On the kit front at Ali, I use Geeklion, Ykywbike, Darevie, Spexcel, Inbike, Lameda, Cheji, Mcycle, X-tiger, Rockbros and Kemaloce. All of these brands do very good low end starting at 10 quid up to 50 quid for high end pro jerseys and shorts. Huge variety of designs and colours, I now own at least 10 top end race fit cycling jerseys using amazing fabrics and designs that I could never have afforded buying from any of the western brands, even in the sales. None are fake, all own brand manufactured. Sunglasses, again own brand are excellent around the 15 pound mark, with nearly all using TR90 frames at this price point, and I use Kapvoe, X-tiger, Rockbros and Scion. Have also bought and used plenty of carbon parts, bars, stem, saddles, seatpost, cages and a set of forks with no issues for the last 2 years, and what cost me around a 120 quid for most of the aforementioned would have been close to a couple of grand from any western retailers. I have no idea how the western cycling industry can compete with this, but considering so much of the composition of their goods is made in China, it's time they stopped ripping us off. I understand the much cheaper labour costs, but when you look at their top end cycling kit, the fabric, fit and finish are stunning. I now spend more time choosing what jerseys to wear before going out than I do in the winter with all the layers.
I think in cycling specific stuff decathlon is leading the good value race. Not every, but most of their products are good quality and reasonably priced. I hope it wont change since they became a sponsor of ag2r.
@@andrewengland781 unfortunately not. They just made small rebranding. Please check article from france24 19.12.2023. Unfortunately companies from France continue work there, and it's also related to Auchan, Leroy Merlin, etc. Everyone decides for him self what and where to buy. But as ukrainian, least I can do it's raise awearness.
haven't we learned already that fake brand/counterfeit is not the way to go with these aliex products? we go with Chinese brands. Ryet, Santic, YKYW etc
Here in the states I am a big fan of Poseidon Bikes. I bought my gravel/road bike 5 years ago for $700 and have 12,000 miles on the bike. The bikes they sell are in the sweet spot of being just what you need, and none of the fancy stuff you don't really need but want.
One of the best ways to make your cycling dollars go further is to look for sales, end-of-season or off-season sales are typically the best. For me, I will rarely ever pay full price for something. For glasses, Tifosi is my go to brand. Great quality at reasonable prices, better even as they often will run a sale.
Completely agree. I’m a big fan of Assos bibs and I’ve never paid full price for a single pair. I too am a fan of Tifosi eye wear. They’re as good as any of the Oakley cycling glasses I’ve owned at considerably lower prices, with the added bonus of Tifosi including extra lenses with many of their glasses.
Okay, I’ve always scratched my head about the obsession around the kislux book totes and their practicality, but this one is adorable!! Congratulations
mine fit me better than my KOO sunglasses. Got the koos on sale but $199 msrp vs I think $79 or $80 for the tifosi. And the tifosi came with three lenses. Reflective black, light shade amber, clear. Are the KOOs better sunglasses? sure. but not by a ton.
For anyone looking for cheap glasses for cycling, I wear bolle safety glasses. They're like £20 each, easy to find, at most Screwfixes they'll have a pair in stock, you can get them in normal, tinted or sunglasses and in my opinion, look infinitely better than cycling glassrst
yea for evening/night rides i also use simple Uvex safety glasses 😀 Pretty sure they don't have UV-protection though, so i wouldn't use them for cloudy conditions since there can still be a lot of diffused UV radiation.
Had one Rockbros handlebar bag once. The fabric is poor quality and the stitching broke after a single gravel ride. Much better experience with Rhinowalk.
@soverania8041 exact same experience for me. Bought a Rockbros handlebar bag for a 5 day tour, bag burst where the straps are held during day 3, bag spent the rest of the trip strapped on top a pannier. Never again, replaced with a Restrap. 3 times the price but 10 times the quality.
Great video, thank you guys. My personal recommendation - Giro helmets. I had a full on 30mph crash into the tarmac and smashed my head into the ground. The helmet was ruined but stayed together, stayed in place & absorbed the impact and basically saved my life.. I ended up with a broken elbow and broken wrist but no head injury. For reference the helmet was a brand new Giro Aeon and was only my second ride with it. The best money I’ve ever spent on cycling kit and will never buy cheap when it comes to this stuff.
Yes the color of the kislux is beautiful and it is a great decision, maybe one day they will add feet and straps. It would be nice to have a bigger bag during the colder months when we have to store gloves, beanies, scarves, etc…
Rockbros do great sunglasses. I bought a pair of £25 photo chromic/reactive glasses about 3 years ago. The optical quality is great and they work really well. Not going to win many fashion shows though. I also have a pair of fake 100% which I got for about £15. They look great but they have poor optical quality and make me nervous on fast descents as you can't quite pick out unevenness/gravel in the road as clearly.
Your whole section about UV protection in glasses is basically pointless. Even the cheapest glasses will offer excellent UV protection because almost all of them are made of Polycarbonate. "Polycarbonate as a material blocks almost the entire relevant UV spectrum, meaning both UVA and UVB. The material absorbs UV radiation and does not allow it to be transmitted through. Even a very thin sheet of polycarbonate would absorb UV rays".
Spexcel clothing is dope and cheap. KO sunglasses are cheap and dope. I ride a VeloBuild frame and wheels, and everything is pretty groovy. My main take away from using alternative market kit and parts is that you'll probably have issues and/or drawbacks, but it's still quite good, and it's so much cheaper. Besides, I've had plenty of trouble with name brand stuff over the years.
