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From all the best names in the game, we stock frame & cockpit bags for loading up your bike. Check out the options from Ortlieb, Revelate, Apidura & more.
Bike frame bags and bike cockpit bags are bags which mount either inside the main triangle of your bike, or around it. Cockpit bags are generally in and around your handlebars, stem or top tube. And frame bags are mounted within the frame of your bike.
These are particularly popular places to carry gear on your bike as they are generally out of the way. And they don’t add drag in that they are aerodynamically focussed. A frame bag sits neatly inside your bikes triangle and cockpit bags – especially top tube mounting cockpit bags – are designed to be streamlined & tuck in behind your bike’s stem.
When should you buy a bike frame bag?
Frame bags are an excellent place to carry gear on your bike. Whether its for a bikepacking trip or just your daily commute. You can easily fit your camping bits & pieces in your frame bag and equally as easily fit your lunch & your jacket in there on a commute.
Bike frame bags are increasingly popular on the roads thanks to the huge increase in gravel bikes on the roads. And more people getting into bikepacking & adventure cycling. The key to a good experience on a long ride carrying gear is to take it off your back. Carrying a backpack on a long ride can cause should fatigue & poor cycling posture in the long run. Especially if its a heavy bag. It can also add to your saddle discomfort to be carrying weight on your back. And adding to the load & force placed on your sit bones. You want your touch-points on the bike to be as light & comfortable when it comes to touring rides, bikepacking trips & long commutes. So alleviating some of the load from your sit bones & your hands by removing the weight of a backpack from your shoulders is ideal.
While a frame bag cannot replace a good backpack, it can go a long way when it comes to daytrips or rail trail rides. Changing up how you load up your bike for a ride to ensure that heavier items are within your frame bag & lighter ones on your back is another great solution. Adding a bike frame bag in to your set up is just a good idea.
Things to remember when choosing the right bike frame bag
One of the most important things to remember when finding the right bike frame bag is that smaller is better. Frame bags are designed to fit taut & secure within your bikes triangle. If there is any slack or bulging in the bag after you have strapped down the Velcro attachment points then you will encounter problems when you ride.
Bike bag manufacturers like Adidura & Revelate Designs understand how hard it is to figure out what size frame bag you need for your bike. And they have printable PDF’s to compare to your bike at home. A lot of bike manufacturers like Surly provide detailed information about their frame dimensions on their site. So you don’t have to measure at home & can compare to the bag maker’s listing.
Always err on the side of smaller rather than larger frame bags. A large capacity bag like a 12L bag is never going to comfortably fit on a small frame bicycle. And while it can be tempting to try to get the biggest bag possible to maximise your carrying space, this is not something that works when it comes to frame bags. Frame bags need to fit nice & tight in the frame in order for the zips to operate. And for your heavy gear to not bounce around and damage your bikes frame. This also reduces the chances of your bike bag being in the way of your chainring or your knees when pedalling.
Always remember that a small inconvenience like rubbing might not be a big deal when you are on a short ride. But over time & kilometres a consistent rub on the fabric of your bike bag can become a hole that compromises the waterproofness of your bag and its structural integrity.
