MATE X electric bike review: Why I wouldn’t buy one again

[@GarethDix]

Let me know if you have one of these and how it’s been for you so far?

[@richinspiration]

What would you buy instead?

[@GarethDix]

If I could get the frame I would probably build my own. But there’s a lot of options out there for folding fatbikes now like Sondors, Enki, Radrover, Rattan. But I do like the new super73 RX series as well

[@Beezybeen]

I absolutely love mine so far. But I also got it for a steal. However, now my fiancé says he is going to save up for one so I guess it’s worth the retail price as well!

[@GarethDix]

Did you buy it from someone else or from the original campaign?

[@steveyoung2572]

I’ve had mine for about six weeks now. Bought off a guy on Ebay, brand new and still boxed up. It’s been good. No real problems. I changes the saddle for a twin rail brooks B73 ( needed an adaptor plate). The furthest i’ve ridden is 33miles and still had 40% battery left. (Mostly on assist 2 and 3). It’s the most fun bike i’ve ever had. Really happy The biggest problem has been punctures. 3x so far. I sorted that with slime...nothing since 🤞

[@AnGhaeilge]

I backed the camapign, worst decision ever. Bike delivery times were constantly pushed back and then they downgraded the bike parts without ever informing us from a bafang motor to a cheap chinese knockoff. They have spent huge money on advertising to try whitewash all of the complaints made about them. I'm so glad I got my refund in time after waiting over a year for delivery. It's not just that they did this - it's how they treated us. Their customer service was almost non-existent. Anyone who needed replacement parts either never got their parts or there were huge delays in it. And what's worse is that when people leave a bad review, they pretend like the person was never a customer in the first place. They are a shady company and I'd never back them again.

[@GarethDix]

I stuck out the wait and got the bike 15months later... I got lucky but the cheaper parts were pretty bad but then for an average person that doesn’t ride a bike maybe they won’t notice until something falls off? 💁🏻‍♂️ maybe that was the plan

[@edvardfranke]

Gareth Dix agree with you...

[@13orrax]

Despite it's flaws, I'm having a great time on mine. I may have lucked out. I somehow got a bafang motor so I was happy about that. I got the bigger battery (which there is no indication other than a check mark on the shipping box) and hydraulic brakes. I replaced the rear shock and got new tires with Mr tuffy liners because I was getting frequent flats from large staples and nails. The new tires are MUCH better. The only issues I've had are screws coming loose on the brake lever and kickstand. Some loc-tite fixed it

[@GarethDix]

I’ve had the same with the kickstand but not the brakes yet although on the back bike the front brakes badly needed bleeding and the rear brakes just don’t align so I had to add spacers to it to stop them constantly rubbing

[@paoloquirici5975]

I have a 750S Mate X and use it every day since 21 Apr 2020. Nearly 10k km done. Some issues but nothing major. I like it and find it a good deal once you have it. Some updates I have made with both suspension front and back saving nearly 2 kg, tyres and anti poncture From Tannus ARMOUR following my 5th flat tyre, extra lights. So it is a good daily usable bike.

[@GarethDix]

Glad to hear you use it daily as well, I’ve almost had it two years and will probably do an updated video for a long term review. It’s crazy how much difference just a few lighter parts make the bike feel though! And good idea on the anti-puncture upgrade, I think it’s the reality of owning a fat bike as my friend rides a fat MTB and has the same issues with punctures

[@tariqquamar]

I have mine and use it to commute in Tokyo, and honestly, its a dream, no issues in a year, fingers crossed, but honestly, it is just so much fun to ride..

[@GarethDix]

And it looks so good cruising around with it… I can imagine it turns a few heads in Tokyo

[@MsLafunia]

WOW that's extremely helpful review! I was dreaming about buying this bike because it has such a great design. But I will reconsider doing it!

[@GarethDix]

I can’t deny it looks great I just wish they had made it high quality as well. I still have both bikes although the great one looks very different now

[@OaB4862]

believer in Jesus 1 second ago I have bought two mate X + bikes via indiegogo. My wife and I cycle through mud, gravel and normal tarred roads. NEVER had any problems except a flat rear tyre because of an old rusted nail off road. Everything works well. Very durable bike drawing a lot of attention. We also have two 'normal' smaller mate S bikes. My wife prefer the mate X because of the comfort and ability to ride any where. We further do not have issues with the distance. Can easy do 50 km on a single charge.

[@markgosden7392]

Must be honest. Great mileage on a charge. And draws more attention than any other bike I’ve had. Love it. Mate just need to sort the after sales and spare parts service. Which is NON EXISTENT

[@GarethDix]

completely agree, I get a lot of distance with mine too, and with the upgrades it’s close to being perfect now, but still now there are CS issues and I’m not sure they realise that’s what’s holding them back as a company

[@artkilla4007]

I finally recieved my bike at the end of April 2020 mid pandemic after waiting since August 2018. First short 8km test ride, the left-side factory fitted pedal came off. The second 4km test ride (all during the first 7 days) I got the infamous rear puncture on the sub-par "big daddy" tires and tubes. Since then I've spent the last week, obviously not being able to ride it, while I scratch round the internet trying to find in-stock availability of decent replacement 20x4 tires (Vee/Kenda/etc), tubes & liners. This in the current climate has proved a chore. I'm also heading towards the BMX stem setup...

[@GarethDix]

Within the first few days I had pedal clicking from the bearings being cheap and I’ve now replaced those too. Have you had any issues with the pedals since? With the original tires I was avoiding twigs and stones on the road just in case but thankfully didn’t get a puncture but swapped these out as soon as I could. The BMX handlebars make such a huge difference... as do the tires although the Vee tires in this size are like gold dust at the moment

[@redonine]

@@GarethDix whats the difference with BMX handlebar ? More comfortable ? More balance ?

[@artkilla4007]

@@GarethDixBefore the second test ride (when i got the puncture) I removed both pedals, greased up the threads and re-attached them. Unfortunately when that left pedal came off it did quite badly damage the crank-arm threads but with a bit of fiddling I eventually got a secure fit. So no pedals fell off on the second ride. Only time will tell on whether the clicking becomes annoying. I do now have Vee Speedster 20x4 coming from Germany, Kenda innertubes from Italy, and Mr Tuffy 4XL liners coming from the US. So hopefully in a few weeks I'll be up and running again.

[@GarethDix]

The BMX bar is wider so more comfortable for my size, it’s also lighter and lower than the standard bar. It also feels more solid and secure, I popped a wheelie the other day and no way would I have trusted the original bar to do that. The stem has 4 screws to attach the bar in comparison to the 2 screws on the original

[@artkilla4007]

@@GarethDix I should ask - did you have to cut any extra off the front folks before fitting the new stem in place? I usually ride skinny handlebars 17" wide so will cut the BMX bars down too. Gotta be able to fit between traffic 👍 Looking forward to your upgrades video.

[@FuchijPacheco]

Hello, I had a problem with the electrical system, it suddenly stopped and after three or four seconds it started working again, sometimes it indicated an error on the screen.I would also like to know what model of brake pads the mate x 250 has... a thousand thanks... fuchi

[@GarethDix]

Any idea what the error on the screen was? With any luck it was trying to stop itself from overheating but the temp protection was typically an aftermarket addition to the bike so it could be something more serious. Oh the other hand I once had the bike show an error and shut down on me… and it has never done it again in 3 years since. I turned the bike back off 30secs later and it was like nothing had happened. The brakes if you’re using the hydraulic brakes from tektro are the HD-E350 so there might be other pads compatible with them but I just checked on my bike that still has the standard brakes and it uses the Tektro A10.11 pads To check you can pull your front wheel off and just undo the screw holding the pads in the brake caliper and the model number will be on the back

[@gageaverill5413]

Waited a year for mine, and when the motor failed, waited a year for a replacement and they sent the wrong motor hub. But by then they were starting to be able to supply parts and the next replacement came quickly. With all of the obvious faults covered in the video (bulky/heavy, some parts cheap, originally terrible customer support) I have to say that it is a sweet ride and a great bike to be on. Assuming they get their customer support and parts supply chain issues under control, I could readily recommend the bike for its power, great style, and ease.

