there are a few proper forks coming on the market now (although really expensive) for 204 bikes. But if you get the 34mm version and they’re any good let me know and I’ll check them out.
If you’re serious about hitting trails though you might want to consider a larger fork - it messes with the geometry and looks a little weird but you’ll get a lot more travel and can get them from rockshox or fox so you’ll know they’ll hold up
@@GarethDix thanks man that helps
I have rockshox Lyrik ultimate 160mm on my mountain bike ( I ride allot of technical DH )
I really have no business taking a foldable ebike on those trails but hell it worked lol
I will get the 34mm and get back to you , I just ordered the A5 RR 1 rear shock
Awesome I’d love to see a video of you going downhill on it as they’re pretty heavy so would love to see how it rides in comparison to your MTB!
@@GarethDix it’s suppppppppper jittery with the spring fork ( why I wanted a air fork )
Also I was doing some single track in to a creek crossing and climbing the way up ( about 15 feet steep ) the metal bracket that hold the bike up when you fold it on the bottom , caught a root and I flipped shit and face planted in the mud while the 60 pound beast landed on my leg lol
Felt like I got Thai leg kicked lol
So I found the limitations haha
There are allot of videos of dudes taking these on single tracks even jumps ( crazy fuckers )
But while I have you will a new fork handle my stock fender ?ua-cam.com/video/B38bK_saNIM/v-deo.html
To be fair the spring fork was bad enough for me riding around the city in the wet, just going around corners any bump and you felt like you’d lost contact with the floor 😂
But damn I had the. Folding mechanism clasp loosen whilst riding it and that made a little bit of pee come out.
The stock fenders will fit, but they break off over time as the mounting weld on the fender is pretty weak
I'm getting these tires💯👍👍😁
They’re really nice… just make sure you are at pressure or they feel like they’re pulling you sideways when you turn at first… I found that out the hard way 😂
@@GarethDix I have those shit juggernauts the suck on the streets and are so thin.
Yeah the Vee speedsters completely change the look of the bike too! But I think you’ll love them
@@GarethDix sideways so you have get use to them they gotta better than juggernauts 4 " fat tires.I need something with less rolling resistance for the street.
Yeah the compound is a little harder and the centre of the tread is different which means less rolling resistance but as soon as you put it onto its side there’s loads of grip. You might want to also look at kenda street hog 3 as well as these are a little pointy so less contact patch or the innova semi slick. Both come in 3.5” and 4 1/4” so either wider or narrower but I think super73 use these on their bikes too (all S73 tires should fit)
Would these modifications work on a fiddo m1
Some of them yes… the eggrider may not as the controller is different so I’m not sure if the guys at eggrider have a version that is compatible, but the tyres, forks, rear suspension pedals and handlebars should be.
I keep meaning to get an M1 just to see how it compares
@@GarethDix thanks and u should really good bike and the only that brings it down Is the stock parts
Thanks for the information. I am a short guy 165cm and I have some concerns about if I can ride it in relax position ?
It is a pretty large bike, I’m about 178/9cm and my gf is 174cm and even with the seat at the lowest setting I can’t put both feet flat on the floor. But to ride it’s fine as you can see the pedals are pretty short so I tend to have to stand up to pedal hard.
What size is the rear shock?
The one I’m using is 165 but plenty of people are using a 190. You need to make sure the hardware that comes with it is 24x8mm… but I’ve left links in the description of a couple of different options as well
Great mods,i got the same bars but now want the fork too😋
ivo šverko the fork changes everything! It looks more complicated to change than it actually is!
