A version of this feature ran in the November issue of BRAIN.
WATERLOO, Wis. (BRAIN) — John Burke started in Trek's shipping department in 1984 and took over from his father and Trek founder Dick Burke as president in 1997. Burke's industry leadership has transcended Trek's position as the leading U.S. brand to encompass pivotal roles in the advocacy realm.
BRAIN: Trek and other brands have made downward price corrections over the past months. What's driving those decisions?
Burke: Our retailers asked us to be sharper on entry-level price points, and we made the decision to do so. The feeling is that we had gotten too expensive with tariffs and that we were missing customers.
BRAIN: The market disruption caused by X-Lab's pricing model has 49 Trek retailers carrying both brands. What's your guidance for retailers who are loyal to Trek and can't resist low prices?
Burke: We have built our business on partnering with retailers, and no one does more than Trek to help retailers make money. I'm more excited than ever by products and services we're working on to help our retailers survive and thrive in a competitive world.
We missed the boat! There are times in our history when we have led, and there are times when we have missed the market. The throttle market is a great example of a miss, and we've learned lessons from it. We have great throttle e-bikes in the market today and more on the way in the future.
Our focus is on Trek and what we can do to add value to retailers and support our consumers, not on XDS (X-Lab's parent company). There has never been more going on to build the business for Trek and Trek retailers than there is today.
BRAIN: The Trek FX+ 1 is a competitive Class 2 bike at $1,999. Why has Trek (and the other major brands) waited this long to cover this throttle use case and price point?
Burke: We missed the boat! There are times in our history when we have led, and there are times when we have missed the market. The throttle market is a great example of a miss, and we've learned lessons from it. We have great throttle e-bikes in the market today and more on the way in the future.
BRAIN: Unavoidable price increases seem to be driving a growing demand for used bikes. How is Trek's Red Barn Refresh program going?
Burke: It serves a real purpose. It gives bikes a second life and gets more people riding, which are both good reasons to keep it going.
BRAIN: Trek took the e-leadership role by further defining your three-class approach in July. Was your intent to head off Amflow and other brands with Avinox drive systems? Are other brands following suit in sticking to the established standards?
Burke: Our intent was simply to do the right thing. Over our 50 years, Trek has taken a leadership role on issues like recalls, NICA, women's professional cycling, sustainability, and the list goes on and on.
The industry has worked hard to get trail access for e-mountain bikes. In 2025, over 17,000 miles of trails across the United States were newly opened to Class 1 e-MTBs. In order to keep trail access, we need to be good citizens and get along with landowners and other trail users. Being a good citizen is not blasting your mountain bike at 28 mph past a hiker.
Someone needed to take a stand, so we did: 20 mph limits on e-MTBs and no throttles on e-MTBs.
Everyone else should do the same if they believe trail access for e-MTBs in the future is good for customers and the industry. It's also worth mentioning: the electric mountain business in Europe is 10 times what it is in the U.S., and the enforced assist limit is 25 km/h.
Policies and procedures
BRAIN: Trek is taking a different approach to pre-season orders, with a full-line request versus only asking for commitments on new or updated products. What's driving that from Trek's perspective?
Burke: Having our customers vote on the product line, so we can have product in stock when they need it. We asked for one-third of your annual volume. This gives our forecasting team a good indication of what people are going to buy in-season and allows our retailers to turn their inventory.
... We asked for one-third of your annual volume. This gives our forecasting team a good indication of what people are going to buy in-season and allows our retailers to turn their inventory.
BRAIN: A couple decades ago, Trek was offering a suite of five brands. Now you're using the Toyota model, with a premium brand (Trek) and a popular one (Electra). What are the strengths and weaknesses of a two-brand strategy vs. a five-brand one?
Burke: Toyota is consistently one of the world's most profitable car companies. Apple crushes it. Both companies are focused on simplicity. We have become students of the Toyota supply chain, and this is making a big difference.
BRAIN: Will we ever be done talking about the pandemic? Seems like Trek over-ordered like their competitors. Some expected Trek to take a more conservative Shimano course. What's your take looking back at 2020-21?