[@GarethDix]

I will do an updated video on the bikes soon... but I agree the biggest issue with this bike is the company behind it

[@vandutchen]

I'm a backer from indigogo ... I have my bike from November... Mate didn't send me a charger or the battery I buy... I did buy a booster battery 17,5... but my battery is 15 and something... I have try to contact Mate but nothing...

[@GarethDix]

Did you manage to get a different charger now or are you still not able to ride the bike? I saw in their last email they’re apparently going to be sending out the 5000 replacement parts people are still waiting for so hopefully you’ll get that battery soon

[@vandutchen]

I think I need to buy a charger... because mate doesn't do anything about it

[@GarethDix]

I think a lot of people have started buying chargers directly from China as it’s faster to get to them. Worth checking out the owners groups on FB as lots of people have found good alternative options

[@fuchifuchi7493]

Hola de nuevo, sigo con el problema, he averiguado el error que se llama "error H25" pero tengo dudas, porque también hay otro "problema " que es el aparato que sirve para el intermitente... Cuando se va la electricidad, a veces le doy al intermitente y vuelve, pero también si le das para señalar se va la eléctrica... Es raro... He comprado dos cables del freno con sensores y a ver si es eso... Gracias 🙏🏼

[@GarethDix]

Error 25 is the brake signal cut off… I would try unplugging the light control (there’s a simple plug that goes under the main frame of the bike. Next check the brake connection wires… not the brake cables but the electrical connector just make sure they’re in and follow those wires to the bike motor to see if it’s been damaged anywhere. If that’s fine try unplugging those brake connectors and plugging them back in and see if the error still happens. It might be that the cables need replacing but just check it’s not an issue with the signal to the indicators causing a problem first.

[@fuchifuchi7493]

@@GarethDix muchas gracias... Estoy esperando los cables con sensores... Creo que es eso... Mil gracias 🙏🏼

[@radagastthebrown578]

Are the tyres a regular size? When you wanna change them. And what about the battery.

[@GarethDix]

Yeah the tyres are 20x4.0 inches there’s not many brands that do them but anyone selling tyres for things like the Rad Mini or super73 they all take the same type of tires. But look at Vee Tyre Co, kenda, innova they all have tires for the bike 😀

[@radagastthebrown578]

@@GarethDix first i have to buy the bike. And 3000 euro i cant see it.

[@tinastaley625]

Best bang for the Buck Fat Tire bike available !!!! Twice the distance, half the time !!!

[@ignfishiv]

Bought a Mate S in June / July 2017 off of their site, not their Kickstarter. All Issues I've had with the bike. It Didn't arrive for 3 months (September) . After arriving it worked great for about a year. The original tires were shit. They broke the week I had the bike. Until I had a speed controller issue or motor issue (still unclear on what the real issue was) everything was great! Mate customer service wouldn't help at all. After some convincing (talking shit about mate on social media), we got some replacement parts. They didn't fix anything. After about half a year of it being a $1,400 paperweight, I decided to try to use it again and it just magically worked. 10/10 was a shitty experience. My back brake stopped working. I took it to the bike shop and they told me for a bike like mine it needed to have hydraulic brakes. Not really an issue, more of an inconvenience. The fenders are plastic, very small and cheap. Riding through a puddle, you would guaranteed to be soaked with water. My front fender fucking broke off randomly while riding. My back fender keeps twisting itself and rubbing on the wheel causing it to break the fender. The bike has lasted me until now. The hub motor has either had the axel shit its self, or the frame broke because the FUCKING WHEEL KEEPS FALLING OFF. I've had it put on 5 times and every time it keeps falling off. Currently having a bike shop look it over. When I first got my bike. imgur.com/12QJyns When I get my bike back from the shop, I'll post the "after" pictures.

[@GarethDix]

I remember seeing someone with an original mate S when I was in Boston and I spoke to the owner briefly to mention I had just ordered the X on Indiegogo… he said just be ready to modify the bike a lot to make it work and don’t bother with their customer service… …little did I realise then how bad it would be… but how much extra have you spent on fixing the bike and adding things to it? Ironically I find the fenders on the mate x, heavy, cumbersome and too long and will end up falling off the bike

[@ignfishiv]

@@GarethDix More than 500 just normal ware + repairs etc

[@GarethDix]

Woah… that’s quite a bit

[@ignfishiv]

@@GarethDix Yeah. Unfortunately it is. Just ordered the RadMini Walk-Thru-2. Super excited for this one. Supposedly rad has 10/10 customer service!

[@GarethDix]

Yes I’ve heard that too! Let me know how the bike is when you get it… always interested to hear about the other options out there

[@nellmoll]

hi,,, I was just about to buy one and thought I'd check out a few reviews,, will this was the first and sadly will be the only review I'll view. good honest review and many good comments to go with it. sadly I think I'll put my purchase of one on hold as backup service and spares is vital and without it what are you supposed to do..? thanks for saving me my heard earned ££££££££. 👍👍👍👍

[@GarethDix]

I’m planning on doing an update to this video soon and I’ll cover some of the latest on there. Although mate are still pretty delayed in their parts and orders there are now a lot of aftermarket options from the community which means even if something breaks there are some good options. But… that’s only if you’re willing to spend more money on the bike. It still looks good though a year later and with the upgrades I made so far it now rides like it should have 😊

[@redchristy]

Same here Nell

[@footballkingdom2599]

My name also neil

[@core181]

Hi from Taiwan, thank you for sharing the honest opinion , but I was wondering about Taiwan version's problem tho, also this bike costs around USD $3066, but my region living in doesn't get any supports shop, also i still don't how fast it can reach and how the battery can really push the total travel distance, according to law in taiwan ebike must limited 25km/h, don't know the EU is same or not, but thanks anyway, i believe traditional bike might be the better option for the normal people perhaps

[@GarethDix]

In the EU most countries are also limited to 25km/h and the 250w version is. The 750w version goes up to 45km/h. The Taiwan version of the bike I think was only initially available and now the bike is more standardised if you’re buying it new with a Bafang motor. You can get bigger and connect more than one battery to the bike you want to go further have a search on Facebook for DATEX2 Laurentiu has managed to connect 3 1kw batteries to his MATE X. But there are plenty of ebikes that are similar to the MATE X now so could be worth looking at

[@johnmelquist2008]

I am unable to use my bike after 2 or 3 uses. The battery seems to be bad, wont take or hold a charge. Occasionally shows 40% but fails at first use.

[@GarethDix]

Did you manage to get this fixed by Mate? if not have a look at DATE X2 Laurentiu can pretty much fix anything related to the bike

[@fraserthomson5766]

For that price, you can buy 2 Engwe Pro's, and their customer service is exemplary.

[@GarethDix]

And you can always upgrade the Engwe too and it would still work out cheaper

[@fraserthomson5766]

@@GarethDix I'm thinking about BMX handlebars! 😀

[@GarethDix]

Do it! The control is so much better with them, you just need to get ones that are high/wide enough for how you want to ride as you can’t change the height of the bars afterwards. If you’re changing the bars without changing the fork you can literally get the handlebar and stem and just take the old one off and put the new on on… it’s about a 15min upgrade 😉

[@fazze7877]

I really want to buy this bike , but so many people r complaining about it. Most of the people r saying that the bike is so comfortable but after months of using the bike you will start having so many issues. Iam courier and riding bike for 8 to 10 hours daily. 5 to 6 days per weeks So can this bike keep up with me Iam 6.1 for over 100kg

[@GarethDix]

I’m working on a new video as I’ve been upgrading the bike a lot. Some to change the look and ride of the bike… others because things have worn out and we’re needed. Honestly if you ride that long everyday you’ll need a lot of upgrades on the bike to a) make it comfortable enough (new suspension all around, new saddle) b) to fix the issues that will likely cause you a problem from riding that much (new battery, motor temp protection, handlebars, tyres, tuffy liners and proper inner tubes). C) install a second battery (double your range but also less wear on the cells and no battery sag) At that point it might be better to have a chat with Laurentiu from DATEX2 and get him to build you a Mate X with all the upgrades already installed… it might work out cheaper. Or if you know what you’re doing with bikes you could get a similar bike like a Fiido M1 or another cheaper brand and do the upgrades yourself.

