# Full suspension frame bag prototype/experiment



## jan_nikolajsen (Oct 28, 2011)

We have been bikepacking on hardtails up until now, using racks and regular road touring panniers. Unfortunately to afford our new FS bikes we had to sell the old bikes. Truth is that daily use on the trails is more fun on these, and also a far more frequent thing compared to the occasional bike tour. Alas.

We are busy getting set-up with the new bikes. Revelate Designs will likely play a big role in that, but until we have the money I've been playing around with an idea I've had for a while.

The average FS bike has a radically sloping top tube with a huge standover clearance, which comes in handy when flailing on the tech stuff but hardly needed on the tours we do. The main triangle is cluttered with the shock and linkage. If you're lucky, like on ours, you'll at most get a bottle cage in there. No room for the classic frame bag on most of the current crop of full suspension bikes.

The concept here fills the space above the main triangle, mimicking a classic straight, gently sloping top tube, but making it a flexible one should you come down hard for some reason. I still have several inches of crotch clearance on even ground. My bike is a size large, I'm 6'2". This idea may not be viable on smaller bikes.

I started with a tight 1" webbing strap, tensioned between the seatpost and the stem spacers. The white cylinder on the post is keeping the strap from sagging down. At the front the webbing is simply lashed to the steerer with 1/8" cord. Easily inspected, easily replaced when the inevitable chafe occurs. A tight velcro strap around the toptube further tensions the webbing.

Based on this rather stout foundation, so to speak, I simply patterned and sewed a bag to fit the space.

On the pic it is holding a full 100oz bladder, which pretty much fills the bag, but also keeps it snugly and shift free in place. So far, on a few basic trails, it's working pretty good for a first try.

With the new Camelbak bladders one can remove the hose and just use the bladder as extra water storage.


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## AcuNinja (Jun 8, 2008)

Looks cool! Please report back on how this kit works out. I'm curious myself, I'd love to be able to do some extended touring on my Maverick Durance, but there's not a lot of room in that front triangle for a frame pack.


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## moofish (May 3, 2011)

Checkout the freeload racks from NZ they fit on the seatstays and suit FS frames great. I plan tobuy the touring version so I can attach the pannier racks. They arent cheap but they look like the best design I've seen. I wont be putting the rack on a FS but its nice to know when I get one I can.


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## TobyGadd (Sep 9, 2009)

moofish said:


> Checkout the freeload racks from NZ they fit on the seatstays and suit FS frames great. I plan tobuy the touring version so I can attach the pannier racks. They arent cheap but they look like the best design I've seen. I wont be putting the rack on a FS but its nice to know when I get one I can.


I've tried racks a couple of times for bikepacking--with mixed results. When I rode the CTR in 2010, I put a rack on my hard-tail aluminum Cannondale--and it was great. I didn't carry any more weight than most racers, but the panniers allowed me to organize gear easily, and tote bulkier stuff like bagels with ease. I also didn't need to carry much in my pack, which was a huge plus.

But in 2011, I switched to a full-suspension Cannondale RZ 120--and the rack (Old Man Mountain) didn't work so well. The whole back of my bike felt like it was wallowing around like a crazed hula girl. The weight in the panniers was also unsuspended.

I'm now in the process of changing to a rackless setup. No more bulky or fluffy stuff allowed, which is kind of tough. I'm working hard to whittle down the volume of my gear to get as much on the bike as possible. I really don't want to carry a heavy pack!

In short, panniers are great on a rigid frame. But with a full-suspension bike on technical trails, I think that it is better to go rackless if you want to enjoy the benefits of a full-suspension bike.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

This shape of bag would work great on my old FSR.


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## jan_nikolajsen (Oct 28, 2011)

Did a 5 hr test ride yesterday, mostly on steep dirt roads. Bag was solid. No shifting, rattling or sagging. Also tested a pair of Mountain Feedbags on the bars. Love those things. So handy for a bottle, snacks, used gel wrappers, sunglasses.


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## She&I (Jan 4, 2010)

Nice work, Jan. Looks great.

I'm thinking I would not discount the capacity of a pack designed to fit where your bottle cage is. The shape may be a little weird, but it looks like it might hold at least as much as your top tube pack. FWIW...cheers.

Mike


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## N8R (Feb 4, 2004)

Good job on the pack! I made a pack for my diamondback that is a similar design kind of. I personally would never carry water that high up because it weighs so much. I'm going to be making a custom water tank that will mount below the downtube to keep the water weight as low as possible.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

N8R said:


> I personally would never carry water that high up because it weighs so much. I'm going to be making a custom water tank that will mount below the downtube to keep the water weight as low as possible.


It would be cool to make the downtube itself into a water tank...

I wonder if there is an instructible (or similar resource) that shows how to mold 1-liter or 2-liter bottles into the shape that you would like? This one mentions the idea, and confirms that boiling water is hot enough to get the job done, but doesn't fully answer the question.
Shrink the Bottle

Also, the Starbucks coffee boxes have a big bag in them that you could repurpose into a water carrier, with a fabric shell around it. Or maybe the bag in a wine box would work better. A used starbucks bag is impossible to remove coffee smell from...


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## SimpleJon (Mar 28, 2011)

I have a 700c hybrid I use for touring, commuting - it is set up with a surley LHT 700c front fork that will take front racks and use the Topeak MTX DXP rear, this will hold all I need if camping. If staying in hotels, guest houses etc just the rear is fine. This set up works well no issues at all
I headed off to the wild exploring on my full sus 2010 Epic with some mates with the MTX rear rack, the plan was to stay in hotels and leave the racks and head off on the trails, pick up the racks then head off somewhere else. I've got to agree with TobyGadd, even with a modest 6 to 7Kg total weight the handling of the Epic was completely fouled up, even simple dirt roads became quite alarming. The back end wallowed and I had a couple of frontend washouts on simple corners. I kind of got used to it after a day or so but it wasn't pleasant and I wouldn't want to ride anything even slightly challenging with this set up. 
With the freeload the weight is transferred into the seat stays rather than supported from the seatpost so this will probably work a lot better on a full sus. I would be interested to try it sometime, or hear from any who have


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## dknittel (Jul 1, 2007)

Jan - that pack on the santa cruz is extremely cool. i have a bullit and I'm going to try to make one following your design. I don't see the high weight as a real issue. its higher on your back


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## dknittel (Jul 1, 2007)

Jan - that's a great idea. i looked all over the internet for a similar design and nobody makes one.


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## Bill in Houston (Nov 26, 2011)

That does it. I'm making a bag that goes above my top tube.


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## Rabies010 (Jan 20, 2011)

dknittel said:


> Jan - that's a great idea. i looked all over the internet for a similar design and nobody makes one.


I got this pic a few days ago From the guy who made my bag.
It's for a new bag he's working on that is really good for bikes with a low TT and little space in the frame. 
A good source for affordable custom bags if you live in the EU. 
Buggybags


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## cabral114 (Apr 10, 2012)

i love that bike man... Wow...


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