Most useless bit of Ali express cycling kit you have purchased.

[markharry66]

Having used Ali express for over 12 months anyone who orders from there will tell you sometimes you order some strange equipment from there to bulk up the order for free deliveries.

Personally I have purchased a usb electronic horn that has sat on my handle bars for the last 12 months and never been used.
Not sure why I purchased it as automatically if I see pedistrians crossing I slow down or stop, supposedly loud unless you are less than half a foot a way you cant hear it.

Also reccent purchases include a set of usb lights (cheap) that hold a charge for what seems like five minutes so unlesss your destination is less than a mile away from where you live your lights will go out before you know it.

Massage socks that were supposed to breathable, cool and comfortable for your feet, reality = thin socks with nibbly bits on the bottom when worn were great at over heating your feet during the summer and freezing your feet during the winter.

I use Ali express quite a bit cant complain about most of the products on there, just wondered if anyone else had similar experiences.

 

[ianrauk]

I suppose it's the price you pay for cheap gear from China. My partner is addicted to Temu and Shene I think it's called? We've a running joke about her daily Temu parcel.

I do see a lot of cheap cycling gear on these websites but so far I've not been tempted to open the wallet for any of these sites.

 

[HLaB]

I've never used Ali Express or Temu myself.

The closest I have went to there recently is Rockbros and I'll probably be avoiding them in the future. Hopefully the garmin mounted powerbank I ordered from them is ok and fit for purpose. But after plastering all over their website site that it's free shipping in the UK, they charged me. When I queried they said its coming from an international warehouse and pointed me to small-print.

 

[fossyant]

I suppose it's the price you pay for cheap gear from China. My partner is addicted to Temu and Shene I think it's called? We've a running joke about her daily Temu parcel.

I do see a lot of cheap cycling gear on these websites but so far I've not been tempted to open the wallet for any of these sites.

I have friends we go camping with who get their gear from Temu. It's another running joke - "oh where did you get that from, TEMU ?" I don't buy from them.

 

[further]

Bought one bar end plugs from Temu unless you had a small friend to crawl inside the handlebars to hold the nut they wouldn't tighten up.

 

[raleighnut]

Again another one who has never bought from Ali-express or Temu and have only ever bought books/CD's from Amazon, just don't like buying on-line I would far sooner go to a physical shop than be disappointed by poor descriptions of cheap tat.

 

[fossyant]

Again another one who has never bought from Ali-express or Temu and have only ever bought books/CD's from Amazon, just don't like buying on-line I would far sooner go to a physical shop than be disappointed by poor descriptions of cheap tat.

Not many physical shops for what I want these days though ! Scary. I have bought a couple of bike lights from Ali - but they have been really good for £14. Dipped beam, no silly modes and used every day !

 

[Emanresu]

Have purchased a seat post where the parts wouldn't mate so you'd wobble as you went along. Or the Garmin light holder where the screws were too short and it fell apart after a few yards. Wasn't expecting much but it is impressive how wrong they can get the simple stuff.

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

Yet to buy anything from Ali, Temu, Shein etc. and have no plans to for the foreseeable.

Won't be covered by UK selling regs/standards and even if they offer a refund, I expect you will have to pay for return postage.