With tariff talks dominating news around the world, mountain bikers may be wondering if this will affect bike prices, and if so, by how much. It’s a difficult story to cover given how quickly things are changing, but now, it seems, we’re starting to get some signs of how the bike industry is handling the situation.
Rather than asking industry reps to speculate on what might happen, or how they might react, I’ll focus on the actions that several brands have already taken in response to tariff announcements and related costs.
They’re increasing prices
This week, Bell Helmets sent an email to customers announcing price increases. “Due to increased costs, we’ve made the tough decision to implement a price increase, effective in May.” The message goes on to say they’ll share new pricing information shortly.
Another company, family-owned Allen Sports, recently announced a new, high-tech bike rack, which was set to be priced at $499. But just days before the launch, the brand increased the price to $699, blaming recently announced tariffs. The price of the Smart Suction bike rack is now even higher — $1,000 — though a rep for the brand notes that if tariffs are decreased, the price of the rack will follow.
Customers are reporting that Trek has quietly increased prices on most models. For example, the Trek Top Fuel 9 Singletracks reviewed last year is now listed at $5,249.99 on the Trek website, up from $4,799 at the time of our review, which is an increase of roughly 9.4%. Trek calls this price the “Comp Value,” which it describes as the “price at which Trek has offered the item for sale, and also the MSRP we provide to third-party resellers based on the prices of competing items in the market.”
Buyers across the board, and not just mountain bikers, appear to be speeding up purchases in anticipation of higher prices in the future. Bell, for their part, is encouraging customers to buy now before prices go up.
“If you’ve been considering upgrading your lid with a new Bell helmet or getting one for the little ripper, now’s the time to grab it at the current price!”
All those extra purchases are slowing shipping (again)
A few years ago, when buyers were flush with cash and spending on bikes and items for the home, shipping became a challenge for bicycle importers. Not only did this mean longer lead times, it also added to the cost as freight companies raised their rates substantially given increased demand. Now, with purchases of vehicles and electronics surging, it appears a similar dynamic is playing out in shipping once again.
Minnesota-based Esker Cycles says that though “some new tariffs have already gone into effect—tripling costs on certain components and materials,” the small company plans to absorb most of those costs and their prices will remain the same. However, new bikes have been delayed due to shipping bottlenecks.
“With shipping congestion at an all-time high (wait…AGAIN!?), things are moving slower than expected. We now expect our shipments to land in May,” they wrote in an email to customers.
Fewer bike orders
Another bike brand, Borealis, told Bicycle Retailer that it isn’t planning to place any orders with suppliers for the 2025-26 season. Instead, the company says it will focus on selling through its current inventory.
After years of whipsaw changes in supply and demand for bikes, it’s likely we’ll continue to see mismatches going into the 2026 season at least.
Tariff surcharges could be coming
Like Bell, Specialized is encouraging customers to make their purchases before May 1. After that date, the brand plans to add a tariff surcharge to all bike purchases, according to Bicycle Retailer. Retail pricing for bicycles will remain the same, with an additional, separate line item added for tariffs. This allows Specialized to adjust the amount based on what the actual tariffs end up costing, rather than having to change prices in real time.
Though customers hate extra fees — think surcharges for take-out orders and hotel resort fees — we could see other bike brands adopting a similar tack. Specialized promises to make the fee as transparent as possible, so customers know exactly how much is being added due to tariffs.
Your turn: Are you stocking up on bike gear in anticipation of tariff increases?
4 Comments
Apr 18, 2025
Apr 19, 2025
Apr 19, 2025
The bicycle industry is notorious for playing the "raise the price" game and having a meltdown when they end up either having a reset or being hugged by CHAPTER 7.
Unfortunately, the industry still has not figured it out. Sorry about their luck.
Apr 18, 2025