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How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Chat about your A-Bike, post details of your exploits, ask advice from other owners, etc.

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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby Amuro Lee on Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:19 am

hockinsk wrote:I've read this thread a few times, but no mention of what is physically different between a real and a fake A-Bike? Only discussion seems to be stickers and perhaps build quality, but what are the actual differences in materials & components please?

Actually, it is difficult to differentiate genuines and fakes by a galance. You can only differentiate them by workmanship, built quility and markings on the frames. However, the plastic parts used on fakes are much brittler and weaker than those used on genuines. The quality of aluminium parts used on fakes are also lower than genuines.

Heat treated 6061T6 aluminium alloy is used on the metal parts of the frame of a genuine A-bike:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6061_aluminium

30-45% GF PA66 polymer composite is used on the plastic parts of a genuine A-bike:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glass-reinforced_plastic
http://www.abikecentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=272
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amuro_Ray

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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby elucid8 on Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:23 am

OK, so I bought an "A-Bicycle" knowing that it wasn't a real A-Bike. My thinking was I didn't want to fork out AU$500 without at least having a test ride. So, I spent AU$70 over eBay.

I can now assert that I LOVE the A-Bike design, but also suspect that anything less than a genuine A-Bike could well be a death-trap. Luckily, the following happened to me as I was trundling slowly along a footpath, not riding alongside traffic on a roadway...

http://ow.ly/i/alqu
http://ow.ly/i/alqx
http://ow.ly/i/alqA

I will be placing my online order for a genuine Sinclair A-Bike directly :)
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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby Amuro Lee on Sun May 22, 2011 9:08 pm

Ben Royston, Design Engineer at Mayhem UK tells you how to differentiate genuine and fake A-bikes. :wink:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10150306302701493
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amuro_Ray

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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby Stevbike on Sat Sep 24, 2011 3:21 am

When I was riding my copy A-bicycle I noted this cracking on the rear tube as well but used a method to repair it. I just placed a hose clamp around the damaged to stop the crack from growing. It never got as bad as your bike.

I think that the original A-bike has had this happen as well. It is the the way the part is designed and made that could be causing the problem. There is a great amount of stress in that area of the from. It has ben a while since I was on this site so it is nice to be back. Given that the bike is lighter then a regular bike, one most take care when using any of these bikes.

elucid8 wrote:OK, so I bought an "A-Bicycle" knowing that it wasn't a real A-Bike. My thinking was I didn't want to fork out AU$500 without at least having a test ride. So, I spent AU$70 over eBay.

I can now assert that I LOVE the A-Bike design, but also suspect that anything less than a genuine A-Bike could well be a death-trap. Luckily, the following happened to me as I was trundling slowly along a footpath, not riding alongside traffic on a roadway...

http://ow.ly/i/alqu
http://ow.ly/i/alqx
http://ow.ly/i/alqA

I will be placing my online order for a genuine Sinclair A-Bike directly :)
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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby jctan on Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:19 pm

Amuro Lee wrote:
elaine wrote:I have one that I just bought from a local. It has none of the markings discussed. Is it real?

Image

It's a fake A-bike definitely.


Did you determine this from the picture or from Elaine noting the missing markings? I wonder if it's possible to determine authenticity by using pictures alone. I currently have an eBay-purchase pending for a (supposedly) original A-Bike. This is the link to the auction: http://www.ebay.at/itm/Orig-A-BIKE-Mini ... 1371520469 (ignore the German description).

Here are the pictures used in the auction:
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

The seller seems to think that it's original.

I don't know which model it is. It doesn't seem to have the a-bike.net and Sinclair markings on the side of the middle bar. Is this a fake?

Edit:
P.S.: I wanted to add, I read through the whole thread and tried to apply all of the tips mentioned here, unfortunately without a conclusive answer.
P.P.S.: Hi everyone, I'm jctan, new to the forum, and possibly new A-bike owner. :-) I'm already a Brompton owner but looking for something smaller and more portable.
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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby Amuro Lee on Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:40 am

Hi jctan,

The "A-bike" on the pictures you posted is fake.

Here is the post related to genuine 8" wheeled A-bike City for your reference. :wink:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1968

Amuro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amuro_Ray

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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby ancientbicyclist on Mon Aug 11, 2014 6:19 am

I recently bought a bike on craigslist that claimed to be an early A-Bike. They were not the original owners and did not even know how to set it up. I was disappointed that they did not have the owners manual or carrying case. Also, I was surprised that the bike said "unique bike" on the part of the frame that usually contains the "A-Bike" logo. Was there a cheap imitation sold under the name "unique bike?" Does anyone know the history of this bike?
ancientbicyclist
 

Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby ancientbicyclist on Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:49 am

I'm sorry for some reason my post showed up 4 times and I could find how to edit or delete the other 3. I have another question: I see an electrified A-Bike with 10 inch tires. Is this another fake or is there a real 10 inch wheeled A-Bike, that can be electrified?

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=ele ... tedIndex=7
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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby Amuro Lee on Thu Aug 14, 2014 9:37 pm

Yes, they are all fake.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amuro_Ray

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Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby Sisoje on Mon May 04, 2015 9:39 am

Was there ever original "Red Edition" A-Bike, like this:
Image

And this:
Image

Tires are Qing-Da, already mentioned here before.

Thanks.
Sisoje
 

Re: How to tell if an A-Bike is real or fake

Postby jamesmbon@gmail.com on Sat Feb 03, 2018 6:53 am

Well mine (pedal only) was bought in OZ in January 2018. Both wheels are eccentric so naturally are the brake drums. Cannot stop the brake bands from rubbing. How hard is it to make a wheel properly? I've let the rear brake off completely and it still manages to rub the friction material each rev. I am disappointed & I haven't even tried to ride it! PayPal does not give any contact info either. I have a high regard for British goods so it doesn't come from there. It is a fake!!
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