Cowboy’s new ebike is here with a new frame, fancy accessories, and MORE TORQUE

Belgian ebike maker Cowboy came on to the scene a few years back, and has quietly been making a solid name for itself as a maker of app-driven “smart” ebikes.

Now, the company has just announced its next generation ebike, the Cowboy 4. It’s the fourth generation, in case that wasn’t clear.

So what’s new

Alongside its standard horizontal top-tube, sling-yer-leg-over style frame is a new step-through option.

Old-fashioned cantankerous men with beards would refer to these as “women’s bikes.” Really they’re the best option if you carry luggage on the bike, as it makes getting on and off easier when you have rear mounted panniers.

The 💜 of EU tech

The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!

Being able to step through the frame, rather than throwing your leg over the saddle will always be the easiest method of mounting and dismounting a bike.

What’s more, the step through frame, the C4ST, fits riders between 160 and 190 cm tall. The standard frame C4 fits riders between 170 and 195 cm tall.

While the new frame now makes the Cowboy an option for shorter riders, it also provides a more comfortable upright riding position. A great option for those that don’t want the aggressive sportiness of Cowboy’s last model or the C4.

Despite the different frame styles, both ebikes share the exact same hardware. We can assume that the riding experience of each bike will be largely the same as a result.

According to Cowboy, the drivetrain has received a nice little bump in power too. Each bike now features 50% more torque than the previous model.

The improvements in power don’t come at the expense of range. The C4 and C4ST are both rated for 70 km of travel on one charge.

Another significant addition is the integrated handlebar setup. The previous Cowboy model had a separate handlebar, stem, and phone mount, which was fine, but not as classy as competitors’ options.

Now, the C4 models feature a neat and tidy, fully integrated setup. Cables are routed internally, and there are no unsightly bolts, it makes the whole thing look more premium than before.

Thoughtful improvements

Back when my colleague Callum “bike boy” Booth reviewed the 2nd generation Cowboy a couple of years ago, he loved it. But he did mention a few things that could be done to improve the Cowboy.

Specifically, he criticized the bike’s lack of accessories. The lack of mudguards left him with a “wet ass,” and no rack means that carrying luggage was a challenge. While the 3rd gen model had mudguards, they were an optional extra for $90.

Thankfully, the new Cowboy models can be specified with a kickstand or a rack at the point of purchase.

Better than that, Cowboy is fitting its bikes with mudguards as standard. Praise the lord! No more wet asses!

It keeps the good stuff

I’m really pleased to see that Cowboy is keeping pretty much all the features that made it such an excellent ebike to begin with, and only adding subtle improvements.

It still has the removable battery, integrated lights, and the Gates carbon belt drive to keep things clean.

Based on what we know now, it looks like Cowboy has really though about what it needed to add and improve on its bikes to make them better.

Indeed, with the improvements Cowboy has made, it seems like the C4 and C4ST might be close to being the perfect ebike. But will it be enough to topple the likes of VanMoof in the smart ebike sector?

We’ll have to test one to find out for ourselves if that’s the case. Watch this space for a full review!

The C4 and C4 ST are both priced at £2,290 (€2,490) that’s including the mudguards. There’s a choice of three colors, black, sand, and khaki.

Deliveries are going to begin in September.

Do EVs excite your electrons? Do ebikes get your wheels spinning? Do self-driving cars get you all charged up? 

Then you need the weekly SHIFT newsletter in your life. Click here to sign up.