Gear

The gear I use

This is a dynamic list and one which I am building. What I am trying to list here are the items that I cannot do without, that I use on every trip.

Bikes & Bags

  • Kona Sutra 2021
  • Shimano EH500 SPD Pedals
  • Shimano MT3 MTB Shoes
  • Ortlieb Back-Roller QL3.1
  • Topeak Tour Guide Handlebar Bag

Cameras & Microphones

  • GoPro Hero 8
  • GoPro Media Mod
  • Sennheisser ME2 Lav Mic
  • Apple iPhone 11
  • Sony ZV-1
  • Rode Video Micro
  • Mavic Mini 2 drone

Route & Travel Planning

I use two applications to find and plan my routes:

  1. Komoot – This is a route planning application where I can specify the type of riding (or any other travel) that I want to do, like Cycle Touring or MTB and it will suggest and manage the travel route for me.
  2. Milanote – This is an organizer application. I use it as a planner and scrap book where I can grab and paste notes about an area, shot lists, music ideas, hotels, motels and camp grounds and mix things around to build a travel plan and story structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is that all the gear that you use?

No. These are the core items that I use almost every time I travel. There are some other bits and pieces I use for specific purposes/shoots. For example, I have a FujiFilm XH-1 camera and Manfrotto BeFree Advanced tripod, but they rarely come on bike trips. I also use a Tascam DR-05X for recording foley and other incidental sounds.

2. What software do you use?

I edit my videos using Adobe Premier Pro on a Dell XPS15 laptop. Because I shoot everything in 4k 30FPS I also use Adobe Media Encoder to make proxy files.

3. Which video camera would you recommend?

I would recommend whichever one you can afford. Start with something simple. Most phones can do a terrific job recording video and sound, but it’s a matter of taking them somewhere interesting and using them. Practice, practice, practice is always more important than the latest gear.

4. How do you keep things charged?

I use a couple of rechargeable batteries which gives me enough power to keep things charged for about three or four days. It’s worth noting that I use Komoot as my GPS/Travel planner app and I run it on my phone all day when I’m riding, so the smaller of my two batteries is used just to keep the iPhone powered all day.

It feels better to do stuff than have stuff.