WASHINGTON, DC (BRAIN) — Imports of adult bikes — 24-inch wheel sizes and higher — were up 292,875 bikes over the first quarter in 2012, a 20 percent increase, according to Thursday's release of bicycle import statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The greater number of high-value adult bikes in the import mix and their higher average selling price pushed the average value of imports 20 percent over last year to $112 each.
The story is different for kids' bikes, down 374,424 bikes from the same period in 2012. Sidewalk and 20-inch imports were down 20 and 21 percent, respectively.
Overall, the slowdown in kids' imports brought imports overall down 2 percent for the quarter, a shortfall of 60,594 bikes.
Imports of 650b bikes also are starting to show up, indirectly. The government imports bikes under traditional wheel sizes, 20-inch, 24-inch, 26-inch and 700c, so 650b bikes do not readily fit those categories. But, imports under the “other” category grew by 20,955 bikes, a 200 percent increase. This could reflect imports of 650b bikes being captured in this category.
