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Thread: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

  1. #11

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    Oct 2014
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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    Quote Originally Posted by Greg View Post
    Although I'll be hitting 70 this year, I have always been active biking, hiking, and rock climbing. And from around 1988 till maybe 5 years ago used to cover outdoor events for Riverfront Recapture (Riverfront.org) which involved long event shootings, all with a Lowe backpack on my back holding way too much photo equipment. After some time you forget that your carrying all the equipment on your back, till you try to weave through a crowd. So... I easily adapted to biking with the f/64 on my back.

    Easy... no

    Do I suggest going this route? Well definitely not for everyone.


    Secret is carrying the f/64 backpack tightly on your back.
    Thanks! Ha...I was about to say...well I'm 51 years old so I'd have a hard time and then I saw that you're turning 70.....shame on me! hahaha

  2. #12

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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    Quote Originally Posted by macolive View Post
    My worry about carrying a bag on my shoulder or back is it eventually weighs you down...does that happen to you?
    I usually carry the bag all day, but not on a bike. Works for me. A backpack is easier to carry, but you have to put it down to get out the contents.

    How much and how hard do you ride your bike? If you go offroad or cover lots of miles/kilometres, a bag over your shoulder might become a burden. I usually don't exceed 10 or 15 miles in a day, at a leisurely pace...

  3. #13

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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    +1 on carrying any gear directly on a bike... When I did long ago, the vibration did a number on my gear, including loose elements in lenses, etc...

    It was even hard on the tripod, mounted on the rear rack, where screws would fall out, etc... Making a paper or plastic tube that aims upward on the rear side rack might be better than lashing it horizontally on the rack or frame... Find a cheap tripod for this because this is rough on the tripod...

    Camera stuff is best carried on the body in a backpack or bag, and observe your center of gravity...

    Steve K

  4. #14

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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    Why not a small bike trailer. Lois Connor used a bicycle & trailer for her 7x17 photo project in China more than a decade ago.
    ” Never attribute to inspiration that which can be adequately explained by delusion”.

  5. #15
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    I took a 5-month 2000+mile bicycle trip with a 4x5 in New Zealand. The camera was kept in is own pack strapped on top of the other gear I had on the back rack (tent, sleeping bag, pad, pod). It was nice to have right on top if I needed it. Every once in a while I would go thru my camera equipment and check for loose screws, etc. Had to do it with the bike, too -- lots of gravel roads! Panniers (front and back) were for food, cooking gear, clothes, changing bag, film, lens, mask and snorkel.
    "Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China

  6. #16

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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael E View Post
    I usually carry the bag all day, but not on a bike. Works for me. A backpack is easier to carry, but you have to put it down to get out the contents.

    How much and how hard do you ride your bike? If you go offroad or cover lots of miles/kilometres, a bag over your shoulder might become a burden. I usually don't exceed 10 or 15 miles in a day, at a leisurely pace...
    I don't think I will be doing much off road...mostly paved and gravel. Definitely easy rides. I've noticed though that shoulder bags do get painful for me (for walking). I switched to a backpack to even out the weight on my body.

  7. #17

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    Oct 2014
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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    Quote Originally Posted by LabRat View Post
    +1 on carrying any gear directly on a bike... When I did long ago, the vibration did a number on my gear, including loose elements in lenses, etc...

    It was even hard on the tripod, mounted on the rear rack, where screws would fall out, etc... Making a paper or plastic tube that aims upward on the rear side rack might be better than lashing it horizontally on the rack or frame... Find a cheap tripod for this because this is rough on the tripod...

    Camera stuff is best carried on the body in a backpack or bag, and observe your center of gravity...

    Steve K

    Thanks Steve for the reply. I would probably give that a try with a medium format camera and see how long my back can hold out.

  8. #18

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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    Quote Originally Posted by Willie View Post
    Why not a small bike trailer. Lois Connor used a bicycle & trailer for her 7x17 photo project in China more than a decade ago.

    I know..She's one of the reasons I started thinking about biking and photography together...if I had (or when I have :-) ) an 8x10, then I would consider it. Where I'm from, it might be a bit difficult to maneuver through the roads with a trailer.

  9. #19

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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    Quote Originally Posted by Vaughn View Post
    I took a 5-month 2000+mile bicycle trip with a 4x5 in New Zealand. The camera was kept in is own pack strapped on top of the other gear I had on the back rack (tent, sleeping bag, pad, pod). It was nice to have right on top if I needed it. Every once in a while I would go thru my camera equipment and check for loose screws, etc. Had to do it with the bike, too -- lots of gravel r Thanks oads! Panniers (front and back) were for food, cooking gear, clothes, changing bag, film, lens, mask and snorkel.
    Thanks Vaughn. Were you using a camera bag or a trunk bag for the camera?

  10. #20

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    Re: Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

    Quote Originally Posted by macolive View Post
    Thanks Steve for the reply. I would probably give that a try with a medium format camera and see how long my back can hold out.
    Here's a tip;

    Anything you carry near your waist holds your center of gravity low, and if the weight rides on/near your hips, tends to slightly vanish... If your bag has a large padded hip belt it can attach to, you will ride in much more comfort... Or if a backpack has a large hipbelt, the weight will ride lower... Try it!!!

    Steve K

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