[@fazze7877]

@GarethDix suspension really? But I won't be doing any of road at all

[@GarethDix]

The stock suspension isn’t great, it makes the bike bounce all over the place and because of the size/weight of the bike the handling is pretty gnarly. The rear fixes the comfort. I’m 90kg and the stock rear suspension would bottom out. You can ride it without these upgrades… my gf rode on a stick bike for a year… after she rode mine she asked for the suspension upgrades 😂 But I also don’t ride off road I just cruise around the city… but I ride maybe an hour or two at the most ☺️

[@fazze7877]

Please can you tell me in which year you did purchase the mate x 750w. Because I spoke to the mate manager yesterday. And he did said to me that those issue were happening years ago. But now everything is OK so far for them Actually they are now the only mate bike shop in london.

[@GarethDix]

So I got the bike in the original campaign but from the questions on the FB group there are still issues with the bikes that hasn’t been fixed. The 750 isn’t legal in the U.K. though so mate had to issue a recall last year on this to change all the bikes to 250 and as a result all of the mate stores in London closed down. The mate London guys were actually really good though and helped a lot when people had issues with the bike I didn’t realise that any of them were still open though. It’s worth joining the FB mate X owners group and asking the question as people are picking up new bikes all the time on there

[@13orrax]

i have a mate x that just hit 800 miles. i agree with everything youve said but cant really find a better bang for your buck bike besides rad rovers, but i prefer the look of the mate. i like to think of it like metroid...you start out good but you can get upgrades to be better

[@GarethDix]

I think mine was about $700/800 and so spending money on upgrades I don’t have a problem with... but now buying one for $2000 puts it in competition with a lot of other ebikes and now similar style ebikes which are cheaper that can also be upgraded. I guess for me It’s not the cheap parts that are the biggest issue...it’s the inconsistency of the quality control so you’ll never know whether you get a bike that will work or not... whether the battery is what it says it is and most importantly if something goes wrong that the company will be there to help you fix it quickly and provide the right parts.

[@Nunya-s4u]

Does it have a separate throttle ? Not PA?

[@GarethDix]

It does have one that you can order as an extra and it’s helpful to get moving in high gear but because of the gears and the pedal position you don’t necessarily need it (unlike the super73 style bikes where the frame geometry doesn’t allow for pedalling as easily

[@mranonymous8815]

I was just about to spend 2000 bugs for the MATE city/icon, I'm glad I read the comment section, so of course I won't.

[@GarethDix]

Worth looking at the Facebook groups as well, the mate X now has loads of people producing aftermarket items so if you’re willing to spend the extra money you can have a great bike… the mate city however doesn’t have the same huge community around it so it’s difficult to get parts for it

[@demeics]

@@GarethDix wow, so after I spend 2400 GBP on it, I have to invest in parts ? It's a no from me

[@GarethDix]

I mean you don’t have to… and some people are ok with the standard bike, but after riding my one I’m now busy upgrading my gf’s (the black on)

[@mranonymous8815]

I bought one with a broken motor and missing computer, for 300 €, so I will replace the parts step by step, just using the frame and the battery...

[@GarethDix]

Check out Date X2 as they may be able to help with the motor and add temp sensors (most of them fail from overheating) and are really cost effective for repairs

[@SambitTripathy]

I have a MateX 750w with big daddy tires. Last week I took this for a ride on a trail and when I was going downhill, I heard a lot of rattling and the brakes felt little ineffective to the momentum. I did not feel safe, especially with the handlebar and the saddle. I don't think doing mountain biking on this is a good idea. It feels great in the city though. I love riding it in the city for short commutes and this is definitely an eye catcher. The battery is not that bad. Right now I have only the front mud guard which I am going to remove, also the rear carriage adds a lot of weight and that will be removed as well. BTW, why is your saddle positioned so low? Raise it to the minimum mark and the ride is much better. I agree one of this bike is enough for show off purposes, I will not buy another one from it :D

[@GarethDix]

This is why I switched the tires out on my bike for road tyres as going off on a trail once I realised the bike it too heavy and the suspension is too crashy to cope with off-road riding. A couple of people have been upgrading their bikes with huge discs for off-roading and it’s made a huge difference. I ride with the saddle low because it looks better, also the geometry of the bike is a little weird so with the seat in right position for the pedals I can’t reach the floor properly 😂 I do raise the seat if I’m doing anything other than cruising around but I also pedal standing a lot as well

[@al-hassansoliman6174]

What would you recommend as an alternative, because you are right about everything you mentioned regarding this bike. Not only that, I can even assure you that they have the worst business style ! Lack of customer support, lack of quality, horrible finishing, no commitment or liability of any kind, bikes get delivered with many issues (deep scratches, mechanical, electrical manufacturing problems. They have been playing around with me for almost a year now, changing three bikes and all came in shocking bad condition! Now, I’m looking for a better option. I would really appreciate a good advice of an alternative. It is very important for me.

[@GarethDix]

There’s quite a few in the comments, but I guess it depends on whether you are after the same style of bike, want something where the cost is lower but the finishing is equal but you would have money to upgrade to make it better or something that is ready to go. If you want something similar but cheaper I would look at something like the Fiido M1 it’s almost identical to the mate x but much cheaper. You can probably upgrade everything on the bike and still not have it cost as much as the mate X. For something complete but the same style I would look at the Enki Billy… it has better components, bmx handlebars, a gated carbon drive instead of a chain and Vee speedster tyres as standard.

[@hassananany6859]

If anyone knows what charger I could use when original is not working I would really appreciate it thank you guys!!

[@GarethDix]

worth speaking to Augusto at ebikeparts.shop as they sell batteries and chargers for the bike and usually in stock ready to go

[@chriskopec1858]

I have MATE X-750W. My 48 V 14 Ah fail. What can i do?

[@GarethDix]

If you’re in Europe speak to DATE X2 (although Laurentiu is riding across Europe at the moment on his heavily modified Mate X… but he’s brought so many of the bikes back to life and should be able to help you diagnose the issue and fix it (and not that expensive)

[@chriskopec1858]

@@GarethDix I am in USA

[@GarethDix]

Also speak to Laurentiu as he sends parts to a distributor out there so they might also have a workshop to do repair works. At worst he’ll be able to at least tell you which part is failing😀

[@trueslator]

I got my mate x at the beginning of December. 2600km so far without any problem. Yes, of course - I changed already a couple of parts to make it much more individual. Paddles, rear pumper, saddle and the tires. I'm really happy with it and it makes fun to modify it. Could you please share details of the BMX handle bar you got for your bike?. I want to change my one as well. If you have any product links, please let me know. Cheers, Olli

[@GarethDix]

Great to hear that it’s not just me that hasn’t had major issues with the bike/CS. I’ll be doing a video on the upgrades shortly once my new front fork is installed, but the BMX bar is a Blank for Peace bar. It’s a really easy modification and only takes around 15mins. You just need a BMX stem that fits the 1/18” fork and then match the diameter of the bars you want to stem opening (I think it’s 22mm on the bars on my bike)

[@endyzyl]

Why isn't anyone comparing the ADO A20F vs MATE X BIKE?

