Originally Posted by
unterhausen
bikecad is a good investment if you are going to make frames. Not so sure about solidworks at $5k or whatever the minimum license is nowadays. Sometimes I figure I could make money with it, but I'm not sure.
For a metallic tubed frame a 2D CAD program is enough, even if you want to Know tire clearances etc.
If you want to do a developed surface CAD model and hand it off for mold machining, then something like Solidworks would get you to the machine shop doorstep, but I don't see it being cheap enough unless you have moonlighting machining time access.
Trouble with a bike frame is that the exterior surface will only get you so far, plenty of interior assembly surfaces, and that means you are controlling the interior and exterior at the same time... Not cheap in my observation.
Be sure you understand bike geometry first, or copy an existing you like for the major angles and dimensions.