Contrary to popular belief, a frame bag is useful across nearly every riding discipline. For road riding, it offers an aerodynamic storage solution for unsupported long-distance rides. For commuting and everyday use, it keeps heavy items off your back and centered on the bike, significantly improving handling. In bike-packing, the use cases are similar—but the convenience is compounded over days or months, transforming thoughtful design and convenience features into tangible quality-of-life upgrades!
Ill go ahead and explain my experiences and inspiration behind each add-on/feature I have as an option:
Diagonal Zipper: When I biked across Portugal, Spain, France, Germany and Denmark over 3 months, one thing that was a daily annoyance was the fact that smaller critical items like my wallet would make their way to the bottom of my bag. Traditional horizontal zippers require unloading everything to reach the bottom — manageable on a day ride, downright vexing over 90 days! When I returned, I outlined the following design criteria for a frame bag:
- Needs to be single-handed operation at all points
- Must be able to get to bottom level items WITHOUT removing anything else or risking contents spilling out.
- Must be easily packable with large items regardless of frame size
I am proud to say after many design iterations, my frame bags accomplish each and every one of these and more!
Map Pocket (add-on):
Coming as a standard option, it can be quite useful to have this kind of pocket, phones, cash, passports - the flat semi delicate stuff! This pocket makes a quick and reliable secondary pocket for relatively flat items that need some extra protection!
Full perimeter strap mounts (standard feature):
Something that bugs me about many frame bags is the fact that the straps are sewn into the seams! Being a critical failure point when (not if) they break, the bag is done instead of just the straps. To me this is unacceptable! To avoid this, I bar-tack 1.5" webbing with 2" partitions around the entire perimeter - ensuring secure mounting options, long-term durability, and compatibility with frames that have limited strap space - especially important if you run a front derailleur!
Full perimeter EVA foam reinforcement (standard feature):
While testing different stiffener materials during my daily Longmont-to-Boulder commute, I found that many commonly used stiffeners & their densities were simply inadequate.
Repeated impacts from heavier contents caused my downtube to slowly ovalize, permanently deforming it and leaving an unwanted hammered surface finish. After extensive testing, I settled on a dense EVA foam that provides both rigidity and cushioning, protecting the frame from long-term damage.
Another common issue I target results from lightly reinforced bags that flex and “accordion” while riding, leading to strap abrasion and frame wear. The EVA foam reinforcement, combined with a precise custom fit, completely eliminate frame wear!
AirTag pocket (Add-on) :
Discreetly sewn into the bag perimeter and hidden behind the downtube cable port, this feature was inspired by a friend whose custom bag was stolen right off their bike! With this option, should disaster strike, you have more time to be able to track down your rig when minutes count and law enforcement wont help!
Hose/U-Lock port (standard feature):
Located on the non-drive side, this port accommodates hydration hoses and—when paired with the diagonal zipper—allows a U-lock to pass cleanly through the bag. This prevents frame damage from trying to shove the lock between the frame and bag and provides fast, convenient lock storage, a feature I relied on daily while commuting between classes in college!
