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Bikes in the age of tariffs

renehersecycles.com

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Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#51

Post by alkonaut »

whynotmaybe wrote: post #19

> Let’s do the math: Take a kid’s bike that retails at a big box store for $ 150. Let’s assume that bike costs $ 30 to make. The rest of the cost is shipping to the U.S., warehousing, transport to the store, marketing, admin costs, customer service, warranty, retailer profits, etc. Whether the bike is made in China, Vietnam or Cambodia, the new 34-38% tariffs will increase the cost by ‘only’ $ 10-12. (The old tariffs…

It's astonishning that we are discussing a price hike of asian made mass-market products (effectively your entire Amazon or Wal-Mart inventory from floor to ceiling) of 10% or more, and that's "just 10-13%" now? As if that alone wouldn't be felt more than the 2008 financial crisis in the pockets of Americans.

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#52

Post by mullingitover »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #39
mullingitover wrote: post #13

I've never been a political donor, I might've thrown $20 into a small donation a couple times. However, it seems financially irresponsible not to pour everything up to the legal limit into punishing everyone involved in this tax hike to the maximum extent.

The politics are important, and that effort must continue, but also directly targeting conservative voters economically. When they have distressed assets to sell, farmland, homes, businesses, I am ready to buy at a substantial discount. I have prepared to lever up with access to debt for this opportunity, and I recommend others who can do so. I want to buy when there is blood in the streets (economically), but only t…

People expect to be able to take advantage of events like this, but if you're working for a living when there's blood in the streets, it's your blood. If you're an investor who wasn't correctly catching the falling knife (or insider trading) it's also your blood in the streets.

The Peter Thiels of the world are who this move is for, not us plebes who spend time posting on HN.

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#53

Post by type0 »

teddyh wrote: post #33
mmooss wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course there are enormous benefits to globalization: economies of scale, efficiency and lower prices, quality from specialization (wine from France, beer from Germany, etc), increased competition, etc. To think protectionism will benefit the economy is ignorant. The global system of free trade and human rights has been the most free, prosperous, and peaceful era of humanity by far. Whole nations lifted from deep p…

If your country outlaws slavery and child labor, but imports freely (i.e. without tariffs) from countries which allows it, why does your country even have those laws? It’s certainly not to protect children or people from slavery; they’ve just exported the negative effects to other countries.

Or replace it with child labor in US itself

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/29/florida-repu...

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#54

Post by xmprt »

beloch wrote: post #21
sandworm101 wrote: post #2

>> Our rulers seem to think that the U.S. imports more than it exports, so the net effect will be positive. It is eye opening to see people so casually speak of American "rulers". Not politicians. Not business leaders. Rulers. That's new.

It reflects the nature of the current trade war. It's not congress levying import taxes. It's not the secretary of commerce. (Lutnick has been completely out of the loop at times during the Canada-U.S. trade-war.) It's Trump declaring spurious emergencies to abuse IEEPA and unilaterally pass tariff's without the approval of congress. At the same time, the Trump administration has taken issue with the independence of…

The checks and balances still exists in theory. The problem is that a slim majority in congress and a slim Supreme Court majority aren't willing to use their checks and are instead ceding power to the President.

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#55

Post by smackeyacky »

mmooss wrote: post #31
9rx wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Why are we throwing it away again? Because we haven't figured out how to square allowing people the freedom to work in the industries they please, no matter where in the world that industry has found itself, with allowing countries to strictly limit who is allowed inside its borders. The "just learn to code" message never sat well with those who have no interest in coding and now they are rising up to try and take…

I've never heard that. I don't think many people migrate for specific industries. People migrate to have any job and some income, regardless of industry. Am I not thinking of some population?

I've never heard it either. Immigrants migrate overwhelmingly to escape terrible economic circumstances, wars, or simply to escape whatever oppression or danger is making their lives much worse than they could be.

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#56

Post by [deleted] »

mullingitover wrote: post #52
toomuchtodo wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The politics are important, and that effort must continue, but also directly targeting conservative voters economically. When they have distressed assets to sell, farmland, homes, businesses, I am ready to buy at a substantial discount. I have prepared to lever up with access to debt for this opportunity, and I recommend others who can do so. I want to buy when there is blood in the streets (economically), but only t…

People expect to be able to take advantage of events like this, but if you're working for a living when there's blood in the streets, it's your blood. If you're an investor who wasn't correctly catching the falling knife (or insider trading) it's also your blood in the streets. The Peter Thiels of the world are who this move is for, not us plebes who spend time posting on HN.

