We’ve reviewed various action sports cameras in the past – and they’ve all got their merits – but the GoPro is by far the most popular of the lot.
The market leader promises quality footage, that is easy to download and share, all in an attractive package that isn’t too heavy or bulky – and of course it’s shrinking with every new addition.
There’s obviously not much point having your GoPro, and no way of attaching it to you or your bike – and mounts can sometimes be expensive if you buy them direct. You can get your GoPro as part of a package, but it is worth doing the maths to see if you could be better off getting your mounts from another brand selling on Amazon or eBay.
Cycling with a GoPro is popular, and there are a number of mounts available that will give you different angles. Here’s a few examples:
GoPro Helmet Mount
A standard helmet mount sticks to the front of your headgear. You can buy one from GoPro on Amazon for for £14.99.
The mount comes with 2 sets of sticky adhesive pads which attach it to the helmet. You can also get yourself more adhesive pads, in case you swap your helmet, and safety tethers to ensure your camera won’t go anywhere in the unlikely event the pad detaches – a set of five will set you back around £17.99.
GoPro Strap Helmet M ount
This is the one Andreas’ used when he filmed ‘5 of the greatest dangers facing cyclists in London‘.
It’s a convenient way to attach it to a helmet and keeps the position very tight, as long as you safely secure the straps down. You can buy it from Amazon for £13.95. In the picture the GoPro is shown without the case, but you’d normally be using it with the case attached. Cyclists tend to favour attaching the GoPro on their helmet, as it gets less vibration than your bicycle handlebars.
GoPro Helmet Mount – To Catch Your Facial Expressions
The ST-91 helmet mount says it’s designed for motorcycles, but the product description refers to bicycles as well. This mount comes with an adhesive surface for your helmet, and a curved extension. You can point the camera forward, for point of view shorts, but you can also turn it round to show what’s going on behind, and your reactions. This would be great for a video diary if you were touring, or to see the faces you pull on fast descents..
At £7.99, it’s fairly inexpensive and works with Go Pro Here 2 & 3 cameras.
GoPro Handlebar Bike Mount
One of the most popular choices for commuters who want to catch what’s going on around them, handlebar mounts give you footage from bike level.
The Duragadget handlebar mount is compatible with all existing Go Pro units, and attaches to the waterproof cover. The camera is able to swivel 180 degrees, so you can swing it round to show your reactions if need be, as well as side to side.
The clamp is adjustable, and fits bars around 1″ thick. It’s claimed it will will fit 99% of handlebars – and that includes the handlebars of prams and scooters as well as bikes, so unless you’re in the very unfortunate 1% you should be set. At £7.99 it won’t break the bank either.
GoPro Seatpost and Handlebar Mount
If you want to record what is going on behind you, you’ll need a seatpost mount, and that means a much smaller clamp than a handlebar mount in most cases.
This micro2u seatpost mount will clamp anything from 1.9cm to 3.5cm. Of course seatposts vary depending on frame and design, but the average bike seat post is 2.1 – 2.7cm wide – so most bikes should be covered here, as should most handlebars – so this does give you a more versatile option.
This mount works with GoPro 1, 2 and 3 series cameras, and weighs 82kg. It comes with all the screw you need, and an inner rubber lining which will protect the bar you attach it to. At £9.97, this is a great option if you want to be able to swap your camera position from seatpost to bars, provided your handlebars are less than 2.7cm wide – otherwise, it’s great for a view of the road behind.
Do you use a different mount?
DO NOT under any circumstances use the GoPro seatpost/handlebar mount. I used this for a single club ride and about 40km in, I wanted to shoot a bit of film of a rather interesting sprint that was taking part and the camera came away in my hand! This is an expensive piece of kit and a flimsy bit of plastic is not suitable.
I can on the other hand suggest the K-Edge mount, which is machined CNC Aluminium and a lot stronger.
I would always consider a chest mount for action-cam videos. You get fewer vibrations compared to mounting on handlebars, and the advantage over a helmet mount is that your chest is usually facing the right direction. If you mount on a helmet, you get lots of shots of looking left and right at road junctions etc.
Personally I’m looking forward to Microsoft releasing an application based on their hyperlapse work: http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/hyperlapse/ Their test video includes the smoothest bike video you’ve ever seen!
It’s impressive isn’t it Adam! Have you tried out Hyperlapse by Instagram yet? I tried it on holiday and was thoroughly impressed.
I made this of the short ride from work to the station a couple of weeks ago using the bungee cord of my bike light and some Sellotape to attach an iPod Touch to my handlebars!
It’s pretty decent, but I think the Microsoft offering will be something else.
Instagram released a Hyperlapse app that looks the same as the Microsoft offering.
http://blog.instagram.com/post/95829278497/hyperlapse-from-instagram
The Instagram app is fun (see my video above for an example), but it’s nowhere near as sophisticated or powerful as the Microsoft researchers’ solution.
They’ve explained the substantial differences on their website:
http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/hyperlapse/igcomp/
I don’t use GoPro, find them unreliable. I use Isaw A2 which comes with all the fittings & I find its best place is on the helmet. I don’t notice its weight or see it when wearing the helmet & it gets some great footage. http://twitpic.com/duc0sg
Don’t strap things to your helmet. You don’t want the last thing to go through your mind in a crash to be a camera!
Not really true. When you’re hitting a curb, a camera will probably add a little more impact protection as it crushes. Your statement would be true if the camera was as hard as a concrete curb / road.
Not necessarily. Pressure is force distributed over area and while a curb is essentially an infinite rectangle, a camera is a much more limited width. The specifics depend on the camera and the crash, but you’d be applying pressure in a much smaller area than tested by the required floor and curb drop tests.
The test of dropping a helmet onto a rock shape would probably be closest to how a helmet works when it falls onto a camera, but it’s not required by the current most-common EN test, so how otherwise-legal helmets react will probably vary greatly. If you believe helmets help, I don’t understand why you’d risk it.
Helmet mounts that stick THROUGH the helmet (not the ones pictured here, but there’s tons for sale online) are an even worse idea, of course.
I agree. Also, the camera could provide more leverage. On impact this could generate rotational torque, damaging your neck and brain. Another issue is that the adhesive pads used to mount them may effect the structural integrity of your helmet altogether, causing it to shatter rather than crush. I think that making any kind of modification to a helmet, no matter how big or small, will give unpredictable results. Until we have some scientific data no one can really be sure.
Hi I have had a silver label action cam for two weeks and still cannot remove the water proof housing and cannot work out how to fix it to my helmet!!!!! I logged on to silver label to find their sight has gone down. No instructions in the pack. Totally frustrated. Any ideas out there??
Are GoPro adhesive mounts strong?