How do you transport your gear by bicycle?

[Jerry Fuller]

I have several locations I would like to paint, but access by car is prohibited. Carrying gear by foot would also be a chore. I can easily access by bicycle, but being fairly new to plein air, I don't know what equipment I could use to get my easel, etc. to travel. Have you carried your gear by bike? What tips and tricks can you offer? Even travelling 'light', there's still a certain amount of things you need to bring along.

[Terri Miller]

I think any painting rig that you could fit in a backpack would work for biking. If you're talking about mountain biking on steep terrain, you'd have to get used to the different balance that a 20 lb pack would give you, and you'd step off the bike a lot earlier on climbs.

I've got an Open Box M pochade box, and all my gear except my canvas carrier fits in a backpack. The canvas carrier (corrugated plastic, made by Champion Artmate) straps to the outside of the backpack. You'll have to limit yourself to smaller panels (I prefer 8x10s when hiking to locations).

If you are talking about more "civilized" biking, you can fit an awful lot in paniers or baskets. When I was in art school I commuted by bike to a NY train station, and it was amazing the amount of stuff I could tote on the back!

The problem I found when wanting to combine art and biking was the tendency to remain in motion: once I got into the rhythm, it was hard to remember to stop for the art!

[Alfred Currier]

Well Jerry, I don't know if I really have an answer but, I am an advid cyclist that plein air paints. Last June, I tried an extended trip to Vancouver Island with all my gear plus clothes, etc. My conclusion is that it's great for around town but not for extended trips. I used Ortleib panniers and I also rode an equipted touring bicycle from REI. I have some of the lightest painting gear out there, Open Box M with a minimum of extra weight. Around town, weight is not an issue. I've included my blog post for your information. Have fun. Al
http://alfredcurrier.blogspot.com/2009/06/cycling-and-painting.html

[Jerry Fuller]

Thanks for your insigts, Terri. I don't have many mountains since moving to Florida, but when I figure in a cooler for hydration (big necessity here) and food, and the remoteness of where I hope to go. I wondered about one of those children's trailers that trail a bike.

Terri Miller said:

I think any painting rig that you could fit in a backpack would work for biking. If you're talking about mountain biking on steep terrain, you'd have to get used to the different balance that a 20 lb pack would give you, and you'd step off the bike a lot earlier on climbs.

I've got an Open Box M pochade box, and all my gear except my canvas carrier fits in a backpack. The canvas carrier (corrugated plastic, made by Champion Artmate) straps to the outside of the backpack. You'll have to limit yourself to smaller panels (I prefer 8x10s when hiking to locations).

If you are talking about more "civilized" biking, you can fit an awful lot in paniers or baskets. When I was in art school I commuted by bike to a NY train station, and it was amazing the amount of stuff I could tote on the back!

The problem I found when wanting to combine art and biking was the tendency to remain in motion: once I got into the rhythm, it was hard to remember to stop for the art!

[Jerry Fuller]

Thanks, Al! You may note my reply to Terri about managing a cooler with liquid and food to the remote places I hope to hit. Fortunately, no mountains here in Florida!

Alfred Currier said:

Well Jerry, I don't know if I really have an answer but, I am an advid cyclist that plein air paints. Last June, I tried an extended trip to Vancouver Island with all my gear plus clothes, etc. My conclusion is that it's great for around town but not for extended trips. I used Ortleib panniers and I also rode an equipted touring bicycle from REI. I have some of the lightest painting gear out there, Open Box M with a minimum of extra weight. Around town, weight is not an issue. I've included my blog post for your information. Have fun. Al
http://alfredcurrier.blogspot.com/2009/06/cycling-and-painting.html

[Terri Miller]

Oh, of course (smacks forehead)! I have friends and relatives that go all over creation with kids in their bike trailers. Definitely a great idea for transporting art supplies. Here in So Cal, I do see people grinding up my local mountain with their trailers and I assume they have legs of steel. And the bonus for you would be that your art supplies won't wiggle and squirm!

If you google either "bike trailer" or "bike camping trailer" you'll get a lot of interesting products.

[Barry John Raybould]

I recently travelled around the Guilin area in China on a mountain bike with a basket attached to a panier over the rear wheel. I used a 10"X12" Billups pochade which fitted nicely in the basket, carried 5-10 paintings, all my paint for the day, 2 palette knives and clamps to hold the painting to the box lid. In addition I carried a Benro lightweight tripod in a tripod bag with my brushes rolled up inside it in a cane brushcase. The tripod case strapped on the panier with bungee cords, which I also used to tie down the pochade. It all worked well and saved me having to carry a backpack - which is a little unstable on a bike.

[Jerry Fuller]

Thanks, Barry!

Barry John Raybould said:

I recently travelled around the Guilin area in China on a mountain bike with a basket attached to a panier over the rear wheel. I used a 10"X12" Billups pochade which fitted nicely in the basket, carried 5-10 paintings, all my paint for the day, 2 palette knives and clamps to hold the painting to the box lid. In addition I carried a Benro lightweight tripod in a tripod bag with my brushes rolled up inside it in a cane brushcase. The tripod case strapped on the panier with bungee cords, which I also used to tie down the pochade. It all worked well and saved me having to carry a backpack - which is a little unstable on a bike.

[Carly Hardy]

You can get saddle bags for most bikes. I have some that fit my mountain bike and everything goes into the bags except my new EasyL. It will fit into a backpack but I haven't used it yet while biking. If you keep to a small set of tools for painting and smaller panels, a backpack works great. And you can get a front basket for bikes that will carry a lot of gear too. Main thing is to load up and practice riding before you get out on a trail. Be sure everything is "tied down" and that any weight is balanced.

[Hank Buffington]

In the summer I biked a lot into a city park to paint. My box and tripod fit easily on a little rack on the back of my bike with bungee cords. I didn't need to consider snacks or a chair or umbrella or anything else. My bottle holder on my bike held my drink.

I also have one of those cabooses for my kids that I pull behind my bike. I never considered it for painting gear but that's a good idea if you have a lot of stuff.

[Karen Bowden]

I found this in a separate discussion and thought I'd provide a link to it: http://pleinairartists.ning.com/forum/topics/whats-your-set-up