Bike Camera Recommendations

I am considering getting a camera for my bike to use when I am riding on busy streets, kind of as an insurance policy in case something happens. I am not interested in being able to make epic ride films because no one needs to hear me singing, humming, saying hi to the animals along the trail, or otherwise talking out loud to myself. But I have had enough close calls commuting to work that a camera is starting to seem like a good idea.

So, looking for recommendations. Do I need front and back cameras? Is a front camera on my helmet the best option? What things should I think about?

And, also, camera recommendations. Preferably ones that I don’t also have to have an app running on my phone to make it all work. I have an older iPhone that doesn’t have a lot of storage on it so I am constantly bumping up against the “you don’t have enough storage space for that” message. And that’s probably more information than y’all need to know, but there it is :laughing:

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Excellent question. I am staying tuned for the answers.

@dfriestedt uses this one and it’s great: https://cycliq.com/

He can provide more comments/details.

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yes - that is the camera I use for the rear. The battery lasts about 5 hours and I’ve used it in the past to view crash footage. You can see a video here. The camera does 1080 which is good enough to make out a car make and model. You will not see a license clearly.

I purchased one for the front too. However, I use 4k cameras up front for making cool video. Specifically I use the Gopro Hero 7. It’s a real chore to get it to work. So if you are looking for a safety cam I recommend the Cycliq for front AND rear. They just work, battery lasts long, and they are easy to use. The app sucks a little, but works well enough to setup recording, etc…

Hope this helps.

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@Stefanie the app does not need to be on/running with this camera.

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right. You only need the app to setup the camera once. Once it’s setup you simply turn on the light and everything starts working based on your setup. It’s really that simple. Hit one button and everything works. If you crash, and the bike tilts past 30 degrees, the software assumes you had a crash and locks those files so they do not get overwritten. The files are protected.

I really do like the rear cam because I always use a light, and to have a camera integrated makes a lot of sense. My strap that holds the camera to the seat post recently wore out after about 18 months of use. I need to replace it. But other than that, no issues.

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Thanks for al the information @dfriestedt! Very helpful and much appreciated!

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I’ve used the cyclic brand for a couple years now, I own front and back but often can’t fit the back one on with my rear pack in the way. I also have some triple jointed mount from my Sony action cam that fits this too - let’s me mount in a different location on the bike to get different effect (uh like riding off the side of a bridge on an MTB trail, with the camera picking up me landing on my head)

Very good light on the front unit, I use it a lot. They have worked very well.

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Thank you @dfriestedt. I had an incident of road rage 3 weeks ago where a truck stopped and blocked my way down a road. Since I commute by bike, I want to protect myself with video.

I want to pull the trigger on a bike camera set up both for commuting and for creating cool videos. I thought I would resurrect this two year old post. Is Cycliq still the way to go? Any other recommendations? How to you attache it to the bike?

Also want to add…I want this for safety so probably a front and a back camera since I bike commute…but also to film the Chicago Marathon course since apparently I get to do a bucketlist thing and volunteer as a bike marshall this year!!!

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@Reneea2002 tagging you to this discussion per your last post.

Thank you. I am researching. The police department tried to tell my insurance company that we are required to dismount our bike and walk across all driveways. I thought a camera would be helpful but if they are going to pull shot like that then I’m just nowlt sure. I hate it though that it’s the beginning of July and I don’t have a bike to ride outdoors :disappointed:

@Reneea2002 I’d check the local law. See if that’s written anywhere. Or if the police officer is talking out his butt. That doesn’t sound right.

Hope you get this sorted soon.

@Reneea2002 hope you feel better and you get your bike fixed soon! I agree with @Gossimrr check your local ordinance, having to dismount to pass a driveway when you’re on the road doesn’t sound right.
I think the hard part for me would be whether to get a fron or rear to start if I can’t find both or they’re too prciey for safety I would pick cycliq probably