Famous AliExpress parts!

[maxim809]

Heh, BenCousins and Kubackjeee: That's enough, you're good. We're all here cuz we're obsessed with bikes, and you've both had good contributions. I don't want to lose anyone from this community. I admit the initial back-and-forth between you two started off lighthearted and funny like a weighttraining "do you even lift bro?" forum response, but there is no good end-game if we take this too seriously. Knock it off for a bit.

[SixThirteen]

I agree. It's not counterfeit just because it's on AliExpress.

There's also "3rd shift" items, so they are neither copies or counterfeit, they are more like "unauthorised"

Has there ever been an actual confirmation that this is a real thing? Or are these just like an urban lengend? These are likely seconds not intended for resale.

However, IF something is violating a brand trademark / copyright or is trying to pose as another brand, its pretty clearly a counterfeit

https://www.brown.edu/Departments/Engin ... tune06.htm

[BenCousins]

Ok so you are just using them for one hour spins around the neighborhood.

3h no problem. Do you even do rides that long mate? you worry so much and make funny statements about items you never even tested

You said you use your expensive stuff for longer rides. Is that only over 3 hours? How often do you do them? Why not just ride your expensive stuff?

I'm at 15 hours/400km+ a week in these clothes so I can't cut corners.

Maybe you should consider better recovery because your nervous system is definitely overloaded and you just being salty and butthurt on the forum. I see you on many threads with those low quality salty comments and you just keep taking L's all the time. Log off, recover and get some proper training, maybe you'll be able to win some of your Sunday coffee rides to up your self esteem, which has to be really low with all the toxicity you bring here. Because for now you just keep making fool outta yourself and I can only consider you a troll with those salty posts about subjects you have no clue about.

If you wanna discuss anything you need to have some experience with specific subject and you just showing time by time you got none. Calling products you never tried cheap and low quality is just pure ignorance and doesn't put you in a good light. Sorry for the hard truth but it is what it is. Keep on trying champ maybe you'll one day achieve whatever you tryin to achieve lol.

Concentrate on the content, not on the person.

Again, why would you not wear your expensive clothes all the time? Can you explain? It makes no sense to me to buy cheap for these items, socks and base layers included.

[Lina]

Maybe you should consider better recovery because your nervous system is definitely overloaded and you just being salty and butthurt on the forum. I see you on many threads with those low quality salty comments and you just keep taking L's all the time. Log off, recover and get some proper training, maybe you'll be able to win some of your Sunday coffee rides to up your self esteem, which has to be really low with all the toxicity you bring here. Because for now you just keep making fool outta yourself and I can only consider you a troll with those salty posts about subjects you have no clue about.

If you wanna discuss anything you need to have some experience with specific subject and you just showing time by time you got none. Calling products you never tried cheap and low quality is just pure ignorance and doesn't put you in a good light. Sorry for the hard truth but it is what it is. Keep on trying champ maybe you'll one day achieve whatever you tryin to achieve lol.

lmao

[Lina]

3h no problem. Do you even do rides that long mate? you worry so much and make funny statements about items you never even tested

You said you use your expensive stuff for longer rides. Is that only over 3 hours? How often do you do them? Why not just ride your expensive stuff?

I'm at 15 hours/400km+ a week in these clothes so I can't cut corners.

Maybe you should consider better recovery because your nervous system is definitely overloaded and you just being salty and butthurt on the forum. I see you on many threads with those low quality salty comments and you just keep taking L's all the time. Log off, recover and get some proper training, maybe you'll be able to win some of your Sunday coffee rides to up your self esteem, which has to be really low with all the toxicity you bring here. Because for now you just keep making fool outta yourself and I can only consider you a troll with those salty posts about subjects you have no clue about.

If you wanna discuss anything you need to have some experience with specific subject and you just showing time by time you got none. Calling products you never tried cheap and low quality is just pure ignorance and doesn't put you in a good light. Sorry for the hard truth but it is what it is. Keep on trying champ maybe you'll one day achieve whatever you tryin to achieve lol.

