Fake products in all fields exist because the originals are unrealistically expressive. If you want a reasonably priced frame, buy one from a Chinese manufacturer that has their own design and is prepared to put their own name on it, not a fake.
Chinese replicas aren't as bad as people make them out to be. I believe a lot of these replicas are legit technology ripoffs as many of the official designs are pirated by industrial thieves and spirited away to rogue factories.
Trek Cannondale Specialized Santa Cruz and other bike companies that went to China for cheap labor and manufacturing got their design stolen. Whose fault is that? 😂😂😂😂
Most likely the Originals have higher quality, better quality control, and also warranty. In very happy cases you may get a frame which has been produced in the same factory but has minor issues with its color finish but is actually the same frame, juat without stickers.
Good video, every bike is different. I have seen many Specialized Tarmac replicas broken. About Chinese frames and replicas there is a difference, you have many Chinese brands that makes good quality bicycle frames with their own brand, for low price. The problem with the replicas, they try to copy the structure but it will never be the same quality. If you need to claim a warranty in most cases it's very difficult. Independent from where something come from, the most important thing is the build quality from it. For example I ride with Chinese Nepest Wheels and they are awesome.
your frame is obvious a fake replica, BUT there are frames from chinese factories, which produce original frames for well known companies, that are 1:1 the same, for a piece of the price.
Those knockoff frames might appear to be superficially the same, but I guarantee they are not manufactured to the same tolerances and specifications nor are they subjected to the same rigorous quality control. and there will be zero warranty. In short, use at your own risk.
@@Durwood71 I totally agree. And this video doesn't show how difficult it is to intall all the bike's components on cheap frames, especillay headset, inner hoses, matting the breaks callipers and so on. BTW, TREK frames are manufacftured in Vietnam (aluminium) and Taïwan (carbon) in their own factories. Like others said, if you want to buy Chinese, there are some excellent domestic manufacturers, don't venture into (illegal) copies.
@@Durwood71What a joke… those manufacturers give you a 2 year waranty. And they do heavy testing on those bikes. I’m using replica frames for a couple of years now, never had an issue and client service is better then in the shops over here. Every pro rides a bike from Taiwan/China. Look at Astana this year they are breaking a taboo. And btw this guy buys from the wrong places, he pays too much for this poor quality it’s even not 1:1.
@turkamo8163 You're right. Replicating name brand designs is not rocket science, and there are plenty of good manufacturers who provide this service. It's not surprising that the frameset featured in the video was of poor quality, as Aliexpress is only a projection of the Chinese market.
And those frames go through rigorous testing to ensure they meet the standards that the parent company has ordered from the Chinese factory, not all factories are the same.
My ex was from Hong Kong and she was a godsend for me to figure out what is worth buying and what's not 😅 her cousin worked for a company in Taiwan, that company does many things but one is pre sale safety testing and third party quality control, the do a brand very common on amazon and temu called kocevlo, but the same company tests pinarello frames too😅 now she did say the kocevlo stuff fails to make a guess 30% of the time where as pinarello won't accept a batch that has more than a percentage of a percentage failure from 1000 frames, so while they can be made in the same places the green light to sell is much harder to achieve when it's a high end brand
Let’s be honest: there are minor differences, sure-but the real question you should ask yourself is why counterfeits even exist. The answer is simple: the prices of original frames have skyrocketed. Fifteen years ago, you could buy the most expensive bike setup for about €6,000. Nowadays, that amount only gets you the frame. It’s outrageous, especially when you consider that manufacturing, including the paint job, costs no more than €500. As for safety: yes, 10 years ago, Chinese counterfeit frames had poor quality, particularly around the drivetrain, where they were prone to breaking. But times have changed. Today’s counterfeit frames are just as safe as the originals. You don’t have to take my word for it-there are riders competing at 'elite without contract' levels in Belgium who use these frames all season long. Some have even won over 10 to 20 races with them and topping the overall leaderboard. I can’t name names, but trust me-it’s true and I know them personally.
Inside of that frame looks horrendous, I would get it scanned for voids in the carbon. Have a couple of unbranded Ali carbon frames that have taken a lot of abuse and are just fine. However I would never buy a fake mainstream big brand labeled one as I know the manufacturers cut corners on the actual frame fabrication (and use low grade carbon) so they have money for the paint and finish to make it look a bit like the real thing. They are bad news and a waste of money just like fake Rolex watches. Best avoided.
Agree with the scanning, ultrasound would work too, I have used it to check for cracks, voids, etc on aircraft landing gear components. I have made a fair amount of composite stuff on my own along with doing some aircraft repairs: we take great pains to prevent voids and have a tight compressed layup, which I would imagine a counterfeiter would not take the time to do.
To everyone claiming these frames come from the same factory or are similar to the originals: they are not. Additionally, these counterfeit Madone framesets are not cheap-they sell for around $1,000 USD. Some of these sellers even produce counterfeit Princeton wheelsets. Purchasing counterfeit products harms engineers, R&D teams, and other departments whose work ensures your safety, so you don’t end up with your face smashed against the asphalt. Moulds have a limited lifespan, this means that if by chance this comes from a shady mould, the carbon layers are not properly placed. For those arguing that big companies aren’t affected, think again. Counterfeit products also harm legitimate Chinese companies striving to compete by offering original designs at fair prices. Counterfeiting undermines everything-whether you accept it or not. It only makes richer that hong kong dealer that gets annoyed if you ask too many questions about this product. And If you think the low price is worth it, consider this: you’re risking your safety and your family’s well-being by riding on this substandard junk.
How much do you think Pinarello pay for a 6k F race frame ? They pay way less than the 1k us for a fake .I've been in the Taiwan factory's, they do sell the same frames for the same price ,that is a fact .A really cheap frame 4/500 us i wouldn't buy but there will be 0 issue with a 1k frame ,or I should say no more or less issues that high end brands
@@JaiJai-by4tp thats no secret! but thats why you have an open market with plenty of chinese OEM and original options! Why buying something just to have a decal on? My point is that when you dont put your brand on your frame, you actually care for your brand to be of a certain type of quality. Counterfeit dealers do not.
