Stuff Verdict

The Cowboy Cruiser is a simply wonderful urban e-bike, and absolutely one of the very best on the market right now.

Pros

Superb ride quality

Removable battery

Lovely new handlebars make for enhanced comfort

Superb software experience

Cons

Price has gone up

Something of a theft magnet

Introduction

In a world where even the most established electric bike brands can go belly-up in a matter of months (hello, goodbye, and hello again VanMoof), Cowboy looks to be sticking around for the long-haul. Its latest is the Cruiser, which carefully refines the excellent decisions Cowboy has already made in older bikes.

The Cruiser is extremely reminiscent of a VanMoof in some ways, although a removable battery makes it clear Cowboy doesn’t share VanMoof’s old seamless philosophy (which is for the best). Subtle upgrades include more relaxed handlebars that give you a more upright and comfortable ride – a little less reactive, and a little more suited to, well, cruising around.

Cowboy is now going down the Apple route, though, selling only the latest version of its bikes. Your choices are now effectively the Cruiser, Step-Through Cruiser, or the Classic (a more fixie-framed narrow handlebar option, like that which Stuff reviewed in 2020). All are priced the same, so it comes down to a matter of taste, as I discovered in my couple of weeks riding the bike on Edinburgh’s streets.