Camera to record rides: best choice? where to mount?

So in light of recent happenings I cannot discuss at this moment I have been thinking about having a camera to record my commute and rides and protect myself from the costs of not having anything to go off of in case of an incident. So best place to ask I world imagine is here!

For those that record your rides , what camera do you use? Trying not to break the bank so a GoPro is currently out of the budget.

Next, I will only have the budget for one for now but what's the best place to mount it? Helmet, facing the rear on the bike frame, facing front, etc.

I did a search but some dead links came up so sorry if this is a repeat topic!

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Permalink Reply by Chris Hainey on June 23, 2014 at 2:11am

The Kenda Tire rep at the Tour de Farms in De Kalb this weekend showed me this one:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fly6/fly6-cycling-accessory-hd...

 

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on June 23, 2014 at 2:38am


that's a cool piece of technology, but a bit out of my price range and I am stuck with only a taillight. Might be a future purchase though. Chris Hainey said:

The Kenda Tire rep at the Tour de Farms in De Kalb this weekend showed me this one:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fly6/fly6-cycling-accessory-hd...

 

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on June 23, 2014 at 2:45am

I think BSNYC featured the Fly 6 in one (actually two) of his blogs. Ah, here it is:

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com.au/2014/02/constant-surveillance-ro...

and here:

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2014/02/bsnyc-friday-no-quiz-and-in...

Permalink Reply by Andy J on June 23, 2014 at 2:53am

My daughter and I share this Muvi Veho - not quite as nice a picture as a GoPro Black, but less than half the cost, and has a built-in display, plus come with a number of accessories - $140:

http://www.amazon.com/Veho-VCC-005-MUVI-NPNG-Handsfree-ActionCam-Wa...

I've mounted it to my handlebars but the video comes out very bouncy. I'm working on a cheast/breast pocket area solution, which looks like it would be much smoother (can't bring myself to ride around with it on my helmet).

Permalink Reply by Yaniv on June 23, 2014 at 7:22am

I just received my Fly6 on Saturday. Haven't tested the camera on my bike yet, but will update when I do. The led's are very bright and even when the primary led's aren't on, there is a little circle of lights around the actual lens indicating that the camera is recording.

Permalink Reply by Kathleen on June 27, 2014 at 7:57am

I've had a Contour Roam for the past year, with a mount that straps on to a vented helmet. Unfortunately, it seems to have gone up in price since last year (I paid ~$120 on Amazon). The benefits of a helmet mount are that you will record what you see, and your body/spine will stabilize the camera so your footage will be smooth (compared to handlebar mount). There are some cameras that will auto-delete as the memory card fills up -- good because you don't need to plug the camera in to a computer to remove older video files. However, mine doesn't auto-delete. I think I would charge it and delete files about once a week, maybe twice a week.

I was using it regularly when a greater percentage of my commute was on shared roads, but now that most of my commute is on the LFT, I haven't bothered using it much. It did make me feel safer when I was riding; it seemed like drivers would notice it (esp. if stopped with you at a light), and perhaps drive less aggressively. But who knows. 

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on June 27, 2014 at 10:51am
Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on June 27, 2014 at 12:55pm

Thanks for the link.

I realize GoPro defined the "action camcorder" category, they've been on "60 Minutes," everybody loves their stuff, and they had a successful IPO this week, but 10s across the board? Makes me mildly suspicious of the "ratings."

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on June 27, 2014 at 2:50pm

How is the audio on that camera?  I was eyeballing that or the Polaroid one that seems to have some more features and a better price point.

Kathleen said:

I've had a Contour Roam for the past year, with a mount that straps on to a vented helmet. Unfortunately, it seems to have gone up in price since last year (I paid ~$120 on Amazon). The benefits of a helmet mount are that you will record what you see, and your body/spine will stabilize the camera so your footage will be smooth (compared to handlebar mount). There are some cameras that will auto-delete as the memory card fills up -- good because you don't need to plug the camera in to a computer to remove older video files. However, mine doesn't auto-delete. I think I would charge it and delete files about once a week, maybe twice a week.

I was using it regularly when a greater percentage of my commute was on shared roads, but now that most of my commute is on the LFT, I haven't bothered using it much. It did make me feel safer when I was riding; it seemed like drivers would notice it (esp. if stopped with you at a light), and perhaps drive less aggressively. But who knows. 

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on June 27, 2014 at 8:29pm

Yeah, perfect 10's does sound strange.  I'm guessing they're grading on a curve, where the top contender gets 10's and sets the bench marks while the lesser versions get lower marks compared to the #1 camera. What I got out of the comparison between the top two, GoPro & Sony, was that the Sony was less than half the price of the GoPro, more than twice its weight, larger and with less battery capacity--the tradeoffs. The GoPro can shoot 60 frames per second, while the Sony's maximum frame rate is 30 fps (this matters if you want to slo-mo the footage).  If money was of paramount importance, then the second place Sony wins.  If size, weight and battery life are most important, then GoPro's the one to buy.
 
Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

Thanks for the link.

I realize GoPro defined the "action camcorder" category, they've been on "60 Minutes," everybody loves their stuff, and they had a successful IPO this week, but 10s across the board? Makes me mildly suspicious of the "ratings."

Permalink Reply by Richard Stiers on June 28, 2014 at 2:57am

I use a gopro mounted to the basket on the rear of my commuter (see pic). Yes they are expensive, but consider what it may cost you not to record and have the evidence. Consider using a gopro of less expensive cost range, gopro does sell rebuilt cameras with warranty for a reasonable price. Also look on craigslist - someone with an older model or white or silver model may be wanting to upgrade. Also understand the card used will have an effect on the quality of video you are wanting to record. Also consider your smartphone with a time lapse or video mode to record your ride.

Important note - whatever camera/smartphone you use - tether it to your bike!

Permalink Reply by Kathleen on June 28, 2014 at 11:58am

The audio was better than I was expecting. If you are riding and someone in a car next to you is talking to you, you can hear them almost as well as in person, from my experience. And you can hear yourself very well (I took to reading out license plates when someone was driving dangerously in the dark).

Chitown_Mike said:

How is the audio on that camera?  I was eyeballing that or the Polaroid one that seems to have some more features and a better price point.

Kathleen said:

I've had a Contour Roam for the past year, with a mount that straps on to a vented helmet. Unfortunately, it seems to have gone up in price since last year (I paid ~$120 on Amazon). The benefits of a helmet mount are that you will record what you see, and your body/spine will stabilize the camera so your footage will be smooth (compared to handlebar mount). There are some cameras that will auto-delete as the memory card fills up -- good because you don't need to plug the camera in to a computer to remove older video files. However, mine doesn't auto-delete. I think I would charge it and delete files about once a week, maybe twice a week.

I was using it regularly when a greater percentage of my commute was on shared roads, but now that most of my commute is on the LFT, I haven't bothered using it much. It did make me feel safer when I was riding; it seemed like drivers would notice it (esp. if stopped with you at a light), and perhaps drive less aggressively. But who knows. 

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