Concentrate on the content, not on the person.

Again, why would you not wear your expensive clothes all the time? Can you explain? It makes no sense to me to buy cheap for these items, socks and base layers included.

Let's turn that the other way round. Why would I pay for the brand on stuff like socks and base layers? Unless we're talking aero stuff.

[BenCousins]

You said you use your expensive stuff for longer rides. Is that only over 3 hours? How often do you do them? Why not just ride your expensive stuff?

I'm at 15 hours/400km+ a week in these clothes so I can't cut corners.

Maybe you should consider better recovery because your nervous system is definitely overloaded and you just being salty and butthurt on the forum. I see you on many threads with those low quality salty comments and you just keep taking L's all the time. Log off, recover and get some proper training, maybe you'll be able to win some of your Sunday coffee rides to up your self esteem, which has to be really low with all the toxicity you bring here. Because for now you just keep making fool outta yourself and I can only consider you a troll with those salty posts about subjects you have no clue about.

If you wanna discuss anything you need to have some experience with specific subject and you just showing time by time you got none. Calling products you never tried cheap and low quality is just pure ignorance and doesn't put you in a good light. Sorry for the hard truth but it is what it is. Keep on trying champ maybe you'll one day achieve whatever you tryin to achieve lol.

Concentrate on the content, not on the person.

Again, why would you not wear your expensive clothes all the time? Can you explain? It makes no sense to me to buy cheap for these items, socks and base layers included.

Let's turn that the other way round. Why would I pay for the brand on stuff like socks and base layers? Unless we're talking aero stuff.

It's never about paying for the brand. I'm never interested in that (otherwise I'd be riding PNS like all the fashion victims). I buy quality bases and socks because:

1. They last, cheap socks and base layers are a false economy. I have a high-quality windproof base layer from 2005 that is still good. I have some Assos socks from 2014 that are still very good.

2. Fit and materials. Good quality socks often use different density of weave in different parts of the sock, so you have lighter weave on the top and more strength on the heel and toes. So the sock can be lighter and cooler while being strong. Same with base layers - good quality bases fit better (less creases) and the material tends to be a better combination of weight and warmth/windproof

In general, why would you cut corners on the thing that 1. Touches your skin 2. Keeps you warm 3. Is one of the three contact points on the bike?

The other dude was also talking about cutting corners on gloves. I don't wear gloves anymore, but that feels insane to me. Hand comfort and crash protection you shouldn't go low quality on.

[LanceLegstrong]

3h no problem. Do you even do rides that long mate? you worry so much and make funny statements about items you never even tested

You said you use your expensive stuff for longer rides. Is that only over 3 hours? How often do you do them? Why not just ride your expensive stuff?

I'm at 15 hours/400km+ a week in these clothes so I can't cut corners.

Maybe you should consider better recovery because your nervous system is definitely overloaded and you just being salty and butthurt on the forum. I see you on many threads with those low quality salty comments and you just keep taking L's all the time. Log off, recover and get some proper training, maybe you'll be able to win some of your Sunday coffee rides to up your self esteem, which has to be really low with all the toxicity you bring here. Because for now you just keep making fool outta yourself and I can only consider you a troll with those salty posts about subjects you have no clue about.

If you wanna discuss anything you need to have some experience with specific subject and you just showing time by time you got none. Calling products you never tried cheap and low quality is just pure ignorance and doesn't put you in a good light. Sorry for the hard truth but it is what it is. Keep on trying champ maybe you'll one day achieve whatever you tryin to achieve lol.

why would you not wear your expensive clothes all the time?

Because the cheap stuff is just as comfortable it just looks bad. It's like wearing a nice suit when my only plans are sitting on the couch to watch TV. If I'm just doing a trainer ride, the $20 bibs are just as comfortable, so why put more wear on my nice bibs? For outdoor rides where I care what I look like, sure I'll wear the nicer stuff.