[@GarethDix]

The ADO looks pretty different because of the frame, the Fiido M1 and Blue Energy are much closer to the original Mate

[@endyzyl]

@@GarethDix Lol. Most people will agree that ADO A20F looks similar in design, and shape to the MATE X BIKE special the Black and white colours, while the ADO A20 looks pretty similar to MATE CITY. My area of comparison lies between the Torque or Cadence sensor, and whether they are the same. I've had a chance to test ride the MATE X 250w and MATE City 250w and the Torque response are insane even better with the MATE X

[@chriseliason2433]

my bike will not charge the battery-what can i do

[@GarethDix]

It could be the charger or the battery as the original charger is pretty cheap and tends to break a lot. It would be worth contacting Laurentiu at DATEX2 who can help you diagnose the issue but also has both better chargers and batteries for the bikes as well. He Even does warranty repairs too if it’s covered facebook.com/DATEx2/

[@markgosden7392]

I love my mate x 750. My charger burned up. Mate aren’t interested even though it’s only 5 months old. Reason being I wasn’t the invoiced purchaser. Still think my mate is the best beast. Second to my wife

[@GarethDix]

I heard this happened quite a lot to people... lots of people are ordering different 3rd party chargers that are better made. I’m lucky in that both of mine seem to be ok... but I would never leave it charging when I’m not in the room just in case

[@Researchmisinfomation]

I have never been able to ride my mate bike, te charger did not work they send me a new charger but still didn't work probably battery dead kinda sad ..

[@GarethDix]

It could be the battery or the controller. Take a look at the facebook group Mate X owners group, there’s a company called Date X2 that can probably help figure out what’s wrong and they’re an official warranty repair service for MATE and really know their stuff.

[@djblade62]

Watched your video, i just wondered why you didnt fold the bike to take it down the stairs?

[@GarethDix]

It actually makes the bike more difficult to carry as it’s pretty heavy and you can’t roll the bike when it’s folded. It’s good for storage or transporting in a car but it’s actually easier to move the bike around without folding it

[@Gruru72]

I never had contact with any company worse than this. Refused to send me fully backed bike. :(

[@GarethDix]

Was it because they couldn’t deliver it to where you are? And did you at least get a refund?

[@Gruru72]

@@GarethDix Of course MATE could deliver - they delivered thousands of bikes like mine - but they did not want to after taking my money

[@GarethDix]

Just wanted to check as I know some countries they came back and said they couldn’t deliver in the end, but did you get refunded the full amount?

[@Gruru72]

@@GarethDix of course they could deliver to Austria, but MATE management fucked me because the CEO did not like to get feedback on their super bad business practices

[@GarethDix]

Did you get a different bike in the end? And if so what did you get?

[@PhxElecAuto]

My friends bought 2 of these. One didn't work from day 1. Screen shows failed communications. Mate advised swapping with their good working bike. Now both have communications failure . Very poor support. They won't send free parts on new bike. It will have to go bsck.

[@GarethDix]

Oh no! There’s quite a few people that have that issue “Error 21” I think. One of the guys in the Facebook group can fix these and has recently announced there’s a US place that can help now

[@hassananany6859]

Thank you for your reply but are there any charges that we may have in our own already that I can use?

[@GarethDix]

Not that I know of it’s not a typical connection that you would use for anything else as the port is normally used for audio cables not batteries (which I always found weird)

[@rzaaaoizmcrmac5480]

i bought one of this from a store in facebook, until now, i still don't have the ebike, no tracking numbers or other infos. it's almost three months now.

[@GarethDix]

I’m not sure they sell these on Facebook I think you can only buy them from the website 🤔 but they do take awhile... I think the Black Friday bikes from November only got delivered last month

[@mhjgo]

I would really like to see which parts you have used to customize your jet grey mate x. The handlebar looks really sick.

[@GarethDix]

I’ll be doing a video on this really soon and it’s a really easy modification

[@rocksthemikke]

Me as well I have a city but I like the look of the grey one

[@GarethDix]

Mikke NoName as in the mate city? How are the components on that one?

[@rocksthemikke]

@@GarethDix it's a nice ride man I cant complain yet I wish there were more battery options and tire sizes but at 260 I must say I like it hahaha

[@MrSverez]

Handlebar size or link?

[@jalharley3821]

This is almost identical to my bike which is a shengmilo MX21 - 500w 48v 12.8. Half-twist thottle and 1-5 ped-assist. Had it from aliexpress for £900 [including customs tax etc] and saved about £600 compared to amazon and ebay. Took about a moth from china to UK. Yes, the weight is too much for me to carry upstairs - fortunately l have a hallway for it. l had no idea from the youtube vids and pics how heavy it actually is [as you say they have to be seen 'in the flesh'].

[@GarethDix]

Wow that’s the most similar looking bike to the mate X so far. I wonder if you can upgrade the battery in that to 17.5? This would be worth it to upgrade parts and make the perfect ebike

[@jalharley3821]

@@GarethDix yes, unfortunately it's fixed at 12.8 - but that's a 1000 charges, so not to bad l suppose.

[@evrensburg]

Which model is this? Would love to know the difference between the 2019 and 2021 model. I have a chance to buy a 2019 for 1,600 but I am Leary and not sure.....

[@GarethDix]

These are both the original Indiegogo campaign 250+ bikes from 2019. There aren’t really many differences unless it’s the 750 model which I think are all now Bafang motors where as the original bikes could have been made in either China or Taiwan so had different motors and components. But would check to make sure it’s a Bafang motor and it keeps it’s charge. To be honest the quality hasn’t changed much and people are still having issues with them so just be ready to spend some extra money if something goes wrong. But 1600 is quite a lot for a secondhand one

[@evrensburg]

@@GarethDix Yes, totally agree. Much appreciated.

[@GarethDix]

Actually I just saw that some people are still waiting for months for new bikes they’ve ordered so it could be worth it 😂

[@hassananany6859]

Hey really appreciate your review. was wondering if I could ask you if you knew what kind of charger I could use if my original is not working

[@GarethDix]

A number of people are buying the WATE charger from AliExpress but it’s a little hit and miss as to whether you get a good one or not. If you’re in Europe you can try ebikeparts.shop who sell a much more reliable but expensive charger that allows you to change the settings on the charge. But also joking the Mate X battery project group on Facebook groups as there’s a lot of people using aftermarket chargers there too

[@artministratorle]

I was pretty into the mate X Bike (or better the CN original) however I´ve bought the Fiido M1 which is pretty similar to the (mechanical disc brake) Mate X 250. Like it, will upgrade some hydraulic brakes as well as see if there´s a option for eleminating weird noises. funny bike at all

[@GarethDix]

The price of the Fiido M1 makes it worth buying if you’re considering upgrades anyway... how’s the range and motor on the bike in the real world?

[@artministratorle]

@@GarethDix due to the fact that my country does not allow a "moped mode" ( I have dissambled the thumb throttle), I just could only refeer to the Pedal Assist mode, which the 250W Motor takes my 110kg´s up to a speed at 22km/h on a really flat city, no large hills or stuff, and usually with 2.5bar tire pressure. It has lot of NM torque, guessing arround 40 to 50NM (it feels much better accelerated than my other 35NM 250W front gear motor pedelec). I´ll reach average ~40 to 50km but not yet tested running into the "low voltage protection" as I´m even not sure if thats implemented anyhow, my girlfriend could reach much more range as she´s arround the half of my weight, but we´ve not yet long range tested that, as the bike is more for "fun" addicted, but drives good

[@solomonm1593]

Couldv'e showed it folded etc.

