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feature
2022 real vs counterfeit chain - road.ccHow can you spot counterfeit bike components and avoid getting ripped off? We spoke to Shimano to find out
Everyone loves a bargain, but not when it could mean sliding down the tarmac on your face. After a member of the road.cc team unknowingly purchased a counterfeit chain recently, we thought we'd take a look at the risks involved, how you can avoid getting scammed and what the big brands are doing to prevent it.
When Covid-19 reared its ugly head it brought with it supply chain issues and limited availability. Many people, us included, were left searching far and wide for certain products and components, but when they arrived they weren't always what they said they were.
> Shimano issues warning saying that 'shimano-clearance.store' is a fake site
In this article we'll focus specifically on counterfeit products rather than 'fake' ones (unbranded copies), and if you want to buy the latter then that's your own prerogative; however, something pretending to be something that it isn't is a different kettle of fish entirely.
Firstly, let's understand what a counterfeit product actually is. They usually bear the trademark of a legitimate and trusted brand, such as Shimano, FSA or Sram when we're talking bikes, but are produced by another party and are not made to the specifications of the original manufacturer. They're also often produced illegally and sold at a profit to fund other criminal activities.
Other than the obvious ethical issues, this raises some serious safety concerns. Especially when it's components in question...
Spot the difference
Let's play a game of spot the difference. Do you think you could tell which one is the real deal?
So the packaging is obviously designed to be very similar, and it is in fact the open packaging that is the counterfeit (on the right). There aren't many tell-tale signs, but the shiny vinyl embossing top left is obviously hard to imitate, and is missing off the largest area.
> Shimano road bike groupsets 2022 — Everything you need to know
What about when they're out of their packaging? The text is all but identical but there are some very minor differences in the pins and chamfers to aid shifting. We're confident that we wouldn't bat an eye unless the two were side by side. Spoiler: it's the top chain that is genuine.
What actually gave the game away was the quick link. This is not only stamped with different text (fake on the right) but it didn't fit together; now if the tolerances are that far off for this link, then we don't have huge confidence in the rest of the chain.
> Review: Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 Groupset
The store where the chain was purchased from, Amazon, hastily removed the product, but we can't help but wonder how many had been sold before that happened. We've also noticed an increase of reports on the road.cc forum of counterfeit goods for sale on sites such as Facebook Marketplace, and even some dodgy shops mixing counterfeit and genuine products.
You don't need us to tell you the dangers of a chain breaking during use, the results could be catastrophic as we all know. To minimise the chances of this happening, brands such as Shimano invest huge amounts of money in product testing, quality control and manufacturing to ensure that components such as chains exiting their facilities are up to scratch.
Shimano speaks
Shimano is aware that counterfeit products are trickling into the market and that it can be tempting to purchase parts from less-than-reputable sources. We asked what measures it is taking to prevent this:
"Shimano recommends that consumers purchase genuine Shimano parts from Authorized Shimano Dealers and Distributors. If a consumer believes to have purchased a counterfeit product, we recommend they contact their local Shimano Service Centre, or Shimano retailer for further assistance."
Shimano also pointed us in the direction of its online anti-counterfeit page which has recently been updated with some new initiatives. Since May 2021 there's been the rollout of new packaging that is supposedly harder to copy, QR codes on products and the introduction of a new phone application.
> Shimano steps up efforts to beat counterfeiters
> 29 of the best cycling apps for iPhone and Android
We're particularly impressed by the Android and iOS app, which is currently available in the US with other markets being reviewed. This allows users to scan a product and see whether it is a genuine, authorised product. In our opinion the sooner we can get our hands on this the better, because it makes it easier to catch traders of counterfeit goods and gives consumers peace of mind.
How to avoid being caught out
- If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is! Ask yourself: how reputable is the source?
- Compare the packaging and components to known genuine products
- Purchase from authorised dealers and distributors
- Read reviews on the particular seller
We've asked other big brands for their take on the problem, and we'll have an updated article as and when we hear back.
We're trying to get a better idea of the scale of this problem. If you've fallen foul of counterfeit products then let us know in the comments section below or email us at tech [at] road.cc
Jamie has been riding bikes since a tender age but really caught the bug for racing and reviewing whilst studying towards a master's in Mechanical engineering at Swansea University. Having graduated, he decided he really quite liked working with bikes and is now a full-time addition to the road.cc team. When not writing about tech news or working on the Youtube channel, you can still find him racing local crits trying to cling on to his cat 2 licence...and missing every break going...
