Counterfeit (fake) KMC Chains.

5MV-KMC - Counterfeit (fake) KMC Chains.
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A while ago I bought a KMC X11 chain through Aliexpress. The chain has currently carried me for 4300km and has no measurable wear (using a chain 'strech' tool). So pleased with the lack of wear, I decided to get a couple more for future use. I found some at a decent price on ebay and from a seller with good feedback. I went ahead and purchased a couple of chains.
When they arrived, I was disconcerted to find that the packaging on both chains had been opened, this made me uneasy so I investigated further. I still had a piece of my Aliexpress supplied chain and its packaging.
In this video I compare the chain from Aliexpress to the chains supplied by an ebay seller. My analysis points to the ebay supplied chains as being counterfeit. In this video I compare the chains and point-out some of the differences that distinguished the counterfeit chains from the genuine one. Comparing the materials that the chains were made of was beyond the scope of this video, but I would not be surprised if the materials were also 'substandard' The counterfeit chains in their new condition were already more 'worn' than the genuine chain that had covered over 4000km. The chains are also possibly dangerous.
Needless to say, I will not be using these chains and I will return them for a refund.
If you have experience of counterfeit bike parts, I would love to hear about them.
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About the 5MV channel
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My name is Terry and I love cycling. I have named my channel “Five Minute Velo” (5MV). I have called it 5MV because the videos I upload will last no longer than five minutes, many will be much shorter. Each video will cover just one subject that is described in the title. Although the channel is mainly about cycling on the road, I will also cover some light (gravel) off road riding and cycle touring from time to time. No matter what, much of the advice will be pertinent to many branches of the sport/pastime.
I am new to posting videos on KZbin (May 2020) and I have much to learn, particularly in terms of presentation style and production quality. As such I welcome constructive comments that will help me improve the videos that I produce and upload.
There may be some dry humor in some of the videos, so dry it may not always be obvious :-).
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My strava profile can be found here:
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Random cycling photos (will be updated from time to time):
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Terry

[@ianp7048]

I've just received a counterfeit 12 speed KMC chain from Aliexpress. I provided them with photos and links. Also 75% "worn". Another indication is that there is not any of that sticky packaging lubrication typically on KMC chains. Dispute resolution? They are not interested. No refund. So thank you for highlighting this issue.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Good to know if my video was helpful for you. If you could forward the video to your cycling friends that would help spread the message about these poor quality/dangerous parts. I've had a similar issue with trying to claim through AliExpress for a non-delivered item, I think their system only has one outcome 'rejected the claim'. Having said that, the item did eventually turn up after 2 months despite it being on a guaranteed 15-day delivery time. I now never buy big-name branded items on AliExpress. I have had success with lesser-known Chinese brands such as Sensah.

[@Biking360]

Counterfeit components are a huge issue for us in Thailand. I try to buy from authorized dealers in Europe for this very reason. Shimano fakes are the worst offenders!

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

This seems to be a worldwide problem, although this is the first time I have categorically identified a counterfeit chain. Although, as you mentioned Shimano chains, looking back, I think I probably bought a couple of counterfeit 9-speed chains. Judging by the wear rate of my genuine KMC chain it is definitely worth paying to be sure of getting genuine items.

[@TimothyTakemoto]

Thank you very much indeed for this detailed video. The packaging of the fake chains has improved. I just bought a fake since the packaging looked kosher and does not have most of the issues mentioned here. But the main chevrons on the blue background fade out in the real packaging but stop abruptly with the fake and this chain that I have purchased likewise. Also the inner plates are not chamfered. Thank you for pointing that out. I will check the length soon.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, they probably put more effort into nice packaging than making the chain 😁. It is getting difficult to buy guaranteed non-counterfit chains. I now tend to go to reputable sellers (like Amazon 😂) so if I do get fakes, I can at least return them and get a refund.

[@andybayley1767]

Just got what is a fake kmc chain, skipped really badly, just swapped it with what I think is a genuine kmc chain all fine now. Your video explains it perfectly

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Glad it helped 👍.

[@boydcombsakaGster]

Nice job. Thank you for the clear, thorough review and description.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Thank you very much for the feedback, it makes making these videos worthwhile.

