Cowboy AdaptivePower

In this article, you will find all you need to know about the new AdaptivePower technology.

Florian from Cowboy avatar
Written by Florian from Cowboy
Updated over a week ago

Summary

#1 What is AdaptivePower?

AdaptivePower is Cowboy's newest innovation in e-bike technology. It enables our bikes to be the first e-bikes to think for themselves, adapting to changes in your riding conditions. AdaptivePower is Cowboy's proprietary software capable of detecting changes in elements such as headwind, slope inclination, and additional weight on the bike. With this information, the software then modulates the amount of power needed to keep you in the flow and at the same speed, elevating your performance.

AdaptivePower is available from the firmware version 4.17.0 onwards, with the Performance Power Pack (or on Cross/Cross ST models by default).

#2 How does AdaptivePower work?

With AdaptivePower, we went another step further in our ride feeling mission, and developed a new software solution that captures and models a series of data points starting from the sensors embedded in the bike, and understands the context in which the rider is cycling.

Every time that the conditions around the rider change, AdaptivePower models the impact of the elements and calculates the amount of power needed to overcome them.

AdaptivePower takes into account a variety of changing conditions when determining the power needed for a ride. It detects elements such as gravity, wind, weight, speed, pedalling cadence and power to make sure our riders are getting the assistance they need.

#3 What conditions generate the most resistance during the ride?

We have conducted field research to determine the most significant conditions that impact your cycling experience so that we can develop our motor to best support you.

a) Headwind

Headwinds can be a frustrating and energy-sapping enemy of cyclists. To reduce the hassle of headwinds, we model the resistance created by the wind and adjust the motor power accordingly.

b) Slope inclination (Gravity)

Slope inclinations pose their own unique challenges and require a cyclist to use much more energy than on normal terrain. Our motor adjusts the power consumption according to the slope inclination (% grade), for a feeling of always riding on flat ground.

c) Weight (human, carried, or both)

The weight of the cyclist and any additional weight they are carrying will naturally impact how easy or difficult the ride is. Our motor takes into account the mass the bike is carrying and adjusts the motor power accordingly.

#4 How is AdaptivePower different from Cowboy’s previous technology?

Up to now, our solution was able to detect changes in cycling speed and human pedaling power during the ride. It was always in our roadmap to improve how we use data to better contextualize each ride. With AdaptivePower, we went another step further in our ride feeling mission, and developed a new solution that captures and models a series of data points starting from the sensors embedded in the bike, and understands the context in which the rider is cycling.

#5 What’s the impact of AdaptivePower on the battery?

AdaptivePower does not have a direct impact on the battery. Cycling on a flat road with no wind and no change in weight will result in the same battery consumption as our previous intuitive ride feeling.

Battery range can however vary depending on riding conditions, and will range from 40-80km. Different factors contributing to this range include outside temperature, the rider’s weight and load carried, the riding style (fast vs slow), the riding type (e.g. hitting a lot of start and stop with traffic lights) and city type (hilly vs flat). With the introduction of a battery range, we want to help you better understand how these variations impact your autonomy.

Also feel free to check out our Battery Autonomy FAQ here for more information.

As part of AdaptivePower, we are introducing a power saving setting that can be managed via the app. While the power output is still controlled by AdaptivePower technology, this setting helps to increase battery range by an average of +25%. Its purpose is to help extend the remaining range.

#6 Why is AdaptivePower only available for Cowboy Classic / Cowboy Cruiser / Cowboy Cruiser ST onwards?

At Cowboy, we are constantly innovating and striving to keep our products at the pinnacle of quality. This means that we don’t wait for our latest releases to provide updates to our existing products. We will always aim at improving the experience for all the Cowboy bikes that are already on the road.

Other generations may follow, although we currently don't have any concrete timeframe to share. Feel free to subscribe to our newsletter for further updates.

#7 What is the Eco Power setting and how do I turn it on/off?

The aim of the Eco Power option is to extend your battery range and to allow you to do a harder workout. You can change your motor assistance setting by unlocking your bike and clicking on the assistance button at the bottom of your screen. Your expected battery range will adapt accordingly.

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