Offshore ebike manufacturers to disappear in 2025

[JoeDirt]

So I figured I would ask this question because I think there's a lot of speculation on ebike manufacturers that are primarily unknown and or offshore with online ordering only.

Do we have any forecast as to what ebike manufacturers offshore will be disappearing in the coming year or on the verge of disappearing.
It seems there are so many popping up, and lots of user comments of no support or lack of support.
For my dollar if I can't get a solid phone support or a storefront or communication to resolve issues via new parts under warranty, I'm out and would not purchase an offshore bike. A couple of $100 is a risk but a few thousand is a sucker.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[arcom]

If Trump has his way, there'll be a 40% tariff on ebikes (directly) exported from China. That can't bode well for the industry.

 

[teskow]

The first ebike I bought was when Trump first put tariffs on them, they (Juiced) tacked on $300.00. I was not a happy camper and it wasn't as large a tariff as he is proposing this time.
around either.
You will be hard pressed to find bikes or most of the components not made in China. Buy now or pay later would be my advice.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Keep in mind that there are a lot of reasons manufacturers are shutting down and (more often) exiting certain markets. Especially at mid-range prices but sometimes for no-name imported e-bikes there is still a huge glut of inventory left over from the pandemic, when demand for bicycles of all kinds (but most notably e-bikes) was insane and because of supply chain disruptions few bikes were available.

I still see 2022 and 2023 bikes on showroom floors at bike shops.

You should also keep in mind that if you are concerned about support and service for your e-bike it is reasonable to assume that if you purchase your e-bike direct from the manufacturer online there will be zero support and service.

 

[m@Robertson]

Never mind Trump. The ebike industry was already ailing something fierce. and we have already seen manufacturers go belly up this year. We'll see more, and it will have nothing to do with any tariffs.

For example: Juiced Bikes went belly up just a short time ago. Yamaha just announced they were leaving the USA market and are selling off their inventory at 60% off (partly because nobody would buy it otherwise).

 

[fooferdoggie]

Never mind Trump. The ebike industry was already ailing something fierce. and we have already seen manufacturers go belly up this year. We'll see more, and it will have nothing to do with any tariffs.

For example: Juiced Bikes went belly up just a short time ago. Yamaha just announced they were leaving the USA market and are selling off their inventory at 60% off (partly because nobody would buy it otherwise).

the pandemic had them go crazy but it was unstasanable. if people wanted to ride bikes they would be riding bikes,.

 

[JoeDirt]

Yeah it's a diverse topic and interesting to say the least and I agree that we do have a gluttony of e-bikes that are emerging and disappearing.

I'm a road bike cyclist and I see e-bikes around quite a bit in my area but I will say there's still more people peddling manually than with pedal assist ebikes.

So all in all I did my bit to support the ebike industry, I just chose to go with a company that manufactures them in their country and has been around for 120 years.

 

[Joe Yeti]

IMHO the upside is the major makers of components will probably still be around Bafang is not going anywhere for example. The bigger unknown is that China's economy is a disaster.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

And good riddence. There have been too many purveyors of the same products with different branding, most of which were not committed to a dedicated service network, service manuals, and a well stocked parts inventory. That's a normal growth feature for the industry like this which exploded with the rise of COVIDmania, but now we need mature companies that will provide reliable service networks, well stocked parts inventory, and service support for those that want to service and repair thier own bikes.

 

[m@Robertson]

I'm a road bike cyclist and I see e-bikes around quite a bit in my area but I will say there's still more people peddling manually than with pedal assist ebikes.

Same here (i.e. background is road bike). And for some time ebikes were a rarity, with the riders in the local area being me, a ton of tourists on rentals and almost everyone else being a local commuting on an analog or a spandex fitness rider on same.

Then maybe about a year ago I looked up from my handlebars and paid attention... I realized that ebikes had somehow, very quietly, become the majority. And now... they are damn near all of them. I'm even seeing roadies on the things which was something I formerly had only seen in a magazine ad. I passed a bike rack Monday with no less than three cargo bikes parked in it. At one time I was the only one in town, and for some time the only others were rental bikes for tourists. Now I'm seeing actual local residents riding the things.

I've been expecting ubiquity to be the death knell for all the ebike hating you see coming from municipalities, what with bans and all... and that seems to be happening here. For a time there were all manner of up-in-arms city council meetings, with talks of bans and imposition of a 12 mph speed limit on the path. Then there were cops on the main drag for a short time ... and then all of it just went away. We're back to 'nobody cares' again.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Then maybe about a year ago I looked up from my handlebars and paid attention... I realized that ebikes had somehow, very quietly, become the majority. And now... they are damn near all of them

When we moved to coastal north San Diego County two years ago, that was already the case. Ebikes dominated by at least 8 to 1 then and even moreso now. The lycra folks are pretty much the only regular bike riders left.

Most of the ebikes here, then and now, serve mainly as utility bikes for transportation and errands — thanks at least in part to our many hills and very good bike infrastructure.

School kids are the largest user group by a good margin but you see all ages, including lots of seniors like me. The older riders tend to favor commuters, the younger ones Rad- and Super73-style 20" fatties.

