trek superfly alpha platinum aluminum

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Trek Superfly review

Proven and well-natured performer

justin loretz

Trek, or more specifically Gary Fisher, were the first big name to really ‘get’ 29ers. This understanding of the big-wheel phenomenon is clear from their design philosophy. Their bikes look different and ride differently to other 29ers.

• Highs: The Superfly is easy to ride fast and easy to ride slow
• Lows: It needs a bigger front tyre
• Buy if... You want a go-anywhere, do-anything racer with upgrade potential

Trek’s commitment to carbon is one of the longest-standing in the industry. Their Optimum Compaction Low Void (OCLV) monocoques have 20 years of iterative tweaks to offer frames that are stiff, light and blessed with a comfort factor that makes many other bikes feel like church pews.

Gary Fisher’s G2 geometry reduces trail (the distance between a line to the floor through the centreline of the steerer and a line falling vertically to the ground), which Trek use to increase steering stability. Many mountain bikers like this characteristic, as it enhances performance and confidence on steep or loose surfaces. Add in a tapered head tube for a stiffer front end and a wide, strong, press-fit BB90 bottom bracket, and the Superfly frame is ready for your power.

The Shimano transmission and brakes mix eye-catching XT rear and SLX front derailleurs, a non-series triple chainset, SLX brakes and that solid workhorse, a RockShox Reba fork. The rest of the bike is a trip through the Bontrager catalogue, with everything from grips to tyres from the Trek component arm. No one liked the overuse of blue anodising, which cheapens an otherwise tidy bike. We’d like a slightly more aggressive front tyre too.

All of our testers commented upon the Superfly's easy-riding nature. It goes exactly where it’s pointed, exploiting whatever grip the fast-rolling 2.2in Bontrager 29-1 tyres can find. The Trek gets you doing the basics right – climbing in the saddle without having to over reach, carving turns, railing around uphill switchbacks and letting you take liberties on line choice. Not having to jig about in the saddle to bring both wheels into play is refreshing.

This bike has a proven track record for performance, with the same frame being ridden to numerous World Cup podium spots. That the Trek was also popular with less experienced riders speaks volumes – it has a true pedigree not just as a speed machine, but for riding on dirt. There are more glamorous bikes, but few that ride as well as the Superfly.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio .

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Cranked out: The Trek Superfly FS 9

Primed For Adventure Or The Podium

Being at the forefront of the 29er movement, Trek’s Superfly FS was one of the first full-suspension, cross-country, 29-inch bikes that just felt right. While it has continued to evolve, we wondered if our initial love for the Superfly FS would be reignited with the FS 9.

WHO IS IT MADE FOR? The FS 9 is Trek’s top-tier aluminum offering in the Superfly FS family. As such, it’s designed for cross-country riders and racers looking for a bike that’s ready to pin it straight out of the box, without jumping wallet-first into the world of carbon fiber.

WHAT IS IT MADE FROM? Trek uses its Alpha Platinum aluminum for the Superfly FS’s front and rear triangles. The frame features Trek’s E2 tapered headtube, 142-millimeter rear thru-axle design, PressFit bottom bracket, and internal cable routing.

The Superfly FS rides on 3.9 inches of Trek’s Active Braking Pivot (ABP) suspension, which uses a concentric pivot at the rear axle to keep the suspension active under braking forces.

WHICH COMPONENTS STAND OUT? Trek plays it smart with the FS 9 by spec’ing Shimano XT components throughout. From the brakes to the 2×10 drivetrain featuring the Shadow Plus rear derailleur, Shimano XT provides superb performance for a group of any price.

RockShox has the suspension spec covered with a SID RL fork up front and a Monarch RL rear shock. Both have external rebound adjustments, and the fork has a handlebar-mounted lockout remote lever.

HOW DOES IT PERFORM? Set Up: Getting the suspension sag dialed-in on the Superfly is a quick process thanks to RockShox’s patented sag gradients right on the fork stanchion and shock body. For a balanced cross-country feel, we settled on a firm-ish 25-percent sag.

