Ebay fake fulcrum wheels?

[User6179]

Was going to bid on this as I have a FR5 front and need a new rear but it is not like any Fulcrum Racing 5 wheel that I have seen .
Is it a fake?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Fulcr...eed-Cassette-Fit-/350920215331#ht_3652wt_1255

 

[Dusty Bin]

It's probably an OEM wheel, rather than one supplied in a retail wheel set, so the graphics may be different. Wheelies is a good, reputable business, so unlikely to be flogging anything dodgy.

 

[Rob3rt]

Looks like one of their hubs, one large flange and slotted freehub grooves, but the spokes (silver) and decals do not look like the normal style. As Dusty said, could be an OEM component. It does say it has come off of a brand new bike, i.e. it is a wheel taken from an OTP bike, not a retail wheelset.

 

[User6179]

It has j-bend spokes in the pic , FR5 is straight pull .

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I know nothing about the wheels, but I would be surprised if an ebayer with over 105K feedback would knowingly see fake goods.

Alan...

 

[Koga]

Looks like one of their hubs, one large flange and slotted freehub grooves, but the spokes (silver) and decals do not look like the normal style. As Dusty said, could be an OEM component. It does say it has come off of a brand new bike, i.e. it is a wheel taken from an OTP bike, not a retail wheelset.

I agree, spokes on my Fulcrum Racing 5 are aero / flat and black (other then the valve balancing one).

 

[Dusty Bin]

It has j-bend spokes in the pic , FR5 is straight pull .

Even so, it can still be a Fulcrum wheel. Bike factories buy many thousands of wheelsets every year from the likes of Fulcrum, Easton and others, for use on OEM bikes - and when you are buying wheelsets in that quantity, you can specify pretty much anything you like, from the graphics, to the spokes..

 

[e-rider]

Wheelies are a well known bike shop - I doubt they would be selling fake kit. It has come from a new bike so it's probably OEM. Maybe the bike manufacturer bought a load of fake wheelsets on the cheap? Usually though the fakers do tend to try and match the appearance and the decals on these are completely different.
There is an easy solution to this - don't buy that wheel!!! It's up for auction anyway so it'll sell for £10 more than the RRP anyway!!!

 

[Dusty Bin]

There is an easy solution to this - don't buy that wheel!!!

Definitely don't buy it. It's on my watch list now, cos I need a spare rear. It's ok if I buy it, but nobody else should...

 

[User6179]

Wheelies are a well known bike shop - I doubt they would be selling fake kit. It has come from a new bike so it's probably OEM. Maybe the bike manufacturer bought a load of fake wheelsets on the cheap? Usually though the fakers do tend to try and match the appearance and the decals on these are completely different.
There is an easy solution to this - don't buy that wheel!!! It's up for auction anyway so it'll sell for £10 more than the RRP anyway!!!

Yes they do have a good reputation , will not be buying it but I think they should list it as not a real FR5 , I think it is actually a Fulcrum racing 7.

 

[User6179]

Definitely don't buy it. It's on my watch list now, cos I need a spare rear. It's ok if I buy it, but nobody else should...

Good luck , I bid on a Fulcrum 5 rim and it sold for £46 (2nd hand), the seller had a pic of the full wheel and I think bidders may of thought it was wheel, not just a rim .

 

[And]

Just a thought - while the seller says “Has Come off a brand new Bike” it doesn't say how old the bike was - maybe it's been taken off an old (NOS) bike?

 

[Koga]

Good luck , I bid on a Fulcrum 5 rim and it sold for £46 (2nd hand), the seller had a pic of the full wheel and I think bidders may of thought it was wheel, not just a rim .

I saw that one, I asked him if they where Shimano or Campy but he never responded and I forgot the deadline.... never mind, I think I safe up for new wheels as to me the second hand ones appear expensive for the potential risks of buying "unseen".

 

[e-rider]

I saw that one, I asked him if they where Shimano or Campy but he never responded and I forgot the deadline.... never mind, I think I safe up for new wheels as to me the second hand ones appear expensive for the potential risks of buying "unseen".

buying secondhand wheels on ebay is very risky - I'd save a bit more and buy new - you'll get a warranty then too as well. I'd say that everything I've bought secondhand on ebay, pretty much without exception, and been disappointing and not described accurately. Some people don't seem to care and love buying old shoot, but I now only buy new items from known shops on ebay. Often a shops ebay price is lower than if you go direct to that shop.

 

[Banjo]

It's probably an OEM wheel, rather than one supplied in a retail wheel set, so the graphics may be different. Wheelies is a good, reputable business, so unlikely to be flogging anything dodgy.

I believe "Wheelies" is in fact the ebay name used by "Tredz" in my experience of buying 2 new bikes and countless bits and pieces from Tredz I have found them completely honest traders so I doubt very much they would be dealing in fake components.