How Bad Is A Counterfeit Shimano Chain? I Tested One Out!

In this video, I wanted to follow up on my original counterfeit Shimano chain video by installing one one my personal bike and riding around on it for a while (somewhere around 150-170 miles) and determine how bad or good it really is...

[@AK-oz4ew]

"VIA" ("Vehicle Inspection Association") is stamped on all Shimano parts. It is an official approval stamp used to certify parts of Japanese vehicles - including bicycles. Didn't know that. Thank you for posting

[@JoeyMesa]

You're welcome! Thanks for taking the time to leave valuable feedback!

[@yonglingng5640]

A fake I once handled has the VIA stamping too, but it's not hard for me to catch that it's fake.

[@bigals.ktms.9937]

Um didn't they both have via stamped on them

[@ClydesdaleNM]

Dude, you're a life saver! I bought a KMC chain off of Ebay a while back and never thought about measuring the links on a new chain. My chain only had 300 miles on it and was stretched to 1mm. Replaced with a new XT this morning and everything is back to normal. Huge thanks!

[@r.davies2702]

Same, I unwittingly bought a cheap KMC chain from Amazon. Unfortunately it was a Z series. Not sure if it was fake but a shoelace would've lasted longer. 2 months and it was useless.

[@independentthought3390]

@@r.davies2702 Amazon sells lots of counterfeit bicycle parts. Never buy bicycle parts from Amazon.

[@millardjk]

I bought two chains on Amazon a few months ago, one was genuine, one was counterfeit; both came from the same seller in the same order, so I’m not sure resellers even know what they’re getting. I didn’t know the difference at the time, so I did my normal post-purchase process on them: complete degrease of the factory coating, hot-dip waxing, then store for later use. It was completely random that I grabbed the counterfeit to use, and it was pretty obvious from the start that something was wrong with it: the shifting was actually worse than the previous, worn chain, but the cassette and crank rings all looked fine. I pulled the chain and put the other one on, and everything was butter. That’s what started me looking for details on counterfeits, and I’ve been on the lookout ever since.

[@jersinclair1846]

I just replaced the drivetrain on a buddy’s bike. He unknowingly supplied a counterfeit chain from Amazon. The chain would bind up with the new dura ace guide wheels and was unusable. Fortunately I had a real chain and it worked perfect. Thanks for the video.

[@JoeyMesa]

You're welcome! I'm sure your buddy appreciates your help!

[@jmjavs5740]

I replace my chain I'm pretty sure is fake since it's so cheap. It snapped right away few meters from where I installee it after a green light and I tried to accelerate really hard. Now I got a real one been using for weeks and still good.

[@higherlifts420]

Cancel Amazon. Everything on there is counterfeit

[@daniellarson3068]

I never would have even imagined counterfeit bicycle chains. It makes me wonder what other parts are out there that could be counterfeit.

[@anotheryoutuber_]

lots of them, some make dentists money, then they use that money to buy real parts and ride to coffee shops.

[@JoeyMesa]

Chains and inexpensive rear derailleurs are the biggest counterfeit parts I've seen working in the bike industry. I partially blame Shimano who refused to keep up with the increased demand during the peak Covid period of 2020-2021. It was way too beneficial for someone to supply something/anything for someone who didn't have the patience to wait 6 months-1 year for a Tourney rear derailleur or a 11 speed Ultegra chain.

[@daniellarson3068]

@@JoeyMesa Interesting - I could see someone counterfeiting Park Tools. They could make a good tool, sell it at the Park price and even selling a decent product could rake in the cash.

[@yonglingng5640]

​@@daniellarson3068 I've never seen counterfeit Park Tool tools before, but these are the fakes I've seen so far apart from Shimano chains: KMC chains MOST one-piece cockpits Black Inc. Integrated Barstem Pinarello framesets (mainly in the Dogma lineup) Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL6 Disc frameset (it ran a BSA-threaded BB shell, the real thing runs BB30) DT Swiss ARC wheelsets (external nipples) ENVE wheelsets (again, external nipples) Shimano Dura-Ace C60 Disc wheelset

[@davidg2731]

Shimano SPD-L pedals are definitely being counterfeited!

[@Phonamana]

I watched another video of yours before watching this one and I commented on it. Thanks for showing us your testing here after doing 150+ miles on the chain. My fake chain looked like crud after a couple of weeks of riding. I am not sure if it destroyed the outer ring on my crank sprocket after using my fake one for 2,300 miles but, my crank does have 9,300 miles on it and it's probably time to replace it anyway. The new real Shimano chain slips on the out ring. I was sad because I thought, great, I got to replace my chain and $55 105 R7000 Cassette at the same time when I just bought the cassette locally 2,300 miles ago. They were telling me that it was much better than the Microshift that I had on before but, at least I got three chain changes off of the Microshift casstte before I replaced with a Shimano R7000 one. My whole gearset is now R7000 105. The microshift cassette came with the new bike and it was the only thing they cut a corner on.

[@JEFFAK633]

Thanks as that's something us part time amateurs would of never known. Once I ordered two billeted steel car steering components that were supposed to be the same part, but they came from two different suppliers and one was obviously cheap pot metal. I wasn't aware they were doing the same with bike components until I caught your video. Thank you again for spreading the awareness.

