Have you ever purchased counterfeit bike parts?

Tell us about your experience with counterfeit mountain bike parts.

By Jeff Barber
February 16, 2025

11 comments

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The internet has made it easier than ever to purchase hard-to-find bike parts and accessories, but it’s also introduced the chance to buy fakes — knowingly or otherwise.

To be clear, for the purposes of this survey, we’re asking about parts that are copies or replicas of brand-name items — for example, Smimano brake pads that come in blue and gray packaging designed to look like the real McCoy. In a previous survey, we asked about no-name components, i.e. those that are similar in design and function to name-brand items but are not being marketed as the real deal.

Tell us about your purchases and how they’ve worked out in the comments below.

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11 Comments

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OhioFatBiker Ohio // 2016
3 weeks ago

I am working for a consumer product company I see firsthand how much work and money goes into developing, marketing and distributing products. Counterfeits and cheap knockoff products feel like theft. Additionally, established companies are more likely to vet their suppliers for quality and plant safety standards. I am willing to pay more if it means not rewarding the bad behavior.

1 reply

Einar Visser Netherlands // 2022
3 weeks ago

I see how it can be theft! I wouldn't wanna buy actual fake bike parts because it might fail catastrophically...!

0 reply

Bontrager fan 1972 New South Wales // 2023
Feb 16, 2025

I look carefully at listings and feedback for a given item before considering purchase .

I do too! I bought bike parts from Aliexpress recently, but unlike fake parts, these came from a real brand that sells real stuff that might be similar to other brands, but it is genuine, (and cheaper!)

systemBuilder California // 2025
Feb 17, 2025

There isn't much counterfeiting going on in the road bike market. The only things being reproduced without permission are decalsets, certain popular vintage metal headbadges (cinelli, raleigh, fuji), and barrel adjusters and dust caps (campy 1960-1985). Counterfeiting only makes sense when a vendor creates very proprietary parts and then tries to price-gouge, but since ISO/BSC threads became standard for frame parts in the 80s, there is no vendor lock-in on most bikes and upgrading is often superior to returning a bike to stock ..

I think you are onto something! My stock handlebars on my ridley cx bike are 44cm and alloy. Putting narrower carbon handlebars on there is definetly an upgrade. Same as putting clipless pedals on a bike that came with cheap flat pedals (if any), or changing the stock tires (cheap gatorskin for example) to gp500. All upgrades, but nothing is stock!

Varaxis New York // 2010
Feb 17, 2025

I bougt counterfeit Avid HS1 160mm rotors from RockBros. Avid/SRAM rotors already had a bad reputation, so all the good feedback they got on it probably came from people expecting shit, which is what I got compared to Shimano RT66 rotors. Looked identical in shape to authentic HS1, but the grind pattern and etching were both off.

landrew04 Utah // 2018
Feb 16, 2025

I purchased brake pads at 1/3 to 1/5 the cost. They worked well in wet and dry conditions and were worth trying out. I had similar results for tubeless valve stems, cables, and other small incidentals.

Zoso 2016
Feb 16, 2025

Whereas I bought some that were absolute junk as I forgot to scrutinize the reviews first.

Retrac1107 North Carolina // 2025
Feb 16, 2025

I've bought some of brand brake pads for my old Shimano MT200s and they worked well.

If glasses count as bike parts, then yes I knew they were fake, but these have not let me down. Quality might not be perfect, but they are close enough. I however know to avoid actual fake bike parts. Cheap glasses aren't much worse than the real ones in terms of actual eye protection. Both are polycarbonate, and a similar frame, apart from the contrast the glasses provide.

I wouldn't ever buy a fake bike....

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