Sourcing non-electric track bikes from China
Non-electric track bicycles from China face 14% to 15% ordinary UK duty, depending on classification, plus residual anti-dumping duty of 48.50%. Brakeless models designed for enclosed-track racing have a specific supply-rule exemption, but consumer product safety still applies. Cambridge China Bridge sources non-electric track bicycles.
UK duty on non-electric track bicycles
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8712 covers bicycles and other non-motorised cycles. Its ball-bearing bicycle lines carry 14% ordinary duty on goods from China; other cycle lines relevant here carry 15%. For a ball-bearing track bicycle shipped directly from China, check 8712 00 30 90. The table includes alternative consignment routes and an other-construction line, rather than separate codes for frame materials.
The relevant lines show residual anti-dumping duty of 48.50%, with no countervailing duty or suspension recorded. The official anti-dumping goods description includes non-motorised bicycles and other cycles, excluding unicycles. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable exporter rate before accepting a landed-cost calculation. The tariff also attaches a DCMS Export Licence control. Official guidance says there are no cultural-object import licensing requirements for Great Britain; confirm the listed control's relevance with your broker.
Give the broker the complete bicycle specification, bearing construction, Chinese origin and actual consignment route. Use finding your commodity code to confirm classification before ordering. The non-electric road bicycle guide provides the wider heading context. Do not classify a bicycle solely from the supplier's description of it as a track bike.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Track bicycles with ball bearings, other consignments | 8712 00 30 90 | 14% | 48.50% residual anti-dumping |
| Ball-bearing track bicycles consigned from Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka or Tunisia | 8712 00 30 10 | 14% | 48.50% residual anti-dumping |
| Ball-bearing track bicycles consigned from Cambodia, Pakistan or the Philippines | 8712 00 30 20 | 14% | 48.50% residual anti-dumping |
| Other non-motorised track cycles, other consignments; confirm construction | 8712 00 70 99 | 15% | 48.50% residual anti-dumping |
Specify the fixed-gear build and intended use
Specify enclosed-track use, frame material and geometry by size, fork construction, wheel and tyre compatibility, crank length, chainring and sprocket combination, chainline, rear hub threads and lockring. State whether pedals are included and which parts arrive unassembled. Approve a complete sample and record the component list so production cannot quietly substitute a different hub, fork or wheelset.
The Pedal Bicycles (Safety) Regulations exempt bicycles with no brakes specifically designed for off-road racing on enclosed tracks. Fixed gearing alone does not establish that exemption. Consumer products supplied in Great Britain must still be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use. Ask for safety evidence matching the actual frame, fork and component configuration, and agree assembly instructions and clear intended-use information.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order of 12 non-electric track bicycles; FOB and freight values are illustrative under 8712 00 30 90, invoiced at £9,500 free on board, with £1,999 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £11,499. Duty at 14% is £1,609.86. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £13,108.86, so it is £2,621.77. Import taxes total £4,231.63; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,609.86 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Frame and fork: compare geometry and alignment with the approved drawing; inspect welds or bonded joints, dropout faces, fork seating and transport damage.
Fixed drivetrain: check sprocket and lockring engagement, chainline, chain tension through crank rotation, rear axle retention and crank attachment against the agreed specification.
Wheels and contact points: check wheel trueness, bearing play, tyre seating, handlebar and stem security, saddle clamp fit and pedal compatibility.
Arrival and documents: match frame identifiers, sizes and components to the packing list; inspect fork and dropout protection, assembly information and the agreed track-use wording.
Working out your own order? Send us the product on WhatsApp and we reply the same working day: WhatsApp us
What goes wrong
A sample can use the agreed track hub while production arrives with a substituted hub or mismatched lockring. Poor chainline, uneven chain tension and wheel movement in the dropouts can also be missed by a cosmetic inspection. Require functional checks on assembled samples and compare the production component list with the approved bicycle.
Another failure is advertising a brakeless track bicycle as suitable for commuting. The enclosed-track exemption depends on the design and absence of brakes, rather than the word racing in a catalogue. Settle intended use before approving artwork, and review road-use requirements separately if the sales brief changes.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on track bicycles from China?
Ordinary duty is 14% on ball-bearing bicycle lines and 15% on relevant other cycle lines. The supplied tariff facts also show residual anti-dumping duty of 48.50%. Confirm classification and the exporter rate with your broker.
Can I sell a track bicycle without brakes?
The supply regulations exempt brakeless bicycles specifically designed for off-road racing on enclosed tracks. Consumer product safety still applies in Great Britain; fixed gearing alone does not establish the exemption.
What should I specify for a Chinese track bicycle?
Fix frame geometry by size, fork construction, wheel and tyre compatibility, gearing, chainline, rear hub threads and lockring. Approve the complete build and list every component before production.
What should I inspect when track bicycles arrive?
Check frame and fork alignment, sprocket and lockring engagement, chainline, rear axle retention, wheel trueness and bearing play. Match sizes and components to the approved sample and inspect transport protection.