[@JoeyMesa]

You're welcome! Thank you for taking the time to leave a detailed and useful comment!

[@danielsotelo3942]

My first encounter with a fake Shimano chain in my shop was mind blowing. It happened two years ago when a customer brought in a new out of the box Canyon bike for me to assemble with all Di2 Ultegra. When I installed the chain, it just did not want to shift correctly. Little did I know it came with a fake Shimano chain. After fiddling with the weird shifting issues, I knew something was wrong with the chain. That's when I realized the packaging was just not up to Shimano's standards as the clear crisp plastic package that held the chain was dull and soft. I also noticed the embossing on the links was deep and over stamped, where real Shimano chains is light stamping. So not having a Shimano chain in stock, I installed a new SRAM 1170, and suddenly everything worked and shifted Perfectly...! To learn that day that now there are fake Shimano chains, REALLY PISSED ME OFF! So from that day on, I only install SRAM chains, because for some reason, there are no fake SRAM chains, that I know of... And why that is, I have no idea... So from now on if a customer or you as an end user, play it safe and order SRAM chains because I know for a fact that no one yet has produced fake SRAM chains. This all has happened because Shimano stopped selling to bicycle distributors about 8 years ago, thus opening themselves to a lot fake Hanky Pankey.

[@JoeyMesa]

That's pretty wild! I've never seen one on a "production " bike. I agree with you somewhat on Shimano being selective on their suppliers, but the biggest thing in my opinion, as we buy most Shimano parts directly from Shimano, is keeping up with demand, which they chose not to do during the Corona pandemic.

[@1155727]

Interesting, but could you please clarify the origin of the chain? Did it come with the frame from Canyon?

[@simonm1447]

A German bike magazine recently tested 12 speed chains (original ones) and one Sram chain repeatedly ripped apart on their testing machine, despite it was a long life test and no high stress test. It seems certain batches can be hardened incorrectly and if they are too much hardened they get brittle at the same time and can rip off. Shimano and KMC chains didn't have the problem at this test.

[@andrewnorris5415]

I have had fake Shimano chains but no KMC fakes after buying 4 KMC. Ended up with 8 fake Shimano. Each one I bought a fake and money back. One local bike shop who sold on ebay even sold me a fake Shamano.

[@jaro6985]

@@andrewnorris5415 Tons of fake KMC chains out there.

[@jaasun71]

I purchased two fake Shimano DA chains from Amazon. The chain broke in a sprint causing me to crash and injure my shoulder. After telling Amazon and trying to return and get a refund they denied that the chains were counterfeit and would not refund me my money. I will never purchase any Shimano parts from Amazon again.

[@CoreQ]

Just don’t purchase the chain . You can purchase another one and return it . They need a lesson . Whenever Amazon products are fake : they pay the price definitely 😂😂

[@joules2936]

Surely you should no longer buy from Amazon period.

[@diegoeleazar9154]

I dont buy Amazon anymore. Mostly are drop shippers and all of the products are from China.

[@adammillsindustries.]

I have been stung too so putting it on the indoor trainer. 😢

[@chris_kaos]

Chinese Scammers. 😢

[@shwndh]

I bought a SLX chain from Amazon that stretched to .5 wear in less than a week of riding.

[@aitorbleda8267]

Similar experience with a fake KMC. Bought from a supposedly reputable source .

[@jeffjacksonmtb]

It was probably already stretched out when you put it on. I used a chain checker tool on a fake chain I got and it was already stretched out more than the chain I was replacing. 😂

[@hindesite]

Thanks, but THE biggest and most obvious difference is that HG chains have inner plates that extend past the roller face, which is why HG chains are not compatible with some narrow wide chainrings and wheels. That would have been easy to show by looking through the chain instead of the sides, or by placing the loose roller on the inner link and showing the difference.

[@JoeyMesa]

I'm not sure how much better I could have shown the differences between the inner and outer plates of the chain.I feel like most folks who would be purchasing this chain are doing so for a 2x road replacement chain. From what I found in actually testing out a counterfeit chain in nothing other than the "visual", "feel" and "measurable wear" method, I don't really know what more could be added unless the tester has more advance testing methods. I feel like what I've presented should be beneficial to someone unaware of this problem, and how to identify an issue before the chain is even installed.

[@hindesite]

@@JoeyMesa not in any way criticizing your video, it was interesting and made some great points, and counterfeits are a real problem. To show the difference just place the roller on top of the inner plate sitting flat with shoulder facing up, the extra length of the inner HG plate is visible outside the roller. That only applies to HG chains of course.

[@herculesmclovin]

7:05 here it's seen right?

[@olbtube]

Are you sure this is a good test, the fake chain in this video seems to have inner plates extending past the roller faces too. See around 3:45.

[@Ray.J]

Shimano is large enough to afford to pay attorneys to go after these spurious products. Fake Rolex watches are one thing, but a fake chain could result in great harm or even death if it fails. The average consumer will not know that they have purchased a fake chain. I mean, who would even think that a thieving company would sell counterfeit chains? There must be big money in it. What a shame.

[@JoeyMesa]

I agree! I had to tell another customer today that the chain they brought in to have installed was a fake...

[@andrewnorris5415]

Chinese authorities do nothing. If they were faking them in Japan or the West it would be different.

