WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — Industry importers can breathe a sigh of relief: There are no major bike-related product categories among the 1,300 types of Chinese products the Trump administration named Tuesday to receive an extra 25 percent tariff.

Bicycles and bicycle components are imported under Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes that start with 8712 or 8714, and all such import categories are missing from the list. Imports of Chinese motorcycles imported under HTS codes starting with 8711 do receive the tariff, as do motorcycle parts that start with 8714.

Given the number of categories listed, industry importers may be directly affected, like those importing GPS units under the HTS code of 85269100, which does receive the additional tariff, or making use of components that receive the additional tariff.

Motivation for the tariffs is the administration's belief that China has a history of forcing U.S. companies to surrender intellectual property and trade secrets to do business in China. The punitive tariffs are an attempt to redress this imbalance. 

A few days ago, China announced tariffs on 128 U.S. products, about $3 billion worth of U.S. exports, mostly agricultural products. Now, in response to the Trump administration spelling out the 1,300 Chinese imports to receive the tariff, China has responded by saying it is readying an additional list of 106 U.S. imports affected. The escalation of the tit-for-tat trade war suggests more imports could be hit with tariffs.

TAKOMA PARK, Md. (BRAIN) — Industry veteran Bruce Sawtelle recently completed a full remodel of his D.C.-area store, Takoma Bicycle, with retail design firm 3 Dots Design.

Key changes to the store included replacing old slatwall with new fixtures, updating the shop logo, new colors and graphics, overhauling the apparel section, clearly segmenting and signing all product categories, and moving the service area and cash wrap.

"Downsizing the cash wrap and moving it out of the front entryway had a major impact on the first impressions his customers get upon entering the now brighter, more open store," said Holly Wiese, owner of 3 Dots Design in Boulder, Colorado.

"Bruce was an absolute pleasure to work with because he was very ready for this change. He reads a lot about what's happening in our industry and is always looking for what other stores are doing to stay successful. He came to us knowing it was time to update and make some changes in order to stayrelevant to his customers."

Takoma Bicycle is located on a popular D.C. bicycle commuter route, and Sawtelle has carved out a niche serving the transit crowd as well as casual riders and families. To further cater to commuters, the redesign included a new e-bike area with storytelling that emphasizes how e-bikes can ease daily rides to the workplace. The store carries electrics from Giant and Liv.

"It's hard to devote too much room to the category," said Sawtelle, referencing his 1,400 square feet of retail space, "but I'd like to see if we can't become a destination for e-bikes in the area."

FULLERTON and BUENA PARK, Calif. (BRAIN) — Retailer Mike Franze held a grand reopening celebration on Saturday, March 31, following the renovation of his two Southern California locations as Giant Retail Partner stores. The celebration also marked Franze's 15th year as a shop owner.

Fullerton Bicycles originally opened in 1967, and Franze bought the store from the previous owner in 2003. A year later he purchased Buena Park Bicycles. Both locations are now Giant Retail Partner stores, with a combined 5,000 square feet of sales floor.

Jolie Hershey, visual space manager for Giant, headed up the renovations, including new layouts for both stores. "Mike Franze is not only a longtime partner of Giant, but someone who's a genuine joy to work with," she said. "He's a member of the Giant family at every level — including a longtime friendship with Giant's recently retired chief executive Tony Lo."

To commemorate that friendship, Franze was presented during the shop's grand reopening celebration with two personalized framed photos of himself with Tony Lo. The festivities also included group rides led by Giant Factory Off Road Team pro Carl Decker and Liv ambassador Leigh Donovan, an anniversary sale, taco truck, raffles, and demos of Giant and Liv bikes.

"A huge thanks to everyone at Giant who has helped make the dream become reality," Franze said. "It's a great feeling to know these guys believe in me and my business practices. Our partners at Giant have done an amazing job on our remodel and we can't wait for our customers to see it. I also can't say thank you enough to all of our amazing customers who have been a part of my 15-year journey. I'm grateful for my family, my friends and employees that have been by my side. I'm beyond blessed."

CYPRESS, Calif. (BRAIN) — Yamaha Motor Corp. USA has released details of its Class 1 e-bike line, which will be available in the U.S. this summer. 

The line includes a commuter/utility bike outfitted with an accessory package, a "high-style" fitness bike, a drop-bar road bike and a performance hardtail e-mountain bike.

