Day two of PeopleForBikes' SHIFT'26 working summit brought committee members, policy experts, and industry leaders into productive working sessions to solve specific operational, legislative, and market conditions facing the bicycle business.
With a focus on long-term stability and actionable tools, Thursday's agenda centered on scenario planning for global trade, establishing state-level e-moto policy definitions, preparing for the 2027 launch of the PeopleForBikes Data Suite, and expanding on-road and off-road bike trail access.
"Day two is where the real work happens in our committee rooms," said Ash Lovell, vice president of government relations at PeopleForBikes. "Bringing together the right stakeholders from across the bicycling ecosystem, we were able to see real progress during today's working sessions."
Committee Discussion Highlights:
● Trade + Tariff Scenario Planning (Legal, Legislative, and Safety + Domestic Manufacturing Committees): Industry leaders reviewed the 2027–2029 trade outlook to help bicycle businesses build resilience against supply chain and tariff fluctuations. Committees also reviewed 2026 policy stability, including avoiding Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs and maintaining Section 301 duty rates at approximately ~20% for primary source countries.
● E-Bike Policy + E-Moto Legislation (E-Bike Committee + Working Groups): Technical and policy teams aligned on the next phase of e-mobility regulation. Following California's landmark SB 1167, which explicitly separates traditional e-bikes from high-speed e-motos, leaders discussed state advocacy strategies as 12 additional states prepare to introduce PeopleForBikes' model e-moto legislation in 2027.
● Trail Access Wins (eMTB Working Group): The group confirmed alignment on Class 1 access positions and celebrated landmark 2026 victories, including Bureau of Land Management (BLM) approval of Class 1 access across 211 miles of trails in Moab, Utah, statewide access on up to 2,300 miles of Class 1 trails in Maryland, and 20 state park systems opening non-motorized trails to eMTBs.
● PeopleForBikes Data Suite (Research and Statistics Committee): Members reviewed final readiness steps for the January 2027 launch of the PeopleForBikes Data Suite. Attendees previewed the new Data Suite and provided feedback on what specific tools and reports would allow their companies to operate at the speed of business.
● Growing Participation (Accelerating Industry Belonging Committee + Youth Cycling Coalition): Participation-focused groups convened to evaluate the factors that get kids on bikes and keep people riding, identify where the bicycling ecosystem falls short, and outline high-impact opportunities to grow lifelong participation across diverse communities.
Keynote Takeaways:
● The Power to Move Forward (Fireside Chat with World Bicycle Relief): World Bicycle Relief's Chris Raymo demonstrated how expanding access to bicycling unlocks personal agency, education, and economic stability. The session highlighted that mobility is foundational infrastructure — when individuals are empowered to navigate their
communities on their own terms, it creates self-sustaining momentum that transforms local economies.
● Designing for Participation (Bentonville Case Study Panel): Industry and civic leaders deconstructed Bentonville's blueprint for becoming a model bike community. The panel emphasized that building connected networks for all ages and abilities, actively removing local friction points, and tracking participation data are essential steps for any city to justify infrastructure investment and grow riding nationwide.
● The Ride Effect: How Riding Together Builds Stronger Communities: Community and industry leaders explored how grassroots partnerships create welcoming pathways into bicycling. Discussion centered on moving beyond traditional sponsorships toward deep community partnerships, proving that fostering a culture of belonging is cycling's strongest tool for driving long-term rider retention and participation.
"Our goal this week is simple: reduce business uncertainty and give companies clear tools to grow," said Jenn Dice, president and CEO of PeopleForBikes. "From statehouse policy wins to point-of-sale data exchange, the deliverables coming out of today's working sessions give bike businesses the clarity they need for healthier businesses going into 2027."
SHIFT'26 concludes tomorrow by getting leaders out of the conference room and onto bikes to experience Bentonville's connected infrastructure firsthand. The conference programming wraps up with a practical workshop turning study tour insights into strategy for 2027 and beyond.
Interested in joining a PeopleForBikes committee? Visit peopleforbikes.org/subcommittees
About PeopleForBikes
PeopleForBikes is the U.S. bicycle industry's trade association and a national bicycle advocacy nonprofit, representing more than 340 bicycle industry brands and 1.4 million individual supporters. Through our three areas of influence — infrastructure, policy, and participation — we accelerate the construction of safe and connected places to ride, advance pro-bike and pro-bike-business legislation, and reduce barriers to welcome more people to bicycling. Our goal: help make the U.S. the best place in the world to ride a bike. Support our work and learn more at peopleforbikes.org.
