KMC Chain authenticity question, bought on Taobao
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Another good trick, don't buy random parts from random people, buy from authorized resellers so you don't have to worry about authenticity.
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I just received a X9 chain bought online. The back of the package states a CL559R insteady of the correct CL566R missing link. Inside there are a 566R. Also the name of the manufacturer is KUELMENG insteady of KUEI MENG. Do you think it is fake? I am unable to post pictures as I have few posts.
In regards to counterfeit chains, we have started a global online market place monitoring initiative through Sentryc where we try to catch and take down as many fake sellers as we can on a daily basis. It's not easy to catch them all so please check product photos/description and seller's reputation carefully. Also we have a global MSRP initiative which most sellers adhere to so if the price is too good to be true, stay away.
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#34
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Hi. KMC here. Sounds like some oddities on the package labels which usually indicates it's fake. Are you able to post pics of send me a DM yet?
In regards to counterfeit chains, we have started a global online market place monitoring initiative through Sentryc where we try to catch and take down as many fake sellers as we can on a daily basis. It's not easy to catch them all so please check product photos/description and seller's reputation carefully. Also we have a global MSRP initiative which most sellers adhere to so if the price is too good to be true, stay away.
In regards to counterfeit chains, we have started a global online market place monitoring initiative through Sentryc where we try to catch and take down as many fake sellers as we can on a daily basis. It's not easy to catch them all so please check product photos/description and seller's reputation carefully. Also we have a global MSRP initiative which most sellers adhere to so if the price is too good to be true, stay away.
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#36
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I saw the pictures from Ricky, and agree with his conclusion. I've checked the seller's page and he sells a lot of counterfeit KMC products. We will take action and have asked our distributor in Brazil to assist. They may get in touch with you via email.
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It seems that with this move, KMC is trying to position their product as super premium? I noticed that most of your lineup (11s chains anyway) are $70 and up, while eg. DuraAce or Record chains are found in the $50s
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It's a difficult thing for most global companies to deal with. Shimano has been dabbling in controlling markets for awhile now as well for instance not allowing UK and other countries sellers to sell discounted parts to the US and other markets, mainly to protect the local distributors profits. Sooo, I don't know what the answer is but it sure is a big problem for consumers and mfrs.
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The saying used to go "you get what you pay for", now, with so much online purchasing, needs to be changed to: "you might get what you paid for, depending on who you paid".
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Papa Ado
I think I have been sent a fake KMC chain from aliexpress by this seller
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004468723353.html
The chain was about the same price as Amazon Japan but I had some paypal money.
Since I have been sold fake Shimano chains from aliexpress with slightly different packaging, I checked the "KMC" chain packaging as soon as it arrived and the chain I received had packaging that was different to the aliexpress seller's packaging image (as well as BikeDiscount.de, Amazon.co.jp and Wiggle.jp) which are all the same.
The easiest difference to spot is that the diagonal lines in the bottom right of the package protrude above the black "X-BRIDGE" box in the authentic packaging, whereas the chain I received had diagonal lines that end flush with the black "X-BRIDGE" box. The main diagonal lines on the lighter blue background also do not fade out and I think there are more of them in the inauthentic packaging image.
I opened a dispute and sent Aliexpress the comparative image below and Aliexpress immediately initiated a full refund (but I may have to send the chain back if the seller tells me their address in the next nine hours).
Aliexpress "KMC" chains have different packaging by Timothy Takemoto, on Flickr
Please feel free to reuse the above image anywhere you like (with KMC's permission of course).
Now looking at other product images uploaded to the above listing in purchaser reviews you can see the same difference (lack of protrusion of bottom right diagonal lines above the "X-BRIDGE" box)
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A9b6feb77...f178b74ecO.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A041c3817...79104fc98J.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A39f39c11...4273d9a71S.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A6d9b5e24...b2b21390bm.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A8d3f51ec...b7d42d547i.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A8d3f51ec...b7d42d547i.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Ac6f62147...4b709d5cbA.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Abdc95fd1...03228e5ccr.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Ad226dba1...69f514bcfi.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A5ae29af5...cbf9e4ca1Y.jpg
I could have spotted this difference before purchase.
IF the above difference does indicate chain inauthenticity then it is possible to spot other aliexpress listings that are selling inauthentic chains by looking at the purchaser product photos E.g. This listing
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004526581893.html
Shows product listing images with protruding diagonal lines bottom right, but the first purchaser review image again lacks the diagonal line protrusion
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A812e5db1...599db80bcG.jpg
However, this listing on Aliexpress
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004605095890.html
Has a purchaser image which does show the lines protruding (it is difficult to see but I think that they are protruding)
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A79a2ef8f...30ddd0943Y.jpg
This listing
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004562655475.html
too has purchaser images which have protruding diagonal lines
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Aa78eb8d5...a3b43dda1Y.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A3788ca3c...3a0b6bb2fs.jpg
And this listing
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32848489506.html
looks okay too
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Ae93929aa...2744f63cdh.jpg
And several others are okay but again this listing
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004519259476.html
Has a purchaser image with clearly non protruding diagonal lines
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A6ce711f0...6552c46bfE.jpg
So the lines may be irrelevant, or there may be some selling inauthentic and others selling authentic chains.
