Utility Cycling - cetmaracks

Please be advised that you are taking a risk when ordering from Lane Cagey at cetmaracks. I placed an order for a front rack in February (he charged my card for $120 immediately) and I don't have it yet (June). I e-mailed him maybe five times, he responded once, saying "it's going out this week!" which it didn't.
I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, they investigated and emailed and called him, no response from him - check cetmaracks out at the BBB website.
In short, Lane stole my money.
With all the positive press cetmaracks has received I'm sure there are far more positive experiences out there than mine, but I thought I'd let others know about my experience.

Handbuilt goods aren't like shopping at McDonalds dude. If you have to wait, you're gonna wait. Lane has been late on lots of orders lately (he's moved shop twice or something this year?), but always comes through. You're not even the first person to make a thread about this. Put aside your modern customer service mentality for a moment and accept that sometimes things don't work the way you want. And when the rack shows up, sell it locally if you want; I'm sure someone will cover your "stolen money" in a heartbeat. If you're near Austin, that someone may even be me.

Most people know by now that the wait time isn't accurate, but worth it. And no one cares about the BBB anymore.

In short: calm down, it's worth it.

Above your front wheel is the worst place on a bicycle to put a load.

Put aside your modern customer service mentality for a moment and accept that sometimes things don't work the way you want.

+1. A few late orders is unfortunate. Forum posts trashing someone are forever.


Above your front wheel is the worst place on a bicycle to put a load.

Yes, but it's convenient. I use a handlebar bag on all three of my bikes for that reason.

Above your front wheel is the worst place on a bicycle to put a load.

What if you put a really beefy front wheel, like a 700 35 36 spoke double walled blah-blah doohickey, up front, and grew really strong arms?

I'm wondering if cetma can build a 24 rail rack? i know they can, but would it be practicable? on a fixie?

I will order one if all conditions are met.

/edit, and if it's affordable.

There's "late" and there's "it's going out this week" and it's been three months.

The money should have been refunded.

check cetmaracks out at the BBB website.


Checked it out, no records exist. AWESOME!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/3601603725_f5429ebd85.jpg

I do custom work a lot and if I keep the customer up to date, they don't mind waiting. No one likes to be kept in limbo. If this story is true, it is an example of very poor customer relations. He should have refunded the money when he realized he was way behind schedule and then called the customer to see if he still wanted one when they were made.

am i the only one to think one should charge customers only at delivery time, cmon, we are not talking custom framing 700+ bucks tubesets

Handbuilt goods aren't like shopping at McDonalds dude. If you have to wait, you're gonna wait. Lane has been late on lots of orders lately (he's moved shop twice or something this year?), but always comes through. You're not even the first person to make a thread about this. Put aside your modern customer service mentality for a moment and accept that sometimes things don't work the way you want. And when the rack shows up, sell it locally if you want; I'm sure someone will cover your "stolen money" in a heartbeat. If you're near Austin, that someone may even be me.

Most people know by now that the wait time isn't accurate, but worth it. And no one cares about the BBB anymore.

In short: calm down, it's worth it.


Why do you feel compelled to defend the guy again?

If your wait time is four months instead of four weeks, then it's time to update your website. Being known for not making delivery dates doesn't make it acceptable, it just makes you a ****up.

I'm having the EXACT SAME ISSUE. I ordered a rack in November not expecting it until February, but I have yet to receive it. I understand how cottage industries work and I do not mind supporting them, but there is a definite difference between being mad that something takes longer and not having any responses to any e-mails. I have sent him several, all ignored. I spoke to him on the phone once, back in March, where he told me that he would be shipping my rack out in a week.

I know things get busy, and some customers hound you, but one e-mail every 6 weeks is not that at all. I'm sure he is a good guy, but this is not a very good customer relationship.

Why do you feel compelled to defend the guy again?

This is the only time I've defended the guy that makes CETMA racks.

This is unfortunate but I've seen this before with small custom builders. Took almost 2 years to get a custom frame from a builder who initially told me it would be a couple of months. Worked out fine in the end but I really got angry about a year into the ordeal. I will not go through that process again. I feel for ya, probably the guy is really backed up and feels like time talking to angry customers is time he should be spending building racks.

If someone is that backed up, hire someone. These are racks, not frames, so it should be pretty easy to get some quality help in this economy.

It sounds like Lane should take a clue from the Acorn Bag people. When they get more orders than they can reasonably fulfill in a logical time frame they put a note on their website saying "We won't be taking orders again until...". This not only keeps customers from getting aggravated, it makes their products seem like they are highly desireable and available to only the select few that get their orders in when the brief windows open up.

Even if these are the best racks in the world communication with the customers (especially something like email that can be responded to at any time of the day or night) has to happen or it will kill his business.

Is the rack a custom or just one of his normal designs? He should have offered you a deal on something comparable or better already in stock.