[@GarethDix]

2:01 shows the folding of the bike

[@carolscholfield234]

Hi Gareth. I’ve just bought mine second hand from a private seller. I had a biking accident 5 years ago and haven’t been on a bike since. My husband thought this would suit me giving a bike a go due to its high front handlebars where I don’t need to lean in the bike. I’ve had it out twice and I’ve loved it. I’d be sad to loose it if I could not maintain it tbh now! So rather worried by the lack of parts to keep it going. I really couldn’t ride any other style of bike now and the engine helps get me farther than my damaged lungs can alone. My power says it only goes to 5 and people here are saying they are on power level up to 9????? Any ideas?? Great review and if there’s a group I could join for service and repair advice I’d be very grateful. Thanks Carol

[@GarethDix]

Hi Carol... that original position is great if you need it upright as the handlebar isn’t too far forward either. Depending on where you’re located there are more and more options for maintenance. Everything other than the electrics is like a normal bike and with a set of Allen Keys and wrenches you can replace things really easily. For the electrics if you’re in Europe there’s a couple of Mate owners that are repairing/protecting the motors and another that has been creating his own batteries because mate haven’t delivered on theirs a year after the issues started. Join some of the Mate Bike groups on Facebook and pretty much any issue you have with the bike someone will have already had at some point and either has a fix or knows someone that does. But don’t worry a lot of these parts are fairly easy to get so even in the worst case scenario there’s a way of fixing it 😊

[@GarethDix]

Oh and the 9 levels... I believe this is only available if you have the colour screen. You just need to go into the menu and change the option for number of assist levels (PAS) under “settings” -> “set power” hopefully that works

[@carolscholfield234]

Thankyou for the advice Gareth. It has been such a big step for me and I need the confidence it has given me so far to keep going. Carol

[@dublinvids5146]

Not worth hassle sounds like. Maybe just buy a Lectric XP in the states or Samebike XP in Europe?

[@GarethDix]

The Letric looks like a good bike it’s a shame they don’t ship outside North America. The frame geometry is a little more like a folding bike on both of those rather than how aggressive the mate bike looks. But if it works and their CS is there then it’s probably a better choice

[@dublinvids5146]

@@GarethDix I've just ordered a similar bike called the R6 Pro from a store on AliExpress called Keeper & Jim. I think it could be a rebranding of the upgraded Engwe EP-2 (as both have seven gears and look identical). The Lankeleisi X2000 is another bike on Aliexpress which appears to very similar to the Lectric: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fHeqXmOpnL55jpY All the above have front suspension also. Bikes in Europe tend to be speed restricted before being sent from China though, so can be hit and miss. If it is I will most likely sell it and buy and a Samebike LO26 500w as you as they can be unrestricted pretty easily and will go 22Mph (35Km/h) on electric only and 27Mph (44Km/h on pedal assist). When the R6 Pro arrives I'll post here and let you know how it goes.

[@GarethDix]

The x2000 does look pretty interesting as well. Let me know how you get on with the R6 pro too! I think given the experience I’ve had upgrading my bike so far I’d definitely consider buying something cheaper and then upgrading everything on the bike. My current fav at the moment is the UDX though it looks pretty cool!

[@Sanoj1978]

I love mine which I got from the indiegogo campain. I am also in Switzerland, near Lausanne. I would love to know more about the changes you made to your bike. Where did you get the tires and did you change them yourself ?

[@GarethDix]

I think the Swiss bikes have been largely ok, although there are a couple of issues with the black one in the video. I should be doing a video on the changes to my bike soon but basically I’ve changed the rear shock, pedals, chainring to a 58T, the handlebars and the tires. I have a new front fork coming shortly as well. In switzerland the Vee Tire Co Speedsters I managed to get from bros.ch I think they’re one of the only places here that has them!

[@GarethDix]

Oh and the tire change is simple you just have to unplug the motor and unbolt the wheels... it takes maybe 15mins

[@th3m3tim39]

Glad I checked the video, non biased and safe to say I won’t be getting a MATE. Currently stuck between a road or mtb ebike, options galore

[@GarethDix]

There are some really amazing electric road bikes that have come out recently and with the battery hidden in the frame. I would always go for an MTB though as they can take more of a beating

[@fractionmeister]

I haven't ridden it yet because mate x sent the EU charger. And, I love in the US and need the US charger. I've written so many emails it's disgusting. The last thing I wore, I told them the way things are going, I'll probably be dead before I ever get a chance to ride this bike. I told them I'm a Dane, also, I expected better from them, one Dane to another. They always write back within a couple of days, yet it doesn't help because I never get my charger. If I buy my own and use it, it breaks any warranty I have on the bike. If anyone would like to buy a brand new, never been ridden Ice (white) mate x, I'll sell probably in the cheap side. Ok? 😊😷

[@GarethDix]

I think there’s a few people in the comments looking for a bike but I’d also post this in the Facebook groups as there are plenty of people looking for the bikes

[@iXpertMan]

Love it or hate it, they still ur Mates and they turn everyone else's head ;) - hate the company and quality, but the idea is brilliant

[@GarethDix]

I wish they had done it properly they could have been onto an amazing thing... it does look good

[@atogatog72]

I love mine, I have the bafang motor., had to wait more than a year to receive it. I ordered the extras bundle, 11 months ago and the breaks get loose very often. It sucks that the company service sucks, because the frame design is good.

[@GarethDix]

I just can’t see why they didn’t fix this after the first campaign and after the second... and now there’s a third? There are so many people that would have been advocates for the company and the bikes if they just stopped treating their backers and customers like trash

[@atogatog72]

Gareth Dix yeah, it’s annoying seeing them promoting new colors and moncler collaboration when they can’t even deliver spare parts.

[@edvardfranke]

It’s a normal Chinese ebike frame so special idea behind it Except stealing money from the customer...

[@juansebastianocamporamirez2368]

Hi, could Gareth, or anyone tell me the Shipping's box size and the weight?? I appreciate your help. I really need this information

[@GarethDix]

It’s pretty huge I think it’s around 80KGs with the extra tires, rack fenders etc. The box I don’t remember but I think maybe around 150/160mm x 50 x 80. I literally threw the boxes out yesterday so I’m guesstimating the size but the weight I remember having to carry two of them up the stairs so I know that’s pretty accurate

[@lasseusbeck]

60 kg 0,628 cbm 👍

[@silviorcr]

Hi, you must excuse me, I am Italian and my English is decent but scholastic, so it is difficult for me to understand every point described in the video. Given that among the various electric fat bikes, this is the one that most attracts me, can you briefly summarize the reasons why you are not enthusiastic about buying? I have a garage, so I won't have to go up or down the stairs with the bike on my shoulder and I'll have to travel about 10 km on the way and 10 on the return. Is the bike tiring to ride or am I not tired at all?

[@GarethDix]

Basically the issue with the bike is that you won’t know whether you get a good one or not until you receive it. And if there is a problem and it’s a big one you can’t count on mate to fix it/send new parts. There are too many owners that have had major issues that have stopped the bike from working (eg batteries/chargers/controllers either failing or the batteries not using high quality cells so the bike will only travel a few kms) and some of these people have been waiting for warranty claims since October 2019 with no resolution. If you’re willing to take the risk or spend the money upgrading the bike afterwards it’s worth it... it looks really good. I would say the bike is like an old Alfa Romeo... beautiful car and when it works is the greatest thing ever... when it goes wrong and you’re stuck in aftersales getting no resolution it’s the worst

[@OaB4862]

Silvio. I have bought two mate X + bikes via indiegogo. My wife and I cycle through mud, gravel and normal tarred roads. NEVER had any problems except a flat rear tyre because of an old rusted nail off road. Everything works well. Very durable bike drawing a lot of attention. We also have two 'normal' smaller mate S bikes. My wife prefer the mate X because of the comfort and ability to ride any where. We further do not have issues with the distance. Can easy do 50 km on a single charge.

[@Yolo_Swagins]

Its expensive as fcuk for me, but i would not buy it anyway after your review. Ty for being honest.,

[@GarethDix]

I think it was ok when it was around €1000 because you could upgrade a lot of it but now at €3000 it seems crazy!