I think I have been sent a fake KMC chain from aliexpress by this seller
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004468723353.html
The chain was about the same price as Amazon Japan but I had some paypal money.
Since I have been sold fake Shimano chains from aliexpress with slightly different packaging, I checked the "KMC" chain packaging as soon as it arrived and the chain I received had packaging that was different to the aliexpress seller's packaging image (as well as BikeDiscount.de, Amazon.co.jp and Wiggle.jp) which are all the same.
The easiest difference to spot is that the diagonal lines in the bottom right of the package protrude above the black "X-BRIDGE" box in the authentic packaging, whereas the chain I received had diagonal lines that end flush with the black "X-BRIDGE" box. The main diagonal lines on the lighter blue background also do not fade out and I think there are more of them in the inauthentic packaging image.
I opened a dispute and sent Aliexpress the comparative image below and Aliexpress immediately initiated a full refund (but I may have to send the chain back if the seller tells me their address in the next nine hours).
Aliexpress "KMC" chains have different packaging by Timothy Takemoto, on Flickr
Please feel free to reuse the above image anywhere you like (with KMC's permission of course).
Now looking at other product images uploaded to the above listing in purchaser reviews you can see the same difference (lack of protrusion of bottom right diagonal lines above the "X-BRIDGE" box)
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A9b6feb77...f178b74ecO.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A041c3817...79104fc98J.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A39f39c11...4273d9a71S.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A6d9b5e24...b2b21390bm.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A8d3f51ec...b7d42d547i.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A8d3f51ec...b7d42d547i.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Ac6f62147...4b709d5cbA.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Abdc95fd1...03228e5ccr.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Ad226dba1...69f514bcfi.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A5ae29af5...cbf9e4ca1Y.jpg
I could have spotted this difference before purchase.
IF the above difference does indicate chain inauthenticity then it is possible to spot other aliexpress listings that are selling inauthentic chains by looking at the purchaser product photos E.g. This listing
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004526581893.html
Shows product listing images with protruding diagonal lines bottom right, but the first purchaser review image again lacks the diagonal line protrusion
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A812e5db1...599db80bcG.jpg
However, this listing on Aliexpress
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004605095890.html
Has a purchaser image which does show the lines protruding (it is difficult to see but I think that they are protruding)
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A79a2ef8f...30ddd0943Y.jpg
This listing
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004562655475.html
too has purchaser images which have protruding diagonal lines
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Aa78eb8d5...a3b43dda1Y.jpg
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A3788ca3c...3a0b6bb2fs.jpg
And this listing
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32848489506.html
looks okay too
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Ae93929aa...2744f63cdh.jpg
And several others are okay but again this listing
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004519259476.html
Has a purchaser image with clearly non protruding diagonal lines
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A6ce711f0...6552c46bfE.jpg
So the lines may be irrelevant, or there may be some selling inauthentic and others selling authentic chains.
Last edited by timtak; 09-02-22 at 07:09 PM.
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Thanks Bob Ross
Unfortunately the new fakes have corrected the Rectangular opening of the C and the flat bottomed M, but not added protruding diagonal lines as was also lacking in the above fake bottom left.
KMC New Fake by Timothy Takemoto, on Flickr
The other difference is the number of main diagonal lines on the lighter blue background. Not only do they not fade out but the "Fake" chain packaging has 9 diagonal lines, whereas the genuine packages have 7 fading lines (with a little bit of a ghost of a faded out 8th line).
More Non-Fading Lines by Timothy Takemoto, on Flickr
˙ǝƃɐʞɔɐd ǝʞɐɟ ǝɥʇ uo 9Ɩ ʇnq ǝƃɐʞɔɐd ǝuᴉnuǝƃ ǝɥʇ uo sǝuᴉl ploƃ ㄣƖ oslɐ ǝɹɐ ǝɹǝɥʇ ʇɐɥʇ ʞuᴉɥʇ I
There are a lot of KMC chain sellers on Amazon (Japan) and a lot of purchasers wondering if the chains are fake (this is really bad for KMCs business) but almost no one is posting product packaging photos.
There is this German purchaser claiming that e bike KMC chain is not an e bike chain (but the standard version --- perhaps just a fake)
https://www.amazon.co.jp/KMC-BE10TNP...&sr=8-135&th=1
But the image the purchaser has posted of the packaging has none of the differences mentioned above.
Unfortunately the new fakes have corrected the Rectangular opening of the C and the flat bottomed M, but not added protruding diagonal lines as was also lacking in the above fake bottom left.
KMC New Fake by Timothy Takemoto, on Flickr
The other difference is the number of main diagonal lines on the lighter blue background. Not only do they not fade out but the "Fake" chain packaging has 9 diagonal lines, whereas the genuine packages have 7 fading lines (with a little bit of a ghost of a faded out 8th line).
