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Anyone ride with cameras?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Anyone ride with cameras?

Old 08-07-18, 09:45 PM
  #1  
spectastic
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Anyone ride with cameras?

I was just in a close call with a car. it was a bunch of kids who were driving in from the opposite direction, and suddenly turned into my lane, to scare me. if I didn't have the reaction time, i could've easily ran into them, and injured myself and/or my bike. i've had this happen when an a-hole was making a left turn, but this is the first time ever that a driver has intentionally tried to cause harm to me. the two incidents both happened this year, and I think it's time I put a camera on my bike, so that I can protect myself, catch these ****ers and throw them in jail.

i'm looking for recommendations. i believe front facing cameras would be more useful, since that's how most accidents seem to occur. cameras that can record in 1080p, with ability to pick up plates, even in low lighting, and hopefully compatible with gopro mount, which i already have on my bike. finally, i would also like to not break the bank. i'm willing to gamble on used devices.
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Old 08-08-18, 12:18 AM
  #2  
canklecat
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Yup, I use a camera almost every ride. I've told family and friends if anything happens and I'm unconscious or dead, check the video. I ride rural areas a lot and frankly critters -- deer, skunks, possums, armadillos, etc. -- are just as much a hazard as negligent drivers. But we're a little less likely to be killed in a collision with most critters, although deer can curb stomp us and some dogs can be vicious around someone who's injured.

The one time I didn't use my camera was when I was hit by a car this spring. Fortunately there were plenty of witnesses and the driver sorta admitted fault. Still waiting on the settlement. Got medical bills piling up.

Mine is an inexpensive Ion Speed Pro, around $50-$60 on Amazon. Had it for two years as of July, running it on almost every ride. It does the job.

It's compact, cylindrical, tough and weatherproof when the rear cap is attached. Runs about 90 minutes per charge. With an external USB battery it can run indefinitely or until the media card fills, but that requires removing the weather sealed rear cap to access the various ports and controls. Not a problem in good weather.

I've even worn it on my helmet, and it's not too heavy. But neck pain from an old C2 vertebrae injury began nagging me this year so I mostly use the handlebar mount.

Most of my cycling friends who also use rear cameras swear by the Cycliq Fly 6. I'm not sure about the Fly 12 but it's probably very good too.
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Old 08-08-18, 12:29 AM
  #3  
CliffordK
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I've picked up a Fly6 that I'm now running on the rear most of the time. I'll probably look for a front cam or a helmet cam shortly.

My one issue with the Fly6 (older version) is that it does very poorly with low light conditions. What good is a taillight + camera if the camera isn't any good in the dark.

Lots of good high res cameras. I might look at 4K cameras in front. I need to see if a gnat is sitting on the license plate. Actually, I just very much dislike poor quality video, and video that isn't good enough to ID what it was intended to ID.

I had wanted to archive video, but whew... the gigs add up quickly.
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Old 08-08-18, 12:42 AM
  #4  
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Originally Posted by spectastic
i'm looking for recommendations.
Also check with the username ZIPP2001. He rides with cameras all the time, and frequently posts his videos here in the BF. Here's a link to one of them -- https://www.bikeforums.net/triathlon...niversary.html

Dan
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Old 08-08-18, 04:22 AM
  #5  
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No. But ironically, yesterday I watched a guy with a camera mounted to his helmet blow a red light and weave through traffic....
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Old 08-08-18, 05:08 AM
  #6  
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He'll edit that part out, no doubt. It'll be like it never happened.

I think that within in a few years we'll all be "filming" each other, with an eye toward getting the other person in trouble. Could become quite an annoyance, but it might possibly get a few bad people sued or put in jail, that remains to be seen,

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Old 08-08-18, 06:36 AM
  #7  
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I'm not sure there is a bike mounted camera which can clearly capture a license plate.

Lots of discussions on this in the electronics forum including some very knowledgeable about the technology.


-Tim-
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Old 08-08-18, 07:44 AM
  #8  
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I use the fly6 and fly 12 from Cycliq. I have the latest versions and they work pretty well. I can't speak for the older versions, but they can be bought new or used pretty cheap right now. I rarely review the footage, but I can tell you that it will very clearly capture license plates with either the front or rear version of the camera. A few people have been hit in my area in the last year, one was a casualty. That was the deciding factor for me. I'm still going to ride my bike, so if someone hits me and runs, at least there is a good chance of catching them. Cheap insurance in my book. Every once in a while I catch something cool on camera, like a deer in the road that doesn't see me coming!
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Old 08-08-18, 08:01 AM
  #9  
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I prefer to invest my money in good quality bright lights and a good quality high-vis helmet that will help me not get hit in the first place.

