# CETMA Cargo Bike



## vik (Oct 13, 2005)

I got to test ride my buddy Doug's CETMA cargo bike recently. It's a very cool rig...:thumbsup: A lot different than my Surly Big Dummy, but I can see the appeal for front loading cargo bike.










CETMA cargo bike videos.


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## themanmonkey (Nov 1, 2005)

I love Long John style cargo bikes and used to messenger on one. I'm glad to see folks are liking the CETMA bikes as my buddy Mike builds them. Hopefully we'll start seeing more of this style of cargo bike in the coming years.


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## vik (Oct 13, 2005)

I like the flat cargo platform and the box...the best of both worlds. I've looked at other front loading cargo bikes that just have the box and no platform underneath....not as versatile.


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## vik (Oct 13, 2005)

themanmonkey said:


> I love Long John style cargo bikes and used to messenger on one. I'm glad to see folks are liking the CETMA bikes as my buddy Mike builds them. Hopefully we'll start seeing more of this style of cargo bike in the coming years.


Just curious does your buddy Mark work with Lane at CETMA or does he build the frames entirely separately and they get sold by CETMA?


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## themanmonkey (Nov 1, 2005)

He's the fabricating side CETMA I'd guess from what it says on the page. Mike is a great fabricator and we worked together at a place that built cargo bikes and then we worked together again later at Bike Friday. He's been wanting to do the cargo bike thing for a decade at least. I lost contact with him and just made contact with him a couple months back looking for info about doing my own Long John style bike.


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## vik (Oct 13, 2005)

Interesting....I've put one of my touring bikes up for sale...I think I'll be investing in a CETMA cargo bike later this year....after two cargo bikes in a household seems almost reasonable...:thumbsup:


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## FastFix (Sep 29, 2007)

Those Cetma bikes look amazingly versatile. I've been eyeing those since their conception. They look well built and well thought out.


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## vik (Oct 13, 2005)

FastFix said:


> Those Cetma bikes look amazingly versatile. I've been eyeing those since their conception. They look well built and well thought out.


I just ordered mine!...:thumbsup:


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

CETMA build complete...just needs lights and fenders now...:thumbsup:


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## space49 (Jan 24, 2010)

Very nice looking addition to your fleet.


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## bikecop (May 20, 2004)

hey vik did you morph into vikb or are there 2 of you? 
that cetma looks nice. I'm wondering how the steering feels with that long connecting rod. and is your box plastic or just nicely finished wood? 
thanks


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## vik (Oct 13, 2005)

bikecop said:


> hey vik did you morph into vikb or are there 2 of you?
> that cetma looks nice. I'm wondering how the steering feels with that long connecting rod. and is your box plastic or just nicely finished wood?
> thanks


I'll go on my first real ride this PM and let you know what I think about the handling then. I test rode my friend's CETMA, but the geometry has changed a bit. I'm both Vik and Vikb...thanks for pointing that out I didn't realize I had 2 accounts....not sure how that happened...:eekster:

The box is wood and quite nicely made. It is bolted to a platform so I can remove it when I need to carry a dishwasher or dryer!


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## superjohnny (Aug 5, 2005)

very cool vik. how's it ride?


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

superjohnny said:


> very cool vik. how's it ride?


I'm having a hard time explaining that to anyone:

- different than a "normal" cargo bike like my Big Dummy
- better than you think it would given the linkage and small front wheel way way out there
- handling doesn't seem affected by heavy load much at all
- didn't take long to master....maybe 3kms

Hahaha...sorry that wasn't super helpful....

I'll keep riding it and try and get a better answer posted soon.


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## byknuts (Aug 9, 2008)

that a 20" front wheel? 
need to swap in a 19" trials rim with 3" tire! 
matching 24x2.75 or 3" on the back.
playa-cargo doncha know.


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## BrianMc (Jan 5, 2010)

vikb said:


> I'm having a hard time explaining that to anyone....I'll keep riding it and try and get a better answer posted soon.