@@GarethDix hi Sir what is the diameter of your handle bar isit pretty standard or special sizing? Thank you
@@GarethDix do u have video on where u cut from The fork? N installing? Thank you
I think there are only few different sizes but I went with a 22.2mm as I knew it would fit most of the components from the standard bars (which are the same size at the ends). But this meant the standard display mounting bracket was too big as the standard bars have a wider diameter in the middle so you have to add something to it or mount it near the stem. The wider diameter bars look good though they normally come in 31mm and 31.7mm you just got to change the handle bar grips and potentially get longer screws for the other components if they don’t fit back on
And I don’t have that video yet but so many people are asking about it I might do one when I change the fork on the black bike
What size a head do I need to change the bars please
As in the stem? You need one that is 1 1/8th” to fit the front fork tube on the bike and I took one that would fit a 22.2mm handlebar tube
🤙🏼⚡⚡🤙🏼
🙌🏻🙌🏻
Mate! Can you make a video of you fitting these upgrades? That will be alot helpful.. Thanks
All of them? 😂 Im probably gonna do the front fork on the black bike soon so I’ll definitely do one on that
@@GarethDix have you been able to do the fork fitting on your second bike. I would like to see how its done, as I am planning to do change shocks and also fit the BMX bar for my bike. if you have any guide, it would be quite helpful while fitting my bike. :)
I ended up doing it during our lockdown here so couldn’t film it as I was in the basement and it’s a little too dark for video. Martin from the community made a step by step guide here ebikeparts.shop/?p=1193
But any questions you have I’m happy to answer. I will say fitting the bmx fork at the same time is so much easier than doing it later!
Just a quick update, the guys are ebike parts have just uploaded a video on changing the front fork and handlebars ebikeparts.shop/upgrading-the-mate-x-ebike-with-bmx-handlebars/?fbclid=IwAR3jwkuuLww4Oj8NnAI5coeP9aTpgzp8bslLBIgYLAHzzodi07cml2ONrks
Hi Gareth. I've just fitted the same tires. I'm noticing the handlebars trying to pull left and right. Did you notice anything different with the steering at all when you fitted yours?
Yes first make sure the tyres are at pressure as I had this happen a lot when they were too low... it happens slightly when they are new but once you run them in this doesn’t happen at all
I need a charger,where I can find it please?
it depends on where you're located but DateX2.eu and ebikeparts.shop are the two best places to get anything Mate X related, the guys really know the bikes very well and carry chargers and batteries etc.
Love the video. I took your advice on some of these things but ran into a problem when swapping out the handlebars... once I completed the swap the bike no longer turns on.. checked every connection and key. Do you have any ideas?
Do you have the Taiwan screen or the China screen? If it’s the Taiwan screen it’s likely the screen itself or the buttons has a lose connection but these are hardwired in. Does the thumb throttle still work on the bike if the screen is t on? Have you tried unplugging the screen connector on the front wiring loom and replugging it back in? It sounds like there’s a lose connection somewhere as the screen and wiring loom are pretty heavy so something is more likely to have been pulled than broken
I have a dumb question...do you have a link to and the optimal size for the replacement tyres for a U.S. buyer? Thank you
So the bike uses a 20”x4” tyre normally, some people have gone down to a 20x3.5” or up to a 20x4.25”.
The tires on my bike are Vee Tire Co speedster enkicycles.com/products/vee-tire-co-speedster-20-x-4-0-tires
They’re sold out there but lots of places sell these
@@GarethDix Thank you!!!
Sweet bike, I have to motor scooter and will downgrade to one and am in the process of making a list to build and fayboy bike. Thanks for the info your looks so 😎!
Thanks! It’s pretty similar to a scooter in you get the 750 version. But there are more and more 204 bikes out there now as well which look pretty good, so worth also checking out the UDX
Nice!😍
Could you up load a list of all components? (Name and specification)
All in the description of the video 😉
How did you connect the egg rider v2 with your mate x bike please help ?
I just plugged it in and it worked... I’ve messed around with the settings as well a little to give it a little more oomph
If you ordered it from eggrider they normally supply an adapter so it can connect
Hi friend!!!
I was amazed by your upgrades. I think now it is a proper ebike. I want to upgrade my rear suspension since it sucks. What was your initial eye to eye dim? Also can I install a little larger suspension than the factory’s?
I’m using a 165 but lots of other people are using a 190 with no issues other than it makes the bike taller and changes the geometry slightly.
Since this video I actually upgraded the rear shock to a rockshox monarch RL (also 165) which is really nice but the DNM is now on the black bike and my gf loves it
@@GarethDix thanks a lot Gareth.
