Frame Bags? Marmite?

[Heltor Chasca]

I've recently enjoyed a couple of off road tours on my MTB. It was very wintry so I was wearing all my clothes. I travelled very light. Wine and food was a problem. Ain't it just.

Long and the short is that for spring, summer and autumn I'll need to increase capacity. In my yoof I just used a day sack. I haven't toured with anything other than panniers for over a decade and really can't face having a bag on my back.

Frame bag? I did not like the look of them, but I'm thinking it's better than a bag on my back.

I've just sold a few things on eBay which will fund a bespoke purchase from Alpkit. Any pointers? I have enough to fund a hydration/battery wire port and a document pouch.

Has anyone tried an Alpkit Stingray frame bag? Any thoughts?

 

[steveindenmark]

I have an Apidura seat pack. They are not cheap but they are totally dry and bombproof.

 

[NeilM]

This guy will make a bespoke bag to suit you needs and fit your bike.

Plus he has some really useful standard bags.

https://www.mackworkshop.com/

 

[wifflebat]

Thanks for the link...thinking the same thing for my CX bike after I saw @victorychimp on twitter had something like this.

 

[wifflebat]

www.alpkit.com
Is apparently also a good job...

 

[Blue Hills]

I'd get a Carradice Longflap saddlebag and support, if you tie it on properly it will be fine. I dont like the look of those frame bags.

Got to agree. Be interesting to see if the trend lasts.

One theory is that the framebag market has been fuelled by carbon being used on bikes that, because of their purpose, would previously have been some sort of now apparently boring metal.
I was shocked to find on a recent visit to the venerable Pearsons in sutton that they are discontinuing their beautiful reynolds tourer in favour of a carbon heavy thing. They offered me a good price on their last one.

 

[Blue Hills]

I've recently enjoyed a couple of off road tours on my MTB. It was very wintry so I was wearing all my clothes. I travelled very light. Wine and food was a problem. Ain't it just.

Long and the short is that for spring, summer and autumn I'll need to increase capacity. In my yoof I just used a day sack. I haven't toured with anything other than panniers for over a decade and really can't face having a bag on my back.

Frame bag? I did not like the look of them, but I'm thinking it's better than a bag on my back.

I've just sold a few things on eBay which will fund a bespoke purchase from Alpkit. Any pointers? I have enough to fund a hydration/battery wire port and a document pouch.

Has anyone tried an Alpkit Stingray frame bag? Any thoughts?

What's your problem with panniers?
If you really have turned against them for whatever reason, why not just strap some appropriately sized drybags to the top of a bike rack?

 

[psmiffy]

The short off road tours i've done I always used panniers - smaller than I use on a road tour - whichever way its a pain if you have to carry the bike - panniers make the bike cumbersome - a frame bag would make carrying more difficult

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Devil is in the detail BH. You didn't read my post properly. I never said I had a problem with panniers. As I said in my OP 'I haven't toured with anything other than panniers for over a decade' This post is in reference to my MTB as I said and using a day sack on my back. My MTB has short chainstays and is a small frame so panniers DONT work hence my OP. I did not want a rack on this either.

I use panniers on my tourer and cargo bike all the time. I'm very pro panniers.

 

[psmiffy]

I'm very pro panniers.

Panniers will be pleased to hear that

 

[Heltor Chasca]

psmiffy: Yes I would miss slinging my bike on my shoulder because of a frame bag. Round here, off-road can mean droves and bridleways are completely washed out and they become trenches. Sometimes full of water, or full of mud or rocky. There's a route I took in the Mendips where the 'trail' was about 800mm deep and only 600mm wide. Nothing would get a bike with panniers along there. Cork in a bottle. Frame bag no problem.

 

[djb1971]

I've tried a few frame bags but this Apidura I'm favourite. It holds lots! has ports for cables/hydration and has very good fixings.
If you need to carry your bike sling the saddle over your shoulder, if you need to lift the bike the frame bag doesn't hinder you at all. Most of my bike packing involves pushing or lifting, not carrying.

I've used panniers off road for many trips before saddle and frame bags became common. Panniers are useless off road, proper off-road not gravel tracks. They are prone snagging, rattling, bouncing and breaking.

I had a backpack on with this trip and the frame bag because it was a lightweight overnighter. I've slowly stopped using my seat packs(appkit/wildcat) because no matter how you fit them they all develop a sway or get in my way. They're affected by crap packing too, the last thing I want to do is have to think about packing the bags when I'm on top of a mountain in a gale and torrential rain.

 

[Nigel182]

This guy will make a bespoke bag to suit you needs and fit your bike.

Plus he has some really useful standard bags.

https://www.mackworkshop.com/

Thanks for the Link have just ordered some items from his Shop