Ergonomics: We’ve always seemed to feel right at home on Trek’s Superfly models from the moment we swung a leg over the top tube. The FS 9 was no exception. The Superfly features a fairly aggressive rider position without feeling uncomfortably weighted over the handlebars. While the top tube feels fairly short for a large frame, Trek spec’s a long enough stem to allow some room in the cockpit.

Pedaling: The shock features two damping settings: locked and unlocked. With the shock unlocked, there is minimal movement under pedaling forces, and while a racer may look for a firmer platform, we appreciated the small amount of movement to help soak up bumps and keep the rear wheel tracking over loose sections of trail. We only found ourselves using the lockout lever on the road to and from the trail and on long fire road climbs.

Climbing: For an aluminum, full-suspension bike, the Superfly FS is a snappy climber thanks to a relatively low weight and fast-rolling Bontrager XR-1 tires. While we rarely use fork lockouts, during out-of-the-saddle efforts on smooth climbs, the remote fork lockout was quite useful and convenient.

Cornering: Trek has long talked about its G2 29er-specific geometry–and for good reason. The Superfly feels confident through fast, sweeping corners while still maintaining a quick feel around tight switchbacks—an ability many 29ers can’t claim. The low-profile tires that help the Superfly rocket up climbs require some restraint??? when trail conditions are especially loose.

Descending: Trek’s ABP suspension does a great job of getting the most out of the bike’s 3.9-inches of travel, and the bike’s G2 geometry helps it tackle descents with more confidence than many bikes in its class. The RockShox SID fork did a good job eating up small and large bumps alike and felt very balanced with the rear suspension—a trait we’ve come to expect from Trek.

Braking: As advertised, Trek’s ABP suspension design is one of the best when it comes to isolating suspension performance from braking forces. When paired with Shimano’s XT brakes, it’s a perfect match.

TRICKS, UPGRADES OR TIPS? After a flat tire on the first ride out, we were quickly reminded why we’re such big advocates for going tubeless. While many cross-country riders may still prefer narrower handlebars, we think something in the 28-inch range—not much wider than stock—would improve the overall feel of the bike.

BUYING ADVICE Trek’s Superfly FS is a bike that has always seemed to work for us. Whether you’re a cross-country racer or a trail rider looking for a fast and agile bike, the Superfly’s balanced ride characteristics will likely suit you. With a parts spec that leaves nothing to be desired, the FS 9 is ready for an all-day epic or the podium, right out of the box.

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Review: Trek Superfly SS singlespeed 29er

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I'm with Bryce Moore from the FB comments. This might be the lightest bike available for $1600, but at that price you would think they'd throw buyers a bone and spec decent brakes.  

Braking is overrated, however, the rest of the spec is nice, intriguing bike for the dough  

Chicken_Rider

Seems to expensive for the list unless the frame is made of platinum or this is some uber rare fork.  

I think that all of the haters complaining about the price don't understand the economies of scale here. This is their top end aluminum frame. Trek makes a bike with the same frame (Superfly 5) with an inexpensive RS XC32 fork and mixed Shimano/SRAM drivetrain for the same money, true, but they will sell thousands and thousands of those. This bike has unique dropouts, a carbon fork, through axles front and rear, and some low volume SS specific parts. They will sell only a few hundred of this bike, which makes it way more expensive to manufacture. And it weighs 20 lbs. Sounds like a value to me. Nice review Kurt.  

I own this bike and consider it a great value. I am just as fast on this bike as I am on my $5,000 anthem advanced 1. This bike will make you a stronger and better rider. There is no price for that.  

Cayenne_Pepa

I say $1600 for a new, 20lb bike is simply unheard-of, in today's MTB circles. I'm curious to demo one now!  

you need to get Rich Dillen to test this out... he's one of the oldest SS around... teamdicky.blogspot.ca ...  

