Happy Spring! Despite hitting 100F earlier than any previous year, moderately cool temps seem to be hanging around a little longer, and there’s nothing bad about that. You know what is bad? Tariffs. This month, we have a collection of all the usual fun stuff from around the bike world, with a focus on tariffs and what it means for the bike industry. Hope everyone’s doing well and enjoying some riding before the weather warms up!
A few takes on tariffs
Tariffs. Maybe you’ve been hearing about them? They’re up. They’re down. They’re paused. They’re uncertain. They’re far-reaching, and they’re causing havoc for many industries around the world, including bikes. I’m not about to weigh in with any new perspectives or speculations, but instead, compile a list from other folks in the industry with much more insight as to what this might all mean.
The first comes from Jan Heine of Rene Herse Cycles, where he takes an academic approach to where tariffs currently stand and what the increase might mean for many of the companies we support as a shop and as individuals. In particular, he breaks down each country’s increased tariff rate and its effect on Rene Herse as a business. Along with this, he discusses the difficulties with onshoring production in North America and gives a brief recap of some of the past and current companies making components here in the United States.
Just a couple weeks later, Stephen Fitzgerald of Rodeo Labs came out with his own take on recent events. Coming from someone who raced Unbound on Wal-Mart bikes, you can expect a more humorous piece that recounts how the news unfolded for him personally, some rough numbers to estimate how tariffs will increase prices, as well as a state of the state for Rodeo Labs as a business.
It’s hard to know exactly how this will all shakeout, but one thing’s for certain, it’s already having a massive impact on brands. Revel Bikes is closed, and Oveja Negra – one of our favorite brands here at the shop – just laid off nearly 50% of its staff.
With all that, keep in mind that it’s not just the things we buy and the companies we love who are being threatened. Congress has their eyes on selling off public lands in order to fund tax cuts, and lest we forget, public lands are critical to most of the iconic routes around the country, including our own bikepacking overnighters we host throughout the year. Make your voice heard here if you haven’t already.
More news!
- Julie Perilla and the Iditarod Trail: The Iditarod has piqued my interest of late, and here we have a recap from this year’s winner, Julie Perilla. Click through the link at the bottom of the short write-up to read more about this year’s event.
- 200 Miles of Orogensis: For those following this colossal effort of building the longest mountain bike trail in the world. Two hundred miles of reclaimed trail around Mount Saint Helens.
- The Garage Racing National Championships: Crit racing at its finest.
- Tom Ritchey’s “One Ride Away….”: The Kickstarter for Tom’s book is fully funded and continuing to accept donations through May 15th. Personal memoir, cycling history, and photos from one of the legends of the sport.
- Pretty Great Instant Coffee: Lachlan Morton’s instant coffee brand that’s true to its name.
- QUOC x MAAP Gran Tourer XC Shoes: I didn’t think I’d ever been wearing or recommending cycling-specific shoes, but these are great.
- How to Go Fast with Jan Heine: Ted King interviews Jan to discuss tire technology and the nuances of how to cover ground quickly.
- Cycling the Americas: Episode 2 from Ryan and Ilse as they pedal from the southern tip of South America. Their website is also a great resource for long-term bike touring.
- Montañas Vacías Sound Recordings: One of my favorite creative takes on a bikepacking route. A three-part album with field recordings from one of the more popular European routes.
- Josh Chapple’s Custom Touring Journals: Hands-down my favorite item from the list this month. Josh took input from several folks as to what should be included in a touring-specific journal and then had them custom printed. Only $8. Do yourself a favor.
Leaving you with a scene from another piece of news in the last couple of months – the Mid South canceled due to wildfire. The event went from thousands of people and bikes celebrating to a pandemic-esque evacuation of the town in a matter of hours.