Yamaha has produced electric-assist bikes since 1993. It introduced a U.S. line last fall. 

“Yamaha is a world leader in e-bike design and innovation, and we’re excited to bring these four all-new models — with more than two decades of experience and expertise built into them — to the U.S. this summer,” said Rob Trester, who leads Yamaha’s new business development division and e-bike unit. “Electric-assist bicycles open up the world of cycling to both current cyclists and an all-new audience for a variety of fun and practical purposes. Since we unveiled the Yamaha Power Assist e-Bikes to the U.S. last fall, we’ve seen incredible enthusiasm and interest from consumers, retailers and the e-bike community that is looking for a fun, reliable performance e-bike package.”

All the models use Yamaha's 500 watt-hour lithium-ion battery pack with a 36V output that recharges in four hours. The power unit and battery are mounted close to the pedals to create a low center of gravity for better weight balance and riding stability. The battery is removed from the side, which the company said allows for a lower standover height.

The bikes also all use Yamaha's multifunction LCD display unit with LCD assist mode and LED power-level indicators; the display also shows speed, max speed, trip meter, odometer, range, battery capacity and cadence. 

CrossConnect 

The CrossConnect is a recreation-utility bike that comes standard with front and rear fenders, rear rack and headlight. It includes a suspension fork with adjustable compression and a through-axle. It will retail for $2,999.

CrossCore

The CrossCore is a hybrid fitness bike that Yamaha said delivers "class-leading power and performance features and classic Yamaha durability and reliability." It will retail for $2,399.

UrbanRush

The UrbanRush is a drop-bar performance and commuting bike. It features recessed fender mounts, a headlight and pre-wiring for Yamaha's rear rack with integrated taillight. It will retail for $3,299.

YDX-TORC

The YDX-TORC is a 27.5-inch hardtail mountain bike with new progressive trail geometry, which the company said "allows for a more playful and stable balance for more trails of all grades." The company said the motor and battery's low center-of-gravity also improves handling. It will retail at $3,499.

The UrbanRush, CrossCore and CrossConnect models are powered by Yamaha's PWSeries SE motor, which has four levels of support: ECO+, ECO, STANDARD, and HIGH providing 70Nm of max torque and cadence support up to 110 rpm. The YDX-TORC mountain bike uses Yamaha's PW-X motor, which as five power levels: ECO+, ECO, STANDARD, HIGH and EXPW. The first four modes deliver 70Nm of max torque with a cadence support of up to 110 rpm, while EXPW increases max torque to 80Nm and rpms up to 120. The PW-X motor also features a 13 percent smaller, lighter motor case, and faster ratchet ring engagement for faster motor response. 

More information at YamahaBicycles.com.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — CatEye America said violations of its pricing policy on major online platforms have been reduced by 75 percent in the last year as the accessory brand has worked with Oris Intel, J&B Importers and Netrush to enforce the policy.

The company said it expects to see violations decline further this year.

Bob Daniels, CatEye America's executive vice president, said, "Although this is a significant decline in violations we are committed to achieving additional improvement. I believe stabilized pricing is an important value-added aspect of the CatEye brand and it is our goal to ensure that all CatEye business partners can realize improved margin and profitability through these actions. CatEye has championed this initiative specifically to support the IBD channel and I hope our efforts will be recognized and appreciated by retailers and the sales and distribution partners that support them."

LAGUNA HILLS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The majority of IBD sales still take place inside the four walls of a brick-and-mortar store, and many retailers don't believe that will change dramatically over the next few years, according to a survey conducted by Bicycle Retailer & Industry News.

The survey provided insights as to how bike shops are evolving to meet the demands of customers who browse and buy online. Survey findings are covered in the April 1 issue of BRAIN, and were the subject of the newest Interbike podcast, which was made available Wednesday.

In the fifth episode of Interbike – The Podcast, BRAIN's editor-in-chief, Lynette Carpiet, joined to talk about the survey findings. Other guests were Ryan Atkinson, the president of SmartEtailing, a widely used online platform for bike shops, and retailers Tom Henry of Landry's Bicycles with seven stores in Massachusetts and Ken Woody Smith of Richardson Bike Mart with three stores in the Dallas market.

Landry's and Richardson Bike Mart have each invested substantially in their websites and talk about the challenges of e-commerce and what kind of return they're seeing from their investments.