No worries let me know how it goes and don’t forget to either order it with the right size bushings or add them afterwards (size 24 x 8mm)
Purchase same tire the are massive! Question bro do you have link for the bmx handlebars and the steam I think I'm doing that mod on my sondors fold? Thanks in advance for the info!!
Yeah the tyres look so much wider! Although weirdly not as tall as the standard tires (which is a good thing). Any 1/18” stem will fit the Mate but I’m not sure if the Sondors fork size is the same. I used this stem www.chainreactioncycles.com/seal-bmx-switch-front-load-stem/rp-prod162975 and this handlebar www.chainreactioncycles.com/blank-for-peace-bmx-bars/rp-prod129720 this handlebar is lower and narrower than a normal BMX handlebar so a lot of the guys in the community are using ones that are 30” wide x 9” wide, would love to see a photo of the sondors with it after you do it though!
@@GarethDix thanks so much for the info you sure will soon the bike gets here ! 👍do you have Instagram??
Just seen your comment on Instagram so will add you on there can’t wait to see it!
Hi, thanks for the video, do you know what size of rear shock absorber should I buy? (DNM AOY-36RC)
Eye to eye 165mm or 190mm or 200mm
Best regards
I have a 165mm but a lot of people also use a 190mm it just makes the back of the frame taller but it is more comfortable. The 200mm is possible but it’s probably a little too large
How much dose it weight?
It’s pretty heavy, I think the original bike weighs around 25-30kgs ive probably saved about 3-4kgs in weight by upgrading to lighter parts
Nice video because I'm going to do the same changes to my bike,well is not the same brand but it's the same frame and I'm going to do it because I had an accident 3 months ago so the car destroy the back of my bike's frame so I ordered another one👍🏼👍🏼
Oh no! I hope you were ok? These mods should work with any bike with a similar frame but you might just want to check the measurements as they might be slightly different for the front fork and rear suspension. What frame did you buy in the end?
@@GarethDix the brand of my bike is Eahora x7
Awesome I’ll check it out as I am think about building one for a friend!
In 2024, do you recommend? Or would you buy something else
It’s a decent bike to do upgrades to… but if I were doing it today and in Europe I would get DateX2 to build me one from scratch with the upgrades already done
Lol I feel dumb! Didn't know you had all the link line up in the bio! Thanks again for the reply! Love ya bike !💪
Haha don’t worry UA-cam doesn’t make it as easy to see anymore!
How much you paid for all the uprades? I cant belive 3k euro and everything is crap on this bike
The latest versions may have C slightly upgraded components but I doubt to the standard of what I added to the bike.
The upgrades in this video were around $750 if I remember correctly. But I’m almost done with a new set of really expensive upgrades which have changed the look of the bike completely
Can you give some of the brand names of the parts you've upgraded .. I have the same bike but in a different name :) Wanting to upgrade the handle bars to BMX ... I ride my bike standing up instead of sitting :) in Emode .. peddling mode sitting LOL .. something different isn't wrong it's just what you want to exercise and enjoying the ride at the same time :) .. not often you see a ebike a guy standing up riding for 5 kilometers at a time between rests :)
I like to stand and ride the bike too sometimes... not sure I’d do it for 5km straight but I see the appeal.
The links to the exact parts I used are in the description but:
The bmx Bars are Blank for Peace
The Stem is Seal BMX
Tyres are Vee Tire Co
Chain ring is TA
Front fork is Himalo
Rear shock is DNM (but I’ve since replaced this with a rockshox monarch
Starnut and top cap is Nukeproof
And the reflective tape is CustomTaylor33
@@GarethDix Love it !!! super thanks .. will show you my bike once it's done .. I'll send you my IG account .. love the mods super thanks !!! Love it
Yes! That would be awesome! I’m busy modifying the black bike now so always love to see what everyone else is doing to the bikes for some inspiration!
Great video Gareth. Are you almost glad it wasn't perfect so that you had to improve the bike out of necessity? I bought a different fat tyre folding bike two years ago and its fantastic but I did have to learn to fine tune it. I think buying something that isn't perfect forces you to get stuck in. It certainly did with me. I love what you've done to your bike. Any more future upgrades or bike purchases?
