The Peripetatic Pedaller will be interviewed on his mountain biking exploits on BFM 89.9, today at 4pm.
Addendum
In case you missed it, you can lose 20 minutes of your life by clicking here.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Bicycle-Friendly Malaysians!
Addendum
In case you missed it, you can lose 20 minutes of your life by clicking here.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Mountainbiking Photo Bag: The Ortlieb Aqua Zoom Plus
Addendum
Since I wrote this post, I've come to know that the Ortlieb Aqua Zoom Plus no longer comes with a roll-top closure, but now has a Velcro flap. What were they thinking!? I can no longer recommend the Aqua Zoom Plus for serious adventure biking. The Aqua Zoom, on the other hand (a different model with a similar name) has a quick-seal closure systems that looks better than the Velcro flap of the Aqua Zoom Plus. Confusingly, the Aqua Zoom is actually the same size as the Aqua Zoom Plus. When I bought the Aqua Zoom Plus, the Aqua Zoom was then a smaller sized bag.
Anyway, the bottom line is that you'll want to check out the Aqua Zoom instead of the Aqua Zoom Plus. Neither has a roll-top closure system, but the quick-seal system of the former might do the trick for you. Visit the Orlieb site here. If you live in Malaysia, you can get Ortlieb products from the Lafuma shop in Bangsar, or Corezone in SS2, PJ.
This is part 2 of a series on mountainbiking photo bags. Read part 1 first.
The Ortlieb Aqua Zoom Plus, which I must have bought sometime after getting back into photography in 1998, has been my mainstay SLR bag for the last 10 years or so. The Lowepro Off Trail which I had been using until then was okay for trail running but not so suitable for mountainbiking, as it interfered with the hip belt of my Camelbak. In addition, it was not waterproof.
Waterproofing
The Ortlieb’s main attraction, on the other hand, is its waterproofing. It’s made from a durable Cordura that has a thermoplastic waterproof coating on the inside. Foam strips are glued onto the interior of the bag, which provides crash protection to the camera. The bag uses a roll-top closure system that, in my experience, has been 100% waterproof. I’ve been caught many times in the rain with it, including one occasion when I had to ride through a monsoon downpour while on a tour, and the bag has remained watertight all the while.
I should mention that Ortlieb rates that bag as not being waterproof when submerged in water. This may be true, but it will definitely keep water out in case of accidental submersion when crossing rivers or the like.
By the way, Ortlieb is a German brand that is renown for its durable and waterproof bicycle touring bags.
Your humble correspondent, on the wrong end of a lens, using the Ortlieb Aqua Zoom Plus. Photo by the Missus, taken along the banks of the Kenaboi river, in Negeri Sembilan.
Accessibility
I use the Aqua Zoom Plus with the optional harness system, which clips onto 4 D-rings on the bag. The harness places the bag over my chest, and I would usually wear a backpack over the harness, into which all my biking stuff goes. The advantage of the harness system is accessibility, which is the second strong point of the Aqua Zoom Plus. The camera is always within reach, and not inside my backpack. I don’t have to stop to take off the backpack to get at the camera. Most of the time, I am removing the camera as I walk towards my selected vantage point. Accessibility, as I pointed out in the first part of this series, is one of my key considerations for a photo bag. The roll top closure system is, admittedly, a little fiddly, particularly with gloved hands. However, getting the camera out quickly is usually not a problem. Putting it back in does require a little more time to fold the roll-top. It’s a small price to pay for the waterproofing, in my mind.
Ergonomics
The ergonomics of the chest mounted system is acceptable even for relatively technical trails, although I would generally walk sketchy sections that I think would pose a risk to equipment. One disadvantage is that when I get behind the saddle to ride steep descents, the chest pouch can bump into the saddle. When I come back over the top of the saddle, I need to be mindful that the harness or pouch does not catch the back of the saddle.
