Cowboy 4 e-bike adds torque and a step-through option
E-bike maker Cowboy has unveiled its latest model, with the Cowboy 4 adding torque, plus a more rider-friendly step-through frame, and wrapping it up in the company's distinctive styling. Fourth generation of Cowboy's electric bikes, there'll be two variations this time around: the C4 and the C4 ST, the latter being the new step-through design.
Importantly, both have an uptick in power. There's 50-percent more torque this time around, Cowboy says, piped through the same intuitive riding system as launched on the Cowboy 3, with no buttons or gears.
Instead, you just start riding, and the Cowboy 4 kicks in with the power to support that. The custom 45 Nm / 250W motor, integrated into the rear wheel, can assist the e-bike at up to 15 mph, while range is up to 44 miles. The 360 Wh battery is removable, tipping the scales at 5.3 pounds, so you can bring it into the home or office to recharge for the next ride. With the supplied 100W adapter, a full charge takes 3.5 hours.
For the fourth-gen model, Cowboy has focused in part on homegrown design for almost all of the parts. Everything – bar the Selle Royal saddle and the Gates carbon belt – are custom, which has allowed for a much sleeker aesthetic than before. The brake cables have been integrated into the handlebars and stem, for example, while the diamond knurling on the grips now matches the tyre treads.
The C4 is under 42 pounds, including the battery, and optimized for riders between 170 and 195 cm tall. The C4 ST, meanwhile, is slightly heavier at just over 42 pounds, but optimized for riders between 160 and 190 cm tall. Both use aluminum 6061 for the frame, finished in black, khaki, or sand, with front and rear hydraulic disc brakes and custom, puncture-resistant tires.
There are integrated LED lights on the front and rear, the back lights automatically intensifying in brightness when you decelerate or brake. Both versions have pre-fitted mudguards, and Cowboy is planning to offer accessories like a rear rack and kickstand.
As for control, there's Cowboy's app, with a Quad Lock mount built into the stem of the e-bikes to support your smartphone. There, it will wirelessly connect to the bicycle's systems, as well as recharge from its battery. The new app has a more detail-rich home screen with things like weather and air quality for the route, predictive battery range and consumption, and a summary of previous trips. There's also a new navigation interface with 3D maps, and the option to plan the healthiest route by air quality rather than just the fastest or shortest.
A new trip dashboard shows riding and health metrics like distance, average and top speed, caloric burn, and elevation gain, and at the end of the trip you get badges, achievements, and a ranking on the leaderboard. In select European capital cities, there'll be a community feature for group rides.
Both the Cowboy C4 and C4 ST are up for preorder now, with deliveries in the UK and Europe expected to start in September. Both are priced at £2,290/€2,490 ($2,980), while the Quad-Lock smartphone case is €29/£29 ($35), the kickstand also €29/£29 ($35), and the bundle of kickstand and rear rack for €99/£99 ($119). Still no word on when either model might be offered in the US at this stage.