EXCLUSIVE — The Trump administration has quietly backed off from President Donald Trump’s threat to impose 50% steel and aluminum tariffs on imported bicycles, e-bikes, and bicycle frames.
In August 2025, the administration added e-bikes to the list of products covered by Trump’s steel tariffs. In October 2025, bicycles and frames were included in a list of products the Commerce Department wanted targeted by the president’s steel and aluminum tariffs.
However, the Trump administration rolled back both those moves last week. Trump signed a proclamation on April 2 specifying which products would be subject to the tariffs — bikes and frames were all kept off those lists.
The decision follows a lobbying campaign led by PeopleForBikes, an American bicycle industry trade association. PeopleForBikes also organized a public advocacy campaign, which resulted in more than 1,300 individuals voicing opposition to the tariffs last year.
PeopleForBikes CEO and President Jenn Dice confirmed that, following meetings with officials from the Commerce Department and the Office of the United States Trade Representative, e-bikes had also been removed from the list of products targeted by steel and aluminum tariffs.
“This is a clear example of what happens when our industry shows up together,” she said in a statement. “We’re incredibly grateful to the manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, and riders who stepped up and made their voices heard.”
“We also want to recognize the hundreds of companies and leaders who took action, writing
letters, submitting comments, and sharing their stories,” Dice continued. “This win belongs to the entire industry.”
TRUMP WARNS IRAN OF ‘COMPLETE DEMOLITION’ AHEAD OF TUESDAY DEADLINE
White House, Commerce Department, and USTR officials declined to comment on what specifically motivated their decision to back off the tariffs for bicycles, e-bikes, and frames.
Still, bikes aren’t totally exempt from Trump’s tariff schedule. Some component bicycle parts, including bicycle chains, remain subject to the president’s metals tariffs. Meanwhile, more than 80% of the U.S. e-bike market is currently manufactured in China. Those products and their components are still subject to the baseline 10%-15% Section 301 tariffs on the importation of all Chinese goods.