The US government has announced that bicycles, e-bikes and frames will no longer be subject to a proposed 50% steel and aluminium tariff, in a victory for the US bicycle industry.
The proposal to impose a 50% tariff on imported aluminium and steel came from kids bike company, Guardian, and an aluminium trade group in 2025.
However, the list of products subject to Section 232 steel and aluminium tariffs revealed by the White House last week does not include bicycles.
The decision comes after months of campaigning by the US trade association, PeopleForBikes. As part of the campaign, members of the public filed over 1,300 comments in opposition to the proposal - the most of any industry impacted by Section 232.
The administration has also removed a steel tariff on e-bikes that had been in effect from August of last year.
“This is a clear example of what happens when our industry shows up together,” said Jenn Dice, President and CEO of PeopleForBikes. “We’re incredibly grateful to the manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and riders who stepped up and made their voices heard.”
“Collective action sent a clear and powerful message about the real consequences these proposed tariffs would have on businesses, workers, and riders nationwide,” a statement by the group concluded.
While this is a success for the American bike market, companies including Rad Power Bikes, Kent Bicycles and Electric Bicycle Co. have already fallen victim to tariff-related price hikes. Giant and Canyon have also announced losses due to the combined impact of a post-COVID slump and tariffs.
Bike parts will also remain subject to tariffs between 25-50%, as the financial impact of the Trump administration continues to ricochet through the industry. Just last year, PeopleForBikes warned that the bike industry may not recover from the “devastating consequences” of the tariffs until 2030.
The redaction of bicycles from Section 232, however, represents a win for PeopleForBikes and the industry more widely.
"We want to recognize the hundreds of companies and leaders who took action, writing letters, submitting comments, and sharing their stories,” Dice said in a statement. “This win belongs to the entire industry.”
