Same thing has been happening with car parts fake brembo brakes fake ngk spark plugs etc very difficult to tell the difference without videos like this. So many thanks for sharing this info
Fake spark plugs are a HUGE issue right now - NGK, Denso, Champion, etc. They work fine for a bit until you start getting random misfires and can't figure out why.
Agreed, a huge problem in many industries. It's highly unlikely you'll buy a fake chain from a reputable retailer. Here in the UK for example, all large stores buy from Madison, who in turn buy directly from Shimano.
There are many chains on the market I bought one IG 51 Shimano called Shuimao IC 51 looked and workedike the genuine one for £4.50 p Unfortunately the price of the genuine one was £27 so it unfortunate for the marketing plots not mine as long as I am happy 😁😁😁😁😁😁
Bought a fake Shimano chain off eBay. It should have ‘Narrow’ stamped on some links. It said ‘Marrow’ 😂 That’s true by the way. Also a few spelling errors on the ‘Shimano’ packaging. Got a refund after much complaining. Great channel by the way. 😊
@@martinlong8739 Just like a fake pair of Ray Bans I once bought. I handed over the cash. Later, When I looked closely, it said Ray Bens! You live and learn eh?
For those of us who have ended up with "COUNTERFIET" chains , you can repurpose them as : 1.) A chain whip for cassette removals 2.) An estimation tool for bicycle configuration of drivetrain . 3.) Bracelet 4.) Clock decoration or mural . 5.) An educators tool for peening or chain wear checker illustrative purposes . 6.) Chainring wear estimator .
Hey Jon,as ive stated before i like ASMR videos,youve done magic with this one,especially taking the chain packet out of the box,around 2.00 mins,awesome,many thanks for this little gem.
Another quality video Jon,thank you for highlighting this,the very thought of a chain giving way under load whilst ascending a steep climb makes my stomach churn.
3:10 Additional Packaging details: The check in the box for the number of links will be printed on a fake, and on the genuine it will be an actual check or hash with a real marker pen. Also on a genuine Shimano master link it will be in a separate sealed pouch, not a ziplock baggie. The genuine will be in the box at the bottom behind the chain package, but not within the same plastic package as the chain.
Spotted it at once. Yes - have tried to get fakes sent to me so know what to look for. Having quick links in same wrapping as main chain is a clear give-away.
Campa chains last twice as long as Shimano or Sram but for a practical reason I am using Shimano or SRAM on my 10speed Campa bikes -the cost of the tool - my bike mechanic has died since 5 yrs since then I must do it myself Shimano and SRAM cost only half the price and can be fitted with an ordinary chaintool of CHF 30 (the Campi tool costs CHF 130) at the end it’s a zero win or loss. I never buy chains from unknown sources
@@danielhertercasagrande1686 Good for you D. But I am lucky that I can afford Campagnolo tools and equipment. Not always been the case, but at age 80, I feel I owe myself the very best! Campag rocks!
Hi Jon, excellent video, its a problem buying chains as i have been caught out with a fake, the sellers use genuine shimano pictures which bear no comparison when you get the chain through the post! I guess you can send back. I had the chain snap on entering a busy roundabout, which almost wiped me out! Thinking the quick link had failed i found on examing the chain each link more or less was showing fractures and cracks!! Thankfully binned it and didn't actually face plant the road! 😂😂😂😂
Great video! Thanks for posting! I have an 11 speed "Shimano" I just got off eBay and I was wondering why it was making so much noise even tho everything was well lined up. Now I realize. No UPC sticker, the wrong address, no holes thru the pins. Hot damn I got juked! Great channel. I would have subscribed if I hadn't already.
You should unsubscribe, and then subscribe again 🤣🤣🤣. The thing is, it's easy to get caught out, after all, who the heck would think they'd bother faking something like a bicycle chain...... you wouldn't think it was worth it!
@@ribblevalleycyclistThe major problem with this video is that you compared different tier chains rather than actual like for like with the differences being more accurate . Leaves unanswered questions .
Unless the West goes to war with China they won't be caught. The Chinese government still sees piracy and copyright infringement as a net bonus for their economy.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MY FRIEND!!!! Frightening. Fortunately I didn't use them and the dodgy Uk ebay seller did accept the 105 11 speed chains back. PS I have now discovered your website and I will follow you. Not many smart bike blokes on the WWW
Hi Jon, have just stumbled across your videos and enjoying them, have subscribed. Could you make a video on detecting fake SRAM chains? Also what is your thoughts on removing factory lubrication from new chains, maybe a video on that also please 🙏
Thanks for making a video about this. I bought two fake Shimano 12s chains on eBay this spring. Fortunately the seller refunded med right away after I contacted them about it. Yeah, only buy chains from reputable vendors.
A lot of them just refund straight away, they don't want the risk of being found out. It's highly unlikely you'll buy a fake chain from a reputable retailer. Here in the UK, for example, all large stores buy from Madison, who in turn buy directly from Shimano.
The old adage is not always true for many Chinese brands. Some cheaper Chinese brands like torches can be VERY good for the money compared to Western brands. Appear too good but actually are and last! E.g. MagicShine, Wurrkos. Same for tents (E.g. Nature Hike way cheaper and almost as good as US tents costing more than double). Rideon for plastic tubes. But these fake brand copies are very dodgy. It's even possible to make a chain that shifts ok at first but as it is made of dodgy material - will very quickly wear out. It's hard to make a chain hardwearing, the copiers do not have the know how and machine tools etc, and are way behind. Also watch out for Lion batteries. Easy to make one that has a high capacity to begin with but quickly loses it over the charge cycles.
@@andrewnorris5415 yeah there's plenty of cheap brand product alternatives that are perfectly adequate. The issue here is seeing a premium brand at a much lower price than you normally would... Amazon is full of these fake and poorer quality copies of premium brands.
