Ciamillo Design, LLC is a manufacturer specializing in custom super-light road cycling components, established in 2002. With over 30 years of expertise in CNC machining and carbon fiber molding, the company produces a range of high-performance products, including the L8 Ultra Road Brakes, Ciamillo Brakes, and Ciamillo Cranks. Each component is crafted in the USA, utilizing in-house CNC machining, anodizing, and carbon fiber compression molding processes. Ciamillo Design caters to cycling enthusiasts and professionals seeking lightweight, high-quality components tailored to their specific needs. The company’s offerings include various models of brakes and cranksets, such as the Zero Gravity and Gravitas, which are known for their innovative design and superior performance. By providing customizable solutions and accommodating specialized requirements, Ciamillo Design aims to enhance the cycling experience for customers building custom road bikes.
Ciamillo Design, LLC receives mixed feedback from its customers, reflecting both strong product quality and significant service issues. Many reviewers praise the performance and reliability of the brake systems, with several noting that the brakes worked well from day one and exceeded expectations in quality and performance.
However, a substantial number of consumers express frustration over unfulfilled orders and poor customer service, with complaints about never receiving products and difficulties in obtaining refunds. Customers report long delays and lack of communication from the company, leading to accusations of fraud. While some highlight exceptional customer support experiences, these seem overshadowed by the recurring issues with order fulfillment. Overall, the sentiment is mixed, with a notable portion of customers dissatisfied with their experience.
Summary generated with AI from recent reviews
Each source counts by its number of reviews. Only reviews written by people are scored.
| Source | Rating | Reviews | Weight | 6-mo | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trustpilot Imported Trustpilot reviews | 3.9 | 55 | 100% | ● Low |
Monthly average rating from reviews written by people · latest review Jun 2025.
| Month | Average | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 24 | 1.0 | 1 |
| Aug 24 | — | 0 |
| Sep 24 | — | 0 |
| Oct 24 | 5.0 | 1 |
| Nov 24 | 5.0 | 1 |
| Dec 24 | — | 0 |
| Jan 25 | — | 0 |
| Feb 25 | — | 0 |
| Mar 25 | — | 0 |
| Apr 25 | — | 0 |
| May 25 | 1.0 | 1 |
| Jun 25 | 1.0 | 2 |
Share of positive (4–5★) and negative (1–2★) reviews mentioning each topic · based on the 55 most recent reviews.
“Thank you Ted for your exceptional customer support”
“Not only have they failed to ship my order, but they're also ignoring my refund requests”
Same method for every company: overall rating, legitimacy checks, the average rating of reviews mentioning each area and the 6-month trend · Sports Equipment.
| Company | Overall | Legit | Service | Quality | Delivery | Trend | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3.9 out of 5 (good) | 33 out of 100 | 4.3 out of 5 (good) | 3.6 out of 5 (good) | 3.1 out of 5 (fair) | — | 55 |
| 5.0 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 5.0 out of 5 (good) | 5.0 out of 5 (good) | 5.0 out of 5 (good) | 0% | 343 | |
| 5.0 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 5.0 out of 5 (good) | — | — | 0% | 43 | |
| 2.4 out of 5 (poor) | 100 out of 100 | 2.6 out of 5 (poor) | 1.8 out of 5 (poor) | — | — | 25 | |
| 4.6 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 4.6 out of 5 (good) | 4.8 out of 5 (good) | 4.8 out of 5 (good) | — | 25 |
Bottom line: Ciamillo Design, LLC is #4 of 5 on overall rating in this group. On delivery, ONE Sports Warehouse scores higher (5.0 vs 3.1).
55 reviews of Ciamillo Design, LLC. Filter by what matters to you.
Over a year ago
Very bad after sale service ,Ted never keep his promise, his new crankset is a failure , 2 ride spider broke, promise to send new for replacement, from last year sept 2023 till may 2025 , still not y... See more
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This is unacceptable! I ordered my Brompton brake and lever set in January 2025, and it's now June! Not only have they failed to ship my order, but they're also ignoring my refund requests. This company's customer service is terrible. I am still couldn’t get my money back.
This is a fraud I bought a cranckset and brakes in November 2024 it is now June 2025 and I haven't received the products, he doesn't answer emails now for a few months and before that his replay was that his machine broke down. Do not buy I lost 1.400 USD with this purchase
Very bad after sale service ,Ted never keep his promise, his new crankset is a failure , 2 ride spider broke, promise to send new for replacement, from last year sept 2023 till may 2025 , still not yet received…and spindle dislocated . Beware of him!!!
Thank you Ted for your exceptional customer support! I bought a Ciamillo zero gravity brake set a few years back. I've always been very happy with these brakes. Recently had to contact the company for a replacement spring . Great experience and fast support! This is a great "Made in the USA" company of high-end performance products. Highly recommended! Maarten
This is a scam site. I bought a crankset but the product has never been delivered. I have emailed them multiple times asking for a refund but they just keep lying and won't refund my money.
Absolutely outstanding experience! The new bicycle calipers are phenomenal in quality and performance. But what truly sets this company apart is the unparalleled service provided by Ciamillo. I had the unique opportunity to communicate directly with him – the man behind the brand! It's rare to find a company where you can engage with the founder himself. The personalized attention and commitment to excellence are evident in every aspect of their service. Highly recommend to any cycling enthusiast!
Ordered a set of custom brake calipers. Had a little delay on shipping but received the calipers and they exceeded my expectations. Also in the process of installing, I lost the adjuster on the rear and Ted was nice enough to send me a replacement right away. He also talked me through a couple of technical issues I was having. I would definitely buy from again.