You have to get out of the box guys. I am totally agree with safety be for sure the priority, but also with the affordable prices of goods with a high quality safety performance, not everything with a recognizable brand should be the best. So, nice video for the examples of safety staff, affordable items always be the first option in the rest of the 🌎😉
I've just received a counterfeit Dura Ace HG901 chain from one of the highest listed sellers on Ebay (almost 5,000 ratings and 99% positive feedback). The vendor had the cheek to ask for pictures proving my suspicion but it's clearly a fake. The font is wrong on the front and rear, the packaging is too glossy, the white "label" on the rear of the packaging is printed on, and the quick-link is inside the packaging with the chain - not in a separate bag. In addition there's a peelable "authentic" label, which should have a 2D barcode on the rear (the barcode is missing). All are obvious clues that I've received a counterfeit. When I receive a refund I will be placing a review with full details - I don't want others to be scammed. In future I will be only buying chains from reputable retailers - there's no way I'll be risking personal injury and putting money in the pockets of counterfeiters.
Probably the same seller selling fake Shimano brake pads , I did report to eBay, but to my surprise they couldn’t give a toss . I don’t use eBay anymore. It’s just full of shit.
@@bensomerset1 Their shop includes chains, cassettes, rotors, pads, pedals and cleats, 260+ listings in all. Makes me shudder to think what could happen to buyers of this knockoff crap.
- Spexcel have good bibs, as well as bad ones. But then again Assos have a few bad bins as well nowadays. - Craft clothing (german) is good and doesn’t cost as much as the highly marketed stuff - Gloryfy sunglasses (Austrian) have good glasses that are cheaper and better than the big brands - Vittoria shoes (Italian) are very good and affordable - Silva Morbidone bartape: they make small batches but really good quality
when it comes to glasses, I've been rocking the Madison in-house ones for a while now. on the MTB, had my fair share of slams and they've held up really well, especially for the price (think they were around £70 with 3 extra lenses). Madison saddles are good too, a lot of them are actually manufactured by Selle Royal, so really good quality for the money
- Spexcel have good bibs, as well as bad ones. But then again Assos have a few bad bins as well nowadays - Craft clothing (german) - Gloryfy sunglasses (Austrian); - Vittoria shoes (Italian) - Silva Morbidone bartape: they make small batches but really good quality Hrh
Ok, let's unpack this: First off, it's easy to find junk made in China. It's also easy to find junk made by "name brands" that are probably also made in China. There are several channels on RUclips, such as Trace Velo, that go about testing Chinese branded parts and kit to see how well they're made. Myself, I've been buying Chinese kit and sunglasses and bags and wheels and lots of other stuff for many years, and you know what? I don't have a complaint about any of them. $25-$30 for bib shorts and jersey combos? Yes please. $300-$400 for SuperTeam carbon wheels that have held up for years? You bet. 10 pair of different knockoff sunglasses for the same price as 1 pair of moderately (overpriced) name brand glasses? Done. Now I could find crap versions of all the things I've just mentioned that wouldn't be worth the money, but if you do your homework and watch certain channels, you can literally save yourself thousands of dollars. Because in the end, there is NO way I'm spending Silca type money on any of their products, or ASSOS or Rapha type money on bib shorts and jerseys.
Your points are valid, however i disagree on the sunglasses, i just can't bring myself to trust noname brands with such important tech, you could be doing real damage to your eyesight if the chinese manufacturers are using unsafe lenses or plastics. Just a thought
@@n.ull. Sure, doesn't mean we have to let ourselves get assf... by "big" brands. Decathlon ('VR) does a frameless set of glasses for around 50€, a similar pair from Rapha is 150€+. The cost of the sunglasses can't be more than 10-15€ a pair.
@@AnthraXXmS The posterior penetration prices comes from essilor luxottica, all those greedy execs, i'm sure there's some r&d costs, I won't say they cost to much, i'm just gonna say i can't afford them, but they are nice, i tried a pair of oakleys and a pair of raibans and wow, it was like putting on lazer vision.
Apples and oranges. You are talking about alternative branded products whereas they are talking about counterfeit products in the video. Completely different thing.
Rockbros is tried and tested. Founder is an ex-pro cyclist. They produce literally everything. Ryet Saddles are amazing. I have no problem using the Ryet 3D printed carbon saddle on my 2024 Ultimate CFR, paired with Superteam Wheels.
not sure if anyone have mentioned then yet, but "The Black Bibs" offer some great value bibs/shorts! They also offer jerseys, but I have no experience with those.. Voler seems like a pretty good value as well. I am always on the lookout for Giordana bibs on sale as they just seem to work best with me. As far as glasses, I'm a fan of Tifosi glasses.. 90% of Oakley at, at least, 50% of the price for most models..
If you dont want to spend much and are not bothered about the latest look then Bolle safety specs are great value. I've used them for years for MTB and road.
I frequently use safety glasses purchased at a pro tool shop. They have a wrap around style, come with shaded or yellow or clear lenses, are impact resistant, have ventilation, and cost $15 each. Obviously, they are impact rated.
Any of the Van Rysel stuff from Decathlon is fantastic. Maybe the best cycling shoes on the market. Made in Italy for half what anyone else sells them for.
