DIY - Make Your Own Bikepacking Frame Bag 

Nice CAD work. I love cardboard aided design.

You can imagine the happiness i felt when I found this video while searching for random "diy waterproof bag" videos so I could extrapolate the knowledge in order to make a frame bag specific to my bike

In world where most people default to buying everything, it’s refreshing to see people take the time and effort to make the thjngs they need when possible. Kudos to you sir!

Nice Build! You are right that ripstop nylon is slippery & difficult to work with. I make kites out of the stuff and the secret is to glue the seams with a nice flexible fabric glue or use double sided tape. Also lots of little clips or pieces of blue tape.

Thanks for this video, it was exactly what I needed! I have no sewing experience and it only took me a couple of days to whip up my own design.

You truly are a man's man. Looks awesome!

WOOOOW! GIFTED! 🎉

Well made, sir. I'm a big fan of DIY. A lot of the expensive bags can be a barrier for the young or the uninitiated, who may be intimidated by the expensive or seemingly complicated bikepacking gear promoted all over RU-vid. Some popular videos state that "you must buy these Ortlieb bags." Expensive bags, on top of the light camping gear that can be of a higher priority. It can end up costing a small fortune. A lot of the panniers, saddle and handle bar bags are in my opinion extra fluff that either provide little gain or too narrow niche for the cost. It can act like a barrier that stops new people to join in this amazing 4 season activity. Side *panniers* sometimes cost a lot. They can also be heavy. Lastly, modern water proof bags may cause condensations on hot days, if you store liquid objects inside. Bikepackers generally don't cross chest-deep rivers, so completely water proof panniers are over-built for most trips in my opinion. To build a frame for a custom pannier, you can easily use stiff plastic lids from a supermarkets. About ~40x25 cm. Make a few holes, and hold it to your bike rack using plastic strips. Either the top or sides. On that flat plastic frame, using common bungee, you strap small backpacks filled with camping gear. Light, cheap and works just as well. Throw in a backpack-cover in case it rains. I also see expensive wobbly *saddle bags* out there that swing from side to side or can be a struggle-bus to pack snugly. On the contrary, when I'm winter bikepacking here in Norway, I can just shove my military winter sleeping bag, pointing perpendicular to the bike length, directly under my seat, with nothing but two common bungee cords to secure it. That's my entire shelter. While a side-hanging sausage won't win any aerodynamic awards -- the straps themselves are perfectly viable: It sits tight, it's weightless and free. For the *handle bar bag* , I use any random light bag, filled with camping stuff, and place it inside a rolled, torso length, foam sleeping mat. You can fold the mat over in the middle once, first, for better aero on the sides of the bike. Two belts around the foam sausage to secure it to the handle bar. Two belts. That's it. It's amazing how simple it is. It's not necessary, when initiated to the hobby, to spend money on these areas of the bike. I would never enter head-first into a hobby that cost me 100s if not 1000s of $ at the entry point. I might not like the activity, and then I'm stuck with all this useless new gear. However, as you pointed out, the *frame bags* are another deal entirely. They're in a technical spot and should be reserved for the heaviest items. Aside from water bottle storage it's hard to improvise storage compartments, or even find snug fitting frame bags on the market, to fill those criteria. Ergo, thank you for showing us how to make a frame bag ourselves. If you have more ideas, please make more DIY videos for the new bikepackers out there.

Great detail on the design and organisation of the pack. The lady in the video did a great job!

Thanks for the video and thorough list of supplies. I’ve been making my own bar bags and tool rolls and this video has inspired me to make a full frame bag as well!

Sir, you have just encouraged me. Thanks.

So creative, and functional!!!! Looks great on your bike

Thank you for the video! I made my own bag yesterday and love it!

Well done! Thanks for sharing!

Wow! Thats impressive, thank you for sharing!

Mate this is fantastic thanks for putting this up! I've made hammocks and tarps and found this quite intimidating but you really explained it all well. Cheers!

Great job! Perfect pandemic project!

That was SICK!

Very cool man. Really enjoyed that. I'm planning on making one for my sons bike out of an old biking jacket I have hanging around. 👍

Awesome!

Very well made. Love it.

Excellent video! Awesome technique and skills!!👍

I have made some bags for me in the past, but I needed to see some other techniques to improve the way I work. Really great job!

Great video, new subscriber here! I definitely don't shy from DIY, and I've always wanted to learn to sew. Seeing how easy this can be and how I can make it custom for me seals the deal. Thanks for the links to get the materials as well!

Super nice, looks like high end bag!

awesome project thank you for the inspiration!

That’s really nice.

Good job I’m very impressed.

Amazing Job sir, cheers.

This is so awesome ! Thanks for the video,

Thanks for the good ideas.

very nice ! thank you very much for sharing !

Awesome video! Subscribed! Going to try making my own bag now.

Thanks!

Pretty cool!

Wow, great job! Ride safe

respect. well done.

love it!

Great instructable. I made one as well for my Surly Troll, with a different attachment style. For the top tube, instead of velcro straps, I used a 1" nylon strap and sewed it on as a daisy-chain 1" apart. I use paracord all the way thru (like tying shoelace) to attach it to the top tube. For both the seat and down tubes, I made full use of the bottle cage bolts and use them to attach the bag to the frame from the inside, using a strip of 5mm polycarbonate hollow-walled roofing material (that I had lying around) as a stiffener, and which I cut exactly to fit the length and width of that section. This effectively prevented the bag from chafing the frame while holding it securely. All not new ideas but works great for me. Cheers :-)

great video man! I love your recording+presentation style. Calm and collected :)

Sweet!

very well done! Above my ability, but still... way to go!

awesome!!