[@Reanimator999]

Low cost counterfeits have bigger and consistent demand than luxury items due to necessity of the legit counterpart. Even bearings are counterfeited and sold over internet and bearings are critical mechanical component from bicycle to airplane. When millions of cyclists change their bike chains every few months or few years, so there is money to be made.

[@lodemerisback]

Shimano is a very popular brand. I hope Shimano would file a case to those fake shimano makers.

[@baymoe1]

Same thing happen to a bike I built for a friend. It was a shimano chain that broke on his first ride and knew at that point it was counterfeit. Popped the defective link and "fixed" it with a quick link only to have it break again 15 rides later. He is now running a Sram chain.

[@JoeyMesa]

Yep!

[@mikemorris3421]

I fell for one of these off Ebay it was not even super cheap, paid little attention and just fitted it, it was just very noisey and terrible shifting, assumed it was the cassette but put on a new cassette (no change) before I looked at it in detail against a Duraace chain on my S5 and realised it was different in minor ways. With a real one fitted (with original part worn cassette) all was working fine. The seller obviously knew what it was as they said keep the chain and offered a refund as long as I did not give feedback. They rely on people not noticing or realising the time to follow up with the seller is not worth the effort. Binned mine after 20km but I expect it would have had the same wear issues as yours.

[@yonglingng5640]

You should've exposed the seller.

[@JoeyMesa]

Yeah, that's the difficult part. I'm sure for a fact there are legitimate sellers on eBay and Amazon, but lots of scam sellers as well. The copies, in my opinion target the home bike mechanic who doesn't know the subtle differences between fake and real.

[@dpstrial]

I too bought what I assume was a fake Dura Ace chain from eBay. In no more than 1000 miles it stretched 1.25", causing numerous chain drops. No more chains from eBay again.

[@yonglingng5640]

@@dpstrial Does it have hollow pins? The real one has them.

[@andrewnorris5415]

I had a massive argument with a seller who wanted me to accept half price. Then he said he would lose his job and begged me to accept. I got all my cash back in the end. Clearly a fake chain. I gave poor feedback and reported to ebay but the seller is still selling chains today. And has a good rating. It made no difference. Ebay ignored my warnings to them. Blanked me. Very rude.

[@BikeronaTrek]

Just bought two of these chains, on eBay in the past six months, paid 32.38 for them, they are fake! In the trash they go. Thanks for the video. Won’t waste my time or money again on one of these chains, thanks for the video! 😊

[@JoeyMesa]

You're welcome and thanks for sharing!

[@andrewnorris5415]

This VID saved you money. Fitting them wears down a DT in no time. I did not normally measure chain wear in the first 3 months. It destroyed even my chain rings and started to slip throwing me OTB unless I reacted quickly.

[@marcdaniels9079]

Saved me too. Returning mine before using

[@johnbedford4511]

Thanks Joey. I've been a recent victim - two separate purchases from the same Ebay UK seller. Chains had all the issues you raised. I reported it to Ebay - that didn't take too long and wasn't too hard. They've promised a refund for both......I await with baited breath. Do you think cassette wear would be accelerated by using the fake chains?

[@darryledwards3675]

Yeah e fake

[@jonthomas1377]

I have four of the fake ones that I picked up at the start of the pandemic parts shortage. Planing on doing some art projects with them.

[@JoeyMesa]

Nice!

[@edwinbeltran2677]

i was a victim of fake Shimano chain, my usage lasted more than a year, one thing i noticed is that the chain is not smooth when pedaling and shifting gears, i tried fine tuning my front and rear derailleurs but to no avail, when sprinting the chain feels flexy and the chain got longer earlier than expected. I have suspicion already since most of my older bikes with shimano chains never had any problems like that, I check it on google and confirmed i got the counterfeit. I immediately removed it from my bike and replaced it.

[@FrettieFingers]

If you look at the diagram on the package it shows a picture of both solid and hollow pins. So perhaps Shimano makes both? Solid pin makes more sense for mountain bikes due to the dust.

[@leedouglas7080]

I do another of repairs for local riders. One guy, an absolute mountain bought 3 chains from ebay. I put one on without a quick-link and he snapped it. I replaced it with another he'd bought. Same again, snapped. On the 3rd chain I put in a quick-link to make sure it wasn't me. He snapped it nowwhere near the quick-link. I dug the last box out the bin, blatantly fake. Replaced with a real one still going strong.

[@MikeTheBike2010]

Assuming a lack of consistency in tolerances as you note and thicker/heavier alloy I’m wondering is there a noticeable difference in weight between fake/genuine?

[@JoeyMesa]

I'm not sure if there's any measurable difference weight wise between a fake and real Shimano chain, but if/when I come across another fake chain, I'll weigh it against a genuine chain and report the difference here! Thanks for taking the time to voice your opinion!

[@Reanimator999]

@@JoeyMesa If you have access to testing machine that measures tension, it doesn't hurt to compare tension between real and fakes.

[@volvo245]

Alloy density is very unreliable way to determine anything. Huge range of steel alloys are within 1% variation in density. You can have same density but tensile strength is 3-5 times greater in one. Or you can actually have the same exact alloy but it wasn't heat treated or forged both of which greatly alter mechanical properties.

[@scmorton8]

I got burned by this today. Thanks for sharing to help inform unsuspecting customers.

