I have a go pro that I have not used for years. I ride 40 plus miles a day and the camera would not last that long. I have seen some things on you tube that suggest there are dash cams for bicycles. What can you tell me about them?

Dash cams for bicycles are designed to enhance safety by recording rides and providing video evidence in case of accidents. They can capture incidents, document unsafe driver behavior, and help with insurance claims, making them a valuable tool for cyclists. roadio.com Cycling Weekly

Importance of Dash Cams for Bicycles

Dash cams for bicycles serve two main purposes: capturing rides and providing safety. They can record your cycling adventures and serve as evidence in case of accidents. This is crucial for protecting yourself in disputes with drivers or insurance claims.

Key Features to Consider

Video Quality

• Resolution: Look for cameras that offer at least 1080p resolution for clear footage.
• Night Vision: Essential for capturing incidents in low-light conditions.

Mounting Options

• Handlebar and Helmet Mounts: Ensure the camera can be securely attached to your bike or helmet.
• Stability: Choose models with stabilization features to reduce shaky footage.

Battery Life

• Continuous Recording: Aim for cameras that can record for at least 2.5 hours on a single charge.
• Power Source: Some models can connect to your bike's power system for extended use.

Recommended Dash Cams

CAMERA MODEL KEY FEATURES PRICE RANGE GoPro Hero 13 Black 5.3K video, versatile lens mods High Garmin Varia RCT715 Taillight, radar detector, video recording Mid to High Techalogic DC-1 Dual forward and rear-facing recording Mid Akaso EK7000 Pro Budget-friendly, 4K recording, includes accessories Low to Mid

Benefits of Using a Dash Cam

• Evidence for Insurance Claims: Video footage can clarify disputes and support your claims.
• Documenting Unsafe Behavior: Capture reckless driving to report to authorities.
• Protection in Hit-and-Runs: Footage can help identify the responsible party.
• Recording Road Conditions: Document hazards that may cause accidents.

Investing in a dash cam enhances your safety and provides peace of mind while cycling.
Cycling Weekly roadio.com

The only possible options for having it record for your needed ride time is to set it to 'loop' & tether it to a battery bank if it supports those options.

Nothing compact exists on the market that you're asking, that I am aware of. I've searched for similar tech that has a 12 hour battery, stabilization, & supports a 1TB SD card that is compact (smaller than a go pro preferred) , but it just isnt out there...

The only dash cams for bikes I can think of are the Cycliq Fly12, the Garmin Varia Vue, and the Insta360 X5. I think the X5 battery will only go about 3hr in dash cam mode, which is probably tight for a 40mi ride, but the batteries are small and quickly swappable, and the 360° coverage is obviously vastly superior to jist a forward facing cam. Even a dash cam and a rear cam combo would lose out to X5 in terms of cost, ease of use, and completeness of coverage (assuming helmet or seatpost pole mounted X5).

It wouldn't be a cheap setup, but the small GoPro Mini Hero 11 with a big memory card and wired up to a cylindrical 5,000mAh powerbank taped under the stem would do the job. That'd give you plenty of battery life in a relatively slimline package.

I'm not sure if you can hook up an external battery to the Cycliq cameras.

I'm very satisfied with my Cycliq Fly12. https://cycliq.com/products/fly12-sp...67pIs3IJ64_oAd

No overheating problems or battery life problems in multi hour (4hr) summer rides.

I use an Insta360 X4. It has a 360 degree field of view, so it sees everywhere. It offers high resolution, and long battery life. For very long rides I can connect it to a power bank in a top tube bag. I use a mount which positions the camera in front of my Wahoo Elemnt, at the same angle, so it looks clean, and still sees clearly all around.

Have you got a photo of your setup or some footage uploaded? Would be interested to see that! 🙂

I have an X5 that I place on my helmet with Insta360's hard hat mount.

can you run the camera with the light off?

Did you know you were about to be overtaken? I would have been ON the fogstripe in that situation. The camera can't keep you alive. You have to do that. Don't leave it to chance or dumb luck. Be defensive. I actually saw several stretches where you could have been to the right of the fogstripe, but you held your place in the lane. It's certainly your 'right' to do that. I rarely argue my rights with 5,000lb sedans at speed.

Once you move to the right of the fog stripe you burden yourself to have to ensure you can safely move back into traffic. That makes it a guessing game for everyone involved. I've only had issues when I ride close to the fog stripe and cars try to pass me in the same lane with oncoming traffic.