At the time I wasn’t... and I’m not exactly mechanically inclined but used the lockdown to learn and do it all myself and loved updating it to the extend that I might even consider building my own in the future. If there hadn’t been a lockdown and I had to spend my limited free time upgrading the bike rather than riding it I think it would have been pretty annoying 😂 But next on my list for this bike is the lights, seat and mudguards. What bike do you have?
It's a FatMini. Essentially a Voltbike Mariner clone. I hadn't even ridden a bike for about 30 years. I had to tighten spokes up to stop some initial clicking, then I decided to seal the controller housing after reading incidents of water getting into the enclosure. Then I had a puncture in the rear tyre which was a mammoth task when you haven't owned anything like this before. Obviously that wasn't the fault of the bike but all of these things plus upgrades I've made like adding saddle bags and filling the tyres with slime have taught me quite a bit in a short space of time. Oh and I also discovered a lot rust under the steel mudguards so I took them off and sealed underneath with black waxoyl.
Ashley Brayson the tyre change the first time is a pain especially as the rear usually has a much bigger bolt. In my case it was overtightened and I had to get huge torq wrench to loosen it. I have the standard metal mudguards on mine which I’m thinking about cutting down to make them look good, but the waxoyl is a good idea I might do this to my gf’s bike as I’m not sure how long they’ll last. But it’s interesting how lots of these companies are skimping on the details for their launch
Gareth Dix the rust started to creep under the paint which first alerted me to the problem.
Just had a look at my gf’s bike and so far it seems ok but I’ll definitely be waxoyling that soon
I see they do a 61T chainring. Assuming this would be an excellent speed upgrade from my current 51T, does anyone know if this is a good/bad idea? I hoping to improve my top speed pedal assist.
I know a lot of people have also changed to a 60T but I’m not sure if a 61T would need a longer chain to accommodate. If you want to go big you could change the rear to a 11-34 freewheel with the 60T and that would give you a good combo if it’s a 750 motor
looks super 👍 please tell me how long is the front fork?
Which length are you looking for? The fork I used is this one www.aliexpress.com/i/4000935309168.html and has dimensions on the image but if you need another measurement let me know and I can measure it for you
@@GarethDix fork of links at 24 inches? total length 505mm. I want one like yours) how long is the original?
Nikon I can take a look and measure the original... it’s worth noting that you have to cut the top tube of any new fork to shorter nit because they come longer than needed. It’s not that difficult though and my gf wants me to upgrade her bike so I might video it for everyone
@@GarethDixI will not saw off, I will put the rings so that the steering wheel is higher. My height is 185 cm. Or is it enough like on your e-bike for my height? Thank you!
hello gareth. firts congrats for your upgrades. it's sound great. i have a question about the fork. i have the same frame but it's not a mate x ;) i gonna buy the same as you mentionned above. did you have to cut the fork steerer or it's the same lenght ? thanks a lot.
I think all forks will come longer so have to be cut but I used a pipe cutter so made it really easy to make a straight cut and I didn’t need to file it down. If you change the fork you’ll need a star nut and headset as the original screws in (which isn’t that common). But if you need any help just let me know
@@GarethDix thanks a lot gareth for answering me. understood about the fork. i have a last question. i think that we have the same motor. 500w 48 v. there is a great power with the handle but i feel that the pedaling assistance doesn't get enough power. hard to be above 20KMH. probably settings with display. and with the handle easy to reach 40kmh. i don't understand ...thanks
You can usually unlock the settings in the display by inputting a code and set the Max speed the assist works to along with the amount of amps the motor runs at for increased acceleration. How much you can push it not only depends on the motor but the controller and size of the battery as well. Just be careful if you change these settings as the motor/controller can overheat so could be worth looking at an MX2 to monitor the temp and cut it
@@GarethDix ok thanks a lot. i found something. if you change P6 wheel size. it goes very very fast so becareful ;) and i discovered the P assist. amazing. 35 or 40km/h. it goes alone. just turn the legs whitout efforts and it helps the motors just a little bit. it saves battery. i realized in this case i have to change to 58T (TA) like you ;)
@@GarethDix hello gareth. question about star nut and headset. star nut is 28,6 ? and for the headset. which one did you get ? i can't use the original ? thanks
Hi Gareth. Great video. I've just changed my 52t chainring to a 58t on my engwe upgrade ebike. But now I'm having issues with the chain jumping between gears on the rear cogs. Did you have any similar issues? Ps I bought the same chainring as you and my bikes a 8 speed
Yes I had the same thing and all that’s needed is the derailleur to be adjusted which sounds complex but it’s really not... just a couple of screws to change how far the chain goes to get to each gear. I used this video from park tools to learn how to do it. Watch the video the whole way through first though before trying it but honestly it’s a really easy ua-cam.com/video/UkZxPIZ1ngY/v-deo.html
@@GarethDix Thanks for the reply. I'll check the video out properly when I get chance. I was also wondering did you have to get longer chainring bolts to fit the bashguard? My new chainring is wider than my old 52t
G Pin even though the newer chainring is thicker I just used the same bolts and it’s held together no problem... I can’t remember if the bolts were slightly too long for the original chain ring
Hi I wanted to upgrade to a 58t. Just want to know what I need to look for when buying the 58t? Like how far the 5 holes are apart?
