Interesting Aliexpress finds! - good deals, interesting stuff, new products etc!

[SillyMochi]

Have to disagree on the cade media video. It's very one sided leaning towards the expensive (channel sponsor) models. Garmin wasn't mentioned at all (channel sponsor) because it would go in the bin. Favero wasn't mentioned either (no channel sponsor) probably because it would need to be a high recommendation. Cheap Shimano pedals went into the bin in favor for their higher priced ones. Even though, especially with Shimano, the price difference on pedals is mostly weight and name (ultegra and dura ace recognition), but not reliability or functionality. The cheaper ones work just the same way.

For my road bike I currently use a raceworks spd sl. Has about 6k on it now and no issues at all. I think I should probably maintain the axles at this point (same with any other pedals) but I was just too lazy. Clicks in and out just fine.

For my gravel, I currently use a Shimano SPD. I also have the raceworks SPD version at home as well which is waiting to be put on a upcoming gravel build. I have no reason to think they would be any worse than the SPD SL version.

So highly recommend them especially on a sale. Paid about 20 USD for them. Even if I eventually crash them, they are cheap to replace.

[Ludo]

The points he made on the cheap shimano seems pretty valid to me unless he is talking shit. I have no experience with these but if I was looking at buying right now I would still consider his comments. I don’t think it was meant to be exhaustive testing, like everything on YouTube, take it with a grain of salt

[Crash217]

Picked up a pair of the MYZRH pedals about 3 years/6500 miles ago.  Had to pull them apart a few times to clean and grease the bushing.  The o-ring seal never would stay in place.  They finally got so sloppy on the inner race that I pitched them. https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806802986942.html 

I grabbed some LX LERMX MTB Mountain SPD pedals https://a.co/d/b0Y2rav around the same time.  They have suffered the same fate, although not as bad since my MTB only has around 1000 miles on it.  I will likely replace them over the summer because they have developed some slop.

Got a pair of these pedals about 3-4 months ago and they have been very solid so far.  They seem like a good knock-off of low end shimano spd pedals.
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256807123711241.html

For reference purposes, My road bike has some 15 year old Shimano Ultegra pedals with at least 10,000 miles on them with nothing more than an occasional rinse and wipe down.

[RDY]

What are the least bad BB options available on AliExpress?  There are ZERO BB386 available locally, and AliX is currently the only option to get it quickly.

SENICX cranks have been slated by a number of people, but maybe the steel bearing BBs are better?

I had a ZTTO BB about 4 years ago ... it lasted 100km.  They're also refusing to replace a €130 cassette that I just bought, where the sleeve in the middle is about 5mm too short and the whole thing rattles - they claim this needs hot glue and isn't faulty??

[kbernstein]

How do these compare to Shimano RS 500 pedals?

Well, they don't. We're discussing SPD pedals, the metal double faced ones marketed for mountain biking with the 2 bolt metal cleat. RS500s are just road pedals

I am starting to blame that dogshit QC zeray left pedal for my foot pain. I don't see any play but the creaking can't be good and I started getting problems around the time I swapped to them from shimano M520s. The weight and stack height is too good to ignore. Even XTR pedals at 9 times the price aren't as light
I would also assume all the shimano pedals on ali are fake?
ZTTO and bucklos both have SPD pedals  which all look unique and not rebrands to me. Tempted to gamble either, unless someone has something bad to say?

[Tijoe]

I have 3 pairs of Raceworks Carbon Race pedals.   One set has broken off a set of the tangs that hold the spring in place.  (This happened a couple weeks ago.)
I am not sure how many miles are on this set of pedals.  3 seasons of MTB riding.

[jonathanf2]

I'm still using the Nylon SPD pedals with flat end. I routinely check the SPD hardware to make sure everything is tight. I'm okay with these because I've scraped them up so many times from rocks, falls and/or leaning too low on corners. It's easy just to sand off the scruff'ed bits and make them look new again! Also when moving my bike around, the nylon is more forgiving when it bangs up against stuff.

[kubackje]

Nice to see Traka360 winner rocking AliExpress chainring:) STONE has been nothing but great for me and I guess it's also good for the best in the world.

[00Garza]

I had many happy miles on cheap Exustar pedals and shoes back in my roadie days. Got them on clearance at Merlincycles back when their shipping prices was reasonable. I’m all in with flat pedals these days.

