fatbike-paris-quais-piste-cyclable-arbres-passants

Towards the end of fatbikes in Paris?

undefined undefined 5 mars 2025 undefined 18h00

The Editor

© Jasper Garratt / Unsplash

For some time now, these XXL bikes that look like tanks have been popping up like rabbits on the bike paths of the capital. It's a situation that no one is thrilled about (except maybe for those riding them) and could prompt the Paris officials to take some drastic measures.

A few months ago, we shared with you without holding back our less-than-moderate dislike for fatbikes on the streets of Paris. These behemoths take over the bike paths and streets of Paris with no regard for pedestrians, motorists, or other cyclists. A situation that has lasted far too long for some city officials, who are working towards implementing much stricter regulations to curb the chaos. And we thank them from the bottom of our hearts.


Incidents happening way too often

So, before everyone jumps in and comes after us, we know that not all fatbike owners are spawn of the devil. In fact, there are 2 or 3 at Bonbon, and we're still willing to talk to them. Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases, ...

as, these pseudo-motorbike riders feel like kings of the world, and believe that the entire city belongs to them.

Proof of this is that some people don't hesitate to show off on social media in a burst of obvious provocation, filming themselves breaking all the laws of the traffic code, all while boasting a speedometer sometimes showing over 60 km/h. In response to this kind of behavior, we demand measures, and as soon as possible. The focus is on ensuring compliance with the speed limit for these vehicles that think they are above the law.


Existing Bans Already in Place

Because what you might not know is that on paper, all the laws are already in place to control the speed of fatbikes and their presence on the bike paths. Firstly, and this is probably a key point, the Traffic Code, the...

to ensure the good understanding between the different road users, and unfortunately too often disrespected by many of the cycling enthusiasts (or at least a good number of them).

Next, we want to remind you that currently, the only models that can be considered as electric-assisted bicycles (EAB) are those where the motor has a power less than 250 W and which cannot exceed a maximum speed of 25 km/h. Beyond these limitations, they legally do not belong on the bike lane. Just to be clear for those of you who might have missed the information: they legally do not belong on the bike lane!


A legislation to strengthen

For David Belliard, the ecological deputy to the Mayor of Paris in charge of mobility, it is clear that enhanced controls need to be implemented, especially at

the level of dealers. According to the elected official, some do not hesitate to import their bicycles from Asia, a continent that sells vehicles not approved in Europe. And thus, they do not comply with the regulations imposed on the bike paths of our beautiful country.

Unfortunately for us, poor people on regular bicycles who roam the streets of the capital every day, implementing such control turns out to be quite complicated in the city—especially since it already exists in other cities, including French ones, like Lille. This would particularly involve equipping the municipal police with speed cameras capable of detecting modified vehicles. In the meantime, a work of information and education needs to be set up for sellers and buyers, just to bring a little order to all this.