E-bike startup Cowboy builds app in a weekend

Since struggling e-bike startup VanMoof confirmed it had gone into the Dutch version of administration, there has been a question hanging over the VanMoof bikes out there in the wild. VanMoof bikes relied heavily on a connected smartphone app that controlled a number of important settings and functions, not the least of which was actually allowing the bike to start. 

If VanMoof servers go offline during their administration, VanMoof riders will be left with a less than satisfactory e-bike, which barely works without its software “key.”

The Bikey app can generate and save a VanMoof owner’s unique digital key, which might be needed if the company’s servers are ever taken offline. It also provides basic access to the VanMoof e-bike’s settings. The key can be exported elsewhere for safekeeping.

The app currently only works with S3 and X3 e-bike models, the most common VanMoof e-bikes currently on the road, with support for new S5 and A5 e-bikes on the way. It’s in beta and is iOS only for now, with an Android beta releasing soon. Cowboy says that “nothing is shared outside of the app,” not even your email.

In a LinkedIn post yesterday by Cowboy’s Co-Founder and CTO Tanguy Goretti said:

Another spokesperson said: “Our software team worked through the night on this and we must stress that it’s a beta so bugs may be experienced… but we wanted to get this shipped ASAP because it will work while the VanMoof servers are live.”

They say VanMoof riders should grab their key immediately, as it will be impossible to retrieve this key if the servers go down, and riders would more or less lose total access to their bikes.

It’s now live on the Apple app store and will be available for Android soon, says the company.

Gain access to your Vanmoof key:

Get Bikey here.