Key Statistics at a Glance

The headline numbers on U.S. bicycle tariffs and import trends as of November 2026.

1. The U.S. imported 8.54 million non-electric bicycles in 2025, down 21% from 2024 and the lowest unit count this century. Import value fell to $850 million, the lowest since 2003. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data, via Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, February and March 2026)
2. Adult bicycles from China face a combined tariff of about 48.5% as of November 2026: an 11% base duty, the 25% Section 301 tariff in place since 2018, and a 12.5% Section 301 tariff in force since July 24, 2026. (Source: BBC calculation from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2026 Revision 22, and USTR, July 2026)
3. On February 20, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs, ending the reciprocal and fentanyl tariffs that had stacked on bicycle imports through 2025. (Source: U.S. Supreme Court, Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, February 2026)
4. The average U.S. statutory tariff rate stands at 11.8% as of November 2026, down from a 22.9% peak in April 2025 but more than four times the 2.7% rate at the start of 2025. (Source: Yale Budget Lab, November 2026)
5. U.S. firms and consumers bore nearly 90% of the economic burden of the 2025 tariffs; foreign exporters absorbed about 10%. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, February 2026)
6. Current U.S. tariffs cost the average household about $900 a year. The bottom tenth of earners pay about 1.3% of their income, versus 0.4% for the top tenth. (Source: Yale Budget Lab, November 2026)
7. China's share of U.S. adult bicycle imports (26-inch wheels and larger) fell from 80% in 2019 to 38% in 2025. Cambodia led adult-bike imports in 2025 with 40%. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data, via Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, February 2026)
8. 67% of U.S. retail small businesses reported tariff-related challenges in late 2025. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 2025 Small Business Credit Survey, July 2026)
9. The bicycle industry filed more than 1,300 public comments against adding bicycles and e-bikes to the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs. In April 2026, the administration left bicycles, e-bikes, and frames off the list. (Source: PeopleForBikes, April 2026; Electrek, April 2026)

Current U.S. Tariff Rates on Bicycles (2026)

Tariff rates vary by product type and country of origin. The table below adds every duty that applies to an entry today: the base (MFN) duty, the 2018-2019 Section 301 tariffs on China, and the Section 301 tariffs in force since July 24, 2026. IEEPA tariffs no longer apply.

Note: All-in rates for entries in November 2026, calculated by Brooklyn Bicycle Co. from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule (2026 Revision 22) and USTR's July 23, 2026 Section 301 notice. Adult bicycle rates use HTS 8712.00.35 (11% base duty); lightweight road bikes under 8712.00.25 and 8712.00.44 (5.5% base) run 5.5 points lower, except from Taiwan, where the rate is 10%. E-bikes are HTS 8711.60 (no base duty) and parts are HTS 8714. Steel bike chains pay a 50% Section 232 duty from every origin. The table assumes no GSP preference. At the April-May 2025 peak, Chinese adult bikes faced about 181% (BBC calculation) and Chinese e-bikes about 170% (Electrek, May 2025).

1. The July 2026 Section 301 action applies to goods from 60 economies at 10% or 12.5%. Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India pay 10%; China, Vietnam, and Thailand pay 12.5%; Taiwan pays a combined 10% where its base duty is below 10% and no extra duty where it is higher. (Source: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, July 2026)
2. The Section 301 tariff on lithium-ion batteries from China rose from 7.5% to 25% on January 1, 2026. A Chinese battery pack imported on its own now pays about 40.9% all-in. The 25% rate applies to China-origin batteries only. (Source: Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2026 Revision 22; BBC calculation)
3. Bike parts from most sourcing countries pay about 10% to 22.5% all-in. Chinese parts pay about 20% to 47.5%, and steel chains from any origin pay 50% under Section 232. (Source: BBC calculation from the Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2026 Revision 22)
4. In March 2026, USTR opened Section 301 investigations into structural excess capacity in 16 economies, including China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and India. No findings had been issued as of early November 2026. (Source: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, March 2026; Congressional Research Service, July 2026)
5. In fiscal 2026, U.S. Customs collected $317.8 billion in gross duties but refunded $144.6 billion, mostly IEEPA tariffs. Net customs revenue was $173.2 billion, down from $194.9 billion in fiscal 2025. (Source: U.S. Treasury, Monthly Treasury Statement, September 2026)
6. About $126 billion of the roughly $166 billion in IEEPA tariffs collected had been certified for refund as of October 2, 2026. (Source: CBP court filings, as reported by Supply Chain Dive, October 2026)
7. Current tariffs are projected to raise about $1.8 trillion over 2026-2035, or $1.7 trillion after accounting for slower economic growth, net of IEEPA refunds. (Source: Yale Budget Lab, November 2026)

What Changed in 2026

Bicycle tariffs changed four times in 2026. The key dates, in order:

1. January 1: The Section 301 tariff on Chinese lithium-ion batteries rises from 7.5% to 25%. (Source: Harmonized Tariff Schedule)
2. February 20: The Supreme Court rules that IEEPA does not authorize tariffs. IEEPA duties end, and Customs stops collecting them on February 24. (Source: U.S. Supreme Court; Executive Order 14389)
3. February 24 to July 23: A temporary 10% Section 122 surcharge applies to most imports, including bicycles, then expires at its 150-day limit. The Court of International Trade ruled the surcharge unlawful on May 7; the appeal is pending. (Source: Harmonized Tariff Schedule; Cooley, May 2026)
4. March 11: USTR opens Section 301 excess-capacity investigations into 16 economies. They remain open. (Source: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative)
5. April 2 (effective April 6): A Section 232 overhaul leaves bicycles, e-bikes, and frames off the steel and aluminum tariff list and reverses the August 2025 decision that had put steel e-bikes under it. Chains remain covered. (Source: PeopleForBikes; Thompson Hine, April 2026)
6. April 20: Customs opens its IEEPA tariff refund system. (Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
7. July 24: Section 301 tariffs of 10% or 12.5% take effect on goods from 60 economies, including every major bicycle sourcing country. (Source: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative)
8. November 9: Section 301 exclusions for Chinese bicycle helmets and child bike trailers are scheduled to expire unless USTR extends them. (Source: PeopleForBikes, October 2026)
9. Still pending: the excess-capacity investigations, the Section 122 appeal, and the U.S.-China trade truce, extended to January 10, 2027. (Source: USTR; RVIA, September 2026)

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Import Volume & Sourcing Shifts

Tariffs and the post-pandemic inventory correction have reshaped where U.S. bike brands source their products and how many units they bring in.

1. In 2025, U.S. imports of non-electric bicycles fell 21% to 8.54 million units, and import value fell 17% to $850 million. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data, via Bicycle Retailer and Industry News and UN Comtrade, 2026)
2. China's share of U.S. adult bicycle imports fell from 80% in 2019 to 38% in 2025. Across all bicycle sizes, China still supplied 65% of 2025 units, mostly low-cost children's bikes. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data, via Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, February 2026)
3. Cambodia is the largest U.S. bicycle supplier by value: 30% of import value in 2025 ($256 million, up 43%) and 33% in the first half of 2026. Taiwan ranks second, at about 25% in the first half of 2026. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data via UN Comtrade (BBC analysis); Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, August 2026)
4. Imports from Taiwan fell 28.5% by value in 2025, to $221 million, while unit volume held roughly flat. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data via UN Comtrade (BBC analysis))
5. From January to August 2026, bicycle import value rose 151% from India, 128% from Malaysia, 62% from Indonesia, and 60% from Vietnam, while value from China fell 38%. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data via UN Comtrade (BBC analysis))
6. The average Customs value of an imported bicycle fell 5% to $106 in the first half of 2026. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data, via Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, August 2026)
7. In 2025, the U.S. imported $850 million worth of bicycles and exported $94 million. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data via UN Comtrade)
8. About 97% of bicycles sold in the U.S. are imported. (Source: PeopleForBikes)

Consumer & Household Price Impact

Tariffs do not stay at the port of entry. Research from the Federal Reserve, the Yale Budget Lab, Harvard Business School, and Goldman Sachs traces how those costs move through supply chains to reach consumers.

1. U.S. firms and consumers bore nearly 90% of the economic burden of the 2025 tariffs, with foreign exporters absorbing about 10%. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Liberty Street Economics, February 2026)
2. Tariffs had added 2.9 percentage points to goods-price inflation by February 2026. The full effect on consumer prices arrives after about a year. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Liberty Street Economics, October 2026)
3. Retail prices of China-origin goods rose 8.5% year over year by December 2025, with at least 30% of the tariff passed through to retail prices. (Source: Federal Reserve, FEDS Notes, March 2026)
4. Current tariffs cost the average U.S. household about $900 a year. Households in the bottom tenth pay about $492, or 1.33% of income, versus 0.42% of income for the top tenth. (Source: Yale Budget Lab, November 2026)
5. Current tariffs raise the overall consumer price level by about 0.7%. Clothing and footwear prices rise about 3.3%, and recreational goods and vehicles about 1.5%. (Source: Yale Budget Lab, November 2026)
6. Between March and October 2025, prices of imported goods rose 4.3% to 6.3% above their pre-tariff trends, versus 1.2% to 3.7% for domestic goods. (Source: Cavallo, Llamas and Vazquez, Harvard Business School Pricing Lab, September 2026)
7. Goldman Sachs estimates that 72% of tariff costs had passed through to consumer prices after 12 months, adding 0.8 percentage points to core PCE inflation. (Source: Goldman Sachs, as reported by TheStreet, April 2026)
8. In 2025, more than 45% of small and mid-sized firms affected by tariffs expected their costs to stay elevated for more than a year. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, September 2025)

Small Business & Supply Chain Impact

Independent retailers, importers, and manufacturers face disproportionate exposure to tariff costs, with less capacity to absorb or hedge than large corporations.