Latest Comments
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Unfortunately, the AI is more likely to look at the weight of people expressing that opinion and considered it gold standard truth....
- levestane 8 min 47 sec ago
It is interesting to wonder what the balance is; how much cycling reduces climate impact (replacing car journeys etc) and how much adds to climate...
- matt-p 8 min 48 sec ago
Some super logic by the counciller.......
- slc 15 min 10 sec ago
Plus, it takes just one bright spark with a drill to turn water-filled barriers back to the easily moved state.
- Steve K 29 min 17 sec ago
Gosh, I thought I was a late comer to this
- thax1 1 hour 42 min ago
I managed to break the chain link on mine. (I assume it's the same product, mine came as part of a rather snazzy Birzman toolkit)....
- thax1 1 hour 45 min ago
Good review. I like to see the full range of 'award stars' in use to differentiate between good and 'meh' products. Same with the Ribble Allroad...
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I was under the impression that “unbalanced investment from Arab countries” is having a not necessarily good impact on pretty much every sport.
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Very true....
- brooksby 2 hours 4 min ago
Like going to a cello lesson?
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32 comments
I consider myself pretty switched on to a scam but this 3T(ree) wheel wasn't what I was expecting.
I hate all these non-standard thru-axle designs. Another reminder that roads weren't made for bicycles though.
Matched set, well swish!
I only buy from authorised dealers, whether that be bike parts, car parts or any other manufactured product; the amount of fake products coming out of China is incredible; just like the effort that Indian scammers put in to defraud gullible westerners.
Why are you so keen to identify scammers by nationality? Are there no fraudsters with white skin?
Perhaps he followed the suggested Shimano online anti counterfeit link and saw that Shimano's opening header says "... crackdown in China.."?
I recall on an Alps tour I did, one of the other guests having a terrible fall after his new carbon/alu brake-tracked front wheel collapsed during a fast descent. He could have been killed. He'd bought the wheelset online and I imagine in retrospect they were fake.
I'd certainly not buy something like a wheelset from anywhere other than a reputable retailer, with a proper warranty and consumer rights.
Its terrifying that dodgy components could enter normal suppliers stocks.
Is this... fake news?
I'll get my coat.
That 11S quick link looks like a KMC missing link (presumably also counterfeit). Seems they couldn't be bothered to fake the quick link.
The only other difference I noticed was the size of the hole in the pins.
but if the counterfeits are near identical to the real thing, and to go to that much effort means they are mass produced, surely they could enter any part of the supply chain (pardon the pun) it neednt be just people buying the cheapest chains they see at your budget online options. If theres a wholesale route to market for them as well,then any shop desperate for stock to sell, might just as easily be picking up what they think are a good deal, not asking too many questions about them and selling them on to their unsuspecting consumers still paying full RRP. because who is going to check ?
Im sure I bought a replacement chain during lockdown when supplies were scarce,for normal price it wasnt discounted, and I dont think it was from Amazon as it came in a box with Haribo (unless this was all part of the clever scam), that literally came just in a plastic bag, with no other manufacturer packaging or anything with it, so any of that effort Shimano are spending on making their packaging unfakeable is surely then totally wasted.
Yes, genuine mail-ordered stuff (I assume, because it was from reputable shops) seems to sometimes come unboxed, sometimes boxed. I guess this is bulk stuff or stuff for the industry that isn't fancily packaged or split multi-packs or something?
Yes, some mail order places will sell OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts. They will have paid less for this, as technically it should have been supplied with a complete bike, rather than sold individually, hence why sometimes a complete bike can sometimes only cost slightly more than the RRP of the groupset. This OEM stuff will come in plain cardboard box or plastic bag packaging. The parts will be the same quality, only the packaging differs, although there's a grey area as to whether Shimano, etc allow it.
They could also be genuine parts from the real factory that failed QC and got "diverted" from the scrap process. That goes for almost any product, including (frighteningly) carabiners and the like for rock climbing. Those factories have to have a rigorously secure process of destroying failed items.
In Australia, we have a very large Chinese immigrant community, some of whom set up online businesses that import counterfeit goods and other cheap tat from China and sell it on ebay; the only rule is buyer beware, as ebay does nothing about it.
I think you'll find ethnicity isn't a factor here and you might want to reconsider that comment. Rip off merchants are found everywhere and anyone can use Ali Express.
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And yet grOg did find ethnicity to be a factor.