Also is the chain too tight or still have some slack ?
Lastly when going uphill do u have issue ...what the difference when going uphill.
Thank you
@@ghostk2660 the distance between the bolt holes is 130mm. The chain on mine is fine, in fact the, the chain used to come off the chain ring when going over bumps but now it doesn't. The only thing is you'll probably have to adjust the rear derailleur. I bought the one in Gareths link.
Great looking upgrades! I'm not fond of too low of handlebars for someone who is 6'1, and I actually enjoy the original adjustable height. That said, this makes it look more like a "sporty retro" bike and I like that. Would it be possible to get a longer fork stem to achieve this? Perhaps stem riser?
There’s a few things you can do, the new fork is a little taller than the original already so that adds some height to the front. When the fork is replaced you have to cut down the tube to make it fit flush with the new stem, but you can use some headset spacers to add some extra length.
By far the easiest way would be to get some taller handlebars, I purposely got some short ones as I prefer leaning over the front and they’re 8.75inches in height but in the same brand they do a version that is around 9.85inches tall and other brands do even taller ones. I think it’ll be important to work out how tall you need them before you switch as you can’t adjust it afterwards
Thanks for the video and tips. I did most of the upgrades and I love them, but 2 bike shops refused to install the himalo fork. They say it's way thinner than the stock fork and can easily snap with the heavy weight of the bike. What's your experience so far with the himalo fork?
The Himalo fork might be thinner but it’s better made overall, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone mention in the groups they’ve had one snap (a few mentioned a loss of pressure from a failed seal) but the original fork has had a quite a few reports of the brace either snapping whilst riding or the bike arriving with a snapped front fork.
That said if you want to do heavy off-road trails the Himalo might not be suitable (although still better than the original).
I haven’t had any issues with the Himalo fork and I’ve probably put 1000km on it. I liked it so much I upgraded the black bike as well as it saves so much weight and feels much more controlled
@@GarethDix thanks for the tip. I'll go ahead and do it myself because it seems the bike shops I went to don't like e bikes. Lol
A lot of bike shops won’t even adjust minor things on ebikes (even when they don’t concern the electrics) unless it’s a bike they sell. Even the bike shop I use for my other bike, which I didn’t buy there, will service my normal bike but won’t touch this bike. Ironically this has made me learn how to service my own bikes so now I don’t need to take it there anymore 😂
@@GarethDix atleast now I know it wasn't just me.. lol. I was really upset with my LBS about that at first, but it also pushed me to do everything myself. I'm proud of my work. Your upgrades and suggestions made this bike so much better. Thx again!
It’s a pretty good feeling knowing you did it... How are you liking the fork compared to the original?
Did you pay or change the tiers yourself......
All of the upgrades I did myself... the tires were pretty easy just taking the rear wheel off was a little more difficult but only took a few mins longer than the front one
Hi Gareth, whats the rise on your BMX handle bar?Great job with the mods btw.
