Where Are Bikes Really Made? The Truth Behind the Frame

20 plus years in product design engineering, nearly a year spent abroad in China and over $2 billion in products designed, manufactured and shipped globally. Aaron, the owner of SDC, has a unique insight for the bicycle manufacturing industry.

Bicycles may seem simple on the surface, but behind every frame lies a global supply chain that’s anything but straightforward. From raw materials to final assembly, the journey of a bike spans continents, and the truth about where bikes are made might surprise you.

The process often starts in Australia, where bauxite (a type of rock that contains aluminum ore) is mined. That raw material is then processed into aluminum before being formed into tubes and welded into frames in often in Taiwan, the manufacturing hub of the bike world.

The components—like derailleurs, shifters, brakes, and drivetrains—typically come from Indonesia, Malaysia, and China, where large-scale production facilities churn out millions of parts for global brands.

This international assembly line makes modern bikes a product of many nations, not just the one printed on the down tube.

Even before the more recent trade tensions of the 2025 trade wars, import tariffs on bicycles were already significant—often as high as 45% of the total cost. These taxes, applied when goods cross borders, are part of why bike prices can seem disproportionately high compared to other consumer goods.

Many consumers still believe bikes are made in the U.S.—a misconception fueled by misleading marketing and, in some cases, outright deception. For years, #### instructed bike shops to remove “Made in Taiwan” stickers during assembly, giving the illusion that their bikes were domestically made. It wasn’t just an oversight—it was a widespread practice that contributed to confusion about the true origins of most bikes.

While most brands operate U.S. headquarters, many are now subsidiaries of large, international conglomerates, and true U.S. manufacturing is extremely rare.

There are a few high-end exceptions, even fewer than before:

• Ibis Cycles molds the Exie frame in the U.S.—a rare example of domestic carbon frame production.
• Allied Cycle Works initially built all frames in the U.S., but has since begun offshoring some of their production.
• Many small frame welders exist.   They are expensive, slow and not readily available for sale.
   

Both Ibis and Allied produce elite-level bikes in real production quantities, and their frames often cost several thousand dollars each, placing them well out of reach for the average cyclist.

Today’s bikes are high-tech machines crafted through a globally integrated process. While it’s easy to assume a brand with a U.S. name or address means local manufacturing, the reality is far more complex. The next time you’re looking at a new bike, remember—it may have traveled halfway around the world before landing on the showroom floor.