I don't really see the point in a camera, if you are dead, doesn't do you much good.
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Old 08-08-18, 08:09 AM
  #10  
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report it to the police. what they did & time/place/location/description of vehicle & occupants. police calls are recorded so you don't have to deal with whether or not the person who answers the phone "thinks" it's worth reporting because you don't have a plate #. just repeat what they did & time/place/location/description of vehicle & occupants. if the cop answering says well there's nothing we can do, just say I called to report what they did & time/place/location/description of vehicle & occupants

just curious, what city/state was this?
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Old 08-08-18, 08:14 AM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
I'm not sure there is a bike mounted camera which can clearly capture a license plate.

Lots of discussions on this in the electronics forum including some very knowledgeable about the technology.


-Tim-
The Fly12 seems to be able to pickup license plate numbers even in the dark: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/05/...th-review.html
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Old 08-08-18, 08:37 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by spectastic
I was just in a close call with a car. it was a bunch of kids who were driving in from the opposite direction, and suddenly turned into my lane, to scare me. if I didn't have the reaction time, i could've easily ran into them, and injured myself and/or my bike. i've had this happen when an a-hole was making a left turn, but this is the first time ever that a driver has intentionally tried to cause harm to me. the two incidents both happened this year, and I think it's time I put a camera on my bike, so that I can protect myself, catch these ****ers and throw them in jail.

i'm looking for recommendations. i believe front facing cameras would be more useful, since that's how most accidents seem to occur. cameras that can record in 1080p, with ability to pick up plates, even in low lighting, and hopefully compatible with gopro mount, which i already have on my bike. finally, i would also like to not break the bank. i'm willing to gamble on used devices.
I don't know if Cycliq Fly6 will break your bank, but it is a great camera with a 7 hr run time.

Originally Posted by maartendc
I prefer to invest my money in good quality bright lights and a good quality high-vis helmet that will help me not get hit in the first place.

I don't really see the point in a camera, if you are dead, doesn't do you much good.
So, you don't ride with cameras and you have no suggestion other than be visible?!?!
The point of the camera, even if you are dead, is to get a lead to the ass-munch who killed you. A bright light and hi-viz accessory is not going to do you much good if the hit was deliberate or the offender is distracted. I've seen emergency vehicles with full-on strobes get hit by a driver on the phone.

Last edited by tagaproject6; 08-08-18 at 08:53 AM.
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Old 08-08-18, 11:26 AM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by maartendc
I prefer to invest my money in good quality bright lights and a good quality high-vis helmet that will help me not get hit in the first place.

I don't really see the point in a camera, if you are dead, doesn't do you much good.
Fly6 and Fly12 cameras have "good quality bright lights" along with the camera. I like the peace of mind I get from knowing that if I were to die because of someone else's negligence, there will be evidence to prove it. I got zero pushback from my wife when I justified the expense of the cameras. To each their own!
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Old 08-08-18, 11:59 AM
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Cue the guy who keeps saying, "But video evidence has never convicted anyone ever, of anything. Can you give an example, just ONE EXAMPLE?"

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Old 08-08-18, 12:04 PM
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I use the Fly12 and Fly6 on all my rides as well. Their battery life is very long and the lights work well. I charge them once a week and before centuries.
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Old 08-08-18, 12:09 PM
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Originally Posted by gregf83
The Fly12 seems to be able to pickup license plate numbers even in the dark: https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/05/...th-review.html
@Capo72 mentioned that as well. It is good to know and this might bring me into the market for one.


-Tim-

Last edited by TimothyH; 08-08-18 at 12:14 PM.
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Old 08-08-18, 12:28 PM
  #17  
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Originally Posted by maartendc
I prefer to invest my money in good quality bright lights and a good quality high-vis helmet that will help me not get hit in the first place.

I don't really see the point in a camera, if you are dead, doesn't do you much good.
I, too, run bright front/rear lights. Despite this, a guy brazenly passed me too close (missed my elbow by less than an inch), and gestured to me to get off the road.

Luckily, I run a Cycliq Fly12. I called the cops. I showed the Officer my footage which clearly depicted the license plate number, explained that the driver did not afford me three feet of passing clearance as required per state law. The Officer stated I explained the situation perfectly, that the driver resided locally, and that he was going to go visit the driver and give him a $120 reason to start caring about how close he passes cyclists. Perhaps this driver will choose to obey the law in the future. Thus, I feel that there is a point to running a camera.

