Let’s talk about Box, baby!

[dasgeh]

Dear bike shop owner

When a person calls you, having done a lot of research (including test rides) about a specific type of bike, of which you have little to no knowledge, but looking into the possibility of having your shop add on to that bike in a way that you are supposedly expert, don’t disparage that type of bike in favor of complete bike builds you have in store. I was never going to buy the type of bike you stock, and now I’m not going to have you work on the bike I do buy. Or the other bike that I need to have fixed in the way you are supposedly expert.

(I know, not a missed connection, but a truly annoying experience).

Topic

[DismalScientist]

This looks like an excellent potential use of a “recycled” inner tube.

[Meganomics]

There’s a dad in DC who bikes around with his son on a CETMA. He loves the bike; however, he’s found the company– and in particular the owner/designer– hard to work with.

His review of the CETMA cargo bike is here: http://arideaday.blogspot.com/2011/12/cetma-cargo-bike-review.html

[btj]

@Meganomics 63321 wrote:

There’s a dad in DC who bikes around with his son on a CETMA. He loves the bike; however, he’s found the company– and in particular the owner/designer– hard to work with.

His review of the CETMA cargo bike is here: http://arideaday.blogspot.com/2011/12/cetma-cargo-bike-review.html

This reminded me of a Facebook group where the owner of CETMA (Lane Kagay) posts sometimes. The group started out focusing on a crowd-sourced documentary (originally titled Revolutions Per Second, but now titled Less Car More Go: http://www.lizcanning.com/Liz_Canning_Creative/Cargo_Bike_Documentary.html). There is still talk and updates about the film there but it has kind of turned into a general cargo bike group as well.

http://facebook.com/groups/143992445698518

The group is a great resource for getting in touch with owners of all kinds of cargo bikes. It’s also great just for the photos of all the various setups that people post.

[jinomas]

@Meganomics 63321 wrote:

There’s a dad in DC who bikes around with his son on a CETMA. He loves the bike; however, he’s found the company– and in particular the owner/designer– hard to work with.

His review of the CETMA cargo bike is here: http://arideaday.blogspot.com/2011/12/cetma-cargo-bike-review.html

Thanks. This is exactly what I was looking for: someone with both experience and thoughts on a CETMA. He even uses in exactly the same way I intend to: hauling around one kid (and cargo).

It seems CETMA has since addressed some of the complaints mentioned in his review. He hired a guy to help him keep track of his orders, at his shop, and develop new accessories. Also his concerns about a rear rack and a canopy have been addressed. And the Green Commuter is a CETMA dealer, so I wouldn’t be pioneering it like the brave soul who wrote the blog.
Unfortunately this local DC CETMA-owner has not updated his blog in some time. I wonder what his impressions of his bike are now that he has ridden it for two years.

One thing my new Bullitt-owning friend pointed out is that the Bullitt’s frame has a much more rigid design than the CETMA at the point where rear half of the frame connects to the deck that holds the box. But he conceded that he would probably need a truck to haul his bike around as it doesn’t come apart for easy transport like the CETMA. He also has a garage (full of bikes apparently) for easy storage. Interestingly he built his cargo box to be wider than the frame of his Bullitt to accommodate two children and cargo and he added a rack. I found that a few multi-child parents ultimately rejected the Bullitt due to its small box platform. My friend effectively solved that with a few trips to Home Depot.

[Tim Kelley]

@jinomas 63440 wrote:

I found that a few multi-child parents ultimately rejected the Bullitt due to its small box platform. My friend effectively solved that with a few trips to Home Depot.

If I was going cargo bike, this is what I would do.

[dasgeh]

@jinomas 63440 wrote:

I found that a few multi-child parents ultimately rejected the Bullitt due to its small box platform. My friend effectively solved that with a few trips to Home Depot.

We rejected it for that, and because we just prefer the ride, stability and safety record of the bakfiets.

[Meganomics]

@jinomas 63440 wrote:

Unfortunately this local DC CETMA-owner has not updated his blog in some time. I wonder what his impressions of his bike are now that he has ridden it for two years.

I see him occasionally. I haven’t talked to him about his long-term impressions in detail, but he still uses it and still likes it. He’s exhibited at the ABC’s of Family Biking in the past and agreed to serve as a resource for local parents, so I’m happy to DM you his e-mail address if you’d like to do some follow-up.

[jinomas]

@Meganomics 63662 wrote:

I see him occasionally. I haven’t talked to him about his long-term impressions in detail, but he still uses it and still likes it. He’s exhibited at the ABC’s of Family Biking in the past and agreed to serve as a resource for local parents, so I’m happy to DM you his e-mail address if you’d like to do some follow-up.

That would be cool.

[Author]

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