[@chrisdaigle5410]

A customer brought his bike in and included a counterfeit chain. I asked him if he had good insurance, especially dental insurance. He didn't know that there were counterfeit chains for sale until we showed him. It's important to mention that they apparently aren't heat treated correctly and they are brittle and prone to cracking.

[@JoeyMesa]

Yeah, in general, they're just inferior quality all around. Thanks for helping point this out to folks in the real world, and I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!

[@kevinledbetter1254]

I had no idea this was a thing, I’m glad I came across this video

[@timking2822]

I inadvertently acquired a KMC counterfeit chain. It broke on my first ride using it. KMC replaced it at no cost. Very reputable firm.

[@kevinxodemonth]

They did you a favour, they were under absolutely no obligation to replace a counterfeit chain!

[@timking2822]

@@kevinxodemonth Certainly did. I didn't ask, they just volunteered.

[@zedddddful]

I had a fake piece of motorcycle gear once the real company replaced it for me FOC after they'd gathered all the details of the seller I'm guessing their legal team was preparing for battle 😂

[@JoPaSantos]

​@@zedddddfulI think you got scammed, they should pay you. 😁

[@FACE-PROFILERZ]

I use 10X Lupe magnifying glass whenever had a doubt for generic products.

[@leslie7922]

I bought a di2 front ultegra derailleur from Ali express. It was only $30 cheaper than rrp and my LBS confirmed it was genuine. 12000km later still goes strong

[@actioncamsports]

Speaking as someone who has a low-cost Shimano component in my Amazon shopping cart *right now*, let me just say I'm glad I saw this video.

[@JoeyMesa]

Thanks!

[@BlueGoose2]

great video, good catch. I wouldn't have known just by looking at the box or component. who's selling counterfeits???

[@adrianTNT]

I had a chain breaking on me as I was pedaling raised off the seat, some speed and pushing my weight on the pedal ... *I fell pretty bad* on the country road, on dust basically. The chain was a worn out KMC (9 speed) and I think it was genuine. But buying a fake chain that will break even faster is a real danger. I wasn't afraid of chain breaking until this happen 😕 Honestly I don't like how they add more and more speeds (now ~12) and make the chain thinner and thinner 🤦‍♂ It is like marketing that compromises safety.

[@jorgechavira7729]

The trade for saving little money over quality is way more expensive

[@JoeyMesa]

yes

[@JohnonaBike]

I have had lots of issues recently with my chains (KMC) wearing out VERY FAST and now I think I know why. Maybe they have been fake as I got them from ebay. I got them from bike shops on ebay so thought that would be OK but now I am thinking maybe not

[@stephendenagy3396]

I wonder if the fancier finishes on SRAM and KMC are harder to counterfeit? Another reason to get bling chains! And another reason to buy higher end chains as the real thing will be easier to detect, eg., chamfered edges and hollow pins.

[@independentthought3390]

Buy from reputable sources, not Aliexpress or Amazon. And no, it's not hard to counterfeit an expensive chain, fakes can look very bling bling.

[@iz5375]

My man Woody Harrelson in the real v fake YT reviews 💪

[@andrewtruffin4781]

I have a friend who gets paid from a Chinese company to ride their copycat parts. They buy him very expensive bikes he rides in for a while. And they take the bike back, and replicate the parts. They sell these parts around the world. I had a pit bike store and it was the same story I made a lot of knock-off frames similar to bbr frames. And they were selling for half the cost.

[@S14AA]

Strength test be interesting, but that sucks I'll have to check though my chains and see what I've worn out, 1 I had didn't last long I'm wondering

[@S14AA]

The worn chain was genuine, but since then I got 2 copy's the outer edges front and back side exact match, and the foil on packets etc. but I noticed it had alot of sideways flex when you look at the inside of the chain it's flat, the genuine has a angle on the inside edges too

[@mattclark1278]

I just got one of these from "The Shimano Store" on Amazon. Pretty good counterfeiting on packaging, but worked terribly and upon closer review had some weird grease and weird stampings on it.

[@shaman2384]

What were the tolarances on the real chain? Did you drive and test tolerances?

[@meibing4912]

Quicks links packed together with the chain in the same wrap is by far the most obvious give-away that the chain is fake. Shimano never does this. 0:19

[@JoeyMesa]

Yes, that's a quick way to identify a fake...

[@xMrsmileyfacex]

On a critical part like a chain I would avoid using Amazon. Amazon is fine for bike parts just not when it comes to chains. I go to my local bike shop where he's an authorized Shimano dealer.

[@CAESARbonds]

Grat video, thanks for the Info That is super annoying. I can replace a chain, no problem but I would have no idea that it is a fake and would wonder what is wrong… Hint: If buying via Amazon look who is selling the components. Shipment via Amazon is not a guarantee. But there are reputable sellers, parts dealer, local businesses using this platform. Chose those sellers in doubt.

[@JoeyMesa]

Great advice! Thanks for taking the time to share!

[@petehotoff3715]

Actually, I never thought about that, thank you for sharing I’m wondering what about a whole range of chains starting from 7s

[@vladimirmilutinovic8057]

Thank you Joey, very useful information to know !

[@JoeyMesa]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ryanprasad2090]

Cool video. Got me spooked of Amazon!

