Just tweak it, freshen it up or simply treat yourself to something new. Anyone thinking about putting their hands on their bike can experience nasty surprises and get bogged down in the standard jungle. A first Overview of the most important standards and installation dimensions on mountain bikes can be found here. In this BIKE article, you can find out what makes sense and what details you need to pay attention to when converting and retrofitting.
Retrofitting a dropper seat post
This purchase is definitely worth it and simply brings more riding fun and safety downhill. What's more, the range of dropper posts is now huge.
Convert to single drive
The missing front derailleur and only one chainring are already standard equipment on most enduro bikes. If you also want to convert your own bike, there are a few things to bear in mind.
Converting tyres to tubeless
Doing without the inner tube saves weight, reduces rolling resistance and increases puncture protection against punctures to the tyre.
Cockpit and saddle tuning
If you want to tweak the ergonomics of your bike and swap the cockpit or saddle, you should pay attention to the compatibility of the interfaces.
Fitting a new disc brake
Larger discs, more stable or visually better fitting. There are plenty of reasons for converting a disc brake. You should pay attention to a few things to ensure that everything fits.
How will bike standards develop in the future?
Some of it is already a done deal, some of it has yet to become established. In the future, bikers will be constantly confronted with new standards and detailed solutions.
...
Retrofitting a dropper seat post: how to do it right
This purchase is definitely worthwhile and simply provides more riding fun and safety downhill. What's more, the range of dropper posts is now huge.
Length, diameter and articulation are decisive for a dropper seatpost. Most manufacturers offer dropper seat posts measuring 30.9 and 31.6 millimetres. If you are looking for a thinner 27.2 mm post, you will find what you are looking for at Specialized, Thomson and Kindshock. Thicker seat tubes, e.g. 34.9 millimetres, can be adapted to the thinner diameter of the Tele seatpost using reduction sleeves. If you are fond of the largest adjustment range, you should definitely measure beforehand whether the extension is sufficient for the normal seat height. The question of whether the dropper post should be mounted in the seat tube from below or outside the frame depends on how the frame is prepared. Modern fully frames with 120 millimetres or more of travel are usually prepared for internal cable routing. If you don't have a hole for the cable in the seat tube or down tube, you will have to use a conventional model with an external cable. Kindshock and Vecnum at least offer models that are hinged at the lower part, allowing you to bypass the so-called cable lasso. A detailed You can find tests of current telescopic seat posts here.
...
MTB GEARBOX: CONVERT TO SINGLE DRIVE
The missing front derailleur and only one chainring are already standard equipment on most enduro bikes. If you also want to convert your own bike, you need to pay attention to this:
Remove the front derailleur and gear lever and you're ready to go. If you want to downsize a bike with a double or triple crankset, there are a few points to bear in mind. If the choice falls on a 1x11 groupset from Sram, a new freehub body is required (Sram XD-Driverbody) - with the exception of the NX groupset - which can accommodate the 10-42 and also the future 10-50 cassettes. Most wheel and hub manufacturers have the easily replaceable freehub body in their programme. Shimano 11-speed cassettes manage with conventional freehub bodies, but have a narrower bandwidth.
When selecting the crank, compatibility with the existing bottom bracket shell is decisive. BSA (bolted bearing shells with 24 mm shaft), Pressfit 30 (pressed bearing shells with 30 mm shaft) or Pressfit BB92 (pressed bearing shells with 24 mm shaft) are the three most common standards. The chainring must be selected according to the crank. Sram uses a four-hole standard for both the X01 and the XX1, but with a different bolt circle. The direct mount chainrings with integrated spider fit both cranks. The bolt circle of the current Shimano XT and XTR cranks is identical, which ensures full compatibility.
It is also important to avoid bottlenecks when choosing the chainring size. As the single chainring sits closer to the frame in terms of the chainline (49 millimetres) than the large chainring of a double crankset, the distance to the chainstay can be tight. In conjunction with the soon to be available Sram 1x12 drivetrain, which also allows a larger chainring due to the large cassette, there may not be enough space on some frames. If you want to fit an additional chain guide, you must also pay attention to the available mount. Many mini chain guides can be screwed onto the direct mount mounts of the missing front derailleur. S3 and high direct mount are among the most widely used standards.
...