The podcast is available through most podcast apps including iTunes and SoundCloud, or you can listen to it directly at interbike.com/podcast.

WILTON, Conn. (BRAIN) — Cycling Sports Group's Fabric brand won an award at the recent Shop! Awards Competition for its "Fabric Starter Kit & Demo Saddle Display."

The display won the Silver Award for Outstanding Merchandising Achievement during the 2018 Shop! Awards Competition, which CSG said is considered the Academy Awards of the retail design and brand marketing industries.

"Our goal was to create the simplest and most effective way for IBDs to try, display, and sell Fabric's most popular, award-winning line of cycling products," said Ryan Simmons, senior manager of retail development at CSG. "Our display solution made an impactful presentation of the family of products in the Fabric line and was a huge success for participating retailers."

The award was presented March 28 during the GlobalShop expo in Chicago. 

The Fabric display won in the award's Athletic semi-permanent category. Garmin won an award in a related category for its Fenix 5 endcap display, designed for Best Buy stores.

BOSTON (BRAIN) — Larry Burke, an 18-year veteran at Mavic, has had a front-row seat during some of the most tumultuous changes in the global wheel business. 

“The speed of change within a highly competitive landscape has been fierce,” said Burke, who will soon leave the company to join Polartec LLC, as its vice president of sales. Polartec is an international textile supplier to a variety of major outdoor brands. Its headquarters are in Andover, Massachusetts.  

Burke, Mavic’s longtime commercial manager for OEM sales, began his career at the iconic company shortly after the introduction of Mavic’s Crossmax and Kysrium wheelsets in 1999.

Crossmax and Kysriums soon began to dominate aftermarket sales and high-end OE spec. The mountain and road wheelsets have enjoyed widespread popularity for years, especially among retailers, and still dominate Mavic’s wheel offerings. 

“When I joined Mavic it was pretty much Mavic, Shimano, Alex and Campy that were the key players. So, it’s been interesting to see how the wheel market has evolved,” said Burke, whose low-key style plays well with the dozens of product managers he’s worked with over the years.

Burke said his decision to leave Mavic comes at a time when the brand, owned by Amer Sports, is launching a significant new range of wheels for the 2018/2019 season with some introductions planned for Sea Otter.

“It’s been a little bumpy since 2015,” Burke admitted, when Mavic moved its operations from Haverhill, Massachusetts, to Ogden, Utah. Then, a year later, Amer bought Ogden’s ENVE Composites, a $50 million purchase. “It was a new chapter for me, my family and for this iconic company,” Burke said.  

Mavic’s relocation and Amer’s later purchase of ENVE had been a challenge. But, Burke said, the integration is going well and Mavic’s new range of wheels should impress bicycle brands, dealers and core enthusiasts.

“Mavic’s back on track, so it’s a very exciting time for the company.  I’m impressed with the brand’s new direction. We’re seeing triple-digit growth in preseason sales, so that’s a great sign. It’s also been an honor to work with such a strong and passionate leadership team who also love to ride,” he added.

Amer Sports, publicly traded with offices in Helsinki, Finland, acquired Mavic as part of its purchase of Salomon in 2005. Amer also owns Atomic skis, Arc’teryx, Wilson Sporting Goods and Suunto. 

Still, market challenges remain. Burke said suppliers like Trek, Specialized, Giant, Cannondale and others have reshaped the market substituting independent brands like Mavic for their own house-branded wheels — squeezing independents like Mavic. 

The recent closing of American Classic, a longtime independent wheel brand, attests to the competitive pressures facing the market.

“The Big Four dominate a lot of IBD landscape, but I see house-branded wheels as still evolving. They work well for some businesses, but it’s a challenge for them in the aftermarket. Mavic and ENVE, on the other hand, offer significant differences in performance compared to house-brand wheels,” Burke said. 

And wheels remain one of the best upgrades consumers can make on a bike, he added. 

After attending the recent North American Handmade Bicycle Show in Connecticut, Burke said he was pleased to see that Mavic was well represented on many of the bikes on display. 

“There’s still a passion in the market for high-end products that offer (bicycle) brands an opportunity to differentiate their bikes for core enthusiasts and in IBD showrooms. It was refreshing to see these brands thriving,” he said. “It’s all about product innovation and that’s what Mavic still does best,” he said.