To the OP: I have the older Fly12 & Fly6. I highly recommend the Fly12 -- good image quality, a very bright light, and a long run time. The older Fly6 has poor image quality and the light is so dim it's worthless as a light. I just didn't like the cluttered look of running the Fly6 with my preferred Bontrager Flare R rear light, so I now just run the light and leave the rear camera off. Once I come into funds, I'll likely upgrade to the newer Fly12 CE and Fly6 CE (the latter of which is supposed to be markedly brighter, though I haven't seen any reviews examining the quality of the rear light).
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Old 08-08-18, 12:52 PM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by maartendc
I prefer to invest my money in good quality bright lights and a good quality high-vis helmet that will help me not get hit in the first place.

I don't really see the point in a camera, if you are dead, doesn't do you much good.
At noon on a sunny day last fall I was riding a bright red motorcycle with the headlight on, wearing a silver jacket, and doing 23mph in a 25mph zone.
A pickup truck ran a stop sign at a side street, and knocked the bike right out from under me.
(The sun was behind him.)
I bounced off the side of the truck.
He told the cop that he stopped at the stop sign, but somehow didn't see me.
I provided the video to the cop, proving he ran the stop sign.

That is why you run a camera.
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Old 08-08-18, 01:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Colnago Mixte
Cue the guy who keeps saying, "But video evidence has never convicted anyone ever, of anything. Can you give an example, just ONE EXAMPLE?"

That only happens in A/S.
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Old 08-08-18, 01:12 PM
  #20  
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I don’t have one (yet), but I do see the usefulness in it !

Bright colors and lights to help “them” see you......cameras for when “they” don’t !
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Old 08-08-18, 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by bikecrate
That only happens in A/S.
I have a terrible habit of looking at the "new posts" list, on this board, rather than sticking to a particular sub-fora, as most people here apparently seem to do.

This has resulted in a few rather embarrassingly inappropriate posts in sections of the board designated for special interest things like "Bicycling With Flatulence and Incontinence" or whatever, not realizing that posts there are only intended to apply to people on that sub.

I treat the entire board as "General Interest Cycling", and have paid the price for that a few times.
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Old 08-08-18, 01:20 PM
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I have 2 older Garmin VIRB cameras. The idea being 1 front, 1 rear. They do ok. I've experimented with the different aspect ratios, frame rates and hd video settings. They leave something to be desired in the resolution & frame rate departments. If the speed difference is more than about 10mph or so &/or the car is more than 20-30 feet directly behind you really can not make out the license. It's worse the further off to the side the car is.

They do great to show the general flow of an event though. If that's your concern, then they would do ok.

The battery is just about 90 minutes. So it covered most of most of my rides. They sucked enough juice a lipstick usb battery wouldn't keep up, but a bigger 2amp draw usb battery would. I'd tape the external battery to the seat post. Still required 1 battery per camera though. Eventually I quit using them in favor of 850 lumen strobes lights.

A it says they work with a 64gb memory card, but that means they only tested it with a 64. A 128gb memory card works just fine and hold 15 hours of video.

Your Garmin Edge device also works as a remote stopping/starting as you stop/start your ride. I think it's a bit buggy, but it's nice to covertly snap still pics of that offending car while waiting at a stoplight. To the driver it looks like you are messing with your cycling computer.

I use 'em as dash cams now in my car now with a cigarette lighter usb supply. They are good, but I'd want way better than standard 1080 & at least 3 or 4 hour battery life if I were to make such a purchase again.
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Old 08-08-18, 02:00 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by maartendc
I prefer to invest my money in good quality bright lights and a good quality high-vis helmet that will help me not get hit in the first place.

I don't really see the point in a camera, if you are dead, doesn't do you much good.
OTOH, even if you are dead, it may catch a drunk driver, get him arrested and save someone else from a terrible fate.
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Old 08-08-18, 02:02 PM
  #24  
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And you might come upon some nekkid women too, and have that recorded too.
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Old 08-08-18, 02:40 PM
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While I am able to mostly stick to MUP's and thus use a camera, if I had one I'd try to get one that's fairly visible as "yes I am recording". My experience is that of the 10% of drivers that are jerks, 9% of them are the type of people that have learned from experience to suddenly be well behaved when they see they're being recorded.

In that way I do think it's additional safety to have a highly visible camera on your bike.
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