Shopping on Amazon
 

I dont know why but buying bike parts on Amazon makes me nervous. I feel like I am going to get a counterfeit part. Although I have purchased parts and dont think I've ever gotten a fake. Anyone have any issues getting fake counterfeit stuff?

No issues so far

I generally order parts from JensonUSA, CRC, Modern bike, biketiresdirect, etc...

Amazon is just a step up for Chinese ebay sellers.

Amazon is weird. They do offer products sold/shipped by Amazon, and that's the safest way to go. Those products come direct from the manufacturer to the Amazon warehouse. So that's your best bet if you want to buy on Amazon. There are just so many freaking scammers and people selling fake crap on there nowadays, from clothes, to beauty products, to cycling stuff.

I usually buy that sort of stuff from a large, respected online dealer like Western Bikeworks or Competitive Cyclist. To me, the money saved just isn't worth the potential hassle.

That said, I do buy cycling clothing at amazon and I must say, I have been for the most part very pleased. I am right now wearing bibs and a long sleeve jersey I got from amazon two years ago and it seems not meaningfully different really from my expensive stuff. So far. So, I do think there are ways to save some money in this otherwise insanely expensive sport, if that is a goal. Which it is for me. I just wouldn't try to do it on my frame or drivetrain.

weird, or terrible ethics.......

Amazon is fully aware they muddy the water.

As for what I was saying earlier, Modernbike has the G-one speed 29x2.35 at $59.98
or
Amazon for $58.95


for the price difference screw amazon !!! bottom line I'll (maybe) use amazon if I can't get something somewhere else.

I have used eBay extensively in my last 5 builds. No issues at all. In a lot of cases you are buying from a brick and mortar store.

Good advice. I only buy sold/shipped by Amazon as well.

For higher value bike parts (groupset components, tires, etc.), I can usually get better deals on Ebay and from my friends in the UK - so, Amazon is not so appealing.

I've ordered some smaller items, like chains and tubes, and have not had a problem there.

Itll be pretty obvious if you are buying something fake. the price will either be absurdly low or itll come to you and not be legit. Whatever you think might be fake is most likely not since what amazon seems to be used the most for is accessories. And the accessories arent fake- they are just straight up copies under different brand names.

I have stuck with the thought that if it too good to be true it is. I usually buy from my local bike shop. They are good people and take good care of me. With that said from time to time I do buy online and Amazon's free shipping and returns is nice. I'm in the market for a new disc rotor. Maybe I'll just take a quick ride over to the local bike shop.

Most of my online purchases are from Amazon. No problems here. But I'm wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Occasionally there are valid reasons why a genuine product is heavily discounted. Sometimes it's just a pricing error or promotional deal hoping to sway Prime members toward another product, manufacturer or vendor.

I suspect that one reason why Amazon gets a reputation for counterfeit goods is because of consumer reviews based on ignorance or unrealistic expectations.

I've seen many negative reviews for bicycle tubes sold on Amazon. After reading enough reviews, including other reviews by the same members, it appears that many complaints about "bad" tubes are due to user error. Locally I've watched enough cyclists struggle to fix a flat that I'm convinced many folks have no idea how to properly fix a flat. If they claim a tube burst for no good reason, I'm betting they didn't take adequate care to avoid pinching the tube (such as using a tire lever to seat the tire, rather than a proper tool like a Kool Stop bead jack). Or they didn't ensure the tire bead was seated, so the tube sneaked out between the tire and rim during inflation and burst. Heck, I've made both of those mistakes. There was nothing wrong with the tubes. It was user error.

And even some experienced cyclists get in way too much of a hurry fixing flats and make mistakes. Such as not checking inside the tire for whatever caused the first flat. So they end up with two or more punctures from the same grass burr, nail or broken glass. And if they brought only one CO2 cartridge and no patch kit or pump, they're getting irritable and likely to blame anyone other than themselves.

Sometimes it's unrealistic expectations. People buy something like the Continental Race 28 Light tubes, which are almost paper thin, and are then surprised that these tubes puncture more easily and are totally unforgiving of user error. It's essential to use a bead jack rather than tire irons, and use powder or soapy water to slick up the tube to minimize the risk of pinching it. But I see endless complaints about "counterfeit" Continental Race 28 and Race 28 Light tubes -- the tubes are genuine, but the users need to work on their technique. Especially if they're getting flats immediately with the Race 28, which are not fragile lightweight tubes -- they're actually quiet thick and heavy.

Same issue with gripes about bike chains from Amazon. Often when the reviewer provides enough information it turns out the "skipping" or malfunctioning chain was mismatched for their cassette or freewheel, or they failed to cut the chain to the appropriate length. Not long ago a local acquaintance blamed a bike shop for selling a defective rear derailleur. The problem was the cyclist cut the chain too short, shifted into the big chainring and big rear cog simultaneously and ripped the rear derailleur right off the bike. User error, but the first urge was to blame the bike shop or manufacturer.

