Cowboy Classic e-bike in-depth review: Is this the best e-bike for you?

This is my 1-month review of the Cowboy Classic e-bike (previously known as the Cowboy 4)! In this video we go in-depth into why I chose it, what the delivery and set-up experience was like, what it’s like to own, ride and how the companion app works in partnership with the bike. Plus - my top 3 niggles as an owner so far.
*Book a test ride and order your Cowboy e-bike / accessories at bit.ly/3C89rFF*
With huge thanks to Mike at skyshift.uk for permission to use his drone footage of York, UK - check out their site for drone services in and around Yorkshire!
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⌚️TIMESTAMPS
0:00 : Intro
1:16 : My e-bike wishlist
2:48 : Unboxing and setup
5:47 : The Cockpit companion app
7:45 : What's it like to ride?
11:02 : Niggles
13:08 : Pricing & Conclusions
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🔗 RELATED
My favourite e-bike accessories : kzbin.info/www/bejne/np7GomdpjJqFodE
Unit 1 FARO Smart Helmet Review : kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJ7Gm5-qormFrJI
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🖥 SETUP
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[@lukashouthaeve4631]

Best bike review on KZbin. Keep up the good work!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Super kind of you Lukas - thanks for watching.

[@ag_a3346]

Excellent and detailed review. Thank you for the great video as you have helped me answer so many questions I had. Stay safe 🙏

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thank you for taking the time to let me know. Any more- fire them this way!

[@anarzone]

Thank you for great and detailed review.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. 👍🏻

[@Luke_Duggan]

Great video, really good pace and insightful. Thanks.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Cheers Luke. I might make a long-term review in the New Year but suffice to say - I'm still loving this bike.

[@mjb504]

Great video exploring the features of the COWBOY 4. Thank you

[@iainblack2975]

Great review btw, thank you!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks mate 👍🏻

[@derekbaker_]

Great review. Thank you

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Derek 👍🏻

[@smelly551]

I am honestly suprised you don't have more followers, that was well made

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Ah thanks Bonnie! I'm working on it 😉Got another bike review coming in the next week or so - stay tuned - it's a SHINY one.

[@vanmoofer]

It's a nice review, and a nice bike! Love the user experience and the software ecosystem of Cowboy but it made me miss the Boost, Kicklock and the Integrated Speaker. :) Anyway, enjoy your ride (untamed).

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks buddy. My friend has a VM and I agree the boost, kick lock and speaker are missing here! But having the removable battery was a dealbreaker for me.

[@mrg4388]

I tested it this week. Awesome bike, I loved it...

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Are you taking the plunge?

[@danbdatsme]

great video really enjoyed it, could you do another video on hill cycling. there doesnt seem to be any and curious how well it goes up various grades of hills!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Cheers Dan - glad you liked it! My problem is that I live in one of the flattest cities in the country so I have to search quite a bit to find a hill. Great idea for a video though - watch this space.

[@jrunner]

Solid review. We got two of these for the family, one with the preinstalled kickstand and back rack and one without. Wish we would’ve read more as we can’t buy those items separately after the fact and the back rack can’t be used with a child seat. And the tires need an adaptor to be inflated with a regular USA air compressor or air pump. Lots to like, lots to be frustrated by so far.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Hi Jay. Yes, there’s plenty of stuff in the owner experience to improve on. I’m building a list of things that I’ll probably cover in a 9month/1yr ownership review. The rack issue is particularly annoying as competitors like Van Moof allow retrospective fitting.

[@shosc16]

That’s weird - I saw someone using a cowboy with a child seat in the back

[@shogunner]

Fantastic review, thanks for sharing! Curious if your bike had the AdaptivePower feature when you made this video? Cheers

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Jason! It didn’t have Adaptive Power available at the time I tested it, but I can confirm it is a really useful upgrade. Significant improvement on steeper hill climbs!

[@jonbeecroft9463]

Great review this will be my next bike like tick subscribe tick

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Cheers Jon! Over a year on and I still love it.

[@bd7190]

great video thank you. Would you consider reviewing the Canyon Roadlite:ON CF 9 LTD ?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks buddy. And yes absolutely @canyonbicycles fancy a collab on a new video?

[@Valentin-oc5nh]

the on or off assistance thing is a dealbreaker for me, i want to be able to adjust how much effort i wanna put into riding- especially when its about doing exercise or saving battery!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Since making this video they have released an eco mode that does let you adjust more.

[@henpip48]

How is it without the assistance turned off? Is it manageable with the weight and can be used for normal exercise or is it just too much. Great video!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks mate. Yes, in eco mode it’s JUST enough to make hills a bit easier, but you work much harder for the little assist that comes through. Definitely enough for a workout without putting 100% effort into moving that 20kg frame around. You could turn the whole thing off and it would be a good workout (as I learned when I underestimated my battery levels on a ride home a while ago. I just have it in adaptive assist all the time now and it works great.

