PSA: Fake Giro (Ionos) helmets and a rule change on selling helmets

Thanks to @scammpy for the original alert, I have now banned a forum member for offering for sale (and in fact, for selling) a counterfeit helmet.

In my opinion this is way worse than the knock-off Pinarello carbon frames as regardless of your views on helmets vs no helmets, they are safety equipment and if you opt to wear a helmet you really do need it to do the job intended.

The original advert:

Hi,

For sale this brand new Giro Lonos. Universal adjustable one size fit 54-61cm.

Never been used, I'm just missing the original box but virtually never left the flat. RRP: £160

The photos that were attached:

Looks pretty good right... now try eBay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/152090287322

After being tipped off, the things that stand out:

1. The Ionos has not been sold for many years, it's a 2009 helmet.
   
2. The tightening device on the rear of the helmet is clearly cheaply made, and if you find old reviews of the real thing it actually looks little like the real thing.
   
3. The cross-beams do not carry the carbon weave that the original has, and on the original the cross-beams are notably deeper cut.
   
4. On the original the aero vents viewed from the front and rear have a more aero cut... you can see through from front to back whereas on the counterfeit it looks to be cut towards a central epicentre and isn't going to offer ventiliation.
   
   

The big concern is safety.

If you buy a helmet, it should be good for that job.

The counterfeits are likely little more than shaped polystyrene with a plastic laminate and the head harness, with zero testing to ensure that it could protect anything at all.

You do not want to use one of these helmets even if you were unlucky enough to have bought one.

Thankfully the buyer in this case was identified through PM metadata as @Stonehedge . I didn't know for sure that he'd bought it, but it turns out that the metadata was right and he was the buyer. He's going to pursue getting his money back and if that fails he has the option to Action Fraud and other parties interested in counterfeit goods and other low level fraud. It may be that the seller did not know it was counterfeit, but that really isn't Stonehedge's problem and nor is it going to be an acceptable excuse on here.

Rule Change

If you offer a helmet for sale then:

• No helmet can be declared as any of: NoS, never worn, unused.
  
• You must show clear photos of the shell to demonstrate it has never been in an accident and cannot offer for sale any helmet with signs of damage.
  
• You must show clear photos of the straps and rear tightening mechanism as this is the best indication that it is authentic.
  
  

If anyone offers a counterfeit helmet for sale then regardless of any long-standing reputation on the forum you will be immediately banned without appeal.

If anyone breaks the above new rules then you may be banned.

End of PSA, and again... thanks to @scammpy for the heads up.