I have a $400 ali frame that's been solid, but it's from a small chinese brand and has an original design. I wouldn't be confident buying a knock off frame.
I paid about $650 for my AliExpress unbranded frame a few years ago (LT Bike LTK118). It's been a fantastic deal, and I've put over 20,000 kilometers on it without a single issue. Not everything on AliExpress is problematic or a big risk, as many people would like you to believe.
@@flynbenny I purchased an Ali X open mold frame and built it up 4 years ago (LTK 118), and I've put over 20,000k on it by now. It's been nothing short of fantastic, and I haven't encountered a single problem with it. There are a number of carbon frames on Ali that are well worth the price, and they're not the 'death traps' that so many people make them out to be. There are some good online forums discussing these frames.
Chinese carbon is no better or worse than most brands ,I own a shop and Chinese carbon will take over in the next 2 years Astana will be riding on Chinese carbon next year ,that is just the beginnings.
honestly i am considering getting one of these for reason alot of people who buy this do , but then if u can do us a good thing on this ur channel , i will suggest u build a full bike out of these and either u use it for ur daily ride or give to someone that can put it to a daily work and lets see how durable it is and yes let leave performance aside cause many of us will never see competitions but will ride on a day to day occasions .Alot of people just have a bad idea when they hear fake/imitation , but then , the issue is how does that fake perform ,so maybe u can help us by shading some light to that scenario ,
I’m still waiting on my groupset, but I’m planning to build this bike using all Aliexpress parts. Once everything arrives, I’ll test it out for safety and compare it to the original. And maybe later, I can make a 6-month review to see how it holds up over time
@@bygeraext2093 Thank you! I’ll create a video showcasing the process of building this frame using only parts from AliExpress. I’ll then test it and compare it to the original.
As an owner of a real Gen 7 SLR Madone I’d love to actually ride a fake and see how it is. Some of the weights were close like the bars and fork, however the frame is about 300g too heavy especially for that size. I wonder if that’s mostly in the carbon or a really thick coat of paint
Thanks for an informative video. I wonder whether if those that make fake frames were too be more meticulous they could get close to the quality of an original. I understand the original makers have to pay for R & D so their costs are higher but why when they develop a new design do their older frames remain so expensive. The prestigious bike makers are still making bikes far too expensive for most of us keen cyclists.
If the fake producer really wanted to,they definitely could make a copy of the real one. This is not some top secret military tech,so I see it as not an issue of possibility, but just whether they want to or not
They were chinese if they can they would my guy.. i always believe that Qoute on qoute replica is just a frame manufactured that didn't passed the Qc so to lessen the damge cost they purposely change some details on pain etc.. and sell it for cheap
Very good of you Sir to take the time to warn the cycling folk. I have bought Chinese wheels and they are still standing up very well, but I would never dream of buying a Chinese frame. My new Bianchi may have been built in Asia but it is as genuine as the word suggests because it is officially Bianchi
its extremely unsafe, many frames have snapped on chinese bike forums, bottombrackets have been ridden out at just 800 watts. just buy a cheaper frame or save up, DO NOT buy a fake
I will never buy a fake brand because the chance that the quality is bad is too high and the chance of it breaking is too high as well. I just bought a Sava bike, which is an original Chinese brand with super good quality that matches any Western brand, so I'm not worried.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to weigh all the original frame components because the bike was still being sold. But in the next video, I’ll build the replica bike and compare it to the original again.
if you're referring to the crash at 6:37, you can see that there's something on the road and it gets tangled in the front wheel, resulting in the wheel locking up. The frame was not a factor in that particular crash whatsoever.
Thank you for subscribing! Today, I received the final item needed to complete my bike build. I’m excited to share that I plan to upload the video next week-stay tuned! :)
You can choose fake Pinerello & Colnago too. I appreciate the value of direct-to-consumer Chinese frame sets, but I didn't choose an imposter. I chose Elves.
I hope your video does not get striked down by Trek. I have a couple of replica frames and they ride just fine. I don't have strong legs and I weight over 80kg, but aside from being slugllish when lights turn green, most of these frames are fine as trainer bikes or commuters. However, they are more difficult to build than a branded Chinese frame (like tfsa, elves, etc), sometimes routing cables though frames and into the handlebar can be a real pain. Thankfully wheeltop exists now, otherwise I would already give up on them. But I do agree with other people in your discussion. Replica frames have various quality, in my case, I used to receive one with cracked bottom bracket insert. In best case , fit and finish is hardly distinguishable from a real deal and parts can be interchanged with each other. So if someone has to go down this rabbit hole, do it at his or her own risk. As for why these frames still exist, my guess the martket for affordable carbon frames with decent lead time is still there. Yes, Chinese brands are making strive and some of them have already appear in grand tours. But their price are also increasing, combined with longer time for delivery, will give replica, knockoff or smaller brands room to survive.
The reason they exist is the reason fake Rolexes exist. People want to show off without paying the price. Otherwise you could just get a Lightcarbon frame or another Chinese frame from a reputable seller, and not some fake Trek from God knows what factory.
@@irfuel I wish I have known Lightcarbon, tantan or other Chinese frame makers before I pull the trigger on Chinarellos. Thing is though, my bikes have already been built and they work really well. So before major defects happen, I will just ride what I have.
I own a AliExpress mountain bike from and most of the parts came from them also. I see it's a trek replica. After a few tests rides awesome for way cheaper. Full suspension with pedals, cage GPS Mount 23 lbs. For the average rider i can't tell the difference and I own many bikes.
