Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology

Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10

Two legs good, four legs better?

Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology

It must be close to 11 in the morning as I took a rest to survey my surroundings. The sun was ablaze on the skies of Nongsa, a rather rustic yet charming part of Batam, Indonesia. There was only one word to describe how I felt: breathtaking.

And I do mean it quite literally. After all, weeks before this, I was still a ‘nobody’ in my hectic world of busyness attending to my day to day chores. But on 9th May 2015, I assumed the role of a cyclist, alongside other professional cyclists in the Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015. It was an assignment like no other. And it came without prior training. My last attempt at man-handling a bicycle was probably more than 3 years back where I last cruised East Coast Park to unwind for the weekend. But I was by no means a pro-cyclist, mind you. So my presence at this cycling competition baffled me more than anything else.

Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
If you think cycling on the roads of Singapore is already something, you ain’t know anything yet.

I call the roads of Nongsa “unforgiving” as I encountered slopes with elevation of more than 40 degrees! I wouldn’t have mind if it was all a downslope affair, but I had to go through these several times! So yes, my legs ached and I immediately regretted skipping “legs day” at the gym, a mistake that I would definitely rectify.

I wasn’t on a mission to win the competition though. After all, we were talking about professionals hailing from countries like Japan who were taking part in the King of the Hill category (60km) while I was pretty much a wannabe in the ‘Wannabe’ category doing a 24km route.

Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
Competitors whizzed past under the scorching heat

I was halfway through the inaugural Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 event, and had already completed probably 12km of my ride climbing up and down “mountains”. I was on a rather special mission to document my journey – I had something on my head. This, too, I meant it literally. 🙂

Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
Giving a thumbs-up while I still tried to act all gungho when I was perspiring like mad inside. Yup, still glam though.
Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
On my helmet was the Casio EXILIM Ex-FR10

The latest feature from Casio works like a breeze. As you see, you can separate it into the camera module, which can be attached to almost anywhere. In this case, we had it attached to our helmets. The other part attached to our bicycle was the LCD-equipped controller. It basically allows you to browse options and view images or videos taken from the camera.

The camera module easily docks or detaches from the LCD-equipped controller providing three distinct styles of shooting when using the EX-FR10. It can either function as a ‘Conventional Camera’ by docking and folding the camera module on its hinge, used in ‘Selfie’ style with the camera upright and LCD screen facing self-wards, or transformed to the innovative ‘Split’ style by detaching the module and shooting remotely with the controller or hands-free using the interval shooting function.

Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
The “spare parts” for my bike certainly looked chic, don’t they? They don’t just look pretty though. Each set comes with functional accessories like the multi-angle belt set, multi-angle grip and tripod adaptor for easy attachment and rotation.
Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
Taking a closer look at the LCD-equipped controller. You are able to toggle between taking photos and videos, and even doing both at the same time using the “interval” function.
Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
Testing out my camera, with the image captured on the LCD-equipped controller.
Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
I could easily attach the LCD-equipped controller onto my bike and tilt to my desired angle, fuss free.

And should I go on to say that this is a godsend for outdoor enthusiasts? Weighing at a nimble 175g, the EX-FR10 is designed not only to be light and compact, but also dust- proof, splash-proof and resistant to drops of up to two metres, complete with an attachable lens hood for extra protection.

A better show and tell would be to have a peek at how the EX-FR10 served me during the race:

I’m sure you could vividly hear the sounds of the wind gushing past me as I traversed my way downslope. The rush of adrenaline was fantastic, if not therapeutic.

With that, I’m pretty sure that a lot of outdoor fanatics out there would have another gadget option to add to their list, this being a recommended one. Not just that, selfie lovers have yet another reason to rejoice as well, for the EX-FR10 is perfect for taking selfies – go ahead and attach the camera and hang it anywhere while you find the perfect angle for a flattering shot.

 

Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
With other folks from Team Casio before the race kicked off at 9am. We were EX-FR10 camera-ready no doubt!
Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology
And alas, I got my medal! A ‘gruelling’ journey ended on a sweet note. 🙂

Casio Nongsa Cycle 2015 feat. the EX-FR10 - Alvinology

There goes a famous Chinese proverb that says that “The journey of a thousand miles begins from one step.” Having now took the first step (and pedal), I could only anticipate new adventures to happen. And when they do, I’m going all out to embrace them. 🙂

 

This modular-designed EXILIM EX-FR10 camera is available in three colours (Orange, Green and White) at a Suggested Retail Price of SGD$699.00 and can be found at all Casio authorised retailers in Singapore.

Follow me on instagram @nightcharmer for more adventures!

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