Originally Posted by
Askel
I doubt he'll kill it, but he might not like it. The last (and only) 853 frame I rode was very flexy. Might be a desirable quality in touring, but if you're throwing down in a race sprint, could be annoying.
But that could be construction more than frame material...
He's commuting, so hopefully sprinting is out of the picture!
The guy bought the bike. He was HUGE! at least 6'6" (maybe closer to 7') and husky, but not fat. Turns out that the bike he was currently riding had been converted to a one speed, and because of the high gearing, he put so much torque on it that the frame would bow and the chain would slip.
I ended up swapping out the pedals for him- the original ones required special shoes. I used the sturdiest looking platforms I could find, turns out they were a respectable brand (at least he liked it).. he said it was the go-to pedal brand in BMX circles back in his time. It was an all-metal pedal, the type that allows you to service the bearings.
I'd like to thank all who replied for your input, it's been very informative!