Blake Samson's DIY Garage Built Hardtail AKA 'The CRAB' | GMBN Tech Pro Bike Check

Doddy catches up with Blake Samson to check out his custom DIY garage-built hardtail from the Blake Builds series on GMBN. Blake decided to build a 29" do-it-all hardtail frame completely from scratch without a frame jig!
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[@craigevo]

Every gmbn presenter should build their own bikes and then race them together for the Xmas show

[@notthefirstkylejones5320]

Here here!!

[@MasTaurina]

Holly mole wacamole

[@flippy66]

@@notthefirstkylejones5320 *hear hear

[@dhmtbaaron6258]

This one

[@michaelleel9854]

Im here for it!!

[@SRunningK]

Credits to Blake, bloody awesome!

[@T_C2024]

Nothing like riding something you built. I made a little boat and love taking it out in summer. Doddy being so tall could look at a 32" wheeled drop bar gravel bike and experiment with slack head angle.

[@stuarthay3369]

Doddy. Your mission if you accept it. Full suspension frame.

[@jeffcarrol4263]

Next up: Blake rides home-made hardtail down Megavalanche

[@kevinhys7260]

Next bike, a full sus bike...🔥🔥🔥

[@chrisridesbicycles]

Next up: Doddy bakes a carbon frame in the kitchen oven.

[@hydar786]

😂

[@nawaal4452]

Hahah 😂 nice

[@walesu.k.2108]

Tyres made in the Microwave

[@neon_necromunda]

Its how it used to be done

[@Fred_the_1996]

@@RealMTBAddict no

[@seanc6128]

To me it doesn't even matter how "good" the bike turned out, Blake made a frickin' bike and that is really cool.

[@toganlompkins8886]

I totally agree.

[@DinnerForkTongue]

After the nukes fall he'll be ready to start his own courier service!

[@spektrumB]

"How hard could it be? " Every great creation starts with this.

[@hansghunter]

He built "AN HARDTAIL"

[@DodgyFPV]

I start with "lets see what i can't do"

[@georgethyer]

I made a 26 inch hard tail at the Bicycle Academy years ago, about 3 years after they opened. It's been down FoD, Windhill, Afan and even Bike Park Wales a few times. All Columbus tubing fillet brazed by myself. One of the best things I've done, Doddy, you should definitely do it you'd do a better job that me.

[@chrispayze]

Completely agree. I was one of the initial kickstarter type investors in TBA and the week spent building an Africa Bike for charity was one of the most satisfying things I've ever done.

[@oldblokeswhoshouldknowbett8108]

Blake rides that 'deathtrap' faster than I get around on my full sus ebike :D

[@BeeBee-cn4iz]

Hello Zimbabwe 🤙💃🕺

[@grumpynerd]

How's this for a bodge: you could dish the rear wheel so the hub is closer to the drive-side dropout.

[@oleg..]

You cannot. I'm pretty sure that the dropouts are not level, putting the wheel diagonally. You could, however, grind one of the dropouts...

[@andrewince8824]

It's stronger and safer to cut the defective dropout and fabricate a new one. Dished wheels tend to be a little bit weaker as it is, exaggerating that dish makes it worse.

[@bebright15000]

I just absolutely love these guys together! Their mutual respect just makes everything they talk about so good. Thank you Doddy and Blake for all that you do on both channels. I bought my first mountain bike in June because of you:)

[@msagoo29]

Am I the only one who prefers the look of steel hardtail frames, compared to modern carbon frames?

[@DR_1S]

Yep 😂

[@douwe3300]

No, everybody loves steel. Because it's sleek.

[@smoothisfast6644]

Blake's face when he realizes he has done something that Doddy has never done with a bike. 5:10

[@landov1412]

Epic!

[@yetigrande]

Very cool! There's no doubt about that. As a welder though I am rather concerned with most of those welds knowing how much Blake sends it with his amazing skills. I've been thinking of building my own actually (the dream would be ti). I think it's pretty badass, I just hope that Blake stays safe and does not get hurt. Other than that, more power to it, bravo!

