A large group of young people on electric bikes caused significant disruption after descending on a golf course in Sydney, with footage of the incident spreading rapidly online.
The Incident: A Golf Course Overrun
The event, captured in a now-viral video, took place on the evening of Saturday, 20 January 2026. Dozens of riders on electric bikes, or e-bikes, converged on the Moore Park Golf Course, located near the city centre. The video shows a steady stream of riders, many not wearing helmets, moving across the carefully maintained greens and fairways under the cover of darkness.
This organised gathering is known as a 'rideout' – a trend where groups coordinate via social media to meet and ride en masse, often leading to complaints about noise, dangerous riding, and damage to property. The Sydney incident is a stark example of how these events can encroach on public and private spaces not designed for such activity.
Safety and Legal Repercussions
The viral clip has ignited a fresh debate about the regulation of e-bikes and the behaviour of some riders. Police were alerted to the incident at the golf course. A spokesperson for the New South Wales Police confirmed they attended and are reviewing the video footage as part of their investigations.
While e-bikes offer a green alternative for transport, incidents like this highlight growing tensions. Key concerns raised include:
- Rider safety: The apparent lack of helmet use by many in the group.
- Public safety: The risk posed to pedestrians and other road users when large groups ride together, often ignoring traffic laws.
- Property damage: The potential for costly damage to the sensitive turf of the golf course.
- Legal boundaries: The trespass on private property and the misuse of paths not intended for vehicles.
Authorities are increasingly looking at how to manage these popular but sometimes problematic group rides, balancing the benefits of active travel with community safety and order.
A Global Trend Hits Local Greens
The Moore Park incident is not an isolated event but part of a wider, global phenomenon. Similar e-bike rideouts have been reported in major cities worldwide, frequently documented by participants and shared on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where they can quickly amass millions of views.
For golf course management and local residents, the event represents an unwelcome intrusion. The clean-up and any repair costs fall to the facility, while the spectacle raises questions about security in large, open urban spaces. The video's virality ensures the incident will likely influence ongoing discussions about urban mobility, youth culture, and how cities adapt to new forms of transport.
As e-bike popularity soars, the challenge for cities like Sydney will be to integrate them safely into the urban fabric, preventing anti-social use while promoting their undoubted potential for sustainable travel. The sight of dozens of bikes on a golf course may be a vivid symptom of that growing pain.
