Beware: Fake XTR Pedals

[jimcav]

I have not bought pedals in at least 10 years, possibly longer. I just keep moving the same XT pedals to each new-to-me demo sale mtb. Of course, in the last 15 years I had one wet ride and one, some-muddy-spots type of ride. guess that is easy on pedals. I go through cleats, but not pedals...

+1 on ebay sellers to avoid if any victims are willing to post.

i mostly get vintage bike stuff on ebay, but almost bought a HAG tool there, but then ordered from backcountry

[45K10]

Same here I have a set of XT pedals that are also over ten years old. I never understood why people would buy the XTR's except maybe the weight.

Anyway, I also bought a couple of counterfeit Shimano parts but they were chains and from Amazon. Like stated before, I now just stick to the same online retailers that most people here use.

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by 45K10

Same here I have a set of XT pedals that are also over ten years old. I never understood why people would buy the XTR's except maybe the weight.

Anyway, I also bought a couple of counterfeit Shimano parts but they were chains and from Amazon. Like stated before, I now just stick to the same online retailers that most people here use.

The xt bearings didn’t last for me in NYC commuting year round. I would cook them sometimes in less than a year. Xtr has 3 year warranty and even those I went through within the period one time. Now that I’m in a dry environment probably not an issue.

[45K10]

I could see blowing through bearings on the XT's if you get salt in them but I have used my XT's for cross race seasons in the PNW and here in New England plus numerous wet MTB rides.

I service the bearings twice a year or so and they are bomb-proof for me.

[nmrt]

The sad part is that most of these sellers will use the photos of the "real" thing. But then they send you fakes.

As many have said, from about one to two years back, I have stopped buying cycling goods from ebay and Amazon unless the sellers there are someone I recognize -- backcountry.com, 363cycles, planetcyclery etc etc.

It sucks but this is the world we are living in.

[sw3759]

Originally Posted by p nut

Do you have the listing link or sellers user ID so I can avoid buying from them?

Usually, I buy from bike shops on eBay (Bells, Bikesmith, etc). But good PSA about fake parts. Didn’t know fake XTR was a thing.

i bought a set last month from bikeworld_365D..

[ssb94]

Originally Posted by Turkle

I don't trust Amazon or eBay for bike consumables like chains, pedals, cleats, etc. Too many counterfeits are still out there.

I go to my LBS or order from REI. To my knowledge, REI has none of the counterfeit problems the "marketplaces" like Amazon/eBay have.

I actually had an interesting REI experience recently. Ordered a Cane Creek Forty headset and I'm 90% sure I got a fake (or at least a partial fake). The bearings looked right, but the top cap was unbranded, cover was cheap, unmarked plastic, and the compression ring was black plastic instead of blue metal. my guess is that someone ordered it, cannibalized it for pieces they needed, returned it to REI with cheap replacement parts and then REI resold it to me without checking. They took it back, but I was pretty peeved and surprised. I ended up ordering directly from Cane Creek and it only confirmed my suspicion that what I got from REI wasn't a genuine forty headset.

[AngryScientist]

The more I look, the more I think the market is flooded with fake goods.

I'm looking and forum sponsor BTD has Ultegra pedals as their "deal of the day"

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...-spd-sl-pedals

These pedals are $200 MSRP, so @ $140, this is a good deal.

It's about twice what you can get "Ultegra" pedals for on ebay. Lots of reports of counterfeit goods from some of these scammy sellers.

What I notice is that they switch ebay usernames a lot. This is to [probably] keep the feedback reasonably good. Too many reports of counterfeit sales, they dump the name and sell under a new username. I bet there are more fakes in use out there than people know about. Gross. Be careful where you buy!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/36452692976...WFKXJPR8556G7A

[bikinchris]

This highlights the fact that everything can and will be counterfeited. Buying from legit sources is important.

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by bikinchris

This highlights the fact that everything can and will be counterfeited. Buying from legit sources is important.

The question is then how do we know what’s a legit source? I tend to buy directly from a manufacturer’s website if possible or for components I like Excel Sports. They’ve been in business for a long time and have my trust but could they ultimately fall victim with their suppliers? I don’t know honestly.

[lorenbike]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

The more I look, the more I think the market is flooded with fake goods.

I'm looking and forum sponsor BTD has Ultegra pedals as their "deal of the day"

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...-spd-sl-pedals

These pedals are $200 MSRP, so @ $140, this is a good deal.

It's about twice what you can get "Ultegra" pedals for on ebay. Lots of reports of counterfeit goods from some of these scammy sellers.

What I notice is that they switch ebay usernames a lot. This is to [probably] keep the feedback reasonably good. Too many reports of counterfeit sales, they dump the name and sell under a new username. I bet there are more fakes in use out there than people know about. Gross. Be careful where you buy!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/36452692976...WFKXJPR8556G7A

Lately I pretty much exclusively buy from BTD. Unlike during the pandemic many sites including manufacturers offer sales again, like before, so you rarely pay full price anyways. If the price is too good to be true on eBay then I’m skeptical.

[2metalhips]

I don't understand why a cycling enthusiast, who most here seem to be would take a chance on anything from e-bay. Is it really worth the chance to save a few bucks?

[AngryScientist]

Originally Posted by 2metalhips

I don't understand why a cycling enthusiast, who most here seem to be would take a chance on anything from e-bay. Is it really worth the chance to save a few bucks?

It's a valid question. Allow me to give a glimpse into my thought process:

Many years ago, when I first got into cycling, i was not a wealthy person by any means, but did have a penchant for the finer things in the cycling world.

Back then, there was no way I could afford to ride Campagnolo components, or ride on sweet Veloflex tubulars if I bought them locally in the US. The widely known secret back then was to buy from the grey market sellers across the pond. It was understood that they bought components and other stuff in bulk for a huge discount, and passed it on internationally.

For years I was riding Chorus/Record kit for what pals here were paying for 105. Similarly, I could buy a set of good Veloflex or Vittoria rubber for less than half of what a bike shop could touch for crappier Continental (or worse) tires.

Back then, counterfeit goods were not a concern, it was just product moved through unauthorized (but not widely policed) distribution channels.

Those doors have closed in recent history, but I still think it's ingrained in my shopping habits to look for deals and avoid paying retail to support my cycling hobby. The game has changed though, and getting burned by fakes is apparently a much bigger possibility now.

Lesson learned on my part.

[duff_duffy]

Those are impressive looking fakes.

[bikinchris]

Originally Posted by 2metalhips

I don't understand why a cycling enthusiast, who most here seem to be would take a chance on anything from e-bay. Is it really worth the chance to save a few bucks?

People seem to equate getting the lowest price with being smart. Except not even getting what you paid for is not smart.
I replaced a handlebar for a father on his son's bike. He bragged to his dad that he got a counterfeit carbon bar for $20 that was a copy of a $400 bar. It cracked on the very first bump he hit.