The weights of the two framesets — frame, fork, headset, seatpost, and seatpost collar — were comparable. The SL4 weighed in at 1,460 grams, while the counterfeit weighed in at 1,570 grams.
The genuine SL4 uses carbon cups integrated into the frame’s head tube, while the counterfeit uses alloy cups bonded into the frame.
The results showed the counterfeit to be over 11 percent less stiff than the SL4.
I believed they were using the same molds,” Parsons said of the counterfeit frame he purchased. “There is no scenario [where] I could recommend a knockoff frame to anyone. They’re terrifying. At minimum, it will result in a terrible crash.”
To me, this article is a no-brainer. If you're buying a counterfeit frame, you're buying it because it looks like something specific. What remain to be tested are the real open-mold frames, compared to some other known-good brand name bikes. But it is a stretch to go from "the frame is 11% less stiff" to "At a minimum, it will result in a terrible crash". That strikes me as just fear-mongering. I don't think anyone expects a true Specialized S-Works to come from alibaba, but I think it is reasonable these days to find some safe, well-engineered bikes out there.