Trying in vain to do a swap of parts between two (and a half) bikes to end up with two decent ones

So far – a reverb too small (solved witha shim), a reverb too big (ordinary seatpost in for now), a 135×12 XD wheel (swapped for a hope which I needed adapters to convert, had to grind adapters to fit Pro 2 freehub), 20mm hoep hub had to be converted to 15mm….but after all that faff, the “good” bike is finished

After all that, I’m left with a 20mm fork and 135×12 frame to be built up jsut to be sold off – but there’s a 142mm rear wheel which I can convert but it has a matching front wheel which is 15mm only, or a 135×12/20mm wheelset which has an XD driver, but have 10 speed shmano to go on the older frame.

This all used to be dead simple.

I feel your pain, I’ve got so many spare parts, including loads of spare hope wheels that don’t fit my other bikes due to all these standards.

I have a new frame on order which yet again is going to need a new hub or a spacer and a wheel re-dish to fit a boost frame.

What’s next, extra boost hubs/frames lol.

I quite like it. Means I can buy up the old, obsolete stuff for my bikes

My last 3 bikes have been bought as full builds just to avoid this headache- which the cynical part of me suspects is the underlying reason for constant new standards.

This all used to be dead simple.

Did it?

Seatposts were always a million sizes, arguably more sizes were in active use than you actually get on bikes now.

Hubs were 20mm or QR, rarely did companies make them convertible (Hope aside). Same went for QR vs 12mm rear.

Then we had the fact you couldnt fit hope brakes to some hubs as the placement of the rotor was different (shimano), so even if your wheels were the same you couldnt swap them.

Freehubs were all shimano HG pattern, but different from 8 to 9 speed.

it was never this bad was it

Yes they used to have different seatpost sizes but that was pretty much it

Never had any issue with my SHimano hubs and Hope brakes

Stato aside from talking pish (8 and 9 speed are the same fit) your comments are about when 20mm was shocked and everything else was qr, or disc brakes were in there very early days etc.

Your seat post point might be valid for non steel MTBs

Stato aside from talking pish (8 and 9 speed are the same fit)

Sorry meant 7 to 8. Memory fade.

your comments are about when 20mm was shocked and everything else was qr, or disc brakes were in there very early days etc.

Well yes obviously? The OP didnt specify exactly when it was ‘easy’. 20mm AND QR suspension lasted quite a long time if you recall before 15mm came along. And discs mounting was a mish-mash of I.S. and Post for a long time before it settled, its easier now to fit a disc brake than it ever has.

Your seat post point might be valid for non steel MTBs

Seat posts came in (on bikes ive had)

25.0 steel
25.4 steel
26.0 steel
26.8 steel
27.0 steel
27.2 steel and alu
28.6 steel and alu
30.0 alu (Marins in late 90’s)
30.9 steel and alu
31.6 alu
31.8 alu

How many of those are still in use now?

Front mechs (remember those) actually came in different sizes, so if you had one it might actually be too small rather than just needing a different shim (not to mention the wrong pull)

Never had any issue with my SHimano hubs and Hope brakes

You obviously dont remember the need to file down hope calipers that was the trend on here back in the mid 2000’s.

I dont which one old IS mounts?

Did have to adapt some avids to not catch the rivets on hope floating rotors iirc