PSA - Counterfeit Chains Are Rampant
10-30-22, 12:15 PM
#76
Should Be More Popular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Posts: 43,045
Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix
Mentioned: 560 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22590 Post(s)
Liked 8,924 Times
in
4,157 Posts
10-30-22, 01:42 PM
#77
Newbie
Scammers too...I had a bad experience with two Amazon retailers recently trying to buy a Campagnolo Record 11 speed chain. Both times they showed a picture of the box of an actual Campy Record chain but then sent a non series specific Campy chain with a decal they put on it that said "Record 11 speed chain". I learned my lesson after that and pay the extra 2 dollars and get it from a bike shop that likes a decent reputation.
Likes For Kevinti:
10-30-22, 02:06 PM
#78
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,446
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,105 Times
in
1,369 Posts
Something is just not adding up here. The whole point of making knock-off products would be the substantially higher profit than manufacturing other products. Since the packaging, quick link and chain are for all intents and purposes identical than the original plus is was being sold at a discount where is the great upside for this manufacturer. In other knockoff situations I have seen it was for crazy expensive products and the knockoff can quickly be identified as as inferior. That is not the case in this case.
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
Likes For Darth Lefty:
10-30-22, 02:42 PM
#79
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: St. Louis, Missouri
Posts: 147
Bikes: Trek Émonda SL 5, Trek Checkpoint SL 5, Giant Trance X 2, Trek Farley
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 73 Post(s)
Liked 94 Times
in
52 Posts
Something is just not adding up here. The whole point of making knock-off products would be the substantially higher profit than manufacturing other products. Since the packaging, quick link and chain are for all intents and purposes identical than the original plus is was being sold at a discount where is the great upside for this manufacturer. In other knockoff situations I have seen it was for crazy expensive products and the knockoff can quickly be identified as as inferior. That is not the case in this case.
10-30-22, 04:19 PM
#80
• —
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Land of Pleasant Living
Posts: 12,230
Bikes: Shmikes
Mentioned: 59 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10165 Post(s)
Liked 5,855 Times
in
3,153 Posts
Want to get upset about something? Think for a moment how much easier it is to make defective generic drugs and how much harder they are to detect.
Likes For MoAlpha:
Likes For thin_concrete:
10-30-22, 05:18 PM
#82
Senior Member
Likes For phrantic09:
10-31-22, 06:34 AM
#84
Achtung!
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: New England
Posts: 1,673
Bikes: 60.1, Marvel
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 515 Post(s)
Liked 268 Times
in
161 Posts
I really think the act of putting them in a fake box screams intent to peddle counterfeit goods. Not saying that any online LBS or Amazon is complicit, but by putting them in a box so similar to Shimano’s own packaging, there was an intent to deceive/defraud any purchaser.
Now, can we talk about why people don’t believe my Rollexe is real?
Now, can we talk about why people don’t believe my Rollexe is real?
Likes For thin_concrete:
10-31-22, 10:31 AM
#86
Should Be More Popular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Posts: 43,045
Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix
Mentioned: 560 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22590 Post(s)
Liked 8,924 Times
in
4,157 Posts
The lack of reflector/shine on the parallelograms on the box front is an obvious giveaway if you are looking at the box in person.
It's pretty much impossible to tell from an online listing, even if the picture from the listing is real, you could get sent a counterfeit.
The main point to my thread is to increase awareness. I hope that I succeeded.
It's pretty much impossible to tell from an online listing, even if the picture from the listing is real, you could get sent a counterfeit.
The main point to my thread is to increase awareness. I hope that I succeeded.
Likes For datlas:
10-31-22, 10:33 AM
#87
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,945
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3948 Post(s)
Liked 7,292 Times
in
2,945 Posts
10-31-22, 11:05 AM
#88
Klaatu..Verata..Necktie?
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 17,952
Bikes: Litespeed Ultimate, Ultegra; Canyon Endurace, 105; Battaglin MAX, Chorus; Bianchi 928 Veloce; Ritchey Road Logic, Dura Ace; Cannondale R500 RX100; Schwinn Circuit, Sante; Lotus Supreme, Dura Ace
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10422 Post(s)
Liked 11,884 Times
in
6,088 Posts
10-31-22, 11:28 AM
#89
Fat n slow
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Saratoga, NY
Posts: 4,302
Bikes: Cervelo R3, Giant Revolt
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3259 Post(s)
Liked 2,085 Times
in
979 Posts
The one thing I will say about Amazon and the fake chain is that they refunded my money with no questions and did not require me to send back the counterfeit.
10-31-22, 02:37 PM
#90
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,515
Mentioned: 69 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3241 Post(s)
Liked 2,512 Times
in
1,510 Posts
What about the Wipperman chains and Connex links? Aren't they supposed to be good quality? Anyone use them?
10-31-22, 07:03 PM
#91
serious cyclist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Austin
Posts: 21,147
Bikes: S1, R2, P2
Mentioned: 115 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9334 Post(s)
Liked 3,679 Times
in
2,026 Posts
The lack of reflector/shine on the parallelograms on the box front is an obvious giveaway if you are looking at the box in person.
