Buying Parts From China on Ebay

[nanac1212]

I buy packs of 10 master links for less than 2 bucks on Ebay shipped from China. They work fine and usaully arrive quite fast. No complaints at all. I just bought a pack today for 1.59 shipped. How can they do that so cheap?

Now I need a 22t freewheel and can get one for about 6.50 from China. I have used Dicta freewheels (china made) and they are fine too. Are the generic freewheels you buy from China the same thing? I can buy a Dicta in the U.S. for 10 shipped but am in no hurry. The one in China is a lot cheaper. Just wondering if most freewheels unless some high dollar ones are generally the same.

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[horsefarmer]

I think the big problem with Chinese stuff is quality control (or the lack of it) I've heard they Box up and ship everything and the "Final inspector" is the customer.

 

[nanac1212]

I think the big problem with Chinese stuff is quality control (or the lack of it) I've heard they Box up and ship everything and the "Final inspector" is the customer.

I have had good luck with the few China items I have bought on Ebay. Every freewheel I find is made in China including the Dicta badged ones that work gteat. I am not buying high dollar White or ACS brand for what I need.

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[horsefarmer]

Maybe post a quick review when you mount it so others will know how it works?

 

[nanac1212]

Ok I will do that. Last time I ordered links there were only enough parts to make about 9 1/2 cause was missing a clip.For the price who cares. I did inform the seller about the shortage. He refuded me .25 cents to Paypal. I thought that was a nice gesture and would buy from him again but he no longer sells the master links.

Here are the ones I bought today. Nothing wrong with them at all. Go price em at Ace hardware around 2 bucks a link.

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[jerrykr]

almost everything is manufactured offshore now anyway. they moved all the machines out of the US and closed production . Just as with the steel industry, they probably ditched all the old US machines and production technology and installed newer, better, faster machines. Fact of life. One thing that has not changed completely is that you still get what you pay for. Our very nice quality Italian Bianchi road bikes have a sticker under the BB "Made in Tawain". Everything about these bikes is top notch .... well middle notch, as we did not buy the top of the line Bianchis.

 

[Fv2]

almost everything is manufactured offshore now anyway. they moved all the machines out of the US and closed production . Just as with the steel industry, they probably ditched all the old US machines and production technology and installed newer, better, faster machines. Fact of life. One thing that has not changed completely is that you still get what you pay for. Our very nice quality Italian Bianchi road bikes have a sticker under the BB "Made in Tawain". Everything about these bikes is top notch .... well middle notch, as we did not buy the top of the line Bianchis.

A lot of stuff from Taiwan uses what little bit of steel is still made here, the US exports a good bit of its steel to Taiwan. Or atleast that's my understanding.

 

[horsefarmer]

Thats cool. Maybe that is why my old giant built Schwinn is hangin on after 16 years.

 

[Nagant]

In general I have found most items made in Taiwan to be better quality than those made in China. That is just my own personal experiences for whatever that is worth.

I have a late 90's Giant produced chromoly steel Schwinn that is still going strong as well.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Regarding the original question on freewheels, yes the Dicta's are made in China, but they seem reasonably good, I am starting to see "GreatWall" branded ones popping up on eBay for about half the price of Dicta's, they may be exactly the same inside, I do not know, but until I see one and ride one, I am assuming they are not as good and will continue to stick with Dicta branded ones.

Ever had a freewheel fail on you while standing up and powering on? You go over the handlebars and get run over by your own bike...

Not something I am willing to repeat to save $5...

Luke.

 

[Fv2]

Never had a freewheel fail,but I had the rear hub of huffy sigma blow apart on me when I was a kid.
That was horrible,left a permanent scar around my eye.

 

[horsefarmer]

Ever had a freewheel fail on you while standing up and powering on? You go over the handlebars and get run over by your own bike...

Not something I am willing to repeat to save $5...

Luke.

I had a similar thing with my '56 Schwinn with a SA 3 speed hub. Before I got my shifter cable adjusted correctly, some times it would slip out of second gear!
Not standing on the pedals but almost dumped it a couple of times!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

yes the Dicta's are made in China,

Appears I was wrong, just checked a new one I got in:

Definitely not the same as the Chinese "GreatWall" versions then. In my opinion, it is not worth the risk when Dicta's are pretty cheap anyway.

Luke.

 

[roadwarrior]

With the recent event in China I wonder if shipping from there is going to be affected any???

 

[Fv2]

With the recent event in China I wonder if shipping from there is going to be affected any???

I've been wondering if they're gonna come to the states to collect their money.