thundercleese

I bought a new set of Avid SD 7 brakes off ebay. I figured I'd save a few bucks and get 'em from a seller in Hong Kong. Unfortunately the casting looks exceptionally sloppy compared to the Avid stuff I've owned in the past (2005 SD 7, Arch Rivals etc). Could these be counterfeit copies? Or B-stock?



They have what appear to be the correct Avid logos on them, but the brake noodles that came with 'em were generic.

What do you think? Did I get ripped off?

Panthers007

The color is all wrong for SD 7's - which I have - and the adjustment bolt, the little one that should take a 3mm hex-wrench, doesn't look anything like what's on whatever you got from Hong Kong. In fact, as I look intently at your picture, those are utterly fake. Real Avid SD 7 brakes are made to very tight tolerances, and those look like they were made by an 8 year old. No doubt in a Chinese sweatshop.

If you can return them - do so. And get them from a reputable source. Preferably in the US or Canada. SD 7 brakes are worth every cent you pay. They are excellent and stay adjusted right on the dot. Heck! Those look worse than their SD 3's that are only available as stock on some bicycles - and they are terrible. I suggest also that you report/flag this seller.

thundercleese

here's a front view-- they don't look so bad from that angle, right?

But I don't recall seeing real Avid replaceable pad mounts that say "RIGHT FORWARD"-- I think they usually have a smaller "R" / "L"...

Panthers007

They don't look too bad. But they are not SD 7's. Even the hardware of the cable anchor-bolt is off.

Bizarre. Have you got a link to the ad in eBay? Here you go:

thundercleese

Yeah, they look nothing like the legit ones, do they?

I feel like an idiot for taking a chance on these, but live-and-learn, y'know? I could have sworn they were a last-years-model design, but it's becoming more and more obvious that I screwed up.


What's the best course of action? I figure I'll:

1. ask seller for refund -- file paypal claim if they won't comply
2. then, no matter what, report the seller to ebay and maybe SRAM too?
3. do a blog post about this awesome character-building experience?

Mondoman

TC - here are some "real" ones at good prices:
'07 model: https://www.pricepoint.com/detail/159...Brake-2007.htm
'08 model: https://www.pricepoint.com/detail/144...Brake-2008.htm
'09 model: https://www.pricepoint.com/detail/167...Brake-2009.htm

Panthers007

I can attest to the 2008 Avid Single Digit 7's being excellent brakes. My now totally-customized Trek 7.5 FX came with the Avid SD 3's. They went out of adjustment standing still. So I was hesitant to buy another Avid, but I couldn't find one bad review. Everyone loves them. So.....Now I love them, too! Sure and great stopping power, smooth action, and stays in adjustment.

And the price for the 2008 are the same as I paid last year:

https://www.pricepoint.com/detail/144...Brake-2008.htm

You'll love 'em too.

idegen

thundercleese, these look just like my Avid SD 7 brakes from a few years ago. I don't recall the finish being at all sloppy, but they otherwise look identical.

Panthers007

Did you, per chance, buy yours off of eBay too? Just look at the form of the brake-body. It's way off from the SD 7's in all the photographs that were linked to. And way off from the ones that I installed on my Trek last year.

thundercleese

here's someone's bike on flickr. they've got this style of "SD 7" too...

z415

Those are older SD7s, I think. The current ones are two or three models (at least aesthetically) removed from the ones you have gotten. However, even if I am right, they may still be fake, just modeled after older ones.

Even though theres a chance they may be real, the fact of the matter is that if you have to bring it up on BF, you aren't completely satisfied so I would return them. A little hassle for satisfaction is worth it in my book..

thundercleese

Here's a side-by-side comparison with an SD 7 I got from pricepoint a few years ago:

Panthers007

Take a close look at the above brake. Note the shape of the arms where it attaches to the brake-pad assembly. Note the wider, smooth area is closest to the brake-pad and the raised ridge is furthest? The SD 7's above match the others.

Now take a look at the eBay-dropping where the smooth area is and the ridge. Strange ain't it?

2_i 

My SD 7 were purchased few years ago. They are in the same color as those you have got from Ebay and they also have a flat rather than profiled ridge seemingly characteristic for the later SD 7. The casting in mine ain't great, but is quite a bit better than in yours. I can't remember where I bought them - Ebay is a possibility, though not Hong Kong. They have been great in use.

idegen

Despite what all the naysayers say, these are just an older version of the Avid Singe Digit 7. Mine have been great. Much better than the Tektro that were on there before. Do a search for "Avid Single Digit 7" on Google Images and you will get many results with these same brakes.

Yours, of course, could be fakes, but I sort of doubt it.

pwdeegan

they might also have been old factory prototypes, from some long ago story when Avid went to Taiwan looking for manufacturers. Or someone got a hold of some old leftover mold and made some "NOS." The "B-stock" theory is a pretty good bet, too. That would explain why they ended up in HK (probably via mainland China after a Taiwan seconds-seller unloaded them there).

the real question, notions of "authenticity" aside, is do they work as you expect them to? I.e., my fake Louis Vuitton works just as well as the "real" thing at 1/300th the price, even if it is made of rare-earth pleather.

Panthers007

Regardless of the forensics here, get some current production SD 7's. I can't attest to the quality of some prototype, especially one that - judging by the bad casting job - was not made with quality-control in place.

LAST ANALYSIS: You ordered expecting to receive the SD 7's that all the rave-reviews were made about. Not some ancient prototype made from poor castings. You want the current production Avid Single Digit 7 brakes. I know I would. If I ordered SD 7's (and did - they are fantastic) and those rolled in, I'd be steamed and send 'em back with a nasty note.

That's like ordering a 2010 Hybrid car, and a gas-guzzling SUV is left in your drive. And the salesman has taken a trip to China.

thundercleese

I'm sure they'd work for a while. Maybe they're awesome. But what if they fail spectacularly? I don't need a few grand in medical bills because I didn't want to rock the boat about someone selling potentially bogus goods.

Additionally, I didn't pay 1/300th the cost of real SD 7s-- I paid about $30, which isn't a huge savings over the more legit sources.