Bike mechanics: adjustments, drivetrain, brakes, suspension and compatibility (L'Atelier)
254 practical guides from L'Atelier covering bicycle maintenance and repair: torque specs, drivetrain and freehub compatibility (Shimano, SRAM, Campagnolo), hydraulic brake bleeding and fluids, suspension setup, wheel and tyre standards, and e-bike motor/battery specifications (Bosch, Avinox, Bafang). Built for DIY cyclists, mountain bikers and bike shop mechanics who need an exact torque value, a compatibility rule or a maintenance threshold without digging through dealer manuals. Curated by Kopik from L'Atelier's content (la-telier.com), with the publisher's agreement.
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This assistant answers practical bicycle maintenance and repair questions: torque values, drivetrain and freehub compatibility, hydraulic brakes, suspension setup, wheels, tyres and e-bike motors. It is built for home mechanics, mountain bikers and bike shop staff who want an exact figure or a clear compatibility rule. Every answer comes from the 254 workshop guides published by L'Atelier (la-telier.com), curated by Kopik with the publisher's agreement.
Torque values you can trust
Too tight and you crack the part or the frame; too loose and things move. The guides give common reference ranges, for example 5 to 6 Nm for stem bolts, 40 Nm for a cassette lockring (the same for Shimano, SRAM and Campagnolo), 35 to 40 Nm for pedals and 4 Nm for 6-bolt brake rotors (40 Nm for a Center Lock lockring).
These are general ranges. The guides insist on checking the exact value printed on the part or in the manufacturer's manual, and the assistant tells you which applies to your component when the documents cover it.
On carbon, a torque wrench is described as a necessity rather than a luxury: carbon does not deform like aluminium, it snaps, and a stem bolt tightened by feel can easily reach 10 to 12 Nm instead of 5 to 6.
Cassette, freehub and groupset compatibility
Several freehub body standards coexist, each tied to a cassette ecosystem: Shimano HG (the original, wide splines, found on most entry-level and mid-range wheels), HG+ (one wider spline for 11 and 12-speed torque), Shimano Micro Spline (23 finer splines, introduced in 2018 with XTR M9100 and required for a 10T smallest cog), SRAM XD, SRAM XDR (the road version, 1.85 mm longer) and Campagnolo.
The assistant can tell you, for instance, that SLX, XT and XTR 12-speed cassettes do not fit a standard HG body and need a Micro Spline body. It also explains why upgrading from 10 to 11-speed depends on the freehub body, the rear derailleur and the shifters rather than on the frame itself.
The good news in the guides: many hub makers (DT Swiss, Hope, Industry Nine, Chris King, Mavic with ID360) offer interchangeable freehub bodies, so switching standard often means changing the body rather than the whole wheel.
Suspension setup, starting with SAG
SAG is how much your fork or shock compresses under your weight in a static riding position. The guides call it adjustment number one: if SAG is wrong, rebound, compression or tokens cannot compensate.
Target values are given by discipline, for example 15 to 20% at the fork for XC and marathon, 25 to 30% for trail, and 30 to 35% for DH and gravity. You can ask how to measure it with the O-ring, how to calculate the percentage, or what adding tokens or volume spacers changes.
Once SAG is right, the guides move on to rebound (too fast and the bike bounces, too slow and the suspension packs down between hits) and to low and high-speed compression, the latter usually found only on high-end forks.
Who it helps and how to ask
The guides also cover e-bikes: Bosch, Avinox and Bafang motor specifications, error codes and battery care. For example, on a Bosch system, if the gap between the spoke magnet and the speed sensor exceeds 5 mm, the system cuts assistance, and the battery is best stored between 30% and 60% charge when unused for more than two weeks.
Ask in plain words, as you would ask a mechanic at the counter: the model of your part, what you see or hear, and what you want to do. The more precise the reference, the more precise the answer.
The assistant only answers from L'Atelier's guides. If a topic is not covered, it says so rather than guessing, which is what you want before tightening a carbon steerer or opening a brake circuit.
Questions fréquentes
Why does a stem need to be tightened in a cross pattern?
Tightening the bolts one after the other creates a pressure point. The guides recommend alternating in a cross or star pattern, and for 4-bolt face plates working up in passes: 2 Nm, then 4 Nm, then the final 5 to 6 Nm. Never torque one bolt fully before touching the others.
Should I grease bolts before torquing them?
On aluminium-to-aluminium threads, a dry thread increases friction and throws off the torque reading, so a drop of grease is advised. On carbon contact surfaces, use carbon assembly paste instead: it increases friction so you reach the correct torque without the part slipping.
What pressure should I start with when setting fork SAG?
The SAG guide suggests a baseline of your weight in kg as the pressure in PSI, then adjusting 5 PSI at a time. Note that you lose roughly 5 to 10 PSI when you disconnect the pump, and that a suspension-specific high-pressure pump is required.
Do tokens or volume spacers change my SAG?
No. Tokens (Fox) or volume spacers (RockShox) reduce the air volume in the positive chamber, which makes the suspension more progressive and helps prevent bottoming out. They do not change SAG.
Can a 10-speed shifter run an 11-speed cassette?
No. According to the guides, a 10-speed shifter will never make 11 gears and a 10-speed rear derailleur does not have the right cable-pull ratio. An 11-speed Shimano road cassette also needs a freehub body 2.5 mm longer than a 10-speed one.
Does a SRAM XD body accept XDR road cassettes?
No. A standard XD body does not accept XDR road cassettes, because XDR is 1.85 mm longer. The reverse works: an XDR body accepts XD mountain bike cassettes with a spacer.
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"mcpServers": {
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"url": "https://kopik.io/api/mcp?base=latelier-bike-mechanics-en",
"headers": {
"Authorization": "Bearer kpk_…"
}
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