1. 62% of small business owners said supply chain disruptions affected their business in September 2026, down from a 70% peak in May 2026. NFIB asks about supply chain disruptions in general, not tariffs specifically. (Source: NFIB Small Business Economic Trends, September 2026)
2. In May 2026, 44% of tariff-paying manufacturers and 47% of tariff-paying service firms in the New York region said more tariff-driven price increases were still to come. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, July 2026)
3. Small and mid-sized firms pass through about 68% of realized cost increases to their prices, and about 43% of expected future increases. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Working Paper 26-11, 2026)
4. In August 2025, importers and non-importers alike expected to pass about half of their cost increases into prices over the next 12 months, up from about one-third earlier in the year. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, September 2025)
5. Small businesses that expected tariffs to last a year or longer anticipated pass-through as much as three times higher than those expecting short-term tariffs. (Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, September 2025)
6. The bicycle industry mobilized more than 1,300 public comments against requests to add bicycles, e-bikes, and frames to the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, which could have applied a duty of up to 50%. (Source: PeopleForBikes, April 2026)
7. Escalating trade pressures are disrupting every link in the bicycle supply chain, driving up costs, complicating sourcing, squeezing margins, and shaking consumer confidence. (Source: PeopleForBikes, 2026)

U.S. Bicycle Market Size & Revenue

The underlying U.S. bicycle market has been flat to down as tariffs and post-pandemic inventory weighed on sales. Paid market-research estimates of its size vary by about two to one, so this section uses industry tracking and government data.

1. Circana's tracked U.S. cycling category totaled $5.9 billion for the 12 months ending June 2026, down 2%. (Source: Circana, as reported by Shop Eat Surf Outdoor, September 2026)
2. Inflation-adjusted U.S. consumer spending on bicycles and accessories ran at a $6.3 billion annual rate in August 2026, essentially flat from a year earlier. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, via Bureau of Transportation Statistics)
3. Nearly 1 million e-bikes were bought or sold in the U.S. in 2024, including about 450,000 sold direct to consumers (about $800 million) that standard retail tracking misses. (Source: PeopleForBikes, June 2026)
4. E-bikes made up about 7% of U.S. bicycle unit sales in 2024, compared with 53% in Germany. (Source: PeopleForBikes, June 2026)

E-Bike Segment: Tariffs, Imports & Sourcing

E-bikes are the most tariff-exposed bicycle category. Government trade data does not separate e-bikes from other electric two-wheelers, so import counts rely on industry estimates.

1. Industry estimates of 2025 U.S. e-bike imports range from 1.3 million (Bicycle Market Research) to 2.2 million (LEVA). (Source: Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, March 2026; eCycleElectric, March 2026)
2. China's share of U.S. imports under the e-bike customs code fell from 94% of units in 2024 to 61% in 2025 and 46% in the first half of 2026. The code also covers e-motorcycles and e-scooters. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data via UN Comtrade (BBC analysis))
3. By value, Cambodia (27%), Vietnam (21%), China (18%), and Taiwan (18%) led U.S. imports under the e-bike customs code from January to August 2026. (Source: U.S. Census Bureau data via UN Comtrade (BBC analysis))
4. At the 2025 peak, Chinese e-bikes faced a combined tariff of 170%. (Source: Electrek, May 2025)
5. Lithium-ion batteries from China, the most expensive single component in an e-bike, pay a 25% Section 301 tariff since January 1, 2026, up from 7.5%, or about 40.9% all-in when imported on their own. (Source: Harmonized Tariff Schedule, 2026 Revision 22; BBC calculation)
6. In April 2026, after sustained industry advocacy, bicycles, e-bikes, and frames were kept off the Section 232 steel and aluminum tariff list, and the August 2025 decision that had put steel e-bikes under it was reversed. (Source: Electrek, April 2026; Thompson Hine, April 2026)

Sources

Every statistic on this page comes from a government agency, a Federal Reserve bank, an academic research group, an industry association or trade publication, or Brooklyn Bicycle Co.'s own calculation from official tariff and trade data, labeled "BBC calculation" or "BBC analysis." Figures taken from press coverage rather than the original publisher are marked "as reported by."

1. U.S. Supreme Court, Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump (2026)
2. Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (USITC)
3. Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
4. U.S. Census Bureau trade data
5. UN Comtrade (U.S. Census data)
6. U.S. Treasury, Monthly Treasury Statement
7. Yale Budget Lab
8. Federal Reserve Bank of New York (Liberty Street Economics)
9. Federal Reserve Board (FEDS Notes)
10. Federal Reserve Bank of Boston
11. Harvard Business School Pricing Lab
12. NFIB Small Business Economic Trends
13. PeopleForBikes
14. Bicycle Retailer and Industry News
15. Circana (via Shop Eat Surf Outdoor)
16. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (via BTS)
17. Goldman Sachs (via TheStreet)
18. Electrek
19. LEVA / eCycleElectric
20. Bicycle Market Research (via Bicycle Retailer)
21. Supply Chain Dive
22. Congressional Research Service