Above your front wheel is the worst place on a bicycle to put a load.

That's not true. If your bike's geometry is designed for a front load it can work really well - like the Kogswell Porteur bikes. OTOH if your bike is designed for a rear load or a balanced front to rear load - like the Surly LHT than it's not a great idea putting a heavy load high up front.

Yeah, I agree; the Acorn Bag people are fine. It's okay if you don't have the capacity to sell to me; just let me know and that's that.

If you paid by credit card have them reverse the charge. It's too bad they can't follow through on your order, I'm sure they are not intending to rip you off, but clearly it feels that way.

I almost ordered a CETMA. I just want to add that if you want other options for a stout rack, look up "The Rack Lady" on flickr. Prices are comparable but as far as crafts(wo)manship, there is no compare. Every rack is full custom and a work of art. She even finished it early. I've been VERY happy with my porteur.

To help out other people interested in "The Rack Lady" that fit24hrs mentioned above, here is the info I found:

Leah Stargardter, The Rack Lady
The builder is out of Milwaukee and doesn't have a site yet, but her business e-mail is 12packrack@gmail.com

Some photos/albums of her work

12 pack rack
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twwilliams/sets/72157601089565440/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16266982@N00/3533700367/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2kings/2922788715/

* I've been wanting a front rack similar to cetma/civia, but can't justify the $$ for my regular commuter bike (used Trek from craigslist, $150). So I'm hoping to either find a cheaper product, or possibly make my own. But I have no experience with welding or even brazing, so...

how cool is she has no website, fitting steps are hand written and tubing looks stainless

To help out other people interested in "The Rack Lady" that fit24hrs mentioned above, here is the info I found:

Leah Stargardter, The Rack Lady
The builder is out of Milwaukee and doesn't have a site yet, but her business e-mail is 12packrack@gmail.com

Some photos/albums of her work

12 pack rack
http://www.flickr.com/photos/twwilliams/sets/72157601089565440/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16266982@N00/3533700367/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2kings/2922788715/

* I've been wanting a front rack similar to cetma/civia, but can't justify the $$ for my regular commuter bike (used Trek from craigslist, $150). So I'm hoping to either find a cheaper product, or possibly make my own. But I have no experience with welding or even brazing, so...

You could make one pretty inexpensively. I just flipped an extra rear rack that I had laying around, and bent some flat bar into a bracket to the fork crown, with a vinyl c-clamp on the rack. For aesthetics and a larger footprint for cargo, I attached planks of wood perpendicular across the top, but not covering the front and rear of the rack so as to still have areas to attach bungees. With the wood on top, it doesn't look like a backwards rear rack.

...Leah Stargardter, The Rack Lady
The builder is out of Milwaukee and doesn't have a site yet...

Those racks are hawt. Thanks for the heads up; I'm about to go car-lite boarderline car-free and I may get one of these.

:thumb:

Yikes. Sorry to hear your negative experience from Cetma Racks. It'll make me think twice before ordering from them.

You could make one pretty inexpensively. I just flipped an extra rear rack that I had laying around, and bent some flat bar into a bracket to the fork crown, with a vinyl c-clamp on the rack. For aesthetics and a larger footprint for cargo, I attached planks of wood perpendicular across the top, but not covering the front and rear of the rack so as to still have areas to attach bungees. With the wood on top, it doesn't look like a backwards rear rack.


We need pictures!

Yikes. Sorry to hear your negative experience from Cetma Racks. It'll make me think twice before ordering from them.

Maybe it will get better.

http://cetmacargo.tumblr.com/post/146801960/ill-assume-youve-read-the-previous-post-my
Upon losing my father, a curious pair of simultaneous positive events have presented themselves to me. I don’t want to say what they are, but suffice it to say it will likely lead to changes in the way I conduct CETMA racks and CETMA cargo. More later.

did this ever get resolved? i've been waiting for a cetma rack that was ordered for me as a gift from my sister in may 2009. it's now late february, it hasn't arrived, and there has been no response to the emails my sister sent inquiring as to when the rack would be finished/sent out.

I love this thread. I can identify with OP. I recently purchased a Big Dummy frame from a certain on line retailer and a longtail xtracycle kit from another. The xtracycle longtail kit arrived 2 days after ordered. The frame set has been a week and counting, but it's on its way ( I have a tracking number). I know one is a frame and the other is a bag with a skateboard deck, but both companies promised less than a week delivery. The rack lady's rack are definitely worth considering.

Yeah I'm on the market for a rack too but don't know what to do...

For the look of the cetma racks and the price and wait time (time is money) it doesn't seem to be worth the asking price.

From what I can gather, he has lost a lot of potential business.


Antbikemike.wordpress.com/racks

has some good stuff.