I’m glad to hear you had a positive experience! I’ve completed the bike build, but I ran into some difficult issues-one of which I haven’t been able to solve. That’s why I’ll be visiting an official Trek retailer to get it checked out. Stay tuned-the video of the bike build will be out in the next two weeks!
I bought a Trek replica and I can’t recommend it. Here the full story: I bought it cheap on aliexpress, the process and communication was good with the seller. I told him that I want the last gen Trek Emonda in the old Team Trek Segafredo colorway. He said it is not a problem and he can do it. I paid the price and I was pretty hyped and couldn’t wait till it finally arrives. So 6 weeks later I unpacked it and I was shocked. First it is not the right colorway as agreed. The frame itself is not heavy but it really feels heavy because the carbon is like really rigid and rock solid hard but not in a good stiff way, really strange. The seatpost clamps are very cheap made so that the saddle rails don’t fit exactly in it. The handlebars are flexible and uneven long so the right side is slightly half a centimeter longer. Dimensions are a big problem with this frame, the bearing tolerances are off leading to a slack in the headset, through-axles when rightly tightened stick out of the frame on the other side, and really worse are the tolerances for the disc-brake calipers making it pretty much impossible to set them up so that they don’t rub. On the fork it is better but the rear one nearly impossible. Headset cover is also very cheap made and tolerances are very off, headset play is pretty much part of the deal if you buy this frame. The carbon fork is catastrophic, it has many surface holes and looks generally not really well made. I told the seller about it and he said it is totally fine and safe to ride, the holes are only due to the excess resin but the carbon under it is good. I don’t know but I doubt that. Like in the video there are some cosmetic errors like wrong logos, slighty different font etc. All in all I strongly don’t recommend buying it for anyone out there. The seller said I can send it back but need to pay a fee for it, so I kept it because it was not worth the hustle. I don’t trust the bike out on the road, so I use it as my home trainer bike. And for that it is quite good and useful.
Thank you for your response! I’ve already built the frame and encountered very similar issues. I’ll be visiting an official Trek retailer to figure out whether the problem lies with the frame or something I may have done. Stay tuned i'll be posting the video within the next two weeks! 😊
Chinese fake frame is a very shady business. there are so many different vendors sell the same frame, but there are from different factory, some frame are really good, because it came from good factory, but most them from bad factory. if you lucky found the good vendor, you will get a really good fake frame. but you'd better living in China, or can speak Chinese. Aliexpress is very random
Really good video, and I really hope you get more subscribers because you deserve it. But I can't place your accent and spent the whole video trying to figure it out!
This video only exposes how unrealistic are the current prices on the regular bike market. The Chinese companies that make counterfeit frames ate the same that build Treks, SPZs and Pinas. Of course, the researches are responsibility of the outsorcerers, but they charge 4, sometimes 5 times more only because they placed some stickers on the frames. That's outrageous and explains why more and more consumers look for those alternatives, specially when the counterfeits are getting as secure as the original ones.
I’ve always told them the weight of my bike frame, but their response was that the original bike frame is similar, in my next video i will build the bike and than we can compare the weight of the replica bike to the original.
Gute Arbeit! Abo ist am Start. Ich bestelle seit langen Rahmen aus China. Werden eh alle da hergestellt. Man sollte nicht das günstigste Angebot raus suchen und den Rahmen gut checken. Dann fährt mit gut mit der Preisleistung 🚴💨
The biggest mystery is the actual material being used to make these entire fake bikes. The ultimate test is to descend on them ...... And pray that you live to tell. 🙏🏽
Often the fakes are the old moulds used by Trek and other big brands but made by open mold companies. Some parts arent genuine as the brand company source maybe elsewhere. Headset spacers, bottom brackets, rubber grommets even paint. Sometimes there's a bad run or over production so the frames get purchased by a trader and sold on. I reckon some brands don't care if a few frames get sold under the counter because its advertising the brand. The guy that buys v the knock off or back door genuine isn't going to buy full retail anyhow so they didn't lose a custoner, you can't sell on a knock off or claim warranty so the brand is fully aware of that.
Genuine or copy? This is the same thing! Years ago, European and American manufacturers have moved the production of carbon fiber frames and parts to low-cost countries, where they do not take care of job security and minimum wages, for "cost reasons" (=in their greed). I personally won't buy a bike made in the "far east" as long as someone in Europe makes them. This is of course difficult when it is difficult to trace the origin of products these days, but at least I strive for it. Luckily I still own a 100% European made Pinarello Stelvio, Bianchi, Detto and Motobecane' Mirage, all with Campagnolo parts!
Light, Stiff, cheap. Pick two. It's not a big problem to build a sturdy frame if light weight isn't really important. But you actually want to be the first to get to the top of the mountain.
There are many tiers of fake frames within china itself. Some are just failed qc for what ever reason, and some are just poor knockoffs like this. Same goes for other carbon or high end components. However, you can actually get genuine product at dirt cheap prices but you'll need to know more than just aliexpress to get there.
If you want a functional budget frame I would check out Trace Velo. He's dug pretty deep into the Ali products and is a good source to identify which brands are safe and worth pursuing. I think he resetntly putba complete bike together for a hundred or two more than this frame. Weight under 8kg. You're not going to do that with this pig at almost 2kg frame and fork
How do you expect to smooth inside an enclosed frame?? Yu will get sharp edges and what not.. not a fake full carbon and yu holding a physical item in your hand aren't yu??
I currently have a replica Cervelo S5 and it’s been awesome for about 3000 miles. Came with a 2 year warranty and it’s super strong! currently selling it to find my next replica build, though.
Honestly, I bought it because I can’t afford the real quality stuff, without financing, it’s not that I can’t do that, I just don’t want to go in deep dept for a hobby. .. or selling a kidney. It’s a custom force/red axs build with roval wheels and all the parts on it are 100% real, except “the chassis.” It’s been a really great bike overall!