MARIETTA, Ga. (BRAIN) — Retailer Free-Flite Bicycles will mark its 40th anniversary serving the Atlanta metro region with a celebration and open house this Sunday, April 8, at its Marietta location.

The party is free and open to the public, and starts at 7 p.m. It will include door prizes, free pizza and snacks, and — for those 21 and older with valid ID — complimentary beer from Terrapin Beer Co. Retired ProTour racer and onetime UCI hour record holder Jens Voigt will also be on hand.

"This will be an ultimate family reunion for us," said Dan Thornton, Free-Flite Bicycles' president. "We're looking very forward to seeing countless customers, past and present employees, our former sponsored BMX, mountain and road bike team riders, and everyone who's become extended family to us over the years from sharing and advocating in the sport, lifestyle, and common love of cycling and bikes."

Thornton opened the original shop, a skateboard retail storefront, with his late father, Jeff, in 1977 in Smyrna, Georgia.

A year later the Thorntons relocated to a larger space along north Marietta's Canton Road corridor, where their flagship stores have operated in numerous brick-and-mortar iterations.

Today, Free-Flite Bicycles operates three full-service Trek-anchored shops in North Marietta, East Cobb and Sandy Springs. Third-generation general manager Daniel Thornton leads the company's day-to-day operations.

Free-Flite's accolades over its four decades include winning Trek's Elmer J. Sorenson Legends Awards as well as repeatedly being named one of America's Best Bike Shops by the National Bicycle Dealers Association.

DENVER (BRAIN) — Running and Cycling Enterprises (R.A.C.E.), the exclusive North American distributors of Rudy Project and XX2i Optics eyewear, has hired Jay Weber as its sponsorship marketing manager.

Weber will be responsible for managing sponsorship relationships with more than 400 teams, organizations and athletes.

"I am beyond thrilled to work with Jay again," said Alysia Kamrath, digital marketing director for Rudy Project North America, who worked with Weber previously at XTERRA WETSUITS.

"Nobody can say enough good things about his work ethic and his level of passion and dedication to his job. We are humbled and overjoyed to have him on the team, and we know that he'll bring that same amount of enthusiasm and experience to cultivating both brands in all sports and competition outside of triathlon. His positive energy, can-do attitude and upbeat outlook on both sports and life will be invaluable as he helps grow the brands and promotes our amazing products."

Weber most recently was at XTERRA WETSUITS and XTERRA BOARDS, where he was western sales director.

Besides industry experience, he is a USA Triathlon Certified Level 1 Coach, and officiates as a Level 2 ITU Technical Official, a Category 3 Official for USA Triathlon, and an official for IRONMAN. He is also a past race director for the Triathlon Club of San Diego and has been competing in triathlons since 2009.

"I can't even explain how privileged I feel to be here with the team at R.A.C.E. — I'm thankful to be surrounded by such an uplifting, committed group of individuals," said Weber. "As a lifelong participant in many outdoor sports, my singular goal is to keep Rudy Project and XX2i Optics at the top of the industry. Having been familiar with Rudy Project for years, this is a dream come true. I'm excited to take on a new adventure in Denver, and everything a new city has to offer."

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Felt Bicycles is now offering a special edition cycling kit designed by its in-house creative team and made by JL Velo. The jersey and bib short combination was originally designed exclusively for participants in the Felt Freedom Ambassador Program. However, the company said that due to high demand, Felt and JL Velo teamed up to offer the kit for sale to the general public.

All proceeds will go toward Project Bike Love, a nonprofit organization that provides bicycles to impoverished women and young girls to help change the way they see and interact with the world.

"When we originally launched the Felt Freedom program last November, our inboxes were being filled with emails asking where the kits could be purchased," said Felt's marketing coordinator, Megan Duehring, who founded the Felt Freedom program. "After consideration, Felt decided to meet consumer's demands while supporting women on an additional level through Project Bike Love. We're proud to partner with a fellow Southern California brand, JL Velo, to create a kit that doesn't just look and fit great, but helps provide bikes to women. We're humbled to support Project Bike Love and help make a positive impact through cycling."

JL Velo's Felt Collection jersey retails for $119.95, while the bib shorts retail for $159.95. Both items can be purchased directly from JL Velo at jlathletics.com/jl-velo/jl-velo-collections/the-felt-collection.

