Ever intrigued by various ways to get stuff off his back and onto his bikes, John has been using the Nook frame bag ($50) from Revelate Designs on some full-suspension bikes this spring and has a quick review for us today. These little bags are an easy way to shift goods from your back to your bike. Let’s check out more below.

Nook Frame Bag Quick Hits

Previously, we’ve looked at the Hopper frame bag on my Murmur in the past, which is still a favorite of mine for full-suspension bikes for carrying extra water or bulky items, but if you want something a bit smaller, the Nook is a great option.

• $50 in Black or Blue
• Made in Vietnam
• Weight: 3 oz / 85 g (confirmed on my scale)
• Volume: 72 in³ / 1.2 L
• Materials: Eco Pac – EPX200 Recycled 200 denier laminate with C0 DWR Recycled Polyester lining fabric
• Smaller size available as well, dubbed the Cranny
• Fits almost any bike, optimized for full suspensions or smaller frames
• Multiple webbing loops and removable velcro straps allow for easy fit adjustments
• #5 Racquet Coil, high abrasion resistant zipper
• Two internal mesh pockets
• Internal key clip
• Made from fully recycled fabrics

Small Bags for Tight Spaces

Full suspension bikes can get complicated with linkage designs, piggyback shocks, and, hopefully, a water bottle, all fighting for space within a compact front triangle optimized for standover and shreddy body language. As such, getting a bag to fit into these spaces is usually a job for custom framebag geniuses like Rogue Panda.

Yet, not every bike needs a full-frame bag, and if you have multiple bikes for different terrain, it’s nice to have a small bag that can be swapped around for various bikes. The Nook is an excellent bag for riding essentials like tools, tubes, snacks, or items you want to be easy to access, like sunblock.

And these nifty bags are available via a wide dealer network with Revelate’s IBD distribution.

Where it Fits

Some people have narrow gates and prefer narrower Q-factors, and they can sometimes feel saddle bags or top tube/seat tube bags rubbing between their legs on rides. As you can imagine, that will become uncomfortable quickly! What’s nice about the Nook is it fits in a number of different places, yet I’ve found it best suited to the front head tube cluster for a few reasons.

The Nook shields the water bottle nozzle from mud spray with this specific bike. Located here, it’s also away from the shock’s travel and dropper cable port. Not to mention, it is super handy for accessing essentials while sitting on a bike and it’s away from any sort of leg rub.

Yet, the Nook is wider than most top or down tubes, especially on steel bikes.  However, it doesn’t bother me at all, as I prefer to have the space than to have a bag that fits within the profile of the frame’s lines. A little bulk ain’t a bad thing!

The Nook’s 1.2 L size fits a number of ride essentials…

What it Fits

My Farewell bag holds my riding tools, spare parts, plugs, and essentials. Depending on my bike, this vessel gets swapped from hip bags to backpacks, frame bags, and handlebar bags. The Nook fits this purse of purpose, some sunblock, and snacks—all I need for a quick jaunt up into our mountains. Previously, I’ve also fit my water filter, a small jacket, and even a tiny 1 L squeeze bottle.

Nevertheless, the bag isn’t perfect as there are two mesh pockets I could do without. Although, the key clip is a nice feature if you ride with a car or house key. The interior is white and yellow, making it easy to find small things like that last gummy when the bonk goblins got ya!

Construction and Wrap-Up

Revelate’s bags are exceptionally made. The brand is manufacturing some bags in Vietnam and others in-house. Regardless of where its bags are made, both origins represent the utmost care and detail.

On the Nook, there’s a nice little muck guard on the zipper to keep it clean of debris and a nice zipper pull. Since the recycled EcoPack has held up great for me with Revelate’s other bags, I expect nothing to note regarding longevity. The thick nylon webbing daisy chain loops protect the bag from rubbing on the frame and offer multiple lash points for securing the bag to the bike.

Revelate’s bags have always been robust, even after years of abuse. I admire the brand’s mindfulness about offering something unique in a relatively cramped bag maker space. The Nook is a nice and simple bag that would make for a perfect gift for a friend. You’d be surprised how often you’ll use a bag like the Nook. Furthermore, they live in your bike room when you want to jam an extra burrito, jacket, or other bulky item onto your bike.

This is a simple bag; hopefully, this review reflects its simplicity. My only feedback for Revelate would be to ditch the inner pockets and make the whole interior white. Hopefully this would shave some money off the bag’s MSRP in the process.

Pros

• Perfect size; not too big (Hopper) or small (Cranny).
• Perfect to move riding essentials off your body and onto your bike.
• Wide straps and daisy chain nylon webbing loops allow for mounting in various positions.

Cons

• It is expensive for its size and being made in Vietnam.
• Internal pockets are moot.

Check out more at Revelate.