I bought a "dynaplug" kit from Ali E for £11 and it's worked OK. I just got some genuine refills though. I also bought a "redshift" stem and while it does have a bit of play in it it did protect my injured shoulder from jarring - for £45. Currently about to test some double "fake boa" non branded SPD shoes. The fitting guide was spot on and they are very comfy. £25. So not fake but made in China and cheap. We'll see how they last.
For sunglasses it's normal for the uv protection normaly the plastic use for glasses have uv as plastic property and not added (for that part it's more a marketing things) BUT they are really really important for glasses made from glass (like fake ray ban ) because it's not a property for glass but fake one dont flex or absorb impact the same way (so safety are the main things)
Can you test some RockBros stuff? It's a budget Chinese brand with a name like a real brand (lol). Maybe you can compare them to real CrankBrothers stuff. Other Chinese brands that might have some QC are: LeBycle, RISK, RideRace, Deemount, ZRace, Senicx, etc. I find that the ones that aren't blatantly counterfeit or fake (i.e. no brand or steal other companies branding) have a least some QC/don't blatantly lie (usually anyways).
They have actualy good stuff. The secret in buying chinese stuff nowdays is looking for their original brands (probably developed after years of counterfeiting).
The people who started the brand are actual cyclists that know their stuff. That's already a huge difference with 99% of stuff that comes out of China.
I have one kislux bag I got in 2019, it's the LV white catogram speedy. It's counter quality and it has a nice honey patina now, so the leather is real. I think whatever makes you happy go for it. I've seen LV with plastic leather and blood red glaze...
Chinese products I can recommend: airwolf t1000 cockpit. Full steel ultralight cassettes (225g). Carbon cranksets. The expensive versions of elite wheels. For jerseys, I order 5 and send back 4. It's not for everyone. I also design kit so for me it's part of the process.
Silca's QA/QC is so bad at this point, I think it would pass. They shipped me two failed torque wrenches and a bottle of sealant that didn't seal a 1mm puncture.
I wear bib shorts from both Didoo, based in West Yorkshire, and Lidl. They're both comfortable and very affordable. In fact, most of the cycling stuff from lidl is good quality, probably due to them sponsoring a world tour team.
I like my Tifosi cycling glasses that I got for $69. When a car smashed my face the arm detached but nothing shattered. Like, my nose fractured but the glasses didn't.
Several years ago I bought prescription Oakleys from a local "real" eyeglasses store. Recently I tried getting replacement lenses (I don't need prescriptions anymore) and none of the replacement lenses fit the Flak frames. Not even close. Then after talking to someone at Oakley, I found out the frames were knock offs.
I bought a pair of Bible longs for about 10% of what a decent pair costs. Has the same padding as that. Initially I thought it was great but after riding about 2 hours the gel pads actually shift and it feels like there is a seam running across your sitbones. I have just removed the pad and still use the rest on cold rides over decent bib shorts.
Van Rysel. Never been let down by any of their products. And they LOOK pretty good as well. Having said that I do also wear Castelli but only buy when they are discounted by at least 1/3.
OK, not fake, but I have two complete Chinese bikes, exept Conti tires Rides very good. When assebled second one, on local Kom jumped from 10-th to 4-th place same day during test ride. 7.8kg with 2 bottle cages and mtb pedals. Can shave off some hundred gramms if want to get it lighter. Price - 3108 Euro total. Truy to get same for the same price from western brands. Specs: Elves Falath Evo heavy aero frame (new version with T47 BB) (love this frame), 55/60mm deep Elite Wheels 1630 g/pair heavy wheelset, Wheeltop electronic group, carbon Chinese cranks, carbon+paded heavy saddle, carbon bottle cages, TPU inner tubes, Conti GP5000 tires. P.S. "first" gen chinese carbon cranks had isues. Now problem is solved. Made around 2.5K with my one, rides well.
A child's blue helmet for $25 won a safety award superior to Fox , BBB , Lazer ,Scott ,Specialized and POC in Australia during CSIRO testing in April this year .
The cheap sunglasses lenses are all made of thin polycarbonate which is very cheap to manufacture but is UV protecting and will not shatter (the frames are a different story)
I remember when I bought my Oakley helmet (A somewhat extravagant purchase I grant you) and some more money-conscious folks gawked at the price tag. One specifically I remember telling me I could get 5 helmets for that sort of money. All I could think was "Would you buy a cheap seatbelt if you had the option? Would you buy a cheap bulletproof vest if you thought you might be shot at? How about cheap steel toe boots or a hard-hat?". End of the day, cycling helmets can, have, and will continue to save lives. It might be a lot of money, but at least I might be alive to complain about it should I ever *need* it. I can't fathom why someone would value even £100 over their own life. There are plenty of helmets that are less expensive, that's for sure, and from reputable brands like Bell or MET or whoever, but I still don't think that's a case for arguing against a more expensive helmet. Personally, I'm happy knowing that what I wear on my head is undoubtedly as good as the technology gets. If anything is going to protect my head in a crash, it's that helmet - something I might have trouble saying about a cheaper option...
I don't begrudge people paying more for something they like, but (in my book) helmets don't get to claim that they're safer than the cheaper ones that still pass the standards unless they have actual test data. The VTech tests are as good as we've got, unfortunately they're still hard to interpret.