[@michaelreyes4412]

Thank u Sir for the video, now i know that my CHAIN was replaced by FAKE KMC Chain, i will show this video to him. - Michael from Philippines

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

I hope it works 🤞.

[@GraemeDibb]

Just used your video to check if my two s KMC X bridge chain were not fakes. They were not and met all the criteria as per your real one. Many thanks for an excellent video. I have been burnt by some Shimano chains in the past, purchased from Amazon. Only realised after they wore out after 4-5 months , by which time they had also worn out 2 cassettes and two front chain rings.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

I feel for you, been there. There seem to be more fakes than real chains. I opt for KMC because the real ones are great and not faked as much as Shimano.

[@potsy9973]

I got fake brand name MTB grips in the past. I won't order parts from those big distributors to begin with. That doesn't exactly resolve the potential problem. Fake parts do make it inside respected retailers unbeknownst to the owner. It happens when ppl try to save a dime or make a dime. The customer must always be on top of it by staying educated and on the ball. Return parts when it happens. Don't use it anyway. The problem will run more out of control if nobody does anything to push back.

[@TheGabriel959]

I only buy chains from reputable retailers for this reason.

[@Lord-hoboco777]

I got caught out buying a fake kmc chain off Ebay last year .. the chain snapped first ride out in 3 different links while i was 8 miles out on a forest trail as you can imagine i was not amused

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

@@Lord-hoboco777 > you have my sympathy, I had one break too but it did have a few hundred kilometres of use. If you're lucky, they just wear out quickly, looks like you are not lucky.

[@Lord-hoboco777]

@@FiveMinuteVelo the only luck i did have that day was i only had a few cuts and bruises and someone came by on an Ebike after a mile of pushing my mtb and gave me a tow the rest of the way back to civilization i got a full refund off the Ebay seller so i was lucky in that way

[@Lilian040210]

Ordered one, packaging looked legit, but the chain didn't have that weird xsp print, random 1 and 2 numbers, and was uneven, deeper here, barely there there. It was made in 2021, so maybe they looked different from what is on the official site now, but I returned it, idk🥴

[@alexanderlawson1649]

I would guess the reason these fake chains stretch so readily is that they must be made from the wrong type of steel. There are literally 100's of differrent steel alloy formulations and for a hard wearing chain that resists stretching I would guess a high tensile quality steel would have to be used. Softer steels, which I would guess these fakes are made from, will wear and stretch much more readily.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Strictly speaking the chains don't stretch, they wear out. That is the clearance between the pins and holes increases which gives the impression of stretching. The selection of the material, coatings and lubricant affects how quickly the chain will wear. This may be exacerbated by initial slack tolerances. It's nice for me to know, that you know that steels are 'alloys' 😊😊😊

[@Ru556]

It seems that the truth is in the wear indication. Fakes will be made to a poor level of tolerance. I must get the indicator gauge!

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

The wear indicator tool is useful but not without its own problems. For instance the indicated tools I use measure the total wear, this includes the main bushing wear and the roller wear. There is an argument that roller wear is irrelevant and should not be included. Some measuring tools do try to take roller wear into account. p.s. the rollers on not really rollers - they don't roll - they are really just plain bushes.

[@EMTBAFV]

At 6.00 the close up the actual outter links look bigger in the fake to the real one, the heads look alot wider! Unbelievable even at it with KCM that middle cut being right to the edge though thats very concerning!

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

@@EMTBAFV > thanks for raising this issue, I think I will get my ruler out later.

[@andrewwellman]

I just was taken with a counterfeit kmc x12. The chain lasted only 3 hrs and lost 3 rollers and was stretched beyond 75 percent. I would love to share photos

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Terrible, never had one that bad. If you use Instagram you could share photos on there and #fiveminutevelo. Alternatively you could send the photos and a description to me at [e-mail] and I will post them on your behalf. Did you get any recourse from the seller?

[@nh64uk78]

I've had a KMC (or "KMC") 10-speed chain snap on my 3 month old Brompton T Line that I fitted when the bike was brand new. 5 weeks later and still recovering from my injuries, I've realised the chain actually snapped on a normal link, not on the joint link.I now need to inspect the chain further to see if it is genuine or not. Thank you for your video!!

