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cycling to work


Stella N

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Hi, I am new to the site and the craft. I wanted to know if anyone here uses a bike as a method of transportation. I am not sure if it applies to mixers considering they have a cart, but i could be wrong. I figured boom operators and or sound utility men might have the ability.

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Whenever I go downtown to do H50 ADR, I try my darndest to ride my bike. I've also done it when working ENG gigs where someone else is supplying gear, or even just walking. (usually for a Hawaiian event where parking is hell anyways, making it double the benefit - we just surpassed LA in ratings for bad traffic) The downside of riding a bike here, is that people are not used to sharing the road and an awful lot of drivers feel like you don't have the right to be on a road as a cyclist. That combined with the sometimes poor road situations can make it downright dangerous. I felt more safe riding my bike in Manhattan than I do here.

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Whoa, that Transport+ looks interesting. With the hills here, when I carry a load (like my kid's trailer and / or the rear child seat) it is really difficult to make some of the hills here. It doesn't help that my bike is geared for open road riding, but that could be a game changer and allow me to ride more.

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Been cycling to local shoots (central london) with ENG kit since I started in the biz. In town I ride a fixed wheel with everything in a kata backpack. Out of town or when I need to carry more I use panniers and my touring bike with thicker tires to cushion the ride.

One of the advantages of using panniers is not having the weight on you back but also the ortlieb motorbike panniers (that I adapted) have got to be the most weather proof soft bag available - the panniers are roll top and are constructed from a heavy tarp like material where the seams are welded instead of stitched. My petrol 302 bag fits in with plenty of room for extra bits and pieces included a rycote zepplin and i've found a away to use the clips (that attach to the bicycle rack) as quick release attachment to my harness. The only problem i've encounted with any of this is the negative attitude of 'petrol-head' colleagues who think a humble bicycle humble suggest a lack of professionalism. But it's understandable when you consider that most car owners will probably spend more money in there lifetime owning and running a car than almost anything else, except property. Petrol dependency has many ugly sides and this is probably the least of them.

btw. I do drive too but only when I really need to and renting is now so easy in london, ownership is not really necessity for me.

atb,

dan.

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Pics please! I would love to ride into town for the occasional simple corp job rather than humping my kit on the tube! I have never met a soundie who travels with kit by bike! What kit are you fitting on the bike? Do you feel comfortable that you have enough spares etc? Ever come off while riding with kit? I have had 2 crashes in about 5 years riding in London, one resulting in a trip to A&E. I'd worry about mashing my kit up!

Massive respect to you dude.

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I'll bet Glen Trew will give you the low down on that and there are many mixers who ride bikes as in motorcycles. That's why we say "Speed".

Richard,

I also enjoy getting the Harley out to ride to work and I bet Robert Sharman does also. Great bike Robert. Glen biggest decision is which bike to ride to work that day! I think Tim is speaking of bicycles/cycles. When I ride the gear is already at work I am not having to bring it on the bike. That would be a challenge on a bike or cycle unless you had the Glen Trew BMW for recording on the road, the new process trailer/insert car on a bike for mixers. There are pictures of it some where here on the group.

Cheers,

Whit

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I used to ride with a Vespa scooter (the big 250cc model) when I was living in Paris. Unbelievable what you can carry on those.

Now I use a bicycle with a trailer to carry my stuff (a bag with eight radios & camera link, boom, mikes, spare, the whole enchilada for doco) to go downtown Montreal in summer (winter being another story).

I try to avoid using my car as much as I can nowadays.

Jean-Paul Bataille

http://www.youtube.com/batzic

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I wasn't expecting this many responses. Thank you you all.

Well, that trek would solve the issue if i need to carry a case.

as far as trailers i talked to one of my fellow riders that has this trailer and it decently weather proof. http://www.burley.com/home/bur/page_454/nomad.html

I was hoping that it would be possible to carry gear. I am an avid cyclist. I really would prefer not having to drive. I do have panniers and i have looked into trailers. I ask because i wanted to know how people carry their equipment before i go off and figuring out things that have been possibly done already. How are you, those that ride, portaging gear?

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Burly and Bob trailers are both great.

I've done some gigs with a full kit on the back of a Surly Big Dummy, which is a fantastic cargo bike IMHO. I built one for my brother, then immediately borrowed it, strapped 100lbs of gear on the back and rode it to work.

