Fake Look Keo Blade 2 Proteam pedals?

Back by popular demand, the general all-things Road forum!

Moderator: robbosmans

Post Reply
User avatar
Starter
Posts: 997
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:28 am

by Starter

Is this a thing? Anyone seen any either in the flesh or suspected a picture online? I ask because as I've been looking for the best price on a pair, and a few search results look odd. I know the Proteams are supposed to look like this:

Image

However a Google search also turned up these two variations...

Image

Image

Of those two, I'm fairly certain the first one is a fake. It was captured off a shopping site that appeared to be Middle eastern. While I can believe that Look makes subtle changes to their product graphics from market to market, I can't believe they'd just delete the yellow from the Mondrian color bar.

The second one was advertised as a special 30 year anniversary edition, and it looks more convincing to me. That said, it's being sold in a box that features a picture of the standard Proteam edition pedals on the front... And an extensive Google search turned up zero results for any kind of anniversary edition. You'd think that even if they were exceedingly rare, some cycling blogger would have posted something about them, if they existed.

So what's the deal? Fake Proteam editions? Or odd market variations?
Oof.

latman
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 12:44 pm

by latman

all look genuine to me

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



bombertodd
Posts: 443
Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2013 6:23 am
Contact:

by bombertodd

The both look real to me. The top pick looks like it's washed out with some filter. The yellow is there just washed out.

http://www.glorycycles.com/lokeobl2prot.html

User avatar
Starter
Posts: 997
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:28 am

by Starter

latman wrote:all look genuine to me

bombertodd wrote:The both look real to me. The top pick looks like it's washed out with some filter. The yellow is there just washed out.

http://www.glorycycles.com/lokeobl2prot.html


So assuming the top is legit, just a washed-out image (although I'd say more like overly color-corrected, as washing out should make the blue and gray bars lighter, and they appear darker than the true Look logo shades)...

What makes you guys say the second one is legit? It's obviously different, and while it does look convincing, zero results have turned up in multiple Google, Yahoo! and Bing searches concerning any type of special anniversary edition Keo Blade 2 pedal... I used every keyword I could think of, and nothing. The only results are the auction I pulled the image from, or this thread. Again, even if Look only made them in extremely limited numbers, there would be some sort of presence on the web- a press release, a blog, something... Did I just somehow miss it? Anyone have any info on this?

Lastly, why would they be sold in a standard Proteam box, with a picture of the standard Proteam pedal on the front? Seems like a special 30'th anniversary edition pedal would have special packaging...
Oof.

clarkson
Posts: 190
Joined: Sat May 07, 2011 12:23 am

by clarkson

Best way to know it's legit is to purchase from an authorized retailer. It's also the only way to ensure a valid warranty...

User avatar
Fixie82
Posts: 348
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:45 am

by Fixie82

I like testing out my google skills - came up with nothing.

I am curious if these might have been done by a fan of Look? It would be fairly easy to produce a similar paint job or stickers and engrave the pedal body, maybe they are looking for a premium when selling, hence being provided in a standard box with no mention of special editions anywhere on the web.

Although not impossible, I doubt they would be fake mostly as I have not seen any Look Keo Blades being sold in the usual counterfeit providing online sellers. Certainly not in the quantity of the likes of 3T, FSA, Bontrager etc, as well as the general lack of counterfeit pedals in general.

Maybe an email to Look themselves will help solve the mystery.

premton
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2014 6:22 am

by premton

Real. The New Keo. Rock solid pedal, hope the same with this version.

User avatar
Starter
Posts: 997
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:28 am

by Starter

Fixie82 wrote:I like testing out my google skills - came up with nothing.

I am curious if these might have been done by a fan of Look? It would be fairly easy to produce a similar paint job or stickers and engrave the pedal body, maybe they are looking for a premium when selling, hence being provided in a standard box with no mention of special editions anywhere on the web.

Although not impossible, I doubt they would be fake mostly as I have not seen any Look Keo Blades being sold in the usual counterfeit providing online sellers. Certainly not in the quantity of the likes of 3T, FSA, Bontrager etc, as well as the general lack of counterfeit pedals in general.

Maybe an email to Look themselves will help solve the mystery.

Good thoughts, I agree. So far an authentic Blade 2 with fan-made "decoration" sounds like the best explanation. I actually called Look USA in San Jose, CA today... Spoke with someone, and while they'd never heard of a special Anniversary Edition, their exact expertise lies elsewhere, so they couldn't definitively say it doesn't exist. I emailed over the image, and it's going to be examined by some other folks there who know all there is to know about past, present, and future pedal models. Guess we'll have an answer soon.
Oof.

shotgun
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:38 pm
Location: Philippines

by shotgun

Starter wrote:
latman wrote:all look genuine to me



Lastly, why would they be sold in a standard Proteam box, with a picture of the standard Proteam pedal on the front? Seems like a special 30'th anniversary edition pedal would have special packaging...


https://flic.kr/p/nEavh9
2018 Giant TCR Advance SL0 Disc
2017 Festka Scalatore
1989 Battaglin Roche
1985 Alan Carbonio

User avatar
Starter
Posts: 997
Joined: Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:28 am

by Starter

Just got off the phone with Look... Here's the skinny:

The third image is indeed genuine. A very limited number of the 30th Anniversary Edition pedals were handed out to some members of an industry-only crowd during the launch of the 795 frame in Paris this year. They are essentially a standard Blade 2 Carbon Ti with a specially painted blade and engravings... They were packaged in a standard Proteam box, no specially printed box was produced. According to the gentleman at Look I spoke with (who was at the event) the blade is painted, but not clear-coated, so these are probably prone to chipping if used. Additionally, as each set was specially prepared, any kind of warranty repair would involve parts from the standard Blade 2 carbon ti parts bin.

Still, very cool!
Oof.

project3
Posts: 209
Joined: Tue Jul 14, 2009 2:18 am

by project3

they are selling at malaysia LBS authorized LOOK shop.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
Fixie82
Posts: 348
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:45 am

by Fixie82

That's a pretty cool story for the pedals. Not sure if I would want to use them, seems like a nice little collectors item especially as they seem so rare.

Glad no one is trying to see fake pedals [emoji106]

Post Reply