I got some, what I thought, were Shimano 105 SPD pedals from eBay a year or so ago. Seemed too cheap at the time. They arrived, looked pretty legit, so Installed them. Lasted about 3 miles until the clip on the left pedal lost the spring. Did a bit more research and noticed that the ones I had were 50g lighter than the quoted weight on the Shimano site. Engaged contact with the seller. They initially offered 10% refund. After numerous messages back and forth, plus a case raised to eBay, I received a full refund plus delivery charges. Gutted, as they looked great
just had a crash wearing the cheapest mips helmet in met lineup, the met downtown and a rockbros sunglasses. Both helmet and sunglasses did not survive but my head is intact and relatively okay other than a bruise on my temple at the point of impact. The glasses snapped at the corner into large chunks, i could technically still wear it if i super glue the frame back together I guess. The helmet interior cracked. But i can recommend both brands.
I'd say Ekoï has great value for money kit, glasses, and helmets. Although the prices on their website are somewhat misleading, as everything is always on sale. Therefore, just treat the sale price as the normal price.
Shout-out to Alpkit/Sonder for quality decent-priced gear. Indeed if you buy a bike from them and remember to sign up for member rewards first you get 10% of it back in alpkit vouchers - even on bike to work.
Pretty sure there’s lots of shimano fake cleats about recently bought a couple of pairs from a retailer and they were slightly smaller than the original ones, currently using them, will they last
Polycarbonate inherently has UV protection. The fact that the big brands advertise UV protection is more of a marketing ploy than anything.
Yes, in my job we’re often looking to plastics that are UV transparent to be able to bond them with UV-cure adhesive.
On the kit front at Ali, I use Geeklion, Ykywbike, Darevie, Spexcel, Inbike, Lameda, Cheji, Mcycle, X-tiger, Rockbros and Kemaloce. All of these brands do very good low end starting at 10 quid up to 50 quid for high end pro jerseys and shorts. Huge variety of designs and colours, I now own at least 10 top end race fit cycling jerseys using amazing fabrics and designs that I could never have afforded buying from any of the western brands, even in the sales. None are fake, all own brand manufactured. Sunglasses, again own brand are excellent around the 15 pound mark, with nearly all using TR90 frames at this price point, and I use Kapvoe, X-tiger, Rockbros and Scion. Have also bought and used plenty of carbon parts, bars, stem, saddles, seatpost, cages and a set of forks with no issues for the last 2 years, and what cost me around a 120 quid for most of the aforementioned would have been close to a couple of grand from any western retailers. I have no idea how the western cycling industry can compete with this, but considering so much of the composition of their goods is made in China, it's time they stopped ripping us off. I understand the much cheaper labour costs, but when you look at their top end cycling kit, the fabric, fit and finish are stunning. I now spend more time choosing what jerseys to wear before going out than I do in the winter with all the layers.
100 % my experience with products from AI, their own brands have really good quality products for a fraction of the costs!
I think in cycling specific stuff decathlon is leading the good value race. Not every, but most of their products are good quality and reasonably priced. I hope it wont change since they became a sponsor of ag2r.
yes, they have a best value, but they are still working in russia, so basically they are sponsoring the genoside in Ukraine.
@@desbarbos19 I checked and thats no longer the case - since October 2023.
@@andrewengland781 unfortunately not. They just made small rebranding. Please check article from france24 19.12.2023. Unfortunately companies from France continue work there, and it's also related to Auchan, Leroy Merlin, etc. Everyone decides for him self what and where to buy. But as ukrainian, least I can do it's raise awearness.
Decathlon just closed all stores (even online) in my country due to financial reasons so I just hope they don't go under.
@@andrewengland781 that's not true, they did some rebranding. You can read about it in france24 article from 19.12.2023
haven't we learned already that fake brand/counterfeit is not the way to go with these aliex products? we go with Chinese brands. Ryet, Santic, YKYW etc
Got some YKYW bibs to try them out and so far they seem pretty good - 2 sizes up from european
Cairbull are reasonable . They are on Aliexpress and Ebay Australia with local sellers .
yeah, I have a Ryet 3D printed saddle from AE and it‘s absolutely amazing for the 65.- bucks, held up already over 1000km!
I love my YKYW bib's, real nice piece of kit!
@@Emonk2010 Just looked them up, they are the same price as big brands where I live...
I honestly didn't think I'd ever see the day Jimmy produce a saddle out of his arse - original too 😬
If Jimmy can pull a saddle out of his arse, it's a sign he needs a wider saddle. 😀
@@andrewmcalister3462 Usual thing for expirienced bike rider.
17:10 polycarbonate, as a material, blocks UV. No need to add any layer or tint, that's why all of them block and protect against UV.
3:35 you guys didn't show us trying to rip the genuine one apart
Here in the states I am a big fan of Poseidon Bikes. I bought my gravel/road bike 5 years ago for $700 and have 12,000 miles on the bike. The bikes they sell are in the sweet spot of being just what you need, and none of the fancy stuff you don't really need but want.
Fake bartape, fine, I am cheap. Fake helmet? hell no.
maybe for my indoor trainer but like the boys say, BBB are better all round value
I think it comes down to, if its a critical part for function or protection do not go fake. Cosmetic you can.
isnt it better to find cheap and good not fake bar tape ?
@@statom985 probably depends on the use.
Decathlon products are awesome!
Apart from their road bikes that use proprietary headsets that not even Decathlon can get as spares...
One of the best ways to make your cycling dollars go further is to look for sales, end-of-season or off-season sales are typically the best. For me, I will rarely ever pay full price for something. For glasses, Tifosi is my go to brand. Great quality at reasonable prices, better even as they often will run a sale.