I ordered and paid for a swim fin back while I was on deployment. When I returned to the states, I sent several emails reminding him that I had not received my product yet. I had several phone calls with Ted. Each phone call he told me "It'll be ready in 2 weeks." Eventually he just stopped answering my phone calls and emails. Just to make sure, I sent another email recently. I am pretty sure he blocked me.
Extreme caution These brakes are said to be very light, but also said to provide very little stopping power. I'd give my first hand impression but they were never delivered despite payment in full. Not surprising considering that bike forums across the globe are littered with documented experiences of customers who pay Ted in full, receive nothing, and never receive a refund. Many promises will be made, tracking numbers given, etc. but they are lies. On the odd occasion a refund is given, it is only done after a negative review is posted or legal threats made. The refund is then conditional on the negative review being deleted. It's a multinational scam that Ted has been running for years. Avoid like the plague. If you must have these brakes they can be purchased on AliExpress for a fraction of the price and you will actually receive them. Still, don't expect them to stop your bike.
Anyone else not receiving their orders from Ted? I paid for the 'on-sale' crankset 6/2/23. Was told estimated shipping 6/28/23 and I never received it. I emailed a follow-up on 7/14/23 and received an email from Ted on 7/25/23 stating should be out by the end of that week provided his machine was back on line. I followed up again on 8/28/23 and now nothing from Ted to date just radio silence. I purchased the lekki8 brakes from Ted (review below) and transaction was uneventful. I'll update this review if anything changes but I wanted to share with the community my ongoing experience. 9/24 Update - I received an email from Ted on 9/12 in regards this review. He stated he was hoping to get the crankset sent out by the end of the week or 9/15. Still nothing. I have notified my bank about what is going and filed a claim. They are currently investigating.
Was using my bike with the new titanium G23 brakes coming down a long hill with a tailwind: I was flying. There is a 90 degree turn at the bottom. A mountain biker was came around the corner and was totally in the middle of the road not paying attention to anything so I had to reach for my brakes very hard. I was able to confidently stop in time and avoid a major collision. MTB guy said "Sorry dude." So not only are the brakes light as all get out but can pull down from speed quickly. I've also have the L8 and L8 Ultras which are lighter still. With each new design I have seen subtle improvements, exceptional light weight, and darn good braking.
I purchased a set of L8 Ultra calipers in the summer of 2022, and unfortunately the front caliper was damaged in a race crash in September of that year. I contacted Ted to inquire about a replacement, and was blown away by his offer to replace the caliper free of charge! There were some delays in receiving the replacement, but Ted is an artisan who also relies on other providers for components. Ted is a great guy, and very easy to communicate with - all you have to do is give him a ring, and he is almost always sure to answer. I highly recommend Ted to anyone looking for a lightweight, made in the USA, high performance brake caliper!
Contacted Ciamillo with a brake pad question for some older brakes, had a response and solution very quickly. Thanks!
I think Ted Ciamillo's customer service is top, I give it 5 stars
just received the gravitas 13.1 carbon cranks from ted. beautiful work, the carbon shows through nicely. the weight is 286.7g on my gram scale, amazingly light cranks. this is the last part i need for a sub 12lb build of a titanium framed bike. weight weenies unite!
Ted Ciamillo makes ultra-light brakes for road bikes and the Brompton folding bike from England. I wanted to use the B1 brake for Brompton on my T Line Urban. The pair consisting of front and rear brake weighs only 133 g. That is about 250 g less than the standard brakes. I feel that the braking performance is just as good. My goal is to get the Brompton T Line under 7 kg. The weight saving on the brakes definitely helps. The communication with Ted Caimiello went very well. Ted usually answered quickly (a few minutes to hours, he lives in a time zone six hours away from me). Delivery was delayed due to organisational issues and I was beginning to fear the same thing happening to me that may have happened to other reviewers in the past. Our communication remained professional and solution oriented and eventually the brake was shipped and delivered. Thank you very much Ted! 27 March 2023 - Date of order and payment 03 May 2023 - Date of dispatch (US Postal) 12 May 2023 - Date of delivery (DHL)
Ted Ciamillo is a FRAUD! He reached out to us and offered discounts for 10 units of Custom Ciamillo B1 for Brompton brake for $510 each instead of the original price of $850 each. We wired a total of US$5,100 in Nov 2022 and contacted him numerous times. We got the same response, order will be out this week. We got NOTHING! BE AWARE! DO NOT DEAL ANY BUSINESS WITH THIS GUY!
I am a former retailer of Ciamillo brakes. Ted still owes me some brakes, many times he promised me he is about to send the brakes. Endless lies since 3 years, nothing here. I now know I will never see the brakes. How do you call that, scammer? Dulight
Awesome experience great brakes quick responses I'm a frequent customer.
Ciamillo Design, LLC is a manufacturer specializing in custom super-light road cycling components, established in 2002. With over 30 years of expertise in CNC machining and carbon fiber molding, the company produces a range of high-performance products, including the L8 Ultra Road Brakes, Ciamillo Brakes, and Ciamillo Cranks. Each component is crafted in the USA, utilizing in-house CNC machining, anodizing, and carbon fiber compression molding processes. Ciamillo Design caters to cycling enthusiasts and professionals seeking lightweight, high-quality components tailored to their specific needs. The company’s offerings include various models of brakes and cranksets, such as the Zero Gravity and Gravitas, which are known for their innovative design and superior performance. By providing customizable solutions and accommodating specialized requirements, Ciamillo Design aims to enhance the cycling experience for customers building custom road bikes.
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