Bike imports up slightly in first half, as industry develops new sources

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — The number and value of non-electric bikes imported in the first half of 2026 increased slightly over the same period last year, new figures show. And the imported bikes’ country of origin shifted again as the industry hustles to respond to tariff changes amidst queasy market conditions.

In dollar value, first-half bike imports were valued at $453 million at Customs, up 1%.

In units, the U.S. brought in 4.2 million bikes, 7% more than in the first half last year, but still putting the U.S on track for a second consecutive year of importing fewer than 9 million bikes.

A 5% lower average import value per bike explains the disparity between the unit growth and dollar growth. Much of the average decrease came from an 11% decline in the value of small kids bikes — a segment dominated by the mass market. Some other bike categories more typically sold in bike shops saw average value increases (see chart below — and please go to the gallery thumbnails at the bottom to see larger images of all the charts). 

No e-bikes

The figures do not include e-bike imports, a significant contributor to the dollar value of imports. E-bike import figures are not directly available from government sources, and private estimates vary widely, with LEVA/eCycleElectric estimating that the U.S. imported 2.2 million e-bikes last year, while Bicycle Market Research put the number at 1.3 million. Neither LEVA nor BMR estimates the dollar value of e-bike imports. 

New sources

The country of origin of bikes continues to shift as the pie charts and table below show. Most countries saw an increase in the first half compared to the same period last year, except for China and Taiwan. Malaysia, Indonesia and India are rapidly becoming major bike-making nations for the U.S. market, joining Vietnam and Cambodia, which have seen growth in exports to the U.S. for several years now.