@@andrewnorris5415 That's not quite the same, a "Shimano Ultegra" chain for £13 sounds too good to be true and best backed away from, an alternative product from a different manufacturer willing to put their own name on it, at a more reasonable price is often worth looking into (online reviews/forums etc.). YBN for example make outstanding chains for standard HyperGlide systems for about 50-60% of the price, they last longer than Shimano and I personally think they shift better. (They do shift fine on HG+ but IMO buttery smooth HG+ is worth the cost
I got one! Fortunately before I used it a video popped up talking about them and I had not opened it yet so I sent it back to Amazon. It had the tell tale quick link in the bag with the chain, said shimano America corp, and had the same bar code as the one in the warning video.
@QuanJNSUspartan The problem of ‘Fake’ chains is less with Amazon, however, it’s littered with lookalike packaging chains that don’t say Shimano on them.
I've bought previous chains from my local bike shop and was going to purchase my next Ultegra chain online. But this video makes me very cautious. I think I may have to stick with my local shop for this one!
@@meneldil7604 how are you sure you got a fake? I have spent thousands and thousands with CRC over the years and not once did I ever get anything fake.
This whole selling fake items really started to kick up over 10 years ago(I'm talking about consumer products in general. Not just bike products.), and that's when I just stopped completely trying to buy anything official from shady sources. The problem today is that it is big business, so the shady people have really gone to town and made it harder to spot the difference. I know there's lots of people who purchase official brands from Alibaba and aliexpress and so on all the time, and I try to tell them they are being scammed, but they won't believe me. Ah well, you can lead a thirsty horse to the water but you cannot make it drink...
Agreed. It's highly unlikely you'll buy a fake chain from a reputable retailer. Here in the UK, for example, all large stores buy from Madison, who in turn buy directly from Shimano.
Great vid, thanks for the hints 👍🏻 One has to be very careful when buying such things nowadays. The price would be the first thing which would make me a bit sceptical, but all other things look almost like the original one. Maybe one thing for your comparison, you said shimano has hollow pins .. thats true for the hg-901, the others have solid pins (as far as I know 😉)
thanks for the tips!!! seriously they are very "discret". the hologram is the number one but at 2:51 shimano real show "how the chains is" and the fake one dosen't show in the "pocket"
I just purchased a KMC chain from Amazon and I'm having doubts on whether it's real or a counterfeit. The big thing for me is the quick link that came included. The chain and quick link were packaged correctly but just like the quick link in this video it is very easy to engage and disengage the quick link, meaning it's not snapping into place. BUT on the other hand the quick link for this KMC chain is advertised as being reuseable so I'm wondering if it was designed like that so it's easily removable. I'm guessing there are probably tons of counterfeit KMC chains just like Shimano.
I've always been on a budget and bought from ebay for less, never knowing that I have been buying fake chains. They look totally legit and to be honest even from using them for years, I've never had any problems with shifting and never snapped one. I am amazed that all of my bikes have fake chains though and I never knew. I'll have to save up and buy a bunch of proper ones and see how much different the shifting feels. Thank you.
I've just checked my recently bought Shimano chains, from Merlin Cycles, Halfords, and Woolly Hat Shop. According to your guide, they're all fake. Not one box has a sticker for the bar code, nor a silver shiny part at the top, and they all have solid pins. All of them had the quick link in a separate bag, and the paperwork is not photocopied as far as I can tell - it looks printed. The chains are: a 12-speed CN-M8100 XT, a 9-speed CN-HG53 and an 8-speed CN-HG40. Should I be returning them?
I trust all the retailers you've mentioned, it's highly unlikely you've purchased a fake chain from them......I'd bet my Pinarello on it 🤣. Only the Dura Ace chain has hollow pins, the rest are solid. The problem is, both manufacturers and counterfeiters will continue to change tactics (and design), to overcome one another. Best bet, buy from a large reputable supplier, which is what you have done.
Thank you, I am going to buy a Shimano chain and the info from this video are very helpful. Do you have any recommendations to avoid fakes? In your opinion would it be safe to buy from Amazon, setting Amazon as seller on the item page (instead of any unknown shops)?
Hi Luca, to be honest, Amazon has tidied it's game up, and you don't see many fakes on there. HOWEVER!!!!!...... you do see a lot of lookalike chains, where the packaging is very similar, but the chain isn't Shimano. The other problem with Amazon, is you don't tend to find genuine Shimano chains at a good price, so I don't really see the point in going there over a cycle shop. It's rare to see a reputable cycle retailer selling fake chains, so if you can find a bike shop offering a good price, just go there.
The amount of people I see complaining about snapped Shimano chains on the internet is overwhelming... I can only imagine the damage fake chains has caused to their brand.
I recently got caught out by a fake KMC chain. Everything looked ok at first, box etc. My suspicions were raised when I fitted it. It didn't have the usual factory grease, more of a light oil. It snapped on the first ride after about 35 miles. One bent rear mech, a snapped gear hanger and a couple of broken rear drive side spokes. That was on my other halves bike. I had to push her for 5 miles...that was fun.
I can't tell if I got a fake one from Amazon or not. Should the HG-71 6/7/8 speed chain have hollow pins and chamfered inner plates? Mine does not. I paid $27, which I *think* is a regular price, the box has a two tone logo and says "Shimano North America Bicycle, Inc" but the barcode is NOT a sticker. It did not come with a master/quick link at all and the replacement pin shattered when I tried to drive it in but I'm still unsure if I just did it wrong.
Good video. I have 11 speed Ultegra chain on my bike and just went and checked and the pins are not hollow so does that only apply to Dura-ace? I assume and hope my chain is genuine(think got new chain/cassette from Merlin so would hope so) but wondering if you could confirm as looking online hard to tell.
The Ultegra (and 105) chains have solid pins........ which makes spotting the counterfeit ones a little more tricky. You can trust Merlin, your kit will be the real deal 👍
It's funny how the pins on both chains are solid at 3:19, lol. They looked exactly the same and both are noticeably different from the one shown at 3:55
I use SRAM chains on my mostly Shimano drive trains, have since 9-speed was new. I'm sure there might be some fake SRAM out there too, but I only buy from LBS, REI or major online bike retailers, like Universal Cycles. No guarantee they won't get duped, but hopefully I'm less likely. Ironically, I just opened my 120 link SRAM chain as I'm swapping my Ultegra 11-34 cassette for an XT 11-40 for some mountains, and LBS only had 114 link chains.
