Hi MBA, Recently I took my fatbike down to St Kilda for a ride along the beach and halfway through my ride I thought to myself, ‘hang on, is this actually legal?’ I considered emailing the council but don’t really want to bring it to their attention.
Do you know anything about the laws and fatbikes on the sand?
Rowan Blair
In most situations a pushbike is viewed as a vehicle in the eyes of the law, and you’re not allowed to drive your car on St Kilda beach.
If you ask council there’s a strong chance that the answer will be ‘no, you’re not allowed to ride there.’ And once it has been brought to their attention, they’ll start policing it.
As it stands, beach riding on fatbikes is new territory and there are no specific rules pertaining to it. It’s not unlike mountain biking in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Back then we were quite a novelty on the trails and got away with a lot as a result.
I’d suggest that you use common sense, don’t offend or annoy anybody on the beach and enjoy the freedom while it lasts!