And I don't think its "cool" either that the rack lady doesn't have a site. That too has its opportunity costs.

needed some parts from lane and he offered to meet me in person and then refused to accept money for it. i've talked to him a few times and he seems like a good dude. out of the handful of bad reviews i bet he has hundreds and hundreds of great ones.

But the bad reviews are not that someone doesn't like the racks or the shipping was slow, it seems he is not delivering on prepaid orders. He might be a nice guy in person and just needs someone to keep things in order at the office but taking people's money...

Obviously there is a niche to be fulfilled in this market.

So all you guys at the top of Maslow's hierarchy.... consider delivering! haha

But the bad reviews are not that someone doesn't like the racks or the shipping was slow, it seems he is not delivering on prepaid orders. He might be a nice guy in person and just needs someone to keep things in order at the office but taking people's money...

yea but we don't know the whole story. perhaps the op was a complete jackass on the phone and lane is just stringing him along for 6 months to tell him to screw off or something. not saying that he would do that, but i would.

If I was telling someone to screw off, I would send back the money. I don't know if any of the story is true, just like all the interwebs, but based on what I have read, I would get on top of it one way or another (I've been running tiny businesses for many years). People don't mind if I am going to be late as long as I tell them the truth and let the customer decide on what to do.

Obviously there is a niche to be fulfilled in this market.

You live in SF, so why not: http://www.passstow.com/

$250...

If I was telling someone to screw off, I would send back the money.

but see, that's the genius of it. dicking around with someone's money on hold is a way better form of screwing with someone than just a straight up refund.


$250...
man, are you so cheap that you don't want quality? my pass and stow is the best rack i've ever used, and imo the best out there. and when you think about it in terms of how long it will last, it is totally reasonably priced. people always complain about the price, and it just seems really stupid to me.

$250...

There's always the standard porteur rack from VO, $145-160: http://www.velo-orange.com/racks.html. I think Leah's Rack Lady racks are amazing, and at ~$200 for a custom rack, an amazing deal as well (and I don't think she's hurting for business). For off-the-shelf, I'd probably go with the Pass and Stow. I didn't know the ANT racks were being sold separately from bike builds again, but I'm sure he's charging well north of $200 for those. As vegenaise mentions, good racks may seem pricey, but I think they're worth it, if you rely on them a lot and to carry a lot. A couple of things to note regarding quality is how well the struts are triangulated to the platform, and how/where the platform attaches to the frame.

Good luck with your search!

but see, that's the genius of it. dicking around with someone's money on hold is a way better form of screwing with someone than just a straight up refund.


man, are you so cheap that you don't want quality? my pass and stow is the best rack i've ever used, and imo the best out there. and when you think about it in terms of how long it will last, it is totally reasonably priced. people always complain about the price, and it just seems really stupid to me.


Whoa, is this guy your brother or something?

I'm a college student who doesn't have that much money to start with (lets save the stereotypes here, I don't blow my money on booze and weed). I want a rack for groceries laundry and street rummaging.

I do think the rack lady is providing more value because its CUSTOM work for a comparable price.

And if I was going to be spending $250 on a rack I would probably step it up and get a fork with a drilled out crown (which yes would prove to last my lifetime).

Its a good looking rack, but its also a designer rack.... Its one of the first options that come up when searching. you're paying for convenience of attainment, the actual product and the fact its a designer rack.

I havent ruled out the P&S, I'm looking for any and every alternative. I may end up dropping that much but I'd really like to see if there is another solution first.


It's not so "stupid" as you crassly put it as it is just getting the best bang for the buck.


side note.
I have read that the tange on the VO rack attaching it to the top of the fork is a bit flimsy and could be a problem down the road so that kinda bummed me out.


one more thing... consider Freight Baggage's rack bag in concert with a pass stow rack(which they desgined the bag for)... Thats $400!

stop being so broke dude. get in the drug trade. i won't ride any bike that costs less than 2 g's.

on a more serious note, just because it's custom, doesn't necessary mean it's better. you'd be hard pressed to find a platform rack that is better designed than the p&s. like, im not sure how you could improve upon it. any other platform rack that can also take panniers that i've seen don't come close. i guess if you're into wood slats and all that crap. i want something that will work and last. not something that doesn't serve much of a point other then being flashy.

$400 bucks for a quality waterproof bag and a rack like p&s seems very reasonable to me.

Yeah, fair enough.

I guess looking at it in the context of my bike being worth like $250 and then having $400 over the fork is what makes me hesitant.

cheers,

Any updates on the guys that are waiting on their Cetmas? He updated the site with new racks and prices...


also, I found the alternative I've been looking for. I'll keep you updated...

Muni- try his website. It list a 4 week wait currently. It also list his phone number.

Porteur racks are for posers.

I wanna be a poser!

Porteur racks are for posers.
care to elaborate on this statement?

I wanna be a poser!

Believe in yourself and make it happen!

care to elaborate on this statement?

No

***.