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
First thing people change is often the cassette and rear deraileur.
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.
And the general availibility of parts.
Youtube is filled with good videos on how to work on various bikes.
But when you want to make changes, you need different information.
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 |
|---|---|
| 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 |