We Tested The Best and Worst Bikepacking Set Ups

[@mahalomydude]

Answer for a chance to win stickers! 👇 What was the best trail you rode this summer?

[@GrigoryRechistov]

It was called Kristin.

[@jesseTsg]

Ladies only on Mount Fromme.

[@RubenD85]

Holy Ridge at Cotopaxi Volcano in Ecuador. It was awesome

[@imabigfanbro]

Unexpected Pregnacy

[@georgimume6319]

Gassl trail, plan de corones, dolomites. Finally getting a dedicated mtb trail under my old Remedy wheels and under my older feet again after years. Loved it so much!

[@theodoreroberts8524]

Clearly the only reason they didn't test a hardtail is because it is obviously always the right answer.

[@frankthetankricard]

The gravel bike is a hardtail so the fact that it worked proves that a hardtail mtb would work even better.

[@marco4570]

My dropbar-converted good ol' chameleon was perfect in Iceland's Highlands. Can approve!

[@mrwhips1947]

Wouldve been too easy😂

[@Ivan1090-0]

@@frankthetankricardActually it’s a full ridged 😏

[@harleyharrison9180]

@@Ivan1090-0 at 4:05 the gravel bike has front suspension 4:05

[@adamweb]

You guys crack me up... the level of skill and experience you have on MTB versus a drop bar bike where you immediately fall over on perfectly flat ground 😂

[@mahalomydude]

Gravel biking is gnarly!

[@youtubecopyrights]

But of course you could've went with mtb pedals on the gravel.@@mahalomydude 😄

[@cowaja61]

@@mahalomydude boogieman teeter-totter on a DH bike with racks and 50lbs of gear.. no problem... fishermans trail? .. too gnarly my dude

[@SterlingStudios]

Exactly, they stated never installed their own racks. Why you tube did you recommend this mess of a channel.

[@PorterMTB]

Haha this was awesome, I've been bikepacking on everything but a DH bike, pretty fun on all of the rigs. All time VO as always 👊😂

[@mahalomydude]

You gotta try the DH bike! Your knees will love it!

[@CantTalkImRiding]

This the most (un)helpful video on bike packing. I greatly thank you for putting in the work for 3 overnight rides to test setups. Entertaining and a great gear review of the racks.

[@fooboomoo]

I don't think they even stayed overnight nor did they go for a long trip. This was a pure infomercial.

[@CantTalkImRiding]

I suspected that, but I choose to think they still stayed the night. I get the entertainment bit. I'll fill in the blanks to make it more exciting. @@fooboomoo

[@fooboomoo]

@@CantTalkImRiding you probably right. It was an enjoyable watch either way ;

[@splooshmtb]

All of these kinda looked like a session 😂.

[@shaunoleary8740]

Loved the chirp from the Edmonton guy! lol!

[@chris_noswe]

I've got a custom Trek 920 - a perfect bike for bikepacking as it fits bigger and chunkier tires (2.3" knobbies oh yeah), is fairly light weight and is super agile. It's way better than the Checkpoint that you guys used in the video

[@mahalomydude]

But have you tried bikepacking on a Session yet?

[@JordiFloresSoy]

You guys made my day! That was funny as hell. Congrats 😂 I was looking for a fs bikepacking kit but I wasn't expecting that DH test. Glorious!!

[@mukkaar]

Ultimate gravel is back rack, that has strapped in rolltop waterproof backpack, rolltop full frame bag, I bought custom form Alpkit, two stem bags for water, top loading rolltop handlebar bag, something like handlebar bag plus from ortleib, and ofc top tube bag. This gives very streamlined profile for less wind resistance, but also allowing for more stuff unlike seatbag. Gravel bikes have quite big frame hole, so you can get big frame bag that holds most of your heavy stuff for stability, extra water in bladder, tools, spares, food etc. Handlebar bag is perfect for quick access items like clothing that you might need, like raingear etc. And maybe your cooking system. And finally on back rack you have backpack with all your clothes, toiletries and shelter. Stuff you only need when you make camp. These are pretty light overall, but you can pack a lot of volume based on backpack you choose. Toptube bag acts as my phone holder and cover with transparent conductive top, it also has battery bank. Though for intensive navigation I use garmin explore. With this setup I can carry 4.5L water with two bottles and bladder. Bladder is without hose because I think it's unnecessary since you can just refill bottles with it, less cleaning and places to fail. Ofc, in race you might want hose. I honestly actually think mtb is better for bikepacking, ofc depends on route, but if you plan on going on long trip with various terrain, or unknown/random routes, you really need that stability and especially clearance for bigger tires. I bike in Europe and generally stay in pretty good routes, and I don't want second bike so I for me gravel works better. And one thing, unless you are going for cheap DYI, side loading handlebar bag rolls suck. Handlebar bag is best place for relatively light quick access items, like clothes. Since you don't want too much weight on you handle and top.