[@CarlosManuelGv]

please Gareth, can you share how did you do the adjustment to the fenders? thank you so much

[@GarethDix]

hey sorry only just saw the comment, for this I literally took a piece of string and attached a bent nail to it and then pulled it across the rear rack. It works ok but my gf doesn’t go up and down kerbs etc so I’m not sure if this would hold for bumpy riding. There are better solutions to it though here: www.matex.zone/mate-x-fenders-rattling-issue/ There are a number of people also selling 3D printed retainers that clip to the rear rack if you have that installed

[@geraldospiteri1477]

Got a mate City . Bloody heavy. The gears aren’t that great, rear brake is pretty poor. Other than that it’s a great ride and makes going up hills more fun than going down them . Pleased with it so far . Oh yes the key position is a nightmare.

[@GarethDix]

I’ll be doing an update on my bike shortly as I’ve replaced the brakes… I thought they were ok before… but now compared to the upgrade I made they just aren’t strong enough for the weight of the bike… the new brakes stop so well

[@benjaminb.2410]

Hey Bro! I got an offer for a mate bake "used" 50km driven 750w fully loaded. 1400€ what do I have to look after?

[@GarethDix]

Ask if it has the Bafang or JB motor and which extras it came with eg colour screen. There are a few good ones out there but ask if they replaced the screws on the handlebars already if not you need to do that for safety but it’s a 5min fix 😊

[@benjaminb.2410]

@@GarethDix still waiting for ya mod vid about your handlebar bro.

[@GarethDix]

It’s been uploading all day 😂 but it’ll cover everything from the handlebars to all of the modifications of the bike

[@asiyah.qureshi]

Is this bike worth getting? I'm in the UK and looking at the reviews from here, it looks like the CS is better but I want to know if the bike itself lives up to the hype. You've had to do a lot of upgrades and with that in mind would you tell someone whose looking to get one to go for it? From the title of your post I assumed not, just looking for clarity. They look really cool but it's hard to know what to think because there's so many mixed reviews. Thanks

[@GarethDix]

I think being in Uk gives you an advantage over most other countries as there’s a distributor there that is taking care of the warranty claims and any issues. I don’t know how good they are or not but at least you’ll have someone that will be able to come back to you rather than leave you waiting for a year to get a response. My view is, there are other bikes similar to this one that you could also upgrade that would save you a lot of money but there are less reviews about them online so it’s difficult to say which one of these would be a good bike to start with, there’s also the ENKI Billy that is one of the better looking bikes that has a lot of the upgrades I’ve done already. That said the bike in it’s original form (assuming they’ve fixed some of the quality issues) isn’t so bad if you’ve never had an ebike or a high-end bike. As an example the black bike in the video is still the original and aside from things like the brakes not being aligned, my gf didn’t feel the need for any upgrades, that is until she tried my bike, now wants me to upgrade the suspension at the very least. The bike does turn heads and aside from anything going wrong with it I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, but just know that it’s not a high-end bike and that you might want to change components on there to make it suit you. I hope that helps?

[@wilhelmhellemann]

I almost bought one, but after reading all the comments from backers etc. I cancelled my purchase. I also leave in Switzerland. Since your bike came out without any issues, let me know if you sell the black mate. I'm still interested in having one

[@GarethDix]

It’s worth checking in with the other swiss owners as the swiss bikes are normally the China version (only EU and US bikes had a huge tax implication for China so they moved production to Taiwan) from what I’ve seen they don’t have as many issues as the others. The black one is my gfs bike so she probably won’t sell it for awhile... but it’s worth checking out the FB groups as people were waiting so long for the bike they went and bought something else so you’ll see them being sold on there

[@wickedvidzz]

Hey Gareth! Great honest and comprehensive review. Nice one!!! I bought my bike from Indiegogo in 2018 and it was delivered around August 2019. I've been riding it all over London during lockdown over the last couple of months. It has been perfect for getting around fast while the roads are so empty and it definitely gets a lot of attention! I absolutely love the bike but I can't get any more than about 20 miles per charge - even if I keep it at 4 or 5. My kick stand snapped off last week - and the gears are bit messed up. Apart from these three things - I'm happy with it. What sort of range are you getting out of yours?

[@GarethDix]

I haven’t run my battery right down yet I typically charge it at around 30% as the voltage fluctuates a lot. But I can get about 50-75km (30-45 miles). I do have the larger battery though and the Vee tyres help as there’s less rolling resistance. Here in basel it’s pretty flat though so only a few minor hills and I’m typically PAS level 4-5 out of 9 but maybe I’ll do a range test in the future and see what that looks like for the standard bike too. I’d love to have ridden around London when it was empty that would have made an awesome video!!

[@13orrax]

I get over 25 miles using only throttle...40+ on 4 or 5

[@tourguideStan]

@@GarethDix I'm amazed at that. I did a 25-mile ride. The bike died about 200m from my home. But then, this is upper Manhattan, a very hilly part of the island.

[@myidentitydisorder]

currently testing mine to push it to go faster that that 40km. Anyone on here know how much voltage you can put through the controller to get it to operate at 50km?

[@GarethDix]

I’m pretty sure one of the guys in the group was testing at 32A but he was testing a safety system so I wouldn’t go that far. The main issue is the temp build up frying your motor. Might be worth searching for DATE X2 if you want to run at 50km/h that way you can run at 20-22A and it’ll still cut off

[@myidentitydisorder]

Gareth Dix thanks!! I’ll def check that out.

[@michaelodriscoll]

Just done 800km on it, amazing, top speed 60km, peddle assist, insane, hills, no problem, range of about 45km on a charge, slot of hills in that, covering about 300m of steep climbing. On a low gradient, range no doubt could be extended in relatively flat terrain. Parts shite, service shite, I got the wrong bike, love it regardless, it's a blast in the woods, have had a few bad spills, learning, it is not a toy, but a powerful bike, respect it . Considering buying 2and one..... Still waiting for 2nd battery ordered feb2019, due in July. Great product, poorly managed. Enjoying it.

[@kwinboable]

How do you find out if you have a Chinese or a Taiwanese model? Or a Bafang or JB motor?

[@GarethDix]

The Chinese models came with a different display which you can see on the black bike. The Taiwanese models had a weird cheaper looking display that only showed the battery power in 20% increments. The JB and Bafang motors were only used in the 750 version. The 250 version were all Shengyi motors (which actually aren’t so bad). But this resource shows exactly what those motors look like beta.ivc.no/wiki/index.php/MATE_X_Folding_Electric_Bike#Electric_drive_train

[@dermotsheehan6331]

Pretty quick? How fast

[@GarethDix]

These are limited to 25km/h but the 750w version are limited to 45km/h They can go faster though

[@musicbox9874]

Price how much , for the secand hand ...?

[@GarethDix]

It depends on where you are... typically when I see them being sold in the Facebook groups they’re around $1500-1800 depending on the spec and the country

[@oziermuhammad2488]

Hi Gareth. Thanks for the review. So far, I am satisfied with my Mate X. I don't care for the. pedals, and I don't feel safe with the horn. I am ordering the Hornit, and hoping I don't have a problem fitting it onto an already crowded handle bar. The rear fender rattling is annoying. How did you manage to make it more secure? did you modify paper clips, and added an elastic band? Again, thanks a bunch for your review.

[@tourguideStan]

I quieted the rattle with a small bungee. It's pulling up on both sides, suspended over the rack.

[@GarethDix]

Yes I didn’t like the standard horn, the black bike has a bell called “Oi” which you can see in the video that was basically easy to fit on but then I don’t have the lights switch on there. Yes the way we stopped the rattle was to use two paper clips and tied a thread to them and attached this to the rack. There are a few people that have 3D printed holders that do the same. You can also use some wire to create another attachment point to the bike frame although it doesn’t look as good but you don’t need the rack to do it.

[@Jack-iv5pi]

Seems like a lot of after market mods needed for something that costs over 2 grand..

[@GarethDix]

Some people are good with the bike as it comes… but there are certain things that even if you don’t change to start with will need replacing at some point. I think if you’ve ever ridden a bike that was built properly you’ll definitely want to make upgrades though

[@savitu12]

What's the top speed on these bikes?