For socks, I have a few pairs of $4 aero socks that you legitimately can't tell the difference between them and $40 aero socks from name brands. The quality is the same. So why spend 10x as much? Winter base layers I'll give you because I haven't found any cheap wool that is actually quality stuff but there are a ton of cheap stuff on AliEx that's good quality.

[Lina]

Maybe you should consider better recovery because your nervous system is definitely overloaded and you just being salty and butthurt on the forum. I see you on many threads with those low quality salty comments and you just keep taking L's all the time. Log off, recover and get some proper training, maybe you'll be able to win some of your Sunday coffee rides to up your self esteem, which has to be really low with all the toxicity you bring here. Because for now you just keep making fool outta yourself and I can only consider you a troll with those salty posts about subjects you have no clue about.

If you wanna discuss anything you need to have some experience with specific subject and you just showing time by time you got none. Calling products you never tried cheap and low quality is just pure ignorance and doesn't put you in a good light. Sorry for the hard truth but it is what it is. Keep on trying champ maybe you'll one day achieve whatever you tryin to achieve lol.

Concentrate on the content, not on the person.

Again, why would you not wear your expensive clothes all the time? Can you explain? It makes no sense to me to buy cheap for these items, socks and base layers included.

Let's turn that the other way round. Why would I pay for the brand on stuff like socks and base layers? Unless we're talking aero stuff.

It's never about paying for the brand. I'm never interested in that (otherwise I'd be riding PNS like all the fashion victims). I buy quality bases and socks because:

1. They last, cheap socks and base layers are a false economy. I have a high-quality windproof base layer from 2005 that is still good. I have some Assos socks from 2014 that are still very good.

2. Fit and materials. Good quality socks often use different density of weave in different parts of the sock, so you have lighter weave on the top and more strength on the heel and toes. So the sock can be lighter and cooler while being strong. Same with base layers - good quality bases fit better (less creases) and the material tends to be a better combination of weight and warmth/windproof

In general, why would you cut corners on the thing that 1. Touches your skin 2. Keeps you warm 3. Is one of the three contact points on the bike?

The other dude was also talking about cutting corners on gloves. I don't wear gloves anymore, but that feels insane to me. Hand comfort and crash protection you shouldn't go low quality on.

You're acting as if everything coming out of AliExpress is garbage. I have close to 20 year old base layers that were just the cheapest 100% wool ones I could find. Also there's literally no benefit on windproof base layers. In fact they're probably worse than the cheapest Ali baselayer you can find. Windproofind always has an impact on breathability and moisture transfer. The wind- and rainproofing is supposed to be on the top layer you're wearing. Price also has nothing to do with how a garment happens to fit to you.

[BenCousins]

Because the cheap stuff is just as comfortable it just looks bad. It's like wearing a nice suit when my only plans are sitting on the couch to watch TV.

The clothes you wear at home - are they from aliexpress?

[BenCousins]

You're acting as if everything coming out of AliExpress is garbage. I have close to 20 year old base layers that were just the cheapest 100% wool ones I could find.

I wouldn't describe a wool base layer as low quality.

The wind- and rainproofing is supposed to be on the top layer you're wearing.

If I'm racing, and the windprooofing is going to be on all day. It's going under the racesuit, not flapping around as a gillet which also prevents me from getting to my nutrition quickly.

Price also has nothing to do with how a garment happens to fit to you.

I think you are mixing up 'correct size' with 'good fit'. To use your suit analogy, it's easy to find a suit that is the correct size, but you probably need to go bespoke to get the right 'fit'.

[Lina]

You're acting as if everything coming out of AliExpress is garbage. I have close to 20 year old base layers that were just the cheapest 100% wool ones I could find.

I wouldn't describe a wool base layer as low quality.

The wind- and rainproofing is supposed to be on the top layer you're wearing.