[@adammacer]

Between you guys and the Fortnine crew Vancouver is putting out some of the best quality content these days.. Kudoooooooos

[@MartinPGrindrod]

Stagg Chilli and Heinz Beans - you two are my heros - good job you slept outdoors ! My Evil The Calling is a brilliant bike packing beast fitted with Old Man Mountain racks, it rolls pretty well on Maxxis Aspen tyres.

[@imabigfanbro]

SICK! Mahalo for the new video! Just reseived some fresh Mahalo My Dude Gear not long ago. A Wise Man once said, "Ride bikes, Have fun, Feel good!"

[@drewstreet4178]

My choice last month was a 90s mtb 26er with modern drivetrain and a 90s 45mm travel rockshox fork

[@TheRotundRider]

Love the off-beat videos. =) And best trail ridden this year? That would have to be the Jamieson Creek trail north of Kamloops. Super fast and flowy. First time shuttling for me and I had a blast.

[@TheZachFox]

Shredpacking

[@nv9120]

Can’t help but laugh at the clipless fall. We’ve all been there. And somehow I always seem to tip over into a bush

[@LoranBriggs]

Thanks for filming the best part of clips: watching a a friend that is new to them fall over.

[@atro00]

guys, don't know what you're up to, but please, more content!!! also, cheers from Slovakia!

[@DarkDramon]

Would have loved to see how you guys would do on a hardtail with this challenge. And my favourite trail this year was merlin view in alberta.🎉

[@FreeTimeFeats]

My bike pack setup is a hardtail. Makes much more sense with presprung weight messing with rear shocks

[@drill_fiend1097]

That gravel bike was basically a HT with a short fork and drop bars.

[@owen_som]

Dude you guys just read my mind, I was just thinking “dang I want to see another Mahlo bike packing video”

[@mihaylo_kovin]

You are nuts!!!! Thanks for getting me smiling!))

[@siky1986]

Love the video quality, the music and the setup! Where is the location you guys were shooting for this video? It’s really lovely place and wanna pay a visit!

[@mahalomydude]

North Vancouver, BC!

[@akrider20]

Leave it to MMD to do something no one else would.

[@mahalomydude]

It's science!

[@andrewwylie9259]

Was there a particular version of the Elkhorn for the Trek you needed to order?

[@OldManMountainRacks]

We make the Elkhorn in a Short and a Tall version. Most MTB tires will need the Tall version. As for the mounting axles, we have a fit finder on our website to point you to the right one for your bike.

[@Mike-vd2qt]

Funny how "Bikepacking" has come to realize that racks like we cycle tourists used 40 years ago still work!!! If you need to carry water, food, cold or wet gear clothing, frame bags just don't cut it. Qualifier is that racers can cover 100 miles off road in one day, regular cyclists usually can't.

[@OldManMountainRacks]

It's been an evolution for bikepacking to come back around to racks. Some of it came from people wanting to ride bike that racks wouldn't fit on or having experiences with poor quality racks that rattle and flex. We've fixed both of those issues with our racks and now we get to shred whatever trails we want!

[@Mike-vd2qt]

