Riding a bike with M9

My bike commute to work isn't the smoothest, I take precautions for crashes but I'm not overly worried about other factors (bag is waterproof, inside padded etc)
A friend of mine used to commute by moped and the vibrations eventually knocked the RF alignment out of whack, nothing dramatic
 
Thanks for all your answers guys.

I've packed my M9 to old 5$ Zenit camera bag then to my NorthF waist pack. It looks like there is nothing wrong with RF mechanism for over a month so....:)
 
soultheworld said:
my Leica M9 is with me every day.

I ride a Norton Commando and Ducati monster and sometimes a Vespa PX. no problem whatsoever and these twin vibrate nicely. :D
Click to expand...

I'd like to see some pics of the Norton. When I was younger I built a Triton. A Triumph motor on a Norton frame. The Norton motors weren't that reliable. The first brand new vehicle I ever bought was a Duc Monster. 3 months and it was backed into and knocked over a bunch of times. I ended up ditching it and buying a Vulcan 1500cc V4 and turning it into a rat-bobber. I still miss the Duc though. I'm gonna get one again. Unless of course I run across a Vincent Black Lighting dirt cheap.

That being said the Vulcan is a great bike. And fast. I'll take a Duc off the line any day of the week. I've had it up to 135 without coming close to redlining it. That was a little scary for me though...

Screen Shot 2014-05-26 at 1.41.00 AM by _JDT0505, on Flickr
 
Leica M Monochrom + Konica 35/2 UC-Hexanon:

Factory 5 - Night Ride - riding along by teknopunk.com, on Flickr

Factory 5 - Night Ride - tunnel by teknopunk.com, on Flickr

blurrrrr by teknopunk.com, on Flickr

… much more here:

https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=52593619@N02&q=factory

All shots from the back of my bike were done at speed, riding free hands, focussing and framing with the Mono + 35/2 wide open (it was dark, hence ISO800+).
The pack was riding fast (!) through Shanghai at night in normal traffic on open roads.
I chose the Mono, as it's great at high ISO and as fast to shoot, small and light, as any Leica M.
I used the Mono with a standard Leica strap cross body, so I could grab the camera at all times ready to shoot.
The standard strap is also great, as it comes off the camera for a quick rinse and wash after riding and sweating.

I used several digital Leica M bodies since the M8.2 and still keep all of them.
None of my digital M bodies shows any signs of RF alignment out of order what would normally expected (I calibrate my camera's RF ~ once a year, before important uses I double check bodies and lenses with focus targets and touch up the RF setting seldomly).

I carry one or two Leica M digitals in a bag with me every day at all times, driving, riding, walking, jumping. Bags get bumped, stuffed, crunched and sometimes thrown.
I never had a Leica RF out of alignment due to normal handling.
I never had a Leica M falling either though - knocking wood.


Take your Leica M9 out there.
It was made to shoot pictures, not to be a shelf queen or be babied with a collection of precious glass case collectables.
Even current Leica digital Ms are tough cameras and can take more than the regular user would ever throw at them.
You should be more concerned your M9 hurting you on a bike than you hurting your M9. It's a brick of solid metal, potentially knocking you into hospital, no matter where you stick it on a bike.
 
I carry my Monochrome on all of my bike trips, either in a back pack or in a special handlebar bag. Through the AZ dessert, mountains, etc. No issues so for, it just keeps on working. Now to sort out a wide angle lens?
 
I carry my M6 when I go mountain biking. (DH or freeride) I use a f-stop loka backpack with a padded ICU. No problems so far. (knock on wood :))
I skied all winter with my FM2 in a waist pouch, also without problems (plenty of crashes)
The way I see it, these small 35mm cameras were meant to be with you. Recording your life as you live it. Not bringing them is kind of a misuse.
 
Like many others here it seems, I ride with my cameras. (M6 sometimes) without issues. I use a domke wrap for mine.
 
I sometimes have my M6 in a bag on the rear carrier. Typically I put in a fleece pullover. I think it dampens the vibrations quite well.

Having it hanging over my back makes me nervous for I am always afraid of cars, although I didn't crash for a very long while.


----- riding a bike isn't dangerous; driving a car is dangerous, especially for bikers ------
 
No problem, I would say. I always had my M9 with me while I was cycling (Mountain Bike, every day about two hours). Before the R-D1, now my M Type 240 or GF670, depending on my mood. Often in a small biking backpack or simply over the shoulder, because I made many "drive by shots". Never had a problem. - But I have camera insurance, so I may be a little easy about all this.
 
I take mine on my cruiser bike in a Bowery cross-body and also out on the boat in the same bag. No worries from me.

BTW, What's a pannier? Nevermind - google showed me it's a saddlebag but for a bike. I'd be more likely to have luggage on a horse than a bike. But, I'm in Texas...
 
Be careful of having a soft release on the M9 if you're not packing securely. On mine the battery used to run out if it was left depressed!

Slinging it over the shoulder without a bag would probably negate this issue.
 
Well, you asked and were answered on both sides. I, personally, have packed Leicas, Fujis, hassleblads and many, many Nikons in bike panniers over the years and never had any complaints from the hardware. But that's just me.

In the end, you have to evaluate your own situation — risk/reward and all that.
 
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