So, it is different (as expected) but not as weird as you'd thought, and not so weird you can't get used to it quickly. Plus the low CG of the load means it doesn't weird out the handling like it does on top of a front or rear rack. Still it is unique enough you can't categorize it

Does that about sum it up?


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## superjohnny (Aug 5, 2005)

vikb said:


> I'm having a hard time explaining that to anyone:
> 
> - different than a "normal" cargo bike like my Big Dummy
> - better than you think it would given the linkage and small front wheel way way out there
> ...


They had one at Clever Cycles I got to take for a test ride and I think you've summed it up nicely. To me it felt a little strange trying to go around a corner with the front wheel way out front. Just the whole leaning, body position and finding your line going into corners takes some getting used to. But once you do it's fun to ride.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

byknuts said:


> that a 20" front wheel?
> need to swap in a 19" trials rim with 3" tire!
> matching 24x2.75 or 3" on the back.
> playa-cargo doncha know.


I haven't tried the CETMA on loose surfaces yet so I can't say what it would be like at the burn. It certainly has potential though...:thumbsup:


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

BrianMc said:


> So, it is different (as expected) but not as weird as you'd thought, and not so weird you can't get used to it quickly. Plus the low CG of the load means it doesn't weird out the handling like it does on top of a front or rear rack. Still it is unique enough you can't categorize it
> 
> Does that about sum it up?


Yup...that's it. To put it another way....my buddy let me try his CETMA for the first time in traffic with his little girl in it [pictured above]. I wasn't sure that was a good idea, but he wasn't worried.


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## vikb (Sep 7, 2008)

superjohnny said:


> They had one at Clever Cycles I got to take for a test ride and I think you've summed it up nicely. To me it felt a little strange trying to go around a corner with the front wheel way out front. Just the whole leaning, body position and finding your line going into corners takes some getting used to. But once you do it's fun to ride.


I think having the central load makes it handle better when loaded...unlike my Big Dummy where I often have a load on only 1 side which is okay, but you have to compensate all the time....OTOH when unloaded the BIg Dummy rides like a normal bike and CETMA is a bit *different* no matter what.


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## Pimpride (Nov 14, 2005)

Great Friday Pic... TGIF.... She looks like she's having so much fun.


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## frljim (Jun 1, 2015)

I've had a Cetma Largo for four plus years. Get one. It'll change your life. I've been hauling twins and their big brother around in it since they were born (four years ago). It handles better with a load than empty. So if you test one and it seems a bit sketchy maneuvering at low speed, just know that it is way more stable loaded up.


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## Lone Desert Walker (Sep 15, 2011)

*I Love My Cetma!*


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## Crankyone (Dec 8, 2014)

vik said:


> I got to test ride my buddy Doug's CETMA cargo bike recently. It's a very cool rig...:thumbsup: A lot different than my Surly Big Dummy, but I can see the appeal for front loading cargo bike.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Great bike, but what a cute little kid! Happy New Year


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## streetmeat4cheap (Feb 17, 2017)

Anyone here have comparisons between the CETMA and other cargo bikes? I've worked on and owned a Bullitt for 2 years now and had the chance to ride a CETMA for a few days in Boston. I was told the orange CETMA i was borrowing was previously Lane's personal bike and was an early model/prototype. It was equipped with a stokemonkey mid drive which took a bit to get used to. The steel frame flexed much more than the aluminum Bullitt. If I bounced my weight while riding with no cargo in front I could feel and see the frame flex around where the cargo deck attaches to the rear of the frame. Despite that I was impressed with the ride. I could ride harder than I should with serious cargo with confidence that it would handle well. I think that it would be a great family bike or personal cargo bike. As a work bike I think I prefer my Bullitt, I have much more confidence in the hauling capacity and it is suited for more aggressive riding.


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## smporter (Jul 25, 2012)

Dear Lane,

I hope that this letter finds you well. 

Will you please refund me for the rack that I ordered a year ago, please? Order number 2383. Thank you, have a good day.

Sincerely,
Shannon


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