Frame parts and design

Hey all,

Wondering if you guys can point me in the right directions.

My 2nd gio Italia is dieing, after reviewing options... Pretty much if it's legal as an ebike here (500w, 32km/h speed limited, and assist pedals) and in step through scooter/moped design (I have bad and unstable knees) I don't fit. I don't fit the gio either but 2nd hand they're cheap as chips.

What I want to build is stretched ruckus style. With big ass tires (winters coming, tall and narrow gets sketchy on ice). The citycoco is basically what I'm thinking but add 8"/215mm ish in the floor area.

First question - headtube and bottom bracket, is it just bare 44mm ID tube I need? (That numbers probably wrong need to verify but I had it in my Amazon shopping cart)

Second question, I'm looking at Carlisle 20x10x10 turf tires. Makes the front forks a challenge... I was thinking salvaging a front full suspension kids bike (20" tire) with the above/below triple trees. As then it's just cut a new pair of trees to adjust the width. Curious if someone might have thoughts on another easy lighter option?

3rd is all geometry... Headset angle has been bugging me. I don't find a lot written on moped/scooter geometry... Can I just assume the relatively well documented mtb angles work? Imported dozens of side views into fusion last night just to check ballpark, ranged from 70/20° to 62/28° so the range looks like it follows the mtb range. I was leaning to the 62° as it's just a cruiser - a-b transportation no offroading or trails, all on the street. Anyone have thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like it will be a pretty cool bike when you get done with it.

Normal steering angle for a road bike without suspension is more like 75°. Fat tires tend to like less rake, and square shoulder tires like the common lawn tractor turf tire Carlisle 20X10s would also do poorly with a more laid back head angle. With those square profile tires, the more you turn, the more you ride up on the shoulder of the tire. And being square, there is less surface touching the road, so less traction. The more steering angle you have, the more the wheel moves onto the shoulder as you turn, and the less traction you have.

I wouldn't bother ordering a steering tube. you have that Geo Italia. 2 minutes with a Sawzall and you have your steering tube, headset, bottom bracket, and half the parts you need.

As for the fork, I wouldn't use a kid's bike fork, they would never be strong enough. I'd start from scratch and maybe attach it to the Geo Italia's steerer

https://www.amazon.com/Carlisle-Straight-Lawn-Garden-Tire/dp/B005O5UO3E

Not so square shoulders. Yeah the steer turf version - I'll just add sipes / may add studs ala redneck ice racing (6-8mm screws) - for the front tire (front drive). Looks and scales about right for a few of the big tire scooters like this. Probably what they're using I'd imagine.

The Gios have left such a bad taste in my mouth I'd really rather not parts carry over... The headset is just tube with inserts added, pretty sure the BB is the same (I'm 25yrs outdated on bike tech I remember threaded BBs). Just getting the parts clean to reuse will cost more in grinding discs and rust treatment/coating than replacement. And composite layup means it needs to be clean.

Have to hunt around and see if I can find a more appropriate fork setup. Maybe the Ruckus/Grom aftermarket ones could work, they're fairly cheap.