Tag: #cowboy

Cowboy, the Belgium start-up with a vision to transform urban mobility, is using technology to reshape bike safety by introducing the industry’s first software designed to detect crashes and collisions – Crash Detection. Cowboy is putting rider safety at the very core of their mission to transform urban mobility and cities for the better with the new feature helping to protect over one million kilometers ridden by Cowboy users all over Europe every month.

Currently available in beta for a thousand users, the industry-first feature will be rolled out to all Cowboy 2 and Cowboy 3 riders by the end of September at no charge.

Using highly sensitive built-in sensors combined with GPS signal tracking, the bike communicates with the Cowboy app to detect a fall. If an accident occurs and the rider doesn’t confirm they’re fine within 60 seconds, Cowboy instantly alerts the rider’s emergency contacts (up to 2) to check in and offer help, while sharing the real-time rider position so they can be quickly located.

To provide riders with complete peace of mind, the Cowboy bike is also equipped with a SIM card that is completely independent from the phone and will work in every scenario, e.g. if the phone is damaged in a crash. This allows Cowboy to notify the emergency contact(s) without having to rely on the user’s phone.

Safety. At the core of Cowboy’s mission.

The Crash Detection feature was created as a result of a first-hand experience. Last year, Cowboy’s co-founder Tanguy Goretti had an accident with his bike. “The road was icy and visibility was limited”, Tanguy says. “I crashed after the first turn and glided for at least five meters. Luckily, there were people nearby to make sure I was okay and to help me and my bike off the street.” Thankfully, Tanguy’s accident only resulted in a few bruises and scratches, for him and his bike.

But walking away safely and relatively unharmed from a bike accident is not the case for everyone. “In Europe, most serious accidents occur just outside urban areas. In that scenario, you don’t always have someone to help and you might be left for a long time awaiting assistance. That’s how the idea for Crash Detection was born”, Tanguy who is responsible for the software development at the Brussels-based start-up further elaborates.

When done right, technology can have a huge impact on people’s lives and the safety of communities. Crash detection is Cowboy’s latest addition to an already comprehensive list of safety-first related features and innovations now available on the recently launched Cowboy 3 as well as previous versions of the bike:

• Flashing brake light. The rear light flashes when you slow your speed so you’re more visible to the traffic behind you.

• Puncture-resistant tires. All-rounder tires handle the load and the road.

• Integrated front and rear lights. Be seen by others on the road, ever aware of your surroundings.

• Hydraulic disc brakes. Ride fast and in control with hydraulic brakes that provide total stopping power the second you make contact.

Cowboy, the company with a vision to transform urban mobility, has today announced record sales with a growth of 230 percent from January – April 2020 compared to the same time period last year. In addition, the company hit a major milestone as it reached one million kilometres covered in April, an increase of 800 percent year on year. Cowboy had predicted that the urban mobility sector would face a shake up in the years to come, however the pandemic has accelerated this as people seek faster, healthier and greener ways of travel.

In an unfortunate time when many start-ups are facing challenges, Cowboy has seen April sales increase by an impressive 40% over March despite the lockdown restrictions affecting its core markets.  The growth demonstrates a shift in consumer demand as the requirement for a safer means of transport becomes a higher priority for global city dwellers.

Recent announcements from London, Berlin, Paris, New York and Milan to increase and dedicate space for cyclists and pedestrians are reinforcing Cowboy’s view that these measures will drive a more permanent change that will extend beyond a post COVID-19 pandemic world.

Cowboy has also noticed significant changes in usage patterns over the past few weeks. In Germany alone Cowboy has seen a surge of 100% in its active users as they utilise the smart electric bike as a way to combat the closure of public transport methods. Across all countries the number of kilometres travelled has increased by an impressive 100 percent when compared to pre COVID to reach one million kilometres covered in April. The biggest monthly total to date for the company and a staggering 800 percent increase year on year.

Users have extended their Cowboy use for more than just the daily commute as the average journey increased from 5km in March prior to lockdown restrictions to 6km in April. In February, 50 percent of our riders were using their bike around offices standard opening and closing times ( 7 AM to 10 AM and 5 PM to 7 PM ). This has shrunk to 28 percent with peak time now being 15:00 proving that the electric bike is now more than just a means to getting to work but also being used for shopping and exercise.

Adrien Roose, CEO, Cowboy said: “We’ve always felt that urban mobility was due a transformation as we look at ways of cutting down on stress, traffic and pollution. However, the pandemic has accelerated this evolution by forcing us all to rethink elements of our life from how we work, shop and move around. More than ever, we exist to make it a permanent change rather than temporary.”