I agree. I brought a POC helmet last winter for 40 quid in the sale on the official website. When it went back up to full price it was £149
I always buy my gears on sales or off seasons,sometimes with a discount codes..Evertime Original..
It works for Me!
Fakeproducts:🤢🤮 19:31
Completely agree. I’m a big fan of Assos bibs and I’ve never paid full price for a single pair. I too am a fan of Tifosi eye wear. They’re as good as any of the Oakley cycling glasses I’ve owned at considerably lower prices, with the added bonus of Tifosi including extra lenses with many of their glasses.
Okay, I’ve always scratched my head about the obsession around the kislux book totes and their practicality, but this one is adorable!! Congratulations
TIFOSI make really good cycling glasses. Fairly priced.
mine fit me better than my KOO sunglasses. Got the koos on sale but $199 msrp vs I think $79 or $80 for the tifosi.
And the tifosi came with three lenses. Reflective black, light shade amber, clear.
Are the KOOs better sunglasses? sure. but not by a ton.
For anyone looking for cheap glasses for cycling, I wear bolle safety glasses. They're like £20 each, easy to find, at most Screwfixes they'll have a pair in stock, you can get them in normal, tinted or sunglasses and in my opinion, look infinitely better than cycling glassrst
Uvex safety Glasses are very good for night riding
yea for evening/night rides i also use simple Uvex safety glasses 😀 Pretty sure they don't have UV-protection though, so i wouldn't use them for cloudy conditions since there can still be a lot of diffused UV radiation.
I have black safety glasses too, 13 Euro. Uv protection and sertification for reasonable price.
Try RockBros brand guys
Rockbros aren't fake stuff. Title of the video is fake stuff
I bought a pair of RockBros glasses, they felt absolutely awful. Never again, I just bought my first pair of Oakleys instead
Had one Rockbros handlebar bag once. The fabric is poor quality and the stitching broke after a single gravel ride. Much better experience with Rhinowalk.
@soverania8041 exact same experience for me. Bought a Rockbros handlebar bag for a 5 day tour, bag burst where the straps are held during day 3, bag spent the rest of the trip strapped on top a pannier. Never again, replaced with a Restrap. 3 times the price but 10 times the quality.
I have had good luck with a RockBros top tube bag, it was some cheaper than big name brands and I hadn't planned to use it too often.
Carnac helmets, mitts and glasses from Planet X are very good value and decent quality.
Great video, thank you guys.
My personal recommendation - Giro helmets. I had a full on 30mph crash into the tarmac and smashed my head into the ground. The helmet was ruined but stayed together, stayed in place & absorbed the impact and basically saved my life.. I ended up with a broken elbow and broken wrist but no head injury.
For reference the helmet was a brand new Giro Aeon and was only my second ride with it.
The best money I’ve ever spent on cycling kit and will never buy cheap when it comes to this stuff.
Thanks for the mention of our VELO-TOOL brand 👍
Yes the color of the kislux is beautiful and it is a great decision, maybe one day they will add feet and straps. It would be nice to have a bigger bag during the colder months when we have to store gloves, beanies, scarves, etc…
The helmet expert was great
Chinese manufacturers got lucky that polycarbonate is UV opaque and very cheap, so it's very easy to make UV and impact safe safety/cycling glasses
All the DHB stuff ive bought is fantastic! would recommend, also their sizing is spot on for "normal" people sizing
The variety of textures in the kislux pack is impressive. From smooth leather to textured suede, there's something for everyone.
Rockbros do great sunglasses. I bought a pair of £25 photo chromic/reactive glasses about 3 years ago. The optical quality is great and they work really well. Not going to win many fashion shows though.
I also have a pair of fake 100% which I got for about £15. They look great but they have poor optical quality and make me nervous on fast descents as you can't quite pick out unevenness/gravel in the road as clearly.
You put a Time bike down on the asphalt? What a disgrace
Came looking for this comment.
That sent shivers down my spine. A kid wouldn't do that.
@@Nozes..I think they would
@@leedorneyThey will throw the Time bike to the floor on purpose, then they will smile at you.
Avoid the knock offs but consider the Chinese-branded stuff. The Ryet 3D printed saddles are remarkably good, for example.
I have one and it's really good quality, the shape isn't perfect for me tho
That purple Time is amazing!
by the way... helmet: Van Rysel; kit: Sportful; sunglasses: Alpina or the cheap kapvoe.
There are so many garbage pumps. I even have a full sized one that is worse than the Lezyne pocket rocket 🤣
Using the Countdown theme while pumping was a superb choice.
Your whole section about UV protection in glasses is basically pointless. Even the cheapest glasses will offer excellent UV protection because almost all of them are made of Polycarbonate. "Polycarbonate as a material blocks almost the entire relevant UV spectrum, meaning both UVA and UVB. The material absorbs UV radiation and does not allow it to be transmitted through. Even a very thin sheet of polycarbonate would absorb UV rays".
Spexcel clothing is dope and cheap. KO sunglasses are cheap and dope. I ride a VeloBuild frame and wheels, and everything is pretty groovy. My main take away from using alternative market kit and parts is that you'll probably have issues and/or drawbacks, but it's still quite good, and it's so much cheaper. Besides, I've had plenty of trouble with name brand stuff over the years.
Would love to see jimmy have a look at decathlon kit.
I like how it’s a video on knock offs, then Francis says “I’ve been on eBay” and you just let it slide whether that’s a real Zeiss UV tester or not!😀
I have a pair of CatEye glasses that I've been very happy with. Came with two lenses-polarized and photochromic.
