Pros and cons
Cowboy Cowboy 4 pros and cons — the honest buyer's verdict (2023)
3 min read·Last updated: 2023-01-01·By ev.care editorial team
TL;DR
4 pros, 4 cons. The Cowboy Cowboy 4 is best for european / uk urban commuters wanting minimalist design with anti-theft tech — within that envelope it is one of the strongest picks in its segment.
Some EVs win on price, some on range, some on charging. The Cowboy Cowboy 4 sits in the middle of Cowboy's line-up and has its own particular shape — 4 clear pros, 4 clear cons, and a 70 km range figure that holds up under most conditions. Here is the full picture.
Cowboy Cowboy 4 — the pros
These are the pros where the Cowboy Cowboy 4 genuinely outpaces its segment. Strength 1 — Removable battery — charge anywhere. On the Cowboy Cowboy 4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 2 — AirLock GPS theft alert + crash detection. On the Cowboy Cowboy 4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 3 — EUR 2,990 starting competitive premium. On the Cowboy Cowboy 4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Strength 4 — Belt drive — low maintenance. On the Cowboy Cowboy 4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Anchoring all of this: a 0.36 kWh battery, 70 km range, and a EUR 2,990 - 3,490 (Europe) / GBP 2,690+ (UK) starting price that defines the Cowboy Cowboy 4's value envelope.
Cowboy Cowboy 4 — the cons
Owners who returned or sold their Cowboy Cowboy 4 early most often cited one of these. Weakness 1 — Not sold globally. On the Cowboy Cowboy 4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 2 — 70 km range trails VanMoof S5. On the Cowboy Cowboy 4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 3 — Single-speed limits hill climbing. On the Cowboy Cowboy 4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. Weakness 4 — App-dependent for full feature set. On the Cowboy Cowboy 4 specifically, this matters more than the brochure suggests, and it shows up clearly in daily use. For a premium urban electric bicycle weighing 19 kg with 25 km/h top speed, these trade-offs are within segment norms but worth pricing in.
Who the Cowboy Cowboy 4 is for
Cowboy pitches the Cowboy Cowboy 4 at "European / UK urban commuters wanting minimalist design with anti-theft tech", and that framing holds up. If your driving fits that shape, the pros above land hardest and the cons fade fastest. 70 km of range is enough for most weekly profiles, and Not supported (AC only) of fast charging keep occasional long trips practical.
Practical next steps
If the cons feel like dealbreakers, look at the next-trim-up — many Cowboy Cowboy 4 weaknesses are addressed by the higher-spec variant for a small price bump.
Related Cowboy EVs
If the cons above are dealbreakers, look at vanmoof s5, specialized turbo vado, riese muller charger — each makes a different set of trade-offs. The Cowboy Cowboy 4 wins more often than not in its tier, but cross-shopping protects you from buying the wrong shape.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Cowboy address the cons in newer models?
- Some, not all. Cowboy has improved the Cowboy Cowboy 4 platform with each refresh — software updates close a few cons, hardware refresh cycles close more. But fundamental layout decisions (boot space, seating, charge port placement) are baked in for the life of the model.
- Is the Cowboy Cowboy 4 worth buying overall?
- For european / uk urban commuters wanting minimalist design with anti-theft tech, yes. The Cowboy Cowboy 4's pros pay back week after week for that use case. For substantially different needs, you'll find better fits in other models.
- What's the biggest reason to choose the Cowboy Cowboy 4?
- Pick the pro in the list above that most matches your weekly use. If it's range, value, charging speed, or feature set — whichever sits at the top for you — that's the buy signal.
- Can the cons be fixed with aftermarket changes?
- A few — wheels, tyres, interior comforts, dashcam, charging cables. Most cons in the list above are structural and not modifiable after purchase, so buy with eyes open.
Pros outweigh cons for the Cowboy Cowboy 4 as long as you are honestly looking for european / uk urban commuters wanting minimalist design with anti-theft tech. Buyers who try to force-fit it to a different role end up frustrated by the wrong things.