Ted, please deliver my brakes

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spookyload
Posts: 1048
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:47 am
Location: Albuquerque, NM

by spookyload

I am currently on holiday. If I get home and find no brakes after another week, I will simply call the credit card company and reverse the charges. He has gotten the last call from me. I am hoping for the best however. Fingers crossed.

by Weenie


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ellipsesx
Posts: 76
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 5:20 pm

by ellipsesx

the never ending story with Ted Ciamillo........oh my gosh.

Rippin
Posts: 618
Joined: Thu Feb 19, 2004 9:58 am

by Rippin

In all of my years as a cyclist there are four companies that I vow to never deal with again: Dean Titanium, American Classic, C-4 Components (Mark) and Ciamillo.
____o
_`\<,_
(*)/ (*)

Ozrider
Posts: 1018
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:06 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

by Ozrider

Every company can have a production glitch or stuff up an order, but some seem to make career out of it


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Ozrider - Western Australia
Parlee Z5 XL (6055g/13.32lbs) Trek Madone 5.9 (7052-7500g)Jonesman Columbus Spirit (8680g)
Chase your dreams - it's only impossible until it's done

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kdawg
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by kdawg

I'm left handed, if that matters.

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53x12
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:02 am
Location: On the bike

by 53x12

Another fluff piece by bikerumor.
"Marginal gains are the only gains when all that's left to gain is in the margins."

gamedic
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Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2012 9:56 pm

by gamedic

I waited for nearly four months for a set of Micros. I sent numerous emails with no reply. I live about 50 miles from him. I finally emailed him threatening to go to the local better business bureau and go to the local sheriffs office. He still never replied. I finally located his shop and went to see him. When I walked in he was super nice and handed me a set of brakes. The man just does not get in a hurry. I love the brakes, but will not buy directly from him again.

Ozrider
Posts: 1018
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:06 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

by Ozrider

@kdawg - you beat me to it.
The problem with many inventors / innovators is that they might have great ideas or design ability but zero experience running a successful business.
The reason so many mediocre products sell so well is an excellent marketing / sales team.
Someone like Ted needs to employ an excellent salesperson to handle sales, and he needs to focus on making the parts.

Very few people get the mix right to run a one man show. Even small operations like Kent Eriksen or Firefly bikes have 3-4 employees, and even though they keep it small, they have a mix of skills and capability that complement each other.




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Ozrider - Western Australia
Parlee Z5 XL (6055g/13.32lbs) Trek Madone 5.9 (7052-7500g)Jonesman Columbus Spirit (8680g)
Chase your dreams - it's only impossible until it's done

mattr
Posts: 4671
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 6:43 pm
Location: The Grim North.

by mattr

ZeroG wrote:It is simply my opinion that the best made stuff on this planet is made by Americans. Americans of every race, color, and flavor... I'm not anti-Taiwanese, anti-Asian, anti-European, or anti-any other culture or race...

I'm just pro-American...
BikeRumour wrote: but Ted says his employees simply didn’t have enough attention to detail, which led to too many of those already sparse parts being rejected. As in, almost 80% rejected at times.
That's certainly bitten you on the arse hasn't it. Decent drawings and CNC programs can be made identically on opposite sides of the planet, relying on workers attention to detail says there is something wrong with your drawings, programs, fixtures or tooling. Or all four.

And going from TWO bodies per CNC run to 30-36. F**k Me. I'm surprised you are still in business with inefficiencies like that.

I'd advise speaking to your local better business centre (if you have such things where you are, local Universities might have something) and get some help from someone who knows the difference between arses and elbows.

(Just so you know, i did this for a living for a few years, and am still involved in engineering improvement activities, even tho i now have a different role)

InoxEPS
Posts: 121
Joined: Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:32 am

by InoxEPS

Ted,you are very smart ~ Brilliant marketing tricks together with BikeRumor :) to clean up everything :)
...online marketing strategy a boost--without spending hours on social media.

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53x12
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Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:02 am
Location: On the bike

by 53x12

^ You should read the reader comments on the BR article. At least many of them aren't falling for it again. Fool me once...
"Marginal gains are the only gains when all that's left to gain is in the margins."

Mackers
Posts: 482
Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 2:02 pm

by Mackers

Irish and Olive to the rescue as usual too :)

mloody
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2014 6:23 pm

by mloody

I'm at Ted's brakes GSL ordered on April 2 and still do not have them. I have written several times to him, "what happened"

May 21 I got a message from Ted:

 

Code: Select all

Hello Robert, 

Your order is on the way. I will send over tracking this afternoon. Sorry for the delay in getting backto you.



However, do not send me any tracking parcels or today I have not ordered brakes.

Never again .....

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spookyload
Posts: 1048
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:47 am
Location: Albuquerque, NM

by spookyload

mloody wrote:I'm at Ted's brakes GSL ordered on April 2 and still do not have them. I have written several times to him, "what happened"

May 21 I got a message from Ted:

 

Code: Select all

Hello Robert, 

Your order is on the way. I will send over tracking this afternoon. Sorry for the delay in getting backto you.



However, do not send me any tracking parcels or today I have not ordered brakes.

Never again .....


I installed my brakes this morning after receiving them from Ted this week. I can honestly say they are amazing brakes. I had run the ZeroG ti brakes for nine years, and these brakes are light years ahead of them in performance. I was happy and used to the ZeroG brakes, but when I felt the power these had, I was shocked. I have another bike that runs 2009 Dura Ace, and I would compare the brake power to those. Everyone says they are tricky to set up, but honestly I didn't see how that could be. I had them set up and was on the road in less than an hour. I was using the same housing and cables however as I had just changed them a few months ago and the new brakes used the same cable housing length.

I will agree with Bikerumor's review that the only gripe I have is the groove for the cable anchor bolt. It points just slightly inward and puts the cable at an awkward angle when trying to secure it. It was a bit of a hassle getting them, but I would say they are a definite upgrade. If Ted can iron out his shipping details, he will have a champion product on his hands.

Now if I could just get Tate Labs to deliver the in-stock Bar Fly mount I ordered the first week of April, all of my outstanding orders will be filled. Can't imagine it has taken three months to get more Derlin in to manufacture the new mounts. That was the excuse they gave me at the end of April as to why it wasn't here yet.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

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