Frame for 171kg guy...

Hi guys,

A 171kg guy has asked me to build him an ebike. I was going to order a Vector frame for the build but am worried about the strength of the steel.... It's not going to be a high-speed build. He only wants to be able to cruise at 20mph for 100kms. Any thoughts on which frame I should choose to hold his weight safely?

Cheers,

L

Any of the steel ebike frames should be fine (greyborg, vector, etc). I would be more worried about fork and rear shock to handle his + bycicle weight.

The Vector comes with the option of a dual rear shock which would suit your friend well.

It will be a hassle to tune any suspension for someone that weight. At 20mph, he doesn't need suspension anyway. Get him something like a Surly Troll or Ogre frame, fit it with 2.5 inch Hookworm tires, and use its many fittings and hardpoints to attach whatever is required.

At that weight (in the past, I have weighed more than that), he needs to be more discriminating about cranks, seatpost, wheels, and handlebar than about the frame. Normal not-light steel frames of traditional shape are strong enough. That's why they're traditional.

Consider the Juiced Riders ODK-II, made for heavy cargo, 20-inch wheels.

http://www.juicedriders.com/