Chairman message to our team, and industry.

At the moment, April 11, 2025, the news and how it affects the USA bicycle industry is scary and seemingly the “end of everything. “

We are faced with unprecedented challenges, and huge threats to our profits, employment, and peace of mind.

I am old enough to remember more than one time when all seemed lost. And we have always survived and been stronger afterwards. My experience with such things started during Nixon’s administration when they imposed price freezes that were very harmful to small businesses. The bike business boomed again afterwards.

Tony Lo once described me as a “cheerleader” for the ebike business. Seems I should step up again and be a cheerleader for the bicycle and the ebike business.

There are some very bright people working to mitigate the troubles of today. (People For Bikes, Taiwan Bicycle Association, China Bicycle Association, Bicycle Alliance for Sustainability, LEVA EU, LEVA, National Bicycle Dealers Association, CONEBI, ECF, EBMA, and more) I have confidence in them. We have a lot of consumers who value what we do. We are a resilient and flexible group. Bicycle people are strong, smart, people.

In the 140 year plus history of our industry, we have weathered truly big storms (World Wars for example). We have survived and prospered.
Our products are necessary tools for humans today and into the future.

I have personally worked in our industry since 1969. I have seen a lot. I have been scared before, and I have watched us overcome – every time.

We will be OK. We will emerge from this difficult time a little smarter, a little tougher, and even more resilient.

We still face a bright future.

Edward Benjamin
Senior Managing Director, eCycleElectric Consultants
Chairman, Light Electric Vehicle Association
Fort Myers, Florida, April 2025