The advantages of a Go Pro

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johnnyb47

johnnyb47

Guru
Location
Wales
I couldn't answer the questions of alternative cameras as the Go Pro is the first time I've ever used something like this on my bike.
As for getting a camera to record your rides for evidence against any accidents, i think in this day and age its a no brainer. Incidents don't happen that often thankfully but close passes, abuse, and accidents do happen and looking how popular they are with motorists i see them equally, if more important to vulnerable road users like cyclists
 
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johnnyb47

johnnyb47

Guru
Location
Wales
I live in a quiet part of the country and can say that i often get incidents where I will curse someone for there bad driving. Living and commuting in the cities I would imagine it would be ten fold more worse. I think a camera would be indispensable to me if i lived there. Hopefully it's never needed as evidence but that one time it is needed could save you a lot aggro
 

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
Hi Guys. Sorry if a little off topic, but is a Go Pro overkill to be used mainly as a Dashcam (Barcam)? I would like to get a camera for my commutes. Have had near misses with road users and pedestrians.

There are a number of cheapies on Amazon that may be better suited. Cannot see if the Aldi camera light is still available and cannot warrant £100+ for a Cyclic!

I would like to use for more than evidence gathering though!

As the Aldi Maxtek camera I use is not available any more I would look at this one if I ever needed to replace it.

https://www.velozone.co.uk/products...camera-with-rear-light?variant=31636020002898

The spec looks pretty good.

I use a Drift Ghost XL on my helmet or bars which is RRP £150 but can be had for a little less if you ask Drift for a discount code on Twitter. The majority of GoPro-like cameras will do fine on the bars but I wanted to have it on my helmet to catch phone users :rolleyes: as well as close passing drivers and suchlike.

These days I tend to have it on the bars if I am on a pleasure ride or on the helmet during commuting duties. It does not have image stablisation though.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4LzIlb_nF3qoH9hoHWr8Ow
 
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johnnyb47

johnnyb47

Guru
Location
Wales
Having a camera mounted to your helmet is probably the best way to go for safety reasons. As your cycling along your naturally looking for hazards like cars at junctions ect. When someone does do something stupid, your always looking towards them, which means you're camera is pointing in the right direction too👍
 

Arjimlad

Tights of Cydonia
Location
South Glos
Having a camera mounted to your helmet is probably the best way to go for safety reasons. As your cycling along your naturally looking for hazards like cars at junctions ect. When someone does do something stupid, your always looking towards them, which means you're camera is pointing in the right direction too👍

I'm a bit wary of it TBH due to the risk of it boffing my head through the helmet in a crash, but the Drift mounts on the side of my helmet & the plastic clip is likely to shear in an impact. I've only had 2 involuntary dismounts in 23000 miles, both on ice and no head impact. I wouldn't want a head-on impact with a go-pro style mount on the front of the helmet for that reason.
 

DSK

Senior Member
I would also say that a rear facing under seat camera would be beneficial on a cycle as no doubt, this shows what happened in the lead upto an event such as reckless/impatient/dangerous driving and a helmet camera would be best to capture from the side/infront, giving a better perspective of what the rider see's.

I have a rear facing YI (go pro style) on my motorbike and it does help to act a bit of a deterrent. It also caught a classic clip of a taxi that assumed I would jump an amber/red light, when in fact I did what we should and slow to stop. I just head screeching tyres behind me. When I reviewed the footage at home, it was lucky the taxi driver didn't hit me as he began to nail it as I started to slow and he was almost tailgaiting. Lots of other stuff captured such as being startled as a vehicle appears out of nowhere on the motorway, only to see from the rear camera its been swerving across several motorways lanes without slowing, far quicker than 70mph traffic darting through since it comes into/out of view from both front/rear cameras.
 

EltonFrog

Legendary Member
Hi Guys. Sorry if a little off topic, but is a Go Pro overkill to be used mainly as a Dashcam (Barcam)? I would like to get a camera for my commutes. Have had near misses with road users and pedestrians.

There are a number of cheapies on Amazon that may be better suited. Cannot see if the Aldi camera light is still available and cannot warrant £100+ for a Cyclic!

I would like to use for more than evidence gathering though!
Probably is a bit ott but at under 30 quid for a used GoPro, you can’t go wrong.
 
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johnnyb47

johnnyb47

Guru
Location
Wales
I've just fitted mine so it's pointing to the rear with an under saddle clamp.. It looks so much more neater and feel it's a better deterrent against close passes.
Its quite visible and "hopefully" used in a loose term, in that an impatient driver stuck behind will see the camera and think twice about barging past. I live in hope 🤔📸
 

EltonFrog

Legendary Member
Had the GPs on mine today.
524381
 
I have the fly 12 - like any camera it has its compromises - living in a traffic dense part of the UK - I reckon it's £200 well spent.
Can't think of anything more frustrating than having a bozo nearly kill you - then find you're footage isn't good enough to read the reg plate..
 
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