It's not easy to make a carbon frame . These will be OEM frames purchased from a carbon frame manufacturer and would have had stickers added to it at the customers request. I have owned several frames from China (not one's with Western bike company Logos on ) and they have all been fine.
It is 10 times better to buy a frame from Chinese brand instead of replica. Nowadays the Chinese frames are produced with exceptional quality and the price is still better that the well know western brands.
Replica/fake/misleading product description? It's all a bit grey to me. But even if it is perfectly safe to ride and you do decide to buy one, it won't ride like the original. It probably won't even get close.
I bay from tossek,ztto casset and chein also. Hygge bike,whelltop eds tx groupset much beter than shimano,they alow to use cassete from 10-14 spead all china bike parts. Much cheper qvaliti the same or beter.
its extremely unsafe, many frames have snapped on chinese bike forums, bottombrackets have been ridden out at just 800 watts. just buy a cheaper frame or save up, DO NOT buy a fake
Nothing justifies theft. But the terrifyingly high prices of carbon parts force people to buy replicas. And: carbon forks. Why are they so long when everyone cuts off a few cm? Manufacturers know what the allowable length of the steerer tube is.
I bought a replica of Mavic wheels on Aliexpress too and I can assure they are better than the originals and they cost me a third of the price! I stoped myself of being a sucker! Note: you didn't bought a replica but a fake scammed frame!
Yeah, because mainstream brands are so incredibly reliable,and nothing can ever go wrong with their plastic bikes! I'm appalled how ugly and huge tubed modern bikes are! They look like pieces of ugly shaped plastic! 🤢 Greetings from Croatia from Kris
Over a grand is a lot to punt on something that will obviously be fake and shite - and may even kill you. No one's brand is standing behind it. It's a Chibson that you trust your life to
Due to the high level of engagement, I’ve decided to build the bike entirely using parts from AliExpress and compare it to the original. Still waiting for the wheeltop groupset
Fake products in all fields exist because the originals are unrealistically expressive. If you want a reasonably priced frame, buy one from a Chinese manufacturer that has their own design and is prepared to put their own name on it, not a fake.
That’s not really why, there’s a lot that goes into a design, you just need to appreciate the effort.
Fakes exist because some people have neither morals nor common sense. They buy fake, dangerous frames to impress strangers.
... unrealistically expensive*
Chinese replicas aren't as bad as people make them out to be. I believe a lot of these replicas are legit technology ripoffs as many of the official designs are pirated by industrial thieves and spirited away to rogue factories.
facts!!
That's one thick Flemish accent brother! 😂 Very good video
I was trying to figure out the accent.
True,he speaks like Victor Campenaerts.
It's like french, dutch, and german were mixed together
😂
Thanks! My accent’s like Belgian chocolate, rich, layered, and occasionally hard to understand. 😂
Forget the western brand replica fakes. There are lots of good original options. Seka, Hygge, Winspace, and others for 1/4 the cost.
winspace is super expensive, we need a winspace replica
Exactly!
@@choanlpoto 😂
Seka and Winspace are almost the same money as most known brands
Elves too. Their Falath Evo looks absolutey sick with a slammed stem.
Trek Cannondale Specialized Santa Cruz and other bike companies that went to China for cheap labor and manufacturing got their design stolen. Whose fault is that? 😂😂😂😂
Good point. They went there to increase their profit margins over employment of people in their own country, reap what you sow.
Facts!
Specialized makes the carbon frames in Taiwan.
@@paulandersson6120 that's what he said
$5000 more to have the correct stickers and a serial number in a database 😩
ive been riding ali bikes and so far so good
Most likely the Originals have higher quality, better quality control, and also warranty. In very happy cases you may get a frame which has been produced in the same factory but has minor issues with its color finish but is actually the same frame, juat without stickers.
I don’t give a shxx to ride on fake trek bike. If I can’t afford to buy the original I prefer to ride a less expansive original bike.
@@michaelanichtmehrda4280 buy an allez sprint lol
share the link pls
Packaging was impressive if nothing else!
Good video, every bike is different.
I have seen many Specialized Tarmac replicas broken.
About Chinese frames and replicas there is a difference, you have many Chinese brands that makes good quality bicycle frames with their own brand, for low price.
The problem with the replicas, they try to copy the structure but it will never be the same quality.
If you need to claim a warranty in most cases it's very difficult.
Independent from where something come from, the most important thing is the build quality from it.
For example I ride with Chinese Nepest Wheels and they are awesome.
your frame is obvious a fake replica,
BUT there are frames from chinese factories,
which produce original frames for well known companies,
that are 1:1 the same, for a piece of the price.
Those knockoff frames might appear to be superficially the same, but I guarantee they are not manufactured to the same tolerances and specifications nor are they subjected to the same rigorous quality control. and there will be zero warranty.
In short, use at your own risk.
Shut up. There’s no such thing as a real replica. . 😂 Dummy
@@Durwood71 I totally agree. And this video doesn't show how difficult it is to intall all the bike's components on cheap frames, especillay headset, inner hoses, matting the breaks callipers and so on. BTW, TREK frames are manufacftured in Vietnam (aluminium) and Taïwan (carbon) in their own factories. Like others said, if you want to buy Chinese, there are some excellent domestic manufacturers, don't venture into (illegal) copies.
@@Durwood71What a joke… those manufacturers give you a 2 year waranty. And they do heavy testing on those bikes. I’m using replica frames for a couple of years now, never had an issue and client service is better then in the shops over here. Every pro rides a bike from Taiwan/China. Look at Astana this year they are breaking a taboo. And btw this guy buys from the wrong places, he pays too much for this poor quality it’s even not 1:1.
@turkamo8163 You're right. Replicating name brand designs is not rocket science, and there are plenty of good manufacturers who provide this service. It's not surprising that the frameset featured in the video was of poor quality, as Aliexpress is only a projection of the Chinese market.
