AliExpress

nailik

Hi,
Has anyone here ever bought cycling equipment through Aliexpress.com?

I've been browsing through it and come across some incredible deals.

For example, you can, supposedly, get Zipp wheels for less than €500. But are they ever going to show up? If they do, are they going to be rubbish fakes that disintegrate beneath me? Or is my credit card going to be scammed?

I'm aware that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. So I have my doubts, but I'd like to hear from anyone who has had real world experience of dealing with this site.

Thanks

Cee-Jay-Cee

They're fake although that doesn't mean they will fall apart.

clarenman

yeah,bought stuff but not cycling gear.....mostly sneakers,clothes and electronics,all the gear worked but mostly fake....maybe worth a chance,post can be a long time unless you go with fedex,dhl,ems.

AbigailAC

nailik wrote: »

Hi,
Has anyone here ever bought cycling equipment through Aliexpress.com?

I've been browsing through it and come across some incredible deals.

For example, you can, supposedly, get Zipp wheels for less than €500. But are they ever going to show up? If they do, are they going to be rubbish fakes that disintegrate beneath me? Or is my credit card going to be scammed?

I'm aware that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. So I have my doubts, but I'd like to hear from anyone who has had real world experience of dealing with this site.

Thanks

I tried to buy a pair of boots. From what my experience, all I can say is that if things go wrong and the seller wants to raise the price after you purchased, or decides to send you something else YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF OUTRAGEOUSLY ON YOUR OWN.
Customer service will only stall, opening a complaint is just as good as doing nothing and you are pretty much on your own. I have read happy stories as well as many stories of people still claiming refunds. I'm not risking it again.

Jmcmen

I bought a Set of Askuims off them, landed within 10 days, nearly a year on them and no problems yet. I reckon that there are all seconds
Mate bought a set of deep rims, tried them a couple of times, roll really well. 80mm deep Carbon rim set for €450. I bought mine off the same dealer/company that he got his. Very efficient. All depends on the seller I reckon. Its a Chinese
version of Donedeal at the end of the day so there is risk involved.

spyderski

They're categorically not "Seconds". The stuff is FAKE. Mavic Aksiums, or Zipps are not made in China, so where would they be getting cheap ones/seconds from?

How much did you pay for the Aksiums delivered? Cyclesuperstore were doing them with tyres & tubes for €160 last year - they'd want to be fairly cheap to make it worth your while importing fake ones from China !

You can buy deep section carbon rims for €450 or less from any number of reputable sites - why would anyone buy them for the same price from Aliexpress?

happytramp

I bought some fake but good carbon stuff off it before. Your money is held by the site until you confirm that you've received the product. Then they release it to the seller. Decent system actually.

RobFowl

Every time you buy something here a kitten dies....

Eamonnator

RobFowl wrote: »

Every time you buy sometime here a kitten dies....

And think of the children.

cdaly_

I got parts for a Giant E-bike motor. No problem with my single purchase...

Jmcmen

spyderski wrote: »

They're categorically not "Seconds". The stuff is FAKE. Mavic Aksiums, or Zipps are not made in China, so where would they be getting cheap ones/seconds from?

How much did you pay for the Aksiums delivered? Cyclesuperstore were doing them with tyres & tubes for €160 last year - they'd want to be fairly cheap to make it worth your while importing fake ones from China !

You can buy deep section carbon rims for €450 or less from any number of reputable sites - why would anyone buy them for the same price from Aliexpress?

As far as I know Mavic Aksium wheels were the first wheelsets not made in France by Mavic. The rims are still made in France but are shipped to China for assembly. However, Mavic says the wheelbearings and patented FL-Body freehub design carry the same engineering and guarantee from them.

Paid about 130/140 for them I think incl p&p
That cycle super store deal sounds good to be fair.

What reputable sites can u get carbon deep section rims for 450 a pair?

Craig06

Planet X ??

spyderski

My general point is - everyone in this country seems to think they can get better value online than by buying from local retailers. This is often the case, but increasingly, Irish retailers are becoming competitive with the online retailers. Saving €10 on a pair of low-end training wheels seems an unlikely reason to buy from China.

Alek

My general point is - everyone in this country seems to think they can get better value online than by buying from local retailers.

True, I am falling for this myself often enough. Recently I've been looking for a Croix de Fer frameset online and simply couldn't find it cheaper than in a certain shop in Stillorgan :-)

They've been also very helpful over the phone and didn't mind some price adjustment, which rather wouldn't be possible with online shopping.

Not that I'm not buying online - as I do most often - but still prefer to spend my money locally if prices are reasonable.

krissovo

Alek wrote: »

True, I am falling for this myself often enough. Recently I've been looking for a Croix de Fer frameset online and simply couldn't find it cheaper than in a certain shop in Stillorgan :-)

They've been also very helpful over the phone and didn't mind some price adjustment, which rather wouldn't be possible with online shopping.
.

Same with my equilibrium, savage price and much cheaper than any internet shop by a mile.

lighterman

spyderski wrote: »

They're categorically not "Seconds". The stuff is FAKE. Mavic Aksiums, or Zipps are not made in China, so where would they be getting cheap ones/seconds from?

How much did you pay for the Aksiums delivered? Cyclesuperstore were doing them with tyres & tubes for €160 last year - they'd want to be fairly cheap to make it worth your while importing fake ones from China !

You can buy deep section carbon rims for €450 or less from any number of reputable sites - why would anyone buy them for the same price from Aliexpress?

If they are fake you just wont get them.Customs will seize them.

The buyer will also be out of pocket.

bingus666

are there any extra customs costs on purchases in general?

iwillhtfu

lighterman wrote: »

If they are fake you just wont get them.Customs will seize them.

The buyer will also be out of pocket.

This isn't always the case. Most customs officers won't have a clue what a Zipp wheel is and more often than not the packages aren't even opened

bingus666 wrote: »

are there any extra customs costs on purchases in general?

Yes you will be charged tax,VAT? They may also be seized as mentioned above.

Cee-Jay-Cee

iwillhtfu wrote: »

This isn't always the case. Most customs officers won't have a clue what a Zipp wheel is and more often than not the packages aren't even opened



Yes you will be charged tax,VAT? They may also be seized as mentioned above.

You MAY be charged VAT and excise duty on goods but not always. I have bought several times from
aliexpress/Monton and never been stung for tax.

iwillhtfu

It's probably best to knock this thread on the head now it's been done to death.

Yes they're fake.

Will they fall apart? maybe maybe not.

Can you get ripped off? Possibly as with any online purchases.

Support your local bike store but don't bankrupt yourself doing so. Pick and choose your bargains.

Yes customs can seize/Charge tax/VAT.

I know someone who's brothers/sisters/friend had a pair of Chinese wheels fall apart while descending at a billion miles an hour.

I know someone else who's done a million miles without an issue swears by Chinese wheels.

Yes the frames are also fake (insert link to chain stay failure video on YouTube.)

Etc. Etc. Etc.

Roll the dice and take your chances.