[courdacier]

I had many happy miles on cheap Exustar pedals and shoes back in my roadie days. Got them on clearance at Merlincycles back when their shipping prices was reasonable. I’m all in with flat pedals these days.

I've also switched to cheap flat pedals on my bikepacking mtb. sometimes i have nightmares about forgetting to switch them out to nicer ones before a long trip - the cheap bearings fail pretty often in my experience.

[Eskae]

Some recent buys:

Skeace GXP Track Cranks, 48T 165mm
URL: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256807668147300.html
Review: 8/10
Details: These are knockoffs of the SRAM Omnium track cranks.  This type of copy has become commonplace and sold under a number of brand names or totally unbranded.  I spent $80, shipped to the USA.  No issues installing them.  The chainring is for an 1/8" track chain, and is thick and sturdy as a track chainring should be.  Weight is close to the SRAM Omniums - Omniums are 825g and these are 880g. 

Pass Quest Single Speed 21T Cog
URL: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808681542105.html
Review: 9/10
Details: Thick aluminum body, very clean machining.  I haven't compared it side-by-side against WolfTooth and other name-brand single-speed cogs, but it's half the price of the next cheapest option out there ($55).  I installed this on a single-speed bike and it's providing flawless service so far.

TANKE Single-speed conversion kit
URL: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806823907942.html
Review: 2/10
Details: Cog is poorly machined and did not fit onto my freehub.  I had to spend about 45min carefully filing out each slot with a jewelry file before it fit.  Cog itself was notably thinner than the Pass Quest, but probably fine (and still better than the ones that use a stamped-steel cog).  Overall, I'd suggest avoiding this item.  Get a Pass Quest cog and buy the spacers separately.

[courdacier]

Some recent buys:

Skeace GXP Track Cranks, 48T 165mm
URL: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256807668147300.html
Review: 8/10
Details: These are knockoffs of the SRAM Omnium track cranks.  This type of copy has become commonplace and sold under a number of brand names or totally unbranded.  I spent $80, shipped to the USA.  No issues installing them.  The chainring is for an 1/8" track chain, and is thick and sturdy as a track chainring should be.  Weight is close to the SRAM Omniums - Omniums are 825g and these are 880g. 

Pass Quest Single Speed 21T Cog
URL: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256808681542105.html
Review: 9/10
Details: Thick aluminum body, very clean machining.  I haven't compared it side-by-side against WolfTooth and other name-brand single-speed cogs, but it's half the price of the next cheapest option out there ($55).  I installed this on a single-speed bike and it's providing flawless service so far.

TANKE Single-speed conversion kit
URL: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806823907942.html
Review: 2/10
Details: Cog is poorly machined and did not fit onto my freehub.  I had to spend about 45min carefully filing out each slot with a jewelry file before it fit.  Cog itself was notably thinner than the Pass Quest, but probably fine (and still better than the ones that use a stamped-steel cog).  Overall, I'd suggest avoiding this item.  Get a Pass Quest cog and buy the spacers separately.

great finds as always!
quick question though - what sort of problem did you have with stamped steel cogs? I've had kind of the opposite experience - not running Al track cogs ever again, they're too soft imho.

[Eskae]

great finds as always!
quick question though - what sort of problem did you have with stamped steel cogs? I've had kind of the opposite experience - not running Al track cogs ever again, they're too soft imho.

Stamped steel cogs I've come across tend to be too thin and eventually flex out-of-round.  Shouldn't be an issue with a nice steel cog, just the cheapo ones. 

[kbernstein]

PSA for most europeans: LIDL sells the same 2-24nm torque wrench you see on aliexpress for half the price under their brand crivit. Typically 22ish euros on ali, picked one up for 13 locally. Tested against my BBB torque wrench with shit bits, they measure the same. Also better customer support I suppose. I think that's insane value. Example here: https://www.lidl.fr/p/crivit-cle-dynamometrique-pour-velo/p100387459

[JJx]

Stamped steel cogs I've come across tend to be too thin and eventually flex out-of-round.  Shouldn't be an issue with a nice steel cog, just the cheapo ones. 

Dunno if they're the same as the ones you are talking about, but I've had no issues with MUQZI branded cogs. They are of the narrow base variety, so only use on steel freehub bodies. But they seem round enough (always hard to see if it's chainring or cog), and I've put some decent distance on them. They were the same thickness as my DMR COG.