More information on Project Bike Love can be found at projectbikelove.org. 

OSLO, Norway (BRAIN) — Sweet Protection has announced the arrival of its spring mountain bike line for men and women. The Norwegian brand said highlights of the spring line include the updated Sweet Protection Bushwhacker II MTB helmet and Dissenter helmet.

The Bushwacker II is an enduro/trail bike helmet that now includes STACC ventilation, which the company said ensures uninterrupted airflow over the temporal artery to enhance cooling. This helmet has a 5-piece shell construction with variable polycarbonate thicknesses and geometric shapes to create an outer shell that is either stiffer or more flexible in key locations to better protect the head during impact. This helmet is available in three versions: the Bushwhacker II ($199), Bushwhacker II MIPS ($239) and Bushwhacker II Carbon MIPS ($299).

The Dissenter offers in-mold technology and a single-piece polycarbonate shell. It is equipped with Sweet's turn dial retention system for a secure fit and STACC ventilation for maximum cooling. The visor is removable for around town or commuter use. Available with or without MIPS protection. MSRP: $129.95 for standard and $169.95 for MIPS.

Also new for spring are the Sweet Protection Hunter Mid Gloves. They have a pre-curved fit, Clarino synthetic leather palm, silicone grip zones, and touchscreen-compatible index finger and thumb. Perforated fingers combine a blend of polyamide and spandex on the back of the hand to enhance ventilation and comfort. These gloves weigh 100 grams per pair and retail for $29.95.

Sweet Protection sells dealer direct in the U.S. More information at sweetprotection.com/sp_us.

BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — Stages Cycling has announced its list of sponsored cyclists, mountain bikers and triathletes for the 2018 season. 

The list is led by Team SKY, who has ridden the Stages Power LR meter to their last two Tour de France victories.

Sponsored teams and athletes use a variety of products including Stages LR Power dual-sided meters, Stages L Power and R Power single-sided meters, and Stages Dash GPS cycling computers.

"From our beginning, Stages has relied on the world's top professionals to test our products in the most demanding environments," said Pat Warner, Stages Cycling's vice president. "It is a testament to the reliability and accuracy of our products that the best riders in the world use Stages, whether it's in the World Tour peloton, on the trail at an Enduro World Series event, or on the Queen K Highway at Kona World Championships."

Stages Cycling Professionals include:
Team SKY
Team Wanty-Group Gobert
Bennelong-Swiss Wellness Cycling Team p/b Cervelo
Katrin Garfoot
Australian Cycling Academy
Nuun-Sigma Sport-London Race Team
Rad Pack
Yeti Factory Racing
Cannondale Factory Team
Danny Hart
Miranda Miller
Luca Shaw
Cameron Wright
Helen Wyman
Vynl CX Team
Richard Sachs CX Team
Lionel Sanders
Cam Dye
Danielle Mack
Flora Duffy
Lucy Gossage
Team Timex

PETALUMA, Calif. (BRAIN) — Kitsbow has announced that industry veterans Paul Blum and Andrew Herrick have joined its board of directors. The two new members join existing members of the board Zander Nosler, David Billstrom and Peter Nosler.

Blum is an apparel industry veteran, most recently as the CEO of Henri Bendel, and previously CEO of Fred Segal, Juicy Couture, Kenneth Cole Productions and David Yurman Jewelry. He has led and managed apparel businesses for decades. He is based in New York City.

Herrick is a bicycle industry veteran, most recently the CEO of Intense Cycles and previously leading Crankbrothers. Herrick was a co-founder of Pedro's and served on the board of Selle Royal Group in Italy. He is currently based in Southern California.

"I am energized by the presence and commitment of entrepreneurs such as Paul and Andrew," said Zander Nosler, co-founder and CEO of Kitsbow. "We are already benefiting from their collective experience in merchandising and charting thoughtful growth, which in turn will benefit our most important constituency, our customers."

Kitsbow is privately held, and based in Petaluma.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (BRAIN) — Park Tool has announced the winners of the company's third annual Community Tool Grants program. Park awarded 10 nonprofits with bicycle tools and repair stands to help them continue to make a difference in their community. This year, more than 100 nonprofits applied for the grants from all corners of the world. Each of the grant recipients will receive more than $1,400 in Park Tool products including a PK-3 Professional Mechanic Tool Kit, two PCS-10 Portable Repair Stands and a copy of "BBB-3 Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair."

