Leopoldsburg (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Sint-Michiel School in Leopoldsburg banned fat bikes for its 1,300 students due to safety and space issues. Director Davy Mellemans says most families support the rule, now seen in Kapellen and other towns.
As VRT News reported, Sint-Michiel School in Leopoldsburg, in the province of Limburg, Belgium, has banned fat bikes on its grounds for all 1,300 students. Until now, only a few dozen students rode these large electric bikes to school.
The school says the ban is necessary because fat bikes bring practical problems. They are much wider than normal bicycles and take up a lot of space in the bike sheds. The school’s narrow paths and lawns are not made to handle them.
“Fat bikes can, in principle, reach speeds of up to 25 kilometres per hour. A 12- or 13-year-old child is not capable of operating one safely. Furthermore, helmets are not mandatory, making them very dangerous,”
emphasises general director Davy Mellemans.
What’s behind Sint-Michiel school’s fat-bike ban for 1,300 students?
Officials mentioned that safety is another key reason for the ban. Students often cycle around Leopoldsburg, and fat bikes can travel much faster than regular bicycles. The school says this speed difference can increase the risk of accidents, especially when students ride in groups.
Principal Mellemans says mopeds and scooters may still be used on the school grounds. Mellemans said,
“There are clear rules for that. If you come to school on a moped, you must wear a helmet and be over 16 years old. Moreover, we can count on one hand the number of students who come to school on a moped.”
He explains that the school cannot decide how every student travels to class. Some students can leave their fat bikes on a nearby street, take the bus, or arrive with a family member. He says the rule on campus is strict and makes clear that fat bikes are not allowed.
According to Mellemans, most parents and students responded well to the measure and understood the reason behind it. Sint-Michiel is not the only school taking this step. The Mater Salvatoris Institute in Kapellen has also introduced a ban on fat bikes for the same safety and practical reasons.
“99 per cent were very positive, because they also understand the dangers of fat biking. Although, of course, some have already purchased a fat bike. Their children are still welcome at school, of course, but not with the fat bike,”
concludes the principal. Fat bikes are no longer allowed in several playgrounds in Heusden-Zolder and near the town hall in Maasmechelen.
There are currently no specific rules for fat bikes. They are treated the same as regular electric bicycles. By law, they can travel up to 25 kilometres per hour. There is no age limit for riders. The problem is that many fat bikes are modified to go faster than allowed. This is illegal and can create serious safety risks.
Anyone riding a tuned fat bike can be held responsible in an accident. Riders can face fines, and authorities may confiscate the bike. Experts warn that the combination of high speed and the large size of fat bikes makes them especially dangerous for children and young teenagers.
Fat bikes have a long history that began in 1980, when French cyclist Jean Naud built a bike with extra-wide tyres for desert travel. In 1986, he crossed the Sahara using early versions made with Michelin. In Alaska, builders started experimenting in the late 1980s, and by 1989, riders used these bikes on the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail.
In New Mexico, Ray Molina developed wider tyres for sand in the 1990s and introduced his own models around 1999. The name “fat bike” appeared in 2001, and the first mass-produced version, the Surly Pugsley, reached the market in 2005, marking the start of wider public use.
Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.
