All my Aliexpress MTB purchases reviewed.

Scotty675

Cable thief
I've baulked every time I've gone to buy from Ali express. If i was guaranteed the shimano stuff sold was genuine I'd buy. Seems weird they sell shimano groupsets with Sunrace cassettes as example
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I've baulked every time I've gone to buy from Ali express.
Even the SRAM Centreline rotors at $5 for 160mm... I even try to justify to myself... how much different can they be if they actually are fake ? Are they SRAM overstock ? Dunno.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Could also be the sekrit factory that make them for Hope before the fat % markups are done.
Go on, you know you want to :)

I'm sure these hubs are big somewhere.
 

moorey

call me Mia
I've baulked every time I've gone to buy from Ali express. If i was guaranteed the shimano stuff sold was genuine I'd buy. Seems weird they sell shimano groupsets with Sunrace cassettes as example
And not ever much cheaper than the legit hopes. That’s part of the scam maybe? If they were $200 a set, you’d go PFFFTTT. But at 10-15% off retail, you go assume it’s legit.
 

Scotty675

Cable thief
And not ever much cheaper than the legit hopes. That’s part of the scam maybe? If they were $200 a set, you’d go PFFFTTT. But at 10-15% off retail, you go assume it’s legit.
Ok I'll buy them and if they are fake I'll sell them to you for 10% more than I paid
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
I've baulked every time I've gone to buy from Ali express. If i was guaranteed the shimano stuff sold was genuine I'd buy. Seems weird they sell shimano groupsets with Sunrace cassettes as example
I thought the same but bought one sometime ago and it has been fine.

Maybe the Sunrace 46T and 51T cassettes are a bit of a differentiator over the Shimano ones that you would get with a complete shimano group that also have bigger gaps. Just tell yourself that they have access to bunch of OEM stuff or are made by the night shift at the same factory.
 

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Even the SRAM Centreline rotors at $5 for 160mm... I even try to justify to myself... how much different can they be if they actually are fake ? Are they SRAM overstock ? Dunno.
I have one those these 180mm rotors. It has the Avid stamp and well, not much to notable say, just looks like any other rotor I've had.
 

moorey

call me Mia
I was seconds from buying till I dug deeper.
I’ll never know now, but won’t lose any sleep.
 

slowmick

38-39"
A colleague took a $100 valve to a supplier in China and asked if they could make a cheaper one,. They did - $6 for the same thins complete with all original marking, serial numbers and packaging. Didn't work (stop flow) but it looked awesome. A perfect 1:1 scale model
 

Isaakk

Likes Bikes and Dirt
A colleague took a $100 valve to a supplier in China and asked if they could make a cheaper one,. They did - $6 for the same thins complete with all original marking, serial numbers and packaging. Didn't work (stop flow) but it looked awesome. A perfect 1:1 scale model
Small detail, but a fairly important one haha.

The few Shimano items i've bought from Aliexpress (007 and other larger "stores", mind) have been just fine, rotor came in genuine packaging and adapters etc looked identical to locally bought. I'd not hesitate buying more if not worried about a 6-8 week wait.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner

Mr Crudley

Glock in your sock
Apparently all the highend Shim stuff is still made in Japan because they don't want to give away their manufacturing techniques.
I'm kind of keen to see the 'Made in xxx' sticker or etching on an XTR or Di2 part. I do remember quite a few Shimano hubs with Malaysia on it (Mrs Tiagra rear hub as an example). That Shimano technology trickle down will reach mainland China sooner or later.

Plus it would explain why there are mostly XT, SLX and Deore stuff on AliExpress. My old XTR M950 is Japan stamped.
I bet you are right @Flow-Rider
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
I'm kind of keen to see the 'Made in xxx' sticker or etching on an XTR or Di2 part. I do remember quite a few Shimano hubs with Malaysia on it (Mrs Tiagra rear hub as an example). That Shimano technology trickle down will reach mainland China sooner or later.

Plus it would explain why there are mostly XT, SLX and Deore stuff on AliExpress. My old XTR M950 is Japan stamped.
I bet you are right @Flow-Rider
Shimano specialise in their own development of metallurgy, unlike most other companies it's all done in house, secret squirrel stuff. There are rumours when they first hydro formed the hollow crank arm system, NASA asked them how they had done it.
They still have manufacturing plants in Japan.

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