Packing a 4x5 on a bicycle

[Mark Sampson]

I used to carry my Zone VI 4x5 and its kit in a Tamrac camera bag (with hideaway backpack straps). I would backpack a relatively minimal kit, and bungee my Tiltall onto the flat back rack of my bike. The tripod stuck out behind, but overall that setup worked. I don't do that anymore, but it's still a feasible way to go. Note that I (still) ride a Cannondale touring bike (long wheelbase, racks, panniers, 700x35 tires) and did not attempt long off-road excursions. Lighter-weight camera/kit answers are out there, too.

[macolive]

It does make you wonder just how Timothy O'Sullivan and others of his kind made it across the west with a horse and buggy, big cameras, glass plates, tripods and all. No shock absorbers and no roads.

Exactly, but then again they didn't use copal shutters :-)

[macolive]

I'm still a bit worried about carrying gear on my back. I have an arca swiss 4x5 which I think is pretty sturdy....so apart from trying to carry everything on my back, I may have a padded pouch made for the camera and put it on a rack bag (possibly with some packing air cushions) and put the lenses on a messenger bag strapped to me.

Has anyone tried a porteur bag? Is it difficult to handle the bike with those bags?

[MartinP]

With some help from google, I have found that "porteur bag" apparently means a large front-rack mounted bag? The ones I saw in an advertisement look ridiculously large, as though they were made by someone who has never ridden a bicycle.

Here in Netherlands (probably known as 'Holland' in US-English) most people ride bikes everywhere every week, if not every day. The best known Dutch manufacturer of bicycle luggage did indeed produce a handlebar-mounted, quick-release camera-bag, and I have one. Loaded with several kilograms of medium-format or 35mm gear (roughly similar in weight and size to a single 4x5 camera and lens) it is not a handling problem, so long as there is some weight behind the rider too -- for example rear-panniers. My longest trip with camera gear on the handlebars was three months and the main problem was mould growth in the enclosed space of the bag.

Alternatively, a small rucsac can sit on a front-rack (probably best on some sort of closed-cell cushion, fixed on top of the rack), bungee-corded to the rack and handlebars. I have done this too and found that the 35mm camera items in the rucsac banged against each other too much for safety, so had to protect them individually which slowed access considerably. With a single 4x5" camera, folded with lens inside, that rattling would not be a problem as you just have one lump of gear -- or two if you include some film-holders in the bag. If one has a huge 4x5" camera, or an 8x10", then rear panniers are probably the only practical option without a trailer or one of these. . .

[locutus]

one of these. . .

I used to have one of those (in Utrecht).... ULF Bakfiets, oh my now there is an idea!

[AuditorOne]

...or one of these. . .

these are not made for my country side. I cannot imagine pedaling that through a mountain pass.

[Robert Brazile]

With some help from google, I have found that "porteur bag" apparently means a large front-rack mounted bag? The ones I saw in an advertisement look ridiculously large, as though they were made by someone who has never ridden a bicycle.

Can't speak to the advertisement you saw, but some traditions front-load and some traditions rear-load, and from the name you might guess that the "porteur" approach is French, and was used heavily there for delivering quite-heavy goods, including large stacks of newspapers much heavier than most camera gear. They depend on bicycle geometry that favors a front load, and wouldn't work as well on others. If you have such a bike, they're a very nice way to go. Here is such a bike (mine):


DP2Q0093, Kogswell P/R quarter view by Robert Brazile, on Flickr

With some padding under the gear, either inside the porteur bag or under it, I can carry quite a large load safely -- including an LF camera and associated gear.

Robert

[Vaughn]

Ouch! But the gear survived right?

It was Christmas Day...I had camped by myself at a small stream-side camp. I had run out of food...a handful of granola for dinner and the same for breakfast -- and a handful of nuts and dry fruit to get me 110 km to the next town. After the crash, I laid on the rocks for a little while trying to figure out if any bones were broken. As I went over the handlebars, I tucked and rolled, actually it was a nice smooth move, I was impressed. Too bad that I had to land on a bunch of rocks (6" to a foot in size). Eventually I got up. Tightened the cables that got stretched when the wheel went 180. Some fender adjustment. And I wobbled off on the gravel road that I had been on for 140km. Pavement started about 200 meters from where I crashed!

And the truth be told -- I did not look at my camera gear for several days...sort of afraid to. And after that day's ride, one of my knees became worthless for a week, so I wasn't photographing. But amazingly enough, the camera equipment was 100%. In case of such things, I did bring an extra GG I stuck in a 4x5 film box w/ padding, and a pinhole I could use if something happened to my lens. I never needed them, tho I wish I had played with the pinhole a little on the trip.

[hporter]

The OP mentioned Arkel Panniers and it reminded me that I used to haul my Agfa 8x10 around in Arkel Panniers. It was a tight fit, camera in pannier on one side, the holders, lenses and meter in the other pannier. I strapped the tripod to the rack which the panniers were attached to. It was a bit awkward, but it worked. Just had to watch for loose screws now and again. I can see the point of those who prefer to strap the camera to themselves, and not the bike. But it is doable. And when I threw a 4x5 in the pannier instead, I didn't even know it was there!

[macolive]

The OP mentioned Arkel Panniers and it reminded me that I used to haul my Agfa 8x10 around in Arkel Panniers. It was a tight fit, camera in pannier on one side, the holders, lenses and meter in the other pannier. I strapped the tripod to the rack which the panniers were attached to. It was a bit awkward, but it worked. Just had to watch for loose screws now and again. I can see the point of those who prefer to strap the camera to themselves, and not the bike. But it is doable. And when I threw a 4x5 in the pannier instead, I didn't even know it was there!

Thanks for the photos!! It really helps see what is possible. You said you had to watch out for loose screws every now and then...Did they come loose? I think the camera itself could be in a pannier but the lenses maybe on my body or a handlebar bag.

Thanks again!