[@turtleman190]

As a person with limited experience with welding. i personally would be very arid of those welds on a mountain bike

[@RedDogsRiches]

he is going to hurt himself if he keeps launching that bike them welds are horrible

[@zigbug1314]

Absolutely love this video. What a great achievement. Nobody builds something that is perfect on their first go, especially without lots of the essential equipment used by professionals to make the job easier. But I have to say what an inspirational build. Halfway through the video I was thinking about building on in my shed. Challenge accepted!

[@stefromfortworth]

#askgmbntech I’d love to see Blake do a rebuild of this bike with the help of a frame builder like Stanton or Fiveland bikes. Awesome to watch his welding skills progressing either way

[@snbsmtb]

Sick bike Blake and the thing that he made a bike in his garage is just mind blowing 🤯🤯😎😎🤘🤘

[@TheMeta6]

Blake if you haven't already check out Paul Brodies video on frame straightening. He builds his frames without a standard bike jig.

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

And once you've built your frame, now go visit Ali Clarkson's channel for an expert tutorial on building your own wheels! Seriously, best wheel building video ever with step by steps and great explanations

[@RicardoPetrazzi]

@@RealMTBAddict ha ha! well, no, I not mean making the rims and spokes and hub etc yourself....but if want to try that, go for it!

[@redbomberr4594]

My father built my first BMX bike out of some sort of light steel about 35 years ago (frame, handle bars and forks). I sent that bike over every jump I could find or make for about 6 years. My mates use to rip me off as it didn't have a brand label on it and was painted with a spray can by myself. But it was lighter than any of theirs so they loved riding it too. Although, Dad did forget to put brakes on it hence we learnt real quick the meaning of full commitment to any feature. Watching Blake build that bike bought back many great memories...thankyou.

[@plethoral1854]

Petition for Doddy to build a bike?

[@paulsymons562]

Looks like Blake is experiencing similar feelings to me when I got to 53.5mph downhill on the road bike then remembered I had built the wheels myself 😀

[@porterdallenbach1639]

I hit 40mph downhill on a dirt fire road with a MTB😮🥴

[@thsaintful]

The 2 people I respect the most in mountainbiking, together in one video. I absolutely loved it. more Doddy + Blake stuff pretty please! They're so chill!

[@garrettsmith8286]

This is "amazing!" Much respect for building your own bike! I work at a bike shop and me & a buddy have been talking about doing this over the winter.

[@gmbntech]

Go for it! It was a really fun project to work on! 👍

[@rohanjs.]

Sick!! Iv been waiting for a Q n A on this amazing beast! Great content GMBN keep it up

[@sgazzz]

This is the best type of content, something super pure about this...congrats on the build Blake and we're all expecting your own hand built frame soon Doddy!

[@patrickmccormack1427]

Thought the same thing, good raw personable content.

[@BarryJTaylor]

I made a 16 inch replica bmx years ago and to align it right I mounted the wheels without tyres to the rear mounts and fork then clamped the rims between two DAR 100 X 100 posts.

[@Medievalfan94]

Huge Kudos to Blake for doing this :D Every gearhead out there dreams to do just that. And the crooked rear triangle makes it unique xD Thumbs up!

[@fourutubez7294]

Those welds are terrifying

[@robbchastain3036]

Fantastic work, Blake, and it does recall the early days of it all, the BMX and mountain bike movements of the '70s when lots of frames were modified or fabricated for racing. And it'd be cool to see the progression with another frame for Doddy, same design, larger frame, better steel and welds and such.

[@Raymond-Gibb]

I'm so stoked on this. Been mig welding for a while and really wanted to do this. This is the inspiration needed!

[@DSIVXX]

Do er up! I built a sim racing rig out of square tubing and angle iron, no welding though, just a crap ton of holes drilled so its fully adjustable/modular

[@DSIVXX]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/havHhJltndCWqMk 😁

[@mattgriffin6280]

Love to see a Steel Single Pivot from Doddy! Would be a hell of a lot more planning and engineering compared to a hardtail but would be so rewarding to ride after all that work.

