The brake pads
Brake pads are an important part of your bike and ensure that you can always drive in safe conditions.
It is recommended to check them every 1000 km or as soon as you feel a loss of braking strength or a creaky noise.
Please have a look at the difference in appearance between a new brake pad (left) and a worn out one (right):
The brake parts we use for the Cowboy Classic/Cruiser/ Cruiser ST are custom made and use Tektro F10BS or Shimano K03S pads (depending on the age of the bike).
Here is a tutorial which explains how to replace them.
The belt
The lifetime of the belt depends on how you maintain it and the roads you use. The belt should be checked every 5.000 km when used in ideal conditions. A belt used on dirty or sandy roads could be worn before that if not cleaned properly. Have a deep look at your belt to make sure it’s still in good condition.
If the belt shows traces of wear and tear (see image below), you need to replace it in order to avoid the sudden break of the teeth or a break of the belt itself during a ride.
Send a message in your app if you would like to do so.
This picture comes from The Gates Carbon Drive Manual.
In this video, we explain how to adjust the belt tension (between 45 and 60 Hz) and how to align it.
The tires
Your tires should be checked every 1500 km, especially if you ride on country roads. Please have a deep look at your tires to make sure they are still in good condition.
If your tires look worn, you'll need to replace them.
If you’re feeling handy when you receive your new tires, here is a tutorial which explains how to take off a front wheel and replace an inner tube or tire. For the rear wheel, changing an inner tube and tire is exactly the same process. The difference is in the way you need to take off the wheel. We've set up a separate tutorial to show you how to do that.
P.S.: Don’t forget that tires can be recycled, and so we encourage you to get rid of them at an approved recycling point.
Keep your bike in good shape
Clean your bike
Clean the belt with a wet cloth, a toothbrush or a sponge. Simply clean off any dirt gently with one of those items.
Clean your disks with a cloth - dry or with some alcohol. Don’t use soap as it could damage them.
Remove your battery and clean the rest of your bike using a moist cloth. The bike is not approved for steam cleaning, high pressure cleaning or cleaning with a water hose. Avoid spraying water directly on electronics (lights and LED module on your top tube), connectors and wires. You can use a damp cloth or soft brush to remove dirt and grime.
Inflate your tires
Tires deflate during storage and shipping. Inflate them to a pressure of 2,5 bars, for heavier payload and less for a lighter payload. We don't recommend going below 1,5 bars. We also don't recommend inflating them at the max pressure as comfort will be reduced.
Tighten nuts and bolts
Inspect your bike and verify all nuts and bolts are well tightened. If you ever feel movement in the saddle while riding, you’ll want to ensure the seat post bolts are fully tightened. The bolt for lateral adjustment should be tightened to maximum 8Nm and the bolt for vertical adjustment to maximum 18Nm torque.
Check your belt tension
Check the belt tension by pressing firmly down on it in the middle with your index finger. The deflection of the belt should be around 0.5 cm to 1 cm. If you have a belt tension measurement tool, the tension should measure between 45 and 60 Hz.
You're good to go!
Maintenance reminders
The Cowboy app will notify you when it's time for your bike's general maintenance.
To check when your next maintenance is due, tap the 4th button at the bottom of your screen, then scroll to the "Maintenance" section. By clicking on "Maintenance," you will see detailed information about your upcoming maintenance. After completing the maintenance, you can let the app know by updating the date of your latest maintenance in this section, so it can remind you again when your next maintenance is due.