Photography by Bike

 

As a photographer I usually am out on foot.  I hike, walk and scramble to get to a photo location.  I have backpacked to get a photo too.  On occasion I will travel Overland style visiting remote campsites and use my vehicle as a base of operations.  Last year I added a new way to travel for photography- by bike.  Well actually I have carried my camera on my bike for a while but I took it another step when I bought a mountain bike last year.

I had been thinking about a mountain bike for a few years.  The supply chain issues we had since 2020 had made it rather impossible to really find anything.   Last year things began to return to normal.  I was able to see bikes in store, test ride a few and I got one in June of 2022- a Trek Roscoe 6.

For those in the mountain bike world this still skews more toward the entry level but it met my needs and fit well.  For the riding I do, I thought it would be perfect and it has turned out to be a great purchase that gets a lot of regular use.

I want to ride the bike, I want to be able to explore trails, and I want to be able to take my camera along.  The bike lets me get to places I cannot drive to access.  It can also get me places faster than I can walk.  On a morning form home or a trip in Big Bend it has been a great tool.

Bikes have sure evolved since my 1994 Trek 830 mountain bike.  From steel to aluminum frame, tires are bigger and wider, front suspension, and a dropper seat post make this a very different bike.  At first I was concerned a 2.8" wide tire might be "too wide" but now I cannot imagine anything narrower.  Even the basic suspension my bike has is far more comfortable than my old rigid steel frame.  The dropper post is super when going down hill.

In short riding the Roscoe is easy and fun!

One feature this frame has was mounts for a rear rack and kickstand.  Some scoff at that, but I find them to be features I wanted and make use of.  Want to have more storage for gear, a rack is perfect.  Want to have your bike in the image?  Kickstand makes it easy.

Around town I can leave from home and follow the gravel path along the Clear Fork to some trails I know along the river.  I visit this area and photograph it on a regular basis but it is far enough away I would drive there.  Now I bike! I can get some exercise and get in some photography.

Good for the heart and good for the soul!

I outfitted the bike with a frame bag that holds my small tripod.  This gives me a way to actually make images in the low light I often work with.  Even by starlight, I can get a stable platform.  I carry the camera in my riding pack and since I have the small A6100 I can carry a couple of spare lenses easily to have some options for photography.

I have also made the bike a regular addition to my Big Bend trips.  Exploring the back roads of the park on my bike has added an whole new dimension to my trips there. Pedaling through the desert by bike is an experience I have really enjoyed.  Several day trips to ride the rough roads there has been some of my favorite recent highlights.

So, yes, a great new way to explore and photograph!