@@OldManMountainRacks Nice to learn that OMM racks lives on after the Robt Axle folks purchased the Co. And very happy to hear from OMM today on YT. About 8 years ago I purchased OMM online direct and after three weeks had not rec'd an order confirmation, payment conf, ship conf, nothing. I emailed, called, no response. Sadly, I cancelled bank payment. Nowadays I have a Ti hardtail with no rear braze-ons for a rack. I used all Revelate Designs frame bags for half of the GDMBR. But at 70 and a pace of 40 miles per day off-road, I couldn't carry enough water and food for the sections in Southern Colorado and NM between water resupply. Excuses. I came to the solution of racks, panniers, and a completely different bike on my own for next summer. I've crossed the US 3X on road tours, and the EU once as an old school road tourist. PO'd at myself, the Divide at 2,700 miles is now stuck in my head at 3am. Sane normal cyclists that see the Divide on social media should know that this route is not like any road tour and you will not cover 100 mi between resupply like the racers on YT vids. I strongly advise racks and the new type of panniers that velcro or strap onto the rack. The trade-off for me will be slower downhills, faster smooth sections, more comfort, and more hikeabike. If anyone has read this far, listen up and get racks for the Divide. And, you don't need those $900 carbon TailFin racks and panniers unless you plan to finish in 14 days. Happy trails! ☮

[@jimbo4203]

I'll take a flat bar bike every time , I just like the wider bars and hardly ever use the drops

[@PKMz3ta]

Bike packing in the remote wilderness of… Mt Seymour and Rice Lake 😂

[@MikeGlorfindel]

Love your videos, madness, utter madness! 🤘🤪❤️

[@SHWELL11]

😢ne really spilled the beans

[@garethhughes5745]

surely if you have triple butted tubes, or any good bike, the points (like on the rear triangle seatstay) you are strapping the racks to will fail eventually, snapping the frame, as the metal is thin in those areas. Hardtails at least have pannier fixing points which are designed to take the weight. I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, its just based on my knowledge of older bikes construction.

[@gravityjunkie47]

Awesome video! It makes me want to try it!

[@shemshem9998]

Next time I want to see you hit whistler with bike packing induro bikes, bike park bike packing. I’d love to see you do it! Unless you don’t dare, in that case you can send me some bags to try it out in the alps 😉

[@Planet-ICELAND]

nICE I usually ride on my EUC with 5-10 Kilos of Camera and other gear in a backpack, more weight makes it stable.

[@NeverTooTiredToRideTwoTyres]

woah thats the best looking intro ive ever seen

[@salzhaltigersalzhaufen586]

The skill levels here are like opposite of mine I can barley do anything on a MTB and only own and XC MTB but Drop bar bikes is where I´m at and man gravelriding is so much fun especially when youre bikepacking also if you are a little more confident and maybe wanna try some longer routes you could add some areo bars not really for aero dynamics but just to rest your hands on the flat sections of the trip

[@Ivan1090-0]

Now for the real question WHERE?! Do you go bike packing?

[@mickilkr]

Excellent video

[@atlenorheim4265]

Great video. I'm still laughing!

[@benedmundson334]

What racks do you guys have

[@andrewmitton7127]

What setup was best for roosting? Im asking for a friend.

[@charliemchugh8582]

Around how much did the trail bike setups cost

[@TheMachoGabacho]

I think you need a dinner plate rear sprocket and drop bars on the Session.

[@that_shadow6959]

pan bags plus trunk bag is touring setup

[@Foti5]

next content guys bikerafting !!!

[@kcaleb]

Huh, so this is what happened to IFHT. Cool, I like it!

[@SamA-xu9gy]

What IFHT means?

[@chadwrobel789]

OMG the downhill bike commentary is halarious..

[@misterlove6225]

Bikepacking: grab your bike, grab your bags, take a photo and post it on Instagram, drive back home. For real, I've came across a dude who had every single existing bag strapped to his gravel bike. He went for a 25km ride with it...

[@williamwade7059]

That was crazy😂😂😂😂

[@karlosxzy]

Hardtail is the way. Pannier racks always win over seat mounted bags.

[@wtywatoad]

Geezo! Hope you learned to adjust your air spring pressure to account for your can of beans

[@sourmash54]

Should have peddled the dh bikes 😂😂😂😂

[@SonofRobinson-lo5qo]

Hello from Russia!!! Great video and channel 👍👍👍

[@davidbray5982]

I've gone bikepacking on a downhill bike!!! It's a 2004 Santa Cruz Heckler that sat in my step dad's garage for 19 years. I bought racks from Old Man Mountain and a motor from Bafang, and let me tell you the end result is a beast. Being full suspension, it absolutely eats whatever terrain I throw at it, and the motor means uphills really aren't a struggle at all. All in I don't think I spent more than 700 on the modifications, and I've only had it for a couple of years so I don't know how it will survive long term, but I've been on some decent tours with it and it's been fantastic. I just need to be mindful of days where I expect to climb a lot of hills, because I REALLY don't want to have the motor die on me when I'm using such an insanely heavy bike. I would not recommend trying it, especially because I am worried about the strain I put on the rear hinge and shock. Considering I have the weight of 2 panniers and a roll bag on the back, I am always mindful of the lateral forces I'm putting it through. I would hate to shear the rear while I'm on the trail. But I do have a ton of fun with it, and none of my modifications are permanent, in one afternoon I could change it back if I wanted to.

