Building The Dream Bikepacking Full-Suspension MTB | GMBN Tech's Perfect Projects

Anna's mission, should she choose to accept it (which she definitely will), is to build the Ultimate Bike Packing machine! Something capable and utilitarian, being able to store all of her outdoor needs, whilst being rugged and advanced enough to have some fun, and transport her to the tops of the highest peaks. Shimano has provided us with the perfect drivetrain for such a job, the unstoppable Deore XT. Let's find out what she's got in store and most importantly, enjoy the process of some bike building!
In association with gmbn.tech/Shimano
⏱ Timestamps ⏱
0:00 - The Final Result
0:23 - The Mission
0:53 - The Criteria
1:31 - The Frame
2:34 - The Build
7:41 - The Reward
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We love a good bike build and Anna's Salsa Spearfish is no exception! Small and light with their fantastic frame storage boards included, we're building this up with Fox Performance Suspension, Shimano Pro components and a shout-out to Anna's friend for lending us the wheelset to get her underway! Thanks to Salsa and Shimano for providing the necessary kit 🤘
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🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
Doorjamb - Shamgang
The White Birch - Moorland Songs
Hit Reverse Swipe - SFX Producer
Bystanders - Ballpoint
Exits (Sped Up Version) - Felix Johansson Carne
Hainan Paradise - SINY
Third Time's a Charm - Guustavv
Casual Chic - Ava Low
Through the Prism - Ava Low
Flex Complex - Aleph One
Alien - Ruzer
What Goes Around Comes Back Around - NIGHTCAP
Acai Bowl - Timothy Infinite
Train to the West - Ebo Krdum
Floater - Auxjack
Skateboards and Sunsets - Rocket Jr (1)
Bloom Bap - Guustavv
It Girl - Roof
Ocean (Between Us) - Chris Shorooi
High Drama - Matt Large
#gmbntech #gmbn #mtb #mountainbiking #perfectprojects #bikebuild #mtbbuild #bikepacking
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[@crackdaveshot]

I rarely comment on these videos and I miss doddy as much as the next person. But I will say, Anna has been great for the channel and her presenting skills have got better and better. Great video and keep up the good work Anna 👍🏼

[@ksm12312]

Where’s doddy gone ?

[@xxMissSummerxx1]

I'm with you on that... can I just ask where is Doddy does anybody know?

[@Emolokz]

He's going to be back, he was in the studio filming recently. He took some time off, and that's all we really need to know.

[@lcc8394]

woo Salsa getting some love......the spearfish can be a quiver killer....from all day trail centre rides to epic bike packing.....got trust message fork on mine and turned it into a flow trail beast

[@matthewalexander9874]

She mentions the seat pack/tire issue around 10:30. Hardtails are great, but I live in Arizona and ride trails with rock gardens on bikepacking trips; for those times, full squish bikes like my ‘21 Carbon SLX Spearfish is perfect. I have the Salsa framebag, Tailfin Aeropack, and a Salsa handlebar bag. The editing on this video is outstanding.

[@TonyVsEarth]

Please more videos like this! I love how you filmed it and would like to no more about bike packing.

[@Jormvngandr]

GMBN has a few videos with Neil & Blake bikepacking. There is also a bunch of setupvideos all over KZbin

[@The_One-Eyed_Undertaker]

Your saddlebag is constantly dragging on your rear tyre. Add the dropper post and the additional weight of the full-suspension to that equation and that's what makes hardtails the de facto design for bikepacking MTBs.

[@richardjohnston6688]

I agree you took the words right out of my mouth . Really not the bike for it .

[@dystopiaisutopia]

If you don't fall in line with the full suspension crowd you will be terminated

[@johnwilkes9142]

I think the Priority 600x is a much better bikepacking bike

[@yumyumhungry]

They make rear racks that can accommodate a dropper

[@ish474]

Yes if all you want to do is go across the land but if you want to ride your bike once you're out in the mountains a bike like this is a great thing to have.

[@agnesmediodia1087]

Great video. This reinforces my love for my 2021 Salsa Spearfish XT in yellow. Prepping it for my first ever bikepacking trip in 2024.

[@harveytolibao3533]

...this is one of the most beautiful videos you guys made. its like watching a movie trailer with all the great sound and story telling. lovely. made my day.

[@nevillepretorius8948]

Awesome bike! We need a video of you and one of the guys doing a bike-packing adventure 🤟

[@kevinlewis4846]

I started to watch this and thought "Canyon don't do a bike packing bike!. This will be interesting" Nice to see a different bike for a change #salsa for the win.