If I'm racing, and the windprooofing is going to be on all day. It's going under the racesuit, not flapping around as a gillet which also prevents me from getting to my nutrition quickly.

Price also has nothing to do with how a garment happens to fit to you.

I think you are mixing up 'correct size' with 'good fit'. To use your suit analogy, it's easy to find a suit that is the correct size, but you probably need to go bespoke to get the right 'fit'.

I at no point said it was low quality, it was the cheapest 100% wool I could find. And paying 2x for a name brand wool base layer doesn't magically make it higher quality.

I prefer a tight fitting gilet that won't flap around and which I can throw off at some point. Also any decent gilet has pocket openings

I'm not mixing up correct size and good fit. How much you pay for an off the rack garment has absolutely no impact on how it fits your body. Something much cheaper might have a better cut for your body. Sure, if you go bespoke then you're getting something that's tailored for you. But we weren't talking bespoke cycling clothes here so it's irrelevant. Also in plenty of cases having a sewing machine and being handy can fix fit issues, for both the expensive and cheap clothing.

Also it wasn't me that made the suit analogy but whatever.

[BenCousins]

I at no point said it was low quality, it was the cheapest 100% wool I could find. And paying 2x for a name brand wool base layer doesn't magically make it higher quality.

What's cheaper - wool or polyester?

I prefer a tight fitting gilet that won't flap around and which I can throw off at some point. Also any decent gilet has pocket openings

1. I clearly stated I wear a windproof base layer in situation where I will absolutely not want to remove the windproofing
2. Even the most tight fitting gilet is going to be slower than a tight fitting windproof base layer under the racesuit
3. I understand that many gilets have pocket openings (mine do), but that is still more work than none

How much you pay for an off the rack garment has absolutely no impact on how it fits your body.

Of course there are fashion brands who are overpriced relative to performance (PNS for example), but on average, the 'traditional brands' who make high-performance, wind-tunnel-tested professional clothing are of course going to fit better than a €5 aliexpress (or Decathlon) special. It's pure nonsense to suggest otherwise.

[Lina]

I at no point said it was low quality, it was the cheapest 100% wool I could find. And paying 2x for a name brand wool base layer doesn't magically make it higher quality.

What's cheaper - wool or polyester?

I prefer a tight fitting gilet that won't flap around and which I can throw off at some point. Also any decent gilet has pocket openings

1. I clearly stated I wear a windproof base layer in situation where I will absolutely not want to remove the windproofing
2. Even the most tight fitting gilet is going to be slower than a tight fitting windproof base layer under the racesuit
3. I understand that many gilets have pocket openings (mine do), but that is still more work than none

How much you pay for an off the rack garment has absolutely no impact on how it fits your body.

Of course there are fashion brands who are overpriced relative to performance (PNS for example), but on average, the 'traditional brands' who make high-performance, wind-tunnel-tested professional clothing are of course going to fit better than a €5 aliexpress (or Decathlon) special. It's pure nonsense to suggest otherwise.

Polyester. But I'm not really sure what you're getting at here? Are you saying you can't get high quality garments out of China? It makes no point comparing two completely different products, for example wool and polyester base layers.

And yes, for that very unique use case wind proof base layer might be good. That's extremely niche use case though.

It's not pure nonsense to suggest that clothes don't fit all bodies, it's the reality. It's entirely personal and depends on your dimensions and build. There's absolutely no guarantee that the traditional brand garment will fit you better than a $5 AliExpress special. That all depends on the cut of the garment and your body. Most off the rack clothes don't fit anyone well because the brands are trying to make as few sizes as possible and they need to also fit people that aren't in pro athlete shape. You get a better fitting garment by buying the $5 AliExpress special, taking it to a seamstress and still coming out cheaper than what the traditional brand name garment would cost you. Of course you simply can't get something like $5 wool base layers, it's just not going to happen because the materials cost is more than that. But I have no doubts that you'd be able to find 100% wool baselayers out of AliExpress.

