I have seen pictures of touring bags that fit completely in the space between top, down and seat tube. Its go to be more efficient than panniers for touring with a mountain bike. But cant find out who makes them, can anyone help?

epic designs = unless you have a monster frame wont be as spacious as pannier bags – they do have there place in fast light touring though 😀

Thanks TR. Yeah, fast and light is what I want to do!

They look a bit pricy though..

If I get one i will report back on how I get on with it.

Do you have one trail_rat? how much stuff can you get in one?

I emaiied him asking what volume capacity they were, he said calculate the inner area of your front trianagle and times it by 7cm. Thats assuming you don't want to use any water bottles and you have a hardtail frame.

Drop Eric an email though, sound guy. Got my Super Twinkie in the post. Canne wait!

nope dont have one – thats my minimum 1 night bivvy kit without food. Still have a camelback blowfish (although looking at wingnuts/ergon packs) and another dry bag for the rear rack

In that

under the bars is my bedroll.
Stove
spork/mug
downvest
Altura winter cruisers
a dry pair of warm socks

In the summer i would go sans stove and a lighter sleeping bag

as you can see once the bottles are in my frame i dont have much room left 🙁

I've had a shot at making one. Not too difficult – certainly not as tough as making my bivvy bag was. Hold on I'll see if I can find a pic.

Here you go. Frame bag
This is the prototype really. Will probably adjust the dimensions a bit to get a bit more capacity.

looking good euan.

take it your handy with the sewing machine ?

trail_rat – can you use your camel bak for water?

euanr – that looks well good, what material did you use?

hmm girlfriend has a sewing machine i might have to hi-jack!

i can but want to keep weight off my back if possible – but going somewhere dry i could carry some.

I much prefer drinking from bottles though.

i have just bought a jandd frame bag – no where as big as the epic ones but it will take a pile of stuff help me spread the weight out a bit.

I too am going to make a frame bag – when i get some material…

500 denier cordura any one??

"Enthusiastic" rather than "handy" trail_rat!

I used some spare lightweight (2oz I think) nylon I had kicking around. May go for a heavier weight for the next version but it seems to hold together alright. Manages to hold a surprising amount of stuff. I got my bivvy, tarp, pegs, guys, bike tools, spare tubes in there easy. And, like I said, the next version should be biggerer.