[@Bear-Jew]

Love it! Beautiful "do it all" & "go anywhere" machine. Salsa makes really nice bikes.

[@chuckrodgers4780]

Love your new bike , the spearfish make a great fast riding bike packing bike. I just saw a photo of a new seat bag design that might improve your clearance. Its from Rouge Panda . Honestly your best video to date , cheers

[@mathewturner9643]

That production was ridiculous great job 😁

[@gabrielyong9223]

Well congrats Anna for the great video,its was so satisfying to see new bike build although i can't affort it😂.cheers the very moment no matter long or epic eacape.hope to see more vide from you and team GMBN.

[@Radoslaw731]

I couldn't get to a bikepacking expedition without full cover fenders. Fenders are must in my book. They have multiple purposes - making your bikeand bikepaking bags and you clean. Also keeping your drivetrain and chain clean.

[@sandorszabolcsi]

Outstanding video and build. I have the 2021 salsa spearfish with xt as well and love it has performed flawlessly for bikepacking. Thank you for sharing the experience 😊

[@tedjh]

Now this is a dream bike! Beautiful build and video.

[@pasto_23]

the headset spacer upside down at 2:47 drives me nuts :D

[@ohmps01]

So, while I like the rest of the build, I would really prefer not running a saddle bag, especially on a full sus bike, and with a dropper post. I would really recommend a tailfin aeropack, tailfin is also based in the UK, so I don't think it would be much trouble to ask them for one. Maybe do that as an update or something? Pretty sure Tailfin would be more than happy about advertising.

[@ryanthompson1442]

The aero spider is even more out of the way than a tailfin

[@ohmps01]

@@ryanthompson1442 i do not have much experience with that. I do own an aeropack and am very happy with it though. And that definitely works on basically all frames unless they have too much travel.

[@juliagriffiths]

Brilliant all round. Helped me spec out a wish list of components for my hardtail for the odd bike packing adventure. Keep em coming 🙂

[@RedWingsninetyone]

Love the colorway! Also love seeing mechanical shifting

[@David-qx8jm]

Great job. Video quality is amazing. You've turned out to be a real good presenter as y'all call yourselves. Not to mention your easy on the eyes. Do keepemcoming like to see more bike packing stuff.

[@amandanorth6526]

Inspiring video. Anna is a wonderful presenter and this video ignites my hunger for adventure

[@PVVI2015]

Very interesting😊 Really enjoyed watching the bike build!

[@yumyumhungry]

As a shorter bikepacking person ive found a tailfin rack allows me to run a dropper without any rubbing. The aeroe spider rack can do the same

[@ThunderStruckMTB]

Nice build, but I thought for sure you were going with XT Link Glide for a truly bullet proof long lasting drivetrain.

[@matsmellberg9127]

Love the bike Anna, hope to see more like this from you

[@nigelnathan]

Excellent no compromise build and just as excellent presenter.

[@AntonyLD]

Inspired build. Great information.

[@davidcrowson4745]

DANG THAT WAS SWEET!!!! WELL DONE YOUNG LADY!

[@junka1975]

Nice one Anna. I personally would love to hear more about how it performed and what you would change after your trip to help make it even more capable. A good example for me is on my Trek Marlin Seven I can swap from a pack rack if I want to carry stuff on the bike's rear to full mud guards if I want to hit the squishy stuff to nothing if I just want to bomb a trail hard. I put 50mm riser bars to replace the factory straight xc bars to get my weight back and took some length out of the seat post for more manoeuvrability, it doesn't have a dropper.

[@KaizersPOV]

we demand Kashima coating in black. we all know Fox just did that to put an illusion that black stanchions are lower tier and gold Kashima is top tier. so people see RockShox's Black stanchions on high-end suspension to be lower tier also. as always great show to watch after a hard working day. cant wait fo the weekend for a good long MTB ride.

[@tomassanesson902]

Awesome beautiful bike build 🤘👍❤❤❤

[@banana122049]

Feels great to see a salsa on this channel

[@randomtreaz7252]

Nice job dude!!

[@MichaelS-pr9qn]

Thank you for sharing

[@Radoslaw731]

I use a rigit Kelly's TNT 29 MTB with 2.4 maxxis ardent tires for bikepacking. Hasle free bike. The simpler bike the better for bikepacking. And better for getting spare parts😊

[@charlesholland6851]

Welcome to the Salsa family!

