Today's crop of modern-day electric bicycles stand out in particular thanks to their technology and design. High-end electric bikes are so much more than just standard bikes with motors attached, as they're designed around the powertrain, as against to having it simply bolted on and calling it a day.
A good example of this is Belgian e-bike specialist, Cowboy. The brand has a rather impressive selection of urban-focused e-bikes that cater to techie, on-the-go individuals. The brand is known for listening to its clientele, and providing them with what they need via surveys. The newest model, the Cruiser, was built as a result of a survey, wherein it was discovered that riders wanted a more upright seating position in order to have a bette view of the road.
From a styling perspective, the Cowboy Cruiser takes styling cues from classic Dutch bikes. With the integration of modern technology, this retro design is given a new lease on life, making the Cruiser both stylish and incredibly practical. For starters, it weighs just 19.3 kilograms, especially lightweight for an electric bicycle, making it easy to transport the bike via bus or train. Additionally, the newly designed handlebar gives the rider a commanding, upright stance.
As for performance, it's equipped with Cowboy's proprietary rear hub motor with AdaptivePower technology. Instead of relying on a gearbox, the motor fine-tunes the necessary power output depending on the terrain and road conditions. This results in a user-friendly e-bike that's incredibly sleek and elegant – a look that's very much complemented the the carbon belt drive and single-speed configuration. As for the battery, it's neatly tucked away within the bike's seat tube, keeping the bike's center of gravity in the middle. The company claims a range between 25 to 50 miles on a single charge, depending on your riding habits.
Last but not least, the Cowboy Cruiser incorporates smartphone integration as a crucial component. The bike does away with a display completely, and instead, features a wireless phone mount complete with charging. Here, user will have to pair the phone with the bike via Cowboy's mobile app, and use their phone as a display. Useful features such as Google Maps, as well as other ride data monitoring capabilities are baked into the app to provide a seamless user experience.
It's thanks to simple yet effective design elements like what we find in the Cruiser that Cowboy has seen so much success in recent years. The company has been the recipient of multiple awards, including the "Best Invention 2022" according to Time Magazine, as well as the Red Dot bicycle design award. Nevertheless, the new Cowboy Cruiser is priced in the middle of the road at 2,990 Euros, or about $3,261 USD. It's sold in two colorways consisting of black and sand.
