Accident risk: Babboe is banned from selling cargo bikes

In recent years, more and more families have decided to replace their car with an environmentally friendly cargo bike. One of the best-known and most successful manufacturers is Babboe. But now the Dutch company has been hit by some really bad news. Sales have been banned due to glaring safety problems.

Babboe is no longer allowed to sell

So-called cargo bikes dominate the streetscape in many German cities. This is quite understandable given the advantages over cars and traditional bicycles. A cargo bike offers significantly more storage space than a bicycle. In contrast to a car, there is also no annoying search for a parking space. Especially with the right electric motor, riding a cargo bike is also extremely comfortable. However, there seem to be some concerns when it comes to safety. This at least applies to the well-known and successful manufacturer Babboe. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has now issued a comprehensive sales ban.

Cargo bikes are now no longer allowed to be sold. And not only that. On top of that, the Dutch are to recall their bikes. This doesn’t just apply to the Netherlands. Sales have also been restricted in Germany and a corresponding recall campaign has been initiated. The manufacturer has announced this on its own website. Babboe City, Curve, Big, Dog, Max, Mini, Pro and Carve – eight of the nine different model series in the Dutch manufacturer’s cargo bike line-up are affected by the problem.

The frame as a weak point

At first glance, the manufacturer’s massive models may seem extremely robust. Experts also attributed a high quality of workmanship to the cargo bikes. But appearances are obviously deceptive. According to the NVWA, it took action when more and more disgruntled customers contacted the authority. They often complained about a broken frame, which is of course a major safety risk. As a result, the NVWA took action and investigated the incident. It also came to light that the vulnerable frame was probably not a new problem for Babboe itself.

In fact, the manufacturer has probably also received customer reports of broken frames. However, the company did not do enough to deal with the problem. In fact, it seems that the broken frames were ignored without further ado. Instead, Babboe should have contacted the authorities after becoming aware of the numerous problems. Consequently, the sales ban that has now been imposed is a problem that Babboe created itself. Sales may only resume once the safety concerns have been resolved with suitable evidence.

Possible consequences under criminal law

As soon as the negative reports emerged, the NVWA naturally took a close look at whether there was any truth to the problem described by some customers. It turned out that the cargo bikes do have a major problem with the frame. In practice, this could not only lead to a broken cargo bike. There is also a high risk of injury for the occupants of the cargo box. As these are mainly children, the sales ban is even more important. If you also own one of the affected bikes, it is best to contact Babboe directly. According to the manufacturer, they are currently preparing the recall campaign.

It is important that you now leave the bike at home and stop riding it. Behind the scenes at Babboe, however, things are probably hotting up. After all, the whole plight could threaten the company’s existence. The Dutch company not only has to fear serious financial consequences as a result of the sales ban and recall campaign. There could also be consequences under criminal law. Last but not least, the problem and, above all, Babboe’s behavior is absolutely poisonous for the good reputation it has painstakingly built up. It remains to be seen whether it will be possible to build on the previous success once the problem has been solved.