Burke: Yes. We are done talking about it. Many lessons were learned through this chapter in our industry's history. It's a fascinating subject, but not a simple story.
Advocacy
BRAIN: Trump's attack on bike infrastructure is unsettling. Will we need gains in November to "win" the upcoming reauthorization of the Federal transportation bill?
Burke: I am not a Republican or a Democrat. I am just an American. As a nation, we should be unsettled by more than just the president's attack on bike infrastructure. We should be unsettled by the general direction of the United States today.
For over 100 years, we have been the country on the global playground that has kept everyone in line. We have been the country that has helped people out when they needed it. We have been the country that has served as an example, and the country that people from all over the world aspired to live in or move to.
I am not a Republican or a Democrat. I am just an American. As a nation, we should be unsettled by more than just the president's attack on bike infrastructure. We should be unsettled by the general direction of the United States today.
BRAIN: The October PeopleForBikes SHIFT conference was planned to focus on increasing participation. How are we doing and what could we be doing better?
Burke: Great question. What could we be doing? We could start by getting a full picture of the data and exploring what's really happening today when it comes to participation. My gut tells me that ridership on bike trails is up, e-bike riding is up, and enthusiast riding is down. That's my gut feeling, but I would rather trust the data.
BRAIN: You were one of the founders of PeopleForBikes back in 1999. What is your personal level of involvement today? How would you evaluate PFB's progress over the past 27 years?
Burke: Multiple times every month, I'm in close contact with Bob Burns, Trek's VP of advocacy, who's in charge of this for Trek. I also check in with PeopleForBikes CEO Jenn Dice and others a few times a year. Over the last 27 years, PeopleForBikes has made amazing progress. It is by far the best advocacy group in the world.
Since 1999, PeopleForBikes' grant program has helped leverage billions in state and federal funding for bike projects. And that's only part of the work. When issues like tariffs or e-bike legislation come up, the industry has an amazing organization on the case. We all owe a debt of gratitude to the people over the years who have served PeopleForBikes. Their work has changed cycling for the better for all of us.
General
BRAIN: Over the past decade, e-bikes have flourished in amazing and alarming ways. Do you see a path forward to a state of stability for the category?
Burke: Yes, but we need strong standards and enforcement against companies selling motorcycles as e-bikes. Electric bikes can change lives. They can get more people riding, put them in their communities rather than in cars, turn them into advocates for better bike infrastructure, and the list goes on.
All of that goodness is put at risk when there are unregulated products traveling at motorcycle speeds on bike paths and trails. Stability will come when everyone agrees on the responsible definition of what an e-bike is and isn't. We've made our position clear.
BRAIN: Your father would be proud of where you've taken Trek. What would you say are your personal strengths and challenges that have either helped or held back Trek's progress?
Burke: I am the wrong person to assess that. There are many others who could do it better. The only thing that I will say is that I have a lot to improve on and that I remain a work in progress.
BRAIN: Who are the business, civic, or historic leaders you admire most, and how have their principles influenced the way you run Trek?
There is not a day that goes by that I do not use lessons from historic figures. A few of my favorites are Jim Collins, Nick Saban, Will Guidara, Steve Jobs, Theodore Roosevelt, Colin Powell, Bill Walton, Admiral McRaven, Dr. Richie Davidson, Simon Sinek, and General Stanley McChrystal.
Burke: I love to read, so the answer is many. There is not a day that goes by that I do not use lessons from historic figures. A few of my favorites are Jim Collins, Nick Saban, Will Guidara, Steve Jobs, Theodore Roosevelt, Colin Powell, Bill Walton, Admiral McRaven, Dr. Richie Davidson, Simon Sinek, and General Stanley McChrystal.
BRAIN: Do you have any interest or motivation to run for public office? What would appeal or not appeal to you about such a role?
Burke: I care about our country and I think we have had poor leadership for some time. I think the flood of money in politics has dumbed down the national conversation, producing brutal political campaigns about absolutely nothing that matters.
What we should be talking about is America's place in the world, how candidates plan to address climate change, and how they plan to restore fiscal responsibility in the country.