I would just buy a Nashbar 29er single speed for $350, and be done with it... hehehehe. Oh Oh.... let me brace myself for the firing squad. Honestly, I have mine down to 23 pounds, along with a Salsa fork at an XL size, and the geometry is amazing for a bike at this price. I could maybe go down a little more in weight, but why? I find any bike less than 23 pounds twitchy, and unbalanced. I sold almost all my expensive bikes after realizing that most bikes are just over priced. This Trek is just ridiculous at $1600. Not even Richie Rich would pay $1600 for this bike with single speed.  

you can't possibly believe a nashbar and a superfly ride anywhere near the same, do you?  

if the tensioning system is a ***** on the trail then fixing tyres must be fun  

stopokingme1

Actually no, fixing tires is a breeze. The QR 12 thru axles just unclamp and unscrew - pull the wheel right off. Its adjusting the chain length that is a hassle due to the 22mm bolt thats the issue - but the really isn't a normal kind of field repair someone has to do. the only reason you'ld normally have to deal with that is if you didn't torque it down hard enought before you went out. I've never had mine slip, either on this bike or on my Trek Stache 29+ that uses the same system.  

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Alpha Platinum Aluminum frame (Superfly 2012) v Pro Aluminum Frame (Paragon 2011)

• Thread starter JoMo0021
• Start date Mar 27, 2012

Apologies if this is a dumb question? Can anyone tell me if Trek's new Alpha Platinum Aluminum frame on the 2012 Superfly AL Elite 29er is an upgrade of material over the original Paragon 2011 model using the Pro Aluminum Frame using material grade 6061? Bikeforce in Fremantle have a sale on right now offering both models for $1,999.95 which is great as I've been advised a minimum discounted price from other LBS of $2,300 for the SF Elite in 19" size?? Is the Paragon a better investment as its RRP is $100 more than its replacement 2012 replacement model being the AL Elite. http://www.bikeforcefremantle.bikeit.com.au/browse/bikes/category/189-29er Many thanks!  

tomli123001

Go with the newer 2012 superfly. The frame name is only just marketing hype, the geometry and the welds are more important at this price range. The superfly's frame material sounds more interesting anyway over the 6061 paragon. Also, you need to look at the components. Superfly has new SLX brakes are said to be like XT with really good review, which I consider much better than the Elixir 5 on the paragon. The drivetrain is different also, I usually prefer XT over X7/X9 combo, after owning them both. Up to you, man. Both are good. If me with that $2000 cash, I would go and buy a dual suspension Giant on special price everywhere at the moment.  

tomli123001 said: Go with the newer 2012 superfly. The frame name is only just marketing hype, the geometry and the welds are more important at this price range. The superfly's frame material sounds more interesting anyway over the 6061 paragon. Also, you need to look at the components. Superfly has new SLX brakes are said to be like XT with really good review, which I consider much better than the Elixir 5 on the paragon. The drivetrain is different also, I usually prefer XT over X7/X9 combo, after owning them both. Up to you, man. Both are good. If me with that $2000 cash, I would go and buy a dual suspension Giant on special price everywhere at the moment. Click to expand...

crash bandicoot

Trek are about to have a sale on various bikes including the superfly al elite, rrp is now $1999.  

crash bandicoot said: Trek are about to have a sale on various bikes including the superfly al elite, rrp is now $1999. Click to expand...

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Kuznetski Most area in Moscow

Kuznetski Most is a small area between Tverskaya street, Kremlin, and Kitai Gorod (Lubyanka) and it's a downtown of Moscow. First of all, 'Kuznya' is a great place to walk: it is a real Moscow area, not a postcard at all, hectic busy streets neighbour tranquil lanes and courtyards with traditional architecture. There are also many very nice cafes, restaurants, clubs, and shops. If you want a cool place to meet people, go for a walk and to get the real feeling of the city, check out this area.