You're better off buying stuff made from quality materials and fixing the fit yourself or paying someone for it. Even with bike stuff. The off the rack roadsuit or jersey isn't going to fit most people ideally.

[BenCousins]

Polyester. But I'm not really sure what you're getting at here? Are you saying you can't get high quality garments out of China? It makes no point comparing two completely different products, for example wool and polyester base layers.

That your cheap base layers lasted because they are a good quality material.

And yes, for that very unique use case wind proof base layer might be good. That's extremely niche use case though.

Indeed, and you even bringing up the subject was a pure attempt at distraction from my point which is that quality lasts and I own things that prove that.

It's not pure nonsense to suggest that clothes don't fit all bodies, it's the reality.

Again, I'm not talking about 'does it fit the body' in a macro sense, I'm talking about fit, cut, tailoring - things like:
1. Does the collar stay in shape, stay tight and not crease up when aero on the bike?
2. Does the zip bunch up on the front when aero on the bike or stay straight?
3. Are the arms shaped and using the correct matierals so that there aren't creases when aero on the bike?

And materials stuff like:

1. Are the gripper sections at the base of the jersey long lasting and sticky enough through multiple washes?
2. Does the material on the back stay in shape with heavy items in the pockets?
3. Is the zip 100% reliable being opened and closed with one hand?
4. Can the item sustain shower washing, towel squeeze drying and other hotel-room type behaviours?

There's absolutely no guarantee that the traditional brand garment will fit you better than a $5 AliExpress special.

No, but on average, it will.

You're better off buying stuff made from quality materials and fixing the fit yourself or paying someone for it.

What aliexpress brands are making bike stuff from 'quality materials'? Even the mid-priced stuff I've seen from quasi European-based brands is made from pure crap compared to say the high end stuff from a traditional brand. Compare say a €70 jersey from Siroko with a €130 Jersey from Castelli. It's 100% a false economy to buy two of the former rather than one of the latter.

[Lina]

That your cheap base layers lasted because they are a good quality material.

Again, I'm not talking about 'does it fit the body' in a macro sense, I'm talking about fit, cut, tailoring - things like:
1. Does the collar stay in shape, stay tight and not crease up when aero on the bike?
2. Does the zip bunch up on the front when aero on the bike or stay straight?
3. Are the arms shaped and using the correct matierals so that there aren't creases when aero on the bike?

And materials stuff like:

1. Are the gripper sections at the base of the jersey long lasting and sticky enough through multiple washes?
2. Does the material on the back stay in shape with heavy items in the pockets?
3. Is the zip 100% reliable being opened and closed with one hand?
4. Can the item sustain shower washing, towel squeeze drying and other hotel-room type behaviours?

There's absolutely no guarantee that the traditional brand garment will fit you better than a $5 AliExpress special.

No, but on average, it will.

Yeah, the entire point was, spend on materials not on brand name.

No, on average it's a toss up. Why do you think there's not one single consensus fastest skinsuit and all the GC and TT guys have bespoke skinsuits? It's because off the rack doesn't fit that well to most people. You need to find something that fits your bodyshape. Or bust out the sewing machine. There's no guarantee that the brand name garment fits you any better than some cheap stuff from AliExpress does. One shoulder and sleeve cut will work for someone, but will be awful for others. One collar model will work for someone but be awful for others. One zip will work for someone but be awful for others. You're not even guaranteed that if one of the above works for you that the others will.

Also I wouldn't take Castelli as an example of high quality stuff. It's pretty much the only jerseys and bibs that I've had to throw away like after a season because they were just so worn. A lot of the cheaper western brands are pretty much just the cheapest AliExpress stuff dropshipped with their own logos.

This discussion is literally straight out of Chinese wheels/frames/seatposts/bars/etc. discussion 5 years ago where you have people with zero experience in the subject saying anything from China will immediately collapse as soon as you get on it. And outside of very few manufacturers they've been the only place to get wide rims and carbon spoked wheels for example.