What about rear mechs? I see £20 aliexpress shimano 10 speed mechs (no clutch). They look legit. But will they be and how to spot? I did pick the same one from Merlin cycles for £20 in a sale. But I wonder if the aliexpress ones would be good?
They are probably genuine there would be too little profit in counterfeiting something so complex, but they will almost certainly be OEM and come in a jiffy bag, you also won't get any of the "bits and bobs" like the little bit of "loop" outer cable and ferrules. SRAM don't like OEM stuff going on sale to the public, so their stuff often has the serial numbers neatly ground off, so SRAM can't trace the supplier. Shimano only pretends to care about it and turns 2 blind eyes, most of the Shinano stuff I ever ordered from Wiggle/CRC (and quite a bit from Merlin) came in a brown bag. Anrancee cycling Store on Ali-Ex is a good one for Shimano stuff. I got full 105 Di2 from them for £750-ish back when it was £1300 and sold out in the UK.
@@chris1275cc that's my experience as well, have legit stuff from Arancee, comes in OEM packaging as did Shimano stuff I bought from Merlin CRC or Wiggle. Certainly CRC and Wiggle and I think Merlin at one point had their own bike brands, so they could get Shimano groups at OEM pricing.
Good video Jon but you need to clear up confusion over the pins. When the good chain is in its box they are solid, but when you take the chain out they are hollow. You say genuine are hollow fake are solid. I have a genuine chain in its original box with the correct Shimano logo as you’ve explained, and the pins are solid.
@@redauwg911 Yes, only the CN-HG901-11 and higher-end chains use hollow pins. I've seen a counterfeit HG901 bear solid pins, which is a very easy and dead giveaway. I told the customer who handed me this chain and he went to ask for a return & refund.
They used be the same, KMC used to make Shimano chains 20 years ago. More recently Shimano took production in house and got better for less money, so I would buy them certainly for 11sp+ or the newer generations of 10sp. The top KMC chains are still very good but they are much more expensive than Shimano. Low-end Shimano like 105 or Cues is basically almost as good as Dura-Ace, Cues may even be more durable, and those are better than KMC at the same money.
Thanks for the replies! I think I'll keep the KMC on my hybrid (1x11) because of the bling factor that comes with wearing a gold chain but I'll definitely try a Shimano on my road bike (3x10) when the time comes.
@@blorg8206 You have to go back to the IG days when Shimano setup shop in-house; they actually licensed some of the machinery tech from KMC. I agree about the low end chains still being just as good in terms of shifting performance, they just don't have the same coatings. If you run 10/11 speed, the LinkGlide chain (CN-LG500) is definitely the most robust out there.
How much do bike chains cost? I saw these Shimano chains on ebay and thought they were legit. I have a 3x7 speed bike that needs a new chain. Shoukd I just go Walmart and pick a chain there? I might alsi need to replace the freewheel some time and saw those on ebay too.
Ideally, buy a genuine Shimano chain from a trusted retailer. But then again, some projects don't justify the cost. In those cases, my advice is to buy a cheaper legitimate chain over a fake one.
@prosnazzy maybe another time…. In the workshop having a beer and putting that Dura Ace chain back on the summer bike…… It involves beer, so I’m taking my time 😂😂
I bought fake KMC chains from which I thought was a reputable seller and only a couple of quid difference, the KMC website explains the difference, oh and both snapped
The listing I selected to buy a KMC chain from has highly-rated reviews, so I thought it'd be it. When I got the chain on hand, I managed to notice something off on both the chain (no center indentation in the pins) and the packaging (typos found). I sent an e-mail to KMC to double-check my doubts and sure enough, it is a counterfeit, so I requested for a return & refund (which was granted fortunately) and I looked elsewhere for the real thing. It turns out the reviews in the listing I bought the first chain from have pictures of the same chain I bought, just that nobody knew they bought counterfeits.
I just had some fake Shimano brake pads from ebay. Was quite obvious from the packaging not having the QR code. Got refunded instantly but left negative feedback saying it was potentially very dangerous. Seller had a lot of items and lots of positive feedback. They have emailed me 3 time saying sorry it was a mistake and to remove the feedback....as if! I also had a fake KMC chain last summer. Snapped after less than a month and on close inspection about 6 other links had cracks. It looked 100% legit, even when compared to the fake on the KMC site. So yes good advice to buy from a trusted seller rather than the lure of free delivery.
@@blorg8206 Actually I have checked the markings on the actual chain and its link structure (I had thrown away the packaging) and it’s not fake. But I’ll be careful in future when purchasing on eBay. Thanks.
Bought some fake Thompson stuff off Ebay about 14 years ago. It was very low quality metal. 2 stems and 1 seatpost cracked. One of the cracked stems almost ended me.
I intentionally buy a fake chain to do such comparison. Yes, there are differences on the packaging and on the chain as well, as described in the video. Rode with the fake chain for a while, shifting was bad and noisy. In addition, the fake chain worn out twice as fast compared to the real chain.
Bought some fake SPD cleats. Silver metal, not blackened steel. Coarser stamping. Easily checked as a metal file skated off the real one but ate through the fake
Shimano uses the three bars to designate what level of component it is. 105 has one bar, Ultegra with two bars and DuraAce with three bars. In this video you are not comparing the same model. The one on the left us DuraAce and the one on the right is 105.
Just bought a 105 chain from Sigma Sports for £20 plus postage this afternoon however I did have the option to pay via my Amazon account on the Sigma website but it is from Sigma Sports so I hopefully should be ok. Btw has anyone ever experienced the side plates splitting/cracking around the pins on a Shimano chain?
You *can not* tell the fake chain by anything on the box. I recently bought a fake chain that had an identical white and silver logo and proper sticker. In my case, it was a fake Deore chain, and the biggest giveaway of the fake was its dryness. Real Shimano chains come from the factory covered in a thick layer of wax-like lubricant that is very thick and durable enough to last several hundred kilometers of riding, The fake chain was almost dry, covered only in a thin layer of olive-oil-like substance. As the video indicated, the connector pin was packaged with the chain, not separately, as with the genuine chain.
