Have you tried your first ebike yet? Despite being surrounded by them on a daily basis in Amsterdam (only mildly bitter as they whizz past me while I struggle against the notorious always-in-your-face wind resistance), I must confess that I had yet to actually try one until last week, when I attended a demo event for the new Cowboy Cross.
As a result, I have nothing to compare it with, and cannot for certain attest to it being the “pinnacle of smart, secure, and versatile cycling,” as marketed by the company. However, it did make for a fun and very smooth ride, even across somewhat uneven terrain. This is encouraging, seeing as the Cross is the Belgian startup’s offering for transitioning from urban environments to more rural commuting or weekend excursions on the same equipment.
Presented as the “first all-road bike,” the Cross features an inverted front fork and seat post suspension (good for road bumps and cobblestones alike), along with wider tires. It also has a new battery — with an impressive 50% greater capacity, reaching up to 120km in range, and charging in 3 hours.
“We have innovated around the riders’ wants and needs by increasing range, adaptability, and adding suspension,” the company’s co-founder and CEO, Adrien Roose said, further adding that he believes this will open up Cowboy bikes to a whole new audience.
Charge your phone while on your (e)bike
As far as the design goes, Cowboy has added a rear rack to its latest model — helpful for Amsterdammers for whom transporting everything between heaven and earth by bicycle is a way of life. This contributes to an overall load capacity of 140kg.
It also comes in two versions, one step-over and one step-through design. Both equally sleek with the engineered absence of any external buttons or visible welds. What it does have however is a little charging plate in the middle of the handle bars on which to place your phone. So even if you run out of battery (on the smartphone, not the bike), you can still unlock the ebike.
It also has a built in theft protection, which essentially renders the ebike useless to anyone else but its owner. “Word has gotten out that it is so effective, that when bike thieves have passed by, all the other bikes may have been stolen — but the Cowboy has been left behind,” Roose tells me.
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Rider-bike relationships focus for connectivity
Focused even more on rider engagement and connectivity, the ebike’s makers are also having a play with new software. This features live challenges to make the bike ride more engaging from an activity perspective, encouraging riders to get outside for longer and more often.
The connectivity aspect is also intended to watch out for your health in other ways, such as a crash detection function that contacts your in-case-of-emergency person in the event of a crash where you fail to let Cowboy know you are ok.
Meanwhile, Cross is equipped with Cowboy’s new, proprietary “Check My Bike” diagnostic tool. This monitors the bike to check for optimum performance and self-diagnose service needs.
“Connectivity is crucial for two reasons; it ensures both the health and wellbeing of the rider and their bike while enriching the riding experience,” Tanguy Goretti, co-founder and CTO, highlighted.
We sat down with Cowboy co-founders Adrien Roose and Tanguy Goretti for an interview that will feature on tomorrow’s episode of the TNW podcast. Be sure to check back in on Thursday to learn more about their experience as urban mobility disruptors and their thoughts on the ebike market as a whole.
The problem with having tried my first ebike? Now I want one. However, as Roose mentioned in our interview, not wanting to compromise on neither design nor tech means a slightly higher price tag. The Cross will retail for €3999. Or you can order now for an early bird price of €3499. Oh, and they do offer home test rides, so you can try out whizzing past your pedalling co-commuters yourself.