End of the day 98% frames are made in China Specialized, Pinarello itp....
no，taiwan
And those frames go through rigorous testing to ensure they meet the standards that the parent company has ordered from the Chinese factory, not all factories are the same.
My ex was from Hong Kong and she was a godsend for me to figure out what is worth buying and what's not 😅 her cousin worked for a company in Taiwan, that company does many things but one is pre sale safety testing and third party quality control, the do a brand very common on amazon and temu called kocevlo, but the same company tests pinarello frames too😅 now she did say the kocevlo stuff fails to make a guess 30% of the time where as pinarello won't accept a batch that has more than a percentage of a percentage failure from 1000 frames, so while they can be made in the same places the green light to sell is much harder to achieve when it's a high end brand
@@Richard-dd1mtpart of china😅
Taiwan ex-Formosa.
Not Continental China.
Go to school for some geographic class.
This content is high quality for a channel with less than 200 subs. Chapeau 👏
Thanks for the kind words! We do our best to make the content as good as possible (and sometimes better than our spelling, haha!)
Let’s be honest: there are minor differences, sure-but the real question you should ask yourself is why counterfeits even exist. The answer is simple: the prices of original frames have skyrocketed. Fifteen years ago, you could buy the most expensive bike setup for about €6,000. Nowadays, that amount only gets you the frame. It’s outrageous, especially when you consider that manufacturing, including the paint job, costs no more than €500.
As for safety: yes, 10 years ago, Chinese counterfeit frames had poor quality, particularly around the drivetrain, where they were prone to breaking. But times have changed. Today’s counterfeit frames are just as safe as the originals. You don’t have to take my word for it-there are riders competing at 'elite without contract' levels in Belgium who use these frames all season long. Some have even won over 10 to 20 races with them and topping the overall leaderboard. I can’t name names, but trust me-it’s true and I know them personally.
Inside of that frame looks horrendous, I would get it scanned for voids in the carbon. Have a couple of unbranded Ali carbon frames that have taken a lot of abuse and are just fine. However I would never buy a fake mainstream big brand labeled one as I know the manufacturers cut corners on the actual frame fabrication (and use low grade carbon) so they have money for the paint and finish to make it look a bit like the real thing. They are bad news and a waste of money just like fake Rolex watches. Best avoided.
To be fair, a fake Rolex won't put you in danger of a life changing injury when it fails.
@@Durwood71 unless you're found out in a 'trendy' spot where everyone else has the real deal and hates on you 🤣🤣🤣
Agree with the scanning, ultrasound would work too, I have used it to check for cracks, voids, etc on aircraft landing gear components. I have made a fair amount of composite stuff on my own along with doing some aircraft repairs: we take great pains to prevent voids and have a tight compressed layup, which I would imagine a counterfeiter would not take the time to do.
To everyone claiming these frames come from the same factory or are similar to the originals: they are not. Additionally, these counterfeit Madone framesets are not cheap-they sell for around $1,000 USD. Some of these sellers even produce counterfeit Princeton wheelsets. Purchasing counterfeit products harms engineers, R&D teams, and other departments whose work ensures your safety, so you don’t end up with your face smashed against the asphalt. Moulds have a limited lifespan, this means that if by chance this comes from a shady mould, the carbon layers are not properly placed.
For those arguing that big companies aren’t affected, think again. Counterfeit products also harm legitimate Chinese companies striving to compete by offering original designs at fair prices. Counterfeiting undermines everything-whether you accept it or not. It only makes richer that hong kong dealer that gets annoyed if you ask too many questions about this product. And If you think the low price is worth it, consider this: you’re risking your safety and your family’s well-being by riding on this substandard junk.
$1000 is cheap, how much is original frame? I bet at least 3-5 times more expensive
Bravo
How much do you think Pinarello pay for a 6k F race frame ? They pay way less than the 1k us for a fake .I've been in the Taiwan factory's, they do sell the same frames for the same price ,that is a fact .A really cheap frame 4/500 us i wouldn't buy but there will be 0 issue with a 1k frame ,or I should say no more or less issues that high end brands
@@kowies how much a broken jaw costs?
@@JaiJai-by4tp thats no secret! but thats why you have an open market with plenty of chinese OEM and original options! Why buying something just to have a decal on? My point is that when you dont put your brand on your frame, you actually care for your brand to be of a certain type of quality. Counterfeit dealers do not.
I have a $400 ali frame that's been solid, but it's from a small chinese brand and has an original design. I wouldn't be confident buying a knock off frame.
What's the brand/model?
I paid about $650 for my AliExpress unbranded frame a few years ago (LT Bike LTK118). It's been a fantastic deal, and I've put over 20,000 kilometers on it without a single issue. Not everything on AliExpress is problematic or a big risk, as many people would like you to believe.
Knock off frames is just like any other "chinese" frame, yours included. All made by same factories employing same methods
Yes, do tell. I am interested, going to get an all road bike next year, I wouldn't mind building up my own from someone's original frame.
@@flynbenny I purchased an Ali X open mold frame and built it up 4 years ago (LTK 118), and I've put over 20,000k on it by now. It's been nothing short of fantastic, and I haven't encountered a single problem with it. There are a number of carbon frames on Ali that are well worth the price, and they're not the 'death traps' that so many people make them out to be. There are some good online forums discussing these frames.
good video, thx. I suppose you could try doing fatigue analysis on the fake frame if you have the equipment.
Thank you. First, I will compare it to the original, and then I will test the bike on rough roads and cobblestones to see how it performs.
