Bytager the publication "AliExpress and the bicycle: a identikit portrait of a buyer between good deals and risks of counterfeiting"
We could also have titled: “ When low-cost disrupts habits ". And yes, it is enough to mention AliExpress in a discussion among cyclists to spark debate. For some, the Chinese platform has become a bargain hunting ground; for others, it remains synonymous with counterfeiting, risky purchases, and disillusionment. But who are these buyers really taking the plunge? And what drives them to order their cycling equipment from the other side of the world?
By Jeff Tatard – Photos: DR
The rational… and pragmatic cyclist
Carlos makes no secret of it: " 90% of my bike purchases go through AliExpress " Frames, wheels, peripherals... he has already bought five or six frames, all received without any unpleasant surprises. His calculation is simple: " For the price of one brand-name frame, I have six on Ali. At worst, they're consumables. »
A logic of pragmatics : the typical AliExpress buyer is not necessarily looking for prestige, but for functionality at the best price.
The informed consumer, who accepts the risk
Sébastien adds: “ You should not think of reselling them.. » It is indeed impossible to go through Leboncoin, where advertisements for non-certified products are often blocked due to suspicion of counterfeiting. The AliExpress buyer therefore assumes that his equipment has little resale value. : he buys for himself, not for the secondary market.
Gray areas: when counterfeiting enters the picture
Denis illustrates the other side of the coin well. : the only time he was disappointed was with a drive chain. Blue and gray Shimano packaging very close to the original version, but beyond the fact that there was no famous lubricant taking the new chain out of its box, it was mainly that after a few outings the chain had loosened. Clearly not the same quality. »
The same goes for clothing. : approximate sizes, finishes vary. Here, the typical buyer knows that he is playing with the limit of counterfeiting – and he picks his battles. Chains and textiles: risky. Frames, wheels, generic accessories: often a good deal.
Savings, the main driving force
Fred sums up the clincher: “ We save a lot of money. » Even though prices have increased in recent years, and shipping costs have become heavier, the equation remainstagher. Especially since logistics have improved: delivery sometimes in five days, thanks to European stocks. Max testifies to this with his wheels, which arrived in less than a week, in perfect condition.
The buyer influenced by reviews
The identikit portrait would not be complete without one essential feature: addiction to online reviews. Like Yann, who orders (fake) Oakley glasses. between 15 and 25 € ", with only one disappointment in five purchases. I always look at the reviews and photos posted. »
The AliExpress buyer therefore wants to be community-based : it is based on the experience of other consumers, which partially compensates for the lack of an official guarantee.
The purist versus the copycat
But there are also diehards like Dany, an Oakley fan who can spot a fake from a simple photo.. For him, there is no question of compromising: he prefers to pay the full price for an authentic pair. Because, he recalls, " If there are no more authentic ones, there will be no more counterfeits either. "A salutary reminder: behind every copy there is a brand that invests in research, development and innovation.
The ethical and economic dilemma
Because that's where the problem lies: These purchases indirectly weaken the ecosystem that drives progress in cycling equipment.Major brands spend heavily on R&D, sponsorship, and specialized distribution. Buying a generic frame at a low price means benefiting from technological advances without paying the costs.
AliExpress Buyer Profile
- Pragmatic : he looks for the best value for money, not the label.
- Selective : he knows which products to avoid (chains, textiles) and which to focus on (frames, wheels, accessories).
- Influence : he scrupulously reads reviews, tracks photos, compares experiences.
- Aware : he knows that he is sometimes dealing with counterfeit goods and assumes that his purchase has no resale value.
- Rational but opportunistic : he takes advantage of good deals, while accepting the risk of unpleasant surprises.
Conclusion: between temptation and responsibility
AliExpress reflects a very contemporary contradiction: the desire to democratize access to high-performance equipment, and at the same time the weakening of the players who really innovate.The AliExpress buyer is like the modern cyclist: passionate, informed, but also torn between his passion and his wallet.
The question is not only whether " Is it worth it » to buy on AliExpress, but also what price – in the broad sense – we are willing to pay for cycling innovation to continue to exist.
It's also forgetting that the offer there is much wider than what you can find in stores, particularly for parts for children's/teenager's bikes or to have a range of sizes that you can't find with the brands.
I would like to make two comments:
– the price of equipment, especially when looking for a little more than the entry-level range, unfortunately pushes innovative companies to look to the Chinese. I don't know if this cost is justified, but it is, in fact, becoming a penalizing factor for these companies;
– is it voluntary to offer in the same week (day) an article on low-cost TPU chambers?
Hello,
The article on TPU chambers was published before (the day before), and when we saw the few, sometimes knee-jerk reactions it provoked (on Facebook for example), we decided to go a little further and try to understand why some people chose to equip themselves on AliExpress.