Temu for cycling goods

[Danger Dassie]

3 hours ago, Mountain Bru said:

When does a "noname naked carbon handlebar" become legit though?

There's a Trifox RHB300 MTB handlebar on Temu for R665, but Trifox somehow has a South African website that has the same bar for R1150 (out of stock but marked down from R1350), and Bike Addict has the bar for R960 (down from R1200). 

So given that Trifox has a SA website, and is sold by Bike Addict, are they out of the suspect "noname" category even though there's 10 other identical looking handlebars on Temu with random names that look "dodge"? 

Could well be counterfeit knock offs and/or lowball supply chain. Or a combin of the two. Therein lies the rub, if it seems too good to be true, more often than not it is.

[Nakoota]

Just received my first delivery of specifically non-locally-available products. Around a well and otherwise a smooth process including the Vat payment.

Ordered foam cable damping for the down tube, oil slick bolts that I could not find anywhere locally, and a universal brake bleed kit (that I have since seen on Takealot for R90 less :S).

Time to go build the resprayed Pyga now.

[Jaytriathlon]

Since the thread is taking off. 
not sure if anyone has seen Temu’s marketing plans, but seems that if you sign up with these links, you’ll get to select up to 8 items and get them entirely free. 

https://temu.com/u/7P7Ca5qUegCyT0

 

[Jaytriathlon]

29 minutes ago, Jaytriathlon said:

Since the thread is taking off. 
not sure if anyone has seen Temu’s marketing plans, but seems that if you sign up with these links, you’ll get to select up to 8 items and get them entirely free. 
 

 

I presume I would still have to pay for VAt or duties when it lands here. 
 

Edited April 22, 2024 by Jaytriathlon
Edited info

[bebnin]

Clicked on your link to help you, but those free items are usually just "share with more friends to collect more coins to get the free stuff" which gets progressively harder as was the case when I clicked that link. The only "free lunch" I got was a special 95% off on a torque wrench set when I first signed up (paid r75 which was a good deal). Have tried many of the games/promos with no success. But maybe others will "win". 

[Jaytriathlon]

12 minutes ago, bebnin said:

Clicked on your link to help you, but those free items are usually just "share with more friends to collect more coins to get the free stuff" which gets progressively harder as was the case when I clicked that link. The only "free lunch" I got was a special 95% off on a torque wrench set when I first signed up (paid r75 which was a good deal). Have tried many of the games/promos with no success. But maybe others will "win". 

Slowly starting to realise that 😂 atleast when I signed up on the wife’s device with a new account it gave a bunch of vouchers to use which made the purchases that much easier. 
 

https://temu.to/m/ubngbrwnpv9

👆🏻 for anyone wanting to cash in on those vouchers also. 

[mecheng89]

20 hours ago, TyronLab said:

I've project managed capital items worth a few hundred thousand USD, to commodity items made by the container load from China / Spain / Brazil / Russia and from local manufacturers.

I think some logic here would help. Bundling manufacturing in China together in one big lump makes zero sense.

Are there dodgy, kid-based, zero-safety shitholes making millions of parts for a few cents? Yes, 100%.

Are there high quality, cutting edge manufacturing facilities that are world-class in terms of quality and are just smart enough to leverage the Chinese government's powerful pro-manufacturing policies, and an abundant and driven workforce? Yes, 100%.

I've been in shitholes and beautiful facilities in every one of the countries I've mentioned above. "China is shitty cheap stuff" is as logically sound as saying "All South Africans are racist", "all Brazilians samba to work" and "All Americans are overweight"...

Would I buy a carbon handlebar from Temu for a downhill bike? Nope. Is that decision based on perception and gut feel more than any technical reasoning? Yep.

This gave me a good chuckle, thanks Tyron.

[mecheng89]

18 hours ago, dexterdent said:

Some of them ARE being sold at bike shops already. And a lot of things that people think are not Chinese are.

What these online places do is cut-out a lot of the middlemen that sometimes add very little value and sometimes add a lot of value (if someone goes to China, inspects the factory and stand by the product, they are adding value. If someone buys 100 SCVCN sunglasses for R70 each and resells them for R500 in their shop or on takealot, they are not). 

If you can find some reputable online reviews of products listed on Temu, I don't think there is any more risk buying from them than from Merlin.

I've been able to find some great things on Temu for prices that are so cheap that any perceived "gamble" is worth it. I'm talking things like a couple of cool different top tube, frame and seat bags, some sunglasses, some basic tools and a couple of Ridenow tubes. I'm even eyeing a new saddle that is very "mirror" like for a very reasonable price.