While I have had cars similarly passing me in the other lane, because they couldn't use the lane I was riding in the center of, they only caused issue to the oncoming traffic. And any wreck they may have had I'm sure I could have avoided. As those that pass me in those cases always had enough time and room to move over safely. They just chose not to because apparently they had no idea where I was once they lost sight of me with their own eyes. Or didn't really know how to judge my distance because of "objects in mirror are closer than they appear".

I've considered that there are possible circumstances that such events might cause me death or injury. But so far, riding the fog line has twice been a factor in two extremely close calls. And riding in the center of my lane when there are oncoming cars has caused me no issue to concern me of.

Of course my experience is circumstantial. However, I've seen no evidence other than opinion that either is safer.

That pass was an exception to the rule, which is that motorists don't pass me closely if I'm positioned a few feet left of the fog line. If I ride near the fog line or to the right of it, it invites close passes way more often. Furthermore, I know the camera won't keep me alive. That isn't the purpose of it, and it's disingenuous to even make such a statement when you already know that isn't its purpose.

I think it is fair to say that a majority of cyclists feel like they must control when and how cars pass. They feel threatened and vulnerable when that control is taken away. Given that 98% of cyclists drive far more than they bike, I am surprised that they don't know more about how drivers think! When a driver rolls up behind a cyclist in the lane, that cyclist has single digit seconds, to a maximum of maybe 10 seconds*, before the driver starts looking for a way, any way, to pass. I make it EASY for drivers to pass me, and that strategy doesn't seem to have failed in decades of doing it.

As said I would have been ON the fog stripe and that car would have passed without incident. In a worst case scenario where I was out of any way to proceed, I would STOP and let that car pass without conditions. If I'm in a bike lane and it's dirty or otherwise unsafe to proceed in and there is traffic in the main lane, guess who is stopping, ME. Having to do that more than once would indicate to me that that isn't the greatest road for a cyclist to be on. I get that in some cities there aren't many options for road choice. Moving is an option in such cases. I'm serious actually. But simply doing anything that is necessary to allow the free, unimpeded flow of vehicle traffic, even a single vehicle's worth of vehicle traffic, is a great strategy for having a low stress vehicular cycling experience.

I do not differentiate between 'close passes' and 3' or more (nice) passes. Was I hit or was I not hit. That's my assessment. I'm not insane, I would NOT like it at all if a car blasted past 1' away with a 25mph speed differential, but if they tiptoed by 6"(!) away with ~5mph differential, I'm good with that. Obviously they needed to. They don't all. So, I don't need to keep camera batteries charged or manage SD cards, review footage. Agonize about the close calls. It's all a non-issue. The pass in the video was less than respectful because the driver saw that the cyclist had some room to move over right and didn't. That's not most drivers, but it is (obviously) some. You can tell in a nanosecond which driver is chill and doesn't need to pass yesterday. And you can also tell the converse!
*[Edit]: it's actually worse than this, the clock starts when the driver becomes aware of you, they are mentally computing passing solutions before they even reach you.

You decide how much risk you want to accept, but you don't get to decide that for others. And don't backpedal and say you weren't doing that, because we weren't born yesterday. You don't determine another person's safety.

You certainly DO if you're the motor vehicle operator who comes upon a bicyclist, knowing full well it's YOUR responsibility to negotiate passing in as safe a manner as possible and in full compliance with the rules of the road.

That motor vehicle operators have a distinct and profound advantage over bicyclists in any such scenario shouldn't suggest that they all choose to act in a safe manner.

I've never wanted to. There are multiple settings available via the app: light intensity, flash pattern and speed, solid on etc. I'll try to remember to check and see if "light completely off " is one.

My Cycliq 12 Sports LIGHT SETTINGS:
ORGANIC MODE: enable organic mode
CAMERA ONLY MODE: enable light off mode
CONSTANT MODE: high
low
FLASH MODE: high
low
PULSE MODE: high
low

The camera settings include resolution and frame rate

I run Cycliq 12 in "Camera Only" mode. A four hour ride might take the battery from full to half full. The Cycliq 6 battery doesn't last quite as long, also in "Camera Only" mode, but I think it will last 5-6 hours, although I've never run either camera down to zero yet.

thank you. what do you get on the camera card 1 large mp4? lot's of mp4s? how do you review the video(s)