Thoughts on tariff effects on the cycling industry

[Painkiller]

We all have various interests in the game of cycling. My main interests are refurbishing/repair. I do however at times sell some used bicycles. My projection though maybe premature not knowing exactly how tariffs will affect the industry is that used bicycle sales will be on the uprise and bring in stronger prices even with repair parts prices rising more. For what I do, its a win for me. I think a high quality refurbished bicycle will be in high demand. We shall see how it goes this year and how things are trending. What are your thoughts?

[Jake1]

(04-04-2025, 09:33 AM)Painkiller Wrote:  We all have various interests in the game of cycling. My main interests are refurbishing/repair. I do however at times sell some used bicycles. My projection though maybe premature not knowing exactly how tariffs will affect the industry is that used bicycle sales will be on the uprise and bring in stronger prices even with repair parts prices rising more. For what I do, its a win for me. I think a high quality refurbished bicycle will be in high demand. We shall see how it goes this year and how things are trending. What are your thoughts?

It will help very few in the US if the only gain is in the higher quality and condition used bike area which is a fairly limited market compared to the overall retail market. Bike specific retailers will either eat all of or part of the increase depending on their present (excessive) markup %; those with reasonable pricing will need to increase prices or close down.

If the government wanted to help the economy they would have companies like trek, scott and other "US" companies manufacture their bikes in the US as opposed to raking in massive profits by manufacturing at low labor costs overseas and selling bikes at prices as if they were actually made in the US at high labor costs. Those companies' (and their shareholders) will never change if they would take even a predicted penny's loss in revenue. Department stores can spread the increase to any product(s) they please; bike shops might be able to add to service costs only since their parts costs will be increasing also.

The tariff/tax situation is out of hand anyways since such a large portion is wasted by those saying they are saving you money (saving their own butts maybe). Who wastes time and money laying off employees and stopping research only to be rehiring those same individuals, restarting research and starting some projects again from scratch at a greater cost in the long run. Idiots, and ignorants with egostical ideals based primarily on wealth and their freedom to do as they please while essentially oppressing those who disagree, speak out, or are in no position to argue and just continue their lives in a worse state than before. This applies to all countries; the US is trying nothing new and if allowed to continue unfettered by the laws they are supposed to follow it will continue to be a sad devolution. People are so brainwashed that even some who lost their jobs still are onboard with their own destruction since they decided to let someone else do their thinking for them.
...lest we repeat history....

[Panic]

My interest lies in reducing car dependency and empowering lower-income people and kids to get outside. So, ebikes, cargo bikes, and just getting any kind of bike in the hands of people who need reliable transportation.

I’m really nervous about how the tariffs will affect ebikes, as many (most?) of them are manufactured in Asia. I can’t even afford an ebike yet and the brand I’m interested in apparently confirmed they’re raising prices because of the tariffs, and the local ebike incentive program isn’t robust or developing fast enough to help the majority of people who need one.

However, because this will also increase the price of new cars in an already stagnating market, interest may conversely spike in using bikes/ebikes as a second car or a car alternative. The change is already happening, this might just catalyze it further.

I feel there’s a rising demand for used bikes, too. There’s even some brick and mortar LBSs that specialize in used bikes (like ReCycles Bikes on Youtube), and some of my local thrift stores often put out new donated bikes.

[rydabent]

Just wait to see how the tariff thing settles out. Countries that now have tariffs on our goods may drop them, and there will be no tariffs between that country and ours.

[Jake1]

(04-05-2025, 10:15 AM)rydabent Wrote:  Just wait to see how the tariff thing settles out. Countries that now have tariffs on our goods may drop them, and there will be no tariffs between that country and ours.

Never happening in our lifetimes! Until countries and politics cease to exist and others do not put themselves above others the evaluation of goods, products, and resourses will continue to be haggled over. We live on a "multi-planet" where every country and government thinks they are on their own planet. We are wonderfully destroying ourselves; thankfully I will be dead; unfortunately I was alive for the dehumanizing internet.