Amsterdam, one of Europe’s most bike-friendly cities, is planning to ban oversized electric “fatbikes” from its main city park following a rise in high-speed crashes and injuries that authorities say are linked to reckless riding.
The proposed ban would apply to Vondelpark, a busy green space used daily by cyclists, pedestrians and tourists. City officials say some electric fatbikes are capable of travelling at speeds of up to 50–60 kilometres per hour on narrow paths, far exceeding the legal assisted cycling limit of 25 kph.
The move was welcomed by road safety advocates but has drawn criticism from some riders who argue it clashes with Amsterdam’s traditionally permissive cycling culture.
Alderwoman Melanie van der Horst, who proposed the measure, said she had received a surge of complaints from park users. “We see a lot of fatbikes going more than 50 or 60 kilometres an hour. Well, they are only supposed to go 25, so it’s very dangerous,” she said.
Pedestrians, particularly elderly residents, have raised concerns about near-misses, while some women reported being slapped by passing riders, according to the city. Fatbikes, identifiable by their thick tyres, large batteries and heavy frames, have become increasingly popular among younger riders and delivery drivers.
Not all cyclists support the ban. Fatbike owner Sjoerd Jonkers called the proposal an overreaction, arguing that authorities should focus on illegal imports and modified bikes capable of excessive speeds. “I love driving it, my girlfriend’s on the back, my son on the front, the three of us on one bicycle. So I ditched my car,” he told Reuters.
Another rider, Alex Manuputty, said resistance was inevitable whenever new forms of mobility emerge. “There need to be rules and then all cultures — all people — can actually get along,” he said while riding a bright orange fatbike through the park.
Cycling remains central to daily life in Amsterdam, where more than half of the city’s roughly 800,000 residents use a bicycle every day. Electric models are rapidly gaining ground. Of all bicycles sold in the Netherlands in 2024, 48% were electric and a further 13% were fatbikes, according to RAI Association.
Safety concerns have intensified alongside that growth. Dutch hospitals reported in October that people injured on fatbikes were 70% more likely to require additional medical treatment than those hurt on conventional bicycles. Around half of recorded fatbike accidents involved children aged 12 to 15.
Barbara Swarthout-ten Kate, a family doctor in the city, said her practice has seen a rise in concussions and arm fractures linked to fatbike crashes. She called for compulsory helmet use and a ban on riders under 16. “The helmet will make it safer, but also less cool,” she said.
The Amsterdam city council has not yet set a date for when the proposed ban would come into force, but the debate highlights growing tensions between innovation in urban mobility and public safety in Europe’s cycling capitals.