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| My Fargo frame bag from Becker Gear |
First off, it is light enough, but it isn't all about being the lightest bag on the planet. The bag feels beefy in terms of its construction, and that's important to me since it will get abused a bit, (and already has!), so good seams, tough zippers, and stout construction are paramount. I should add that it fits really well, and that leads me to the process of how this bag came to be.
I live in Iowa, and Tupper Becker lives in Fairbanks Alaska. So, how did Tupps get my bag to fit as well as it does when we are thousands of miles apart? I sent him a template of my frame "space", if you will, that's how.
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| All fitted to the bike and ready to Adventure! |
Take yourself a big, flat piece of cardboard, then cut it down to fit snugly inside your main frame triangle, marking where things like cable guides might be, or water bottle bosses are at. I made careful notations right on the cardboard and then sent it to Becker Gear via the post in a bubble wrapped envelope. Tupper Becker then gets this and with his experience and talent, turns this road map into a useable frame bag that fits your bike like a glove.
This one that I have has a main compartment accessible from the drive side of the bike via a big, beefy zipper that pulls open easily and shuts just as easily, even with over sized stuff like size 11 1/2 shoes laying in there. The other side has a big beefy zipper as well, but this opens a very narrow compartment suitable for things like maps, flat objects, and the like. That's it, but I have found that this cavernous opening and big volume capacity really is nice. The Fargo Gen 1 really makes this work well.
I have to cut back and heal the straps to length and then I want to pack this thing up after which time I will give my thoughts on how this bag fares as an adventure tool for bikepacking or just for utility purposes like commuting and general urban riding, Because you don't have to be a big, back country nutter to have a frame bag, ya know?
More soon.....
I like the looks of the bags. tell me more about the wheels - WTB rubber and P35 rims? Is this a mid fat set up on 27.5" wheels?
ReplyDelete@Mike Johnson: You got it. It isn't quite as wide and voluminous as the MukTruk, but I think these would have been boss at Odin's in those conditions. That said, the MukTruk was really better for that.
ReplyDeleteThe cool thing here is you can benefit from some of the big volume but not have to invest into a new frame and fork, like most would with 29+.
I'll have more to say soon.
FYI- The seat bag here is a long out of production touring bag. The brand was Kirtland. Probably 80's vintage.
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