[@GarethDix]

The 250 that I have is limited to 25km/h, the 750 version is limited to 32km/h... however I think a few people have been playing with the settings to make it go faster, but I wouldn’t do this unless you add some kind of heat sensor like a DATE X2 so you don’t burn the motor out.

[@VJ-bl2oj]

how fast will the tyres wear out?

[@GarethDix]

It’ll depend a lot on how you ride, the weight of the rider and the temperature of where you’re riding. They are pretty hard wearing though especially in comparison to the original tyres.

[@VJ-bl2oj]

@@GarethDix ok. i wanted to know in kms... any approximate range that these tyres last?

[@GarethDix]

I’ve probably done around 500km on them over the past year and they only just look like they’re worn in, but the roads are pretty good here. I haven’t heard from anyone in the groups about the range so far so I’m assuming that most people probably haven’t gone through their first set yet

[@edvardfranke]

Have a bad one too and the customer service didn’t answer me...

[@GarethDix]

Oh no what was wrong with the bike? And you might have to keep chasing them as they rarely get back to anyone it looks like

[@edvardfranke]

Gareth Dix Hi Gareth, The review was good. We have a Chinese Bike Battery - many cells are dead so you don’t can drive right now Charger - seams to fails in the near future Screws on the stem and handlebar Nuts on front wheel Smell like it’s burned And customer service don’t answer and don’t refund or replace parts... That’s so far... I will update if I got a response.

[@GarethDix]

Yes please do it would be nice to find out when/if their customer service is up and running. The burning smell isn’t good though it might have fried the motor or controller. The battery issue is so ridiculous though!!

[@simonedonzelli7937]

One question: is this bike produced in Denmark or in China? You can see on line exactly the same bike (different brand and minor changes) advertised from a big Chinese manufacture; by the way I'm amazed about the "steering problem" since in Denmark the slogan is "safety first" and service in Nordic countries is a serious matter!

[@GarethDix]

The company is Danish but my two bikes were made in China, however... the majority of the bikes for the EU and US are produced in Taiwan and have different motors and components because of the taxes imposed on goods from China. The frame is not quite the same on the other folding bikes the geometry is different which is why they don’t look quite the same. That said If I were going to to buy one of these now and I could get the same frame cheaper I would. Mainly because on my bike I’ve been upgrading a lot of parts. The safety thing was crazy though... when asked about the issue MATE just said yes change the bolts you can get them in a hardware store... WTF?!!

[@keithdainton6043]

Fiido do the m1 very similar but a lot cheaper I just got one for £750 they have a good rep to.

[@GarethDix]

i think a couple of other people have mentioned the Fiido as well, it looks worth checking out as a base bike to upgrade from

[@keithdainton6043]

@@GarethDix I just bought one and I love it seems well built you can unlock it to get a few more km so far so good.

[@jeremyevans1532]

Just got one used ? mate 750 x they are not cheap, cant get my head around it , looks cool can easy hit 65kmh . but there are a few thing which are just ok . grears 100% worth upgradinf Delore x mudgaurds crap!! and some small nitty shit . that said it is an ICON ,its Danish ,it is street fast . People ask wtf is it ? well its a hyper bike and like super cars they are cool as Floss , candy floss look great but not perfect. who need perfect when you ass ariund on this tank i am 194 cm tall and it fits me .my other bike Bosch fast works and German work but not as cool . a good buy second hand and just live with it they will go up in price used as they are not made any more 750X . so Enjoy all the best from J

[@GarethDix]

That’s the thing… it’s a shame they skimped on the small things that could have made this bike a real icon… especially when people are paying 3k+ for them new now… but it’s less about the bike and more about the company still not able to fulfil orders for months and spare parts and warranty repairs just being a huge pain…

[@damlihihi]

How much does it cost

[@GarethDix]

Too much it’s about $1800 base model now

[@duncan.scobie]

Cool review....brutal but if that’s your findings it’s good to say them . I was thinking of getting one , probably won’t now . Weight is a big factor. My own artistic bent thinks it’s a shame you did not do the video from the other side of the street at the black building looks interesting architecturally , would have been cool back drop 😀

[@GarethDix]

Yeah it’s really heavy even after changing a lot of the components it’s a big bike to lug around and you notice it at speed as well. There’s a lot of cool architecture looking the other way and I love filming in this location but… …unfortunately the light situation is really challenging in the other direction - partially because of the black building, but also the light comes from that direction so it’s usually blown out.

[@stemmtrappa4777]

please can you give me the full battery's dimensions

[@GarethDix]

Let me check for you but if you’re after a new battery it might be worth looking for the Mate X battery project on Facebook. Those guys are ordering in batches direct from the manufacturer with specific cells so you know what will be in the battery

[@dimitrimoonlight]

Me neither, it's too heavy. Doubling system isn't so good. The customer service is hell worst!

[@GarethDix]

I’ll do an update on the bike soon as a long term review... but in short if you spend extra money on it... it works out well... but yes customer service is STILL an issue for some reason

[@kareloliva3691]

Beware - as long as the Mate bike rides, it is perfect, but when something goes wrong with the electronics, you will never get any support, no advice, no nothing. Maybe some empty promises at the beginning, but then an absolute radio silence lasting weeks. When they really should offer some practical help, they turn absolutely irresponsive, you just (repeatedly) get a message your (repeated) mails have been registered, and this is it. So, all in all, you pay for several months of fun in the beginning, and then you are stuck with an over-over-overpriced normal, and due to the motors and other components, very heavy and bulky, non-electric bike (with two such bikes, in my case). A big disappointment ...

[@GarethDix]

Completely agree… however there is help in the community, lots of the mate X community have worked out how to fix the bikes including the electrics so there is hope… just sucks that you have to factor that in to the cost of the bike which is now around 3k!

[@jonathanmagic5633]

Off road tyres but mudguards almost touching wheels so not off road.

[@GarethDix]

You can’t really off-road on this, the suspension isn’t good enough and that bike is too heavy. The black bike my gf rides around the city on and maybe a trail at most

[@mrmike198619861986]

This ebike is retailing now around 2400 Euro !!!!

[@GarethDix]

Ouch! That literally puts it at the same level as the Enki Billy which has much better components

[@Alex.R.O.P]

i saw a dude on a red mate bike today and i dont want one now after watching this :D ..

[@GarethDix]

You might get lucky and not have any issues... but yeah they still haven’t fixed the customer service issue yet so people are still waiting months for new parts

[@Alex.R.O.P]

@@GarethDix Yeah, i think imma skib on a company like them. the bike looks cool tho

[@kaceyh7057]

I'm looking an E-bike call rattanxl on indiegogo

[@GarethDix]

The rattan looks good to, worth checking out the sondors as they look pretty similar

[@Viti50]

LMFAO @ "with her n95 mask on"

[@damienslash]

Drop shipping scam. Just buy the sheng mi lo for 900 quid. Probably the same bike!

[@GarethDix]

If you’re gonna upgrade the parts on the bike anyway I’d tend to agree and it would still work out cheaper than the mate x

[@frankthoen]

thanks not buying it after this review! I'm going for the cheaper es master

[@GarethDix]

Let me know how it goes I haven’t seen that bike before but looks like a good alternative

[@wautersvswaesfans]

Waited 18 months for mine. Sold it after a couple of weeks

[@GarethDix]

What didn’t you like about it and what did you get instead?

[@aravindrenukuntla4427]

Can I get this bike in india??

[@GarethDix]

I believe they do deliver there as well I’m pretty sure there are members from India in the Mate X owners Group on Facebook

[@KaneLono]

Want a really great Mate X? But less expensive? That doesn't suck like the Mate X? What if a really great bike maker bought the Mate X frame.. but set it up with quality components? Its called the Synergy Kahuna. Look it up on KZbin.

[@GarethDix]

This did actually appear on the FB groups a couple of weeks back and it looks really interesting... especially if the aftersales is better

[@KaneLono]

@@GarethDix Don't think it could be worse.

[@GarethDix]

🤣🤣🤣 this is true!

