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Comment by orbital-decay | Hacker News Reader

>Amsterdam and Enschede are banning wide-tyre fat bikes from some central locations or parks

What's the reason? Ordinary fatbikes aren't fast, and e-bikes are fast in any case.

> Ordinary fatbikes aren't fast

Most fatbikes have a much more powerful motor than a regular e-bike, and can be used without pedaling at all. They are listed as 250W, but it's actually a software-limited 750W motor. Local vendors provide unlock instructions along with the bike.

Instead of the 25km/h legal limit, they can go 40-50km/h: https://v8fatbike.com/how-to-unlock-ouxi-v8-speed-limit/

It's just a motorcycle in disguise. Then, to make matters worse, they weigh 30-40KG + two 12-year-olds on top - that, combined with reckless riding, can do a lot more damage than a boring cycling incident.

I mean ordinary as non-electric. I know what an electric fatbike can do of course. The article makes it ambiguous as it's talking about the common limit for all cyclists.

Ah, there is no such a thing in Amsterdam (you might be thinking of MTB bikes with fat tires?). They’re all electric.

> MTB bikes with fat tires

These are undrivable as a city commute, not to mention the stealing risk as they're usually expensive. I knew some people who attempted and gave up after few weeks.

People drive fatbikes from solely selfish reasons. They want something heavier and larger than others, they want others to give way and be afraid of collision.

The reason is that the fat bikes are widely popular with young delinquents, typically of the immigrant kind.

They have the absolute worst reputation around Amsterdam.

You could’ve said what you said except the “immigrant kind” bit. I see enough Dutch assholes on fat bikes just as well. No need to be xenophobic here.

Nah, its almost for sure xenophobic and classist. I think fat bikes are the best thing that happened to amsterdam because all the scooters disappeared. All the poor people that used to ride scooters are now riding fat bikes. Its better for their health and their wallet. Yes they tend to be a bit less educated and socialised, but they were like that when they drove scooters as well. Banning fat bikes is gesture politics.

They drive fatbikes instead of road scooters, of the 25kmh limit ones eligible for cycling lanes?

There is zero phobia involved, just facts. I imagine you count second generation immigrants as Dutch assholes ?

And don't get me wrong, I am not a huge fan of Dutch people. But I am even less of a fan of macho Moroccan kids.

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