Brexit has the potential to influence many aspects of life, including your choice of new bike or components.
The issue of an unresolved Brexit is claiming its first mountain biking casualties.
Rose bikes announced that it has suspended orders to the UK, due to uncertainty over the Brexit situation.
Although Rose is hardly a volume player in the UK mountain bike market, the broader German industry might enact similar business protocols.
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Canyon and YT both have a notable presence in the UK market and although the latter has a physical prescence at the YT Mill, it is not a retail outlet, while Canyon’s customer direct business model is deeply vulnerable to an uncertain Brexit.
As a precautionary measure, Canyon has momentarily paused its shipping of both bikes and support parts to the UK. Canyon told us: “We have paused shipments to the UK while we make changes to our systems to cater for the legislation around Brexit post Jan 1st, but this was planned and not a knee jerk reaction to any issues at the border. We are set up better than ever for how we will handle orders, no orders are being cancelled and we are committed to the UK market.”
Radon Bikes, sold through online giant Bike-Discount.de has also suspended UK sales and shipments.
The broader free trade agreement with Europe allowed certain continental bike brands to use economies of scale and deliver builds at very competitive prices. A benchmark 14% tariff on bike imports from Europe, would erode much of that pricing advantage.
Buying local?
An unsolved Brexit has only compounded the looming stock and inventory shortages triggered by lockdown and a surge in cycling popularity.
With many Asian production facilities struggling to reintegrate their supply chain commitments, ports unable to process a glut of containers
If UK mountain bikers do find themselves behind a new tariff structure soon, it will inevitably cause price increases, which might direct a renewed interest in local brands.
The UK domestic frame market is significant, with an array of specialist steel and aluminium brands. These companies could benefit from increased demand and more competitive pricing, compared to imported European brands, if a Brexit tariff structure is enacted.
A possibility for 2021 might be great deals on UK domestic steel or aluminium frames, although you could struggle to find all the exact grade components, to complete a build.