[@JoeyMesa]

It's not all bad! I get things on there now and then, you just have tone diligent to find out if you've got something bogus, and take action right away! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, I really appreciate it!

[@djlespommes]

Im convinced i got a counterfeit set of Shimano brake pads. They look the part but glaze over instantly. Ive stopped ordering anything from Amazon.

[@lg784359]

This just happend to me. Because it was going to save me 15 bucks I got a cheap ebay chain. I broke it on a sprint 100km in. First thing I noticed and Im guessing because of the poor tolerances it would skip in the 10t cog. Learned my lesson. I wonder if all the cheap shimano stuff on ebay is fake also :/

[@jimw7359]

Had one of these come through my stand this winter. The snap link wouldn't pass the top pulley in the derailleur. Too narrow.

[@madplanet3351]

901 dura ace is usually hollow pin too.

[@danfuerthgillis4483]

Those are not "cuts" they are ramp cut slots, they assist in shifting due to the 11 and 12 sprockets being closer now this leads to less jumping out if there is a slight derailleur indexing offset.

[@rockhopper01]

So… they’re cuts.

[@danfuerthgillis4483]

@@rockhopper01 They are not actually cut, they are grind down, even though for some funny reason they are called ramp cuts lol

[@Accuracy158]

But if I learned to identify the actual Shimano chain in this video wouldn't there still be differences between the looks of Ultegra vs Dura-Ace normally anyway? Actually dumb question... but though "XT" and "XTR" lingo was only used for mountain bikes. Is there just overlap between the two segments when it comes to chains so Ultegra is Deore XT and visa versa while Dura-Ace is the same as XTR? I know a lot of this is probably going to change now anyway. :P

[@bikingchupei2447]

1:32 for some reason the box for fake chains all have this shiny reflective surface.

[@lesterfalcon1350]

Just ordered a pair of shimano 12 speed master links to carry in case of a breakage on the trails. Any tips on spotting a fake one of those.

[@richardharker2775]

The machinery and equipment needed to produce a chain is enormous. To copy someone else's chains tells me there is a huge markup.

[@JoeyMesa]

I don't believe the markup is as huge as you think. In this case I know for a fact that when the Covid pandemic was at it's peak, bicycles, cycling Etc., became a huge demand as gyms, ski slopes, lot's of other fitness based activities shut down. At least that's how it was in Colorado. We could not supply enough bikes to meet the demand. People also wanted to fix the bikes they had in their garages. I don't know why it all happened as it did, but it did and I lived it working at a bike shop. Shimano refused to increase production to meet the very increased demand. I'm talking about a 5-6 month wait on 11 speed chains, Tourney 7 speed rear derailleurs, STI shifters, and many others. The opportunists out there filled the void with "product" that they could make money on and take advantage of folks (home mechanics) who didn't know any better. FYI, you can purchase a legitimate Shimano 11 speed chain on Amazon for less than the bike shop can purchase it from a distributor or Shimano direct. Let that sink in for a second. However, it's a gamble. eBay, Amazon, Aliexpress.... Maybe it's real, maybe it's not. Bottom line, it's best to support a legit supplier or better yet, Your local bike shop.

[@michaelstleger9888]

There are plenty of cheap unbranded chains out there. The fake bit is marking them up as Shimano. You are saying that if someone puts a Ferrari badge on a Ford, there must be a huge mark up on the Ferrari. They are fake chains and nothing like the quality of a genuine one i guess

[@richardharker2775]

@@michaelstleger9888 If they were any good they wouldn't have to counterfeit.

[@AJXOXO-vz1pn]

Oh no! I just got a Shimano Dura-Ace chain new off of eBay. Now, I’m wondering if it’s the real deal, but the only way to really look into it is to take the chain off for maintenance. Ugh!

[@JoeyMesa]

It happens...

[@filmic1]

Nice survey! Thank you.

[@JoeyMesa]

Welcome!

[@marcdaniels9079]

Thanks so much ! Saved me from an eBay disaster

[@JohnonaBike]

So how do you make sure you buy genuine when shops like amazon have fake chains ?

[@dakotawilliams7541]

I learned something new thank you.

[@JoeyMesa]

You’re welcome!

[@timesup6386]

Sgimano has factories in China. Your seeing variations in tooling.

[@JoeyMesa]

Yep, but they don't make Dura-Ace and Ultegra chains in China, however, that's irrelevant. I have no idea where these chains are made, but I promise you they're not made by Shimano.

[@FlixTV]

Thanks for the real information!!

[@JoeyMesa]

You're very welcome!

