Important Update: How New Tariffs Will Affect Bicycle and EBike Prices

Last summer, we informed you about the implementation of new U.S. tariffs on bikes and e-bikes from China — a 25% increase that affected prices across the industry. Fast forward to August 2025, and the tariff landscape has grown even more complex, with broader trade policies now impacting nearly all bicycle imports, regardless of origin.

We’re here to break it down and help you understand what it means for your favorite two-wheeled rides — and what you can do about it.

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What’s New in 2025?

April 2025: Broad-Based Tariff Expansion

In early April, the U.S. government enacted sweeping new trade policies:

• A 10% universal tariff applied to nearly all imports (excluding Canada and Mexico).
  
  

• Reciprocal tariffs were layered on top, targeting specific countries — with China facing some of the steepest penalties.
  
  

Combined with preexisting duties (like the original Section 301 tariffs and fentanyl-linked surcharges), this pushed the total import tax on China-made e-bikes and bikes as high as 145%.

May 2025: Temporary Relief

In May, a short-term agreement reduced these China-specific tariffs to a combined 30% base rate — in effect until August 10, 2025. But even with this temporary relief, total tariffs on China-origin bikes and e-bikes still hover around 75–80% when all layers are included.

August 2025: More Changes Coming

On August 1, the U.S. government announced new country-specific reciprocal tariffs scheduled to take effect August 7. These will further increase the total duties on bike imports from many of Retrospec’s key manufacturing regions, including Taiwan, Vietnam, Cambodia, and others.

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How Tariffs Affect You

Let’s break down what this means for bicycles and e-bikes:

🚲 Non-Electric Bicycles

⚡ E‑Bikes

The actual total cost varies based on the product category and HTS classification, but one thing is clear: pricing across the board has gone up — and may rise again after August 7.

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What Retrospec Is Doing

We’re committed to offering the most accessible bikes and e-bikes on the market, and that includes:

• Strategically managing our sourcing to balance costs and quality.
  

• Stocking up ahead of tariff hikes to minimize price increases for our customers.
  

• Monitoring tariff policy closely so we can adapt quickly.
  

But no matter what, our goal remains the same: get more people outside, on wheels, enjoying the ride.

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What You Can Do

✅ Buy Now (Before August 7)

If you’ve had your eye on a new Retrospec bike or e-bike, now is the time. As reciprocal tariffs expand, prices are expected to rise again — especially for bikes assembled outside the U.S.

✅ Look for Country of Origin

Products manufactured in China face the highest cumulative tariffs, while those from Taiwan, Vietnam, or Cambodia are lower (for now). Domestic assembly or U.S.-based parts also help reduce the tariff burden.

✅ Stay Informed

We’ll continue to provide updates as policy evolves. You can always check our blog or reach out to our team for the latest.

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TL;DR

• China-made bikes/e-bikes are currently taxed at ~75–80%.
  

• Products from Taiwan, Vietnam, and others face ~43–50% in tariffs.
  

• More rate hikes are coming August 7 due to new reciprocal tariffs.
  

• Expect price increases on affected products — buy now to beat the changes.
  
  

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We’re grateful for your support as we navigate this changing trade landscape. Thanks for riding with Retrospec — through smooth paths and rough roads alike.

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Recent legislation is impacting the Bike and EBike markets in the United States. On June 14, 2024, the U.S. government will implement a 25% tariff on bicycles, ebikes, kids bikes, and other related products imported from China. As a result, we’ve had to make the very difficult decision to raise prices on some of our bikes and ebikes by an average of 13%.

Why are bike prices increasing?

The current tariff is set at 25%, but future tariffs could potentially rise even higher, with proposals suggesting increases up to 60% or more. With approximately 90% of bicycles sold in the U.S. being manufactured in China, the bicycle industry as a whole cannot avoid these tariffs in the short term, and there aren’t enough bicycles produced outside of China to meet U.S. demand immediately. 

When will bike prices increase?

The tariff goes into effect on June 14, 2024, but we do not plan to raise prices on the inventory we already have. Many of our bikes that are currently in transit will be affected, so some models will see price increases as early as June 14, while others will follow in the subsequent months as new shipments arrive. 

What does this mean for you?

If you're planning to purchase a new bike, now is the time to do so. We are doing everything in our power to delay increasing our prices, but eventually we, like many other U.S.-based bicycle retailers, will be unable to avoid these steep cost increases. We strongly recommend that you purchase your bike or ebike now to take advantage of our lower prices while you still can.

Which retrospec bikes are affected?

Here's a list of the retrospec bike models that will experience price increases. If you were thinking about purchasing one of these models, we recommend buying as soon as possible to avoid higher prices:

Pedal Bikes:

• All Chatham Beach Cruisers
• Judd Folding Bike

Electric Bikes:

• Abbot Rev Commuter
• Abbot Rev Commuter ST
• Beaumont Rev 2 ST
• Boca Rev
• Chatham Rev 2 Beach Cruiser
• Chatham Rev 2 Beach Cruiser ST
• Chatham Rev+ Beach Cruiser
• Chatham Rev+ Beach Cruiser ST
• Jax Rev Folding
• Joe Rev BMX
• Judd Rev Folding
• Koa Rev 2 Fat Tire
• Koa Rev 2 Fat Tire ST
• Koa Rev+ 2 Fat Tire
• Koa Rev+ 2 Fat Tire ST
• Napa Rev Fitness Hybrid
• Napa Rev Fitness Hybrid ST
• Valen Rev 2 Fat Tire
• Valen Rev+ Fat Tire
• Valen Rev+ Fat Tire ST

Kids Bikes:

• Beaumont Mini 16"
• Chatham 24" Beach Cruiser
• Dart 20" 7-Speed
• Dart 24"
• Koda 12"
• Koda 16"
• Koda 20"
• Koda 24" 7-Speed
• Koda Plus 12"
• Koda Plus 16"
• Koda Plus 20"
• Sesh 20" Youth BMX

Stay Informed

We are committed to keeping you informed about any further changes. As our planning progresses, we will continue to provide updates to ensure you have the most current information.

Thank you for your continued support. Stay tuned for more updates, and happy riding!

Ely Khakshouri

CEO, retrospec