Thanks to Scott Felter of Porcelain Rocket for the custom framebag.  I requested a generous flare towards the front of the bag and one large compartment with a flat pocket on the opposite side.  The bag fits perfectly.

Bike bags:

Carradice Camper, leather attachment straps replaced with REI gear straps

Revelate framebag; medium, misfit to older Pugsley frame

Revelate Pocket, front handlebar bag

Revelate Gas Tank, top tube bag

Drybags and gear sacks:

Sea-to-Summit e-Vent compression sack: contains sleeping bag, down jacket and VBL attached with REI gear straps

Sea-to-Summit, durable welded drybag: contains tent, excluding poles and stakes

Outdoor Research, silnylon stuffsack; contains clothing, stored in saddlebag

Outdoor Research, silnylon drybag; contains camera

assorted silnylon and uncoated nylon bags for organization and moisture resistance

Big Agnes silnylon gear bags, assorted; for tent poles and stakes

Assorted bags:

Ziploc style bags for dry foods, electronic chargers, passports and papers

plastic bread bags for external hard drive and MacBook charger, books, postcards, etc.

small clutch (hand purse) for tools

Straps:

REI nylon gear straps (preferred)

Sea-to-Summit straps

generic reflective Velcro straps to attach raingear to D-loops on saddlebag

Velco strap to contain tightly rolled sleeping pad, stored in drybag

The Revelate equipment utilizes lightweight, abrasion resistant Dimension Polyant VX-series fabrics and water-resistant zippers.  The VX sailcloth fabric, also called X-Pac, is extremely durable and is technically waterproof although it is common to find moisture inside the bags as with waterproof panniers, like Ortliebs.  Even a waterproof bag is susceptible to atmospheric moisture.  The stitching and construction of the Revelate bags is superb and the large zipper on the framebag has been trouble-free, despite much hard use.  Handmade in Anchorage, AK.

The Carradice Camper saddlebag is made from a durable waxed cotton fabric, with leather straps.  A wooden dowel is screwed to the bag as a stiffener.  The bags are handmade in Nelson, England.

I have repaired several leather straps as the stitching has pulled away from hard use.  I also broke the original wooden dowel.  My replacement is of a larger diameter and is assembled with a nut and bolt, through a hole drilled into the dowel.  Eventually, the straps that attach to the saddle loops wear due to abrasion, whether leather or nylon.  The main cause is that a thin steel stock is used to make the loops.  I carry spare nylon straps and hope to make a rubber shim to prevent abrasion in the future.  Occasionally, I apply a fresh coat of wax to the bag, either Filson’s, Martinex, or Sno-Seal.  In place of flimsy saddlebag supports, I prefer a more rugged mini-rack such as the the VO Pass Hunter, which mounts to the cantilever posts and only weighs 250g.  A Nitto M-18 is more adaptable, and fits nicely on the Pugsley.  Carradice bags are as waterproof as any other bag I have used, including welded plastic panniers.  A breathable fabric, even as simple as cotton duck canvas, begins to breathe as soon as the rain lets up.

The longflap is invaluable for carrying large, unexpected loads.  Mine has swallowed a bear resistant canister in Denali National Park, cakes and pies, or a twelve pack of beer.  There are no guarantees that a cake will remain unharmed, however.

It has worn some from use, but “This item handcrafted in Nelson, England by: Priscilla”.

The 11″ MacBook Air fits perfectly in the vertical position at the back of the bag.  It is padded by a soft case and half of a state gazetteer.  The side pockets are huge on the Camper.

Maintenance.  A fresh waterproofing coat.

Repairs.  I love these inexpensive straps from REI, if I haven’t said it already.  They never break and the sliders don’t slip.

Joe Cruz calls my luggage system, and my entire bike, “hobo chic”.  It works, and that’s what matters.

The list of lightweight bag makers is growing.  Inspired by their own lightweight bicycle travels and the growing bikepacking and endurance racing scene, these craftsman are making ultralight bags for rack-lite or rackless touring.  Lael recently picked up an Oveja Negra front accessory bag called the “Lunch Box” at SubCulture Cyclery in Salida, CO.  The bag is made locally in Leadville by a promising upstart comprised of a seamstress with a riding habit and a rider with a sewing itch. Constructed of the now standard Dimension-Polyant VX-series sailcloth, the bag holds a paperback Gogol novel as well as a windbreaker and small personal items for easy access during the day.  Made in Durango, the Bedrock “Chinle compression panel” pictured below was spotted on the Colorado Trail.  As every town should have a brewer and baker, a framebuilder and a bag maker would also populate my ideal town.

