Replica Factor Ostro VAM

[acino]

You know what you have to do now, Patrick. The content is imminent 

[estingo]

[quote author=patliean1 link=topic=4449.msg66098#msg66098 date=1727451845

1. Can't remember the full name, but he bought it from a place called Taiwan Carbon...something. $1000

I would get roasted if I reviewed a fake Ostro, but call me very intrigued.

[/quote]

In a fan of your YouTube channel, I would watch it for sure! Awesome story to hear that it was a fake one and you won’t get roasted only if you buy it with factor logos. I experienced that!
He bought it at the same shop as mine. For the handlebar I have to see, I also like your review on the EXS. However I first need to ride and make km/miles. Awesome post for the weekend!

[Serge_K]

I'm not sure how Youtube / Factor would react to your video, because i think in our jurisdictions the mere possession of a fake is illegal, so technically you might be committing a felony by reviewing it. Then there's the reputation / brand IP, and Factor might come raining down on you.
I definitely would inquire before doing the video.
That said, i'd love to see that video!

[OralMaster]

Hi Serge_K,

It was a bit of copy and past through these last few pages (from page 2 to 5 in this thread), but here are some of the answers on the questions you asked a few weeks before as well:
Which seller: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4449.msg63172.html#msg63172

I took in the beginning no pictures inside the frame afterward I did, and you compared my pictures (https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4449.msg64383.html#msg64383) with the ones from Oralmaster his frame. You mentioned if you could choose one or the other you wouldn't prefer mine but the one from Oral master, you can read it here: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4449.msg64725.html#msg64725

Yes I did weight the bits from the frame, which ones you want to know, I weighted everything, from the innertube foam, to the seatpost wedge, from the speed sensor to the bolts of the bottle cage. let me know which specific part you are looking for. However my calculated weight was 7.205 kg an my scale wasn't that precise because I first measured my self and then the bike and it came at 7.3kg

How much did you spend and weight: see added picture

Grade of Carbon T1000 UD, did I answered here on page 2 to you: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4449.msg63172.html#msg63172

The wheel logos indicate that these are Drive wheels from Elite Wheels, yes it's fake. I explained it here: https://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,4449.msg63865.html#msg63865
In the end you have people that like it and you have people that hate it. Ar26 said even:
And I responded with this:
Anyway I don't want to start the debate of good or bad with the fake replica's.

I hope I answered the your questions, it was a bit of a search to be honest, but there you go.

Good choice on the wheels. I got my wheelset from yuanan which also claims to have the same specs as elite drive 50D, overall a set of very good wheels, not sure if they could put on the decals for me but if they could i definitely would!enjoy your new steed! looks beautiful 

[patliean1]

I'm not sure how Youtube / Factor would react to your video, because i think in our jurisdictions the mere possession of a fake is illegal, so technically you might be committing a felony by reviewing it. Then there's the reputation / brand IP, and Factor might come raining down on you.
I definitely would inquire before doing the video.
That said, i'd love to see that video!

This is part of a larger issue I have too. One of my close buddies here just recently open his own bike shop, and is now an auth dealer for Factor. He's hinted to me about working out a deal on pricing to help promote the shop. So I can't imagine the strain it would put our business relationship if:

- I bought a real Ostro from a competing dealer.
- Me parading around with a fake Ostro.

This all sounds like a threesome gone terribly wrong!

[jfcb]

This is part of a larger issue I have too. One of my close buddies here just recently open his own bike shop, and is now an auth dealer for Factor. He's hinted to me about working out a deal on pricing to help promote the shop. So I can't imagine the strain it would put our business relationship if:

- I bought a real Ostro from a competing dealer.
- Me parading around with a fake Ostro.

This all sounds like a threesome gone terribly wrong!

Go for a SL8 replica and do the comparison, problem solved

[Phaxe]

This is part of a larger issue I have too. One of my close buddies here just recently open his own bike shop, and is now an auth dealer for Factor. He's hinted to me about working out a deal on pricing to help promote the shop. So I can't imagine the strain it would put our business relationship if:

- I bought a real Ostro from a competing dealer.
- Me parading around with a fake Ostro.

This all sounds like a threesome gone terribly wrong!

There's potentially a way around it, and that's to do what Serge_K did, and get a custom paint job which says 'Tractor'. Then you can do an apples and oranges comparison between the two and not piss off your friend.

[Serge_K]

There's potentially a way around it, and that's to do what Serge_K did, and get a custom paint job which says 'Tractor'. Then you can do an apples and oranges comparison between the two and not piss off your friend.

I got an open mould frame with black gloss paint, and I designed the logo myself, got it cut in fancy car vinyl by a chap I found locally, and applied the logo myself, making it fully reversible if and when I want to sell, or want to start trolling another brand.
But I agree that a solution would be to order a frame without a logo (ideally without a paint job that screams factor for plausible deniability), and then you'd be fine. Although from a video standpoint, you'd still be promoting a business making fakes and the fakes industry overall, so... Still a no no. I'm yet to find a single counterpart selling fakes that doesn't sound like a complete crook when you interact with him. The running argument is "don't worry just place your order", which is what any drug dealer would say.

[bmrk]

6. Legit groupset, wheels, and cockpit. All the vital contact points if you ask me...

Yeah, because the frame is just an accessory part of the bike.

[rhenders]

Fwiw, i had a really, really bad experience with First-Class Carbon Fiber Store, the store that made that pretty white factor.
Over the years, i've dealt with a lot of chinese sellers. This one is sketchy AF.
I was considering buying an unbranded frame (to then add my Tractor logo on top myself with vinyl) because I was curious to get a product with such a high finish, and to compare it to my LT268 that costs a fraction of the price, so i started asking questions.
I asked a lot of questions to which i already knew the answer to, and nothing made sense. The guy spent a lot of time shitting on the whole industry, with only him being reputable and knowing what he's doing. He pushed back on every technical question i asked with something along the lines of "trust me bro".
Basically all his answers were red flags.

My 5 cents: stay the F away. I wish i could block sellers / shops on AliX in order to never see their products again in my feed & search results. Would be a great feature to have.

What questions did you ask that he refused to answer?

[Serge_K]

What questions did you ask that he refused to answer?

I wrote a recap here
http://chinertown.com/index.php/topic,5263.0.html