Pete_Fagerlin1

For the last fourteen years this has been one of my prime local trails. New fork? Test it here first. New frame? This is the first ride. Need to do a shakedown on a wheelset, Coal Canyon is calling.

It's only about a three and half minute descent (dropping around 400' in a little less than a mile), and a challenging climb back up (or you can climb a boring fireroad instead), but then again it's only a 25 minute pedal from my front door and I have never encountered another rider (other than folks that I bring with me) or a single hiker, in all of the years that I have been riding it.

Old reliable

scrublover

Lurvely stuff. Ah, the local. Hall Ranch gets that duty for me, with similar time to get there on the road.

Unfortunately my local has a puacity of shady bits when things start getting warmer. 30-40 minute drive gets me that though.

ViperZ

WOW... What a smooth video, it was as if your bike was tuned for super plush riding, however I know it was probably more your riding technique and filming style.

Totally envious of your Local terrain

[bEn]

Great stuff there man. Makes me really want to buy a helmet cam now.

taylor p

very nice

Flak

What i wouldnt give for a 'local'.

All my riding is an hour by car.

mx_599

we know he is good at filming and photography. the expensive recorder had absolutely nothing to do with it.

Pete_Fagerlin1

If you truly believe that the cost of the recorder is the determining factor in the quality of the video, there are a number of sites out there offering video that was captured using the same technique that I use (which, BTW, is around the same price as many lipstick cam + recorder setups by many folks). You should view some of those videos for a "shakiness" comparison.

The camera is only part of the equation. Being smooth, anticipating disruptive trail features and using your arms, legs, and neck to keep your shooting platform (your head) as stable as possible is equally as important if you're trying to capture smooth helmetcam footage.

Light, as always, plays a big role as well. That video actually falls well short of being the best it could be due to the fact that I got riding about three hours too late for that terrain. The low sun angle caused a great deal of shadows and a distracting blown out sky, which wouldn't have been the case if I had been shooting with the sun directly overhead.

End of this portion of the lesson.

Maelstrom 

I love the terrain, very different undergrowth than what I see.

I have a local as well, 5min bike off my porch, called emerald forest. Nice casual ride with some techy lines, about 45 to 1 hour long. Good for those days I don't have time to invest in a treck.

dminor 

All that and the fact that you're looking well ahead and not down at your front tire. Well-honed technique shows in the output.

MgC

Have you ever used a gyroscope to help stabilize your helmet cam?

dminor 

I think he uses a tin-foil cap under his helmet instead.

ViperZ

The one thing I found I admired in the video was the nice perspective of the trail, with total focus on the ride and trail ahead, with out the head swinging all over the place, side to side, up and down. I think that takes a lot of discipline to maintain present of mind that you are filming while riding.


There were even times during the passing by of close trees on the trail that I applied body English to help avoid the obstacle.

mx_599

i understand you had a lot to do with it. i'll look at some that you mentioned and yours later.

however, i recall the times people get ripped on here (not necessarily by you) and it is obvious there video looks crappy when they are sitting still.

cleary your video looks good sitting still as evidenced by the bird 4gary.

i would love to try "my hand at it" and see how it comes out. if you're still using the same recorder, i think i found them used on the net for around 800, not too bad. i can't justify it now...but maybe if i can allow for more riding come Fall, i will get one. i am leery about buying something like that used though. we'll see.

actually, what i'd be interested in seeing is the use of the same recorder by someone that is inexperienced so that i can see what it is like. (only taking the riding factor out of it. inotherwords, have them shoot at the right time of day, etc, etc...)

edit: off to see if that new 300 movie is playing

Pete_Fagerlin1

Their video looks crappy because they have an analog lipstick cam plugged into their "expensive recorder."

mx_599

why do these people spend 2k on their recording equipment when they can buy the recorder you have?

is it because they think there will be a major advantage with a small "lipstick" one?

santiago

+1. Even the boring trails are a good 45 minute drive from my home.

Pete_Fagerlin1

The people using $2k recording equipment are folks shooting hand held with large 3 chip cameras.

Most of the helemtcam footage is captured by an "expensive recorder that is between $300 and $1,000.

I think many people are hesitant to strap a real camera to their head.

Flak

Sure you don't live in Cleveland?

The 'ok' trails are an hour. The good ones are closer to 2 hours.

FreeRidin'

Amazing video and amazing trail too.