It’s 8.75inches but those are pretty difficult to get and the geometry of a 9inch isn’t too different so you still get a low slung look
Can u advise where I can buy in India
I don’t think there’s a distributor in India but there are bikes in India from what I can see on the Facebook groups so maybe it’s only available though mate.bike
What about double crown 26*4 fork ? Anyone tried to fit it ?
There’s a few of these bikes running double crown forks but I think they’re mostly 20*4 as a 26” fork would be pretty high up and make the wheel look a little weird.
The only two things to consider with a double crown is that you can’t turn the front wheel as far (the frame being as thick as it is) so if you have to manoeuvre the bike in tight spaces it’s a little more restrictive otherwise it should affect normal riding.
The other part is just getting a handle bar that suits the double crown fork as the standard ones look weird and a BMX one you’ll want one that matches the lines of the fork to make it look good.
Ebike Parts are also selling these and have a guide for fitting them to a Mate X specifically ebikeparts.shop/?product_cat=fork
Hey nice video thanks for all the info! You mentioned you are un Switzerland. Me as well! Where are you based ? I do have the exact mate in green color like yours and i was thinking of goibng through most of your updates but i am not really well equipped to do the hard stuff.. maybe you know a bike shop that's worth it..? Or maybe you d be interested in giving me a hand ? ;) let me know thanks again mate!
Hi, I’m Based in Basel and there are a few MATE X bikes here. But honestly don’t worry none of the updates I’ve done are hard they’re literally a few bolts and then add the new part on. The only one that takes a little bit more effort it the front fork as you have to cut the top tube a little... but like you I’m not exactly good with this type of stuff so i actually looked through a lot of UA-cam Videos from ParkTools and GCN to figure out what was needed. But yeah shout if you need a hand and I’m happy to help... a lot of the bike shops here won’t work on the MATE X because for some reason they’ll only work on electric bikes if they sold them. There’s a great place in Basel called Gellert VeloTeam that have helped service some of my old bikes
Has anyone tried putting these forks on a Bluenergy fat bike please? That bike is very similar to the Mate X and the forks look the same as the mate's original forks.
Pretty sure there’s someone in the comments with a blue energy bike that was also modding it. But these forks will fit if the tube the current fork on you bike (you’d have to unscrew the stem) is the same size 😊
@@GarethDix Thanks for your reply. I just don't see how the fork is fitted to my bike. After you fold down the handle bars, there is just one nut at the top of the forks. I looked at the video on Mate's site to see how the forks fit and there are two nuts at the top of the fork stem, I don't have those on my bike. I must look on one of the channels with the Bluenergy bike.
Do you have a link... I’ll see if I can check it out from the photos
Nice looking rig , I’m in the process of tuning my Mate X too when it arrives , as I live in Copenhagen infact round the corner from Mate HQ 😉 so I’m right on thier cases Anyways ,I got shock, forks, bar / stem , tires chainring , pedals, some colorful nuts and bolts , and some cool “Oakley stickers too , all on the way , for the build , so looking forward to tricking my rig , 🤘🏾 as youres is how I always thought a Mate X should look , and not with that rinky dink folding bars/ stem bollocks ha , Ps bruv what tracking system do you use/recommend for the Mate rig ? cheers 🤘🏾
Awesome where did you get the coloured bolts from? But yeah can’t wait to see it! The modifications are worth the extra money as they not only change the look of the bike but the ride is how it should have been in the first place. I’ll drop you a separate message on the GPS as I don’t want everyone knowing where it is 😂
Gareth Dix Hey bruv 😈💪🏾 how you doing , Anyways update on my build , handlebars /stem (Blank) has turned up loads more to come though still waiting for my bike too , but you know already the score on that ay 😂 ., anyways I’ve got a few question about the build , I’m gonna get a new controller ok, do I need to get new /longer connecting cables to fit the new controller ? Question two , could I fit a thumb throttle on the rig ? Oh yeah about that “ Tracker , DM me on insta on that case ok 😉 and about those colored wheel nut, I got them on “Ali Expess” infact that company is making a fortune from me 😂😂😂😈 cheers bruv, I’ll keep you updated on the build ok 🤘🏾
When you say controller you mean the controller on the handlebar for the screen or the controller for the motor that’s inside the bike? If it’s the one for the screen and you’re getting an eggrider, the eggrider comes with an extremely long cable so there are no issues there. With other screens you might not have to extend the wiring, but you can always mount the buttons differently (I’ve seen a few people mounting them lower down near the stem) instead of extending it. Both my bikes came with the thumb throttle but if yours didn’t there should be a plug available to just add that in afterwards although maybe someone else that has added this afterwards can confirm?
