BassNotBass

It's been pretty slow today here on the Folding Bike sub-forum so I thought I'd add a new thread to increase a little participation. I'm really interested to see video footage of other people's commutes/rides on their folder(s). This was done over on the commuter's sub-forum (where I first submitted this vid) and I thought it would be a great addition here as well.

Please submit your entries. This is one of the routes I take to work. It was the first video I took with my newly acquired (Feb 2013) Contour Roam sport video cam. I obviously exercised my editing rights by compressing the timeframe (less of an ordeal to watch) and adding a soundtrack.

Feb 2013 on my Citizen Miami

smallwheeler

excellent.

Still Pedaling

Man that was great. I love doing video editing, and at present I'm using two Vegas programs. A couple of years ago I was seriously thinking about getting the Go-pro. I thought about one of the Contour models, but I just wasn't sure whether to go with one of these cams or not. I had so much invested in camera gear as it was. Now you've got my juices flowing again -- darn you . What do you think about the video stability of these little cams? Being of such small size I sort of questioned its stabilization methods/qualities. In normal running speed do you find the video output somewhat jagged or is is relatively smooth? I might go with one later on, but others things first. I do have to prioritize with my rather skinny wallet problem .

Thanx for showing it. I really enjoyed it.

Cheers
Wayne

Edit: I meant to ask what bike are you riding, and how you mounted the cam?

BassNotBass

I really like the Contour Roam although it may lack in some respects. What I like about it is that it's sleek, like a flashlight instead of like the GoPro which is blocky like a point and shoot and the camera itself is waterproof in even heavy rain. Also the Contour has one big on/off switch so even if it's on my helmet and I'm wearing gloves, it's easily turned off and on and gives me an audible signal letting me know I switched it successfully. It's downside is that it doesn't have a screen to view video I've captured so I have no idea what the video looks like until I've uploaded it to a laptop.

One caveat... I took my Roam to Scotland to video the trip. However I failed to test the mounting quality of the waterproof case that I bought for it before heading out (the case extends it's waterproof abilities from complete water immersion of 1m deep for ~30 minutes to indefinite immersion in water deeper than I'd ever go... I bought the case mainly as a shock and dirt protector for the camera) so the video that I captured was very shaky... something that didn't come to light until I got home from the trip since I didn't have room to bring a laptop with me and check the quality while still on vacation/holiday. This was especially problematic since sites like YouTube recognize shaky video and tries to compensate for it via software manipulation thereby resulting in poor video quality. On top of that I mounted the camera/case to the frame of my bike so the ill fit combined with road shock transferred through the frame made the footage very unstable and shaky.

In short it's a great camera to mount anywhere by itself. However if it's in the waterproof case, mounting it on the frame may be hit or miss... it's better to mount it on a helmet.

As for useful features, I can adjust (via software) mic sensitivity, video from 1080 HD wide-angle to 960 "normal" to 720 HD (almost fish-eye wide) all at 30fps. And since the ROAM is "old tech" I got it for about $100. Also, no matter how the camera is mounted, you can adjust the lens in relation to the horizon via a laser pointer.

BassNotBass

This was on my Citizen Miami and the camera was mounted via one of the included mounts adhered to the frame. I later bought a frame mount which I used on my trip to Scotland (on my Bike Friday with yellow waterproof case) before removing the first mount from the Miami's frame and adhering it to my helmet for subsequent videos such as my commute to work in the rain video posted elsewhere here on the Folding Bike sub forum.

CenturionIM

I like how most of the cars give you a wide berth.

BassNotBass

It's all about "taking the lane". For the past month I've been riding with a co-worker to show her the ropes of commuting by bike since she'd just begun bike-commuting. The last couple of weeks I let her take the lead and in her newbie timid way she'd hug the far right portion of the lane (of a multi-lane one-way, mind you) and as expected, cars would squeeze by in our lane with only inches to spare. When I stopped following directly behind her and rode in the middle of our lane, cars no longer attempted to pass. Sure there were irate drivers yelling at me to move aside or get on the sidewalk but at least they'd get into the other lane to pass.

patrockT

MY BLOODY VALENTINE???
SICK!
lol
sorry in advance for the overly enthusiastic response. It's IPA day....

BassNotBass

Ding ding ding... you got it! MBV is awesome... not to mention West Six IPA and 2XIPA, both of which I imbibed earlier in the evening so I'm right there with you.

darukhan

THIS! This is one of my favorite MBV songs... it goes great with that ride video!

patrockT

Stone Ruin Ten Double IPA, and a local brewery's double IPA. Happy IPA day! LOL And yes, MBV is AWESOME.

patrockT

Yes! and an IPA!

BassNotBass

Thanks. It was a toss up between that or Medicine's Time Baby II... IMHO both are very raw durgy core tugging tunes.

Still Pedaling

That's what I was worried about when I thought about buying one. How does one avoid such shaking then, because I have seen some videos done by people who 's results were quite good?

Cheers
Wayne

mulleady

Boy you ride fast lol!

BassNotBass

My suggestion is to not use a waterproof case when mounting the camera to the frame of a bike with no suspension. The camera does fine when it's attached directly to the mount.

CenturionIM

That is what I need to start to do. I guess I better get use to the yelling.

darukhan

Another great track!

BassNotBass

IMHO yelling is usually interpreted as an invitation to engage in a confrontation which is best avoided. When verbally confronted I TRY to act as though I'm deaf. Let the person think you're clueless and hopefully they'll just continue on their way.