Getting outside seems to be another common use, but mainly with ghost-pedaling.

I've been expecting ubiquity to be the death knell for all the ebike hating you see coming from municipalities, what with bans and all... and that seems to be happening here. For a time there were all manner of up-in-arms city council meetings, with talks of bans and imposition of a 12 mph speed limit on the path. Then there were cops on the main drag for a short time ... and then all of it just went away. We're back to 'nobody cares' again

Same trajectory here.

 

[Chargeride]

Trumpy uses these announcements for bargaining, his whole life is 'the deal', he wrote a book about the art of it.

Im pretty sure the actual reality will be far less harmful......crosses toes.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Trumpy uses these announcements for bargaining, his whole life is 'the deal', he wrote a book about the art of it.

Im pretty sure the actual reality will be far less harmful......crosses toes.

all someone needs to do is give him money or praise and he will reverse faster than the GOP on helping others.

 

[harryS]

I know the ebikes are out there, but we mostly ride our local trail and don't see a lot, especially now that summer is gone and it's cold, Just the local diehard cyclists now. All our ebikes are home conversions. I'm picking up a vintage Raleigh tomorrow to convert over the winter.

Sure, there are hundreds of one and done ebike importers. We'll see their inventory dumped on the market for almost nothing, Might be the second golden age of cheap ebiking, if we can keep the batteries from blowing up,

 

[Rás Cnoic]

Trumpy uses these announcements for bargaining, his whole life is 'the deal', he wrote a book about the art of it.

Im pretty sure the actual reality will be far less harmful......crosses toes.

Yeah except as typical for Trumpy, he didn’t actually write that book!

“I put lipstick on a pig,” Tony Schwartz, the ghostwriter,

 

[kojack]

I am wondering what will happen up here? Will timbit trump follow suit when he becomes prime minister?

 

[Rás Cnoic]

Never mind Trump. The ebike industry was already ailing something fierce. and we have already seen manufacturers go belly up this year. We'll see more, and it will have nothing to do with any tariffs.

For example: Juiced Bikes went belly up just a short time ago. Yamaha just announced they were leaving the USA market and are selling off their inventory at 60% off (partly because nobody would buy it otherwise).

If he brings in tariffs it’s going to be complicated as nearly all big bike manufacturers have their bikes made in Asia including all the US companies. And often frames and parts are made in different regions and countries. So if an American company has its frames made in China and groupset in Vietnam (Shimano) say, then how is it impacted? And it’s usually far more complex than that. My local bike shop once showed me a pair of mtb gloves during covid: the padding was made in one factory the basic glove in another and the rubberised logo in a third all in different countries. At the time the factory that made the logo was locked down in its Chinese city so the manufacturer had thousands of these gloves in a warehouse unable to move them while they waited for the logo to arrive. Take Giant for example they are Taiwan based so could possibly escape a narrow Chinese Tariff regime? but they also have huge factories in mainland China. Interesting times ahead. It’s one thing to make a big announcement but the world is now interlinked in extremely complex ways.

 

[kojack]

If he brings in tariffs it’s going to be complicated as nearly all big bike manufacturers have their bikes made in Asia including all the US companies. And often frames and parts are made in different regions and countries. So if an American company has its frames made in China and groupset in Vietnam (Shimano) say, then how is it impacted? And it’s usually far more complex than that. My local bike shop once showed me a pair of mtb gloves during covid: the padding was made in one factory the basic glove in another and the rubberised logo in a third all in different countries. At the time the factory that made the logo was locked down in its Chinese city so the manufacturer had thousands of these gloves in a warehouse unable to move them while they waited for the logo to arrive. Take Giant for example they are Taiwan based so could possibly escape a narrow Chinese Tariff regime? but they also have huge factories in mainland China. Interesting times ahead. It’s one thing to make a big announcement but the world is now interlinked in extremely complex ways.

He's going to do whatever his idol to the south of us does so it panders to the dumbass base of his.

 

[Chargeride]

I first discovered ebikes in Austria, the hotel had a brand new one you could use.
Came home and built a Frankenstein bike, all my mates were mocking it.
Now theyve all got one.

It all started cos Im a lazy duck

 

[jabberwocky]

Offshore bike manufacturers (which is, to some extent, basically all bike manufacturers) are not going to go away. They will get more expensive. Even with 100% tarrifs China and Asia will still be the cheapest (or only) game in town and they will continue to make our stuff. Companies will just raise prices to cover the tax increase.

Some of the really marginal stuff might outright go away. Like, bottom barrel aliexpress or ebay ebikes may just not make sense anymore. I don't think those sorts of products will even attempt to comply with tarriffs, they will just try to stay under the radar, so it will really depend on how much enforcement is actually done.

Interesting times ahead. It’s one thing to make a big announcement but the world is now interlinked in extremely complex ways.

This is what people really don't understand. Even if you're a unicorn company that makes absolutely everything in non-tarriffed countries using entirely native materials and labor, the cost of actually proving that to a country with an extensive tarriff system can be pretty high and will likely raise prices even for them. Its not like shipping and importing is free. Make it more burdensome with regulation (gotta check everything closely to see who should be paying those tarriffs) and importing costs will go up in general.