bcatly

Hi everyone!

I've just been a tad bit worried in regards to my safety considering it's an urban city and was wondering how often your brought into dangerous situations whilst cycling? In the case that someone does knock you over or god forbids injures you/damages your bike, will not having a camera pretty much make your chances of winning a case zero?

I've thought of getting one of the crosstour cameras as a bare minimum camera just for evidence but was wondering what people's opinions are on this first.

bpcyclist

While I have spent a lot of time in London working over the years, I know nothing of its cycling situation, or, for that matter, the detail's of UK cycling/traffic laws. I wonder if these folks (https://forum.cyclinguk.org/) might be a slightly better source of information for you?

I ride every day in a metro area of a bit less than 3 million and do not use any cameras. I have been struck by cars more than once. I suppose having video documentation probably could help, if the other party is at clear fault, but I already carry so much crap on my bike that I don't want another piece of gear. I figure, when it is my time to go, it is my time to go. In the mean time, I am just going to ride.

rumrunn6

cameras are good fun. that looks like an inexpensive unit so might as well see how you like riding with one. I ride with a camera & it's fun. the videos are wicked boring tho. I try to keep my sharing to a minimum. but it is interesting to watch for myself. I remember traffic incidents & occurrences but seeing them & replaying them let's me analyze how I handled a certain spot & helps me be a safer rider, so that's useful

Notso_fastLane

There have now been at least a couple of cases (in England, I think) where drivers were caught, and prosecuted, based almost solely on camera footage. So in your area at least, it seems cameras are potentially a bit more valuable in getting potential idiots off the road.

pdlamb

Have to agree with rumrunn6 re: boring videos. After I got my cameras set up and checked out, I've only looked at the video once. That was to find out what happened behind me, turned out a pickup spun his wheels pulling out after I'd crossed a thoroughfare. There's a lot of things that could have ended up much worse, that some experience and skill kept from happening. Today a tree limb did not fall on my head leaving the house -- not much of a headline (even on Facebook).

Darth Lefty 

Maybe you'll get lucky and be the one who catches the jewel thieves driving a front end loader through the tent wall of the Millennium Dome

Daniel4

I just got a camera a few weeks ago. KB X300 on a sale that costed me $70 Cdn. No way I'd pay $400 for a Gopro.

So now I'm learning that the battery of the KB X300 only lasts a little over an hour. Resolution just isn't the same as your eyes as you can't read the street signs from across the street. The field of view is 150degrees. I haven't been in any incidences yet but what I'm hoping is that it would capture the telephone numbers written on the back and sides of trucks so I can call the company and complain when an incidence do happen.

mcours2006

I had a really close pass once by a city transit bus. I was on a bike lane and the driver drove onto the bike lane to pass me while his own lane was unoccupied and more than wide enough to accommodate the width of the bus. I checked the video. Got the bus number and time of the incident. I emailed the screen shot and a description of what happened to the city. The city replied, apologizing to me and telling me that they had disciplined the driver. So there is value to the camera.

Daniel4

That's encouraging. Can I ask what camera do you have and how long does the battery supposed to last?

mcours2006

I ran two cameras. Both of them were the Ion Pro Lite, which is a bullet-style unit, one on the top of the helmet and the other underneath the saddle rails. Battery life was decent during non-winter months, up to 150 minutes, but the colder it gets that number gets halved, or even less.

Since then one of the Pro Lites has died. I run a Sony AS-50 under the saddle, which has about the same battery life as the Pro Lite, and similar degradation under cold temperatures. I end up charging them twice a day in the winter months. It's a hassle, but not a huge one.

Notso_fastLane

I've discovered the short battery life in my GoPro (Will eventually upgrade to a front/rear camera with a bigger battery) that comes with temps in the mid 20s.

Usually, I can get 90 mins to 2 hrs, but in these temps, it lasts about 40 mins and gives up the ghost. I ordered some spare batteries.

madpogue 

Just curious, but is that with the camera/battery stored in the 20sF before the ride, or is it kept "room temperature" between rides?

General questions to the room -- What are the advantages/disadvantages of handlebar-mounting vs. helmet-mounting a camera. For those who helmet-mount, is there a good way to install both a camera and headlight? Yeah, I've heard that there are integrated camera/light combos, but I'd rather not have to replace the whole thing if/when one device fails, and I'd rather be able to shop for each separately.

rumrunn6

if you're assaulted & get off your bike & the guy runs at you, a camera on the bars will be useless. various cameras mount varies ways, but there's usually some way to get the thing mounted to your helmet. I've toyed with the idea of a camera & a light on my helmet but haven't made that installation, so can't help you. I prefer a helmet cam cuz there's less vibration & better sound w/ the thing on my helmet

also are you considering a 2nd camera facing back?

Notso_fastLane

Room temperature until I put on the velo. And I know it was fully charged because I had just unplugged it after a full night's charging!

madpogue 

Wow; I wonder if anyone in the aftermarket has come up with a "cozy" for the camera to keep it warm while operating outside. Bet there'd be a market for it, if it could fit snugly enough, and still allow normal operation/mounting/etc.

rumrunn6

the cameras I use have available a "silicone protective skin, made for ergonomic handling of the camera. it's a tough rubberized material which protects camera from small scuffs, knocks & bumps & allows access to all controls, mounting system & LED indicator"

I suppose it provides some thermal benefits as well, but doesn't seem designed for that purpose. I have 3 of these cams & usually carry 2. rarely all three. but when one dies, I can just start using another. I usually carry 2, 1 on my helmet & 1 reserved for hand held stuff. when it's really cold I take the helmet cam off & stow it in an inside pocket near my body. the 2nd cam is usually in a warmer pocket anyway.

https://www.ritzcamera.com/product/POLXS100SKING.htm

madpogue 

Does that ^^^^^ camera report/record temperature? Might be interesting to compare, say, a 20-minute ride with/without that cover.

rumrunn6

haha no, but I suppose I could use one anyway & see if it seems to last longer

denada

i don't live in london, but i recently bought a gopro session used from facebook marketplace (like craigslist) with a 64gb micro card for $80 usd including shipping & paypal fees. i can see license plate numbers in the footage (at reasonable distances and speeds, certainly at distances close enough to involve an incident) and it records for about an hour at 1080p/30fps in the chicago cold (i might have gotten lucky in purchasing one where the non-replaceable battery had received little use, but i imagine the majority of gopros on the secondhand market have received little use). it can record 1440p, but it's a 4:3 sensor so the difference between 1080 and 1440 is crop. 1440 adds a bunch more sky and the top of my front reflector to the frame. i could add a b&w filter and it would look like a 1950s film.

i bought it both for fun but also to have record of any incidents. also i wanted to use my fancy blendr mounting system for something cool.