"Every year, when we sit down to discuss each of the amazing organizations that apply for the grants, we are blown away by all the good work people across the globe are doing to get and keep more people on bikes. We encourage any of the fine organizations that didn't win this year to apply again for consideration in 2019," said Eric Hawkins, Park Tool's president/owner and chief mechanic.

The 2018 Park Tool Community Tool Grant Winners are:

• Bitsa Bikes — Yokine, Australia: Bitsa Bikes recycles discarded and unwanted adult bikes which are then given to homeless shelters and people in Perth, Western Australia. Some bikes are given to individuals, some to shelters to use as pool bikes used by approximately 200 people. https://www.facebook.com/BitsaBikesWA/
• St. Luke's Table — Ottawa, Ontario: St Luke's Table is a community drop-in center whose target population are the homeless and marginalized in the city of Ottawa. They offer a free weekly bicycle repair clinic to St. Luke's Table participants, providing a necessary service which helps those with neither the means nor ability to maintain a safe, well-functioning bike for transportation, recreation, health and well-being. http://www.stlukestable.ca/
• Sacramento Loaves and Fishes — Sacramento, California: Sacramento's Loaves and Fishes is a homeless survival services organization (meals, shelters, health services, etc.) that serves the local homeless population (3,600 people). They are expanding their bicycle repair services to help meet the demand of the many visitors who rely on bicycle transportation for their daily lives. https://www.facebook.com/pg/loavesandfishes/photos/?ref=page_internal
• Community Bicycle Center — Biddeford, Maine: The Community Bicycle Center (CBC) is an after-school youth enrichment program that empowers kids to lead positive lives in their communities. All of our programs are free to participate in, and in 2016, CBC youth earned more than 150 bikes, and rode more than 6,000 miles. With a small staff of three (and lots of caring volunteers), kids learn life skills such as resiliency, problem solving, effective communication and teamwork. http://communitybike.net
• Indianapolis Metro Police Dept. / Indy Public Safety Foundation — Indianapolis, Indiana: Indy Public Safety Foundation Is a program whose goals are to introduce youth in the urban core to mountain biking, build technical bike skills, build self-confidence and communication skills, promote healthy living and promote respect for nature and utilization of Indianapolis's vast parks. http://www.facebook.com/HQsMTBpark
• Freewheels Houston — Houston, Texas: Freewheels Houston is a volunteer organization that distributes donated used bicycles to refugees who have resettled in Houston, the leading city for welcoming refugees in the United States. Distributing 200 bikes in 2017 to people fleeing civil war and violence in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Nepal, Eritrea and Democratic Republic of the Congo. https://freewheelshouston.org
• Twin Cities Adaptive Cycling — Minneapolis, Minnesota: Twin Cities Adaptive Cycling (TCAC) is a community-based cycling program for youth and adults with disabilities in Minneapolis. TCAC provides customized adaptive bicycle fittings and low-cost regular use of adaptive bicycles, comprehensive education and training, and opportunities for group rides. http://www.tcacycling.org
• Wheels for Winners — Madison, Wisconsin: Wheels for Winners is a nonprofit that has operated an earn-a-bike program serving Madison and Dane County for 25 years. In cooperation with more than 20 host organizations, it presents bikes to youth and adults who earn them by doing at least 15 hours of community service. In addition to a bicycle, earners receive a helmet, a lock and a city of Madison bicycle registration sticker if they reside in Madison. The nonprofit gives away approximately 200 bicycles annually. http://wheelsforwinners.org/
• Front Yard Bikes — Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Front Yard Bikes serves youth from impoverished communities, ages 6 to 18, who want to earn a bike of their own by becoming a "bike mechanic" in our bike shop. More than 200 young people help repair and rebuild hundreds of broken and used bikes each year, who then utilize these bikes for both recreation and transportation. The founder, who is the shop coordinator, supervises two AmeriCorps members each year who work with multiple volunteers from biking organizations and the local university. http://www.frontyardbikes.com
• Velo Cruces — Las Cruces, New Mexico: Velo Cruces operates a community bike shop whose goals are to address the needs of low-income cyclists, be a focal point for bicycle repair education, and be a center for promoting safe cycling to the entire community. Established in 2015, VC is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit with a mission to "transform Las Cruces into a great bicycling and pedestrian community."http://www.velocruces.org

Recipients of the Park Tool Community Tool Grants will receive their products in the coming weeks.