[@andrewince8824]

Just copy the DMR Bolt. Steel, single pivot, great rider, sexy as hell.

[@01FozzyS]

Love this bike check. Again, well done Blake. Do it,Doddie!

[@Jayneflakes]

Huge respect to Blake for that bike, having done it myself, I know how hard it is to do right. Before I had spine surgery, riding conventional bikes was too painful, so a friend & I made an off road recumbent. Getting the head angle right was a complete pain in the arse, sadly we got it very wrong & it developed an alarming wobble at anything above walking pace. Recumbent off road bikes need full suspension & that worked well, but the rest of it was an absolute dog. Eventually, I got my surgery & scrapped the project. I still can't ride outside, but I put the MTB in my turbo trainer & I'm getting fit. If I did it again, I would love to try bamboo.

[@porterdallenbach1639]

Hey man! Respect to you for trying!

[@nickmassey9104]

Can Blake not take it to a frame builder to try jig it straighter .mk 2 yes I've got a decathlon rear end on a homebuilt triangle in mild steel .

[@alanfrye2706]

From now on Blake I'll do your welding work

[@cbrusharmy]

That bike shreds gnar standing still . . . might be the zombie apocalypse welds. Love it!

[@teddysnaps4786]

best part was Doddy and Blake riding together. I would love to see a behind the scenes of everybody just riding together

[@Titot182]

If you need a keen failure investigator and a welding metallurgist, hit me up! Mind you, my stress analyst at work managed to get onto You've Been Framed when riding skinnies on his bike. Would be keen to know if it fails on the porosity or undercut, given the stuff that you do 😀

[@horusgarcia1]

The appreciation of this series is the opportunity to make these projects even possible. He mentioned that he watched many youtube videos to get knowledge. This was not available before and we thank all the youtubers that have put in actual work hours and made their career off of this foundation. KZbinrs watching youtubers. Its great!

[@markbrown5554]

Watching GMBN Tech inspired me to build my own bike up but frame building is next level! Massive respect to Blake for giving it a go and doing such a wicked job with limited resources👏 The biggest thing I took from my bike build was the importance of having the correct tools. I am sure this video will inspire a few more home made bikes and hopefully we get to see them on the channel🤞 Quality vid🤘

[@coreystrong4384]

I still think this is an awesome example of an idea coming in to reality. Full credit to how well this held up and 90% is true to spec. I would love to build one oneday from chrome moly

[@MTB_Rider_96]

The weight? I'm guessing about 34lbs. ?

[@lukateakle6638]

Absolute favourite GMBN Tech video ever. Thank you. I’ve been looking at making my own bike very much like this but all the videos are done by pros with high end equipment and tubing and I’m not a pro. I think I’ve just been pushed that last little bit. It’s unlikely but if there is any prospect of making more content like this that would be amazing.

[@alaskor1]

I wanna see doddy's garage build vs blakes mk2 :D

[@woodburner292]

Me sees a Business idea, Blakes Bespoke Bikes. You could be the next Rob English

[@youtubeviewer9523]

Nothing rides or looks like a handbuilt steel bike!!!

[@benrichards6827]

Apparently there are no other comments, so imma say it: First...

[@rohanjs.]

You’ve got faster internet than me 😂😂 lol sometimes you gotta say watcha gotta say

[@evilrslade]

Professional welders look away now. But he did make a bike, fairplay.

[@jakobholm1847]

Awesome that Blake got help from Alec Steele! Two of my favourite KZbinrs working together. Who knew? 😀

[@octodadmtbmartyrichards2862]

Awesome 🚲. My professionally made hardtail has a slightly crooked back wheel alignment, Because of asymmetrical rear triangle,but I don’t notice it. Could Blake fix his by adding adjustable chain tensioners like a dirt jump or Bmx bike?

[@johnnyk6906]

Blake is the MAN! love watching his clips with honest comments and funky accent makes it even more entertaining "mon" 😃

[@CraigTravis]

Amazing. Missed a trick not smashing it through a shed door dressed as Hannibal Smith like the end of every A-Team...

