Regulator investigating claims of fragile Babboe cargo bikes

The consumer standards regulator NVWA is investigating Babboe’s cargo bikes after RTL Nieuws reported dozens of cases of the frames breaking, causing accidents and injuries.

A mother from Utrecht, Marieke Meijs, said her two children, aged seven and nine, fell out of the front-mounted crate while she was pedalling along Koningsweg when a steering ball joint snapped, leaving her nine-year-old daughter with a “deep cut”.

RTL also said it had spoken to five employees at Babboe who acknowledged that several bikes with broken frames had been brought in to its repair shop in Amersfoort.

One said: “I have seen plenty of emails from customers stating that they have had an accident,” while another commented: “I’m surprised there haven’t been any deaths”.

The NVWA said it was aware of the situation and was investigating the complaints, “Given the range, severity and potential implications, we must exercise caution,” a spokesman said.

The company said it did not recognise the reports of large numbers of complaints and claimed that one person featured in RTL’s reports was riding a second-hand model that had been recalled in 2019.

Babboe recalled around 3,500 City model bikes made in two batches between 2010 and 2018 after safety tests revealed hairline cracks that could cause the frame to break during “intensive use”.

Prices for new cargo bikes on Babboe’s website range from €1,800 for a Babboe Big to €5,750 for an electric powered Carve Mountain model.