Grant Erwin wrote:

I have a friend who is about 6'5" tall and weighs maybe 240 pounds, a big
solid blue-collar type, very strong. He has recently been involved in
a divorce
and to lower his stress he has taken to riding his bicycle a lot. He
called me
last night with a problem. His bicycle seat post - raised way up due
to his
height - is bending on him. He bought a replacement and it too is
bending. He
asked me to consider designing and fabricating him a suitable
replacement.

Of course, for a piece maybe 18" long the cost of the material isn't
going to
bankrupt anyone. I was thinking chrome-moly tubing if I can find it in
the
right diameter, and forging a swaged-down neck area. He is thinking solid
bar of aluminum. Minimum weight and cost with maximum strength is the
design
goal. (A google for some exotic turnkey solution has quickly ruled out
such due
to really high cost - I had no idea you could spend $200 plus on a
bicycle seat
post!)

Anyone "been there, done that" or have any good ideas or input?

Thanks,

Grant Erwin
Kirkland, Washington

I have solid aluminum handlebars on my offroad motorcycle. They are 7/8 inch
diameter and virtually indestructable. If you go this route, I
recommend rounding
the edges of the hole that the seatpost slides into with a file.
Probably should do
that anyway, it prevents a stress riser.

Fred