With 18 months of product development, testing and some refining here and there, Fara Cycling has just released a complete rebuild of its F/AR for mixed surface bikepacking. Its brand-new innovative integrated bag system has definitely caught our attention—don’t you agree it is proper neat looking?!

Norwegian brand Fara Cycling has collaborated with Roswheel, borrowing their lightweight and waterproof welded technology, to develop integrated frame bags which are said to easily click onto the frame with hidden Fidlock mounts—eliminating straps altogether.

2021 Fara Cycling F/AR
AR (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

“This resulted in integrated, hidden frame-bag mounts that avoid frame damage incurred with classic strap mounting,” says Fara Cycling, which claims to be the first bike company to develop both frame and bag designs simultaneously.

With bags that fit F/AR’s frame geometry perfectly, this is a cleverly designed complete system for bikepacking, and includes a frame bag, handlebar bag and saddle bag, with a total baggage capacity of 30 litres.

2021 Fara Cycling F/AR 3
AR 3 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

The F/AR has four bottle cage mounts, as well as triple mounts on the fork legs. Integrated hidden mudguard mounts are also included at the front and rear—these double up as rack light mounts.

The F/AR carbon bike is said to be versatile enough to be an endurance bike, fast tourer, or a commuter, with its geometry that is aggressive, yet said to be stable and predictable.

2021 Fara Cycling F/AR 2
AR 2 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

This frame is designed to work ideally with 32-35mm tyres and Fara has introduced curved, dropped seat-stays which are said to “increase vertical compliance which, together with generous tyre widths, results in a supple ride without sacrificing lateral stiffness”. Comfort, and plenty of it, is promised with this.

The innovative S-Box Headset system from Token Products allows all the cabling to enter the frame via the headset. This not only results in a clean cockpit but helps with bag mounting.

It also has a 27.2mm round seatpost for compatibility.

2021 Fara Cycling F/AR 4
AR 4 (Image Credit: Farrelly Atkinson)

With no BB opening, no downtube cable routing plastic parts, no custom seatpost wedges, no mechanical cable stops, no thru-axle nuts to lose, the brand says “the features of the bike are only those essentially needed for the intended use, nothing is missing but Fara achieved that with less small parts needed”.

Like the minimalistic design? With Fjord Green, Wet Asphalt, Winter Sky Blue, Morell Red, as well as Signature Series Carbon Pearl Reflective colourways, this is a good-looker that is available in an array of subtle options to match your kit.

Would you like to see more touring and endurance bikes redesigned to better accommodate bikepacking bags like this?

faracycling.com