Made-in-china ENVE?

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dillonko
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Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:26 pm

by dillonko

Hey guys, recently while looking out for parts for a budget semi-ww travel minivelo build, i've spotted some ENVE products.. particularly their seatposts under resellers in AliExpress.
Has anyone tried those or verified their products? (Won't be providing a link here as i'm not sure about the forum etiquette/rules for or against linking..)


About more than a year ago i obtained both an authentic ENVE dropbar and seatpost, two beautiful and well-serving pieces of equipment that i fully trust when going at speed.
I'm not expecting the full ENVE safety, reliability and authenticity from the aliexpress goods, but i do love the shape and aesthetics of their seatpost which their pictures certainly resemble what i have right now. They will probably be recoated in a solid white paint (without any logos) to match the rest of the bike.

Just to emphasize, i'm not out to discredit ENVE nor pretend i have an actual piece.. i just really like their unique curve, clean look of the clamping mech and would be willing to paint the seatpost as a "blank" white replica piece. Safety is of course a concern, hence the need for any available reviews from users here :)


p.s. - I take it that the people in this forum are open to reasonable amounts of risk for the sake of different objectives such as aesthetics/weight. The same reason why i don't ride on a bike with two extra training wheels in the rear if i really wanted to be safe. :D

by Weenie


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wingguy
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by wingguy

replica piece.


It's not a replica, it's a forgery.

beeatnik
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by beeatnik

That said only ENVE rims are made in Utah.

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madcow
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by madcow

beeatnik wrote:That said only ENVE rims are made in Utah.


While that used to be true, that isn't necessarily the case anymore.

Rims are only produced in Utah, none of them are made in Asia. However about a year ago they began making bars, stems, posts etc, in Utah as well as Asia.

eric
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by eric

I'm a big fan of "generic" Chinese CF parts. But I only buy from established sellers, not random alibaba accounts. And the whole idea of buying rip-offs of other company's designs is repugnant. Especially if they're logo'd. Besides being morally wrong it's a bad idea. Those people are not planning on building a brand; they are in for a quick buck. So they're not going to care much about QC or customer service.

There's plenty of original design Chinese parts out there from companies that have a reputation to protect.

beeatnik
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by beeatnik

madcow wrote:
beeatnik wrote:That said only ENVE rims are made in Utah.


While that used to be true, that isn't necessarily the case anymore.

Rims are only produced in Utah, none of them are made in Asia. However about a year ago they began making bars, stems, posts etc, in Utah as well as Asia.


Interesting...

How would one know the difference. MUSA label? Any price differential?

spartan
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by spartan

wtf !!! they manufacture stems in USA and China and charge the same MSRP...how do they ensure identical quality control...
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bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

I too have no problem with chinese sourced parts so long as they do not pretend to be something they are not. It is hard to know though if those ENVE parts are real or not.

I bought a set on bare MTB bars from china. when they turned up they were branded FSA K-force. I immediatley thought fake and rip off but when comparing them to a real set from a distributor they are identical. Either these are a very good copy or the real thing. Impossible to tell but they have not broken yet so I'll keep using them. I think branded products should come throught the distributor chain only that way you know what you are getting.

Chinese factories should establish brands of there own and market them it will make there products more appealing.

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dadoflam08
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by dadoflam08

spartan wrote:wtf !!! they manufacture stems in USA and China and charge the same MSRP...how do they ensure identical quality control...


Exactly! - there may be more hours of workmanship in the Chinese product for the same money but I'm still willing to give the US product a go :D
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bontie
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by bontie

I think the fact that you are asking the question is the answer...

I would not ride anything where I might doubt the integrity with regards to safety

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

As far as what i've heard, Enve (except wheels), 3T and Easton is made in Taiwan (Zipp is probably same). Cost would probably double if they were not!?
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Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

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