High style and architectural innovation in the world of Scandi E-Bikes

The E-Bike revolution (opens in new tab) shows no sign of slowing down. In major cities around the world, more and more of us have switched from public transport to cycle lanes; the big shift is about ditching the car altogether and switching over to something with a much smaller footprint.

MATE is an E-Bike brand with a burgeoning reputation, high profile riders and even higher-profile investors (Jay-Z is one of the co-owners, for example, through his Marcy Venture Partners firm). The company’s newest model, the MATE Icon, is pitched at modern urban riders. A folding frame is a practical advance for an urban run-around, as it allows you to stow the bike in an apartment, office store or cloakroom, rather than leave it exposed on the mean streets.

Exposure is the last thing you want for any MATE bike, for the craft and quality shines through. As well as offering a monochrome collaboration with Moncler on the MATE X, their standard models are still available in a variety of bold colours, with eight gears, full suspension, and disc brakes on the top models. On the road, there’s the welcome shove you get from a discrete pedal assist system, with adjustable levels of thrust depending on whether you want a light push or a hefty jump – the latter is especially useful at traffic lights and getting across junctions. There’s a discrete thumb throttle for instant boost, while MATE’s on-board computer crunches the numbers and maps out the miles with crisp graphics. The Icon’s largest battery option is good for 60 miles, and you can remove the battery for charging at your desk.

MATE is headquartered in Copenhagen, having been founded by siblings Christian Adel Michael and Julie Kronstrøm Carton in 2016. They’ve since taken their brand from crowd-funded start-up to major player, with an emphasis on quality and performance. The Icon joins the MATE City and MATE X to create a compelling line-up. The company has also found its own space in which to showcase its products.

Created by Danish design and architecture studio Spacon & X, MATE’s Copenhagen store is a polychromatic wonderland that reflects MATE’s vivacious design. ‘This space makes no excuses for itself, just like the E-Bike itself,’ says architect and partner Malene Hvidt, describing how the club-like ambience of the lighting and materials is paired with the more refined Nordic design traditions of ‘attention to details and surfaces.’ Textiles are also used throughout to create additional washes of colour and shape.

INFORMATION

The MATE Icon range starts at £1,699, with the MATE X Moncler edition from £3,549
www.matebike.uk (opens in new tab)
www.spaconandx.com (opens in new tab)