[@EleanorPeterson]

I cycle on an embarrassingly tiny budget, so my philosophy is that it's all right to buy cheap parts, as long as you're matching them with other cheap parts on a cheap bike and doing it on the understanding that you're not going to get pro-level performance, reliability, durability, or peace of mind. A bad chain will destroy quality components very quickly; the secret is to use garbage throughout [yes, I'm being serious🙂]. When you're running cassettes that cost £5.00 and chain rings that cost £3.00 each, it really doesn't matter what a £3.99 chain does to them! I work them till they expire, then just buy more cheap trash. Yay! In my experience - 15 years of economy biking and over 50,000 miles - a £4.00 chain will last at least two years, and I've had no problems with worn-out sprockets or missed gears. Admittedly, my standards and expectations are about as low as you can go, but I nonetheless get great personal mobility for no more than £10 per year. I imagine most people reading this will happily spend five times more than that on a lightweight water-bottle and carbon-composite bracket... On a serious note, it pains me to see honest people being conned by fake components. Buying a cheap chain for your £5,000+ bike makes no sense, but putting a £3.99 chain on a bike worth £35 - like mine - is fine. People with expensive bikes should expect to buy matching parts. Trying to economise just ain't wise! Selling counterfeit parts is a different matter, though. It's an actual crime. To be 'genuinely' counterfeit they have to be deliberately copying the authentic ones, and marketed as such: same packaging, colouring, lettering, same 'quality control' holograms, and (worst of all) same price. Paying a lot of money for garbage is insane, but it's not too hard to avoid as long as you choose your sources carefully. Not everyone lives near a proper bike shop, but if you do, buy stuff face to face, over the counter. Shop owners care passionately about their reputation; if they sell you something marked 'Shimano' [or whatever], you can be pretty d*mn sure it's the real thing. A shop owner knows that selling fake goods will get him into a lot of trouble - either with Trading Standards or with the disgruntled customer who might make his grievances known in the car park with the aid of a couple of mates armed with baseball bats. If you're spending a lot on performance-critical components and going for mail-order, please, ONLY order from real bike shops (they all have websites these days). Shopping online is fine, but avoid the obvious rip-off options (like the famous 'e-*ay' auction site, or the one named after the gigantic South American river) because they're crowded with stuff that might be genuine... but maybe isn't. They also sometimes sell repackaged, returned goods - which may have been swapped by unscrupulous customers for rip-off garbage before returning them for a refund. It's a jungle out there. The safest thing to do, if you want guaranteed quality, is to buy from a genuine shop's website. If your bike's good quality, it deserves it. The 'Shimano' chain in this video looks like a true counterfeit item, with the packaging clearly designed to deceive. If it cost the same as the real thing, it's a real counterfeit and belongs in an industrial shredder. But if it only cost ⅓ the price of the genuine Shimano item, nobody should be buying such crap and expecting it to be of Shimano quality. I can't sympathise with people who buy duff products at bargain prices and expect them to match the real thing. A plastic, 'gold' 'Roolex' or 'Ohmyga!' wristwatch is obviously a fake, but no harm is done if it's priced at £4.99. As I said before, all my bike stuff is low quality, but I'm not proud, and it gets the job done within my tiny budget. The important thing is never to mix the good and the bad. I stick to the bad. So, peeps: caveat emptor. 🙂

[@TamasJantyik]

Even the current state of the bicycle industry has sometimes fallen into the category of a scam... So yeah. I use a cheap bike (and fix it with cheap parts), which costed me as much as a nice branded bar tape. :D And this is really sad. Maybe this situation will change one day. Maybe not.

[@JoeyMesa]

Thanks for that detailed comment! My daily driver commuter bike improbably very similar to your bike...

[@goldenretriever6261]

Are there fake cranks? I bought a Shimano GRX crank on Ali. The price was so good I assumed it was fake. But it looks real.

[@JoeyMesa]

I haven't seen any fake cranks. Mostly just chains and inexpensive rear derailleurs.

[@adZHARRISON]

You assumed it was fake so you bought it !!???

[@JoeyMesa]

Yes, I wanted to test a fake chain, so I tried to buy what I thought was a fake, but it turned out to be a genuine Shimano chain. It didn't take long to get my hands on a counterfeit chain though.

[@goldenretriever6261]

@@adZHARRISON the price was right

[@thinkpadBentnoseTheBlind]

i both love and needed this video. Here is one for ya. I bought what i thought was two fake Shimano chains. Luckily one was 8 and the other 14 bucks Cdn. One is a fake but the other is not.but, it is in fact repackaged and I suspect it may be a testing chain or chain takenn off and old bike then acid dipped. does this sound crazy to you?

[@mrvapor4791]

This concerns me. I often find myself in situation should my chain break I could lose my life because I ride in heavy traffic and have to power out of the way of fast moving vehicles like the Suburbans they use for Limos in my city.

[@bootynatorr450]

its just a chain, its gonna have poor shifting but not gonna break. shimano doesnt have magic juice to make their chains better, chains are being produced since over 100 years and are simple. a shimano, sram, kmc chain can also break.

[@mrvapor4791]

@@bootynatorr450 I ride a SS. I stand up and crank hard. I think it might break.

[@redink3481]

I bought a fake shimano hg54 chain, the packaging looks close to the original. After a week of usage. The link starts cracking. More like 10 links.

[@armanrivera4116]

i may have bought a fake shimano chain. after only 3mos use, it broke. almost every other outer plates have cracks on them.

[@lefthorse1]

And what about the hardness on the contact points , where the real friction appears and material disapear ... How could be tested , with a small file ??

[@JoeyMesa]

I'm sure there are ways to test the hardness of the rollers and metal overall. That technology is more that I personally possess, so I just tried a real world test, measure what I could, and see what happens. Thanks for the comment/question!

[@Longtimerolling]

Thanks for the info.

[@ippolitius]

I stopped buying shimano parts on Amazon due to counterfeits years ago.