I rode this technical downhill trail in Chiang Mai with the Ortlieb pack. The trail (4d in the link) was at the limit of my abilities, which goes to show that the Aqua Zoom works well even on technical trails. I do, however, have the bag adjusted all the way up, to provide clearance in behind-the-saddle descents. The rider is Jay, a local Thai university student who guides in his spare time. Exposed at 1/30s, f4.5, ISO200, with a SB-800 triggered via CLS, camera left.
The ergonomics of the chest-mounted harness system is not, however, suited for women, due to, er, glandular interference issues.
The bag has loops glued onto the back, which will allow you to attach it to a belt or the outside of a backpack.
Size
My Aqua Zoom Plus takes the D70s with the Tokina 12-24mm with the hood removed. It’s a tight fit, and I usually remove the Optech camera strap for a little more breathing room. Ortlieb also makes a smaller model, the Aqua Zoom.
I would recommend the Aqua Zoom Plus with the harness system unreservedly for mountain biking and general outdoor use. As I mentioned, I’ve had mine for almost 10 years, and it still works as well as it did on day one.
There are, however, limitations to a chest harness system. For one, it will only take wideangle to short telephoto primes (the Nikon 85mm f1.8 fits) and wide to normal zooms. So, if you plan on taking a longer telephoto or more than one lens, or other accessories such as flash and remote triggers, you’ll still need to think about how to carry these items. Which brings us to the subject of backpacks, which will be the subject of the next post.
PS. I’d be interested to hear about how you carry your camera gear in the outdoors, so please leave a comment. I am sure we will all benefit from the wisdom of the collective.
Since I wrote this post, I've come to know that the Ortlieb Aqua Zoom Plus no longer comes with a roll-top closure, but now has a Velcro flap. What were they thinking!? I can no longer recommend the Aqua Zoom Plus for serious adventure biking. The Aqua Zoom, on the other hand (a different model with a similar name) has a quick-seal closure systems that looks better than the Velcro flap of the Aqua Zoom Plus. Confusingly, the Aqua Zoom is actually the same size as the Aqua Zoom Plus. When I bought the Aqua Zoom Plus, the Aqua Zoom was then a smaller sized bag.
Anyway, the bottom line is that you'll want to check out the Aqua Zoom instead of the Aqua Zoom Plus. Neither has a roll-top closure system, but the quick-seal system of the former might do the trick for you. Visit the Orlieb site here. If you live in Malaysia, you can get Ortlieb products from the Lafuma shop in Bangsar, or Corezone in SS2, PJ.
This is part 2 of a series on mountainbiking photo bags. Read part 1 first.
The Ortlieb Aqua Zoom Plus, which I must have bought sometime after getting back into photography in 1998, has been my mainstay SLR bag for the last 10 years or so. The Lowepro Off Trail which I had been using until then was okay for trail running but not so suitable for mountainbiking, as it interfered with the hip belt of my Camelbak. In addition, it was not waterproof.
Waterproofing
The Ortlieb’s main attraction, on the other hand, is its waterproofing. It’s made from a durable Cordura that has a thermoplastic waterproof coating on the inside. Foam strips are glued onto the interior of the bag, which provides crash protection to the camera. The bag uses a roll-top closure system that, in my experience, has been 100% waterproof. I’ve been caught many times in the rain with it, including one occasion when I had to ride through a monsoon downpour while on a tour, and the bag has remained watertight all the while.
I should mention that Ortlieb rates that bag as not being waterproof when submerged in water. This may be true, but it will definitely keep water out in case of accidental submersion when crossing rivers or the like.
By the way, Ortlieb is a German brand that is renown for its durable and waterproof bicycle touring bags.
Your humble correspondent, on the wrong end of a lens, using the Ortlieb Aqua Zoom Plus. Photo by the Missus, taken along the banks of the Kenaboi river, in Negeri Sembilan.Accessibility
I use the Aqua Zoom Plus with the optional harness system, which clips onto 4 D-rings on the bag. The harness places the bag over my chest, and I would usually wear a backpack over the harness, into which all my biking stuff goes. The advantage of the harness system is accessibility, which is the second strong point of the Aqua Zoom Plus. The camera is always within reach, and not inside my backpack. I don’t have to stop to take off the backpack to get at the camera. Most of the time, I am removing the camera as I walk towards my selected vantage point. Accessibility, as I pointed out in the first part of this series, is one of my key considerations for a photo bag. The roll top closure system is, admittedly, a little fiddly, particularly with gloved hands. However, getting the camera out quickly is usually not a problem. Putting it back in does require a little more time to fold the roll-top. It’s a small price to pay for the waterproofing, in my mind.