The problem is, both manufacturers and counterfeiters will continue to change tactics (and design), to overcome one another. Best bet, buy from a large reputable supplier.
Platforms should totally be more aware what's been sold on them but it's more of a seller problem. There's quite a bit of shops who have ebay setup and sell totally genuine stuff. Bought a lot of Japanese tools through Ninja Tools and bike parts through Bankrupt bike parts
I try to avoid eBay for components. I bought some cleats off there a few years ago.. they lasted one ride. The metal plates that the bolt went through snapped. I did think I had mega watts 😂 then realised when I looked closely at some I bought from a shop and they were clearly fake 🙈
I've never tried those fake cleats, but I've heard they're really bad. I used to be a fan of eBay, but now it's just full of dodgy sellers selling dodgy crap, and time-wasting buyers that buy and then change their mind.
@@ribblevalleycyclist probably make a good video. They looked like genuine I didn’t give them a second thought. Tbf to the seller he refunded me straight away
I ended up with a fake from a well known National bike chain owned by a sports outlet that has frequently been associated with shall we say not first quality items.
for some reason the fake shimano chains come with a shinier or more reflective box, the instruction paper is also a lot thicker and more reflective than the real ones.
Got caught out on eBay a while ago but saw another video by Joey Mesa and returned it and got a full refund. To be fair to the seller they followed up and apologised. However checking back through their feedback I wasn’t the first
We’re cyclists, we can’t help it. We spend a weeks wages on a power meter we don’t either need nor understand, and then cut corners on essential parts 😂😂😂😂
I got a fake one on ebay. it lasted one ride before it started clicking. Fake one is always the one with the printed tick. the real ones have pen marks on the front.
you can't really rely on box, chain look and other details. counterfeiters will improve that over time. the ONLY way is reputable seller. alternatively you can buy real thing from reputable ali brand, like say ZTTO, and see how good it is for the price.
It's highly unlikely you'll buy a fake chain from a reputable retailer. Here in the UK for example, all large stores buy from Madison, who in turn buy directly from Shimano.
Same thing has been happening with car parts fake brembo brakes fake ngk spark plugs etc very difficult to tell the difference without videos like this. So many thanks for sharing this info
Fake spark plugs are a HUGE issue right now - NGK, Denso, Champion, etc. They work fine for a bit until you start getting random misfires and can't figure out why.
Agreed, a huge problem in many industries. It's highly unlikely you'll buy a fake chain from a reputable retailer. Here in the UK for example, all large stores buy from Madison, who in turn buy directly from Shimano.
@@ribblevalleycyclist yeah i work for synch and we get stuff from madison but we use kmc chains on our bikes
There are many chains on the market I bought one IG 51 Shimano called Shuimao IC 51 looked and workedike the genuine one for £4.50 p
Unfortunately the price of the genuine one was £27 so it unfortunate for the marketing plots not mine as long as I am happy 😁😁😁😁😁😁
@@MR-rp3xr Shimano hasn't made IG chains in over a decade... That should've been the first indication.
Bought a fake Shimano chain off eBay. It should have ‘Narrow’ stamped on some links. It said ‘Marrow’ 😂 That’s true by the way. Also a few spelling errors on the ‘Shimano’ packaging. Got a refund after much complaining. Great channel by the way. 😊
Marrow 🤣
@@martinlong8739 Just like a fake pair of Ray Bans I once bought. I handed over the cash. Later, When I looked closely, it said Ray Bens! You live and learn eh?
For those of us who have ended up with "COUNTERFIET" chains , you can repurpose them as :
1.) A chain whip for cassette removals
2.) An estimation tool for bicycle configuration of drivetrain .
3.) Bracelet
4.) Clock decoration or mural .
5.) An educators tool for peening or chain wear checker illustrative purposes .
6.) Chainring wear estimator .
Chainring wear estimaro is porbably a bad idea because they probably arent up to spec in terms of roller size and such
@@batucetin9606 This is best for larger chainrings and not smaller ones . The chain wear cheacker can preface suitability for purpose .
7.) A chain whip to whip the sense back in the seller with...
Hey Jon,as ive stated before i like ASMR videos,youve done magic with this one,especially taking the chain packet out of the box,around 2.00 mins,awesome,many thanks for this little gem.
I thought of what you said when I did it. I think the whole ASMR thing adds to the overall video experience. Thanks for your input 👍
Another quality video Jon,thank you for highlighting this,the very thought of a chain giving way under load whilst ascending a steep climb makes my stomach churn.
It happened to me once. I just dropped and the bar stem did a number on my chest 😬
@@ribblevalleycyclist Hey buddy you've actually had one let go on you,nightmare man,nightmare.
It hurt….. but beer cured it 😂😂
@@ribblevalleycyclist Yeah beers good for that,one of its many positive points.
3:10 Additional Packaging details: The check in the box for the number of links will be printed on a fake, and on the genuine it will be an actual check or hash with a real marker pen. Also on a genuine Shimano master link it will be in a separate sealed pouch, not a ziplock baggie. The genuine will be in the box at the bottom behind the chain package, but not within the same plastic package as the chain.
Thats amazing! Thanks for this - I have bought chains from online retailers, not giving it a second thought. Ill be a bit more careful in the future.
Spotted it at once. Yes - have tried to get fakes sent to me so know what to look for. Having quick links in same wrapping as main chain is a clear give-away.
Good vide,o as usual jon, now know what to look at. I,ll keep buying from my l b s . Keep up the great work .thanks
LBS is usually a good choice 👍
No worries! I have always used Campagnolo. Excellence! ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Campa chains last twice as long as Shimano or Sram but for a practical reason I am using Shimano or SRAM on my 10speed Campa bikes -the cost of the tool - my bike mechanic has died since 5 yrs since then I must do it myself
Shimano and SRAM cost only half the price and can be fitted with an ordinary chaintool of CHF 30 (the Campi tool costs CHF 130) at the end it’s a zero win or loss. I never buy chains from unknown sources
@@danielhertercasagrande1686 Good for you D. But I am lucky that I can afford Campagnolo tools and equipment. Not always been the case, but at age 80, I feel I owe myself the very best! Campag rocks!
Great demonstration of the genuine versus the fake.