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

I'm really sorry to hear that you were injured. I hope you get a full recovery soon. I'd be interested to know what the outcome of your investigations are.

[@michaelviglianco6121]

I hadnt thought about it but i currently have the same 11 speed and the shifting is noticably poor. Im going to look closer.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Normally even counterfeit chains change OK. Lt me know the outcome.

[@anthonyjones1179]

Just realised I'd bought 2 fake chains last night, put a new drivetrain on the MTB and it wouldn't mesh with the narrow wide chainring. I've had the other one on the road bike for 17 months and it was a little noisy, I put it down to the Sun race cassette. I've since ordered 2 XTR chains from a reputable local online store, I'll stay away from eBay from now on.

[@anthonyjones1179]

Turns out the fakes I bought are stamped just like the originals but the packaging is fake as per your video. I haven't been using one for 17 months, turns out I bought these in November and I have a new one in the shed. I've complained to eBay. Your chains seem to come pre worn, mine are the other way around, they're too tight, just won't work on a narrow wide chainring. I'm also not so sure my old chain was genuine, it has no chamfering.

[@anthonyjones1179]

Also notice the fake one lists the missing link as CL559R which is the part number for the 10 speed link, 11 speed is CL555R

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

The manufacturers (genuine) change features from time to time and from different levels of chain. Hence, the lack of chamfers is not necessarily a giveaway. Often it's difficult to tell whether a chain is a fake or not? However, being aware that the problem is out, there is halfway to solving it.

[@johndef5075]

I have received a counterfeit Shimano chain from ebay and Aliexpress. Im sticking to my LBS from now on. Too critical a component. I feel dumb trying to save a few bucks when my bike is fairly expensive.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Good call, I too have started to spend more time on buying good chains rather than cost savings. Beware though, I have a friend who bought a couple of chains from an LBS and they turned out to be counterfeit; he did though get them exchanged for genuine chains after the LBS had realised that they had been duped into buying counterfeit items.

[@ShadmanKhan]

Mine just broke twice today ...these counterfeit products need to be stopped

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Bad luck, I hope you were not hurt? I have been shocked just how common counterfeit chains (and other items) are.

[@ShadmanKhan]

@@FiveMinuteVelo luckily I didn't get hurt ... yes I completely agree with you

[@cmdrrgh]

I bought a fake KMC chain on E Bay, it measured.025 out of my the box. I wanted to see how long it would last and it went two hundred and fifty days for me, I ride four miles a day

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

So about 1,000miles, possibly a bit more than I would expect. Thank you very much for the feedback.

[@acislak]

How did you not mention the shallow chafing on the fake one?

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

You'll need to give me more information so I can respond.

[@AnteUp34]

Did you measure the Aliexpress one?

[@lazylonewolf]

It seems my X8 is fake. Got no space on the KMC corp and "perfect" X on the chain. Came in greased though. However, it's shifting well and not worn as bad as yours. I also got it for $5, hoping that it's old stock, but I knew I was risking that it would be fake. Eh it's only 5 bucks and it's doing it's job so far so no biggie until it breaks early.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Also if the chain wears rapidly it could destroy your chain rings and cassette. In which case it could be a false economy. If it works for you though fine, just keep an eye on the wear.

[@lazylonewolf]

@@FiveMinuteVelo Yeah. I'm just using it on an old cheap foldie, but I'll keep an eye on the wear and shifting.

[@ramblinonandon]

I ordered a Shimano chain from eBay and received a nicely packaged chain....but.... approx half the links were KMC and half Shimano...hmmmmmm?

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

I hve never seen that before. Seems it is easier to buy fake chains than original chains.

[@shawnoen1029]

Only buy directly from KMC. End of discussion.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Maybe not quite! I don't know about the rest of the world, but here in Europe we can't buy direct from KMC, only their official sellers. Where I live these are just ordinary LBS. Admittedly you're much less likely to get the fake chain through this route but it's not guaranteed. I know someone who bought two SRAM through such a shop and they turned out to be counterfeit. It turned out the shop obtained them through an intermediary distributor (quite normal practice) and they had some how got hold of a batch of fakes.

