Bicycles

Handmade Cetma cargo bike delivers

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Load up: the Cetma cargo bike is handmade and built to order
Optional fence sides for racks
The Cetma bike comes with a seven-rail rack
An optional wooden box for the cargo area is available
The bike's bi-partible frame for easy storage and transport
Load up: the Cetma cargo bike is handmade and built to order
The Cetma bike has a 2 x 3 foot cargo area
The Cetma cargo bike comes with a three-rail rack
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April 22, 2009 Given that there are more bicycles sold in the world each year than cars, they are non-polluting, the transport of choice for many developing countries and are used to deliver a large part of the world's freight the final mile, it’s a wonder there aren’t more purpose-built cargo bikes around. The Cetma cargo bike, produced by a small, one-man operation in the US state of Oregon, is one that is out there ... delivering.

Purpose-built for carrying cargo, the Cetma design focuses on being versatile and highly practical for real-life situations. In order to achieve this, all Cetma cargo bikes are handmade and built to order.

In this way, the Cetma cargo bike doesn't work off a modified design of a traditional bike, like some factory-produced cargo bikes. Instead, it has a 2x3 foot cargo area, located at the front of the bike, completely incorporated into the frame. This gives the Cetma bike a lower centre of gravity than most other non-purpose-built cargo bikes on the market, enabling it to carry large, heavy loads and giving the rider greater control.

The Cetma bike has seven-foot wheel base, which enables the cargo area to support about 70 pounds. The Cetma bike has a bi-partible frame, which means it can be separated into two pieces for easy transport and storage.

In building its cargo bike, Cetma uses quality parts. These include:

  • Avid BB7 disc brakes/levers
  • Rhyno Lite rims/ Deore M525 hubs
  • Sugino RD cranks/ 37T ring
  • SRAM X5 9-speed derailer/ shifter
  • SRAM 11-34 cassette
  • Schwalbe Marathon tires
  • Cetma also provides a range of cargo racks that can be fitted to just about any bike. These are available in three, five or seven rail designs, with the option of a removable side rail. The company also offers a wooden box with fold-up bench, finished and sealed for all weather conditions, that can be fitted to the cargo area.

    According to Cetma, it takes about four weeks to build a bike. Bikes cost about USD$2900.

    Cetma is one of many cargo bikes available. Some others include: the xtracycle, Cycles Maximus, Miklink and the Yuba Mundo cargo bike.

    Tim LeFevre

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    4 comments
    Lancekagar
    Beautiful! Great article about an important bike.
    I happen to know that this bike can carry a LOT more than 70 pounds! I've personally carried at least 300 pounds when I recently moved my workshop across town.
    There's also a very entertaining video available on the CETMAcargo website.
    Luddite
    Looks very similar to some of the Bakfiets bikes from the Netherlands. http://www.bakfiets.nl/eng/models.php
    ELV
    Interesting concept, but drivers aren't going to be ready to see this in the US. Plus handling will be interesting...
    waltinseattle
    A good start, but but not nearly the carry capacity of frankentrikes (dot com) which are doing commercial cartage. Electric, can keep you out of the weather.....
    Anyway, we have to get people "used to seeing" as much as we can put out there.