Ergonomics
The ergonomics of the chest mounted system is acceptable even for relatively technical trails, although I would generally walk sketchy sections that I think would pose a risk to equipment. One disadvantage is that when I get behind the saddle to ride steep descents, the chest pouch can bump into the saddle. When I come back over the top of the saddle, I need to be mindful that the harness or pouch does not catch the back of the saddle.
I rode this technical downhill trail in Chiang Mai with the Ortlieb pack. The trail (4d in the link) was at the limit of my abilities, which goes to show that the Aqua Zoom works well even on technical trails. I do, however, have the bag adjusted all the way up, to provide clearance in behind-the-saddle descents. The rider is Jay, a local Thai university student who guides in his spare time. Exposed at 1/30s, f4.5, ISO200, with a SB-800 triggered via CLS, camera left.The ergonomics of the chest-mounted harness system is not, however, suited for women, due to, er, glandular interference issues.
The bag has loops glued onto the back, which will allow you to attach it to a belt or the outside of a backpack.
Size
My Aqua Zoom Plus takes the D70s with the Tokina 12-24mm with the hood removed. It’s a tight fit, and I usually remove the Optech camera strap for a little more breathing room. Ortlieb also makes a smaller model, the Aqua Zoom.
I would recommend the Aqua Zoom Plus with the harness system unreservedly for mountain biking and general outdoor use. As I mentioned, I’ve had mine for almost 10 years, and it still works as well as it did on day one.
There are, however, limitations to a chest harness system. For one, it will only take wideangle to short telephoto primes (the Nikon 85mm f1.8 fits) and wide to normal zooms. So, if you plan on taking a longer telephoto or more than one lens, or other accessories such as flash and remote triggers, you’ll still need to think about how to carry these items. Which brings us to the subject of backpacks, which will be the subject of the next post.
PS. I’d be interested to hear about how you carry your camera gear in the outdoors, so please leave a comment. I am sure we will all benefit from the wisdom of the collective.
Friday, November 27, 2009
The calendars are in!
The calendars have arrived! They're not too shabby, despite the photos. See below.
Note that Malaysian holidays have been included in the calendar.
I've donated three copies to Boon Foo to sell for the Penan benefit fund that he is raising, so you can purchase a copy from Bike Pro Center. All proceeds go to the Penans. (Edit: see below)
I've also got aboutthree or four two extra copies. If you'd like one, please post your offer in the comments. Just FYI, my cost for each calendar is RM79. If you offer me more than RM79, I will donate the profit to TRAKS. You can offer less than RM79 as well. (In other words, I'll sell you the calendar for RM20 if you make an offer at this price, provided no one else makes a higher bid. Special offer for readers of this blog.) I'll close the auction when, er, I feel like it.
Addendum
Boon Foo has sold out all four copies I gave him (including the one that was supposed to be a display copy for his shop!). So these are the only 2 remaining copies. I will likely be printing more as I have had requests for additional copies, but these will be sold at no less than my cost price.
Addendum No. 2
I was mulling on how to have an objective basis to give the calendars away, since unfortunately I can't afford to give a copy each to everyone. The lucky (?) recipients of the two free calendars are Adzha and MonkeySamurai @ Megat, on the account of the fact that they each posted 24 comments to my first 100 posts. If no one bids for the remaining calendars, I'll give one to Koko @ Riza, as he's on 17 comments.
I'm hoping to be able to print calendars at the end of each year, so that will give me some incentive to go out and shoot more photos.
Note that Malaysian holidays have been included in the calendar.
