PRO’s Discover bikepacking range offers pretty much every possible bag option a serious bikepacker might want and the range’s Compact 2.7-litre frame bag is one to fill up the space in your frame triangle. It’s compact enough that it fits a small bike and yet still manages to hold a great number of things inside the robust compartments, making it a great small frame bag option for a range of budgets and bikes.
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PRO Discover Compact 2.7l frame bag – Technical details
The PRO Discover Compact frame bag is, as the name suggests, a compact half-frame bag (meaning it does not cover the whole front triangle of the bike) with a 2.7-litre capacity.
The bag is made from polyester and nylon mix and has a grey textured fabric outer and a brighter, blue inner liner that makes finding things inside the bag a little easier. The materials are waterproof and the bag has PU zippers to further keep water at bay. The design is very minimalist, with a few added reflective details and a subtle Pro Discover patch on either side of it.
The bag has two zips on each side and both are pull-back so that there are no zips rubbing on thighs when riding (when the bag is closed). The right-hand zip opens up the larger main compartment that has two internal pockets, whereas the left side is a slim pocket for flat objects. The main compartment has an opening at the very front of the bag, concealed by a ‘flap’ – I assume this is to perhaps loop a charging cable out to a cycling computer.
The bag attaches to the bike’s top and downtube with soft velcro straps – the top has multiple slots for the velcro strap so its placement can be tailored to suit different frames. And weightwise, the bag tipped my scales at 142g.
PRO Discover Compact 2.7l frame bag – Performance
There are not too many frame bags I can fit on my small gravel bike frame but the PRO Discover Compact has fitted perfectly and been a saviour on my wintery rides where I’ve hauled half a kitchen sink with me to prepare for every weather scenario.
This frame bag attaches to the bike with three Velcro straps: two looping around the top tube and one around the downtube. These provide a very sturdy attachment and the bag didn’t rattle around at all once it was secured. Because I ride a rather small frame, it’s the case with this and most other frame bags that I can’t use my top bottle cage with the bag. That said, because of the compact design of this bag, I still had enough space to use the one on the seat tube, so I did not have to resolve to use a hydration vest.
The velcro straps held very well throughout the testing, and because the velcro is the soft touch sort, the loose ends won’t grip on shorts or tights when riding.
The shape of the bag is very nice, it’s not too wide so that it’d be constantly rubbing against legs when pedalling, but it’s wide enough to fit in chunkier items without effort. I usually packed in my rain jacket, two inner tubes, tyre levers, mini pump and multitool without any issues, and had plenty of space left for multiple snacks. The two compartments are great for separating items, with the flat left-hand pocket being ideal for storing flat things like a wallet, cards and such. I also really liked the option to loop a cable out of the main compartment, because it neatly allows for keeping a battery bank safe from the elements in the bag.
The bag is sturdy enough to hold its shape well, which makes it very enjoyable to use, as it doesn’t wobble or move when opening and closing the zip.
Having ridden this bag in rain quite a lot, I found it to hold off the water from getting inside the bag easily for a couple of hours, but then again the bag does not get direct spray on it either, because of the location in the frame triangle. The materials are very robust and I’ve barely managed to make the bag look like it’s being used during the testing period, as it really doesn’t show – or take – scuffs easily.
PRO Discover Compact 2.7l frame bag – Verdict
For me, this bag represents a pretty perfect size frame bag that accommodates enough things for an overnight bikepacking trip, but isn’t too large to take up space from my water bottles. The materials are very good quality and make the bag rigid enough so that it’s easy to operate with one hand when riding.
For a retail price of £50, I think you cannot really go wrong with this bag if you’re looking to add a little extra space to your bikepacking setup. There are other similar-sized options out there, such as Straight Cut Aon Frame bag (£80) which has a little more fiddly (in my opinion) attachment system, and Restrap Race frame bag (£80). Both of these are great quality, much like the PRO, and offer similar compact storage – but at a higher price point.
I think the PRO Discover Compact frame bag is an excellent choice for bikepacking in all conditions, and it suits a range of bikes and budgets. The robustness of it also means that it will likely serve you for a long time, too.
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Product purpose:
Build extra:
Fits within the front triangle
2.7l capacity
Waterproof construction
Large single compartment design
Sturdy Velcro straps for easy attachment
Anti-swing construction
Reflective trim to improve visibility”
Product construction
Product performance
Product durability
Product weight
Product weight extra:
Product comfort
product value
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