Thanks 👍
Hi Jon, excellent video, its a problem buying chains as i have been caught out with a fake, the sellers use genuine shimano pictures which bear no comparison when you get the chain through the post! I guess you can send back. I had the chain snap on entering a busy roundabout, which almost wiped me out! Thinking the quick link had failed i found on examing the chain each link more or less was showing fractures and cracks!! Thankfully binned it and didn't actually face plant the road! 😂😂😂😂
Genuine pictures, that’s super sneaky.
Are the pictures from Shimano's website or real-world pictures?
Great video! Thanks for posting! I have an 11 speed "Shimano" I just got off eBay and I was wondering why it was making so much noise even tho everything was well lined up. Now I realize. No UPC sticker, the wrong address, no holes thru the pins. Hot damn I got juked! Great channel. I would have subscribed if I hadn't already.
You should unsubscribe, and then subscribe again 🤣🤣🤣. The thing is, it's easy to get caught out, after all, who the heck would think they'd bother faking something like a bicycle chain...... you wouldn't think it was worth it!
Nothing lower than thieves...... ha! Someday they will get caught ...
thank you for top notch detective work!!!!!
You are very welcome
@@ribblevalleycyclistThe major problem with this video is that you compared different tier chains rather than actual like for like with the differences being more accurate . Leaves unanswered questions .
Unless the West goes to war with China they won't be caught. The Chinese government still sees piracy and copyright infringement as a net bonus for their economy.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MY FRIEND!!!!
Frightening.
Fortunately I didn't use them and the dodgy Uk ebay seller did accept the 105 11 speed chains back.
PS I have now discovered your website and I will follow you.
Not many smart bike blokes on the WWW
Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video.
Hi Jon, have just stumbled across your videos and enjoying them, have subscribed.
Could you make a video on detecting fake SRAM chains? Also what is your thoughts on removing factory lubrication from new chains, maybe a video on that also please 🙏
Well holy crap. Thank you for this
Well put 😂
Thanks for making a video about this. I bought two fake Shimano 12s chains on eBay this spring. Fortunately the seller refunded med right away after I contacted them about it. Yeah, only buy chains from reputable vendors.
A lot of them just refund straight away, they don't want the risk of being found out. It's highly unlikely you'll buy a fake chain from a reputable retailer. Here in the UK, for example, all large stores buy from Madison, who in turn buy directly from Shimano.
Just goes to show that the old adage of “If it sounds too good to be true…” is usually correct in many situations
This 👆
The old adage is not always true for many Chinese brands. Some cheaper Chinese brands like torches can be VERY good for the money compared to Western brands. Appear too good but actually are and last! E.g. MagicShine, Wurrkos. Same for tents (E.g. Nature Hike way cheaper and almost as good as US tents costing more than double). Rideon for plastic tubes. But these fake brand copies are very dodgy. It's even possible to make a chain that shifts ok at first but as it is made of dodgy material - will very quickly wear out. It's hard to make a chain hardwearing, the copiers do not have the know how and machine tools etc, and are way behind. Also watch out for Lion batteries. Easy to make one that has a high capacity to begin with but quickly loses it over the charge cycles.
@@andrewnorris5415 yeah there's plenty of cheap brand product alternatives that are perfectly adequate. The issue here is seeing a premium brand at a much lower price than you normally would... Amazon is full of these fake and poorer quality copies of premium brands.
@@andrewnorris5415 That's not quite the same, a "Shimano Ultegra" chain for £13 sounds too good to be true and best backed away from, an alternative product from a different manufacturer willing to put their own name on it, at a more reasonable price is often worth looking into (online reviews/forums etc.). YBN for example make outstanding chains for standard HyperGlide systems for about 50-60% of the price, they last longer than Shimano and I personally think they shift better. (They do shift fine on HG+ but IMO buttery smooth HG+ is worth the cost
I got one! Fortunately before I used it a video popped up talking about them and I had not opened it yet so I sent it back to Amazon.
It had the tell tale quick link in the bag with the chain, said shimano America corp, and had the same bar code as the one in the warning video.
Wow... this is crazy and scary at the same time...I bought one from Amazon 2 weeks ago, so I'm going to check it now
@QuanJNSUspartan The problem of ‘Fake’ chains is less with Amazon, however, it’s littered with lookalike packaging chains that don’t say Shimano on them.
I've bought previous chains from my local bike shop and was going to purchase my next Ultegra chain online. But this video makes me very cautious. I think I may have to stick with my local shop for this one!
Buying from reputable online cycle retailers is fine.
@@ribblevalleycyclist not as fine as you think I got a fake form CRC
@@ribblevalleycyclistNot always .
@@meneldil7604 how are you sure you got a fake? I have spent thousands and thousands with CRC over the years and not once did I ever get anything fake.
@@blorg8206 well that even said it was fake and replaced it jumped on all gears below 18 tooth on a new cassette
I knew they were out there, but this is a very helpful video as to knowing what to look for.
This whole selling fake items really started to kick up over 10 years ago(I'm talking about consumer products in general. Not just bike products.), and that's when I just stopped completely trying to buy anything official from shady sources. The problem today is that it is big business, so the shady people have really gone to town and made it harder to spot the difference.
I know there's lots of people who purchase official brands from Alibaba and aliexpress and so on all the time, and I try to tell them they are being scammed, but they won't believe me. Ah well, you can lead a thirsty horse to the water but you cannot make it drink...
Agreed. It's highly unlikely you'll buy a fake chain from a reputable retailer. Here in the UK, for example, all large stores buy from Madison, who in turn buy directly from Shimano.
Thanks for the info!
Thanks for doing that. The more we know the better.
Any time!
I had an XTR chain break 3 times (ebay seller) Bought another from Worldwide Cyclery. No issues. Go figure!
Great vid, thanks for the hints 👍🏻 One has to be very careful when buying such things nowadays. The price would be the first thing which would make me a bit sceptical, but all other things look almost like the original one. Maybe one thing for your comparison, you said shimano has hollow pins .. thats true for the hg-901, the others have solid pins (as far as I know 😉)
Correct, only Dura Ace has hollow pins. 601 and 701 fakes are harder to spot. 901 is easier, because of those pins.
thanks for the tips!!! seriously they are very "discret". the hologram is the number one but at 2:51 shimano real show "how the chains is" and the fake one dosen't show in the "pocket"
Only shop from your LBS or Shimano authorized retailer. Excellent video. Very helpful
Good advice.
