Cowboy, a Brussels-based electric bike company, has been officially acquired by ReBirth Group Holding, which owns other cycling brands such as Peugeot, Gitane, and Solex. The deal includes undisclosed additional funding from ReBirth alongside €15 million ($17.6 million) from existing shareholders. This funding aims to restart production and address a backlog of spare parts.
ReBirth also oversees Re-cycles, a French manufacturer of traditional bicycles, which took over Cowboy’s e-bike assembly earlier this year. Cowboy has faced several challenges, including delayed deliveries, repairs, and a costly frame recall in 2025, which nearly led to bankruptcy.
Despite the transition, Cowboy’s design, engineering, and software teams will continue to operate independently from Brussels. However, Adrien Roose, Cowboy’s founder and CEO, has departed from the company. He expressed hopes that the new partnership will lead to improved reliability for riders in the long term.
As the deal progresses, Cowboy plans to produce 1,500 new bikes in January to help mitigate the backlog of orders. Customers waiting for their e-bikes will receive updated delivery timelines shortly, with expectations of significantly reduced lead times by Spring 2026.
This acquisition is expected to enhance Cowboy’s presence in France by utilizing ReBirth’s network of 95 Oxygen and 10 Ovelo bike stores, as well as 500 independent bike dealers. In the longer term, Cowboy’s technological capabilities may be integrated across ReBirth’s other brands, enhancing innovation in connected mobility.
ReBirth Group Holding’s CEO, Grégory Trébaol, acknowledged Cowboy’s founders for their contribution to the company in a challenging market, marking this acquisition as a new phase for Cowboy. It is worth noting that the bicycle industry has faced significant disruptions in recent years, particularly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/847097/cowboy-acquired-by-rebirth-recycles-bankruptcy