Upgrading the Mate X Bike for improved style, safety, and fun

The Mate X is an ideal bike for tinkering. Out of the box, it comes with cheap components and little accessories, therefore upgrading is a must for demanding bicycle enthusiasts. Besides the typical upgrades such as tires and suspension, there’s much more you can do to increase style, safety, and fun. In this article, you will find out, how I added many practical features to my Mate and turned it into a powerful Boombox on wheels.

My main goal is to maintain a clean and stylish look while focussing on ergonomics, safety, and versatility. That’s why I decided to go without bulky fenders, rack, or wired lights.

To protect the rear shock, I’ve installed a small fender which can be found on Amazon*.

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Minimalistic Lighting for the Mate X

For lighting, I chose the Bontrager Ion Pro and Flare RT* which can be remote controlled.

Both lights have plenty of power and battery life to be used as daylight.

Via the remote you can activate a high beam from the handlebar, informing ruthless drivers that you are there and don’t like being messed around with 😉

As a backup for the front light or for offroad rides, I carry a LED torch such as the Sofirn If22a*. Thus, I can easily increase range and brightness to match any requirements. This strap is ideal for attaching LED lights. Under normal circumstances, the Bontrager Ion Pro with its 1300 Lumens provides more than enough power.

I had to give up the original twist grip shifter for these BMX grips. Totally worth it

Tiny reflectors* on the fork and black rim tape for increased visibility.

The rim tape reflects brightly when hit with light.

Security

My anti-theft strategy consists of a strong u-lock (New York Fahgettaboutit*) and Hexlox inserts in all relevant connections to secure the saddle, damper, and handlebar. This system is minimalistic and provides good security. I’ve been using it on other bikes for many years with great satisfaction, e.g. I had no loss on a 14-day bike-packing trip. The founder of Hexlox is a friend of mine. If you are interested in their products you can save 10% by using this link*.

Another security feature is the alarm which I installed underneath the bottom bracket. This product* fits almost perfectly and I have trimmed one corner with a Dremel for an even better fit.

Drivetrain

Instead of classic BMX pedals, I picked the Motobicycles flat pedals*. They provide a solid grip, have no pins that may hurt, and can be used barefoot.

Transportation with the Mate X

Adding these axle pegs lets you pick up an additional passenger. Because of the geometry of the Mate’s frame, you can only fit small and mid-sized axle pegs with a diameter of about 30mm. My 2022 Mate has M6 threads on both sides and the typical pegs come with wider threads.

Therefore I have drilled out to 10mm and installed threaded bushes for a centered fit. So far I have tested with passengers up to 90 kg *over short distances* without any issues.

When it comes to carrying stuff, typical handlebar bags did not work with my setup. The tactical pouch by Tasmanian Tiger* is small enough for the BMX handlebar and provides enough space for all the required tools for fixing flats and other minor issues.

I’ve attached a patch and a reflector to the bag’s molle straps.

The larger tactical pouch by OneTigris* also fits on the handlebar but IMO looks better on the short segment between the main frame and the saddle tube.

Dropper Seatpost and Saddle

One of my favorite features is the dropper post by OneUp. I went with the 210 mm version which allows perfect adjustments from posing down low to ergonomically cycling even if you have long legs (I am 1,81m and relatively long-legged). This hack is especially beneficial if you have upgraded your suspension. I am running one of the longer forks and a 190 mm damper which increases the height of the Mate. With the dropper post, I can easily touch the ground and sit comfortably when having to wait at crosslights.

The seatpost has an adjustable height with a range of 210 mm.

The OneUp lever (underneath the Display) lets you change your saddle height directly from the handlebar.

The saddle is a SQLab 612 active* with integrated damping. You can get it in different widths to match the size of your butt

Because I also wanted to occasionally mount a seatpost rack without risking the health of the dropper post, I went with the 31,6 version and built my own „reducing sleeve“ out of a 36*2 stainless steel tube. This tube is so strong that it won’t flex even if you attach heavy loads. The 30cm tube weighs about 300 grams but whos counting grams 😉

This is a prototype. With a second version, I managed to perform a straight cut 😉

To secure the seatpost with a Hexlox, I had to replace the original seatpost clamp that has a lever with a clamp for screws. A 40mm clamp by XLC does the job. I have painted the upper part of the stainless steel tube black (several layers of grounding, color, and clear coat) but the layers did not resist the clamping force which attacks certain spots, depending on the rack’s mount.

To hide the mess, I build a strap cover with a reflector for improved visibility from the back.

Turning the Mate X into a powerful Boombox

Equipped with this upgrade, you can carry a heavy load such as an 11kg JBL Partybox 110 to add a little boom to your Mate 😉 You need a rather long seatpost rack to make for enough space between your butt and the speaker (which I would also recommend for other types of loads). I am using this Ibera rack*. Its clamping mechanism consisting of three elements works better with the 36mm tube than racks that use a two-part mechanism. All I had to do is get rid of the padding and upgrade with a longer screw.