Chinese carbon is no better or worse than most brands ,I own a shop and Chinese carbon will take over in the next 2 years Astana will be riding on Chinese carbon next year ,that is just the beginnings.
honestly i am considering getting one of these for reason alot of people who buy this do , but then if u can do us a good thing on this ur channel , i will suggest u build a full bike out of these and either u use it for ur daily ride or give to someone that can put it to a daily work and lets see how durable it is and yes let leave performance aside cause many of us will never see competitions but will ride on a day to day occasions .Alot of people just have a bad idea when they hear fake/imitation , but then , the issue is how does that fake perform ,so maybe u can help us by shading some light to that scenario ,
it will ride a thousand miles, heavier for sure but still a bike that performs basically as a bike... chinarello user here😅🤣😂
I’m still waiting on my groupset, but I’m planning to build this bike using all Aliexpress parts. Once everything arrives, I’ll test it out for safety and compare it to the original. And maybe later, I can make a 6-month review to see how it holds up over time
@@BikeVibes4You okay and looking forward to that video
@@BikeVibes4You I'm going to subscribe right now just to keep up with the plot of this story... 😂
@@bygeraext2093 Thank you! I’ll create a video showcasing the process of building this frame using only parts from AliExpress. I’ll then test it and compare it to the original.
It used to be the seatpost gave it away. They make great replicas. 👍 I own several track wheelsets & am quite satisfied.
As an owner of a real Gen 7 SLR Madone I’d love to actually ride a fake and see how it is. Some of the weights were close like the bars and fork, however the frame is about 300g too heavy especially for that size. I wonder if that’s mostly in the carbon or a really thick coat of paint
In my next video, I’ll build the frame using only AliExpress parts and then compare it to the original.
Thanks for an informative video. I wonder whether if those that make fake frames were too be more meticulous they could get close to the quality of an original. I understand the original makers have to pay for R & D so their costs are higher but why when they develop a new design do their older frames remain so expensive. The prestigious bike makers are still making bikes far too expensive for most of us keen cyclists.
I’d like to see you build it up and then ride it (as long as it’s safe of course) just to see how it’s different and rides
You're in luck! The next part will be online in just a few hours. 😊
If the fake producer really wanted to,they definitely could make a copy of the real one. This is not some top secret military tech,so I see it as not an issue of possibility, but just whether they want to or not
They were chinese if they can they would my guy.. i always believe that Qoute on qoute replica is just a frame manufactured that didn't passed the Qc so to lessen the damge cost they purposely change some details on pain etc.. and sell it for cheap
True
I was racing Chinarellos 15 years ago.
If you put a real bontrager wheels, it will probably ride better than the orginal 😅
Wish you went with the camera inside the original bike to see the difference in finish
Very good of you Sir to take the time to warn the cycling folk. I have bought Chinese wheels and they are still standing up very well, but I would never dream of buying a Chinese frame. My new Bianchi may have been built in Asia but it is as genuine as the word suggests because it is officially Bianchi
Awesome Video, do you know affects of riding the fake frame? Like lower top speed, would love to see a video comparing it
Thanks, man! I’m planning to make a build video of the frame first and then compare it to the original.
its extremely unsafe, many frames have snapped on chinese bike forums, bottombrackets have been ridden out at just 800 watts. just buy a cheaper frame or save up, DO NOT buy a fake
@@jadennglCan you link to these forums?
Im so glad they are selling these bikes. It just goes to show how much the cycling community is being absolutely ripped off.
I will never buy a fake brand because the chance that the quality is bad is too high and the chance of it breaking is too high as well. I just bought a Sava bike, which is an original Chinese brand with super good quality that matches any Western brand, so I'm not worried.
Wish you weighed both. It looked significantly heavier as all shots showed thicker carbon.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible to weigh all the original frame components because the bike was still being sold. But in the next video, I’ll build the replica bike and compare it to the original again.
Fine, just don't expect to internally route the cables very easily 🤣
That crash at the end was outrageous... Keep the frame for the turbo trainer
👍🏼
if you're referring to the crash at 6:37, you can see that there's something on the road and it gets tangled in the front wheel, resulting in the wheel locking up. The frame was not a factor in that particular crash whatsoever.
❤️Amazing video. Stolen intellectual property is a big problem with masses of products.
Want to see you build it and comparing the ride to the original version
In my next video, I’ll build it and test it against the original bike. Stay tuned!
I subscribe, waiting on next episode where you build it and ride
Thank you for subscribing! Today, I received the final item needed to complete my bike build. I’m excited to share that I plan to upload the video next week-stay tuned! :)
You can choose fake Pinerello & Colnago too. I appreciate the value of direct-to-consumer Chinese frame sets, but I didn't choose an imposter. I chose Elves.
very detailed and informative... for buyers and oem producers in China to pinpoint areas to improve their productions.
I hope your video does not get striked down by Trek. I have a couple of replica frames and they ride just fine. I don't have strong legs and I weight over 80kg, but aside from being slugllish when lights turn green, most of these frames are fine as trainer bikes or commuters. However, they are more difficult to build than a branded Chinese frame (like tfsa, elves, etc), sometimes routing cables though frames and into the handlebar can be a real pain. Thankfully wheeltop exists now, otherwise I would already give up on them.
But I do agree with other people in your discussion. Replica frames have various quality, in my case, I used to receive one with cracked bottom bracket insert. In best case , fit and finish is hardly distinguishable from a real deal and parts can be interchanged with each other. So if someone has to go down this rabbit hole, do it at his or her own risk.
As for why these frames still exist, my guess the martket for affordable carbon frames with decent lead time is still there. Yes, Chinese brands are making strive and some of them have already appear in grand tours. But their price are also increasing, combined with longer time for delivery, will give replica, knockoff or smaller brands room to survive.
Counterfeit frames. You have illegal counterfeit frames you’d be ashamed of if you had any morals
The reason they exist is the reason fake Rolexes exist. People want to show off without paying the price. Otherwise you could just get a Lightcarbon frame or another Chinese frame from a reputable seller, and not some fake Trek from God knows what factory.