Long time ago there were only half-broken low wooden houses in Kuznetski Most area, and it was the place where poor blacksmithes lived. Blacksmith is 'Kuznets' in Russia, hence the name. In the beginning of the street (on top) there was a bridge over a small river, later this river was put underground, so there's no bridge anymore. About 200 years ago there was a rich Moscovitan noble buying this area. He immediately put away all the blacksmiths' houses and started to build a fancy new district. Just in few years he built up beautiful houses, with impressive ornaments, rich decoration, pools in the courtyards. Also, he opened some French boutiques in the area. That's when Kuznetski Most started to become fashionable. In a short time all the elite moved to this  area, and those who wasn't so fast were coming here to make some shopping and to sit in many of the restaurants and cafes around.  In the 20th century, when the communist times arrived, most of the buildings were given to government offices, some were given to soviet shops. The area became boring, the architecture was slowly deteriorating , but nobody seemed to care. In the beginning of the 90s  the area was revived again: the buildings were  restored , there was many new cafes being opened, boutiques, and shops. One important landmark of Kuznetsky Most is that it's home to FSB (Federal Security Bureau - former KGB) offices, and if you walk along Kuznetsky Most street you can get to the FSB reception, which is open 24 hours (in case you have something to report).  

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Trek Superfly 100 AL

• AUS $ NZD $ USD $ CAD $ GBP £ EUR €

Colour / Metallic Black/Catalyst Orange

Size / 15.5, 17.5, 19, 21, 23

At a glance

Where to buy.

Specifications

• Frame Frame Alpha Platinum Aluminum main frame & stays w/ABP Convert, magnesium swing link, G2 Geometry, E2 tapered head tube, replaceable derailleur hanger, 110mm travel
• Fork Fox Evolution Series 32 Float 29 RL, air spring, lockout, rebound, custom G2 Geometry, 51mm offset crown, 100mm travel, 100mm
• Shock Fox Performance Series Float RP-2 w/ProPedal, rebound; 7.25x1.75", tuned by Trek in California
• Hubs Bontrager 28-hole FCC alloy front hub, Shimano M525 32-hole alloy rear hub;
• Wheels Bontrager Mustang Disc 29 rims, Tubeless Ready
• Tires Bontrager 29-1 Expert, 29x2.2"
• Chain 17.8, , 44/33/22
• Crank SRAM S1000, 44/33/22
• Bottom Bracket 12.8,
• Front Derailleur SRAM X7, direct mount
• Rear Derailleur SRAM X7
• Shifters SRAM X7, 10 speed
• Brakeset Avid Elixir 1 hydraulic disc brakes, Avid Elixir 1 hydraulic disc brakes
• Handlebar Bontrager Race Lite Low Riser, 31.8mm, 5mm rise, 9 degree sweep
• Saddle Bontrager Evoke 1
• Seatpost Bontrager SSR, 31.6mm, 20mm offset, 31.6, , 31.6,
• Stem Bontrager Race Lite, 31.8mm
• Grips Bontrager Race Lite, lock-on
• Headset FSA NO.57E, E2, ACB sealed bearings

Q: How much is a 2012 Trek Superfly 100 AL?

A 2012 Trek Superfly 100 AL is typically priced around $2,340 USD when new. Be sure to shop around for the best price, and also look to the used market for a great deal.

Q: Where to buy a 2012 Trek Superfly 100 AL?

The 2012 Trek Superfly 100 AL may be purchased directly from Trek .

Q: What size 2012 Trek Superfly 100 AL should I get?

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Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Apr 24 2017

City Street Guides by f.d. walker: A Street Photography Guide to Moscow, Russia

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, street walks, street tips, safety concerns, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

At over 12 million people, Moscow is the largest city in Russia and second largest in Europe by population ( Istanbul is #1). An urban, cosmopolitan metropolis with more than enough glitz and glam to cater to the elite, but without losing its fair share of Soviet era roughness around the edges. It can be fast paced, brash, busy, and trendy like other big cities, but it has its blend of West meets Russia atmosphere and beauty that provides plenty of unique interest. The Red Square is as famous as it gets, but there’s so much more to this city, including the most beautiful subway system you’ve ever seen. It would take years to capture all of Moscow, but that means you have an endless amount of areas to discover.

So here’s a Street Photography guide so you can be ready to capture all that Moscow has to offer before you even arrive!

• Patriarch’s Pond
• Old Arbat Street
• Maroseyka Street
• Tverskoy Boulevard

Top 5 Street Spots:

1. red square.