I ride to work when I'm booming if possible. I either leave my poles with the mixers cart, or I carry them on my back. I made a custom case for both of them out of pvc, and attached a guitar strap to sling them over my shoulder.

The snow plow looks cool! I actually wish we got more snow in Seattle, but the mountains are so close, it's almost better that way. Whenever we do get snow in town, me and my fellow cyclocross racers can usually be found out riding around. I actually love riding in the snow, and take it from me, a snowball fight while riding is more difficult than it sounds!

I remember chatting with an Ididabike racer a few years ago, and he was telling me how he used to make snow tires by putting over 100 1" sheet rock screws through his tires from the inside. He also had some of his clothes freeze and crack, so he had to wear a raincoat inside of his insulating layers to keep the moisture in where is could stay warm.

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Ahem, okay, I don't plan to use a bike snow plow next winter...

I actually use the Burley Travoy bike trailer to go working with my kit.

But it took a long time to make a kit small enough to fit.

I began with the SQN 2S years ago (although I use a 552 right now), then replaced all my radios receivers with SR Lectro (I'm using five of them), and replaced things like KMR82 in full Rycote with Sanken CS3 in KTek windscreen, the previous 12' boom with a foldable -again- 9' KTek, etc...

Every bit in my equipment is thoroughly chosen to be the smallest. Which comes at a price. You have to plan what spare is really necessary and what is luxury. But everything goes in a Samsonite suitcase that fit neatly on the bike trailer (or in winter in the subway).

I find the move worth it. But, admittedly, I'm not a fan of cars...

Jean-Paul Bataille

http://www.youtube.com/batzic

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Burley makes good stuff. Also check into the B.O.B. trailers...single rear wheel really improves handling, and they have a dry sack option:

http://www.bobgear.com/

Jim,

in my experience its the other way round. i've used both single and 2 wheel trailers for various things and the only thing the single wheel trailer has over the 2 wheel trailer is perhaps a bit of speed (less rolling and air resistance). Having said, that i do like the way the B.O.B. yak trailers have a suspension option. 2 wheeler trailers are very stable at high and low speeds. They are easier to park up and move around (when not cycling). Best of all i think they would be easier to convert into a (very) small sound cart! (yes, this is on my list of projects :-))))

As for cycling in the deep snow, fatbikes are the way to go but that rubber ain't cheap. eg $100 / tire. Then if the snow melts a bit then freezes you need ice tires:

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

tim,

I will try to post some pics soon. Alternatively PM me and hook up over a beer sometime if you're in London. I'm in hackney. But for now i would say the key to getting the kit and bike thing together is not only well chosen sound kit (to avoid breaking your back) but also well chosen, high quality clothing as you don't want to get too cold/hot/wet on the ride or at work (and there is not much room for extras) - basically merino wool and gortex if you live in the UK.

I do have a small collection of bicycles (5) which covers most types but if i were to get another, i think it would be a brompton for those days when you meet up with the rest of the crew, travel in a crew bus and then finish the day somewhere else. Or want to combine the various conveniences of bicycles with public transport. The brompton also has a very good luggage system and is very ride-able.

The other thing about all this is that our kit is getting smaller and lighter. EG. mixer recorders, dual receivers, more compact boom mics, integrated 2 channel wireless hops. etc I don't use lightweight XLRs as it happens but that is another way to reduce the weight of a bag. I do occasionally fantasize about titanium XLRs and connectors or a carbon-fiber boxed sonosax - it kind of takes my mind of the big hill i'm climbing but it's no substitute for getting your "teeth out" (for those of you who know what i mean).

As for having an accident and coming off; i do just about consider myself more valuable than my sound kit so make this my primary reason for avoiding this sort of thing. Once you do that, the kit looks after itself (in this respect at least).

happy cycling comrades,

Dan.

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If the job's in central London I'll ride to work but as I'm on a fixed gear, anything over about 10 miles takes too long. I fit a 302, boom and a couple of radios plus spares in a Mission Workshop courier bag called the Shed (http://missionworkshop.com/products/bags/messenger/roll_top/large_shed.php) which is awesome.

martin

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  • 2 weeks later...
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I only ride to work if I can get my gear there in another manner. I live in NYC, and cars and their drivers aren't always nice and or safe to be around on a bike. I'm to worried a cabby or some idiot driver not paying attention would take out any trailer I used. As well as dealing with safely locking the bike so that it's going to be there at the end of the day.

I'm loud and angry on my bike when I ride. Not trying to be mean, I just don't want to get hit, again!

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