Gareth Dix Sorry bruv 😂 I should’ve been more pacific , I meant the Eggrider , will I need to get new ( longer ) connector leads for it , or will the stock lead be long enough so I can just slap on the “rider “ plug in and “ rip the streets 😉 Anyways update on my “upgrades “ I got the Blank bars/stem combo and I’ve got some “Rock bro’s” pedals , still waiting for shocks /forks , kenda tires , rim reflector tape and other bits and pieces And ive ordered a “Bikefinder tracker , ive heard good things about it I’m liking the “nudge alarm feature on it too plus you’re rigs insured for a subscription ,,👍🏾 and still waiting for my Interstellar Night Mate to bloody turn up though😂😂😈👍🏾 will keep you updated Cheers
Yeah the eggrider is plug and play no need for anything else if you ordered the mate x one (it comes with an adapter for the mate X plug) but the cable is long enough... technically it’s too long so you end up having to wrap it around the new bars. But you got a lot of upgrades about to happen! Let me know how the bike finder goes it does look really interesting as a product and no harm in using multiple GPS products
I think you put the stem upside down :-)
I had to as the frame is so huge it doesn’t turn if it’s the other way up 😉
Hi Gareth
Thanks for your helpful video. It has proven very useful for me. Regarding the handlebar and the stem, I noticed in your video (3.20) you had used a nukeproof product. I would like to change my mate bike handlebar/stem too, but I wondered what the nukeproof product was and whether I need it to change the handlebar and stem. Maybe you can post a link to it. Many thanks. 👍
Reza
Hi Rez’s, the nukeproof product is the headset for the starnut... you don’t actually need this unless you are changing the front fork as well. If you’re sticking with the original fork you can use the giant one that comes with the bike... just remove it... switch the stem and then screw it back on 👍🏻
Thanks Gareth
Yes I was planning to do the fork change too as the original is quite mediocre.
Thanks again
Reza
I’ll add it to the description later as I forgot to do that earlier but this is the product but anything with a starnut and headset will work just depends on how you want it to look www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/us/en/nukeproof-top-cap-and-star-nut/rp-prod92345
Had my heart set on one. Ticked all the boxes being a big lad wanting something for a 17 mile country road commute daily. But the reviews put me off. I can get one on the Cycle Scheme essentially knocking 25% off the RRP. Not sure whether to wait for the successors to get released. Looking at the specs of the Founders Edition it seems to have the updated 1000w bafang motor and the uprated Samsung battery.
As you mentioned the cycle scheme I’m assuming you’re based in the U.K.? If so you might actually have a better situation as there’s a U.K. specific distributor that also deals with customer service issues on bikes bought from them and aside from some of the questionable quality of parts... the customer service is by far the biggest issue with the bike so might be worth having a conversation with them at matebike.uk because if something does go wrong they might already have parts in stock to replace under warranty... something MATE has never been able to do yet
@@GarethDix yes based in UK. I had already been in touch enquiring about suitability for a heavier rider. I'm currently just over 130kg. Losing it slowly. But don't want to burn through any motors and battery for being a heavy git! I'll get in touch with them regarding UK parts and warranty etc. Will see if any local bike specialists can work on the bikes too.
You should be fine and depending on where you’re riding you might want to think about the 750 if you do a lot of steep hills I find the 250 good enough for flat riding (although not as fast). The founders edition if mates normal timelines for pre-orders are anything to go by you’ll likely get it at some point next year. I’d also check out The Enki Billy as well, same kind of style but looks like it has better components straight out of the box... not sure if these are already available this side on the pond though
Bike seat? Mind is super uncomfortable after some time :) Gotta be good to change out! :)
That is literally the next thing I’m looking for... I haven’t found anything that looks good and is comfortable...any suggestions? Just don’t want something the size of a sofa 😂😂