What's the best gear to bring a DSLR along on a bike ride? Any suggestions on a saddle bag? I'm looking to bring my DSLR with me on my bike at a local canal trail. The trail is quiet, spacious, flat, and straight so I'm not too worried about falling off the bike and damaging the camera. It's a few hundred miles long so I'd like to cover more ground on a bike rather than walk (maybe 10 miles per trip vs only 2 or 3 miles). I already have a camera backpack but I imagine this will get heavy/bothersome especially on a hot day. Anyone have any experience with this? Thanks
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Biking with a DSLR
- Thread starter savagewx
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Mike CH
Veteran Member
I used the predecessor of this one for various bike trips at about 10’000 km total length. My cameras were either in this handlebar pannier or in a front wheel pannier. All kinds of surfaces from rock over gravel to smooth tar (mostly the latter, but there was enough of the other stuff). I, camera and bike survived several spills.
It’ll take a midsize DLSR (I had the Sony A700 there) with a normal zoom lens, but not other lenses.
I preferred having the camera in the handlebar bag as there is a light flex in the way the bag is mounted to the handlebar so an bumps, curbs, stones whatever are better protected against than bags that are mounted front or rear.
A very good thing is the accessibility of the camera - stop the bike, stay on, flip lid open, grab camera, shoot. Bag detaches real easy (when you want it to) and can be carried as a shoulder bag - very nice for quickly dropping into the next eatery or so... I carried all my valuables (almost all) in that bag. Grab and go.
There is also a slim version - don’t get that one. The wide one looks rather big, but works like a dream. Oh, and there is a camera insert; I never had that. Stuff it out with a shirt or similar.
Regards, Mike
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I used to live near some wetlands that had a canal and a river running through it and lots of wildlife. Quite flat and ideal for easy cycling.
I put my camera into a small rucksack and strapped my tripod to the cross bar with bungee cords.
Mark_A
Thread for Sunrise & Sunset pictures (part 3!)
I have two carrier bags mounted to the rear rack of my daily driver. Normally, they are not completely filled with the laptop bag and bad weather gear. It's still space left for the small NX system bag. Without anything else, the bag with my D700, 18-35, 24-70 and a 70-200 is a tight fit in one of the carrier bags. I prefer not to carry anything on my back, while riding a bike.
Few questions:
- Is it 10 miles on the bike per day or multiple stints of 10 miles each day?
- Are you going for the full trail over multiple days/weeks or just parts of it?
- Is the stuff you listed in your gear list all that you'll be carrying camera wise? (plus maybe a tripod?)
For me biking 10 miles usually takes around 45-60 minutes depending on the weather and how much in a rush I am. Of course this depends on the person but I think that if you're going along a canal at your own pace, take a lot of stops for pictures and are only doing the 10 miles in a day, you won't really feel the weight much since you're spreading it out over multiple hours since your lenses are relatively light
cosmicnode
Veteran Member
I use one of these https://www.altura.co.uk/products/detail/ALAR2EXP/arran-2-expanding-postpack/?ng=1003 It fasten's to the seat post via a qr lock, meaning you can easily remove it to take into cafe's etc it acts as if sprung when on the bike. I wouldnt worry about quick access I find that trying to take a photo from a bike is confining, I always end up getting off to move around for the best shot. Ive had a D2x and zoom in it with room for other items.
Tourlou
Senior Member
I've been carrying a d300 with a 18-70 many times. I'd never put it in a saddle bag. It's rattling so much back there, you will destroy the camera. I always put it in backpack. The oly time I damaged it is when my wife wanted to take pictures while riding the back seat of the tandem and dropped it. The body survived and with a bit of paint, looks alomst like new. The lens though... RIP!!!
One of my friends wad making pictures for a snowboard company. He would use to go uphill with a Blad and 2-3 primes and carry a F-5 with a 24 and a 35 as a back-up. This is heavy backpack...
One of my friends wad making pictures for a snowboard company. He would use to go uphill with a Blad and 2-3 primes and carry a F-5 with a 24 and a 35 as a back-up. This is heavy backpack...
tbcass
Forum Pro
I use a subcompact 1" sensor camera. The slight sacrifice in IQ is well worth the convenience of carrying a large camera. You'd be surprised at how little sacrifice in IQ there is in daylight compared to your 80D.
Christoph Stephan
Senior Member
During my bike trips I always used a handlebar bag, it is the most convent option if you want to enjoy the trip over longer distances. I usually had it in a camera bag which I put in the handlebar bag, where it is easily accessible. Often, concerns are voiced that a DSLR might easily be damaged in a handlebar bag, but I did several longer trips with film SLR or DSLR in Scotland or Sweden and never experienced any problems. However, I usally had the camera in a camera bag which I put into the handlear bag, this way it had extra padding.
I find backpacks very inconvenient on a bike and avoid them whenever possible when I cycle. I definitely would not use the camera backpack on this cycling trip.
I carried extra lenses or a second body in pannier bags. I would recommend Ortlieb or Vaude or similar water resistant pannier bags.
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Chris
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Bobthearch
Forum Pro
You might consider a holster-type fanny pack you can wear while riding. That way you can easily reach the camera without dismounting.
As far as a camera, given that bicycle panniers are even smaller than a backpack, I'd look at the D5500/D5600 from Nikon. It's very compact and light weight, and has sufficient features for the type of photography you're after. The newer collapsible versions of the 18-55 kit lens are amazingly light and compact, and with very good image quality. If you might want a second lens for flowers or wildlife or distant geographical features, check out the 55-200 VRii. It's also collapsible, lightweight, and very inexpensive.
Just one idea. Have fun and ride safe!
As far as a camera, given that bicycle panniers are even smaller than a backpack, I'd look at the D5500/D5600 from Nikon. It's very compact and light weight, and has sufficient features for the type of photography you're after. The newer collapsible versions of the 18-55 kit lens are amazingly light and compact, and with very good image quality. If you might want a second lens for flowers or wildlife or distant geographical features, check out the 55-200 VRii. It's also collapsible, lightweight, and very inexpensive.
Just one idea. Have fun and ride safe!
Sounds easy enough!
I'd be going for a ten mile ride maybe a few times a month, not looking to travel the whole length at once. :-D And yes, the gear listed is all I carry in my backpack.
Thanks for the insight, I will probably try going with just my backpack and then invest in other bags if need be.
Ouch, I will probably give my backpack a try and then see if I need additional bags.
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