[@p.k.5913]

Please build a "Grim Scone". Long low and slack but trailbike travel.

[@hazzalandy]

Bamboo is also a great DIY frame building material, I've built a couple now and both are great

[@gospodinkenobi9903]

Is it good to weld? 😂

[@hazzalandy]

@@gospodinkenobi9903 You'd have to stick weld it....

[@hazzalandy]

@@RealMTBAddict Feels kinda like carbon actually, obviously not same strength to weight so it's a bit heavier but has the vibration damping quality. Definitely not flexible/power sappy

[@krzysiu4003]

You can't control how much metal you add to the weld with MIG welding. TIG welding is a much harder but practice a lot and the welds will be much neater and hopefully stronger.

[@marcianodemidof7135]

Wow Blake 😯 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 awesome build 👌🏾 for a first one👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾.

[@lopon12]

Looking forward to mk2 😃

[@alexplane5359]

Awesome that Blake 🤘 Enthusiastic and commitment, you can do anything bike inspired, top job. MkII will be better, learn as you go! Hardtail crew, have it!!!

[@UTemHorns]

Legend. Full STOP.

[@CarneDeBlaQ]

I wanna see Doddy build an adult size raleigh chopper.

[@dylansoriano4779]

Nice weld Blake.....😛😛

[@robertm1552]

The best bike you can own is the one that you can build. Well done 👍

[@far1002]

I though I was Tripping lol 😂 I was like that’s Shona 🤣🤣 know way they know what that means . 🙌🏿🙌🏿

[@danielribas1109]

Blake was born in Zimbabwe 😄

[@danjdavison]

Probably the coolest video GMBN has ever made. Well done Blake. Truly inspirational!

[@stuartmoseley]

Great looking bike Blake! Cracking achievement!

[@aaaaaa2206]

File the welds down to a smooth surface, blue the steel, put on some transparent coating and it's going to look beautiful! Can you bend the stays to achieve proper alignment?

[@soulscreamz]

I must say, you guys outdid yourself with some of these riding scenes. They look phenomenal!!!

[@sssxxxttt]

Totally agree. I would include the "framing" when in Blake's shed was really appealing too

[@theredfoxdistrict]

It's looking much better then a Halfords Apollo bike as a quality 🤪🥰😎 Congratulations 🥳

[@HallsRodShop]

Been really looking at building my own bike. I have a couple machine shops near me that could turn out a head tube and bottom bracket. Also I have a ton of welding experience would be a blast to build what I want out of a bike

[@gregsavige3587]

Good on ya fellas. 👍👍 Been thinking about building a recumbent. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@CS-lo7bz]

Shows how much we all massively overpay for bikes 😜 Mostly paying for the advertising, factories, and huge shipping chains from China 🤷‍♂️

[@wesdavies2455]

We converted a scoot-ex into a motorbike 35 yr ago, we adapted a gonadotropin moped 50cc engine with some other bike and bike parts, it was Frankenfarter by name and it worked, it was a summer off on school project, but fun, would not recommend at all, but bloody good job Blake, laughed my head off… 👌🏽👍🏼quality 👊🏽🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@the_spanner_ch7mp]

Such a cool achievement building your own bike frame Blake . This has definetly set the idea in Doddy's head Blake must stoked that he's done something Tech that Doddy hasn't Great stuff #GMBNTech

[@harveyspencer4780]

Make a MK 2 !!!

[@srstrand01]

Bhasikoro . . . A great name for the top-of-the line bike from the Samson Bicycle company!!!!

[@ProthoPectore]

Fab Rats. on youtube. he builds rock crawlers and derby cars. "Eyecromiter" is what he uses to weld up stuff. eye balls it all. great channel to learn welding tricks from. fyi. Awesome Bike Build Mr. Samson!

[@jimmy8x541]

"I'll probably make the jig.." Crooked jig incoming! xD

[@ajturley6592]

Not a fluke for the dropper post and tube sizing. Bikes have always used industry standard sizing everywhere. Tubes, bearings, gaskets, bolts. Keeps it cheaper.

