Bicycle Traveler Magazine recently interviewed me regarding the hybrid cycle touring/bike packing set up Hana and I are using for our Alaska to Argentina tour. I talk about the bikes, some of the special gear we are using and the camera kit I have on board. I’ll follow this up with a more detailed post about bikes and equipment in the future, but for now download the latest issue of Bicycle Traveler Magazine (it’s free!) and read on…
Thanks to Biomaxa and Revelate Designs for supporting Alaska to Argentina.
just downloaded and read your segment. great tips as we have kind of the same philosophy towards cycle travelling, meaning taking a lot of photo gears and try meanwhile to stay as light as possible. however – one question:
– how do you carry your camera and lenses? i reckong in your bar bags, right?
Thanks Andrzej – I carry my camera kit in a small Lowepro backpack. Three lenses, camera body, spare batteries, cleaning kit, cable release and filter mount. The filters live in a pouch in the front bag (on front roll).
Many cycle tourists loath wearing a pack, but for me it is the best way to keep the camera and all the gear as accessible as possible. I hardly miss a shot, and all I need to do to set up is drop the bike and walk to wear I want to shoot. If you had a more compact system than I do, using front bag, or a -over-shoulder bag could works well too. Hope that helps.
Yep! Thats it – many bikers avoid backpacks, but actually i think a small, durable and waterproof (is yours lowe is waterproof?) backpack serves the aim of quickly taking a photos. IMHO there are no many options for more photography oriented bikepackers – Class Gilbert from While Out Riding puts everything in the bar bags (tank and bottle-like bags) but it only works in dry environment.
Hey Andrzej – it’s this pack: http://store.lowepro.com/ca/flipside-sport-10l-aw-ca
They don’t make any more but you can pick them up on Amazon. It’s perfect for the gear I have. It’s not waterproof though. It does have a rain cover, but this is only for showers/light rain. However the padded section of the bag is designed to lift out, so when it rains heavily, I just put the whole padded case in a ultralight dry bag and put it back in the pack.
On long road (pavement) sections I have sometimes put the pack on my rack too, with the zip panel facing up, so my gear is all still quickly accessible.
Hope that helps!
Tik um aan, ouwe 😛
Ha ha – cheers Rik!
What wonderful photography you do mark. It must be amazing to have the skill you have. I love the one of Mt Aoraki with the boulders in the foreground.
Regards
Sally
Thanks Sally! Photography’s one of those never ending pursuits that you never stop learning from… It’s great to have the opportunity to practise it everyday on this bike trip 🙂