The Apple Watch app is a Cowboy Connect exclusive feature. To benefit from the Apple Watch app, you will need to purchase Cowboy Connect at checkout or from the Cowboy app.
Apple Watch app functionalities
The Cowboy Apple Watch app allows you to:
lock and unlock your bike more easily with your watch
control your bike settings (lights, motor assistance, …) with your watch
monitor your heart rate while riding
retrieve your heart rate data on your trips history
ensure a single activity gets recorded on Apple Health
This app is a companion app that uses your smartphone to connect with your bike. So keep your phone with you at all times when riding.
How to install the app on your Apple Watch
The app will be automatically installed on your Apple Watch when you install the latest Cowboy app (4.1+) on your iPhone. The minimum supported Watch OS is Watch OS 9.
If you have deleted the Cowboy app from your Apple Watch, you can reinstall it by following these steps:
Open the Watch app on your iPhone
Click on the "Install" button located at the bottom of your screen
How to use the Apple Watch app
There are two ways to use your Apple Watch with your bike:
Unlock with your Apple Watch
To unlock your bike and manage its settings, open the Cowboy app directly on your Apple Watch. Your watch connects to your bike through your phone, so make sure you stay close to both your phone (so your Apple Watch can connect to your iPhone) and your bike (so your iPhone can connect to your bike via Bluetooth).
You don't need to keep the Cowboy app open in the background on your iPhone. The connection will work even if the app is closed.
Unlock with your iPhone
You can also unlock your bike using your iPhone. The Cowboy app will automatically open on your watch, and your heart rate will be recorded.
Note that if you use Auto Unlock to unlock your bike, the watch app will not start automatically.
How are the heart rate zones calculated
The effort zones are defined as follows:
Zone 1: < 60% * max heart rate
Zone 2: 60%-70% * max heart rate
Zone 3: 70%-80% * max heart rate
Zone 4: 80-90% * max heart rate
Zone 5: >90% * max heart rate
Your max heart rate is estimated based on your age and gender.
Having issues with your watch?
Can’t unlock bike with watch
Make sure you have your iPhone on you so your Apple Watch can connect to your iPhone
Follow these trips & tricks to make your iPhone connect to your bike again
Watch app not triggering
If you unlock your bike through your iPhone, the watch app will start automatically. However, if you use Auto Unlock to unlock your bike, the watch app will not open.
Missing heart rate data
It is normal to experience a slight delay before your heart rate appears on your ride dashboard. We also have no control over how frequently your heart rate data updates.
If you unlock your bike with Auto Unlock, the Watch app will not open and your heart rate data will not be collected.
If you are certain that your heart rate was displayed during your ride but it does not appear in your ride history, please contact our support team through our in-app chat.
Starting an activity on your watch
If you unlock your bike with your Watch or iPhone, an activity will start automatically for you.
If you unlock your bike with Auto Unlock, the Cowboy app on your watch will not start. However, your watch may detect that you are starting a cycling activity and prompt you to record it.
Apple Health duplicates
If you manually start an activity on your Watch (which will be suggested if you use Auto Unlock) and have also activated Apple Health synchronization on your Cowboy app, you may end up with duplicated activities.
To avoid this issue, we recommend that you always unlock your bike through the Cowboy app on your iPhone or Apple Watch to ensure that you have only a single activity recorded.