What goes in your bag or hip pack on a typical ride? Snacks? A multi-tool? A tire repair kit or spare tube? Whatever you carry, getting the weight off your body and onto the bike is always nice.
Frame bags are a great way to do just that. Whether it is eliminating the need for a hip pack altogether, or for longer pedals where you need all the space you can get, frame bags are a solid option. Just take a look at the average bikepacker’s setup.
However, the average bikepacking bike typically lacks a rear shock. It can be slim pickings for those who want a frame bag for our full-suspension trail bikes. Fortunately, I’ve been testing a handful of small frame bags that work with (most) full suspension bikes.
And it is time to snag one up for the 2025 season.
Fernhill LTL Frame Bag
Fernhill is a small company based in Portland, Oregon, making frame bags and hip packs, hand-sewn in the US. Fernhill offers a small and large option of its LTL — Lighten the Load — frame bag. I tested the smaller (7.25x 3.5×1.75in) option and quickly got along with it well. One of my greatest struggles was finding frame bags small enough to fit various full-suspension frames, but still carried more than just a tire lever. Despite its smaller stature, the Fernhill LTL did precisely what I needed it to do.
The LTL fits on my Canyon Spectral with its horizontal shock configuration, almost as if Fernhill designed the bag for that bike. It opens on one side and can be flipped around and configured in almost any way. It easily holds my tire repair kit (CO2, plugs, tire levers, inflater), a multi-tool, a granola bar, and keys. The bag is made of durable material that withstands the elements well, and includes four velcro straps that can be mounted anywhere along the bag, allowing the LTL to fit nearly any frame.
- Price: $74.99
- Buy from Fernhill
Almsthre Compact Frame Bag
With more of a traditional touring look, the Almsthre Compact Frame Bag will work on some bikes, but not on others. The Compact Frame Bag (8.5x2x3in) fits nicely on bikes with vertical shocks and large front triangles, like the Kona Process, so keep that in mind. The bag comes with three extra-long velcro straps, meant to be trimmed upon fitting your bike. The extra length made the Almsthre one of the only bags to fit on the large tubes of an e-bike.
The Compact Frame Bag has two zipper compartments — one on each side — with the compartments containing a divider and mesh pocket on either side. While the zippers are waterproof, the bag material is only water-resistant. The Compact Frame Bag also has exterior webbing loops to carry extra tools that may not fit, like a mini pump.
- Price: $58
- Buy from Almsthre
Apidura Backcountry Frame Bag
The Apidura Backcountry Frame Bag (9.5x4x 2.5in) was just a touch big for my Canyon Spectral. It spent some time on a Kona Process 153 I was testing, where it fit well, but got in the way of my water bottle. In the end, I chose to squeeze it on the Spectral and, after a few rides, the bag was worn in and working well.
The bag opens into one large compartment from either side, with an elastic strap inside where I bundled my flat tire kit. There are no other organizers or pockets inside the Apidura bag, which allows the contents to shift around noisily. Made from heavy-duty nylon, the bag is durable (welded at the seams) and waterproof. Two velcro straps secure the bag to the top tube, while a strap with a buckle secures the bag at the downtube.
*Due to tariffs, Apidura was not shipping this bag directly to consumers at the time of writing this article, so check with your local dealer or online retailer.
- Price: $65.00
- Buy from Backcountry
Trek Adventure Triangle Bag
This is the big boy, the largest bag I had on test. The Trek Adventure Triangle Bag (11x 4×2.5in) was certainly not going to fit my Spectral, so onto the Kona it went. It also prevented me from fitting a water bottle on the bike…but I could damn near fit a bottle inside of it! Everything, I mean everything, fits inside the Adventure Triangle bag, including my phone — the only frame bag I tested that could do so.
With zippers on either side, the Adventure Triangle bag is divided into two compartments, with the lion’s share of its claimed 1L capacity located on the drive side. Each compartment has different elastic straps to secure items, with no additional pouches or pockets. Trek includes thumb screws for the bag to mount to specific Trek gravel bikes. However, I used the standard velcro straps — two on the top, one on the bottom — to secure it to my bike.
- Price: $84.99
- Buy from Trek
Revelate Designs Cranny Frame Bag
Revelate sent me the Cranny (6x 3x 4in) and its big brother, the Nook (get it?). The Nook was just a tad big, so I focused on the Cranny for this test. The compact size of the Cranny allowed it to fit on every bike I put it on without interfering with the water bottle. And while it is the smallest by measurement (only 6in point to point), it held everything I needed. That said, the bag’s wide stance didn’t hide it well from the top tube looking down, which could be an aesthetic deal breaker for some.
The Cranny is made from durable, water-resistant nylon. The simple design features one zipper on the driveside with a mesh pocket and a key clip on the inside. Three velcro straps secure the Cranny to the frame, each with a silicone buffer to avoid damaging the paint. Like the other bags, the Cranny’s straps can be moved around the perimeter of the bag, allowing it to fit in nearly any configuration on any frame.
- Price: $45
- Buy from Revelate Designs
And the winner is…
Truth be told, each frame bag has its merits and drawbacks. I liked that Apidura’s bag was completely waterproof and that I could literally put everything in the Trek Triangle bag. I really enjoyed the style of the Almsthre bag (a classic, touring look), and the price of the Revelate Design Cranny is hard to beat.
That said, it came down to fit. Options like Fernhill and Revelate Design offered the most compact frame bags, likely to fit most trail bikes — no need to ditch the water bottle. And while putting my phone in the Trek bag was great, my expectation when using these bags is that they will hold a flat kit, multi-tool, and maybe a few snack bars. I use frame bags on longer rides, where I can take those items out of my hip pack to make room for other things. In that case, the compact size of the Fernhill or Revelate Design is just what I needed.
But, depending on your bike, you may get away with some of the larger bags. Bikes with the shocks mounted lower, like the Santa Cruz Hightower or Rocky Mountain Altitude, can accommodate larger bags without sacrificing water bottle space.
Do you have a frame bag on your full-suspension bike? Tell us which one in the comments below!
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