SJX426 

Has anyone used Alibre Design?
Over a decade ago I purchased a full version for about $1200. Full 3d solid modeling, assembly modeling, etc. As a contractor, I model complete tilting vacuum trucks, patented carpet cleaning truck with intricate heat exchangers and designed my own super charger kit for Jeep XJ to the point of building a prototype.

duanedr 

No, I have used BikeCAD as well as RattleCAD. I'm pretty fluent in RattleCAD and think for hobby builders it's better. It's simpler and more intuitive and fewer ways to chase your tail. It outputs to PDF showing multiple views including chainstay detail, miter templates, fixture set up dimensions for various fixtures.. These can then be taken to the shop for reference. I printed the chainstay detail view in full size and taped the pages together and then my chainstay fixture sat on top and i could match it all up with 123 blocks to make sure crank/tire clearances were as designed. It's also really well supported. Manfred is super responsive.

I am new to BikeCAD and am not fluent. I think once you get your templates set up, i can imagine it being pretty fast to make a new design including custom paint, decals etc. I think for someone doing more production work, it could be really useful. For me, each bike is significantly different so I have to revisit nearly every detail which is inefficient, error prone and time consuming for a one off. If I was designing for a standard model that I would make 100 times in different sizes over the coming year I think it would make sense to invest the time to model it all out in BikeCAD then each new bike would be very quick to get measurements for. It doesn't output the multiple views that RattleCAD does so I have to cycle through the perspectives and print and then open new templates and print again and I have about 6 different views I like to have for different purposes so, that's cumbersome. I suppose if I had a computer in my shop it would be better. BikeCAD has a thousand 'how to' videos which can be helpful. It's powerful and amazing with great support but a bit overkill for me. Of course, knowing that I don't know that much about it yet, there could be things i have missed that would make BikeCAD a ton easier...I just don't know it yet.
.
Since it's just math, and it's probably not patented/copyrighted, I doubt they would have a case against you for sharing. I also get the point of not wanting to spend money to defend a spreadsheet with math in it. I believe I've seen the output from it and BikeCAD has a similar CSV output that can be configurable with the measurements the builder wants and then opened in Excel. RattleCAD's xml file could probably be parsed to provide something similar.

79pmooney

Slightly off topic - I cad draw all my frames onto one AutoCAD drawing. 2-D, bottom bracket as origin. Each serious bike gets 3 layers; centerlines of tubes and hub centers, outlines of tubes and parts/wheels. This has been very, very useful. I've had a frame built from it that is the most fun ride I've ever had. I do quick measurements of potential purchases and lay them over this drawing to see if I want it and what stem I need. I sometimes dream up new ideas and save them as new layers.

Around the same time I started this drawing I read an article the author of which opined that trail vs quickness of steering wasn't a constant over varying head angles but instead could be approximated with a line. He gave the slope. (I think in terms of rake vs head angle, not trail. So I made up an AutoCAD drawing of rake vs head angle. Plotted the bikes I've owned. The bikes I've liked fell on a parallel line (I like quicker steering than the author.)

The frame of my logo photo was designed on my frame drawing and sent to TiCycles to be engineered and built. (I didn't spec tubes. Dave Levy knows that stuff far better than I.) The dropouts came right off my drawing. An 11 degree angle to horizontal, roughly 2" slot and opens down at the front so the slot is "L" shaped. Cut from 1/4" plate. The angle was chosen to be as close to horizontal as possible while still keeping the brake pads on a Velocity Aero semi-deep rim. I can run any cog between 12 and 24 teeth without messing with either chain length of brake pads (or derailling the chainring to get the wheel out/in). A joy for quick fix gear wheel changes/flips. I do on the road wheel flips all the time. 2 minutes and completely clean hands. I can remove the wheel and change a cog in 5.

So - 2-D cad drawings for frames? As a lifelong enthusiast (maybe a little more serious - over the crazy post TBI years cycling was my link to sanity and away from drugs, institutions or death) its been both a lot of fun and a gift. Being able to send a builder the drawing saves a lot of misunderstanding.

unterhausen

Just like any cad program, BikeCad is pretty awkward to use at first. I can pop out a design pretty quickly now because I have done it enough to remember where the settings are. Similarly, I found rattlecad to be a pain. Since I didn't really need it, I never learned it that well.

duanedr 

Yes, I think there are a couple things that still catch me out and I assume it's just 'time at the keyboard' to get over them. To Mark's question, either one is quite quick to make size adjustments to an existing design and then print out the measurements/designs and start working.

SilversSpeed

If you need positive or negative molds made let me know! I can make lower cost molds from wood and you can finish sand them/coat them with mold release.The machine I have access to is accurate to about +/- 0.01" not as great as metal molds from high end CNC machines but good enough for a custom bike.

Road Fan

There is mathematics that can describe the correction from photo geometry to real object geometry so theoretically it should be possible to program it up. But I only know of the math, I don't know the math. and my experience in optics says the effect of lenses are also challenging to model. The math is called projective geometry, but I certainly don't know it well. And I don't have any sense of how it needs to be managed to create a model of known accuracy - without that my guess is you'll make something closer to what you really want or conceive just using 2D or a drafting table, though it may look well. I know I can draw the location of a hole much more reliably than I can drill a hole.

If you want the data for Wheel2nut's frame, get him/her to send it to you.