Campag wears in Shimano wears out ! 😉
Thanks for this... I'm a SRAM user and wondering if the same apples....??
SRAM chains are also copied. If you paid a very low price from somewhere like eBay, then it could be fake.
I just purchased a KMC chain from Amazon and I'm having doubts on whether it's real or a counterfeit. The big thing for me is the quick link that came included. The chain and quick link were packaged correctly but just like the quick link in this video it is very easy to engage and disengage the quick link, meaning it's not snapping into place. BUT on the other hand the quick link for this KMC chain is advertised as being reuseable so I'm wondering if it was designed like that so it's easily removable. I'm guessing there are probably tons of counterfeit KMC chains just like Shimano.
KMC chains are also counterfeited. From my experience, KMC split links are designed to be used upto 5 times, and you still need a tool to close them.
I've always been on a budget and bought from ebay for less, never knowing that I have been buying fake chains. They look totally legit and to be honest even from using them for years, I've never had any problems with shifting and never snapped one. I am amazed that all of my bikes have fake chains though and I never knew. I'll have to save up and buy a bunch of proper ones and see how much different the shifting feels. Thank you.
THey may be real. Packaging changes over time. You can tell if real by the quality when you handle them.
Good one Jon, I am a connex Wipperman convert.
I've just checked my recently bought Shimano chains, from Merlin Cycles, Halfords, and Woolly Hat Shop. According to your guide, they're all fake. Not one box has a sticker for the bar code, nor a silver shiny part at the top, and they all have solid pins.
All of them had the quick link in a separate bag, and the paperwork is not photocopied as far as I can tell - it looks printed.
The chains are: a 12-speed CN-M8100 XT, a 9-speed CN-HG53 and an 8-speed CN-HG40. Should I be returning them?
Genuine Shimano chains are packaged separately from the quick-links.
I trust all the retailers you've mentioned, it's highly unlikely you've purchased a fake chain from them......I'd bet my Pinarello on it 🤣. Only the Dura Ace chain has hollow pins, the rest are solid.
The problem is, both manufacturers and counterfeiters will continue to change tactics (and design), to overcome one another. Best bet, buy from a large reputable supplier, which is what you have done.
Thanks in addition to that to. Fake quicklink doesnt easily fit into the genuine chain. Thats how I figured out when I did receive fake one
Never tried it.... Interesting. Thanks for sharing 👍
Thanks mate some good things to look out for 😊
Glad you liked it mate.
Thank you, I am going to buy a Shimano chain and the info from this video are very helpful. Do you have any recommendations to avoid fakes? In your opinion would it be safe to buy from Amazon, setting Amazon as seller on the item page (instead of any unknown shops)?
Hi Luca, to be honest, Amazon has tidied it's game up, and you don't see many fakes on there. HOWEVER!!!!!...... you do see a lot of lookalike chains, where the packaging is very similar, but the chain isn't Shimano. The other problem with Amazon, is you don't tend to find genuine Shimano chains at a good price, so I don't really see the point in going there over a cycle shop. It's rare to see a reputable cycle retailer selling fake chains, so if you can find a bike shop offering a good price, just go there.
Very interesting. Thanks for that.
Glad you enjoyed it
The amount of people I see complaining about snapped Shimano chains on the internet is overwhelming... I can only imagine the damage fake chains has caused to their brand.
It’s a good point
I recently got caught out by a fake KMC chain. Everything looked ok at first, box etc. My suspicions were raised when I fitted it. It didn't have the usual factory grease, more of a light oil. It snapped on the first ride after about 35 miles. One bent rear mech, a snapped gear hanger and a couple of broken rear drive side spokes. That was on my other halves bike. I had to push her for 5 miles...that was fun.
I can't tell if I got a fake one from Amazon or not. Should the HG-71 6/7/8 speed chain have hollow pins and chamfered inner plates? Mine does not. I paid $27, which I *think* is a regular price, the box has a two tone logo and says "Shimano North America Bicycle, Inc" but the barcode is NOT a sticker.
It did not come with a master/quick link at all and the replacement pin shattered when I tried to drive it in but I'm still unsure if I just did it wrong.
Good video. I have 11 speed Ultegra chain on my bike and just went and checked and the pins are not hollow so does that only apply to Dura-ace? I assume and hope my chain is genuine(think got new chain/cassette from Merlin so would hope so) but wondering if you could confirm as looking online hard to tell.
The Ultegra (and 105) chains have solid pins........ which makes spotting the counterfeit ones a little more tricky. You can trust Merlin, your kit will be the real deal 👍
@@ribblevalleycyclist Thanks.
Great analysis
Thanks 👍
It's funny how the pins on both chains are solid at 3:19, lol. They looked exactly the same and both are noticeably different from the one shown at 3:55
Thanks!! I bought a chain from Ebay for $18, CN-HG701 11speed. It seems a little sloppy like I can twist it more than my old chain!
Doesn't sound great. Also, Ultegra chains are roughly €30 from a reputable shop.
That's just crazy... just went and checked my chains in case, luckily they're genuine :)
How about entry-level chains? is there any difference?
I’d use an entry level chain over a fake one every time.
I use SRAM chains on my mostly Shimano drive trains, have since 9-speed was new. I'm sure there might be some fake SRAM out there too, but I only buy from LBS, REI or major online bike retailers, like Universal Cycles. No guarantee they won't get duped, but hopefully I'm less likely. Ironically, I just opened my 120 link SRAM chain as I'm swapping my Ultegra 11-34 cassette for an XT 11-40 for some mountains, and LBS only had 114 link chains.
SRAM brake components (especially discs) are also notorious for fakes on Ebay and Amazon...
What about rear mechs? I see £20 aliexpress shimano 10 speed mechs (no clutch). They look legit. But will they be and how to spot? I did pick the same one from Merlin cycles for £20 in a sale. But I wonder if the aliexpress ones would be good?