I've donated three copies to Boon Foo to sell for the Penan benefit fund that he is raising, so you can purchase a copy from Bike Pro Center. All proceeds go to the Penans. (Edit: see below)
I've also got about
Addendum
Boon Foo has sold out all four copies I gave him (including the one that was supposed to be a display copy for his shop!). So these are the only 2 remaining copies. I will likely be printing more as I have had requests for additional copies, but these will be sold at no less than my cost price.
Addendum No. 2
I was mulling on how to have an objective basis to give the calendars away, since unfortunately I can't afford to give a copy each to everyone. The lucky (?) recipients of the two free calendars are Adzha and MonkeySamurai @ Megat, on the account of the fact that they each posted 24 comments to my first 100 posts. If no one bids for the remaining calendars, I'll give one to Koko @ Riza, as he's on 17 comments.
I'm hoping to be able to print calendars at the end of each year, so that will give me some incentive to go out and shoot more photos.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
The Temuan Trail at KDCF
I was out in the Kota Damansara Community Forest doing some trailbuilding by myself today. Nothing like a solid 5-hour total body work out to unwind from the rigours of work! Phase II of the trail is well under way, with about 400 to 500 metres to go. Hopefully it will be rideable by next April, once the trail has settled and the hot season comes around.
Even though the trail is not yet compete, hikers* are welcome to use the trail, as a little use will help in the compaction process. Look out for the sign above on the Scouts Trail, which points to the trailhead for the new trail. We are toying with the idea of naming the trail "Denai Temuan" or "Temuan Trail", which I think would be appropriate given that much of the trail was built with the hard work of the chaps from Desa Temuan in Damansara Perdana.
My objective for the day was to construct a new switchback on the trail to replace one that was too steep and sharp, and to this end had initially set up the camera to take time-lapse photos to record the trail building process. The idea was to turn the photos into a video. Unfortunately, it had started raining, so I had to pack the camera away. Instead, check out the before and after photos below. That's 3 hours' work for about 3 metres of finished trail. Pretty slow going!
Before.
After.
* but not mountain bikers! Yet. You'll have to wait until April, sorry.
Even though the trail is not yet compete, hikers* are welcome to use the trail, as a little use will help in the compaction process. Look out for the sign above on the Scouts Trail, which points to the trailhead for the new trail. We are toying with the idea of naming the trail "Denai Temuan" or "Temuan Trail", which I think would be appropriate given that much of the trail was built with the hard work of the chaps from Desa Temuan in Damansara Perdana.
My objective for the day was to construct a new switchback on the trail to replace one that was too steep and sharp, and to this end had initially set up the camera to take time-lapse photos to record the trail building process. The idea was to turn the photos into a video. Unfortunately, it had started raining, so I had to pack the camera away. Instead, check out the before and after photos below. That's 3 hours' work for about 3 metres of finished trail. Pretty slow going!
Before.After.
* but not mountain bikers! Yet. You'll have to wait until April, sorry.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
100th Post!
This is the 100th post on the Peripatetic Pedaller, after almost 2 years since the first post. Not too shabby, I guess, for the mostly incoherent peregrinations of a bike nut. To show my appreciation for my loyal readers (both of them) I'm planning to print and give away 2 copies of a wall calendar with my photos of trails in the Klang valley. Well, the photos that don't suck, at any rate. The alarming thing is that I went through my mountainbiking photos of the last 3 years, and can barely fill a calendar with photos-that-don't-suck.
But that's not the real motivation for this post. Introducing, the soon to be announced, Ricoh GXR. In a word, WOW.
See the video here. Lenses will likely be expensive, due to the attached sensor, but this looks like a truly pocketable large-sensor compact camera system. I'll take one 24-70 and the 28mm f1.9 when it comes out, please. Photo from Dmitry.
But that's not the real motivation for this post. Introducing, the soon to be announced, Ricoh GXR. In a word, WOW.
See the video here. Lenses will likely be expensive, due to the attached sensor, but this looks like a truly pocketable large-sensor compact camera system. I'll take one 24-70 and the 28mm f1.9 when it comes out, please. Photo from Dmitry.
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