[@twosix_00]

So where do you recommend buying a chain? To make sure it's authentic

[@JoeyMesa]

A local bike shop or a trusted online supplier. At least one that will let you return it if you do get a fake. It's not too har to tell without even taking the chain out of the bag.

[@twosix_00]

@@JoeyMesa what do you think about new Shimano Cues drivetrain? It's chain compatible with the Shimano Deore,SLX,XT 11 speed?

[@AK-qo6tx]

I had the OEM Shimano 105 11 speed chain on my 2015 Cannondale Synapse carbon snap on me in 2021. I also bought a spare Shimano 105 11 speed chain in 2015 as backup from Jenson USA and installed after the OEM chain broke. Today 2023 the chain snapped.....so maybe these chains only have a shelf life of 6-8 years no matter how many miles you ride. The metal is brittle....would be great if they put a manufactured date or expiration date on these chains.

[@dalj4362]

That's why I always buy from a shop or reputable company online. Trouble is everyone wants a bargain and ends up buying these junk chains.

[@toiletgaming2005]

i put a brand new YBN chain on my trash bike and broke in the first 100 meters not even under heavy load

[@universe-juice]

Real chain is more yellow. More nickel im assuming?

[@JoeyMesa]

Possibly. Definitely better materials and the tolerances are much more consistent on genuine Shimano chains.

[@denis_roy_7]

Very useful Joey! Thanks!

[@JoeyMesa]

You're welcome Denis! Thank you!

[@rangersmith4652]

So, how does one ensure he's getting a genuine Shimano chain?

[@richardharker2775]

Authorised dealers. Sadly the cost is higher but you're getting the real deal.

[@JoeyMesa]

True statement!

[@yonglingng5640]

These are what a real Shimano chain has: Quick-links packaged separately from the chain Quick-links have an actual notch Shallow and subtle stamping on the outer plates (finer font) Better quality font on the box Tier rating has a chrome-like effect (on the top section of the box)

[@simonm1447]

If you get them from bigger well known retailers (Amazon is a market place, if the chain is offerd by a 3rd party retailer it still can be fake) or from a local bike shop it should be original.

[@michaelmappin4425]

I got a fake Dura Ace chain from Amazon that did have hollow pins.

[@Sirmellowman]

wowwwww, thats gonna put tons of extra wear on your drivetrain being that stretched brand new from the factory

[@JohnSmith-so7mh]

I bought this HG 95 Deore XT 10 Speed Fake- Chain on Ebay for 15 Dollars (Original Price is 23 Dollars) and thought that this chain is legit, but soon after 800 km wondered why this chain did not work properly anymore and simply rusted away when is was supposed to last 2000-3000 km minimum based on my former experiences with this particular HG 95 chain. The result was catastrophic since this chain destroyed the brand new Deore cassette and all three brand new chainrings just after 800 km driving around in the city. I will never buy again a new chain from Ebay since its one of the most important parts. Its not worth to save five bucks but to have a lousy performance thus reducing all chain related parts on your bike within a blink into rubbish.

[@shn3803]

so useful. thanks.

[@JoeyMesa]

You're welcome!

[@gomitch2]

9 out of 10 of our chains in the Philippines is fake - from China. It took me over a year to figure out what was happening. Now, every time I return to the USA, I stock up on original chains. A fake chain lasts for about 1,500kms and destroys your chainrings. An original one lasts for 5X that distance and only 20% of your chainrings will be worn.

[@JoeyMesa]

Wow! That's crazy! Hopefully it will get better. I appreciate you taking the time to share your experience though!

[@revelationdetailers894]

I guess where there is a market there will always be counterfeiting happening.

[@pierrex3226]

Amazon has turned into scammers paradise

[@neilparnell5712]

Just use KMC SL chains instead. Cheaper, lighter, better looking, shifting at least as good as Shimano and long lasting. I use KMC X10SL chains on my Ultegra setups and they are at least as good as Shimano in every department. Uses a quick link connector instead of crappy ''permanent pin'' joining method. I swap my chains over every month and clean / lube ready for next swap over. The chains last up to 10,000 miles provided they are kept clean and lubed in use. People become ''brand washed'' and think nothing is as good as the original designer label. This is not true.

[@neilparnell5712]

@@luisc7245 Your'e probably right. All I can say is that even if mine have been fake they are damn good !

[@wc4109]

Where was the fake chain purchased from? So we'll know to avoid...

[@JoeyMesa]

This particular one was purchased from Amazon. I’ve seen some from eBay as well. It’s kind of a crap shoot though. I purchased a chain on Amazon. It was $10 below what our wholesale cost was at the bike shop, so I figured it had to be a counterfeit. When I received it, it was genuine.

[@christophe2570]

The markup on these named brand bicycle parts are insane. Hundreds of dollars for something that probably cause a few to make. Not that they nit quality but still.