The U.S. government's gross national debt has surpassed $40 trillion, and the threat of nuclear war is higher than ever. When I see zero candidates with a plan for the issues that really matter, it bothers me. Will I do something about that? I don't know. All I am thinking about these days is Trek.
Trek-owned stores
BRAIN: There's been much speculation and misinformation about Trek's company-owned stores. How many do you own now and how many have closed since you purchased or opened them?
Burke: Around 400 around the world. We have probably closed 50 stores over the years.
We know a lot more today than we did five years ago. Overall, Trek-owned stores have been a great asset for Trek. They serve markets where we needed representation, or they are stores purchased from longtime Trek retailers who were looking for an exit.
BRAIN: If you had it to do all over, would you buy existing retail stores again? Would you open Trek-owned retail stores again? Why or why not?
Burke: Many of those decisions were made during the bike boom. Would we do it again? Yes, but not all of the stores.
We know a lot more today than we did five years ago. Overall, Trek-owned stores have been a great asset for Trek. They serve markets where we needed representation, or they are stores purchased from longtime Trek retailers who were looking for an exit.
We've learned a lot from owning retail, including that retail is hard. We share every lesson we learn with our IBD partners, and we make Trek-owned stores available to our retailers for training.
The future
BRAIN: How would you grade the overall financial health and resilience of independent bicycle dealers in North America today, and what must change for that grade to improve?
Burke: I would grade the financial health of IBDs as a B and their resilience as an A. Very few Trek retailers go out of business, and they do a very good job of paying their bills on time!
BRAIN: As part of your support services, you're recommending a succession plan for Trek retailers. What's your succession plan, John?
Burke: That would only be important for the Trek board to understand, and they get an update once a year on that topic!
BRAIN: How is Trek incorporating AI into its operations today, and how do you see AI fundamentally reshaping bicycle manufacturing, retail, and the broader industry over the next decade?
Burke: AI is fundamentally reshaping everything at Trek. Seatbelts on.
BRAIN: You're known for giving the industry "State of the Union" addresses. If you gave one today to shop owners and industry executives, what is the biggest opportunity we are failing to capitalize on?
Burke: NICA.
NICA gets kids outside, exercising with friends, not looking at screens. Everyone makes the team. Everyone gets to play. It's an incredible recipe that's making a real impact. If everyone in the industry got involved with NICA in a meaningful way, you would see that organization grow from 26,000 kids to 100,000 kids in 5 years and 500,000 kids by the end of the 2030s.
I had a conversation with Dr. Richie Davidson, a foremost expert in mental health and the founder of the Center for Healthy Minds. I asked him to rate the state of mental health in the United States today compared to 1984, assuming it was 100 in 1984.
His answer: "John, it's a 23. It's in the toilet." He explained one of the biggest problems is the phone. Americans look at their phone over 200 times a day.
One solution to improving mental health, according to Dr. Richie, is exercise and being outside.
NICA gets kids outside, exercising with friends, not looking at screens. Everyone makes the team. Everyone gets to play. It's an incredible recipe that's making a real impact.
If everyone in the industry got involved with NICA in a meaningful way, you would see that organization grow from 26,000 kids to 100,000 kids in 5 years and 500,000 kids by the end of the 2030s.
That kind of growth would redefine the industry. When a kid joins NICA, it's a multiplier. It brings the whole family into riding.
Here's a final thought: Utah has around 97,500 high school student-athletes and around 7,360 NICA participants. That's 7.6% of Utah's population of high school student-athletes.
7.6% may seem like a small number, but if that percentage of high school student-athletes across the entire United States joined NICA teams, there would be over 620,000 kids in NICA today. That would change everything. The industry would be better for it, and most importantly, the mental and physical health of hundreds of thousands of kids would improve.
BRAIN: The industry seems to be at least a little encouraged that 2026 is flat or slightly up. What does your crystal ball tell you about further recovery from COVID malaise?
Burke: If you look out 10 years and you make a bet on whether the bicycle industry will grow or contract, I would bet on growth.
The environment, the obesity epidemic, mental health issues, congestion, and the progress other countries are making all point to stronger demand in the future.
Running a business has never been easy. In the bike business, as well as most others, you have to be really good to be successful. That is the never-ending game.
