Birding by bike?

[stevetb]

I would like to get into birding by bike a bit more now, and was wondering if anyone has any tips, particularly on how to carry a scope and tripod ( as this is pretty essential for my main patches ), and if this is possible without a rack.

Hopefully someone can help!

Thanks very much,

Steve :t:

[On-Firecrest]

there was an article about this in birdwatching a few months back but i cant find it.
I suppose a scopac/mule would be an easy way to carry your scope.

[Bob_P]

I spent all summer trying to find a solution to this as well as I wasn't allowed to drive. :C

The only thing I found was a Tamrac backpack. They have a dedicated tripod holder built in. They are pretty expensive though.

[NoSpringChicken]

there was an article about this in birdwatching a few months back but i cant find it.
Is this any help? Not in birdwatching though.

http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=71924

[teamsaint]

when Simon Woolley did it a few years ago he did not bother with scope but if you get a thing on the back you can carry scope and folded up tripod without much hassle. we have done that before in norfolk and it has worked okay. having a rucksack is much harder

i presume you will be getting off your bike once you get to keyhaven! or else Roy might have a go at you ;)

[John P]

Birding by bike is perfectly possible, I do it sometimes, I use an ordinary rucksack which I've adapted to attach a scope and tripod (a quarter the price of the commercial ones).

Obviously it's not quite as quick to set up and get on a bird as when carrying it over your shoulder, but there will always have to be some compromise. It's only really a matter of how long it takes you to remove a rucksack from your back and extend the tripod legs.

The biggest plus with a bike is the distance you can cover in a certain time compared to walking. The worst aspect (that I've found ) is the temptation to push on rather than stop and search all those little spots that we find for ourselves and usually spend some time at. The only other downside that I can think of is cycling into a Force 8 along the sea wall.

..........and someone tell Roy (who he anyway?) to mind his own business, or maybe just just tell him that sometimes things are not always as straightforward as he may like to think.

[Sancho]

I often bird by bike, but I gave up trying to manage a big scope and tripod in a rucksack, they were too heavy for all but the shortest cycles. The solution for me was a travelscope. I ended up with a Nikon ED50, but experiments with shoulder-pods and monopods proved unsatisfactory, so now I use a lightweight tripod, and a pair of compact bins, all of which go into my rucksack along with the scope. I´d be reluctant to put any kit on a back-carrier...I don´t think the bouncing around would do it any good.

[Xenospiza]

It is easiest to have the tripod (without the scope) on the back-carrier of your bike if at all possible. A light or absent backpack is more comfortable when cycling...
I used to do this in the Netherlands, but unfortunately, this did not combine well with my (English) rear light which is attached to my saddle (and didn't react too well to being hit by my tripod all the time)...
I´d be reluctant to put any kit on a back-carrier...I don´t think the bouncing around would do it any good.That's true (my tripod is not in one piece at the moment...): you need someting to cushion the bouncing (e.g. a bag with a sweater).
"Saddle bags" on the back of your bike are the best solution I guess, unless you're afraid of falling over, but I've never ventured to getting those.

I now went back to carrying the tripod on my side, wedged with its feet over one of the lashes of my backpack. Not too comfortable, but it's manageable. I dislike the slopes a lot more than feeling slightly lopsided. I used to have a bigger backpack in which I carried everything, but setting up the scope was even more of a hassle.

[stevetb]

Thanks guys. John, id be intruiged to know about this adapted rucksack.
Im not really bothered about getting the backpack off quickly, just something that will get my gear from A-B.
Tom, I'll probably be sticking closer to home, and Roy might have to watch his back ( and his new camera! ).
Sancho, I have been thinking about a compact pod. Any suggestions on which rucksack and tripod to use? My scope is a lightweight 60mm one ( about 800g - Kowa ts614 )

Thanks

[Tim Allwood]

I just put mine (ED78) over my shoulder and head, on the strap. The scope goes across your back. Simple. No need to pay a fortune for any gadgets.

Even easier with an ED50 - on a lightweight tripod or shoulder pod

Tim

[seanofford]

To paraphrase a "Viz" top tip about why you should not waste money on an expensive pair of binoculars, the best solution would be to simply live closer to the areas you wish to birdwatch in.

[James_Owen]

I do a lot of my local birding by bike, and never take my scope. There are lots of trails local to me where frankly I wouldn't want the extra weight, and I like to ride fairly hard for fitness too. Still get plenty enough good views though, and it's nice away from the roads. Sometimes I even get those lovely occasions when something like a Green Woodpecker swoops along the path in front of me on a long downhill, you can't get views like that when you're on foot.
Make sure to check out the Sustrans website for maps and other things (http://www.sustrans.org.uk/default.asp?sID=1150370275692).

Plus your carbon neutral bird list won't know what hit it!

[gi2012]

If going any distance it would be easier to have a rack. I used to have bins and scope in a rucksack and the tripod in a case slung across as well. I found that it could be a bit painful on the back. I managed to get a second hand rack for my bike and now tie the tripod on with a bungee.

Gi

[Sancho]

Any suggestions on which rucksack and tripod to use?
Mine is a Slik Video Sprint, it's not the greatest tripod in the world and you need to hold onto it in a strong wind, but it suffices with a lightweight scope. The rucksack is just a cheap nylon job.

[Cyclops]

Well when i lived in Staffordshire my nearest big bird place was belvide which was 7 miles away so I'd use my bike to get there. Its a great way to get around the only drawback is at the end of the day you feel a bit knackered and have to cycle home again! (Sometimes I'd get a lift tho) Worse tho is if it rains. You wear a waterproof jacket but get wetter on the inside from sweating! Still loved it tho and miss those Belvide days!