WASHINGTON (BRAIN) — President Trump proposed late Thursday an additional $100 billion in punitive tariffs against Chinese imports, suggesting the president is looking to penalize approximately $400 billion in Chinese goods. About $505 billion in Chinese goods were imported into the U.S. in 2017.

The additional tariffs are in response to China imposing tariffs on $50 billion of imported U.S. goods, which itself was the Chinese response to Trump's initial punitive tariff proposal. That initial proposal included approximately 1,300 import categories valued at an estimated $50 billion.

Shortly after Trump's announcement, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer clarified the announcement, saying the tariffs would be levied on an additional $100 billion of imports rather than the president was looking for $100 billion in additional tariffs.

This suggests the U.S. will now levy tariffs on a total of $150 billion of Chinese imports, or on about a third of the Chinese products being imported. However, Lighthizer did not clarify the extent of the new round of tariffs in his news release Friday morning.

But Lighthizer did note that "any additional tariffs proposed will be subject to a similar public comment process as the proposed tariffs announced on April 3, 2018. No tariffs will go into effect until the respective process is complete."

While consumer goods, like clothing, shoes and bikes, were left out of the initial $50 billion tariff list released this week, the size of Trump's retaliatory move, targeting $100 billion additional import categories, suggests that some consumer goods will be affected.

Imports of bikes and components were mostly unaffected by Trump's initial tariff action spelled out in Tuesday's list, but it's more likely these additional tariffs may be leveled against bike-related imports.

SEATTLE (BRAIN) — Nuun's new Immunity drink tablets are intended to support the body's natural immune defense systems. The effervescent tablets contain a anti-inflammatories, antioxidants and vitamins, and also includes electrolytes optimized for daily hydration. The company said the product "was developed to restore and defend overall immune health with a synergistic blend of Non-GMO Project Verified inflammation and pathogen fighting ingredients such as turmeric, ginger, elderberry, Echinacea, selenium and zinc."

"I'm extremely proud of what the Nuun team has accomplished with Immunity," said Kevin Rutherford, Nuun's president and CEO. "We are excited to deliver a clean, plant-based hydrating immunity product that caters to the active, on-the-go consumer."

The tablets were formulated to be consumed with 16 ounces of hot or cold water per serving.

"Our innovation goal with Immunity was to develop a blend of botanicals and vitamins that all work together in order to maximize immune health and hydration in the first Non-GMO Project Verified effervescent tablet," said Vishal Patel, Nuun's senior R & D manager. "With this line, and all Nuun products, we challenged ourselves to simultaneously utilize the most significant nutrition, exercise physiology research and the latest in natural foods sourcing."

Nuun Immunity is debuting with two flavors: Orange Citrus and Blueberry Tangerine and is sold in a 10-tablet tube for $6.99. The line is Non-GMO Project Verified, certified vegan and gluten free, and certified Informed Choice — Safe for Sport.

More information at www.nuunlife.com.

DAVIS, Calif. (BRAIN) — The U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame is accepting nominations through April 30 for the 2018 class of inductees. Anyone can submit a nomination and nominees include those who have achieved tremendous success in racing or who have enhanced the sport of cycling through their lifelong efforts. To be eligible in a racing category, a period of at least 5 years must have passed for a nominee's racing results to be considered. Nominees must also meet the USBHOF ethics guidelines.

Nomination information and forms can be found at: www.usbhof.org/nomination-process.

Nominations can be submitted along with supporting materials in the following categories:

1. Veteran Road & Track: for those who competed 35 years before the year of nomination.

2. Modern Road & Track: for those who competed 34 to 5 years before the year of nomination.

3. Off-Road (including BMX, cyclocross and mountain biking) competitor

4. Contributor: for any bicycling discipline

To achieve selection to the Hall, competitors are judged on their extraordinary success at the national and international levels. Contributors are those who have advanced the sport through contributions in such areas as equipment, coaching, technology, events and overall promotion.

The annual Hall of Fame Induction is held every fall. Since 1987 there have been a total of 154 Inductees into the Hall, which has been located in Davis since 2010. The USBHOF was originally created in Somerville, New Jersey.

For more information visit www.usbhof.org or email: nominations@usbhof.org