Free update makes Cowboy e-bikes better climbers and more efficient
by Thomas Ricker from The Verge - All Posts on (#6PDEB)
Yes, the Cowboy Cross comes in zune brown." | Image: Cowboy Cowboy is rolling out a free over-the-air update to its single-speed, belt-driven e-bikes that promises to flatten steeper hills while also making its 250W rear-hub motor more efficient when the road levels out - no gear changes required.
Specifically, Cowboy says its AdaptivePower 2.0 update will help take riders up hills that are 50 percent steeper while saving 10 percent more power on flat roads. These improvements are compared to the company's first-generation adaptive power tech that Cowboy launched just over a year ago, which automatically adjusts power delivery based on incline, headwind, or extra hauling weight.
As Cowboy explains it, adaptive power relies on a proprietary (and once contested) algorithm that monitors the...