PSA - Counterfeit Chains Are Rampant
10-28-22, 05:08 PM
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10-28-22, 05:36 PM
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datlas How did you determine the fake give-away— the enclosed quick link— was definitely not Shimano?
All of the packaging comparison stuff is not compelling; it’s not at all unusual for packaging to change over the years, or even based on place of manufacture. For example, right now, brand new Coca-Cola cans look different in Hawaii than the do in Michigan; not the branding or labeling, but the physical can, because the markets are supplied from different manufacturing plants.
But the quick link…how do you know it’s fake?
All of the packaging comparison stuff is not compelling; it’s not at all unusual for packaging to change over the years, or even based on place of manufacture. For example, right now, brand new Coca-Cola cans look different in Hawaii than the do in Michigan; not the branding or labeling, but the physical can, because the markets are supplied from different manufacturing plants.
But the quick link…how do you know it’s fake?
10-28-22, 05:56 PM
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datlas How did you determine the fake give-away— the enclosed quick link— was definitely not Shimano?
All of the packaging comparison stuff is not compelling; it’s not at all unusual for packaging to change over the years, or even based on place of manufacture. For example, right now, brand new Coca-Cola cans look different in Hawaii than the do in Michigan; not the branding or labeling, but the physical can, because the markets are supplied from different manufacturing plants.
But the quick link…how do you know it’s fake?
All of the packaging comparison stuff is not compelling; it’s not at all unusual for packaging to change over the years, or even based on place of manufacture. For example, right now, brand new Coca-Cola cans look different in Hawaii than the do in Michigan; not the branding or labeling, but the physical can, because the markets are supplied from different manufacturing plants.
But the quick link…how do you know it’s fake?
10-28-22, 07:02 PM
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For what it’s worth, I got mine from Amazon with Amazon as the seller. The chain looked legit, but the link plates broke when I was climbing. The QL is what gave it away to my mechanic that the chain was fake. His words were - if that’s the QL that came with the chain, the chain is fake
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10-28-22, 07:31 PM
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Can you weigh them? That's a good way to find fakes amongst otherwise identical looking batteries.
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10-28-22, 09:42 PM
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Looking at them side-by-side, I can see the difference in the chains. But the lack of the arrow on the QL is more compelling. Unfortunately, I'm usually paying so little attention, and my close vision is so poor, that I would likely not notice until the chain broke while I was riding.
10-28-22, 09:52 PM
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Does the fake chain have lettering on one side (which is supposed to be the outward-facing direction)?
10-29-22, 12:59 AM
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Yeah, I’d expect all Shimano stuff to be branded, quick link included. Of course, counterfeit stuff could be as well, but unbranded would be quite a tell, I think.
10-29-22, 01:23 AM
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At the same time, though, we’ve had 10 years of 11 speed, right, so I think it’s both reasonable and likely changes were made by Shimano to both product and packaging over that period, so that the chains are not identical is not necessarily revealing or damning.
It is also reasonable to assume there are counterfeits out there, and it’s reasonable to assume non-authorized vendors in grey and black market channels like eBay and Amazon would be the places to find those fakes.
Being up on the minutiae of Shimano chain variants over the years is super-deep geeky stuff, and while I won’t be surprised if that person is out there, I don’t know if we’ll get those definitive answers in this thread, so I think the big takeaway here is to stick to ADs (authorized dealers) and official channels when buying chains. EBay could be fine, but you’ve got to know your vendor; legit shops sell on eBay, but so counterfeiters.
10-29-22, 01:32 AM
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Would not the quick link literally be “the weakest link?” Would it be surprising that if a chain breaks, it would be at the at QL?
I don’t generally expect chains to break at all, especially 11 speed chains, so there’s that, but it’s not clear the brand, age, model, mileage, or conditions either you or phrantic09 are talking about, so it may be unsurprising those chains broke.