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Funny dat.
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Perhaps he followed the suggested Shimano online anti counterfeit link and saw that Shimano's opening header says "... crackdown in China.."?
I've been assuming that something that is actually sold by amazon (both "dispatches from" and "sold by" are amazon), as opposed to being sold by someone else through amazon's website, is genuine. I wonder if this is true or not ?
Not sure about that. There have been reports (unsure whether correct or not) about counterfeit items that were "sold by Amazon". Reason given was that Amazon keeps all items in the same bin, so if there's one counterfeiter amongst several honest traders for the same product, then it would essentially be a lottery which item you'd get (even if the seller you selected did only provide genuine items to the warehouse).
Any Amazon insiders without gagging orders on here?
Not true unfortunately. I bought a "SanDisk" SD card, sold by Amazon, which failed quickly. SanDisk confirmed it was fake. Amazon apologised, promptly refunded, and said they were investigating how it had got into their supply chain.
Whilst I know that we all like a bargain, for some things it's just not worth it. I always buy all my bike related items from my local bike shop. Yes, you pay a little more but you know it's the right product, and you're also keeping a local business going. I never buy from the likes of Amazon.
Interestingly, my mate who owns the bike shop tells some great stories about people who buy spurious bike bits, when they don't work or they can't fit them they rock up at his shop expecting him to spend time on the bike but they moan at him charging labour costs to sort the issues out.
I remember him being asked to build up a bike for a customer. The customer didn't buy a thing from my mate, but turned up with a brand new Pinarello Dogma frame and a full Dura Ace groupset and some carbon wheels. When my mate was cutting down the carbon steerer, as he drew back the carbon saw to begin cutting, the saw blade went through the steerer tube. He didn't build the bike, and asked the guy to come and pick it up. Turned out he'd bought the frame from China, and knew it was a fake but because it looked the real deal he thought it would be ok.
I bought a Shimano cassette from Amazon and another from E-bay during lockdown and I'm very suspicious of both. The packaging looked perfect but the amazon one felt like it was covered in grit while pedaling although it shifted just as crisply as the old one it replaced. It could be unconnected but I also had my first ever freehub failure while using it so it went in the bin. The e-bay one is there as a last resort but I'd have to be desperate.
I did a recent thing except i picked up the cassette and chain from a local retailer because it was just cheaper and more convenient. (Condor Cycles)
I picked some chain rings up on amazon from amazon and not a 3rd party merchant. Was worried if they would be fake or not as the prices were considerably cheaper (and i had to wait almost a month for them...) than other retailers and mechants but after a close inspection and a few rides with them, they seem perfectly fine.
packaging across all 4 items looked to be the exact same with no strange fonts or colours used.
I've stared at those packages for a minute and can't figure out what you mean by "the shiny vinyl embossing top left is obviously hard to imitate, and is missing off the largest area." Is it referring to the shiny plastic in the window? I figured that was just removed by whomever opened it.
Interesting that the print on the fake one is darker and crisper than on the real one. The only other difference I spot, besides slight differences in print size, is on the fake box the rightmost parallelogram in the group of three is slightly offset, and is grey rather than white. Seems odd to add an unnecessary detail.
Interestingly, when I do a search for this chain, a lot of the boxes show those parallelograms in black, such as this one.
https://www.coloradocyclist.com/shimano-xtr-hg901-11-speed-chain
There's a bunch of stuff in the lettering that is different, e.g. the "SIL-TEC" being wider on the fake, so lining up with the boxes printed below it, similarly the "Dura-Ace" and "HG-X11". I sort of just felt things were a bit off on the fake, e.g. the spacing and proportions on the "11 s", but it's very subtle. If you'd plonked the fake box in front of me with nothing to compare with, and no indication it was fake, I'm sure I wouldn't have batted an eyelid.
Also, no idea what the article is going on about with respect to "shiny vinyl embossing" either, I assumed the same as you about the plastic window.
Hi, apologies, I should have been clearer, I was referring to the three rhombuses that have a mirrored finish next to where it says 'chain' at the top of the box. As you can see on the counterfeit packaging, the largest rhombus is white rather than mirrored.
Here's a close up
Ah, OK! I didn't realise those bits were embossed/mirrored/whatever, I thought it was just printed. KMC user here
Same. That would expain why they look grey, white, or black in various photos.
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You rhombus if you want to.
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The lady's not for turning.
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Not at all surprised that the counterfeit chain came from Amazon
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