Those too-good-to-be-true offers on DoneDeal

outfox

From time to time, some sellers post new gear on DoneDeal at very low prices. Like a Dura-Ace 7900 front derailleur for around €50 (RRP is around €100 I think). Or Conti CX tyres for I think €20 (RRP is maybe double that). The sellers appear to be genuine.
Is there a counterfeit bike equipment scene that I'm not aware of? Are these genuine parts, or some knock-off Chinese rubbish?
I'm afraid to take the plunge without hearing from other boardsies who have bought gear from these sellers.

godtabh

Never used donedeal but you always take a risk using sites like that (and boards and adverts)

Cee-Jay-Cee

I'd imagine 99% of bike stuff sold on donedeal is genuine and its simply people who want rid of unwanted parts and not looking to make a killing on them.

If I was buying tyres and seen two tyres that normally cost €80 (a pair) from CRC/Wiggle etc and spotted two of them on DD for €60, I'd still buy the new ones as there isnt enough of a saving to be buying blind from a private seller and without being able to inspect the parts first.

€50 is a fair price for a used FD because if its any higher its too close to the new price to tempt people to buy it and not buy new.

CramCycle

Same as CJC, even if new and in packaging, i would expect a decent discount as I am losing the warranty and come back. I think in the majority of cases it is not something dodgy but a seller knowing that he has to sell the item for way below cost to have a hope.

Andy Magic

I've come across a few counterfeit bikes, where the frame is fake but i'm not sure about components. I've seen bikes advertised that I know very well the model but there a completely different color and for some reason it's a certain brand. I have come across ads for knock off wheels but they are advertised as that, so it's fair enough i suppose.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Fake/counterfeit handlebars and seat posts/stems are reasonably common and the price usually indicates that they're not the real thing. Unless I knew the seller personally, I wouldn't buy any of those items used from an anonymous person on DD.

I have never seen fake groupset parts or heard of their existence for that matter and I don't think they exist.

I have seen Garmin Edge 500/510/520/800's from Taiwan (at reduced price compared to european prices) and wonder if theyre the real deal or copies.

outfox

You think it would be easy enough to, say, buy a Tiagra derailleur, and replace the sticker with DA. This assumes that the buyer cannot readily tell the difference.

Cee-Jay-Cee

outfox wrote: »

You think it would be easy enough to, say, buy a Tiagra derailleur, and replace the sticker with DA. This assumes that the buyer cannot readily tell the difference.

It' sounds like you just don't want to accept that some people sell genuine used parts at well below the new price.

I seriously doubt anyone has ever bothered buying Dura Ace or Ultegra stickers to try and fool someone into buying a Tiagra or Sora part.

Kaisr Sose

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I seriously doubt anyone has ever bothered buying Dura Ace or Ultegra stickers to try and fool someone into buying a Tiagra or Sora part.

Exactly, who would bother doing that?

outfox

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

It' sounds like you just don't want to accept that some people sell genuine used parts at well below the new price.

Believe me, I really DO want to accept it. But for every 10 genuine sellers, there could be a few chancers too. I just don't want to fork out several hundred euro on components to find that 3 months later they fall off, all for the sake of saving a few euro.

CramCycle

outfox wrote: »

Believe me, I really DO want to accept it. But for every 10 genuine sellers, there could be a few chancers too. I just don't want to fork out several hundred euro on components to find that 3 months later they fall off, all for the sake of saving a few euro.

I suppose in your previous example, a Tiagra derailleur will last, most likely as long as a DA. If you can't tell the difference when you inspect it, maybe you should have been going for a Tiagra one in the first place.

I say this as someone who wouldn't have. Once it covers the gears and lasts 9 times out of 10, I would be happy with it.

I wouldn't be happy that I paid the premium, much like I don't mind horse steaks but if I pay a couple of euro a lb I expect beef.

Have you seen any examples of this on adverts or donedeal. I would expect dodgy gear, stolen etc. but making up knock offs to sell at a price cheaper than they could get would seem to defeat the purpose, maybe even making it redundant.

Also shimano parts normally have part no. stamps to identify them that you cannot peel off, so if you are concerned you can google those before inspection.

Peterx

CramCycle wrote: »

I suppose in your previous example, a Tiagra derailleur will last, most likely as long as a DA. If you can't tell the difference when you inspect it, maybe you should have been going for a Tiagra one in the first place.

I say this as someone who wouldn't have. Once it covers the gears and lasts 9 times out of 10, I would be happy with it.

I wouldn't be happy that I paid the premium, much like I don't mind horse steaks but if I pay a couple of euro a lb I expect beef.

Have you seen any examples of this on adverts or donedeal. I would expect dodgy gear, stolen etc. but making up knock offs to sell at a price cheaper than they could get would seem to defeat the purpose, maybe even making it redundant.

Also shimano parts normally have part no. stamps to identify them that you cannot peel off, so if you are concerned you can google those before inspection.

The parts will be genuine, it's whether or not they are stolen is the problem.
Generally if someone is happy to meet me at their house I am happy to buy from them.
The lads wanting to meet at a random corner somewhere... you might have a suspicion...

CramCycle

Peterx wrote: »

The parts will be genuine, it's whether or not they are stolen is the problem.
Generally if someone is happy to meet me at their house I am happy to buy from them.
The lads wanting to meet at a random corner somewhere... you might have a suspicion...

I was specifically referring to outfoxs post where he was talking about rebadging parts.

i have no doubt adverts and DD are a mecca for stolen goods, other than reporting it to the site and the gardai, not much more can be done. Adverts are quite good at cleaning it up, DD seem to ignore reports as far as I can tell.

Eamonnator

CramCycle wrote: »

I was specifically referring to outfoxs post where he was talking about rebadging parts.

i have no doubt adverts and DD are a mecca for stolen goods, other than reporting it to the site and the gardai, not much more can be done. Adverts are quite good at cleaning it up, DD seem to ignore reports as far as I can tell.

I have reported posts to Donedeal on at least three occasions. In each case the post was removed within an hour.

CramCycle

Eamonnator wrote: »

I have reported posts to Donedeal on at least three occasions. In each case the post was removed within an hour.

I have as well but they remained up and I never received any response. Maybe just the wrong person got it, or they have gotten better. It is a pity there was not more funding for a Garda unit to look at this sort of thing (I understand priorities and funding), but it would have to be quite a few easy wins I imagine for the team if one was set up.

DD and adverts would ahve IP addresses for sign ups and posters, a request for the info and cooperation from telecoms would mean some quick hits, worth it if Judges start handing out proper punishments.

JBokeh

I buy and sell a fair bit of bike stuff on DD (mainly buy, my house is starting to get a bit full though) And i've only ever encountered people selling knock offs a few times, what is more often the case is there are knock off parts on a bike, rather than the knock off parts alone. Viewed a bike off a fella that had obviously fake Ritchey carbon bars and seat post, but I pointed it out to him and he admitted to buying them from the orient.


Any time I've sold new stuff in boxes it is because I impulse bought it and didn't actually have a need for it. Stick it up for a juicy enough price that it will sell quickly, and not get eejits ringing me haggling

outfox

JBokeh wrote: »

and he admitted to buying them from the orient.

I guess this is what I'm most worried about. Knock-off parts from China.

Kaisr Sose

outfox wrote: »

I guess this is what I'm most worried about. Knock-off parts from China.

If that's your fear, then buying second hand or from non retail sources is not for you!