Maximizing bikepacking carrying capacity with a full frame bag.
Bikepacking, by necessity, involves cramming the maximum gear in the smallest possible space. Unlike traditional road touring, bikepacking usually involves rougher routes that require your gear to be compact and tightly contained.
One of the all-time best inventions for bikepacking is the triangular frame bag. This is not only a large potential space, but everything that can be packed in the frame bag is located at the best balance point on the bike.
When outfitting my Priority 600X Adventure bike, I didn’t want to waste time reinventing the wheel. The bike’s designer, Ryan Van Duzer, had already worked with Green Guru Gear to design frame bags that exactly fit the small, medium, and large Priority 600X frame sizes. Not only did Ryan help design the Fullshift frame bag, but he has logged THOUSANDS of miles on demanding bikepacking routes to prove its durability and versatility. Although the Fullshift was designed for the Priority 600X, it will obviously fit any other bike with similar dimensions – see below.
Bikepacking Frame Bag Standard Sizes:
Small- 18.9" x 21.9" x 10" x 3" / 2.4L volume
Medium- 20.5" x 23.4" x 12.5" x 3" / 2.8L volume
Large- 21.6" x 24.9" x 14.6" x 3" / 3L volume
The Green Guru Gear Fullshift frame bag is Made in the USA. It is constructed from “ECOPAK”, made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. The ripstop fabric is laminated and rainproof. Full-length opening is via a high-quality YKK waterproof zipper.
To install on my 600X, I first added some clear tape to the frame where all the Velcro straps cross the tubes. (Bikepacking is also dirty and wet – and Velcro straps tend to wear through the frame paint eventually.) Installation then takes only a few minutes.
But on my large frame 600X, I knew that I was going to load down this bag. The load in a frame bag is hanging from the horizontal top tube with the down tube and seat tube only adding stability. Next, I took advantage of the braze-ons under the top tube of the bike frame. I cut a thin piece of ABS plastic to fit the long rectangle where the bag contacts the top tube. I drilled holes in the plastic and then used a red-hot screwdriver to melt tiny matching holes in the fabric.
Technically, poking holes in the frame bag makes it less than waterproof, but I then installed the bag with washers under the bolt heads and a tight seal was formed against the frame.
I repeated this process to install a water bottle cage inside the frame bag on the seat tube. Inside the frame bag, I will store a large water bottle, so I also had to slightly modify the bottle cage. (My second water bottle is on the handlebars.) I then installed the cage with the plastic reinforcement to form a tight, flat seal against the frame.
With the installation complete, I loaded up the water bottle and some tools and hit the trail. Everything is VERY secure and completely immobile in the Fullshift frame bag.
A few days later, I started laying out my gear for my next bikepacking trip. One of the few luxuries that I carry is a folding “chair” that uses my sleeping pad to create a comfortable resting spot at the campfire. The rolled fabric is really lightweight, but a little inconvenient to pack. It was then that I realized that the rolled chair would fit perfectly under the top tube, inside the frame bag.
I cut three double-sided Velcro straps to fit the rolled fabric. Then I melted a hole at the center of each strap and attached them to the bolts inside the frame bag. Success! The rolled-up chair packs perfectly under the top tube, uses otherwise wasted space at the top of the bag, and is out of the way. If not needed at camp, I don’t need to touch it. When needed, I can grab it in seconds, and it repacks just as fast!
Overall, I give the Green Guru Fullshift Frame Bag my Five-Star rating! I looked at a few other brands, but none had EXACTLY the correct dimensions. NONE of the alternatives were Made in the USA or constructed from Eco-friendly materials! You can enjoy the high-quality of a small, custom shop with reasonable prices on their stock items. Check out the FULL range of other bike bags at GreenGuruGear.com. They also make a wide range of backpacks and travel accessories.
