Can in-frame road bike storage hold enough tools?

QUESTION: I’ve heard some newer bikes offer internal storage systems within the frame. Can these possibly hold enough tools and spares to make it feasible to get rid of bags on the bike? —Jason S.

RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: I must admit that I have no personal experience with internal storage systems, since none of my current bikes offer that feature. But my friend Bill has a Trek Domane that has such storage in the downtube, and I know Bill thinks it’s pretty slick. It includes a multi-tool specially made by Trek to fit in that space as well as tire levers, a CO₂ cartridge and valve, and a tube. Bill has also found room there to put in an AirTag tracker device in case his bike is ever stolen.

In addition to tire levers, etc., I usually carry a chain-breaker tool, some cable ties and tweezers (to remove small glass bits, wires and metal from tires). Trek doesn’t include those in its system, but Bill says he thinks you could also get those in. (Here’s a video of the Domane system.) Bill says everything else he wants with him on a one-day ride — rain jacket, phone, wallet, skull cap, etc. — fit in his jersey pockets.

I understand that the Canyon Endurace also includes an internal storage compartment in the top tube they call the “LOAD box.” They provide a sleeve for the tools, but they leave it to you to supply your own tools. And all recent Santa Cruz bikes have a “Glovebox” in the downtube, which accommodates two included sleeves they call a tool wallet and a tube purse.

In addition to in-frame storage, there are tools made to fit in unexpected places on your bike, such as in your handlebars or to replace a thru-axle on your wheel or fit into the spindle of your crank. These strike me as creative ideas, but when making an on-road repair, you’d have to be pulling tools and parts from all over your bike.

Is internal storage likely to show up in other new bikes in the future? Probably so. But would I rush out and buy a new bike just to get that feature? Probably not. But still, if a new bike came with it, I would likely use it. I like not having to have bags on my bike. A handlebar bag subtracts from the aerodynamics of a bike and an under-the-saddle bag takes a lot of wear from wheel spray on wet days and from swaying around under (or behind) the saddle from the weight the bag carries. An under-the-seat tool roll won’t sway as much, but it leaves no space to attach a tail light, which I consider essential for road riders, even in daylight.

All of that is to say there is no perfect system for carrying “stuff” on daily rides. Many arrangements work, but all have some drawbacks. Internal storage is a fresh approach to the problem, but depending on what you like to have with you, it may not provide enough space.

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Stan Purdum has ridden several long-distance bike trips, including an across-America ride recounted in his book Roll Around Heaven All Day, and a trek on U.S. 62, from Niagara Falls, New York, to El Paso, Texas, the subject of his book Playing in Traffic. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, lives in Ohio. See more at www.StanPurdum.com.