[@MichaelTV44]

The DH bike is something else.

[@Svenson612]

26"and marzocchi Italy.

[@PedalVision]

Now that’s how you drink maté 😆

[@jbdbsb]

Tighten the Strap on's!

[@fradland2784]

300mm of travel bike go brrrr

[@JohnDeere165HydroOfficial]

gravel bikes are like great for gravel

[@mahalomydude]

And for falling over.

[@hug8956]

Where is the winter fat tire bikepacking?

[@jesseTsg]

What are your dudes' favourite Yerb flavours?

[@mahalomydude]

Revel Berry 100%, but the new Peach flave is a strong second. - Jason

[@bensun432]

that guy from Edmonton 🤣

[@oskarsmith4824]

u guys should do a pitviper givaway

[@baronvon9190]

Do not cook canned food in the can. There is a plastic liner inside can that melts when heated.

[@57boomer44]

Tolt pipeline trail.

[@SummitMTB]

For once it doesnt look like a session!

[@smefour]

drop the the clip on's when packing

[@Deb_byzz]

Put some milk in those bottle and then you will have milkshake

[@pedalhound]

I have flats on my grav grav....I am not out there trying to win races....lol...

[@Outdoors_hiking]

I likked it

[@mangethegamer]

Spends hundreds of dollars on very expensive bike packing gear but then only brings Heinz beans...

[@cmacblue42]

You are wrong. All of us WANT to see you guys climbing on DH bikes.

[@GADonMc]

Only Old Man Mountain? That you got for free? Best and worst?

[@_cycling_coffee_lifestyle]

🤩

[@frankthetankricard]

I'll admit you guys have some serious filmmaking skills. But the way you cut zip ties leaves something to desire. I guess that's a fair trade off?

[@mahalomydude]

Wait, there's a way to cut zip ties other than haphazardly with rust side cutters?

[@JIBBING_1980S]

❤

[@bendenisereedy7865]

Another fashion. Something else will be along soon.

[@saltydog888]

Yep Like ebikes 😂

[@buddycheung3431]

We have new invented backpack size Folding bike fit for backpack very good for traveling. I don't know how to contact you we want to have advertising. Also like a Mantis transformer.

[@shuragoni]

Fixed gear! Is most bikepacking bike)

[@Inzolity]

DH bike packing... well earned like lmao

[@jetienalavie7769]

funny guys

[@leafyfungus5]

theres no way the DH bike does any good... Edit: I was planning to say "Edit: 😦" but it really just was bad lol

[@Диванныйэксперт-й9ц]

Слишком много подвесов. Не хватает хардтейла.

[@peteruk65]

Image is everything isn’t it - no imagination or practicality, just spend 1000’s on marketed products, still enough people with more money than sense who ‘think’ their adventurers because they own all the ‘gear’

[@SterlingStudios]

Rofl,"we've never installed bike racks" either entitled or literally have no clue. Blocked from my feed.

[@mahalomydude]

So do you always piss in your own cornflakes?

[@trishaleaver3581]

Lazy. Why don’t you want to pedal those motorcycles up hill? 😀

[@mahalomydude]

Literally not a single e-bike in this video.

[@trishaleaver3581]

@@mahalomydude it was a joke my dude. 😀 I was making fun of downhill bikes that would be nearly impossible to use as a traditional bike that you actually pedal, even up hills. In context I come from a time when racers rode their bikes Ridgid or hardtail for all events including downhill. Downhill bikes are basically a light motorcycle without an engine.

[@AdamTravelsTheWorld]

That Trek he's riding is thousands of dollars smh, make a video for the broke mofos for once man.

[@ellerybice3787]

👎🏾👎🏾👎🏾

[@Bikepacking]

Didn’t see any bikepacking setups

[@highalpine7321]

bikepacking with panniers.. your doing wrong from the start.