Best set up for cargo out of the box

Which frames let you bolt things on without straps and improvisation?

How this is ranked

Fork cargo-cage provision, ranked by the most bottle or three-pack positions in the main triangle.

Bolt-on capacity beats strapped capacity every time — it doesn't shift, doesn't chafe the frame, and survives washboard. Fork cages in particular move weight low and off the bars, which is where a heavy bar roll ruins the steering.

Every figure comes from the manufacturer's published geometry — see each bike's page for the source. Nothing here is a judgement about how a bike rides; it's one measurable property, ranked. Disagree with the criterion and the order changes, which is the point.

Salsa Journeyer — 60cm. Front triangle ≈ 1494 cm² · effective top tube 600mm · seat tube 520mm
Top of this list: the Salsa Journeyer, drawn to scale from published geometry.

The ranking

  1. 1
    Salsa
    Journeyer

    Fork bottle mounts: two; low-rider rack mounts verified on 2026 Waxwing Carbon fork

    60 bottle mounts
    from $1,299
  2. 2
    Salsa
    Stormchaser

    One mount per fork leg; 165mm low-rider compatible

    57 bottle mounts
    from $1,799
  3. 3
    Salsa
    Cutthroat

    One set of Three-Pack mounts on each fork leg

    56 bottle mounts
  4. 4
    Salsa
    Warbird

    Fork bottle mounts: two; low-rider rack mounts; fender mounts

    56 bottle mounts
    from $3,499.99
  5. 5
    Trek
    Checkpoint ALR Gen 3

    rack/fender mounts

    4 bottle mounts
    from $1,599.99
  6. 6
    Trek
    Checkpoint SL Gen 3

    rack/fender mounts

    4 bottle mounts
    from $3,499.99
  7. 7
    Salsa
    Flyway

    Two sets of Three-Pack mounts; no fork rack mounts

    3 bottle mounts
    from $3,499
  8. 8
    Salsa
    Fargo Steel

    One set of Three-Pack mounts on each fork leg; low-rider rack compatible

    3 bottle mounts
    from $3,399

Other ways to rank these bikes

Most frame bag space

Which frames swallow the biggest full-frame bag?

Best bag space on a small frame

If you ride a small frame, which bikes don't punish you on carrying capacity?

Most tyre clearance

Which frames take the biggest rubber?

Most stable under load

Which frames stay planted with weight on them?