Bytager the publication "Thigh-highs for €19: when a good deal becomes toxic"
Imagine: you've just received these cycling shorts Pro Team Brand new, 92% off the official Castelli model. You're thrilled. Except it's not a bargain. It's a chemically dangerous counterfeit who will spend four hours glued to your private parts on every bike ride. Welcome to the The Wild West of Chinese e-commercewhere counterfeit and low-cost aren't just a matter of logos: it's a wide-open door to the massive importation of toxic products that should never have crossed European borders. And these cheap products, direct cousins of the fast-fashionMany cyclists love them.
By Guillaume Judas – Photo: DR
You've just received your bib shorts for €19,90. They look exactly like the Q36.5 Dottore Clima (€290) or the Assos Tudor Pro Replica (€275). You think to yourself: "I screwed up the system." In reality, it's the system that's screwing you over: 69% of the products testProducts on Shein and Temu are dangerous to healthI'm not the one saying this, it's UFC-Que Choisir, which has analyzed it. 160 products by October 2025.
For clothing, the German consumer advocacy magazine Öko-Test focused particularly on products sold by Shein, and found heavy metals and chemicals hazardous to the environment. in two-thirds of cases.
As for AliExpress, the cyclists' favorite platform – which swears it sells " of the same quality as the originals or direct from the factory without intermediaries "(sic) – she is under threat of"a heavy fine of European Commission to get " breaches its obligation to assess and mitigate the risks associated with the distribution of illegal products ».
AliExpress also seems to suffer from the same problems as Temu, as shown by an investigation by the Korean authorities on toxic substances found in children's clothing.
So, still want to “fuck the system”?
The standards in question
When you buy a genuine Castelli or Rapha jersey, you are also – and above all – paying for respect for the REACH standardsNo phthalates, no carcinogenic aromatic amines, no heavy metals in the dyes, no nonylphenol ethoxylate. On AliExpress, many sellers offer more or less perfect copies that circumvent all these rules. How? By declaring their packages as free samples ou bicycle spare parts at customs. Result: no systematic checks, no traceability.
And what about the famous SGS certificates ou REACH compliant proudly displayed on product pages? Most are blatant fakes. Seriously, do you think a shady manufacturer who's already producing counterfeit goods wouldn't also... Photoshop A fake PDF? Come on…
What remains on these platforms are genuine products—and therefore more legal, since they come directly from Chinese factories and brands unknown here. There's obviously less risk than buying a fake Castelli. But even a suspiciously low price should raise a red flag. Shein and Temu aren't known for selling counterfeit goods, but that doesn't stop them from... not complying with the standards.
Do you really want to gamble with your health?
Health risks
The scandal doesn't end there. A jersey, socks, shoes that don't meet the standards… okay, we see what happens. What Shein or Temu customer hasn't seen a T-shirt shrink in the first wash or bleed its color onto their neck? But things get much more serious with the cycling helmets and glassesThere, it's a direct security issueThere's no guarantee that your €10 Oakley knock-offs will actually protect you from UV rays. And in case of a fall, the lenses won't be unbreakable. If you then want to wear Captain Hook's eye patch, that's your choice.
And to get back to your famous cycling shorts: you should know that the The skin of the perineum absorbs up to ten times more substances than that of the arm. You pedal, you sweat, you open the door wide to endocrine disruptors if they are present in your counterfeit cycling shorts.
So yes, you'll pay €250 for a pair of Assos or Rapha cycling shorts. Or maybe €70 for a pair of Van Rysel shorts, probably also made in China, but complies with European standardsAnd you won't play the game anymore. chemical Russian roulette with your testicules. Because the prostate cancerHe, however, does not offer an 85% discount.
Want to ride safely? Pay the price or switch to organic cotton. But stop taking your body for the Shenzhen chemical landfill.
