Weight Weenies

Hi all,

Am after some advice. I bought a Look 795 here in France from LeBonCoin (equivalent to craigslist) and just found out 2 months later that it's a chinese counterfeit. OK ok - I'm an idiot.
What should I do - I'm trying to get a refund from the seller but am not holding out any hope for that, I've also contacted Look to see if they can do something - again have no hope for that. I can't afford to get a new bike as I've put some serious money into this, and have a big race in a few weeks. Should I:
A) Accept that it will be ok, maybe change out the handlebar?
B) Not touch it with a barge pole, accept that I've been an idiot and go back to riding my surly tourer?
C)???

Any advice etc. Thanks,
Stupid

How did you pay for it?

Some payment options *may* provide some support/backup/refund/insurance.

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Bought by cash on a back street in Paris unfortunately. Unfortunately, no support there

Ouch, unless the seller gets an attack of the morals, you've probably lost out there. Unless there is anything that can be done legally (whats the French legal position with selling counterfeit goods?)

If you don't trust it, a good option for replacement might be an open source china frame (as opposed to a fake). Some of those are really rather nice for the money.
There are other lower cost options out there.

Ouch indeed! That's sort of what I am saying/crying right now!
Does anyone have any experience with them? Should I trust it or not touch it with a barge pole??
Thanks!

Contact the back street alley customer support.

Yeah, agree with Mattr. I think the difference with outright "counterfeit" products and open mold but legit products is that I would have no faith in the guys producing illegal counterfeits to really give a rats ass about where it's made, what it's made with, how it's made, or whether it will break during use. I doubt the seller knows anything about where the frame originated. It's hard to trust something from a guy who starts off with false claims to begin with, by branding it a LOOK frame when it's not. An open mold frame from a legit established business however, may not be the be all and end all of finish and quality, but at least the sellers aren't claiming it's something that it's not. You're in kind of a tough situation. I just read the post about you buying it "for cash on a back street in Paris". I don't think anyone here can advise you on its fitness for purpose. I'd suck it up, cut it all to pieces for fun just to see how it looks inside from all the angles. And chalk it up to a lesson learned.

I had one for 2 years, used it on a daily basis and did not have any problems with it. Inspect it to make sure is not cracked or crashed.

I would accept the fact you got swindled and just enjoy it.

Make a self note, if its too good to be true it probably is.

Might actually be a good bike. What does it ride like?

Why would you contact Look and what would you expect them to do?

If it's a counterfeit, they have zero stake in it.

How's your French? Your local Mairie (or Préfecture if you live in a big town) will have information on consumer protection organisations. As the others have said though, it may not do you any good...

I've lived in France for over 13 years and I'm bilingual in French.
Happy to help if I can.
France has very strong consumer laws, so if you have this guys address or some kind of contact details you should be able to pursue him through the Tribunal d'Instance a fairly easy and cheap process for you. Just the threat of it, (a 'Mise en Demeure') may be enough for him to cave in and take the bike back.

There's always someone who will take money from a fool.

I hope you are just trolling, can't think of anyone being so stupid as to think Look would care about this.

I had the same thing happen to me with a counterfiet Pinarello. The guy I bought it from said they were extra frames his team had and that they were getting rid of them since they would have a new bike sponsor the following year. The price was too good to be true but he said that they were just trying to get rid of them so I got one. My first indication that it was fake was a few weeks later when I started the build I noticed it had an English BB. I tried to contact the seller but was never able too. I built it us and road it a couple years and saved my money for a real one. I never had any problems except the guilty fact that I was riding a fake. You will probably be fine riding it as long as you can get over the fact that it isn't what it looks to be.

You guys buying these are the same types that are buying stolen bikes.

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