Two counterfeit manufacturing facilities producing goods worth over $1 million have been shut down after an investigation by Chinese law enforcement, Specialized and AliExpress uncovered the illegal production of hundreds of bicycle parts and frames, including Specialized Roval frames, handlebars and wheels.
The investigation began after Specialized raised concerns with e-commerce retailer AliExpress about the quality of the bikes sold on their site after performing quality checks. From there, AliExpress shared information with Chinese law enforcement that allowed them to trace the supply chains back to the original manufacturer.
Among the goods seized were $1.1 million of counterfeit Specialized Tarmac SL8 road racing frames, 9,500 sticker sets, seatposts, forks, Roval handlebars and wheels. Fake Pinarello, Cannondale, Cervelo and Trek products were also discovered during the investigation. AliExpress estimates that the combined street value of these goods could amount to more than $1.6 million.
"Counterfeit products imitating Specialized's high-performance goods not only infringe on (intellectual property rights) but also pose serious risks to consumer safety,” AliExpress said in a statement, first reported by Bicycle Retailer. “These fake items often bypass stringent quality and safety standards, potentially endangering users and undermining consumer trust in legitimate products. Specialized has tested these counterfeit cycling helmets and frames, and they fail safety standards. Sometimes catastrophically."
"These illicit operations not only exploit consumers but also undermine trust in authentic goods,” Andrew Love, Specialized’s global brand protection manager said. “We are fully dedicated to safeguarding our customers and combating organized crime on a global scale. The success of this largest counterfeit bust in the cycling industry highlights the profound impact of collaboration between brands like ours and tech-driven platforms like AliExpress."
2025 has seen AliExpress battle to eradicate counterfeit goods from its site, and has worked with over 20 brands worldwide, leading to the seizure of goods amounting to more than $30 million. The March investigation saw the arrest and prosecution of seven individuals in an anti-counterfeit operation that amounts to the largest in Specialized's history.