Oveja Negra Threadworks; Lane Condell and Monty Wilson (Leadville, CO)

Bedrock Bags and Packs: Andrew Wracher (Durango, CO)

Bolder Bikepacking Gear; Greg Wheelwright (Boulder, CO)

Hans Bagworks; Paul Hansberger and Jessica Noe (Missoula, MT)

Randi Jo Fabrications; Randi Jo and Eric (Cottage Grove, OR)

Revelate Designs; Eric Parsons (Anchorage, AK)

Porcelain Rocket; Scott Felter (Victoria, B.C., Canada)

Hamilton Threadworks; Sarah Hamilton (Victor, Idaho)

Cleaveland Mountaineering; Jeremy Cleaveland (Grand Junction, CO)

WIldcat Gear; Beth Barrington (Brecon, Wales, UK)

Phantom Pack Systems: Tim O’Brien (Canada)

J Paks; Joe Tonsager (Denver, CO)

Becker Sewing and Design: (Fairbanks, AK)

Nuclear Sunrise Stitchworks; (El Paso, TX)

Bike-BAG; (UK)

There are several other supposed bag makers, but they have been excluded if their websites indicate inactivity.  Carousel Design Works is a notable exception.  Please share any additional leads so that I may update the list.

Fast forward a few months and there was a thud onto the doormat – well, there would have been if post wasn’t left in the mailbox, as is the way in the States. At 160 pages, Fahrstill is a veritable tome.

The print quality is great, I love the layout, and I was delighted to see the photos on building a framebag had been given a full 12 pages, with ample space for them  to breathe – including an embarrassingly large double page spread of me…

Although I can’t decipher much of the text, the rest of the magazine looks really interesting – a feature on Fatbikes, an article comparing car and bicycle brand name graphics, and a retro-lycra fashion spread (page 132 is a favourite) to mention just a few.

Incidentally, the photos were shot on a Panasonic GH2, in horribly low lighting conditions. Having seen them in print, it’s reaffirmed how impressive Micro Four Thirds cameras can be, especially given their incredibly compact size.

You can see more of Scott’s skilled work on his Porcelain Rocket Fickr page, and the original blog post here.

If you want to buy a copy of Fahrstil, you can do so here.

Nancy und Fahrstil das Radaculturmagazin.

A sweaty (and dreadlocked) me on the road in Panama.

Scott, of Porcelain Rocket, tracing out a pattern in his mancave.

Working his magic on the sewing machine.

Time out for Kaboom.

Cupping the finished framebag like a newborn baby...

On the road and dusty - like all bike gear should be.

Since moving over from the Thorn Sterling frameset, I’ve been really missing the extra storage space afforded by a framebag – especially as the Troll can only carry two water bottles, and the position of the eyelets won’t cater for larger cages, like Minoura and Topeak’s 1.5l models. (update – the 2013 Trolls are far more generous with their water-carrying potential, with eyelets for as many as 5 bottles).

Framebags are an ideal way of making use of all that dead space in a bicycle frame, centering cargo and providing organisational pouches for stuff I want to get to easily – snacks, a headtorch, tools.

For long distance touring, they also add a lot of versatility. I can jettison my panniers, while maintaining a setup that offers ample space for day rides. Or I can embark on ultralight, technically challenging multi-day trip, with just the seat pack and handlebar bag – like the Arizona Trail.

Another benefit of this system is that there’s nothing strapped onto my rear rack, making loading the bike quick and easy. Plus, there’s nothing to work loose on those super rough descents – which always happens, no matter how well I bungee gear on.

I should add that there’s a few of potential downsides. It’s best not to leave anything valuable inside if you’re parking up your bike, and there’s a little extra surface area in crosswinds. Neither of which have proved to be an issue yet.

Lastly, framebags are water-resistant but not waterproof – so bear that in mind when you’re packing. And while they’re tough, they’re perhaps not as burly as panniers. Don’t overpack them, and be sure to clean off the zips every once in a while.

I like the versatility of this system. Running a framebag, seat pack and top tube pack means I can drop my panniers and embark on lightweight, singletrack side trips.

Chunky waterproof zips should stand the test of time. The framebag can be split into an upper and lower compartment, with internal, adjustable dividers and mesh stash pockets to keep everything stable.

The top compartment is ideal for camera lenses, but for now I’ve filled it with a 3 litre water bladder, running a hose up to the handlebar. The advantage to this system is that I’ll no longer be drinking from crud/shit covered water bottles. The disadvantage is that it’ll be harder to keep tabs on how much water I’m going through.

I’m using the lower compartment for food, including delicious granadillas.

There’s also a slimmer compartment on the non-drive side ideal for maps, and a separate stash pocket that’ll fit a multi tool, or similarly-sized knick knack.

Framebags are custom made for each frame, so you can tweak each framepack to your own design. Great quality needlework and a nice tight fit.

The top tube pack is ideal for stashing snacks, an MP3 player, sunglasses and gloves.

The expandable and surprisingly capacious seat pack is home to my tent, grounsheet and waterproofs. It acts as a good mudguard too.

Ready to roll…

And out on the Colombian trails…

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