The Red Square is the most famous square in not just Russia, but all of Eastern Europe. The name actually doesn’t come from the color of the bricks or communism, but from the name in Russian, Krásnaya, once meaning “beautiful” before its meaning changed to “red.” This large plaza is what you see on the cover of guide books and magazines for Moscow, with St. Basil’s Cathedral being the center piece next to Lenin’s Mausoleum surrounded by the Kremlin Wall. Of course, the Red Square attracts hordes of tourist due to the main attractions, but all that activity around an interesting atmosphere does provide street photo opportunities. It’s also the central square connecting to the city’s major streets, providing a good starting point to explore outward.

You’ll also find the popular pedestrian only Nikolskaya Street connecting the Red Square to Lubyanka Square. This line of expensive shops includes plenty of activity, while also leading you to another popular square. Filled with history rivaling any city, the Red Square and surrounding areas are the heart and soul of Russia.

2. Patriarch’s Ponds

Patriarch’s Ponds is one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in Moscow. Despite the name being plural, there’s only one large pond, but it’s worth a visit with your camera. It’s a popular spot for locals and expats to come relax or take a stroll around the pond. You get an interesting mix of young and old too, from young love to “babushkas” feeding pigeons. It’s a very peaceful park atmosphere in one of the nicer areas within the city center, while bringing enough activity for street photography. 

The pond is shallow and in the winter becomes a popular spot for ice-skating too. The area is also well-known for the location in the famous Russian novel, The Master and Margarita. 

3. Old Arbat (Stary Arbat)

Old Arbat is the most famous pedestrian street in Moscow, and dating back to the 15th century, also one of its oldest. Originally, it was an area of trade, but soon became the most prestigious residential area in Moscow. During the 18th century, Arbat started attracting the city’s scholars and artists, including Alexander Pushkin. Cafes lined the streets and impressive homes filled the neighborhood. Since then, New Arbat street was created as a highway in the area, while Old Arbat was paved for a 1km pedestrian only walkway.

Due to the historic buildings, famous artists that lived here, and the bohemian atmosphere, Old Arbat has become a big attraction for tourists today. Now, there’s a mix of cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops, street performers, street merchants and other attractions for visitors, and some locals, to come enjoy. It can get really busy here and there’s usually something interesting going on so it’s a good street to come walk with your camera for guaranteed life.

4. Gorky Park

One of the most famous places in Moscow is Gorky Park. The official name is Maxim Gorky’s Central Park of Culture & Leisure, which gives you an idea of what goes on here. When built, it was the first of its kind in the Soviet Union. Divided into two parts, it stretches along Moscow River. One end contains fair rides, foods stands, tennis courts, a sports club, a lake for boat rides, and more. This end brings more active life due to its number of attractions, while the other end is more relaxed, where you’ll find gardens, trees, older buildings, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Gorky Park attracts mostly locals so it’s a good spot to capture the non-tourist side of Moscow life. Muscovites come here to escape the city and unwind in a picturesque setting. The park remains alive outside of the warmer months too, especially when the lake turns into the city’s largest outdoor skating rink. I’d recommend taking the metro out here to spend at least half a day exploring the massive park’s life with your camera.

5. Maroseyka Street

Maroseyka Street is a popular area not too far from the Red Square. The long, winding street turns into Pokrovka and is lined with restaurants, cafes, bars and places to stay. It’s actually where I like to stay when I’m in Moscow due to its location and solid street photography opportunities itself. You have Kitay-gorod station near and if you keep walking southwest, you’ll get to the Red Square. But if you walk northwest, as it changes to Pokrovka, you can find a long street of activity for photography with its own interesting atmosphere.

6. Tverskoy Boulevard

Tverskoy Boulevard is the oldest and longest boulevard in Moscow, beginning at the end of Nikitsky Boulevard, and finishing at Pushkin Square, a spot to come for activity itself. The boulevard is made up of two avenues, with pedestrian walkways in-between. You’ll find grass, shrubbery, trees, benches and more walking it’s almost kilometer length. Many people come here to enjoy some relaxation, walk their dog, or just to use it to walk wherever they’re going. Its center location also provides a nice place to walk with your camera near plenty of other spots you’ll want to check out anyway.