[@bas5864]

Is it possible to mount a normal fixed bike lock onto the frame? Don't think a separate lock is very convenient. Thanks!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

If you send me a link to the kind of lock you were thinking of Bas, I'll let you know. I'm currently using the Abus IVEN chain lock, which has been working fine for me.

[@Murillos1]

I hope you give the Vanmoof A5 / S5 a try as they actually integrate Apple Find My and pioneered tons of other technologies (if you ever move or get space for it, that is).

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks Luis! I actually had the Van Moof S5 on my shortlist but one of my dealbreakers was the need for a removable battery. Also, the Cowboy has a slightly better range and takes half the time to recharge. I really like the Van Moof’s Find My integration, kicknlock and boost features though. I’ll be keeping an eye on the V-series when it launches next year.

[@axgrf]

@@ThatMarkGilroyNo, the VanMoof actually has a way bigger battery, and therefore a bigger range. Cowboy only states more unrealistic claims. Cowboy has a 360Wh battery, which is not really acceptable in 2022 for a bike which costs 2800€. The VanMoof comes with a 490Wh battery, which is more acceptable for the price. The VanMoof has a faster charger than the cowboy, but the battery is way bigger. But not only that, as there will be a fast charger with 240W coming out for S5 very soon, so keep an eye out on the Vanmoof accessory store. The new fast charger will charge 50% in under 1h! Also, the new VanMoof has a torque sensor, plus a boost button, making it even smoother and faster to ride than a Cowboy.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks for that info. I will definitely give that a good look when it comes out!

[@vanmoofer]

@@ThatMarkGilroy Cowboy 4 has definitely less range than the VanMoof S5 (even than the S3 and S2). If you ride these VanMoofs like riding a Cowboy (without Boost), you can get up to 100 km of range. I get more than 50 km with constant boosting on the steep roads of my hilly town.

[@shosc16]

Well now VANMOOF is bankrupt lmao

[@jeroengorter1833]

Good review, how is the noise when riding?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Thanks! The noise is only perceptible when you’re putting down lots of power - I’ve ridden some other e-bikes where it’s like sitting on a beehive. This is very quiet 90% of the time.

[@erikleypoldt8275]

What if you don't want the quad lock case, is there an Apple magnetic attachment? Cant buy Cowboy here in Australia so annoying

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Yes you can a variety of different attachments. Peak Design and Mous offer alternatives but of course these don’t benefit from the wireless charging that the quad lock case/combo offer for this bike. I don’t think I’d trust MagSafe on a bike.

[@ArtDAg05]

why they don't add blocking pedals when you block you bike through the app?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I dunno but it would be good to have some kind of hardware locking feature.

[@bartvandeperck90]

I'm confused. Is the 'cockpit' a standalone device or just a mount for your smartphone? If so, how are you suppose to get the right size of smartphone cover?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Happy to help. The cockpit is just an app for your phone. It looks different while riding vs when you're on foot/off your bike. You can use it with any quad-lock case - should be easy to find one for your phone size/model. And if your phone supports wireless charging, you'll be able to use that too with the case attached. There's also an excellent Apple Watch app if you don't fancy riding around with your phone on your handlebars.

[@bartvandeperck90]

@@ThatMarkGilroy Cheers!

[@RealRevenge]

Do you really not recommend the black? Not sure I like the sand and now the green color is gone... the handle is black anyway even when you get another color, same applies to the rear rack. Have you also got scratches on the main body?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Don’t get me wrong, it looks stealthy AF. Black for pretty much any product is very unforgiving as dirt/scuffs/scratches will show up in a more noticeable way than any other. I’ve since applied the paint they sent me to the handlebars, rear rack, and parts of the main body, and it does a good job of hiding them! Hope you enjoy the bike when it comes- it’s a LOT of fun to ride.

[@filipegomes5024]

Got mine yesterday the battery is dead. After waiting 2 months to get it. Already starting off on the wrong foot

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Oh no Filipe that’s rubbish! What happened? Presumably you’ve reached out to their support?

[@RichardLea1979]

What is it like on hills?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I think I'm going to make a dedicated video about this as a couple of people have asked now. My only problem is I live in one of the flattest cities in the UK...so do bear with me! Short answer: I can't remember the last time I stood up on a hill when assistance was turned on.

[@zigzag8111]

Love this bike but again the frame size is too big for me so I'd end up with the less sporty step through frame 😔

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

The step through still looks awesome imo…sometimes I wonder if I should have bought it as I am right on the edge of being too small for the frame!