[@tomswift3748]

Great vid this Anna really enjoy your tech vids and what a bike wow.😮

[@anitalandkroon]

Great video 😃 love it ❤

[@MW-ud8zp]

Salsa! Awesome

[@lukassvozil8579]

Lovely vid Anna

[@kwestak]

what an epic movie!

[@FatboyAussie]

Just beautiful

[@JonMcLeodMelbourne]

We like Anna. Don't let anything happen to her.

[@MilchreismitZimt]

Should have gone for the Aeroe Spider rear rack, no swaying of a seat bag, and full usage of the dropper

[@Jeseryhesery88]

This build is sick!

[@David-np4vo]

My Sherpa ti with Rigid forks and Paul Klampers XTR drive with Fox SL dropper best of the best 😊

[@deepdiver49]

It never ceases to surprise me how people in England ride in the most abysmal weather and enjoy it.

[@gmbntech]

Got to make the most of what you've got! Makes those summer dry days all that sweeter 👍

[@marmart8101]

Lovely, very inspiring, I want to go to Scotland with my mountain bike I'm sure of that, but I don't know how to prepare for it, I want to go as light as possible, to be able to give everything on the trails but also to be well prepared, for when a video guide to prepare for a real adventure? Thankss❤

[@patrolmaverick]

Does this mean there will be more bike packing content to come? 👌

[@johnnincupoop2325]

Where’s doddy?

[@Magoo71]

Thanks Anna for showing around your latest Bike Packing rig! You looked awfully comfortable building up that frame set....Congrats as I have never seen a Gal know her way around bikes and tools like you do! Probably able to show the boys a thing or two around there...!!!! Cheers!

[@edmundhodgson2572]

Thought you might bump into Toff during the intro...😆

[@michaellovric9975]

Great video. Consider an Aeroe rack for carrying cargo on the rear without the tyre clearance and dropper post issues of a saddle bag.

[@thomasbaker6563]

Also a rear rack can help get the load lower

[@jellyfishsalad5926]

Love the build video. I wondered if the arty lighting made working on the bike difficult though? I always need really bright lighting to work on my bikes. Perhaps juat showing my age.

[@PereAndreuUbachdeFuentes]

What a pity you didn't comment on the tent. Besides, wonderful video!

[@dystopiaisutopia]

Pity*

[@mattfinch3895]

Cheap kona frames are the great budget bike packing rig. Unless you are a dentist of course.

[@komoonkh]

Just came back from a ride on my Lava dome. I dont have any bikepacking gear but there are mounts for it

[@radeko.9918]

For rear I would suggest Thule Tour Rack XT or similar like topeak terrarack R2

[@CavenInToTheWorld]

I noticed the saddle bag is hitting the rear tire. Maybe due to the rear suspension i guess it's better to fir it with rear rack instead of saddle bag. It is visible at 9:02 9:09 and at 9:11

[@GrafRamolo]

Great concept but you hit the same problem as me. Saddle bag rubbing . I designed my own solution . Two "baskets " for two dry bags on both side of the wheel . No rubbing , more space , I can even use dropper .

[@RK-mc8zy]

It would great to see some content that the average person could afford. I dont get companies asking me to build a perfect bike with free components. I have a budget and its way under what this build is. Getting tired of the perfect builds that most people can't afford.

[@Paganiproductions84]

It would be a XC hardtail one that i currently own

[@jamesmcgowen1769]

Lovely video Anna, but how about a serious challenge? Once the warmer months up north eventually start to cool, why not bring yourself and your bike to Sydney, then include a surfboard and a support crew, and head north, or south, or even west? You know you wanna do it! GMBN will be right behind you… 😎

[@samblenkharn8099]

Big carbon footprint is why not!

[@dystopiaisutopia]

​@@samblenkharn8099 typing on a phone made with slave labor! Lol

[@samblenkharn8099]

@@dystopiaisutopia whataboutism lol!

[@dystopiaisutopia]

@@samblenkharn8099 but it's true

[@simondavies1983]

Great video, but you really don’t need a full sus for bike packing. A ST hardtail is perfect. Your seat bag needs to be swapped for something like a TailFinn Aero pack. That way you can use the dropper as it’s constantly rubbing on the tyre, it won’t last a week like that and they wobble too much. All that additional weight of the rear shock setup is pointless. Iam glad to see some content featuring bike packing on the channel, well done for featuring it 🤘

[@AaronVets]

People have different preferences and ride different terrain than you do. 🙄

[@michaelsalmond7350]

Sounded like you were having a lot more fun on the cheap ones, didn't hear any whooping and hollowing on the Mazzas

[@nickadams8952]

Great build Anna. Pity the weather didn't play fair.😶‍🌫

[@benjaminm9704]

Where has Dotty been?

