Shimano Groupset from Ebay (China)
 

I am trying to purchase a Shimano 105 groupset for a frame I'm inheriting from my son. For some reason they are essentially unavailable in the USA although you can assemble the parts for about 2x the price of a groupset. In fact you can buy a full bicycle for the price of the individual components. I do see the on eBay you can get the groupset I need/want so I wonder if anyone has had experience in dealing with these dealers and they are sending your reputable components. They are all shipped from China and of course that's where they are manufactured so they obviously have access to them. Thanks for any input you might have. I would consider an Ultegra group or even Dura Ace, but at my age it would hardly make a difference.

105 is pretty common stuff. If you're looking for vintage components, watch your local craigslist for a bike that's equipped with 105 and cannibalize it. Shouldn't take too long if you're anywhere near a good-sized city, and it'll save you some money.

If you want new, modern 105 with integrated shifters and 12 cogs or whatever, best to pay a little more (or even a lot more) and buy from a reputable source. Call around. Maybe there's something at your LBS.

First of all I do want the modern 11 speed version as it is a current bicycle frame. I would be willing to pay a little more but not 2-3x more by having to buy individual pieces and almost no one has all the pieces at this point, except in Ultegra and DuraAce. The LBS are telling me that parts are very hard to get and that of course drives prices up. So if someone has had a good experience in buying from a foreign market where the groupset is available at a reasonable price, I'm willing to try it as you are protected using Paypal. But it would be worthwhile knowing what seller people have used with success. Thanks for your reply.

I've had sucess buying Shimano parts from Aliexpress. Everything I bought was genuine and brand new, but sometimes you get the product only, without a box. You won't have Shimano's warranty, obviously. Anrancee Cycling and Chaser Store are some of the sellers I bought from. Can't post links yet, sorry. I just did a search for "105 groupset" and found several listings. Go for the ones with a lot of sales and few complaints from buyers. Even so, there are risks. That's why the stuff is cheaper than buying thru proper channels.

Yes, I know the right thing to do would be to buy that stuff directly from Shimano in my country or a LBS, but our economy is in the dump and our currency is severely devalued. So anything imported is extraordinarily expensive. That is one way for us down here to buy new and genuine parts.

Welcome to Bike Forums

Are Merlin Cycles able to ship to the USA?
I've never used them, so no recommendation from me.

Barry

Here is a US seller with full 105 groupset for $649. https://www.eurobikeparts.com/prodde...d=SH-R7000-8pc

I purchased a 105 7000 groupset from riding_is_life, Ebay, from china. As stated above, no original packaging, but everything was wrapped and packaged very well. Everything was in tip top, brand new condition with no issues. I ordered right at the beginning of the USA starting to react to Covid with restrictions. The set arrived sooner than expected, about 3 weeks IIRC. I have purchased numerous other bike components from various other Chinese and Taiwanese companies with no issues. The only time I had trouble was an order with Aliexpress. I waited a long time and finally canceled the order as it was never shipped. I then had to wait 78 days for the refund.

Base price but more depending on the items you choose. Not all items are in stock as well.

105 is not made in China more than likely Malayasia where some of the XTR stuff comes from as well (I know they had hubs made in Malaysia at one point and the manufacturing was perfectly decent) If you are finding Shimano 105 made in China check that it is Shimano and not Shemano or Shomano or Shimeno or something like that. I wouldn't buy new parts from eBay unless I knew and trusted the seller which is a tough thing to get. Ebay is a place I would go for some used stuff.

Yes parts are hard to get now but some shops may have some stuff you just gotta ask around.

Thanks you all for your helpful responses. Clearly you have been very helpful and I am pretty ready to go I think. BTW while perusing the internet I found this site from Japan, bicyclesonlineshop, that has 11 spd DuraAce for sale for $608 with free shipping.... sounds pretty sketchy but unusually you can pay by Paypal (may be a scam though to get your Paypal info perhaps?) The Eurobikeparts site recommended by datlas may be he way to go. Thanks again all.

Best Bicycles Online Shop sounds like a real legit business, I run Best Bicycles Online Shop Review Center Deluxe and can say that Best Bicycles Online Shop is the best bicycles online shop on the planet and they are the best because they have the parts which they have so you can buy them.

I was joking...buy from legit places that have brick and mortar presence and you a less likely to get scammed. Also go for places that have more legit sounding names than the places you list.

Honestly, if I had access to something like this, I would definitely go for it.

Not to be argumentative, but 10 speed cassette will fit on 11 speed wheels, therefore you could use a 10 speed group if you decide to go that way. Might be a good idea just to get up and running without doing the search and premium paying that is the game you have to play these days to get new stuff which might take you through a lot of the riding season. I just went through it. I wasn't horribly cost conscious this spring (thank you stimulus check), so I just bought whatever I could find and will not add up the costs and hurt my feelings (I'm a guy who will spend a lot of time and effort finding the best price on stuff).

The latest versions of 10 speed are really good stuff. Then, as we're all hoping, you could pretty easily upgrade later and sell the 10 speed stuff for probably not much less than you bought it. Just a thought.

Are you really claiming that anything which ships from china is fake parts? If you arent claiming that, then what is the point of your post?

I have received countless components from China and they all work perfectly fine. Things as simple as flat riser bars for an MTB and 1x cranksets to actually complex 105 5800 STIs, rear derailleurs, and Mshift shifters.
Everything I have received has worked as expected and continues to work.


OP- just buy from a seller with a bunch of reviews and super high rating using paypal. If its fake or if it never arrives, get your money back and move on.