This is my first pair with photochromic lenses. Its transition is slow, but that's what you get for an inexpensive pair.
For cycling glasses, I cannot recomment Loubsol enough. They are very competitively priced and fashionable as well!
You have to get out of the box guys.
I am totally agree with safety be for sure the priority, but also with the affordable prices of goods with a high quality safety performance, not everything with a recognizable brand should be the best.
So, nice video for the examples of safety staff, affordable items always be the first option in the rest of the 🌎😉
I've just received a counterfeit Dura Ace HG901 chain from one of the highest listed sellers on Ebay (almost 5,000 ratings and 99% positive feedback). The vendor had the cheek to ask for pictures proving my suspicion but it's clearly a fake. The font is wrong on the front and rear, the packaging is too glossy, the white "label" on the rear of the packaging is printed on, and the quick-link is inside the packaging with the chain - not in a separate bag. In addition there's a peelable "authentic" label, which should have a 2D barcode on the rear (the barcode is missing). All are obvious clues that I've received a counterfeit.
When I receive a refund I will be placing a review with full details - I don't want others to be scammed.
In future I will be only buying chains from reputable retailers - there's no way I'll be risking personal injury and putting money in the pockets of counterfeiters.
Don't buy stuff off ebay, period (unless it's second hand).
Probably the same seller selling fake Shimano brake pads , I did report to eBay, but to my surprise they couldn’t give a toss . I don’t use eBay anymore. It’s just full of shit.
@@bensomerset1 Their shop includes chains, cassettes, rotors, pads, pedals and cleats, 260+ listings in all. Makes me shudder to think what could happen to buyers of this knockoff crap.
eBay is notorious for counterfeit chains, simply not worth the risk
Who the hell buys a knock off chain, honestly...
- Spexcel have good bibs, as well as bad ones. But then again Assos have a few bad bins as well nowadays.
- Craft clothing (german) is good and doesn’t cost as much as the highly marketed stuff
- Gloryfy sunglasses (Austrian) have good glasses that are cheaper and better than the big brands
- Vittoria shoes (Italian) are very good and affordable
- Silva Morbidone bartape: they make small batches but really good quality
£300 for a saddle is just barking mad !
DAREVIE Makes Great Kit
The RCC kit, I find that a lot of Chinese kits better for durability and comfort compared to brands like Castelli and Kalas
when it comes to glasses, I've been rocking the Madison in-house ones for a while now. on the MTB, had my fair share of slams and they've held up really well, especially for the price (think they were around £70 with 3 extra lenses). Madison saddles are good too, a lot of them are actually manufactured by Selle Royal, so really good quality for the money
- Spexcel have good bibs, as well as bad ones. But then again Assos have a few bad bins as well nowadays
- Craft clothing (german)
- Gloryfy sunglasses (Austrian);
- Vittoria shoes (Italian)
- Silva Morbidone bartape: they make small batches but really good quality
Hrh
Ok, let's unpack this: First off, it's easy to find junk made in China. It's also easy to find junk made by "name brands" that are probably also made in China. There are several channels on RUclips, such as Trace Velo, that go about testing Chinese branded parts and kit to see how well they're made. Myself, I've been buying Chinese kit and sunglasses and bags and wheels and lots of other stuff for many years, and you know what? I don't have a complaint about any of them. $25-$30 for bib shorts and jersey combos? Yes please. $300-$400 for SuperTeam carbon wheels that have held up for years? You bet. 10 pair of different knockoff sunglasses for the same price as 1 pair of moderately (overpriced) name brand glasses? Done. Now I could find crap versions of all the things I've just mentioned that wouldn't be worth the money, but if you do your homework and watch certain channels, you can literally save yourself thousands of dollars. Because in the end, there is NO way I'm spending Silca type money on any of their products, or ASSOS or Rapha type money on bib shorts and jerseys.
Your points are valid, however i disagree on the sunglasses, i just can't bring myself to trust noname brands with such important tech, you could be doing real damage to your eyesight if the chinese manufacturers are using unsafe lenses or plastics.
Just a thought
@@n.ull. Sure, doesn't mean we have to let ourselves get assf... by "big" brands. Decathlon ('VR) does a frameless set of glasses for around 50€, a similar pair from Rapha is 150€+. The cost of the sunglasses can't be more than 10-15€ a pair.
@@AnthraXXmS
The posterior penetration prices comes from essilor luxottica, all those greedy execs, i'm sure there's some r&d costs, I won't say they cost to much, i'm just gonna say i can't afford them, but they are nice, i tried a pair of oakleys and a pair of raibans and wow, it was like putting on lazer vision.
Apples and oranges. You are talking about alternative branded products whereas they are talking about counterfeit products in the video. Completely different thing.
This is pretty clearly a video about fake knockoffs and not a knock specifically on Chinese branded products.
Best cycling glasses I've found are basic B&Q safety glasses. 3 different lenses, very adjustable. I think they were £6
Rockbros is tried and tested. Founder is an ex-pro cyclist. They produce literally everything. Ryet Saddles are amazing. I have no problem using the Ryet 3D printed carbon saddle on my 2024 Ultimate CFR, paired with Superteam Wheels.