[@ten-ub4xd]

im 169cm, and i prefer the look of the Cowboy 4 - do you think i'm too much of a dwarf to ride it?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Hi! A fellow shorty ✋🏻I would say definitely go book a test ride if you can…it’ll depend on how you like to sit on the bike and how much of your feet you want on the ground when stationary. And it’ll also depend how long your legs are - I’m about 175cm but have short legs, so when the seat post is at its lowest I only have the balls of my feet on the ground when the bike is fully upright. Worth noting that because the cables/charging gear are all integrated, you can’t move the handbars up/down- they’re totally fixed, so you may find it is just a tad high. Let me know how you get on.

[@harriska2]

High angled hills?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I'm going to record a specific video on this soon. Cowboy just released a big software to the 4 and 4ST called Adaptive Power - covered here by Engadget. www.engadget.com/cowboy-4-ebike-adaptive-power-update-test-ride-134503675.html I've noticed a HUGE difference with the speed and ease I can tackle hills at.

[@iainblack2975]

Has anyone bought a Cowboy bike in America? What if you need it serviced in the US?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I can’t speak for US customers but I live a long way from any official service centre. When I needed a service Cowboy just told me to book it in, sent comprehensive instructions to my local bike repair shop, and paid for the cost when I sent the receipt over. Pretty seamless. Within the warranty period, obvs.

[@deIvivero]

Do you still have the bike? Still recommend it?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I certainly do- ridden almost 500 miles since getting the bike. Had to take it in for a repair lately after the motor developed a rattle. All covered under warranty and Cowboy refunded me the fee I paid to have it fixed locally. Still really happy with the bike- the recent Adaptive Power software upgrade has made a big difference to handling on even slight hills. And also…that paintwork is still completely unforgiving (don’t buy the black colour)!!

[@tonyhoang1807]

I just ordered the Cowboy 4 after a terrible experience with the Van Moof S5. Vanmoof's technology and service is terrible, not worth the heavy bike and built-in battery. You can feel the gears shifting in the S5.

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Interesting Tony - I hope you get on better with the Cowboy!

[@SGuy889]

How does someone afford 3k for a bike? Like how, please let me know

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

It’s an investment, for sure - saved up for months. You can buy cheaper electric bikes (and far more expensive ones) but this was the one I wanted.

[@fwblok836]

You buy an e-bike for 100miles a month?

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Ha! No I do quite a bit more than that these days. That was just my first month or so of riding it!

[@gettinmymoneyup9816]

id say vanmoof is if apple made e-bikes

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

My original title was if Tesla made e-bikes. But I think Vanmoofs are more Tesla having recently tested one! Minimalist and powerful.

[@sage2157]

we bought one for 3K and it SUCKS, and we can't get them to fix it. Have had it a year, since day 1 it just stops working randomly, no power despite being fully charged. Customer service is this poor guy taking a full day to ask some inane question,, can you take a picture, oh we are out of this part. They have never had anyone look at it and have been putting us off for many months. Great bike if it works!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

Oh no I’m so sorry you’ve had such a poor experience. I’ve had a couple of minor issues but have found their support really responsive and hassle free - as an example the motor started making an odd clicking noise and they just told me to get it fixed at my local bike repair shop (sent a custom video for the local team to follow) and send them the bill. Same story with a tyre issue I had. Now that VanMoof have gone bust Cowboy have a HUGE opportunity to monopolise this premium ebike market- hopefully they’ll take it.

[@sage2157]

well you are lucky, we have a string of emails going back months. About one a day. "Can you take a picture". "Can you take another picture?" "We are working on it". "The part you need is backordered". What part? "The wheel"! I am not kidding. @@ThatMarkGilroy

[@AlpiD3BT]

No

[@Timtitanic]

Its a great bike until something doesnt work from one day to another.. like i had to switch out the comm-module (Which isnt easy) and still nothing works. Supports wants me to send pictures and videos of me trying but refuses to replace the bike or even give me my money back. Support in general is a joke that seems to have no clue about everything. Also the breaks are very bad.. have to bleed them twice per month. So please if you wanna buy a e-bike, DONT GET THIS ONE!

[@ThatMarkGilroy]

I'm sorry you had a bad experience mate. In the interests of balance - I had an issue with the comm module about a month ago too. Support were helpful and responsive, and first told me to give it 10 days for the internal battery to reset itself and a firmware update to be applied. I wasn't happy with this solution so they shipped me a replacement unit at no cost (my bike was out of warranty so this should have been a £250+ part). I didn't fancy doing the repair myself, so booked it in with a local repair shop....and in the time I had to wait, the 10 days ticked past. My bike booted up fine, the upgrade was applied, and it's been fine since.

[@theowink]

It’s not stealthy nor a beauty