They are probably genuine there would be too little profit in counterfeiting something so complex, but they will almost certainly be OEM and come in a jiffy bag, you also won't get any of the "bits and bobs" like the little bit of "loop" outer cable and ferrules. SRAM don't like OEM stuff going on sale to the public, so their stuff often has the serial numbers neatly ground off, so SRAM can't trace the supplier. Shimano only pretends to care about it and turns 2 blind eyes, most of the Shinano stuff I ever ordered from Wiggle/CRC (and quite a bit from Merlin) came in a brown bag.
Anrancee cycling Store on Ali-Ex is a good one for Shimano stuff. I got full 105 Di2 from them for £750-ish back when it was £1300 and sold out in the UK.
@@chris1275cc that's my experience as well, have legit stuff from Arancee, comes in OEM packaging as did Shimano stuff I bought from Merlin CRC or Wiggle. Certainly CRC and Wiggle and I think Merlin at one point had their own bike brands, so they could get Shimano groups at OEM pricing.
Good video Jon but you need to clear up confusion over the pins. When the good chain is in its box they are solid, but when you take the chain out they are hollow. You say genuine are hollow fake are solid.
I have a genuine chain in its original box with the correct Shimano logo as you’ve explained, and the pins are solid.
I think only dura ace chains are hollow pins?
@@redauwg911 Yes, only the CN-HG901-11 and higher-end chains use hollow pins. I've seen a counterfeit HG901 bear solid pins, which is a very easy and dead giveaway. I told the customer who handed me this chain and he went to ask for a return & refund.
The fake chain I show in this video claims to be Dura Ace. A Dura Ace chain should have hollow pins, but this fake one has solid pins.
I run KMC on both my bikes. Bought from a reputable dealer. I don't know whether they're better or worse than Shimano but they serve me fine.
In terms of tolerances (gap between the side plates and rollers), they're worse than Shimano.
KMC: 0.23 mm give or take
Shimano: Usually 0.19 mm
They used be the same, KMC used to make Shimano chains 20 years ago. More recently Shimano took production in house and got better for less money, so I would buy them certainly for 11sp+ or the newer generations of 10sp. The top KMC chains are still very good but they are much more expensive than Shimano. Low-end Shimano like 105 or Cues is basically almost as good as Dura-Ace, Cues may even be more durable, and those are better than KMC at the same money.
Thanks for the replies! I think I'll keep the KMC on my hybrid (1x11) because of the bling factor that comes with wearing a gold chain but I'll definitely try a Shimano on my road bike (3x10) when the time comes.
@@blorg8206 You have to go back to the IG days when Shimano setup shop in-house; they actually licensed some of the machinery tech from KMC. I agree about the low end chains still being just as good in terms of shifting performance, they just don't have the same coatings. If you run 10/11 speed, the LinkGlide chain (CN-LG500) is definitely the most robust out there.
What's the weight difference between the chains?
I didn’t see the point of a detailed evaluation, as it failed at the basic thing of being a chain.
@@ribblevalleycyclist It's possible that weighing chains is an easy method to determine if they're fake.
How much do bike chains cost? I saw these Shimano chains on ebay and thought they were legit. I have a 3x7 speed bike that needs a new chain. Shoukd I just go Walmart and pick a chain there? I might alsi need to replace the freewheel some time and saw those on ebay too.
Ideally, buy a genuine Shimano chain from a trusted retailer. But then again, some projects don't justify the cost. In those cases, my advice is to buy a cheaper legitimate chain over a fake one.
Is it the same with fake cassettes then Jon?
Are they as hard to spot?
I’ve never seen a fake cassette. Good point though, would be interested to find out.
@@ribblevalleycyclist over to you then Jon! 🙈😂
@prosnazzy maybe another time…. In the workshop having a beer and putting that Dura Ace chain back on the summer bike…… It involves beer, so I’m taking my time 😂😂
@@ribblevalleycyclist also, I'm a fellow Ribble Valley cyclist!!
Wilpshire based 👍😊
Thanks for that👍
Do non-original Shimano brake discs also exist?
Great video again
Thanks again!
I bought a fake a few years back, didn't spot it and it did break on a hard uphill effort on the 2nd outing. I am very careful now.
So many people have been caught out by this common scam.
Great video 👏👏
Nice job sir 👍👏👏👍
Thanks 👍
I bought fake KMC chains from which I thought was a reputable seller and only a couple of quid difference, the KMC website explains the difference, oh and both snapped
I’ve also had fake Kmc chains from reputable dealers. Even they are being conned.
The listing I selected to buy a KMC chain from has highly-rated reviews, so I thought it'd be it. When I got the chain on hand, I managed to notice something off on both the chain (no center indentation in the pins) and the packaging (typos found).
I sent an e-mail to KMC to double-check my doubts and sure enough, it is a counterfeit, so I requested for a return & refund (which was granted fortunately) and I looked elsewhere for the real thing.
It turns out the reviews in the listing I bought the first chain from have pictures of the same chain I bought, just that nobody knew they bought counterfeits.
Have 17k miles in 12speed DA chain running wd40 as lube. Still in spec.
I just had some fake Shimano brake pads from ebay. Was quite obvious from the packaging not having the QR code. Got refunded instantly but left negative feedback saying it was potentially very dangerous. Seller had a lot of items and lots of positive feedback. They have emailed me 3 time saying sorry it was a mistake and to remove the feedback....as if!
I also had a fake KMC chain last summer. Snapped after less than a month and on close inspection about 6 other links had cracks. It looked 100% legit, even when compared to the fake on the KMC site. So yes good advice to buy from a trusted seller rather than the lure of free delivery.
You did the right thing leaving a negative review..... stand your ground on that one 👍
Thanks!
Oh dear, recently bought an Ultegra chain on eBay. Will now replace as soon as possible.
If it was suspiciously cheap, then that would be a good idea 👍
Check it carefully, it's not definitely fake. There certainly are fakes out there but not everything on eBay is.
@@blorg8206 Actually I have checked the markings on the actual chain and its link structure (I had thrown away the packaging) and it’s not fake. But I’ll be careful in future when purchasing on eBay. Thanks.
