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One Fast Cat Wheel Reviews
- Thread starter Sue
- Start date
Chris Elliott
Savannah Super Cat
Paige, because I respect you, I went through what I could find on FB, despite my revulsion for the company, it's CEO, it's operational policies, and it's business model.
Obviously, OFC is reposting the successful videos. And there are several of those, with little or no wobble showing.
I don't see any negative comments, besides about the pads being too short. Apparently OFC is going to give "steep discounts" on replacement pads to all affected in March, when the correctly cut pads are available.
As FB search is not showing the comments you mention they must be private and not available to me to view. I also did several Google and YouTube searches without finding much more than a couple of videos showing it working.
So, can you be specific about the problems and if folks have found solutions?
Obviously, OFC is reposting the successful videos. And there are several of those, with little or no wobble showing.
I don't see any negative comments, besides about the pads being too short. Apparently OFC is going to give "steep discounts" on replacement pads to all affected in March, when the correctly cut pads are available.
As FB search is not showing the comments you mention they must be private and not available to me to view. I also did several Google and YouTube searches without finding much more than a couple of videos showing it working.
So, can you be specific about the problems and if folks have found solutions?
Chris you would have to be friends with them to see the remarks... I will go through them all tomorrow and post here... I am going to be curious to see what you and John and others think... One is coming to me well, so I will experience it first hand...
I have had cat wheels for years... Different brands... So I am comfortable with my intuition about this one... I would just love to be wrong...
I have had cat wheels for years... Different brands... So I am comfortable with my intuition about this one... I would just love to be wrong...
John Popp
Site Supporter
OFC gave people a lot of reason to raise the level of expectation with the delays. A utility knife and reducing the number of units shipped by less than 1% could have remedied the tracked pad issue entirely.
For me, I had thought long and hard about a wheel of similar design after seeing the first one that had made the rounds from Asia. Shipping was what made that product unmarketable because of the size of the cylinder. OFC making the cylinder modular was truly an innovative move but also a high risk one. Issues of the cylinder being true, balance issues and just getting the product properly assembled.
On the base, it's pretty clear it was almost an afterthought. The angle of the axle support doesn't match the angle in which force is applied. A 15 or 20 pound cat running on the wheel is going to place a lot more pressure on the base than the weight of the wheel and is going to come in other directions than that of gravity.
There is also very little remedy for force being unevenly applied. Cats aren't always going to run directly in the middle, and they also aren't going to always use it as intended. Without any doubt Dino will have jumped to the top of the wheel far in advance of him figuring out how to run on it. Then we have the absence of anything but the edge of the wheels and a guide on the cylinder to remedy undesired yaw and roll, which is the culprit of the cylinder coming off the base.
I still have great hope for the product and didn't ever believe it was going to be a cake walk. Nearly from the start I felt I would need to provide some remedies for what I saw as shortcomings in design. I also believe OFC will continue to improve the product and the OFC v2 Cat wheel will be a lot better than the first one. Most importantly, they have shown a willingness to work with customers and a propensity to do the right things when things aren't working out. That's more important than the rest of it as I'm fairly confident they will work on continued improvement of the product.
For me, I had thought long and hard about a wheel of similar design after seeing the first one that had made the rounds from Asia. Shipping was what made that product unmarketable because of the size of the cylinder. OFC making the cylinder modular was truly an innovative move but also a high risk one. Issues of the cylinder being true, balance issues and just getting the product properly assembled.
On the base, it's pretty clear it was almost an afterthought. The angle of the axle support doesn't match the angle in which force is applied. A 15 or 20 pound cat running on the wheel is going to place a lot more pressure on the base than the weight of the wheel and is going to come in other directions than that of gravity.
There is also very little remedy for force being unevenly applied. Cats aren't always going to run directly in the middle, and they also aren't going to always use it as intended. Without any doubt Dino will have jumped to the top of the wheel far in advance of him figuring out how to run on it. Then we have the absence of anything but the edge of the wheels and a guide on the cylinder to remedy undesired yaw and roll, which is the culprit of the cylinder coming off the base.
I still have great hope for the product and didn't ever believe it was going to be a cake walk. Nearly from the start I felt I would need to provide some remedies for what I saw as shortcomings in design. I also believe OFC will continue to improve the product and the OFC v2 Cat wheel will be a lot better than the first one. Most importantly, they have shown a willingness to work with customers and a propensity to do the right things when things aren't working out. That's more important than the rest of it as I'm fairly confident they will work on continued improvement of the product.
John, the thing is that people are not going to want to fix something like this...they paid decent money for it and expect it to work...so whether it is v2 or v3 that they get right, the word is already out...for some, I'm sure it will be fine...for someone who is handy, I'm sure it will be better...BUT...I know I would not be happy to have to fix something brand new that I expected to work...
A couple of Quotes...
"Not happy - doesn't stay on the track and is difficult to assemble. Trying to work out a fix - maybe some washers will do the trick - can't get to that until monday. No response from the manufacturer."
"Well.. the Cat Wheel doesn't work. Assembly is difficult. It does not stay on it's base but falls off. There appears to be too much slack in the wheels. I do not recommend it and will be returning the second one I have if I can."
A couple of Quotes...
"Not happy - doesn't stay on the track and is difficult to assemble. Trying to work out a fix - maybe some washers will do the trick - can't get to that until monday. No response from the manufacturer."
"Well.. the Cat Wheel doesn't work. Assembly is difficult. It does not stay on it's base but falls off. There appears to be too much slack in the wheels. I do not recommend it and will be returning the second one I have if I can."
John Popp
Site Supporter
I agree Paige, when we buy things we should expect them to be perfect. With a KickStarter campaign and receipt of a premium we signed onto something a little different. We should hope that it will be perfect but the reality is it's the first production run of a brand new product. I'm not being an apologist for OFC here at all, just saying that how they respond to the issues will define the company they want to be.
On that note, my wheel just arrived as I am about to head out the door to go pick up our kitten. I'm going to make good and sure to make good notes when I do the assembly and then post what OFC or I come up with for remedies.
Anyway, time for me to bolt!
On that note, my wheel just arrived as I am about to head out the door to go pick up our kitten. I'm going to make good and sure to make good notes when I do the assembly and then post what OFC or I come up with for remedies.
Anyway, time for me to bolt!
John, I have been part of several kickstarter campaigns and the product has always worked perfectly...good luck on picking up your boy!
John Popp
Site Supporter
Put the wheel together, spending extra time to avoid issues and making sure I implicitly followed the instructions. Definitely need a rubber mallet to put it together, you can do it without one, but I don't understand why you would want to. A few adjustments needed to be made but nothing too tough.
After assembled the wheel wobbles a fair amount, is noisy and somewhat hangs at friction points. This weekend I take it apart and try again.
After assembled the wheel wobbles a fair amount, is noisy and somewhat hangs at friction points. This weekend I take it apart and try again.
Chris Elliott
Savannah Super Cat
John, some folks stressed the need to assemble the wheel on a hard flat surface. Was your assembly surface flat? Carpeted or ?
Mine were in Atlanta Sunday and are due to be delivered Wednesday. I'll let you all know how it goes, probably Thursday, depending on how warm the packages arrive.
Have fun picking up Dino's playmate!
Mine were in Atlanta Sunday and are due to be delivered Wednesday. I'll let you all know how it goes, probably Thursday, depending on how warm the packages arrive.
Have fun picking up Dino's playmate!