How Tariffs Are Inflating Mountain Bike Prices — and What You Can Do About It

Understanding Mountain Bike Tariffs in the USA 2025

In the dry heat of a Las Vegas spring, Jared Fisher walks through his bike shop, past rows of shiny new rigs. Road bikes, mountain bikes, e-bikes. All lined up like racehorses, waiting for someone to bet on them. But these days, every price tag has two numbers. One is what the bike should cost. The other is what it costs now, post-tariffs. The difference is circled in red and labeled bluntly: “Tariff Tax.”

Fisher isn’t trying to make a political point. He’s trying to stay in business. Like many small bike retailers across the U.S., he’s grappling with the aftermath of new federal tariffs that have jacked up prices on imported bikes and parts. The impact? A $1,200 hardtail that now runs close to $2,000. An e-bike that cost $2,500 last year? Try $4,000.

The numbers are real. The frustration is mounting. And the ripple effects are hitting riders square in the wallet.

A Breakdown of the Tariffs

Here’s the math: as of early 2025, adult bicycles imported from China are subject to a staggering 81% tariff. E-bikes face a 70% rate. These aren’t hypothetical fees. They’re applied at the port, baked into wholesale prices, and passed directly to retailers like Fisher.

Most bikes sold in the U.S. are imported from Asia. China, Taiwan, and Vietnam dominate the supply chain, especially for affordable and mid-range bikes. So when the tariffs hit, they hit nearly everything.

Shops now face the logistical headache of dual pricing. Inventory purchased pre-tariff is priced lower than the new batch, leading to confusion and hard conversations with customers. “It makes us look like we’re jacking prices randomly,” one shop owner told us. “But it’s the tariff, not the markup.”

The Industry Response

Big brands and small importers alike are scrambling. Kent International, one of the largest U.S. bike importers, halted shipments from China altogether. Others are moving production to Taiwan or exploring domestic assembly. But that’s easier said than done. The U.S. doesn’t have the manufacturing capacity to replace Asian output overnight.

For consumers, that means longer lead times, reduced selection, and higher prices.

It also means that the economics of cycling are shifting. Enthusiasts might still pony up, but new riders? Parents looking for a budget-friendly kids’ bike? That $400 entry point just got a lot steeper.

The Homegrown Exception

But not every brand is bound to the same fate. Some manufacturers are dodging the tariffs entirely by building their bikes right here in the U.S.

Bike Brands:

• Alchemy Bikes (CO) – Alchemy may be closing but there appear to be some bikes still available on their site. Known for its obsessive craftsmanship and slick, made-to-order carbon and titanium bikes, Alchemy builds everything in-house in Golden, Colorado.
• Allied Cycle Works (AR) – A pioneer in domestic carbon production, Allied handcrafts frames in Rogers, Arkansas, and is lauded for its clean integration and race-ready geometry.
• Argonaut Cycles (OR) – Offering bespoke carbon road bikes made in Bend, Oregon, Argonaut is for riders who want tailored geometry and obsessive attention to ride quality.
• Lynskey Performance (TN) – The Lynskey family invented the modern titanium bike frame. Their Chattanooga-based shop still produces some of the best ti bikes in the world.
• American Bicycle Group (TN) – Makers of Litespeed, Obed, and Quintana Roo, ABG produces triathlon, gravel, and road bikes from its state-of-the-art facility in Tennessee.

Components:

• Chris King (OR) – Precision hubs, headsets, and bottom brackets made to last a lifetime in Portland.
• Paul Components (CA) – Machined in Chico, these parts are anodized eye candy with real performance.
• Wolf Tooth Components (MN) – Known for clever drivetrain solutions and beautiful finishing touches.
• Cane Creek (NC) – Suspension and cockpit innovations including the legendary eeSilk seatpost.
• Phil Wood & Co. (CA) – A legacy brand known for bombproof hubs and bottom brackets.
• 5DEV (CA) – A newcomer with aerospace credentials, 5DEV makes wild-looking cranks and pedals.
• Cascade Components (WA) – Specializes in high-performance MTB upgrades like linkages and chain guides, all CNC-machined in Bellingham.

Buying domestic isn’t always cheaper. But it’s transparent. And these days, that counts for something.

Navigating the New Normal

If you’re shopping for a bike right now, brace yourself. Here’s how to ride smarter:

• Check the country of origin. Tariffed items come from China. Made-in-USA options are tariff-free.
• Ask your local shop. They’re the ones balancing old stock and new prices. They can steer you right.
• Consider custom or used. In some cases, a hand-built steel frame from a U.S. builder might be less than a tariff-bloated carbon import.

Conclusion: A Fork in the Trail

These tariffs aren’t going away soon. And while this isn’t a referendum on trade policy, it is a wake-up call. The U.S. bike market has been dependent on cheap imports for decades. That era just hit a speed bump.

For riders, that means being more intentional. About what you ride. About who you support. About where your money goes.

And maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Not if it helps bring more frame builders back home. Not if it lets small shops like Jared Fisher’s keep their doors open.

Not if it makes us all a little more aware of the true cost behind the price tag.