Bought some fake Thompson stuff off Ebay about 14 years ago. It was very low quality metal. 2 stems and 1 seatpost cracked. One of the cracked stems almost ended me.
are there more bike parts to look after ?
Fake chains in my experience break (or best described as pull apart) and also wear out very, very quickly. Actually that might need another 'very'.
Very 😉
The plates on a fake are slightly concave at the pins. The plates on a genuine chain are totally flat
I intentionally buy a fake chain to do such comparison. Yes, there are differences on the packaging and on the chain as well, as described in the video. Rode with the fake chain for a while, shifting was bad and noisy. In addition, the fake chain worn out twice as fast compared to the real chain.
It's sad that genuine Shimano 12 speed chains rust like crazy, the 11 speed were fine, don't know what happened.
Bought some fake SPD cleats. Silver metal, not blackened steel. Coarser stamping.
Easily checked as a metal file skated off the real one but ate through the fake
can u do this for kmc chains too, please 😢
Thanks
Shimano uses the three bars to designate what level of component it is. 105 has one bar, Ultegra with two bars and DuraAce with three bars. In this video you are not comparing the same model. The one on the left us DuraAce and the one on the right is 105.
You’re correct. And the fake one has no silver bars, hence my point. Additionally, I do explain in the video they’re not the same model of chain.
Does anybody know, are SRAM chains being similarly bootlegged?
Just bought a 105 chain from Sigma Sports for £20 plus postage this afternoon however I did have the option to pay via my Amazon account on the Sigma website but it is from Sigma Sports so I hopefully should be ok. Btw has anyone ever experienced the side plates splitting/cracking around the pins on a Shimano chain?
Sigma….. You’ll be fine, no need for concern. Oh, and chains can do anything, including splitting.
Shimano and KMC (who made Shimano at the time) had a batch of chains that cracked like this but it was a long time ago, like around 15 years ago.
You *can not* tell the fake chain by anything on the box. I recently bought a fake chain that had an identical white and silver logo and proper sticker. In my case, it was a fake Deore chain, and the biggest giveaway of the fake was its dryness. Real Shimano chains come from the factory covered in a thick layer of wax-like lubricant that is very thick and durable enough to last several hundred kilometers of riding, The fake chain was almost dry, covered only in a thin layer of olive-oil-like substance. As the video indicated, the connector pin was packaged with the chain, not separately, as with the genuine chain.
The problem is, both manufacturers and counterfeiters will continue to change tactics (and design), to overcome one another. Best bet, buy from a large reputable supplier.
The HG 95 has a pin included . The HG 93 does not .
@@ribblevalleycyclistStill leaves uncertainty .
@@ribblevalleycyclistDuring COVID 19 supply shortages chains were unavailable . The counterfeit chains were lubricated and repackaged in some cases .
I never buy from ebay or Amazon.
Stuff like this, you need to be very careful
Platforms should totally be more aware what's been sold on them but it's more of a seller problem. There's quite a bit of shops who have ebay setup and sell totally genuine stuff. Bought a lot of Japanese tools through Ninja Tools and bike parts through Bankrupt bike parts
I try to avoid eBay for components. I bought some cleats off there a few years ago.. they lasted one ride. The metal plates that the bolt went through snapped. I did think I had mega watts 😂 then realised when I looked closely at some I bought from a shop and they were clearly fake 🙈
I've never tried those fake cleats, but I've heard they're really bad. I used to be a fan of eBay, but now it's just full of dodgy sellers selling dodgy crap, and time-wasting buyers that buy and then change their mind.
@@ribblevalleycyclist probably make a good video. They looked like genuine I didn’t give them a second thought. Tbf to the seller he refunded me straight away
Some genuine sellers on ebay , though .
Is there one Shimano chain that is more commonly counterfeited?
Dura Ace one seems to be the most common one, which makes it easier to identify, because it should have hollow pins.
I'm sure my last 2 Shimano chains were fake, no probs shifting but they wore out fast. Which is why I use KMC now.
Ive been lucky so far that none of the ebay or Amazon chains including kmc has snapped on me and I do ride alot.
This js helpful thanks
I ended up with a fake from a well known National bike chain owned by a sports outlet that has frequently been associated with shall we say not first quality items.
Oh really..... Interesting!
Oh boy, give us a hint… please?
KMC warns customers about fake chains on their web site and even show how to recognize them.
for some reason the fake shimano chains come with a shinier or more reflective box, the instruction paper is also a lot thicker and more reflective than the real ones.
FYI there's an official looking Shimano store on amazon.
I didn't know that, thanks 👍
They don't sell bike parts (other then pedals and shoes).
@@GorgeGeorg bought two dura ace chains from them for $40 each
Got caught out on eBay a while ago but saw another video by Joey Mesa and returned it and got a full refund. To be fair to the seller they followed up and apologised. However checking back through their feedback I wasn’t the first
I immediately realised I'd got a fake 10S Shimano chain when it came with a split link, not a special pin to join it.
I have seen fake HG901 with hollow pin.
Interesting
👏👏
Good stuff!
I snapped one of these knock-offs in 5 places. That's not normal.
ANDDDDDD for 99.99% of office worker weekend warriors it will MAKE ZERO DIFFERENCE 😂😂😂
After receiving fakes from ebay and Aliexpress I'm going LBS from now on. I actually feel stupid for trying to save a few dollars on a critical part.
We’re cyclists, we can’t help it. We spend a weeks wages on a power meter we don’t either need nor understand, and then cut corners on essential parts 😂😂😂😂
I got a fake one on ebay. it lasted one ride before it started clicking. Fake one is always the one with the printed tick. the real ones have pen marks on the front.
you can't really rely on box, chain look and other details. counterfeiters will improve that over time.
the ONLY way is reputable seller.
alternatively you can buy real thing from reputable ali brand, like say ZTTO, and see how good it is for the price.
Agreed, buy from a retailer, a big trusted one.
You won’t be able to know if it’s fake or not until you get it delivered.
It's highly unlikely you'll buy a fake chain from a reputable retailer. Here in the UK for example, all large stores buy from Madison, who in turn buy directly from Shimano.