[@chuckmarshall3469]

You MADE a bike! I’ve wanted to do this forever. It’s a bit of an intimidating project though. Nicely done!

[@XanderFischer]

It's cool he made his own bike but being a Welder myself those welds are hard to look at lol

[@spyro3443]

the welding is so poor we call it sputter poop xD

[@evanm.2300]

I would love to own a bike made by blake! Made with love like grandmas 👵 Christmas cookies! Build the bike dotty!!!

[@slide_drexler]

What Blake did is the ultimate D.I.Y. project for a Mountain Biker.

[@symey91]

Was it Alec Steele the blacksmith off you that gave you some guidance? His craftsmanship is amazing.

[@mikkopulkkinen751]

That bike is very impressive, even more with the background story. Bhasikoro 29 FTW!

[@JustTex]

I think blake should make everyone use his bike for 'deathgrip 3' ......👌

[@SinisterIGN]

Good for you man, that’s awesome.

[@emmabird9745]

Thats quite inspiring. My mig welding is pretty scrappy but probably as good as Blake's so maybe I'll have a go at a recumbent project I've had for some time.

[@brand_engineering]

I'd have sorted you that steel for free Blake, in exchange from a photo of your bike outside BMSTEEL at Midsomer Norton

[@Bundy67]

I've never made an MTB frame. I did make the frame for my disabled dads trike frame though. Based around a Honda CX500. Just shout if you want to see some pics. 🙂

[@Jay-qq7so]

Blake the brave and bold. Just glad it held up to the thrashing’s you gave it…. Could’ve been a ball breaker had the welds cracked. 🇨🇦👍🏻

[@richardjensen3655]

Actually, if you look at a lot of low- to mid-end commercially-built frames, the chainstay / seatstay on one side is often off by a few mm from the other side, sometimes over 5mm, so the rear tire does end up a little bit on one side of the frame. If you use a wide tire or have a 10x135 older frame, a 2.4 tire in a QR frame may have plenty of room on one side but comes very close to rubbing on the other side. Unfortunately this is COMMON. Not many frames are perfectly made, hand assembled or not. So Blake did fine, his is not much worse than many commercially-built $300-500 frames. Performance-wise, because the tire is in the back, I for one don't notice any difference at all compared with a rear tire/wheel being 100% true in alignment to the center of the frame. And of course for any bike there can be some amount of rear tire wobble, the rear wheel itself is not true, blah blah blah, but alignment imperfections in the rear are not a huge deal, provided the tire fits and is locked into the frame OK. Now for chainline & rear derailleur hanger alignment issues with these frames, that's a different animal that I will not comment on further!

[@AdamMannProductions]

You should check out Alec Steele on KZbin. He built a MTB a few years back when he was in the states (he is in the UK now) and he went full out with building it using a jig, special steel, speaking with the bike academy and some local builders etc. it’s a good watch. It put me off building one as the amount of work and tools but then seeing Blake’s build I was like wow this is how you do stuff specially coming from Africa (I’m from SA) so I like the idea and looks great. Build two will be even better and more refined.

[@Metal-Possum]

MIld steel... just like a Schwinn Excelsior!

[@leebailey4376]

This is very hard for me... being a professional welder for the past 26 years. Please take it to a weld shop and have them touch up your welds PLEASE!

[@LuLeBe]

as someone who only got into biking a few years back, I don't have that many parts around. No old BBs or head tubes etc. I do have a welder and various other tools, could probably even CNC machine stuff for the rear axle etc. But I'm also not familiar enough with old bikes to know whether I can just get a crappy old bike that's completely bent and extract the BB shell. With all the different axle sizes and styles, I would imagine this is the same for that.

[@eMikeBike]

Nice blog, gentlemen-good on ya , Blake!

[@jameswilson2815]

Blake's attitude towards bikes and life make him who he is! Keep charging Blake, we are all behind you! Pun intended. Aloha.