Santic & Monton cycling attire. Some look goofy but work well. MagicShine lights. Rhinowalk bags
not sure if anyone have mentioned then yet, but "The Black Bibs" offer some great value bibs/shorts! They also offer jerseys, but I have no experience with those.. Voler seems like a pretty good value as well. I am always on the lookout for Giordana bibs on sale as they just seem to work best with me. As far as glasses, I'm a fan of Tifosi glasses.. 90% of Oakley at, at least, 50% of the price for most models..
If you dont want to spend much and are not bothered about the latest look then Bolle safety specs are great value. I've used them for years for MTB and road.
I frequently use safety glasses purchased at a pro tool shop. They have a wrap around style, come with shaded or yellow or clear lenses, are impact resistant, have ventilation, and cost $15 each. Obviously, they are impact rated.
Any of the Van Rysel stuff from Decathlon is fantastic. Maybe the best cycling shoes on the market. Made in Italy for half what anyone else sells them for.
why exact model are you referring to?
They are silly narrow. I can't get my feet in them
@@Irnbruist the 900 shoes. They are the real deal, if they fit.
@@roelofdutoit3962 yeah they definitely are narrow. I find they fit me great.
I bought a "dynaplug" kit from Ali E for £11 and it's worked OK. I just got some genuine refills though. I also bought a "redshift" stem and while it does have a bit of play in it it did protect my injured shoulder from jarring - for £45. Currently about to test some double "fake boa" non branded SPD shoes. The fitting guide was spot on and they are very comfy. £25. So not fake but made in China and cheap. We'll see how they last.
For sunglasses it's normal for the uv protection normaly the plastic use for glasses have uv as plastic property and not added (for that part it's more a marketing things) BUT they are really really important for glasses made from glass (like fake ray ban ) because it's not a property for glass but fake one dont flex or absorb impact the same way (so safety are the main things)
The Black Bib in the US is solid for low priced, high quality bibs and jerseys. They even have a blems section for cheaper options.
Can you test some RockBros stuff? It's a budget Chinese brand with a name like a real brand (lol). Maybe you can compare them to real CrankBrothers stuff. Other Chinese brands that might have some QC are: LeBycle, RISK, RideRace, Deemount, ZRace, Senicx, etc. I find that the ones that aren't blatantly counterfeit or fake (i.e. no brand or steal other companies branding) have a least some QC/don't blatantly lie (usually anyways).
They have actualy good stuff. The secret in buying chinese stuff nowdays is looking for their original brands (probably developed after years of counterfeiting).
The people who started the brand are actual cyclists that know their stuff. That's already a huge difference with 99% of stuff that comes out of China.
@@benoitbvg2888i have sun glasses and flat pedals from them, quality is good for its price.
leaving that time bike on it's side is a travesty.
I have one kislux bag I got in 2019, it's the LV white catogram speedy. It's counter quality and it has a nice honey patina now, so the leather is real. I think whatever makes you happy go for it. I've seen LV with plastic leather and blood red glaze...
If a small saddlebag costs £60, I can understand why someone would buy a counterfeit product. Ludicrous
Chinese products I can recommend: airwolf t1000 cockpit. Full steel ultralight cassettes (225g). Carbon cranksets. The expensive versions of elite wheels.
For jerseys, I order 5 and send back 4. It's not for everyone. I also design kit so for me it's part of the process.
Right, I’m off to stock up on even more fake glasses .
Silca's QA/QC is so bad at this point, I think it would pass. They shipped me two failed torque wrenches and a bottle of sealant that didn't seal a 1mm puncture.
Yep, I had to send back a torque wrench...bag of shite!
That's a damn shame to hear, as they've made some great kit over the years!
Silca is just over priced hype crap, the only thing silca is good at is marketing themselves.
@@YaniofWigan Check out PrestaCycle's torque tools. I have their Pro TorqKey that I like a lot.
I wear bib shorts from both Didoo, based in West Yorkshire, and Lidl. They're both comfortable and very affordable. In fact, most of the cycling stuff from lidl is good quality, probably due to them sponsoring a world tour team.
Although Lidl don’t supply the team with their clothing
@@rob-c. No, I realise that, but they've clearly invested more in quality of their products though.
I like my Tifosi cycling glasses that I got for $69. When a car smashed my face the arm detached but nothing shattered. Like, my nose fractured but the glasses didn't.
Also, lack of UV protection can lead to Ocular melanoma ... and the only way to get rid of that is enucleation ... having your eye removed.
I’m great at ruining sunglasses so I’ll carry on with the Aliexpress options
Several years ago I bought prescription Oakleys from a local "real" eyeglasses store. Recently I tried getting replacement lenses (I don't need prescriptions anymore) and none of the replacement lenses fit the Flak frames. Not even close. Then after talking to someone at Oakley, I found out the frames were knock offs.
Pretty sure the saddle is the hill climb model allowing you to strip it for the weight advantage
Would love to see a video testing well made Chinese products. Seatposts, sunglasses, other bits of kit etc
Just started watching over lunch which was unfortunate since the pump at the start induced me to pump soup through my nostrils!
I bought a pair of Bible longs for about 10% of what a decent pair costs. Has the same padding as that. Initially I thought it was great but after riding about 2 hours the gel pads actually shift and it feels like there is a seam running across your sitbones. I have just removed the pad and still use the rest on cold rides over decent bib shorts.
fitosi!! reasonable priced, 3 lenses, adjustable arms and nose piece
Van Rysel. Never been let down by any of their products. And they LOOK pretty good as well. Having said that I do also wear Castelli but only buy when they are discounted by at least 1/3.
Pump action Francis returns
I'm actually Confidenr on recommending sensah as your groupset on a budget... Just don't take the brakes that comes in the package.
