Tailfin has been gradually expanding its range of bikepacking bags. After investing a lot of time in design and testing, the company has finally unveiled a lineup of frame bags that come in several sizes to accommodate different types of bikes. These bags are sturdy, secure, and easy to access. With such a broad range of size options, you’re more likely to find one that fits your bike perfectly. The frame bag is made of the same high-quality fabric as other bags in the product range and features excellent mounting and zippers, making it the superior choice for performance.
Tailfin Frame Bag – Technical details
Tailfin offers the frame bag in nine different sizes. The sizing options include six half-frame bags and three wedge-style bags, which can be used to cover the front half of the frame. The bag sizes range from 1.9-litres to 6.5-litres, and Tailfin recommends them for bike frame sizes ranging from 47cm to 61cm.
The frame bag is made of a fabric similar to the fabric used in other Tailfin products. It has a welded Hypalon and Ripstop nylon construction, a semi-rigid shape due to carbon side struts that maintain its shape, and a frame along the top to prevent it from folding. The bag is attached to the frame using Tailfin straps, that are also used for their other products like the Tailfin Top Tube Pack and Fork Pack. These straps are strong and durable. They mount through the V-Mount points, ensuring a secure connection to the frame and minimising potential frame rub.
All sizes have full zips on both sides, and there are various internal features, such as a small zipped pocket inside the main space, Velcro loops on the top for a pump, tent, or shelter poles, and a full zip pocket on the left with small pockets and a flexible membrane called a map pocket. This map pocket can be used for multiple purposes, especially for items you wish to keep separate from the main pocket. If you want to carry water within a frame bag, there is a hydration hose port on the downtube section. This port is covered by Velcro cover to keep water out. It can also be used for electronics to charge devices on the go.
The bag’s claimed weights range from 208g for the 1.9-litre wedge-style pack to 382g for the largest 6.5-litre pack, including the straps. The three-litre bag being tested has a claimed weight of 290g with straps, and the actual weight was almost exact, at 287g.
Tailfin provides measurements for each bag but choosing the right size can be tricky with so many sizes. To make it easier, there’s an online frame fit tool. To use it, remove any extras like mudguards, but keep bottles fitted and inside the cages. Line up your bike against a wall, take a photo from three meters away, and upload it. After uploading, the tool asks for your tyre size and shows all the sizes. You can place them over the photo to see how each bag size fits. However, the most important measurement is the horizontal space within the frame. While the tool is a useful guide, it should not be relied upon entirely. For instance, during testing, the three-litre bag was slightly too big for the bike and the tool suggested it would fit. It is best to check if the bag fits your frame before purchasing.
Tailfin Frame Bag – Performance
The Tailfin frame bags are easy to fit with five straps provided, three of equal length for the top tube, and two of different lengths for the downtube, to suit different frame depths. The V-straps also allow enough space to move around certain frame features, such as cable stops or ports. If you have a Tailfin Top Tube bag, both can share the mounts that secure the top tube and frame bags with the same strap.
The zips on the frame bags are easy to open and close with just one hand, which is a significant advantage. Some frame bags have waterproof zips that are hard to open or a covering that does not create a fully waterproof seal. The zips used on Tailfin bags are not from YKK, which is the most common brand, and it is much easier to open and close than the TIZIP found on Ortlieb packs. The function of a zip is one of the most important factors for a frame bag, as it will be opened and closed hundreds, if not thousands, of times across its lifetime. Tailfin has done an excellent job of creating a practical and user-friendly component with its frame bags.
The carbon strut within the bag helps to maintain its shape and makes it easy to maximise the space inside. It keeps the bag from bulging and, combined with a long zip, allows you to organise your items as needed. The bag shape is slightly tapered, which provides ample clearance for your knees and legs while pedalling, which is often a struggle with other frame bags.
The bag has been used in different weather and conditions, and there were no signs of dampness inside. This gives me the confidence to keep electronics inside while riding. The outer material has held up well, even when the bike leans against gates, fences, and posts while riding. This proves how robust the material is. Bikes are not given an easy time when bikepacking, especially in the UK, with all the gates and potential for start/stop situations. Though the Hyalon material feels thin, it’s also strong.
Tailfin Frame Bag – Verdict
The wedge-style bags in the Tailfin range from £95 to £105, whereas the half-frame bags cost between £100 to £125, depending on the size. Although these prices are higher than some budget options such as the Altura Vortex, they are well-priced compared to other bags with similar features and quality.
Before using the Tailfin bags, my go-to options were the Wildcat Gear Ocelot at £115 and the Ortlieb Frame Pack at £120. The Wildcat Ocelot is lighter (194g for the medium size) and available in four sizes. It has a laced top-tube attachment method for easy zip use but doesn’t feel as robust as the Tailfin bags. On the other hand, the Ortlieb Frame Pack feels strong and has a good zip. There is a Frame-Pack Toptube version, which we tested, and a full-frame version available, starting at £110.
Tailfin offers a wide range of sizes, so you won’t need a custom bag unless you have a particular requirement or an odd frame size. However, if you decide on a custom bag, prices vary widely. Restrap’s custom bags start from £120, and Straight Cut charges a £50 phone consultation fee with the bag price on top. Straight Cut specialises in creating full-frame bags that fit around full-suspension mountain bikes, including a shock inside the main triangle.
With such a wide range of sizes and superb performance, Tailfin has produced a frame bag that should fit almost all styles and sizes of bikes at a price that either undercuts or matches what would be considered the best options previously available.
It might have taken years of design and testing to bring to market but that wait is worth it for riders looking for a strong frame bag, with a shape that doesn’t budge and to cause knee rub and a zip that is better than anything else out there. If you want the best-performing frame bag on the market, look no further.
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- How to go bikepacking: a beginner’s guide to getting started
- 13 of the best ways to attach gear to your mountain or gravel bike
- Big Read: Riding and surviving the Jeroboam, a tough as nails gravel race in Italy
Product purpose:
After three years of design, engineering and hard-fought testing, we’ve left no stone unturned todevelop the world’s most advanced piece of technical bikepacking equipment. Proven by ourR&D Division, we’ve ached over the minutiae, and obsessed on the process to deliver aradically different frame bag compared to anything that’s come before.Comprising nine unique half-frame and wedge-style models, as with any Tailfin product, the keyemphasis is to provide the majority of riders, regardless of frame size, with options to fit. We areaiming this (first) range mainly at drop-bar riders, with dimensions optimised for narrower Q-factors associated with road and gravel bikes.
Build extra:
Tailfin Frame Bag: Need to Know:
• Nine sizes of Half-and Wedge-style frame bags. Allowing you to prioritise water orstorage.
• Volumes from 1.9L-6.5 Litre. Suiting bike sizes from 47-61 cm.
• Conformable panels adapt to bike frame geometry.
• Internal carbon space frame design maintains structure and stops sag.
• Carbon side struts support zip performance and reduce bulging, minimising knee rub.
• 3D tapered shaping designed to prevent knee rub.
• Size-specific zips and tuned carbon struts provide all bag sizes with the same ease ofuse and accessibility.
• Proven V-Mounts provide stable attachment and minimise frame damage.
• Left side access ‘map’ pocket features a stretch mesh divider to allow expansion into thebag to accommodate larger, bulky items.
• Internal organisation pockets to keep valuables safe and accessible.
• Welded Hypalon and RipstopNylon construction plus waterproof zips guaranteeweatherproofing.
• User-replaceable hardware.
• Hydration hose/cable port situated at the front of the bag.
Product construction
Product performance
Product durability
Product durability extra:
Product weight
Product comfort
product value
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