[@mnbv5555cxz]

Anna is the best presenter on this channel!

[@5gill]

And nice to look at hahaha

[@davidcaush5036]

What a brilliant vlog, and the bike was superb. Your bike building skills are incredible, I’m scared to do anything to my bike in case it all goes horribly wrong. And as for your height, all good things come in small packages. I’m a convert to your channel.👍

[@dystopiaisutopia]

Ad*

[@team-118]

GMBN's very own Nigella Lawson - can you say Brecon Beacons anymore?

[@kevindean9613]

I moved to Rohloff years ago & back to steel frame & mechanical breaks , all a lot more reliable .I guess if you're sponsored you're a bit stuck .

[@koalahabits3605]

Old man mountain rack would be way better right??

[@redlegds_adventures]

How much did the Spearfish weigh without bags?

[@TheWeardale1]

yes, none of these faddy gravel bikes..

[@RS-pt4bw]

If somebody knows a solution for the draging backpack, please feel free to share. Just: there is no rack which goes well with the suspension, as it should be mounted on the non-moving part of the bike: on the mainframe. I would like to have a solution, as i like bikepacking on a fs.

[@madtownangler]

All my bikes have three chainrings. Seems like a lot of work to me with not being able to downshift as much.

[@madtownangler]

Also looks like you could have put fenders on that although I would have gone with front and rear racks. With fiberglass plates on them for mud.

[@Dlawler]

12 speed wide ratio cassette and a 28t chain ring, 1st gear is going to be lots of spinning and not going very far as it is

[@dystopiaisutopia]

​@@Dlawler I use 10 speed, 2x upfront with the same range as a 12 speed system. Lol keep wasting money

[@Dlawler]

@@dystopiaisutopia at least you admit and understand you're wasting money with more consumables moving parts and unnecessary added weight

[@dystopiaisutopia]

@@Dlawler lol you shift way more than I do

[@olivermiddleditch2335]

super cool, but your hacksaw blade is on backwards... :/

[@scottohare7863]

Feels like this video was directed by Doddy for some reason

[@northwestmountainbikeaddic6874]

Is that an SLX Cassette? Not an XT cassette? Why?

[@HD46409]

Did she mention tire size? It looks like 2.25 Mezcal + 2.25 or 2.35 Barzo.

[@fooboomoo]

Yea, would have loved to see a full spec list.

[@HEIPPI]

That seatbag is waiting to get torn apart :S

[@nickwooden2103]

Yeah that’s what I was thinking

[@HEIPPI]

@@nickwooden2103 The framebag is really nice to be available though 👌🏻

[@nickwooden2103]

@@HEIPPI yeah everything else looks totally on point 👌

[@dystopiaisutopia]

Full suspensions are dumb for bikepacking

[@darrenlaithwaite7810]

Love to see Anna on the channel, but has Doddy left.

[@brettatkinson4325]

An awesome bike & video but the price for an ordinary Joe would be an issue to say the least 🙄

[@glencurtis6496]

And , what you've not mentioned, is how much this set up cost as not everyone has this kind of money

[@Jormvngandr]

The thing with bikepacking is that it doesnt need to cost an arm and leg. Do you have a bike & backpack? Then you are already there. Use what you already have.

[@samblenkharn8099]

Nice video. It would be a nice gesture to attempt the Welsh name: Bannau Brycheiniog.

[@havenht]

You need a mudguard

[@nicolasdeville355]

👍👍👏

[@maxwest720]

not watching until you bring back Doddy

[@bobothericefarmer1878]

I will gladly steal ur bike

[@murdoch9106]

Might be the steamiest bike build I've ever watched! 😍 Wish I could do something like that! 🥲

[@redlegds_adventures]

Vittoria Barzo tire more aggressive than the Mezcal?

[@tomquimby8669]

Ebike country.

[@marlerr__4235]

Last

[@dystopiaisutopia]

Gayest

[@Wimbelder]

Way not the Shimano linkglide

[@wonderwatch2239]

Superboost🤢

[@emmabird9745]

You're showing your "Englishness", you went to Bannau Brycheiniog. Obviously your snacks are in your nose bag. You obviously need a bit of lift to your saddle bag, perhaps a beam support would do it? You rode all the way from Bath to Bannau Brycheiniog and back?