- Tariffs on imported bike parts and products from countries like China, Vietnam, and Taiwan could raise prices by 20–30% for U.S. consumers.
- Valdosta Bike Center is already two weeks behind on repairs and expects to have around 60 bikes in the shop for service within the next month.
- Watch the video to hear from Valdosta Bike Center, a local bike shop that's confident they'll still thrive.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From frames and tires to helmets and pedals, the U.S. bicycle market relies heavily on foreign-made gear. Nearly all of it comes from countries now facing steep tariffs, like China and Vietnam.
That matters in small towns like Valdosta, where most riders turn to local shops for parts and repairs—not big box stores.
Shawn Eikenberry owns Valdosta Bike Center, a neighborhood staple currently swamped with work, especially as people try to buy before the hikes.
"Right now, we're running about two weeks on a repair cycle, which means we got 25 to 30 bikes in here that will probably get up to around 60 over the next month or so."
Eikenberry says his suppliers haven't given him exact price increases just yet—but he's seen similar changes before.
"I will say that a couple years ago on electric bikes, they put a tax on every electric bike coming into our country and they added $200 to it. But what our company and what we didn't do is we didn't, we didn't pass that on to the consumer. This time, we're not going to do that."
He says while prices may rise slightly, his business is built on labor—and local trust.
"I think we'll learn from this as well, and I think that, you know, we're all going to be OK because the community will support the local businesses."
Still, some local cycling enthusiasts are already feeling the pinch. Thurston Lamb, local cyclist and bike repairer, says parts are getting pricier—and harder to find.
"I love bringing them back alive, man, you know? I love putting them back together. Love doing that."
With some repairs already delayed 2–3 weeks at our main shop, these tariffs could slow your next ride even more. In Valdosta, I’m Malia Thomas, reporting for ABC27.
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