datlas 

Correct. Maybe my chains are Friday chains or Monday chains??

Kevinti

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.

Darth Lefty 

Check out the 105 pedals here on BF and the XT pedals on MTBR. It's happening. Whether it seems to make sense or not. The products are considerably worse than stock. You can tell looking at the close ups of the links and chain, or the painted not plated parts, that the knockoff is some really basic Walmart-level junk. But it's arriving in buyers' hands

UnCruel 

Missing from your equation are the costs of marketing and customer service.

MoAlpha

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.

thin_concrete

But Amazon wants to be your pharmacist too!!!!

bblair

Why not, they're already my grocery store!

phrantic09

Or chains that were binned for failing QC.

thin_concrete

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?

spelger

so I'm not the only one who noticed the font...

datlas 

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.

tomato coupe

Or, don't buy Shimano?

genejockey 

That would work, if there weren't knockoffs of other brands. Sadly, however....

phrantic09

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.

seypat

What about the Wipperman chains and Connex links? Aren't they supposed to be good quality? Anyone use them?

Bah Humbug

Also, even if I saw a chain box six months ago when I put the last one on, then I get the counterfeit... yeah it's different, but not to where I'd remember. It's clear when you have both, but most riders won't remember in that level of detail.

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.

mschwett 

not anymore! nor is one medical any longer my GP. that way madness lies!

mschwett 

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.

Kabuto

Your chain looks genuine to me. It would be a lot of trouble for a counterfeiter to copy the profile shape of a 12 speed M9100 XTR/DA chain and your chain has the correct profile shape. The dead giveaway is the hollow pins though. I have yet to see any counterfeit chains with hollow pins.

Bah Humbug

I'd actually think counterfeits are more likely to carry retail packaging.

autonomy

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.

datlas 

I am aware the QL resembles KMC. I suspect it's a cheap copy as it feels flimsy, but it's entirely possible the chains I bought were factory "extras" from a Shimano-subcontractor and the QLs were simlarly from KMC and/or KMC knockoffs. But the point is since these are not legitimate chains, I don't feel especially comfortable trusting them. The QL especially seems VERY flimsy both when I engaged it and when I disassembled it. The genuine Shimano QL has a VERY satisfying tactile SNAP! when it engages.

TakingMyTime

Whatever happened to Shimano releasing this app?

https://bike.shimano.com/en-US/infor...unterfeit.html

Darth Lefty 

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.

tomato coupe

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.