What I do think there is an issue with is the pretty lax copyright laws. Buying a fake Pinarello frame is probably wrong. Buying a frame that looks a lot like one but doesn't claim to be one? Not too sure about this yet.

Food for thought!

[MORNE]

21 hours ago, TyronLab said:

I've project managed capital items worth a few hundred thousand USD, to commodity items made by the container load from China / Spain / Brazil / Russia and from local manufacturers.

I think some logic here would help. Bundling manufacturing in China together in one big lump makes zero sense.

Are there dodgy, kid-based, zero-safety shitholes making millions of parts for a few cents? Yes, 100%.

Are there high quality, cutting edge manufacturing facilities that are world-class in terms of quality and are just smart enough to leverage the Chinese government's powerful pro-manufacturing policies, and an abundant and driven workforce? Yes, 100%.

I've been in shitholes and beautiful facilities in every one of the countries I've mentioned above. "China is shitty cheap stuff" is as logically sound as saying "All South Africans are racist", "all Brazilians samba to work" and "All Americans are overweight"...

Would I buy a carbon handlebar from Temu for a downhill bike? Nope. Is that decision based on perception and gut feel more than any technical reasoning? Yep.

Instructions unclear. Installs no-name carbon bar on downhill bike. 
 

[MORNE]

Not gonna lie, i recently had a silly fall (broke my scaphoid), but i scratched my brand new oneup carbon bars across the front as they tucked and slid along the ground. The controls also all rotated on the bars.

i now trust them as much as politicians a month away from election day 🤣…

[Robbie Stewart]

43 minutes ago, MORNE said:

Not gonna lie, i recently had a silly fall (broke my scaphoid), but i scratched my brand new oneup carbon bars across the front as they tucked and slid along the ground. The controls also all rotated on the bars.

i now trust them as much as politicians a month away from election day 🤣…

saw a chap do a hard otb on the advanced line at the Leatt Skills Park a couple weekends ago. He had carbon bars that looked like they got attacked by a cheese grater. I am going to assume those bars are toast. 

[JohanDiv]

Apart from my underwear, I'm sitting at work fully dressed in Temu clothing and shoes haha.

 

I ordered 4 pairs of shoes, of which one pair is a bit weird, the rest look all good and sizes true.

3x Shorts are bigger than expected, I'd order a size down next time.

2x shorts fits perfect.

3x shirts all fit nicely.

Also ordered a bunch of LED lights for the kitchen that looks good.

Toys and balls for the dogs, all good quality, similar or maybe even better than what you'd get at the local vet.

Wahoo replacement HR strap.

All received in different orders within two weeks.

Still waiting for my winter gloves with the finger tips that can fold back to work your phone or fiddle in the back pockets for snacks on the long rides. 

[Nakoota]

17 minutes ago, JohanDiv said:

Apart from my underwear, I'm sitting at work fully dressed in Temu clothing and shoes haha.

 

I ordered 4 pairs of shoes, of which one pair is a bit weird, the rest look all good and sizes true.

3x Shorts are bigger than expected, I'd order a size down next time.

2x shorts fits perfect.

3x shirts all fit nicely.

Also ordered a bunch of LED lights for the kitchen that looks good.

Toys and balls for the dogs, all good quality, similar or maybe even better than what you'd get at the local vet.

Wahoo replacement HR strap.

All received in different orders within two weeks.

Still waiting for my winter gloves with the finger tips that can fold back to work your phone or fiddle in the back pockets for snacks on the long rides. 

What duties did you get hit on the clothes? I only did bicycle parts as I know those are duty free.

[JohanDiv]

8 minutes ago, Nakoota said:

What duties did you get hit on the clothes? I only did bicycle parts as I know those are duty free.

On the biggest order I paid R1831 on Temu, and then duties to Buffalo was R528.

That specific order was 3 pair of shoes, 3x socks, 5x shorts, 2x bouncing balls for the dogs, and 6x LED lights.

[Headshot]

Just got delivery of my Shimano 5600 bracket covers ( not available here)  and an Eroica cycling cap, for fun. Total cost delivered was about R365. The covers say Shimano and appear to be good quality and the correct fit for the levers I have.

[Stoffel76]

Gave it a try...

Order arrived today, after ordering on the 9th.

Only cycling related item were some gloves... I'm usually a large, so order XL - they're an odd fit. Fingers fit snuggly but the thumbs are quite large? And the left thumb is slightly larger than right... But for R200, I wasn't expecting too much... I'd probably rather spend the extra next time and buy one of the brands I've had previously where I know the size or from a store that I can try on...

The rest of items look and work great - Got a wireless speaker, MX socks and googles, USB cable etc...