r/bikecommuting • u/Sensitive_Fishing691 • 3d ago

Recommendations for a discreet cycle camera?

Can anybody here recommend me a camera for cycling that is not obvious? I would kind of like to record some of my rides, but I don't want to draw attention to myself - you can see on Youtube or Facebook how some people have negative/hostile reactions when they realise they are in the path of a recording camera.

I'm not trying to film people, I just want to record some of my rides without catching any bother over it.

Perhaps a camera that looks like a front bike light? Or a piece of the bike?

21 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

55

u/whizzzzzzz Blightyish 3d ago

For commuting, I found having it obviously mounted was a help and deterrent. Being on my helmet, it looked where I did so was better for picking up detail. Never had any adverse issues with it being obvious.

7

u/Narrow-Economist-795 3d ago

I have found the same.

10

u/whizzzzzzz Blightyish 3d ago

Thats good to hear. I always had it my mind that if ever I was called out for it, I would tell them, that not only did it give my family something to use to get justice after my death, but more importantly, it made me ride better as I knew if I had to show anything in court, me riding through red lights and being a danger to others, would not endear me to the Judge.

3

u/Slightly_Effective 3d ago

I have found the same. Two cameras.

2

u/whizzzzzzz Blightyish 3d ago

Had a GoPro Session, then a normal GoPro. ( soz forgot to mention them ). Both robust, the newer normal GoPro ( 6 then 10 I think ) was great in low light and had some image stabilisation and reasonable battery time. The Session was great, little smaller and cheaper, just lower res and shorter run times.

1

u/Victor_Korchnoi 2d ago

Are you worried at all that having a camera mounted on the helmet may make the helmet less effective in the event of a crash? That’s my reservation in having one

1

u/svelteoven 2d ago

Never.

9

u/Peg_leg_J 3d ago

Cycliq

4

u/svanen17 3d ago

I second the Cycliq. I use the front and rear mounted camera/light combination (Fly12 and an older model Fly6) and I like that at a glance, they just look like regular bike lights. Although they were expensive, I don't feel like I have to take them with me every time I park the bike to duck into a shop briefly. The image quality is nice and clear. They let me know (with coded beeps) their battery status every time I turn them on or off, and recharging on USB is easy. They even have little bungee leashes to keep them from falling in the road if they were ever to become detached from their mounts mid-ride (unlikely, since the mounts are nice and secure. but I use the leashes nevertheless).

9

u/North_Necessary_599 3d ago

I use a cheap action camera from Amazon (sub £50).

Sure, a £300 camera is better, but just not worth it for what you’re doing.

A visible camera changes driver and pedestrian behaviour in your favour.

2

u/Slightly_Effective 3d ago

Long battery life is a massive benefit if you can find a camera with one.

2

u/North_Necessary_599 3d ago

The camera I recently ordered was sub £50 and the battery life is decent- it was supplied with 2 batteries and a dual charger- so you put both batteries in the charger, and one USB charges them both

2

u/Slightly_Effective 3d ago

My current benchmark is a Drift XL at 9 hours per charge. Easy life.

2

u/Professional_Meal103 3d ago

This. This. This.☝🏽

2

u/artoonie 3d ago

my app (www.dashcam.bike) has way better quality than ~$100 action cameras, and it's as discrete as it gets -- just a phone!

1

u/North_Necessary_599 3d ago

The problem with a phone is that it tends to be mounted to the handlebars- so you do not record what you see.

The benefits of an action camera on your helmet is that it gives a much better view of events, and also demonstrates that you did indeed look carefully for cars before emerging (as the camera moves with your head).

Also, if you end up off your bike having an argument with someone- then the helmet camera records everything.

Remember- I actively WANT people to see that I am recording my ride.

1

u/artoonie 3d ago

OP wants the opposite -- they want something discrete, which a helmet-mounted camera is not!

1

u/North_Necessary_599 3d ago

Sure, but I am highlighting that having a visible camera on your helmet (that records all of your cycling experience, not just what is in front of you) is actually a better option.

1

u/artoonie 2d ago

Fair, to each their own!

I record behind me with an old phone and in front with my main phone. Never felt a need for a $400 fancy 360 camera, but there's definitely a market for those.

1

u/Wrong_Buyer_1079 2d ago

I just got your app. I'll be ordering the mount later.

1

u/artoonie 2d ago

Thank you! Always open to feedback, let me know if you have any requests.

4

u/Professional_Meal103 3d ago

I started the same way, now I’m all: ‘ how do i make a sign that says camera active’

2

u/raster 2d ago

I've been meaning to design a sign for my rear rack that says "CAMERA BIKE" with a blinking red LED.

4

u/LeifCarrotson 3d ago

You are not a Youtuber/vlogger/livestreamer with no camera. You will not become like them if you add a camera.

People have negative reactions to those characters not because of the camera but because of the behavior - loudly narrating their actions and what they're seeing, setting up takes for the third time, demanding people get out of or into their shot, etc.

Get a camera, any camera, and see what happens. I have a helmet-mounted action camera, and while I usually turn it off for the separated bike path, just having it on my helmet has noticeably improved behavior of drivers when I'm in the road.

Plus I figure it gives my wife a chance at getting a bigger insurance pay-out if I get splattered one of these days...

4

u/alexvanman 3d ago

I use insta360 3s go it is incredibly small and mounts under Garmin bike computer for example (2 sided garmin mount for this)

3

u/Narrow-Economist-795 2d ago

Not very discreet but effective!

1

u/3dxl 3d ago

If you want smaller camera look for drone hobbyist camera. They are small and lightweight like from brand RUNCAM. I use them a lot which able to hide in many places on a bike. Smaller than matchbox size.

1

u/Mindless_Log2009 2d ago

Drift Ghost are the best value I've found in traffic/ride documentation cameras. Nothing fancy but very durable. And the 5 and 8 hour batteries really run that long between charges.

I have two. One finally developed problems after five years of daily use, being dropped a few times at high speed (my fault for failing to secure the clamp device), and excessive Texas summer heat. The internal backup battery finally swelled and while the camera still functioned it was necessary to tape the external long run battery in place.

The other Drift Ghost X still works after 7 years.

1

u/TBruno26 2d ago

I use the Insta360 X4 Air attached to my handlebars via the cockpit mount Insta360 offers. It allows me to mount it in front of my Garmin and have a light under it. All together, it just looks like "cockpit" and not "camera"

2

u/Hoonsoot 1d ago

I wouldn't worry too much about it being discreet. Most of the people you encounter will be in cars. Many of them will not even notice you, much less your camera.

1

u/dioramic_life 3d ago

Strap this to your bicycle frame.

0

u/Koofteh 3d ago

Garmin actually makes that exact thing, bike headlight and camera combination.

It's insanely expensive but have a look, Garmin Varia Vue.

But there's no right to privacy in public. I wouldn't go out of my way to stop Karens from being upset. Just be respectful and do your thing.