And some Amazon vendors ship the wrong product. Maybe it was mislabeled in the listing. Or they used stock art for the wrong product. A few years ago a vendor using Amazon as an outlet advertised a form fitting Targus for the then-new Amazon Kindle Fire HD. But they sent the case for the earlier non-HD tablet. Different size, and the form fitting, snap-in design had zero room for error. Some customers complained about "counterfeits." But it was vendor error, sending a genuine item that was the wrong type and size. I didn't bother exchanging it because the discounted sales price was so cheap it wasn't worth bothering fussing over.

Some customers mistake newly redesigned packaging, or bulk packaging, for evidence of counterfeiting. For example, after many years of using the same chain model designations and cardboard boxes, KMC fairly recently revamped its product line, model designations and packaging. Some reviewers thought these were counterfeits. A quick check of the website would answer the question.

And some tires and tubes are sold without packaging for retail sales. They're genuine items, but originally intended for bulk sales to teams or bike shops. Maybe the team changed specs to another sponsor. Maybe the bike shop stopped carrying that product. Maybe it was an overstock. But the absence of retail packaging doesn't mean it's counterfeit.

The only thing to watch on Amazon is brands and where located. I do not like having things shipped from Asia, it is a hassle of you need to return. That is not limited to bike stuff. Jenson our other reputable online parts houses often are quite competitive anyway. eBay has been a great source especially on good used/vintage parts.

not in original package needs to be labeled, as such!

it usually is labeled on Ebay. And I do buy those items from ebay. or even "New take off items" but they are again labeled as such.

I would expect original package from amazon!

If you really want to find fakes, scams and counterfeits...
 

...then Facebook Marketplace should be your playground.

Only you can filter out most Chinese sellers on eBay and not on Amazon.

Good point!

I think the "fakes" come in 2 varieties.It is hard to say whether we're seeing other fakes.

As mentioned, keep in mind the risks and benefits of buying China Direct.

read the reviews and the shipping. not fool proof but will help

I don't blame you - I've heard not to buy makeup on Amazon as it can be fake.

And if you're relying on reviews, there's a browser attachment called "Fakespot" that works pretty well at determining whether the reviews are being cooked.

Had not even heard of it before this. Guess I am out of touch with social media...

I think the reviews do help. But, read them with caution. There was a review that someone posted here of a cycleops trainer, I think. It looks like someone took an angle grinder to it.

I just purchased some car parts from a company that showed up on my searches. Prices were low enough that I was able to upgrade my purchase from what I would have bought to the next higher quality part. But, the vendor had abysmal ratings. The package came quickly, and seems to be my order. I need to bump up a 5-star review once I get the parts installed.

You mean "Rolex" doesn't have two L's?

There's no reason to avoid Amazon (other than ethical issues beyond the scope of this forum -- same with any online vendor or supplier). As someone else suggested above, just read the listings and details for the vendor and shipping.

Or make it easier and buy only products actually stocked and shipped by Amazon directly. This is generally foolproof, quicker and easier to resolve any problems.

Most of the bike stuff I get from Amazon has come from various US bike shops. All has seemed legit. An Avid V-brake from Amazon a couple of years ago was later recalled and Amazon emailed me immediately to let me know and offer a refund, which I accepted.

One change I'm seeing on Amazon stocked and supplied items is a shift away from traditional name brand cycling apparel to knockoffs with silly names (like "Bpbtti", which has got to be either a joke or the result of asking a toddler to name the product lineup).

Some of those products are good quality and excellent values. And I've noticed it appears some of the Spotti products are also sold as Przewalski, presumably an attempt at a less silly name despite the inexplicable association with horses.

There are still some recognizable brand names, but those are often from bike shops and cycling suppliers using Amazon storefronts, not directly sold and shipped by Amazon. And those rarely come with Prime rush delivery -- same day, one-day or two-day. I bought a POC helmet via Amazon this summer but it was sold and delivered from a California bike shop in about a week.

No problems with that business model, but buyers need to be aware that Amazon is much more lenient in policies for exchanges, returns and refunds for items it stocks and sells directly, while outside vendors using Amazon as a storefront may have more restrictive policies.

The "prime" reason I shop Amazon is their Prime shipping. This pretty much eliminates the Chinese vendors. And as many have said, if the deal is too good to be true . . . . . . .

MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-Op) here in Ontario sell bicycle tubes in shrink wrap packaging. Sometimes a tube is puncture before you even buy it as there's little protection with that packaging. In fact, I can't remember if the entire tube is wrapped or not. After a number of defective tubes I decided it's better to pay a bit more and get them from a local bicycle shop.

Cheers

I haven't bought any bicycle-related gear from Amazon, but for everything I selected "prime" while searching and always looked at the seller. Usually I bought from Amazon itself or a seller I knew of or could research. So I regularly shopped on Amazon from 1999 until this summer without much issue. Unfortunately, I've now stopped buying from Amazon as it's using its own delivery drivers/contractors, who drive erratically, evidently don't much care about accuracy (even when the personalized welcome mat in the driver's delivery photo does not match the name on the package), and the neighbors keep anything that shows up. So I'm rediscovering local shops and other retailers.