[@cmdrrgh]

I wait for a sale and than buy from KMC direct 🤠🤠🤠

[@GNX157]

You should of split the fake chain apart. There’s a lot more details on the insides of the outer and inner plates that will show what is fake.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Good suggestion, I will look into it for a future video. However, did not need to do that for this chain.

[@GNX157]

@@FiveMinuteVelo I did it on a fake 11s 701 chain I got off Amazon and took a lot of close ups after I split it apart. You’d be amazed at the difference in quality and manufacturing and details that go onto a genuine Shimano chain.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

@@GNX157 I have not looked at Shimano chains, never really used them. Biggest issue seems to be getting hold of a genuine chain, the market seems to be flooded with fakes. I even know someone that bought a couple of chains from an LBS and they turned out to be fake, despite the seller swearing that they came from a reputable distributor.

[@GNX157]

@@FiveMinuteVelo Definitely go with genuine shimano chain when possible. Their design and engineering is way above any other chain out there.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

​@@GNX157 depends on the properties you want

[@veganpotterthevegan]

Counterfeiting the most ok chains😂

[@renzodutra4286]

This video shows the reason chain checkers tool are really inaccurate. A much better way is to measure the pins distance using a ruler.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

I agree to a large extent. Chain checking tools have their place but you need to know their limitations. Also, believe me, using a rule is not a skill that everybody has.

[@Fosg8n]

​@@FiveMinuteVelo😂

[@jakebrakebill]

and it's more than just chains on ............

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Yes, I know. One can even buy counterfeit aircraft spare parts!

[@jakebrakebill]

@@FiveMinuteVelo scary, you have to know your stuff these days

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

@@jakebrakebill > even then, many experts have been caught out!

[@jakebrakebill]

@@FiveMinuteVelo 👍

[@Mounty2010]

In my opinion they are all fake products. Even the one you think is genuine seems not to me. The KMC stamping on the links is way to bad quality, like blurry. The real KMC chains have very crisp markings and perfect positioning on the links. Non of your chains have that. There is also a different font style used for the "S" of "11 Speed" on the front of the packaging.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

I wouldn't be surprised, as some of the fakes I've seen since making this video have been pretty good. For me though, as a user, how long the chain lasts is important. What I think is the genuine chain, measured up well when new and lasted quite well. I did also look on the KMC website that has a section on how to spot a fake chain. Based on the information KMC gave my supposedly genuine chain didn't ring any alarm bells.

[@81antiloop]

Both your chains are fake. The one you believe to be genuine is also fake, but a better made one. A quick look at the outer plate chamfers are not proud and distinguished. That's an immediate tell tale sign. Next, the branding imprints on both are bad. Genuine ones are crisp, thin lined and really, like really clean. Go get a set from a local approved dealer, pay the retail and compare.

[@2ball434]

To be fair it lasted pretty long though

[@paddingtonsnare987]

KMC chains being very cheap for what they are in comparison to some of their high end competitors, incredibly good value for money! Who cares... Let's fake em anyway 😣

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

Yes, I agree, I go for KMC chains mostly because I find the genuine ones last well and are good value. The problem is avoiding the crappy fakes.

[@paddingtonsnare987]

@@FiveMinuteVelo I've just ordered a 510G, hope it's not a fake 😣 I used to run a 415. The motorbike fatty chain I believe ..broke my sprocket whilst at top of stairs and ripped a hole in my arm, I was running a Renthal sprocket too which I expected to be strong. Lesson learned. Oversize chain is overkill on a BMX!

[@benstanway3238]

Do you have a libk for the real chain, or the seller name on ali express?

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

I bought the chain through the Sensah Official Store.

[@benstanway3238]

@@FiveMinuteVelo awesome thanks will look if it's cheaper through them

[@TimothyTakemoto]

@@FiveMinuteVeloAlas, they are not selling KMC chains currently. I am looking for a source of non fake ones. Even Amazon Japan seems to be selling fakes (from the packaging). Thanks again for this video.

[@FiveMinuteVelo]

@@TimothyTakemoto > I bought some chains through Amazon UK. I'm pretty sure they are genuine. I bought them from Amazon, not a seller on Amazon.