Counterfeit Shimano Parts - Do they exist?

[Gashead]

Looking at buying a new Shimano Ultegra 6800 Groupset from a reputable online store in the UK. I have used them 5 or 6 times with great service.

Anyway, the groupset is about $140 cheaper than any other reputable UK website and about 1/2 the cost of an Australian purchase. So, it got me thinking about how can they be so cheap:

1. Are they simply supplying OEM non-box parts (i.e. the type they would send to a bike manufacturer to build bikes).
2. Could the parts be counterfeit?

I work in the Oil/Gas industry and counterfeit parts from Asia are a concern. Actually sat through a presentation this week on the subject and they pointed out that the counterfeit parts/goods industry worldwide is bigger than illegal drugs.

So, has anyone had experience or know of reputable stories of counterfeit bike parts? Or should I just quickly buy the groupset before the price goes up or its out of stock!

[axeman74]

I would say it is # 1. Especially if it is coming from Ribble. No concerns there, all genuine, they just have sooper-dooper prices on Shimano groupsets. In fact it is rare for me to buy any Shimano part in a retail box nowadays.

Never seen or heard of knock-offs of Shimano's higher end products, and it would have to be a pretty sophisticated operation to get anywhere near Shimano's quality level whilst significantly undercutting them in price (ie. it probably wouldn't be worth it in what is a relatively small market).

That said, the Chinese have been become pretty awesome at knocking stuff off (frames, wheels etc for bikes) but I don't think that has filtered down to groupset parts yet.

Axeman74

[Gashead]

Thanks Axeman 74,

Yeah, I have heard about fake FSA seatposts and even Shimano chains, but nothing about Ultegra parts. Doesn't seem to be anything on the net that I can find.

Price is too good so I'll dive in.

[singlespeedscott]

Ribbles stuff is cheap because it's all OEM. They have their own house brand bikes and I guess they purchase excess stock to sell off.