More Non-Fading Lines by Timothy Takemoto, on Flickr
˙ǝƃɐʞɔɐd ǝʞɐɟ ǝɥʇ uo 9Ɩ ʇnq ǝƃɐʞɔɐd ǝuᴉnuǝƃ ǝɥʇ uo sǝuᴉl ploƃ ㄣƖ oslɐ ǝɹɐ ǝɹǝɥʇ ʇɐɥʇ ʞuᴉɥʇ I
There are a lot of KMC chain sellers on Amazon (Japan) and a lot of purchasers wondering if the chains are fake (this is really bad for KMCs business) but almost no one is posting product packaging photos.
There is this German purchaser claiming that e bike KMC chain is not an e bike chain (but the standard version --- perhaps just a fake)
https://www.amazon.co.jp/KMC-BE10TNP...&sr=8-135&th=1
But the image the purchaser has posted of the packaging has none of the differences mentioned above.
Last edited by timtak; 09-03-22 at 04:33 AM. Reason: I added another diff in upside down text.
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In my experience AliExpress got much better recently handling complaints. When sending my order back, I got a free UPS label and was sending my order back to Chicago, rather than China for my own money. The refund came within a few days. If you run into problems that you are not sure how to handle, use their chat and you will be handled by a real person.
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#45
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In my experience AliExpress got much better recently handling complaints. When sending my order back, I got a free UPS label and was sending my order back to Chicago, rather than China for my own money. The refund came within a few days. If you run into problems that you are not sure how to handle, use their chat and you will be handled by a real person.
Or maybe I will use it. The chain itself appears to have all four chamfers mentioned in the KMC genuine vs fake image (in green bottom left).
And I made a mistake -- the seller had two days and two hours. Now they have about 1 day and twenty hours.
Last edited by timtak; 09-03-22 at 04:33 AM.
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Man, no one spotted the easiest tell: look at the bottom serifs on the numeral “1” in each “10.”
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This is also true of the new fake X11 e.g. (I have found another aliexpress listing)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005004526581893.html
And purchaser's fake product image.
https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/A812e5db1...599db80bcG.jpg
Looking back on the images I have posted, mine and ten of the ten images of chains with a "1," i.e. all of them, have a serif like the genuine packaging, but have the differences that I have reported regarding the parallel lines. In other words, if you look for font differences (the "C" the "M" and the "1") you may be deceived but at the present time diagonal lines give the fakes away.
I had a deeper look through Amazon Japan and is clear that there are sellers (even by the name of KMC!) selling fake chains and purchasers saying "I will never buy a KMC again." It is so sad.
Last edited by timtak; 09-04-22 at 05:27 AM.
#48
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Thank you for your due diligence in spotting and reporting fake chains. It has become more of a problem in the last few years and the counterfeit producers are getting better at fixing their mistakes on the packaging label. However, I assure you that the fake chains inside the packaging are not good quality products and I strongly suggest you to not use them on your bikes.
For package details - you are correct with the details you spotted. One of the easiest ways to spot fakes is the model name font which will be inconsistent.
At KMC, we know the harm that fake chains do and we have multiple strategies to nix these counterfeits including working with SENTRYC to monitor global marketplaces and efficiently take down accounts selling counterfeit KMC products. it's a never-ending battle, but one that we know is necessary.
For package details - you are correct with the details you spotted. One of the easiest ways to spot fakes is the model name font which will be inconsistent.
At KMC, we know the harm that fake chains do and we have multiple strategies to nix these counterfeits including working with SENTRYC to monitor global marketplaces and efficiently take down accounts selling counterfeit KMC products. it's a never-ending battle, but one that we know is necessary.
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At KMC, we know the harm that fake chains do and we have multiple strategies to nix these counterfeits including working with SENTRYC to monitor global marketplaces and efficiently take down accounts selling counterfeit KMC products. it's a never-ending battle, but one that we know is necessary.
One of the string manufacturers, an American company called D'Addario, puts a unique 19-character code on each pack of strings, which may be sold individually or in 3- and 10-packs.
A pack of D'Addario guitar strings with unique code
A buyer can go to its website and enter the unique code to confirm it's a legitimate product. D'Addario also uses the code for a promotional/loyalty program.
It would seem that KMC could do something similar to allow consumers to verify its chains in retail packaging.
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I buy a dozen sets of guitar strings during the year. Cost per set can range from $6-$18. Guitar players have to watch out for counterfeit strings in the same way that bicyclists have to watch for bogus chains.
One of the string manufacturers, an American company called D'Addario, puts a unique 19-character code on each pack of strings, which may be sold individually or in 3- and 10-packs.
A pack of D'Addario guitar strings with unique code
A buyer can go to its website and enter the unique code to confirm it's a legitimate product. D'Addario also uses the code for a promotional/loyalty program.
It would seem that KMC could do something similar to allow consumers to verify its chains in retail packaging.
One of the string manufacturers, an American company called D'Addario, puts a unique 19-character code on each pack of strings, which may be sold individually or in 3- and 10-packs.
A pack of D'Addario guitar strings with unique code
A buyer can go to its website and enter the unique code to confirm it's a legitimate product. D'Addario also uses the code for a promotional/loyalty program.
It would seem that KMC could do something similar to allow consumers to verify its chains in retail packaging.