Sample Street Walk:

For a full day of Street Photography, covering some of the best spots, you can follow this sample street walk for Moscow:

• Start your morning walking around the Red Square (1), while exploring the surrounding area, including Nikolskaya Street
• Then walk northwest to Patriarch’s Ponds (2) and slowly walk the pond and surrounding area with your camera
• Next, walk east to the Pushkin Monument and stroll down Tverskoy Boulevard (6)
• Once Tverskoy Boulevard (6) ends, it will turn into Nikitsky Boulevard. Follow this down until you get to the start of Old Arbat Street (3), across from Arbatskaya station
• After you’re done walking down Old Arbat Street (3) for more street photography, spend some time checking out Moscow’s beautiful metro stations
• To finish off the day with more street photography, get off the metro near Red Square (1) again, Maroseyka Street (5) or wherever you’re staying for the night.

3 Things I’ll Remember about Shooting in Moscow:

1. museum metro.

The Moscow metro system was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union and today includes 203 stations across 340km of routes. The elaborate system has some of the deepest stations in the world too, with escalators that seem to go on forever. None of this is what makes it so special, though. Many of its stations feel like stepping inside a museum, making it without a doubt the most interesting and beautiful metro system I’ve been in.

When built, Stalin wanted to make the metro stations “palaces for the people” with marble, chandeliers, and grand architecture. The best part is the variety of architecture and styles used, making many of the stations a completely different experience visually. You could easily spend a whole day traveling the stations and there are even tours available for people who wish to do just that. My advice, though, would be just to buy a ticket and hop on and off at different stations, while exploring different lines. The museum-like surrounding mixed with the crowds of characters can make for a great photography experience.

Since there are so many stations, here are some of my favorites to check out:

• Novoslobodskaya
• Mayakovskaya
• Elektrozavodskaya
• Komsomolskaya
• Ploschad Revolyutsii
• Dostoyevskaya
• Prospekt Mira

2. Moscow is Big

It’s no secret that Moscow is a big city, but it can feel even bigger with how spread out much of it is. This is especially true if you compare it to cities outside of Asia. If I compared it to cities in Europe, I’d probably say only Istanbul would warrant more time to really discover the depths of this city. Most only explore around the Red Square and surrounding area, but that is such a small part of the city. Although, that central area does give you plenty to see on its own.

Fortunately, I had a good friend living in the city to show me around, but it opened up my eyes even more to how much there is to discover in Moscow. It’s a big city with a variety of atmosphere that can take you from “east” to “west” and trendy to rugged depending on where you go. I’d imagine you’d have to live here a while to really know the city.

3. Cosmopolitan Mix of East meets West

Modern skyscrapers mixed with amazing architecture, a world-class metro system with museum-like beauty, trendy fashion and chic clubs, Moscow is a rich mix of Russian culture and history in a more western cosmopolitan package. There is a push to keep the Russian culture, while also pushing forward with a modern metropolis the whole world will envy. This comes with an impressive skyline, that continues to grow, and endless modernities, but with soviet nostalgia and atmosphere mixed in for good measure.

Mixed in with this grand western cosmopolitan atmosphere, is a strong national pride in Russia. This includes their famous leader, Vladimir Putin. Maybe no other place will you see a country’s leader more often. All over, from the pricey tourist shops to the underground walkway stalls, you’ll find goods with Putin’s likeness covering them. From t-shirts to magnets to Matryoshka dolls. There’s a strong national pride that can be seen around the city, which also extends to their leader. Moscow is many things. It’s East meets West, modernizations meets Soviet era, and a whole lot more.

What To Do For a Street Photography Break?:

Eat at a stolovaya.