It's pretty much impossible to tell from an online listing, even if the picture from the listing is real, you could get sent a counterfeit.
The main point to my thread is to increase awareness. I hope that I succeeded.
It's pretty much impossible to tell from an online listing, even if the picture from the listing is real, you could get sent a counterfeit.
The main point to my thread is to increase awareness. I hope that I succeeded.
And the online listing could have the real image and then Amazon sells the fake someone put into stock. Even if you know what it looks like and buy the "right" one by image, you can get the counterfeit and then have to return it for someone else.
10-31-22, 10:44 PM
#93
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2021
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,035
Bikes: addict, aethos, creo, vanmoof, sirrus, public ...
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1273 Post(s)
Liked 1,392 Times
in
710 Posts
this thread has me worrried. i bought a couple 12 speed M9100 XTR/DA chains from merlin and they arrived in practically unbranded plastic bags. i assumed they were just OEM packaging. but …. ?
they look genuine, and haven’t broken, but i have had some new drivetrain noises.
they look genuine, and haven’t broken, but i have had some new drivetrain noises.
__________________
11-01-22, 12:44 AM
#94
Full Member
this thread has me worrried. i bought a couple 12 speed M9100 XTR/DA chains from merlin and they arrived in practically unbranded plastic bags. i assumed they were just OEM packaging. but …. ?
they look genuine, and haven’t broken, but i have had some new drivetrain noises.
they look genuine, and haven’t broken, but i have had some new drivetrain noises.
Likes For Kabuto:
11-01-22, 01:49 PM
#95
serious cyclist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Austin
Posts: 21,147
Bikes: S1, R2, P2
Mentioned: 115 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 9334 Post(s)
Liked 3,679 Times
in
2,026 Posts
this thread has me worrried. i bought a couple 12 speed M9100 XTR/DA chains from merlin and they arrived in practically unbranded plastic bags. i assumed they were just OEM packaging. but …. ?
they look genuine, and haven’t broken, but i have had some new drivetrain noises.
they look genuine, and haven’t broken, but i have had some new drivetrain noises.
11-01-22, 02:45 PM
#96
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Boston Roads
Posts: 975
Bikes: 2012 Canondale Synapse 105, 2017 REI Co-Op ADV 3.1
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 507 Post(s)
Liked 237 Times
in
133 Posts
Shimano QL:
KMC QL:
On this, yes, I'd assume so. Over on the photography side I know there are people who have found high-speed SD cards with low-speed chips on them in full retail channels like Best Buy, which in that case makes me assume someone at the factory subbed the slower chips to make a quota and hoped nothing would happen. I'd imagine the vendors are clueless.
11-01-22, 03:24 PM
#97
Should Be More Popular
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Malvern, PA (20 miles West of Philly)
Posts: 43,045
Bikes: 1986 Alpine (steel road bike), 2009 Ti Habenero, 2013 Specialized Roubaix
Mentioned: 560 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 22590 Post(s)
Liked 8,924 Times
in
4,157 Posts
That looks like a KMC quick link. They're typically stamped with chain size (10S, 11S...). datlas, I can't really tell from your pictures, but are the links in the counterfeit chain chamfered?
Shimano QL:
KMC QL:
Years ago (7?) I bought a 32GB SanDisk SD card off Amazon, sold by Amazon. Would not write beyond 4GB no matter what I did, would error out. I did some research, compared the logos, and it was the same thing as the OP is describing - the lettering and the quality looked slightly different from what it was supposed to (notice the font on the boxes is different). At the same time I found some articles about 'ghost shifts' running the production line Friday night and making a bunch of "fake" SD cards.
Shimano QL:
KMC QL:
Years ago (7?) I bought a 32GB SanDisk SD card off Amazon, sold by Amazon. Would not write beyond 4GB no matter what I did, would error out. I did some research, compared the logos, and it was the same thing as the OP is describing - the lettering and the quality looked slightly different from what it was supposed to (notice the font on the boxes is different). At the same time I found some articles about 'ghost shifts' running the production line Friday night and making a bunch of "fake" SD cards.
11-02-22, 08:55 AM
#98
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Los Alamitos, Calif.
Posts: 2,475
Bikes: Canyon Endurace
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1041 Post(s)
Liked 923 Times
in
540 Posts
Whatever happened to Shimano releasing this app?
https://bike.shimano.com/en-US/infor...unterfeit.html
https://bike.shimano.com/en-US/infor...unterfeit.html
11-02-22, 09:33 AM
#99
Disco Infiltrator
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,446
Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem
Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,105 Times
in
1,369 Posts
The "factory seconds" story you guys are telling yourselves is a fantasy that lets you hope the fake will be good enough. The fakes are different enough in details that it's just not a real possibility. It's not like there's a "lower quality" lever on the chain machine.
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Genesis 49:16-17
Likes For Darth Lefty:
11-02-22, 09:47 AM
#100
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,945
Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3948 Post(s)
Liked 7,292 Times
in
2,945 Posts
Shimano lets their workers take home components that they can sell on the side to help pay for needed surgeries for their ailing mothers and disabled children. Those are the "counterfeit" chains that are sold on eBay.