Fake TCR framesets?

SCR Pedro

Hey. What are the chances that these frames are not fakes? They look good, but I'm very suspicious of them, particularly as they are so cheap.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2014-GIANT-TC ... 3ce22edfa4

meagain

Hmmmm. With "private sales" not even possible to make any relevant judgement based on Feedback.

LOOKS lovely though!

diamonddog

Chinese copies, possibly no back up if it's faulty. I wouldn't touch it.

alex222

as per the old saying, if it seems too good to be true it probably is

trailflow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSUKM3bvcyk

In this video if you skip to 4:28 you can see a similar frame being built. The decals are slightly different colours if you compare. But it does show they do actually make frames like that.

If in doubt , contact Giant. See what they say.

SCR Pedro

trailflow wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSUKM3bvcyk
If in doubt , contact Giant. See what they say.

I might just do that. The colours of the decals are definitely different. In the Ebay pictures, they look more like orange, whereas in the Giant video, they are red. There is also an absence of the Rabobank logo.

as per the old saying, if it seems too good to be true it probably is

I reckon so!

SCR Pedro

I've written to Giant. I'll report back on what they say when they reply.

IrishMac

Looks like an Irish National Champion's bike!
Although I'd be fairly sure in saying that there's not been an Irish Nat Champ riding with a team that rides Giant lately, there would have been David McCann in the noughties but no one since as far as I know

smoggysteve

Considering the seller has rip off Oakleys amongst his other items on sale I would suggest fake.

meagain

Fake or dubiously sourced/illegally branded are two different things. I've known UK manufactured frames that came out of the back door, but were not fakes.

neeb

SCR Pedro wrote:

trailflow wrote:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSUKM3bvcyk
If in doubt , contact Giant. See what they say.

I might just do that. The colours of the decals are definitely different. In the Ebay pictures, they look more like orange, whereas in the Giant video, they are red. There is also an absence of the Rabobank logo.

There are numerous minor differences in the logos between the ebay frame and the one in that video, about the only thing they have in common is that they are white and have the Giant logo on the down tube with two stripes either side (although even those stripes are a different colour and in reversed order!).

So I think the clue is that Giant don't actually make a frame with those logos.. And it certainly isn't in their 2014 range.

Also - the ebay ad says the frame is made from T600 carbon - I think that's fairly low modulus, you usually see T700 and T800 advertised.

Almost certainly an inferior knock-off.

adamfo

http://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?Sea ... iative_id=

SCR Pedro

Giant have told me that they might be authentic, but in the case that they are, then they are most likely eastern market models. In any case, there would be no warranty with Giant, which goes without saying.

On the subject of the carbon modulus, this is from Giant's own website

T-600 raw carbon fiber is used to create the composite material used for these lightweight, stiff and compliant framesets. Blending performance and value, this technology features modified monocoque construction.

They may therefore be real, but backdoor models. I'm not sure if I am prepared to drop 500 euros on the off-chance that they're real, but it's oddly tempting. Would it in all reality be any better or worse than one of the mainstream F&F (£4-500) retailers located in Britain?

foggymike

Who knows - that's the risk you'd be taking. Rather you than me...

drlodge

Condition: New in Giant Original Box

So its just the box that is original GIANT then.

SCR Pedro

It's probably too much of a risk, given that I couldn't really afford the 500 euro write-off, if and when the forks shear off at 50kph and land me in the hospital for months.

Instead, I am going to go out and ride my authentic, but older Giant

adamfo

...

adamfo

SCR Pedro wrote:

Giant have told me that they might be authentic,

I'm surprised they said that. Some of the vendors selling them on the Chinese websites are also selling fake Pinarello frames :!:
BTW. Fake Salomon Speedcross running shoes also come with fake boxes and tags, means nothing.