Really cool

Great. It looks great. Congratulations.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🏕️🚵🏻🇨🇦

Nice, gonna have to try as soon as I get better with sewing machine

Super cool! Well made video😎

Clear and informative 👍. Enjoyed even though I don't need a bag🤗

That’s a great bag build! Well done and thanks for the video. BTW the secret pocket isn’t a secret any more 😂.

This is an amazing build! I take it you fiddled around with the tension on the bobbing and foot. Some materials like a ball point needle where others a sharp point. Kind of assume you all ready know this though considering your fantastic job 😉

So cool man! Really turned out looking pro. I think it’s about to to learn how to use a sewing machine.

Thanks for the video

You got a new subscriber dude! That was pretty cool. Just into getting my cockpit together. I have a bar-bag, panniers - front and back, going for fork panniers too, cross-tube bag, and then there's the stuff sacks with tent, sleeping system and tarp. I also have a trailer - Chinese knock off of the Burley - but it works. The trailer is for trips over 250km, so not local or if a I want a luxury camping set up. I was planning a long trip down to Athens from Edinburgh but, Boris and Covid stopped that! Maybe next year. I like the idea of making bespoke gear rather than just off the peg stuff. I find to get the gear I want it costs too much for what you get and zips get me mad, bad waterproofing is another thing, BC like Northern England get a lot of rain, most of it comes at you horizontal at 60 knots, not gentle showers. I'm after making a Baker tent when I've time or a Backwoods Bungalow - i think they're called.

Amazing

Very nice 🙂👍🏻

Really nice craftsmanship. Wish it were a little slower so I could follow/copy. Great editing w/ the video (esp the stop motion :). Thanks for sharing all of this!

Completely amazed and overwhelmed by the thought of creating my own. As much as it is always valued to be independent...can you provide a pattern?

excellent work on your frame bag i made one my self too last week it was though but man mine came out excellent too next im gonna add water proofing for the inside

Good video

Awesome

Wow good job that looks like you have been doing it for years 👍🤟

Nice job.

As much as I like to support small businesses, some of these bag companies are just abusive with their prices. Well done, can't wait to make one! I imagine it cost under 30$?

wowww

Ahoj, krásná práce

👍😊

Very neat, impressed on the perfect fit (didn't seem that you need to oversize a little for the curves). Would trying to have a plastic plate + using the bottles mount bolts be a good idea?

Awesome video! This has inspired me to try to make my own. Question for you, did you cut your panels larger than needed to accommodate for the zippers or did you cut it with just your normal seam allowance?

Hey Rob, Beautifully done!! Could you point me in the right direction for designing and sewing with more detail? I have basic sewing skills and have made a cordura stem bag with my home machine. I have so many questions like how to make your perimeter strip and how thick, shelf details, etc.. Thanks!

This is great, I am planning everything I need to make my own frame bag for bike packing. Can I ask if the material you used it water resistant/repellant?

Yo that Beard looks good

Thank you for the well done tutorial. The only thing I don't get is the use of the foam for reinforcement. Where did you use it, and would you still do it the same way? Are all of your sides build up by X-Pac/foam/liner or just the sides which touch the frame? I wonder if the foam is really necessary or not... Would be greatful for some advice!

Thanks for the video ! I just finished my own frame bag and your tips were very helpful ! Btw I noticed you have DT SWISS GR1600 on a MTB. How is the ride in this config, and are thet strong enough for this use ? Thanks again for all :)

😲🌟🙌🏼

Hi there, Rob. This video has inspired me to try to make my own bag. I am watching some beginner sewing machine videos and plan on ordering some material after the holidays. Do you happen to recall what size needle and thread you went with? I am thinking an 80/12 or 90/14 for needle might work.

Nice work, and inspirational to watch. Ill try myself. What kind of material did you use?

Wao! 😲 Very nice bike bag grandpa 👍👍💯

Great video! Can you please add a materials list to the video description? Perhaps links for any hard to find materials? Thanks!

Hi this is a great video! What’s the name of the sewing machine and what kind of thread was used was used?

Can you make a stem bar and seat post bag for tent camping?

Pretty well done I’d like to be really good doing that Do you know some professionals around BC

Where did you get the foam used in the inserts? What thickness was it? I will making a bag soon and want to try this.

That was excellent...except there 'has' to be be room for a frame pump, extra tube and bike tools! I'm going to watch this several times because you are clearly a creative genius, this having been your first design.

I've been looking for an iPhone 13 Pro Max top tube bag without those plastic buckles. Do manufacturers not realize they vibrate and scratch your frame?

When you flipped the bag over when filling it is kind of implying you have put in a middle divider (as well as the shelf), is that right?

Iam wanting to make a bag but I don't know where to get the fabric or the names of the fabric can you let me know what you used thanks. And geat video.

New subscriber here! How much did this sweet salty satchel cost ya to make?

I wish I could sew

how you calculate/measure the parameter strip so you got (more than) enough factoring in the seam allowance?

What kind of thread did you Use?

Nice, but now we know about your sicret pocket 😂

hi,we are supplying similar quality and competitive Triangle Frame Bag

Due to Brexit, it would be interesting, if you know of a supplier for Germany, Austria and so on.

If one understands sewing, I'm sure it was educational.... but I don't. It was quite hard to visualize the panels before you sewed them together and you didn't exactly explain how you planned and designed it which is IMO the most difficult part if you never sewed a thing in your life... Less closeups of someone sewing and more actual "how to" would have been appreciated!