Full DIY Bikepacking Kit

[JerryW]

I just finished the bags for my new Fargo. The materials used are orange X-Pac and 6 oz. black and gray polyester.

The seat pack is a 'holster' which holds a dry bag. There is a strap around the end that compresses the load lengthwise. The seat attachment also helps compress the load. It pulls up tight and rides well.

The frame pack has an internal map pocket. It is attached to the down tube through a plastic stiffener using the water bottle bolts.

The handlebar sling has a removable pocket, ala Porcelain Rocket, although smaller and attached differently.

Now I just need to get out there and give it a real world test. Hopefully before the snow flies.


Bikepacking Bags by jerryw62, on Flickr

Jerry

[JReeves]

I dig the "modular" design of the seat pack, that's how I opted to build mine as well.  Great stuff!  I think I commented on your downtube mounting in an older thread as well.  Now get out and get 'er dirty!

[JerryW]

Thanks. I can't take credit for the downtube mounting, though. I found it in this frame bag tutorial: bikepacking 2.0. I think he's a member here.

I liked your seatpack arrangement, too. I guess these are all just variations on the same theme.

[raybum]

Jerry,
Do you have any patterns or other details on your seat bag and sling you could share?  I've just made a gas tank bag, frame bag and top tube bag (in front of seat post) that are working out great...I'd like to expand the kit!
thx,
Ray
rhemmele at g mail dot com

[JerryW]

Here's some additional photos and the pattern I used to make it. The lines on the pattern are 1" spacing. The pattern DOES NOT include the hem material. I was just making it up as I went along.

The black parts are double layer with a thin plastic sheet in between for stiffness.

I hope that's helpful. If you have any questions, just ask.

[Curtis C]

Very Nice!

[raybum]

That's awesome....thanks Jerry!

[gregclimbs]

I'm glad someone else tried what I did... I hope yours does as well as mine has held up...

What did you use for the plastic?

I am getting ready to make two new ones as well.  One for the ss replacement frame and one for the pugs, so open to other raw material ideas.

FWIW, I switched my waterbottle bolts and washers to some nice big flat head screws that come in speedplay road cleats  They have a wide flat head and use philips instead of allen keys, so have little intrusion into the bag...

HTH

g

[JerryW]

Thanks for that tutorial, Greg.

I used some 1/16" thick sheet that was left over from a tub surround. Light weight and flexible, but not flimsy.

And if anyone cares, the padding along the downtube is leftover foam underlayment from a laminate floor project.

[raybum]

Great stuff guys...I did a test run this morning on some singletrack(27 miles) with my homemade frame bag, gas tank, and forward seat post bag.  They all performed very well (rock solid).  I used seam sealer on the inside which tends to help the seams from getting too stressed...seemed to work well.  The x-pac fabric is really nice - seems to handle abrasion very well with the frame.  My frame is Ti and since I didn't want to have shiny spots from the velcro, I used clear packing tape to cover all the contact points. 
I have made a cardboard pattern for a handlebar sling, but have not yet made it yet.  This morning I put my bag, pad, and ground sheet in a cheap drybag and strapped it to the bars.  It was rock solid however, I wore a hole in the dry bag where a velcro strap rubbed across the zipper on the bag.  Hoping the sling will help.  If you can post any pictures/patterns of the sling, I'd really appreciate it.  I'm thinking of laminating a piece of stiff material between 2 pieces of xpac for the sling to give it some body.  Almost seems like some slings have a piece of foam material inside them.
I made my frame bag to fill my whole triangle and put in a vertical divider in about 4 inches forward of the seat tube.  Just so happened that a Fiji (squarish) water bottle is a PERFECT fit and gives me 32oz of capacity....no lost capacity due to round bottles!
Anyway, any more tips or hints would be much appreciated!

[JerryW]

Here's a few pics of the sling. I don't have a pattern drawn this time, I just made a cardboard mock-up to make sure I had the size right. I didn't use a liner, but it is double layer. The fabric is stiff enough that this gives it some structure.

So far, everything has been solid on a test ride. More testing and an overnight soon.

Jerry

[raybum]

Thanks Jerry...Your outline looks almost identical to my pattern.  I'm thinking about having the 2 lashing straps go all the way around and over the bars.  It's a heavier way to go, but seems like it would pull it up tighter to the bars.   
What kind of fabric did you use?

[JReeves]

That sling is nice and simple!  I like it.  I've kept my handle bar mounted "sling" pretty small, just enough to hold my sleeping pad, shelter, and a jacket.  However, I'm thinking about making something similar to yours to give me a few liters of extra room to carry some clothing in the colder months.  A good addition that I plan on using, and might fit your setup good, is the Outdoor Research Durable Dry Sacks, as they have a strip of "daisy chain" on a portion of it, which would not allow the sack to slide out either end of the harness.

[JerryW]

What kind of fabric did you use?

The orange is X-pac. The black is a marine tarp fabric(it wasn't that expensive when I bought it, must've been on sale). Another similar marine fabric is Odyssey III from Rochford Supply(cheaper, but higher shipping).

[JerryW]

A good addition that I plan on using, and might fit your setup good, is the Outdoor Research Durable Dry Sacks, as they have a strip of "daisy chain" on a portion of it, which would not allow the sack to slide out either end of the harness.

In the pics, I didn't have the dry bag cinched as tight as when it's in use. The two straps do a good job of keeping it in place and the fabric has some texture to it which also helps. So far there hasn't been any movement in the sling, but I'll keep that in mind.

[JerryW]

One more pic with a little better lighting...


Outside by jerryw62, on Flickr

[Slowerthensnot]

nice looking setup!

[trebor]

Jerry - you've got some skills with that sewing machine!!

[raybum]

ok...got my sling made today with help of my Mom....with the Jedi sewing skills...
Thanks Jerry for the info...you inspired me to get it done! 

[raybum]

more pics...