[@JoeyMesa]

I'm going to reply to you the same as I replied to the last person who thinks this is all about "mark up in pricing". It's not about that at all. It's about supply and demand. period. I don't believe the markup is as huge as you think. In this case I know for a fact that when the Covid pandemic was at it's peak, bicycles, cycling Etc., became a huge demand as gyms, ski slopes, lot's of other fitness based activities shut down. At least that's how it was in Colorado. We could not supply enough bikes to meet the demand. People also wanted to fix the bikes they had in their garages. I don't know why it all happened as it did, but it did and I lived it working at a bike shop. Shimano refused to increase production to meet the very increased demand. I'm talking about a 5-6 month wait on 11 speed chains, Tourney 7 speed rear derailleurs, STI shifters, and many others. The opportunists out there filled the void with "product" that they could make money on and take advantage of folks (home mechanics) who didn't know any better. FYI, you can purchase a legitimate Shimano 11 speed chain on Amazon for less than the bike shop can purchase it from a distributor or Shimano direct. Let that sink in for a second. However, it's a gamble. eBay, Amazon, Aliexpress.... Maybe it's real, maybe it's not. Bottom line, it's best to support a legit supplier or better yet, Your local bike shop.

[@cleekmaker00]

@@JoeyMesa People who haven't worked in the bike biz have no clue how Pricing works. Folks will replicate anything under the sun if they have the resources and the market for it. Fake Bicycle chains? Who woulda thunk it? Good thing I run 8 speed, and have a good back stock of NOS chains and Cassettes in my Parts bin!

[@Raven5763]

I've received fake items on Amazon. When I post negative reviews that state they are fake, I get banned from posting reviews. No apology, no comment that they will address it, just a move that makes me feel like they don't care.

[@JoeyMesa]

That sucks! I'd say for anyone purchasing Shimano chains on Amazon, you can generally tell without even taking the chain out of the box based on what I've said and some commenters, if it's fake or not. Return it right away! Amazon offers that option. It's kind of on them to govern this issue if a big quantity is coming from them...

[@Raven5763]

@JoeyMesa Yes, I get to return it, but I can not warn others.

[@nightHekan]

There is a 2 diferent chains, i dont think there's a comparative point

[@JoeyMesa]

Ultegra and Dura Ace chains are essentially identical with the exception of hollow pins in the Dura Ace chain. How is it you can not see the difference of the genuine chain plates vs the counterfeit plates?

[@rickc2222]

They are terrible, friction and poor shifting... waste of time. I installed this counterfeit Shimano HG901-11/HG-X11/DURA-ACE/XTR chain on a fresh build with all new parts: deore RD, shifter, new cable housing, cassette, chainring…. Chain measured a bit wider than most 11 speed - edging on 10 speed width. Also width was inconsistent - quite a variance from one link to another. Also some of the links did not swivel smoothly, just a hair of friction. Also pins were not hollow as advertised (dead giveaway it’s a fake). Once installed you could feel friction on every link as you pedaled. Rather rough. I could not get the bike to shift correctly - chain would stick on biggest cog, If I adjusted for that, then it would stick at the smallest. I installed a decent KMC chain immediately after and it shifted perfect first try, and felt MUCH smoother, noticeably less friction at the cranks. Lesson learned - buy a good quality chain. I knew this was a fake when I installed it, I just wanted to see if it would work reasonably well or if total crap. This confirms it: fakes are total crap. (purch off ebay for I think $10 lol. Filed dispute and got refund.)

[@ReallyBigBug]

Those fake chains lasts 150-300km till complete worn-out. Checked that couple years ago with cn-hg73 which was got for free in pack of 10 :) All worn-out the same.

[@88vok]

за подделки над привлекать к отвествености ! репутация шимано и так пострадала директору шимано надо радикалыне меры принимать !

[@igordugonjic]

tank you sir

[@JoeyMesa]

You're welcome!

[@hwkdfs]

Fake parts are a big problem... I bought many pieces by amazon... It's hard to admit

[@Leo-gt1bx]

This should be seeing legal action against these. This can kill people.

[@pascalbruyere7108]

You’re not comparing the same models.

[@JoeyMesa]

You have a point, but I did show a genuine CN-HG901 chain next to the counterfeit chain at 43 seconds into the video. Both the HG701 and the HG901 chains have the same asymmetric profiles and sil-tec coatings. Really the only difference in the hollow connecting pins. The counterfeit HG901 chain was identical to the counterfeit HG701 chain I made a video about a few months ago, so I felt like the comparison was relevant, plus I only had some spare HG701 chain parts to compare the fake chain to. The visual comparison to an actual HG901 chain would have been the same less the hollow pins. The hollow pins are easy to identify without even taking the chain out of the box. The chain has to be disassembled to see the poor quality of the fake chains though...

[@flflam]

Appreciate the effort, but it'd be better if the comparison was between fake Vs real of Ultegra, or fake Vs real of Dura-Ace, rather than between real Ultegra Vs fake Dura-Ace.

[@JoeyMesa]

The only difference between "real" Shimano Dura Ace and Ultegra chains is the hollow pins in the Dura Ace chain. There's no other difference. I don't know what more would make a difference?

[@Stevenafoe]

Fake durace looks more like the real ultegra.

[@mattyfrommacc1554]

I ended up with a fake one, it stretched within a month, awful

[@rainbowhyena1354]

I use fake shimano chains, because they last 3 times less, but cost 5 times less. They are just more cost-effective if initially marketed as fake

[@marcdaniels9079]

Assuming they don’t snap and cause you to crash ..or destroy your cassette or chainrings

[@abstraddic0442]

👍 Very Good.

[@JoeyMesa]

Thank you 👍

[@333wheeler]

150 - 170 miles in the Dry and the chain ended up as manky as that. mm What you riding it down dusty trails .