[@vintagemxer9165]

eahora x7 plus

[@noodles169]

The fiido M1 Pro seems a better option

[@GarethDix]

I agree it looks pretty good… I’m thinking about getting one to do a comparison video

[@siaseeds8950]

If a folding bike is this heavy, it defeats the purpose. It's good for storage but that's about it.

[@GarethDix]

It’s good for putting into the back of car (well if you have a car big enough for it to fit) but I think the folding mechanism is only really there to hide the battery which does make the bike look clean, but yeah it’s not really a “portable folding bike”

[@bertybassett55]

I saw one of these the other day and wow it is massive but not in a good way. I think I will get a super73 instead.

[@GarethDix]

It’s pretty huge which is part of the appeal, the super 73 isn’t that much smaller though, the original handlebars on the mate are really tall making the bike look a lot bigger but my grey bike in the video actually looks tiny in comparison because of the bmx bars. ...but I do love the look of the new Super73 RX series though

[@marwentrabelsi2983]

dislike because: - it is heavy and big that was clear in their website description - handle bar fix is really not big deal What matter most: - build quality - safety - power that makes the bike good

[@GarethDix]

I didn’t buy it from their website… this was on an Indiegogo campaign… but I think there’s a lot of people still surprised by how big and heavy it is irl so it has to be mentioned. Handle bar fix isn’t a big deal if you know about it… for all those people that had theirs break whilst riding it was a pretty big deal. Build quality - the frame is built well, but that’s about it, so many issues have never been resolved still on original backer bikes. The motor controller burns out easily, the motors are hit and miss as to whether it’ll work. The battery uses cheap cells. The bearings in the pedals and steering race are cheap AF… I could go on. Safety - handle bars come off, chargers have had issues with getting hot and burning out, I changed my mind about the brakes since this video, they need to be replaced. The frame locking mechanism needs adjustment so it doesn’t come open whilst riding. The single cadence sensor means power comes in delayed and cut off is delayed which if you’re manoeuvring in traffic can be dangerous. The rear light is so dim the reflector is actually more useful at night. But sure other than that it’s pretty safe. Power wise it’s ok but not mind blowing but enough to cruise around on but struggles on hills. If you have a 750 the power is much greater but there’s no CoC so completely illegal in most European countries. That said, after replacing most of the bike with upgraded parts I’m quite enjoying mine now

[@marwentrabelsi2983]

@@GarethDix thanks oh so should i get it back? What is a CoC?, I live in Germany and they seems to advertise it to Germany as well :o

[@marwentrabelsi2983]

@@GarethDix ok i checked the internet, in Germany it needs insurance and driving license

[@GarethDix]

Is it a 750w version you have? You might find that insurance companies won’t insure the bike without the CoC (or Declaration of Conformity) but even if they do it’s a risk as in Germany the bike manufacturer needs to supply this for the bike to be legal. Mate can’t supply this as I believe it would need to include a mirror on the bike to meet the minimum criteria. I heard that mate had stopped selling the 750 in Europe because of this, but maybe that was just a rumour. The 250 should still be legal, but really does lack in power.

[@patrickmckowen2999]

Good info 👍

[@GarethDix]

Glad it was helpful!

[@HatBodega]

Dudeee! I want to see your bike! I ordered a chinese version from the original Chinese manufacturer and want handlebars like yours! 🤔

[@GarethDix]

The handlebar is easy to change just 3 bolts. Then add a BMX stem and bar

[@HatBodega]

P. S Rouz inbox me

[@GarethDix]

They’re on mate.bike or if you’re in the U.K. there’s a distributor that might be a better option for customer service mate bike.uk

[@HatBodega]

Gareth Dix hey! When can we see the upgrades on the mate bike? I can’t find any videos that show off these upgrades

[@geekyoto]

oh interested on where you found the original chinese manufacturer .. seems like the real weak link here is the Mate company...

[@davefool6815]

Just stick to my diy mtb conversion then.

[@GarethDix]

Mid-drive?

[@davefool6815]

@@GarethDix Yeah. Only 350w bafang but it's been great reliability. Saying that I've had to tighten the motor up twice lol. Wish I'd have gone for the 750w tho. Seen some kid blasting round on one of those mate bikes recently that's why I looked at the review.

[@GarethDix]

@@davefool6815 that’s pretty good, for anything off-road I think Mid-drive is the way to go, the rear hub is really heavy so for street riding it’s fine but wouldn’t take it on a trail. If you did your own conversion would probably be worth looking at either a used one or one of the more generic versions that are cheaper and you need to upgrade anyway. The other thing you could do is check out the Enki Billy which is similar but with all the upgrades already done

[@davefool6815]

@@GarethDix I'll have a look at that thanks.

[@vaidasn6781]

For such amount of money - no. Heavy, some cheap parts, like in review says- problems , and prices is over 2x times biger than for example Fiido M1 pro.

[@GarethDix]

Yeah the Fiido is an interesting alternative although the way the frame is built and battery isn’t quite up to the MATE X and those are the things you can’t upgrade so easily. But at half the price it’s worth looking at

[@vaidasn6781]

Same ah batery with samsung cells at local dealers is about 200 Eur, after some use you can change.

[@GarethDix]

The Fiido frame is much smaller though so I’m not sure how they fit a 17.5ah battery in there and at 200EUR it’s worth looking into that for a second battery for a MATE X

[@vaidasn6781]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIeZmGyQgZilmKc so , i saw other bad revies , so for such pricec, mate is realy trash

[@vaidasn6781]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3u5ipSZf5ipoNk

[@vintagemxer9165]

$2000! Are you nuts?! For what? That's a $1000 bike. Get TWO Lectric XPs with BACKING you can count on for the price of ONE of these. OR order a bike you like directly from a Chinese factory via Alibaba.

[@GarethDix]

Or an Enki Billy bike which pretty much has the upgrades I ended up doing already installed. If I didn’t get this hugely discounted because of Indiegogo I’d have been really annoyed that I had to spend another $700 just to make it right

[@monkeyhaters9258]

Bike add should read: a mate you just got taken for a ride!!!!🤦‍♂️

[@GarethDix]

Ride might not be the right word given the issues people are having with the electrics 😂😂😂

[@monkeyhaters9258]

@@GarethDix Let me reword that; mate you just got fucked!!

[@Mgreen163]

Hi im in new york and i got my bike in September i ride almost everyday. The bike is the 750 and so far so good. It needs work but not major. I want those handle bars.

[@GarethDix]

Awesome! Is it a Taiwan or China version?

[@Mgreen163]

@@GarethDix Taiwan only changed handle bar screws

[@GarethDix]

The one thing for me on the Taiwan bikes is why the battery indication only does increments of 20% 💁🏻‍♂️

[@Batteridoktorn]

Search for Mate bike battery charger on youtube and let me know if you need a new one They are dangerous

[@GarethDix]

I got lucky with both my chargers but I’ve seen the videos of them sparking, blowing up etc.

[@1nkman]

Looks just like a Yamee Fat Bear.

[@GarethDix]

Yeah it’s pretty similar the frame design and rear suspension is different but I think most of the versions of the bike are slightly different looking

[@eBoard3R]

🤙🏼⚡⚡🤙🏼

[@silverfox7318]

I recently bought one of these, kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHelZGedo9uBma8 The ENGWE EP-2, and have to say that I'm really impressed for the low price I paid. A similar styled bike.

[@GarethDix]

That looks really interesting... looks pretty similar to the lectric or the samebike, I do love those wheels, how heavy does it feel?

[@silverfox7318]

@@GarethDix Riding it doesn't feel heavy at all. You wouldn't want to carry it far though !

[@GarethDix]

Yeah the mate x once it gets going doesn’t feel too heavy… but when you’re starting off or carrying it, it feels heavier!

[@holeem]

Video is so slow. Just get to the point

[@GarethDix]

Thanks

[@Grumplefut]

Agree with you 💯