[deleted]

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#57

Post by mmooss »

9rx wrote: post #50
mmooss wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "Brain drain" That's a good point; I wasn't thinking of that. Still, the number of immigrants to the US for 'brain drain' jobs I'd guess is relatively small, and Trump supports them to some degree - he likes wealthy immigrants, including in tech. Remember the recent (H-1B?) visa controversy. > Those who love manufacturing Is that really a passion for many people, working on an assembly line? I've read about it as a…

> Still, the number of immigrants to the US for 'brain drain' jobs I'd guess is relatively small Right, but it's the converse that is the issue: Americans wanting to do jobs that aren't found (or only found in a limited way) in America. Trump also supports them. The intent is to see things like manufacturing jobs happen more often on American soil so that Americans can do those jobs. > Is that really a passion for ma…

I don't think the hobby shop is comparable.

Much manufacturing labor can be physically hard and damaging over the years. Many people spend their old age crippled from lifting heavy things all their lives, repetitive stress, and the associated serious injuries that eventually happen during tens of thousands of hours. You are pushed to work faster and harder for the entire day, with fewer breaks, etc. That's your life for decades.

My impression is that most people working in manufacturing - as labor - would retire immediately if they could (and spend time in their garage). Many engineers probably are happy to keep working.

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#58

Post by 9rx »

smackeyacky wrote: post #55
mmooss wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never heard that. I don't think many people migrate for specific industries. People migrate to have any job and some income, regardless of industry. Am I not thinking of some population?

I've never heard it either. Immigrants migrate overwhelmingly to escape terrible economic circumstances, wars, or simply to escape whatever oppression or danger is making their lives much worse than they could be.

> I've never heard it either.

You've never heard of the term "brain drain"?

However, you must remember the bit about limiting who is allowed in the country. If you were a German with a hypothetical burning desire to flip burgers at In-N-Out Burger, what are the chances of you getting a work visa? I would say effectively nil. So you're not going to see those people even if they would arrive in a world without borders.

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#59

Post by 9rx »

mmooss wrote: post #57
9rx wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Still, the number of immigrants to the US for 'brain drain' jobs I'd guess is relatively small Right, but it's the converse that is the issue: Americans wanting to do jobs that aren't found (or only found in a limited way) in America. Trump also supports them. The intent is to see things like manufacturing jobs happen more often on American soil so that Americans can do those jobs. > Is that really a passion for ma…

I don't think the hobby shop is comparable. Much manufacturing labor can be physically hard and damaging over the years. Many people spend their old age crippled from lifting heavy things all their lives, repetitive stress, and the associated serious injuries that eventually happen during tens of thousands of hours. You are pushed to work faster and harder for the entire day, with fewer breaks, etc. That's your life…

> My impression is that most people working in manufacturing

You believe it is only the people currently working in manufacturing that want to see America create more manufacturing jobs? Surely any desire they might have to work in manufacturing is already fulfilled?

That has certainly never been my impression. As far as I can see it is those who dream of working in manufacturing who make the case for the need for manufacturing jobs. They are tired of flipping burgers and want something else – something they think will be fulfilling. As such, it is unlikely that they are in-tune with the realities of it.

Re: Bikes in the age of tariffs

#60

Post by mmooss »

9rx wrote: post #58
smackeyacky wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've never heard it either. Immigrants migrate overwhelmingly to escape terrible economic circumstances, wars, or simply to escape whatever oppression or danger is making their lives much worse than they could be.

> I've never heard it either. You've never heard of the term "brain drain"? However, you must remember the bit about limiting who is allowed in the country. If you were a German with a hypothetical burning desire to flip burgers at In-N-Out Burger, what are the chances of you getting a work visa? I would say effectively nil. So you're not going to see those people even if they would arrive in a world without borders.

> If you were a German with a hypothetical burning desire to flip burgers at In-N-Out Burger, what are the chances of you getting a work visa? I would say effectively nil. So you're not going to see those people even if they would arrive in a world without borders.

That's a great point. Legal immigration (to somewhere desireable) is not an option for much of the population. What interest do they have in preserving it?

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