Stolovayas are Russian cafeterias that became popular in the Soviet days. You grab a tray and walk down the line of freshly prepared local dishes, and select whatever you want from the chefs. They’re usually inexpensive and a much better value than restaurants, while giving you the opportunity to try from a wide selection of everyday Russian food. They’re also very tasty. I always include some borsch on my tray and go from there. The places themselves are all over Moscow and usually come with Soviet-era aesthetics to complete the experience.

Street Safety Score: 7

*As always, no place is completely safe! So when I talk about safety, I’m speaking in general comparison to other places. Always take precaution, be smart, observe your surroundings and trust your instincts anywhere you go!

Being the 2nd largest city in Europe with over 12 million people, you’re going to have your dangerous areas, but for the most part, it feels safe walking around. Russia is statistically higher in crime compared to most of Europe, but this generally doesn’t apply to tourists and visitors. Around the Red Square and surrounding city center, you should feel completely safe walking around. Pick pocketing can happen, but no more than other touristic places. I always explore Moscow freely without coming across too much to worry about. It’s a spread out city, though, so of course it matters where you are. Just use basic street smarts, know where you are and Moscow shouldn’t give you a problem. 

People’s Reaction Score: 7

Moscow is fast paced, big city life, which usually means people aren’t too concerned with you, or your camera. I don’t find people notice or pay much attention to me when I’m out taking photos in Moscow. For the most part, people just go about their day. You shouldn’t get too many looks or concern. But it can depend on the area you are in. The more you stick out, the more you might get noticed with suspicions. I’ve never had any problems in Moscow, or Russia, but just be careful who you’re taking a photo of if you get out of the city center. Other than that, it’s about average for reactions. 

Street Tips:

Learn the alphabet .

Much of Moscow, including the metro system, doesn’t use english. The Russian alphabet uses letters from the Cyrillic script, which if you aren’t familiar with it and don’t know the sounds, can be hard to decipher the words. This is most important for street names and metro stops when trying to get around. It can save confusion and make it easier getting around if you learn the basic alphabet. At the very least then, you can sound out the words to see which are similar in the english conversion, which can help matching them to maps. When out shooting street photography, getting around is as important as anything. So save yourself some time and frustration by learning the Russian Alphabet.

Use the metro

While Saint-Petersburg feels very walkable for a city its size, Moscow can feel very spread out, even for its bigger size. Outside of the Red Square area, you can have plenty of walking before getting anywhere very interesting, so you’ll need to take the metro a lot if you really want to explore the city. Maps are deceiving here too, it will always be further than it looks.

Another reason it’s less walkable than Saint-Petersburg is its completely different set-up. Moscow’s streets are mostly contstructed in rings with narrow, winding streets in-between. This is common with medieval city cities that used to be confined by walls, but you usually don’t have it in a city this massive. Saint-Petersburg has a more grid-like pattern that also uses the canals to help you know your way around. When it comes to navigating on foot in Moscow, it can be more difficult, so bring a map and take the metro when needed. It’s why Moscow’s metro carries more passengers per day than the London and Paris subways combined.

Explore other areas if you have time

Moscow is really big. While most people stay around the Red Square within the Boulevard Ring, there’s so much more to the city. I covered some other spots outside of this circle, but if you really want to see the city, you’ll need time. If you do have time, some other areas I’d check out first are Zamoskvarechye, along some of the south and western Moscow.

Inspiration:

For some more inspiration, you can look through the Street Photography of Moscow photographer Artem Zhitenev  and check out 33 of my photos taken in Moscow .

Conclusion:

Moscow’s name brings a certain mystique, but once you’re there it might bring a different atmosphere than you expect. It’s big and sprawling, but beautiful in many ways. It can feel like a European capital on a grand scale, but you can definitely find its Russian side in there.

The urban sprawl of Moscow can be intimidating, but give it enough time and you’ll be rewarded with plenty to discover. All with the world’s best metro system to take you around.

I hope this guide can help you start to experience some of what Moscow contains. So grab your camera and capture all that Moscow has to offer for Street Photography!

If you still have any questions about shooting in Moscow, feel free to comment below or email me!

(I want to make these guides as valuable as possible for all of you so add any ideas on improvements, including addition requests, in the comment section!)

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