I don’t generally expect chains to break at all, especially 11 speed chains, so there’s that, but it’s not clear the brand, age, model, mileage, or conditions either you or phrantic09 are talking about, so it may be unsurprising those chains broke.
10-29-22, 02:13 AM
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You guys breaking chains... are you waxing them properly?
10-29-22, 03:57 AM
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Would not the quick link literally be “the weakest link?” Would it be surprising that if a chain breaks, it would be at the at QL?
I don’t generally expect chains to break at all, especially 11 speed chains, so there’s that, but it’s not clear the brand, age, model, mileage, or conditions either you or phrantic09 are talking about, so it may be unsurprising those chains broke.
I don’t generally expect chains to break at all, especially 11 speed chains, so there’s that, but it’s not clear the brand, age, model, mileage, or conditions either you or phrantic09 are talking about, so it may be unsurprising those chains broke.
I wax with a 2 chain rotation, so I just put the first chain back on the bike and never had another issue. That chain had about 250 miles in same dry conditions.
10-29-22, 05:03 AM
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Would not the quick link literally be “the weakest link?” Would it be surprising that if a chain breaks, it would be at the at QL?
I don’t generally expect chains to break at all, especially 11 speed chains, so there’s that, but it’s not clear the brand, age, model, mileage, or conditions either you or phrantic09 are talking about, so it may be unsurprising those chains broke.
I don’t generally expect chains to break at all, especially 11 speed chains, so there’s that, but it’s not clear the brand, age, model, mileage, or conditions either you or phrantic09 are talking about, so it may be unsurprising those chains broke.
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10-29-22, 05:31 AM
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I know what you think we’re talking about, of course, but that’s not an answer to my questions, because regardless of whether a chain is authentic Shimano or not, the possibility of failure exists, and is not something which only happens to counterfeits.
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10-29-22, 05:47 AM
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The chain I am referring to broke after about 25 miles of use on dry roads. Then it broke again the next day in a different spot. It was him the same chain datlas has in his pics.
I wax with a 2 chain rotation, so I just put the first chain back on the bike and never had another issue. That chain had about 250 miles in same dry conditions.
I wax with a 2 chain rotation, so I just put the first chain back on the bike and never had another issue. That chain had about 250 miles in same dry conditions.
What was the failure mode, exactly? You said it “broke at the link plates,” but I’m not sure if you mean the connector (aka quick) link, or a regular link, or whether you mean broke as in ruined and unusable or broke as in came apart and was able to be reassembled. I guess that you said it broke in a different place suggests a different link, but it’s not clear if you’re saying the link you broke to reconnect the chain failed the second time, or if it ever failed at the connector link.
10-29-22, 05:47 AM
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ok.
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10-29-22, 06:03 AM
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I'd be inclined to email the pics to a Shimano USA rep and see what they have to say. Shimano would likely be interested in knowing if there are fakes out there.
10-29-22, 07:10 AM
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Pics, as promised. Real chain is on the right, fake one on the left:
Front of box. Real on right,
Back of boxes. Some sites have said the giveaway is lack of bar-code on fake but in this case both have it. Real on right again.
Box contents. Real on right again.
The chains themselves really do look identical to me.
Front of box. Real on right,
Back of boxes. Some sites have said the giveaway is lack of bar-code on fake but in this case both have it. Real on right again.
Box contents. Real on right again.
The chains themselves really do look identical to me.
10-29-22, 09:43 AM
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Some of those links on the left-hand package very clearly say "SK" on them. Wasn't there a company called Sakai or something like that which made copies of stuff like Cinelli handlebars and branded them "SK" many years ago?
10-29-22, 09:56 AM
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For entertainment go to Amazon and type in Shimano derailleur. Check the names before "Shimano" and the prices.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=shimano+derailleur
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=shimano+derailleur
10-29-22, 10:23 AM
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One week old chain doesn't look like one month old chain? | Mountain Bike Reviews Forum (mtbr.com)
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10-29-22, 10:33 AM
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10-29-22, 10:55 AM
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