The Black Bibs is a really good value brand.
MAKE A BIKE FULL OF FAKE STUFF, and try to ride it!
Make a bike with genuine parts that claim a watts or aero advantage and see whether it moves by itself.
Just watch any Trace Velo video.
Actually his channel is pretty damn good! But he only uses stuff from AliExpress.
Go see Trace Velo
OK, not fake, but I have two complete Chinese bikes, exept Conti tires
Rides very good.
When assebled second one, on local Kom jumped from 10-th to 4-th place same day during test ride.
7.8kg with 2 bottle cages and mtb pedals. Can shave off some hundred gramms if want to get it lighter.
Price - 3108 Euro total.
Truy to get same for the same price from western brands.
Specs: Elves Falath Evo heavy aero frame (new version with T47 BB) (love this frame), 55/60mm deep Elite Wheels 1630 g/pair heavy wheelset, Wheeltop electronic group, carbon Chinese cranks, carbon+paded heavy saddle, carbon bottle cages, TPU inner tubes, Conti GP5000 tires.
P.S. "first" gen chinese carbon cranks had isues. Now problem is solved. Made around 2.5K with my one, rides well.
@@OlegsKop how is that groupo ? Was thinking about it but I'm in the US and not sure if I can even get it yet but how does perform
Decathlon, all day every day. Every time i look into getting a good looking and good quality product, Decathlon always wins it in terms of price
These always great fun. Keep em going
A child's blue helmet for $25 won a safety award superior to Fox , BBB , Lazer ,Scott ,Specialized and POC in Australia during CSIRO testing in April this year .
I'm expecting the next video to be a Theo helmet special. Ask him whats the best helmet for my big head.
we all need a buddy like Jimmy that can pull a saddle out of his ________ after he rips the one that you started with off the rails!
Laying down your beautiful bikes on the tarmac to me is heartbreaking...thanks for video though!
You should try some good cheap cycling glasses and do a tear list.
The cheap sunglasses lenses are all made of thin polycarbonate which is very cheap to manufacture but is UV protecting and will not shatter (the frames are a different story)
Darevie for kit. Best bang for buck I’ve ever used.
I remember when I bought my Oakley helmet (A somewhat extravagant purchase I grant you) and some more money-conscious folks gawked at the price tag. One specifically I remember telling me I could get 5 helmets for that sort of money. All I could think was "Would you buy a cheap seatbelt if you had the option? Would you buy a cheap bulletproof vest if you thought you might be shot at? How about cheap steel toe boots or a hard-hat?". End of the day, cycling helmets can, have, and will continue to save lives. It might be a lot of money, but at least I might be alive to complain about it should I ever *need* it. I can't fathom why someone would value even £100 over their own life. There are plenty of helmets that are less expensive, that's for sure, and from reputable brands like Bell or MET or whoever, but I still don't think that's a case for arguing against a more expensive helmet.
Personally, I'm happy knowing that what I wear on my head is undoubtedly as good as the technology gets. If anything is going to protect my head in a crash, it's that helmet - something I might have trouble saying about a cheaper option...
I don't begrudge people paying more for something they like, but (in my book) helmets don't get to claim that they're safer than the cheaper ones that still pass the standards unless they have actual test data. The VTech tests are as good as we've got, unfortunately they're still hard to interpret.
1:30 very niche choice of music
Awesome video!
For a pump check out the ones from Lidl . £5 and brilliant 😊
We Gunna act like helmet guy isn’t just a young bike fit James?!? 😂
My mom bought one kislux and she loves it. It had been there for over 10 years when she went out with it.
I’ve always found Caratti bib shorts to be great value (and currently on sale).
I got some, what I thought, were Shimano 105 SPD pedals from eBay a year or so ago. Seemed too cheap at the time. They arrived, looked pretty legit, so Installed them. Lasted about 3 miles until the clip on the left pedal lost the spring. Did a bit more research and noticed that the ones I had were 50g lighter than the quoted weight on the Shimano site. Engaged contact with the seller. They initially offered 10% refund. After numerous messages back and forth, plus a case raised to eBay, I received a full refund plus delivery charges. Gutted, as they looked great
Decathlon; Lidl/Aldi - I have a Lidl baselayer that cost £5 and is fine; I have Endura and Northwave shades, cheap and fine.
just had a crash wearing the cheapest mips helmet in met lineup, the met downtown and a rockbros sunglasses. Both helmet and sunglasses did not survive but my head is intact and relatively okay other than a bruise on my temple at the point of impact. The glasses snapped at the corner into large chunks, i could technically still wear it if i super glue the frame back together I guess. The helmet interior cracked. But i can recommend both brands.
At 7:30 a bee flies by Francis' left shoulder.
I'd say Ekoï has great value for money kit, glasses, and helmets. Although the prices on their website are somewhat misleading, as everything is always on sale. Therefore, just treat the sale price as the normal price.
Shout-out to Alpkit/Sonder for quality decent-priced gear. Indeed if you buy a bike from them and remember to sign up for member rewards first you get 10% of it back in alpkit vouchers - even on bike to work.
Pretty sure there’s lots of shimano fake cleats about recently bought a couple of pairs from a retailer and they were slightly smaller than the original ones, currently using them, will they last
Cheap or fake cycling jerseys are often sauna hot and with no breathability or UV protection
theres no need to buy fake stuff , decathlon makes affordable and they hold up pretty well