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.

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

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

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.

Checked it out, no records exist. AWESOME!

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/...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

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.

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.

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/twwilli...7601089565440/

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

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.

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.