It has fat tires, a low seat, looks a bit like a moped and can go 25 kilometers per hour: the fat bike. Dozens of municipalities in our country, including Roosendaal and Den Bosch, now want stricter rules for electric bicycles. Especially for the souped-up variant.
Salesman Mike van der Kruijs also thinks that the rules for fat bikes should be a bit stricter. He sells them in his shop in Oisterwijk. “You can’t upgrade all fat bikes. But with some models this is possible. You can do that very easily with an app. Although it is stated that it is not allowed,” says Van der Kruijs.
Because a souped-up fat bike travels almost twice as fast as the permitted 25 kilometers per hour. “You see that they drive through the narrow streets of our city center at 45 kilometers per hour,” says Roosendaal traffic councilor Sanneke Vermeulen. Just like Vermeulen, traffic councilors from 42 other municipalities in the Netherlands also consider the upgraded electric bicycle ‘a danger on the cycle path’.
“All negative advertising is a drain on our sales.”
Anyone can ride a fat bike. Also children who have little experience in traffic. “Young people without a traffic diploma do not have the insight into what you need to have when riding such a bicycle,” says Vermeulen. “It is not yet prohibited by law, so we ask the minister about that. We hope the problem will be resolved.”
Salesman Van der Kruijs also hopes that measures will be taken: “All negative advertising is an attack on our sales. If it is properly regulated and enforced, it will be better for our industry.”
“Road safety cannot wait any longer.”
According to the municipalities, the upgraded e-bikes are a danger on the cycle path. According to the signatories, this not only concerns young people on upgraded e-bikes, but also parents on e-cargo bikes and young adults and the elderly on fast e-bikes.
The cry for help to Minister Mark Harbers of Infrastructure and Water Management has been signed by 43 municipalities. “Road safety cannot wait any longer,” the traffic councilors believe.