Cowboy goes Dutch with new Cruiser e-bike

Electric bikes are meant to take the effort out of cycling, so why would you want to spend your commute hunched over your handlebars like a Tour de France champion? Belgian electric bike brand Cowboy has taken customer feedback on board for the new Cowboy Cruiser, which brings a more relaxed, upright ride position – without compromising on the head-turning design and extensive on-board tech its bikes are known for.

The Cruiser looks just as stealthy as Cowboy’s existing line-up, with fully integrated cables and a removable battery built into the frame. Only here it comes with a wider saddle and taller, more curved handlebars that let you ride in the ‘Dutch’ position. It also gets a higher gear ratio, which should make leisure rides even more effortless.

It still includes a built-in phone mount on the handlebars, which can wirelessly charge your handset while you ride. The Cowboy smartphone app handles navigation, crash detection and anti-theft protection. The app was only recently updated with Google Maps integration, bringing cycle-first turn-by-turn nav (a big improvement over the in-house system used before) alongside speed, battery life and calories burned.

Also making a reappearance is AdaptivePower, which adjusts how much juice the electric motor dishes out based on environmental conditions. Think extra help on steep hills, and less on inclines.

A carbon belt and pre-fitted mudguards should keep maintenance and cleaning to a minimum, too. It weighs 19.3kg and riding on puncture-resistant 47mm custom tyres.

The Cowboy Cruiser is available to order right now, for £2690, in Black and Sand colours. Keen cyclists will be able to book a test ride through the Cowboy website, and in-store with independent bike shops that carry Cowboy models.

To coincide with the new launch, Cowboy’s existing bikes are getting a name change. The original C4 has been renamed Classic, and the C4 step-through is now the Cruiser ST.

• Related: Can e-bikes handle the toughest terrain? An amateur’s guide

Tom Morgan-Freelander Deputy Editor

About

A tech addict from about the age of three (seriously, he's got the VHS tapes to prove it), Tom's been writing about gadgets, games and everything in between for the past decade, with a slight diversion into the world of automotive in between. As Deputy Editor, Tom keeps the website ticking along, jam-packed with the hottest gadget news and reviews.  When he's not on the road attending launch events, you can usually find him scouring the web for the latest news, to feed Stuff readers' insatiable appetite for tech.

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