@@irfuel I wish I have known Lightcarbon, tantan or other Chinese frame makers before I pull the trigger on Chinarellos. Thing is though, my bikes have already been built and they work really well. So before major defects happen, I will just ride what I have.
Like someone said, it's best to purchase their brand instead of a name brand ...
Hi, what is name (model) of this endoscope?
Thanks!
here is the aliexpress link of the endoscope:
s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_oCelhz5
I own a AliExpress mountain bike from and most of the parts came from them also. I see it's a trek replica. After a few tests rides awesome for way cheaper. Full suspension with pedals, cage GPS Mount 23 lbs. For the average rider i can't tell the difference and I own many bikes.
I’m glad to hear you had a positive experience! I’ve completed the bike build, but I ran into some difficult issues-one of which I haven’t been able to solve. That’s why I’ll be visiting an official Trek retailer to get it checked out. Stay tuned-the video of the bike build will be out in the next two weeks!
giveaway it please 🙏 🥺, I've always wanted a frame like that even if it's fake it's still so nice to have one ❤
Ask people who ride those framsets for years to review them. You will be surprised.
exactly. they are as good as the originals i know a lot competing with them; when you fall badly every frame will break.
I bought a Trek replica and I can’t recommend it.
Here the full story:
I bought it cheap on aliexpress, the process and communication was good with the seller. I told him that I want the last gen Trek Emonda in the old Team Trek Segafredo colorway. He said it is not a problem and he can do it.
I paid the price and I was pretty hyped and couldn’t wait till it finally arrives.
So 6 weeks later I unpacked it and I was shocked.
First it is not the right colorway as agreed.
The frame itself is not heavy but it really feels heavy because the carbon is like really rigid and rock solid hard but not in a good stiff way, really strange.
The seatpost clamps are very cheap made so that the saddle rails don’t fit exactly in it.
The handlebars are flexible and uneven long so the right side is slightly half a centimeter longer.
Dimensions are a big problem with this frame, the bearing tolerances are off leading to a slack in the headset, through-axles when rightly tightened stick out of the frame on the other side, and really worse are the tolerances for the disc-brake calipers making it pretty much impossible to set them up so that they don’t rub. On the fork it is better but the rear one nearly impossible.
Headset cover is also very cheap made and tolerances are very off, headset play is pretty much part of the deal if you buy this frame.
The carbon fork is catastrophic, it has many surface holes and looks generally not really well made. I told the seller about it and he said it is totally fine and safe to ride, the holes are only due to the excess resin but the carbon under it is good. I don’t know but I doubt that.
Like in the video there are some cosmetic errors like wrong logos, slighty different font etc.
All in all I strongly don’t recommend buying it for anyone out there.
The seller said I can send it back but need to pay a fee for it, so I kept it because it was not worth the hustle.
I don’t trust the bike out on the road, so I use it as my home trainer bike. And for that it is quite good and useful.
Thank you for your response! I’ve already built the frame and encountered very similar issues. I’ll be visiting an official Trek retailer to figure out whether the problem lies with the frame or something I may have done. Stay tuned i'll be posting the video within the next two weeks! 😊
the old crash vid nothing to do with replica bikes
What if this was a some type of early production model and the design changed?
No
Sir thanks alot for showing us this terrable story. That is the way the world is about, unfortionately!! Nice greetings, Maas
Wondering if the frame really is OCLV 800 or if it's 500?
Winspace is probably made better than then real trek
If my channel keeps growing i might be able to do the test :)
Well, it's a mediocre frame hyped up by paid youtubers.
Chinese fake frame is a very shady business. there are so many different vendors sell the same frame, but there are from different factory, some frame are really good, because it came from good factory, but most them from bad factory.
if you lucky found the good vendor, you will get a really good fake frame. but you'd better living in China, or can speak Chinese. Aliexpress is very random
good video good compare and good bore scope
Thank you very much!
At the price trek charges, i take the copy every single day of the week
You’re not very bright.
Really good video, and I really hope you get more subscribers because you deserve it.
But I can't place your accent and spent the whole video trying to figure it out!
Flemish.
Thank you so much for the kind words! We really do our best to make the videos as interesting and informative as possible. And i’m indeed Flemish!
This video only exposes how unrealistic are the current prices on the regular bike market. The Chinese companies that make counterfeit frames ate the same that build Treks, SPZs and Pinas. Of course, the researches are responsibility of the outsorcerers, but they charge 4, sometimes 5 times more only because they placed some stickers on the frames.
That's outrageous and explains why more and more consumers look for those alternatives, specially when the counterfeits are getting as secure as the original ones.
Chinese products+a fancy brand/label=crazy expensive european product
Do you know the weight of the original/real (official) Frame & components?
almost half of whats here
I’ve always told them the weight of my bike frame, but their response was that the original bike frame is similar, in my next video i will build the bike and than we can compare the weight of the replica bike to the original.
this frame is for countries with emerging markets were an average monthly salary = $500 an less
Gute Arbeit! Abo ist am Start.
Ich bestelle seit langen Rahmen aus China. Werden eh alle da hergestellt. Man sollte nicht das günstigste Angebot raus suchen und den Rahmen gut checken. Dann fährt mit gut mit der Preisleistung 🚴💨
Thank you for the support and kind words. 😊
1000$ for a fake is too much. Better get a used one original than a knock off.
Please take it to a carbon expert/carbon repair guy to see the quality of the layup. Yes test it!
The biggest mystery is the actual material being used to make these entire fake bikes.
The ultimate test is to descend on them ...... And pray that you live to tell. 🙏🏽
Often the fakes are the old moulds used by Trek and other big brands but made by open mold companies. Some parts arent genuine as the brand company source maybe elsewhere. Headset spacers, bottom brackets, rubber grommets even paint. Sometimes there's a bad run or over production so the frames get purchased by a trader and sold on. I reckon some brands don't care if a few frames get sold under the counter because its advertising the brand. The guy that buys v the knock off or back door genuine isn't going to buy full retail anyhow so they didn't lose a custoner, you can't sell on a knock off or claim warranty so the brand is fully aware of that.
