If you’ve been dodging fatbikes in Vondelpark whilst trying to enjoy a peaceful jog, your prayers might finally be answered. Amsterdam is gearing up to ban the bulky e-bikes from one of the city’s busiest green spaces, once and for all.
Weekly complaints about unsafe situations and intimidating behaviour from fatbike riders have piled up at the Amsterdam gemeente, and some residents now actively avoid certain areas because of aggressive cycling.
As NU.nl writes, traffic councillor Melanie van der Horst says it’s time for drastic measures.
“We’ve been asking the national government for three years to give us tools to tackle fatbikes,” she says. But the government’s response? Legally, there’s no way to distinguish between regular e-bikes and fatbikes, so bans are tricky.
Amsterdam’s legal workaround
So how does the capital plan to pull this off? Through a local ordinance (the Algemene Plaatselijke Verordening), which governs everything from noise complaints to where you can park your bike.
The city will use this legal framework to ban fatbikes with tyres wider than seven centimetres in areas plagued by safety issues.
Vondelpark will be the testing ground. As one of Amsterdam’s busiest spots, the park sees a constant flow of joggers, dog walkers, families with children, and elderly visitors. Ambulance data shows it’s also a hotspot for cycling accidents.
And the problems go beyond just reckless riding. Police have received over 40 reports of women being sexually harassed by boys on fatbikes in Vondelpark, Rembrandtpark, Erasmuspark, and Flevopark.
@mariadinca_ Early morning thoughts on fat bike riding in Amsterdam 😅 When am I going to see someone in a fun outfit riding one of those with a smile? If you’re out there, say hello! #amsterdam #amsterdamlife #fatbike #cycling #electricbike #funny ♬ original sound – Maria Dinca
Will it actually work this time?
If this sounds familiar, that’s because you’ve heard it before. Enschede tried to ban fatbikes from its city centre over the summer, but months later, little has come of it. The legal complications proved too messy.
Amsterdam knows its plan could face legal challenges too, but if the city council approves the measure (which still needs to happen), the ban could come into effect in spring 2026.
If the Vondelpark ban goes through, Amsterdam will evaluate its effectiveness before potentially rolling it out to other parks and high-traffic areas.
Have you had any close calls with fatbikes in Amsterdam’s parks? Share your war stories in the comments below!
