Company Urban Mobility, which produces the distinctive Doppio fatbikes, has gone bust.

The decision by insurance companies not to insure the wide-tyred two-wheelers was the final straw for the company, because lease companies would no longer offer its products, business broadcaster RTL Z quoted founder Peter Eiselin as saying.

Fatbikes have been under fire for several months and MPs recently voted to bring in compulsory helmets and an age limit following a surge in accidents involving youngsters.

“The continuing negative publicity and the flood of illegal imports and souped up models have further added to the pressure on sales,” Eiselin is quoted as saying in a letter to shareholders.

Doppio was launched by Eiselin in 2019 but first went bust in 2021. The company made a loss of around €1 million last year, before the negative publicity started.

The curator is looking into a restart, RTL said.