This website is about adapting standard bikes to be good touring or utilitity bikes.
I'm mostly talking about bikes that are 8 or 9 speeds from 1990 onward.
I'm talking about bikes that cost less than $2500.00 new, or 800.00 used.
This website provides the backround facts necessary to maintain or upgrade such bikes.
Start by glancing thru my document How Bikes Fit Together 2018.
It contained a lot of information, but had limitations in it's structure.
So I attempted to fit all of that information and more into a dedicated structure.
I called the new structure a Mechanical Database.
It documents the key 'systems', 'parts' and 'interfaces'
Any given part type has one or more interfaces which determine how it will fit with the other part types in the system.
In addition the website has several more minor systems:
For example the upgrade people need is often a larger cassette for lower gears.
Or the crankset or wheels.
See my Personal Drive Train Strategy - 2024
What you need to know is the standards of how things fit together.
Youtube is filled with good videos.
I cataloged some of the best videos. See Video Lister
The videos won't tell you the interface specs, but they sure are useful for doing specific jobs.
When you want to make changes, you need information not readily available in videos.
For example, what cassettes can be used for a given situation?
You may eventually do the job in conjunction with a bike store or mechanic.
But you'll know what you are trying to do from this website.
One bike shop in Vancouver that I have dealt with many times is OurCommunityBikes.
It is at 2429 Main (at 8th Ave) in Vancouver.
They emphasize empowering their customers to fix and upgrade their own bikes.
They have a large number of both new and used parts, and you can easily consult with a mechanic.
Documents
| Title | LastUpdate |
|---|---|
| Video Lister Form Help | 2026.04.22 |
| About My Mechanical Database | 2026.04.22 |
| About Standard Bikes Website - Update | 2026.03.29 |
| Common Maintenance | 2026.02.09 |
| Service Organization | 2026.02.09 |
| Mechanical Cable Brakes | 2025.08.25 |
| All About Dishing and Spacers | 2025.07.14 |
| Adjusting Cable Disk Brakes | 2025.06.11 |
| Personal Drive Train Strategy 2024 | 2024.09.09 |
| Gear Ratio Calculations | 2024.09.09 |
| How Bikes Fit Together - 2018 | 2024.09.25 |
| How to Spoke your Own Bicycle Wheel | 2024.09.09 |