Converting tyres to tubeless
Doing without the inner tube saves weight, reduces rolling resistance and increases puncture protection against punctures to the tyre. This is important to note:
In principle, all MTB rims can be converted for use without a tube. The basic requirement is a tubeless-ready tyre, which already has a denser sidewall and often a specially shaped tyre bead.
Tubeless tape can be used to seal the existing spoke holes and thus seal the inside of the rim. If in doubt, it is better to use a wider rim tape that covers the holes well. To ensure that the tape adheres well and for a long time, the rim must first be cleaned with alcohol and a clean cloth.
The next sticking point in tubeless conversion is the correct valve. The correct valve refers less to the type of valve (Sclaverand is common) and more to the valve base, which should match the shape of the rim bed. There are different shaped seals that do not always seal optimally to the hollow chamber of the rim. If you ride carbon rims, you should also make sure that the valve is long enough so that a pump can still be attached.
...
COCKPIT AND SADDLE TUNING
If you want to tweak the ergonomics of your bike and swap the cockpit or saddle, you should check the compatibility of the following interfaces.
Width, offset, incline, shape. When it comes to the ergonomics of the contact points with the bike, there are many adjustments that can be made. The cockpit alone, consisting of handlebars, stem and grips, offers almost endless combination possibilities. It's good that there are at least a few constants. Both the grip clamping on the handlebars (22.2 millimetres) and the clamping of the stem on the steerer tube (1 ¹/8 inch) are generally the same on current bikes. This means that all handlebar grips can be combined with all handlebars, regardless of whether they are screw grips or without clamps. Since the introduction of the new handlebar diameter of 35 millimetres, caution is again required with the stem. The previous 31.8 millimetre diameter can only be ridden with the corresponding stem. With the saddle, on the other hand, problems only arise if the seat post has a lateral clamp and cannot automatically compensate for the shape of the saddle rails.
...
FITTING NEW DISC BRAKES
Larger discs, more stable or visually better fitting. There are plenty of reasons for converting a disc brake. You should pay attention to this so that everything fits:
The days of the IS2000 (international standard) are as good as numbered for brake mounts on forks and frames. Almost all manufacturers use the Postmount standard for current products. But here, too, there are a few differences to consider. Depending on the length of the post mount, the brake calliper is positioned closer or further away from the hub. Without an adapter, brake discs with a diameter of 160 millimetres can generally be used on most suspension forks and frames. Suspension forks or frames with more suspension travel are sometimes designed for a minimum disc size of 180 millimetres. Small 140 mm brake discs also fit some race hardtails and fullys. If you want to ride larger discs, you can position the brake calliper further outwards using a post mount adapter (20 or 40 millimetres). With the 6-hole or centre lock standard, there are also two standards for the brake disc mount. 6-hole discs also fit on Centerlock hubs using an adapter. The other way round is not possible.
Combination clamps for brake and shift levers
If you prefer a tidy cockpit, these little helpers can save you one or two handlebar clamps. Sram or Shimano shifters can be fitted to these brake clamps.
1st Brake Force One Sram Maker, 17.90 Euro 2nd Hope Shifter mounts for Sram, approx. 17 Euro | 3. trickstuff Matchmaker XT/SLX/Saint bracket for Shimano shifters on Sram brake levers, 34.90 euros | 4. magura Shift-Mix for Sram, 39,90 Euro | 5th Formula Mixmaster for Sram shifters, 17,90 Euro | 6. Brake Force One Shimano Maker Aluminium, 59,90 Euro | 7. shimano i-Spec adapter XT/XTR, from approx. 25 euros | 8th Hope Shifter Mounts for Shimano SLX/XT/XTR, approx. 17 Euro | 9th Avid Matchmaker X, 55 Euro | 10. trickstuff Matshi for Sram trigger shifters on Shimano brakes, 29.90 euros
...
MTB STANDARDS: WHERE IS THE JOURNEY GOING?
Some of it is already a done deal, some of it has yet to become established. In the future, bikers will be constantly confronted with new standards and detailed solutions.
Mirror, mirror on the wall, what are the new bike standards in the country? Anyone who has been involved in mountain biking for any length of time knows that there are many interfaces and at least three times as many solutions. Some solutions disappear again, while others establish themselves as new standards.
In some cases, however, the change of model and often also of standard happens so quickly that the customer feels insecure and rightly asks the question: Can I even buy a bike now, or will it be old news by next season? In addition, the question always arises as to whether the new standard will really bring measurable benefits or whether compatibility will actually fall by the wayside.
