THE HAGUE: Fast, fashionable mode of transport for some, scourge of the cycle path for others: in bike-mad Amsterdam, complaints about “fatbikes” have driven authorities to impose an unprecedented ban in one of the city’s top parks.
Hugely popular with children, fatbikes — so called for their ultra-thick tires — are electric bikes that look like squat motorcycles and can reach speeds of up to 60 kilometers (37 miles) per hour.
Competing for space on busy cycle paths in the famously flat Netherlands, many classic cyclists see fatbikes as a menace due to their superior speed and size.
Complaints of “fatbike gangs” of youths tearing around Dutch cities and causing havoc are also commonplace.
A petition against “aggressive fatbikers” in Amsterdam has garnered 2,400 signatures, complaining: “Pavements are racetracks. Public space no longer feels safe.”
