[jinomas]

In.

[jinomas]

I’m almost there.  I snapped the rear derailleur braze-on on my recumbent bike.  It’s down to three speeds now.

[jinomas]

As for cold toes, I haven’t had any issues since I found some Fizik Articas on clearance.  I was already using wool socks.  Toe warmers?

[jinomas]

Hi, Team.

This is the third time that I have done freezing saddles.  The first time, my goal was to get on the bike everyday.  Last year my goal was to bike ten miles everyday.  I met both of these goals.  My goal this year is to try keep biking even after this competition is over.  “Springing Saddles” or “Blazing Saddles” anyone?

I have been in the area since 2012 excepting one year I spent in Nepal.  I also used a bike to get around during law school and when I lived in DC proper.  Sadly, I work from home now and live in a suburban bike desert.  When I need that sense of purpose again, I tend to bike errands rather than simply ride in circles.  Or I go dodge squirrels with Red or GA!

I have also served as an election officer for the last few years.  Luckily I have worked at polling locations that were all within biking distance, including a few times where Cap. Red votes.

I’m not sure whether it is possible to bike on ice, but I have never tried studded tires .  I have been tempted to use zip ties, but haven’t.  Luckily I am close enough to George Mason that I haven’t had to rely on either.  The University keeps its roads clear and salty.

[jinomas]

Michael Jordan was number 23…

[jinomas]

What is Rule 9?  The sticky ends at Rule 7.

[jinomas]

I plan on coming.

[jinomas]

Hi, fellow cold bicyclists. I haven’t done Freezing Saddles before, but I have frozen my toes on winter rides and landed on my ass after hitting black ice before. I also dodge squirrels.

[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.

[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.

[jinomas]

I had a pretty good experience at the Green Commuter. I test rode a Yuba Mundo and also a second-hand hybrid loaded with Xtracycle family accessories. The guy I talked to was sad that I didn’t buy a Yuba from him that day, but once we established I was not not in a hurry to buy even though he was in a hurry to sell, we had pretty good rapport. We mostly talked about family bikes. They had two CETMAs. One they built up with a box and electric assist and the other was a window display. The unbuilt frame was a brightly-colored and attention-grabbing piece of bike art.

[jinomas]

@dasgeh 62860 wrote:

Welcome! Great to have more family bike fans. Or cargo bike fans.

My only experience with cetma is that Green Commuter said they could get one when I was shopping last Spring. Unfortunately, the guy I spoke with at the g.c. was particularly unhelpful with respect to family bikes. He kept spouting “facts” that weren’t true. For example, he said bakfiets/workcycles were pos’s that were made in China (they’re not — they’re tried and tried machines made in Holland). He described the cetma as a great family bike, but when I looked online, I could only find info on cetma being a cargo-oriented bike, without an established record hauling kids.

I would love to be wrong here, because more family-bike dealers in the area is good for us.

And you should come to a Kidical Mass Arlington ride. Lots of different family bike set ups.

Thanks! I’m interested both in moving cargo and my child around by bike. When and where is this Kidical Mass? The link you sent me seems to suggest random get-togethers. I live in Bethesda and I am a full-time student, so surprise get-togethers in Arlington may not work out for me, but I would love to see the different cargo bike options that parents have made work for them.

Other than the CETMA’s possible country of origin, I like that it is separable into parts that could possibly fit into a regular-sized vehicle. I plan on keeping my bike much longer than my current living arrangements or vehicle.

I did get an opportunity to ride a Larry v. Harry Bullitt from a fellow full-time student/father. That was fun. Disconcerting at first, but fun.

[jinomas]

Does anyone have any thoughts or experience on the CETMA cargo bike?

[jinomas]

Does anyone have any experience and/or thought on the CETMA Cargo Bikes?

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