Prove it. Otherwise, admit you pulled this claim out of your ass
Genuine or copy? This is the same thing! Years ago, European and American manufacturers have moved the production of carbon fiber frames and parts to low-cost countries, where they do not take care of job security and minimum wages, for "cost reasons" (=in their greed).
I personally won't buy a bike made in the "far east" as long as someone in Europe makes them. This is of course difficult when it is difficult to trace the origin of products these days, but at least I strive for it.
Luckily I still own a 100% European made Pinarello Stelvio, Bianchi, Detto and Motobecane' Mirage, all with Campagnolo parts!
Light, Stiff, cheap. Pick two.
It's not a big problem to build a sturdy frame if light weight isn't really important.
But you actually want to be the first to get to the top of the mountain.
There are many tiers of fake frames within china itself. Some are just failed qc for what ever reason, and some are just poor knockoffs like this. Same goes for other carbon or high end components. However, you can actually get genuine product at dirt cheap prices but you'll need to know more than just aliexpress to get there.
where and how do you get the good stuff ? Seems like you know?
This model is beautiful
If you want a functional budget frame I would check out Trace Velo. He's dug pretty deep into the Ali products and is a good source to identify which brands are safe and worth pursuing.
I think he resetntly putba complete bike together for a hundred or two more than this frame. Weight under 8kg.
You're not going to do that with this pig at almost 2kg frame and fork
Can someone give me link of that fake trek frame
I have an replica fake pinarello dogma f when post it on the group they dont accept it my post because they only allow the original onces
How do you expect to smooth inside an enclosed frame?? Yu will get sharp edges and what not.. not a fake full carbon and yu holding a physical item in your hand aren't yu??
I currently have a replica Cervelo S5 and it’s been awesome for about 3000 miles. Came with a 2 year warranty and it’s super strong! currently selling it to find my next replica build, though.
Honestly, I bought it because I can’t afford the real quality stuff, without financing, it’s not that I can’t do that, I just don’t want to go in deep dept for a hobby. .. or selling a kidney. It’s a custom force/red axs build with roval wheels and all the parts on it are 100% real, except “the chassis.” It’s been a really great bike overall!
@@anterrickson2585 So you're just a poser.
So...its not fake... Its replica and you know it...why that title on the video?
i have the original trek madone Gen 7. it has sharp edges to. this is no indicator by any means.
Thanks for letting me know 👍
That top tube and seat tube junction looks precarious, even the original fails there
In my next video, I’ll build the bike and test its durability and safety.
never buy anything with the word TREK on it..
It's not easy to make a carbon frame . These will be OEM frames purchased from a carbon frame manufacturer and would have had stickers added to it at the customers request. I have owned several frames from China (not one's with Western bike company Logos on ) and they have all been fine.
Worth buying the fake instead of forking out 9k 😮
There are clearly a lot of people here that think all carbon is the same.
how about cervelo s5
I might review other fake frames in the future, like the SL8 and the Cervélo.
Theres bit missing
It's not worth risking your life riding a knock off frame just because it looks nice
It is 10 times better to buy a frame from Chinese brand instead of replica. Nowadays the Chinese frames are produced with exceptional quality and the price is still better that the well know western brands.
The moment is has brand names on it, its not a replica but a fake…
i would take the replica ANY DAY.if you dont want it....more than happy to take it!!!
The price said I'm replica 😂😂
Replica/fake/misleading product description? It's all a bit grey to me.
But even if it is perfectly safe to ride and you do decide to buy one, it won't ride like the original. It probably won't even get close.
It's an illegal product, here in Western world, where law still count something... Don't trust Chinese products. Ever.
I bay from tossek,ztto casset and chein also. Hygge bike,whelltop eds tx groupset much beter than shimano,they alow to use cassete from 10-14 spead all china bike parts.
Much cheper qvaliti the same or beter.
They could easily use the serial number of a real Trek bike, couldn't they?
They could but the serial number is unique so the real one would be registered and all others would fail the registration process.
i want that replica but i cant find it on ali express.
its extremely unsafe, many frames have snapped on chinese bike forums, bottombrackets have been ridden out at just 800 watts. just buy a cheaper frame or save up, DO NOT buy a fake
Sooo what will you do with it
Maybe help a fellow cyclist here in the Philippines XD
Pls test fake pinarello
its good
In the future, I’ll be able to test more fake frames.
However, I can't buy it for $7,000.
Nothing justifies theft. But the terrifyingly high prices of carbon parts force people to buy replicas. And: carbon forks. Why are they so long when everyone cuts off a few cm? Manufacturers know what the allowable length of the steerer tube is.
There are a lot of good non-replica frames out there, in China. The only reason people buy replicas is to show off.
I bought a replica of Mavic wheels on Aliexpress too and I can assure they are better than the originals and they cost me a third of the price! I stoped myself of being a sucker!
Note: you didn't bought a replica but a fake scammed frame!
i mean its a good video but you didnt include 1945 germany those who know meme MANGOS
I would buy that thing
Yeah, because mainstream brands are so incredibly reliable,and nothing can ever go wrong with their plastic bikes!
I'm appalled how ugly and huge tubed modern bikes are! They look like pieces of ugly shaped plastic! 🤢
Greetings from Croatia from Kris
Solche Videos sind top. So kann man selbst erkennen ob er echt ist
Over a grand is a lot to punt on something that will obviously be fake and shite - and may even kill you. No one's brand is standing behind it. It's a Chibson that you trust your life to
Just build it and ride on !!!!
Due to the high level of engagement, I’ve decided to build the bike entirely using parts from AliExpress and compare it to the original. Still waiting for the wheeltop groupset