A few months ago in a reply in this post I mentioned looking for a camera that would record both forward and backward for cycling, and ran across this kickstarter today for exactly that, thought it was worth sharing.
FYI, cameras like that already exist (not in 4k from what I’ve seen). I haven’t used a dual lens camera like that, but I always worry about battery life. 4h isn’t enough. 8 hours barely cuts it for me. 😭
For commuting, it might be perfect.
What do you use that lasts that long?
I use a Ghost DriftXL because its only $100 and has good enough resolution/battery life for my commutes (only one direction though).
Hey man, FYI, I swapped out the glass lens on mine just now, and the clarity I gained is significant!
The Drift lens kit was like $25 + shipping, and I didn’t need anything but the glass. So, I measured mine, and found a replacement “watch lens glass” replacement… 19mm is what you want, flat glass (some are domed), and as close to 0.9mm as possible. The one I got was 0.8mm, and it fits perfectly. I paid like $11, just to get it quickly, but I can order a bulk pack for just a few dollars each.
Not that I’ve had to replace this before, but it had so many micro scratches from cleaning the lens when wet while riding, that I figured I should try. I was expecting some improvement, but it’s like the contrast just got cranked up!
If you ever need to replace that lens, look for third-party glass!
Thanks for the tip! Mine is still pretty pristine but I’ll keep this in mind for when it inevitably needs replaced.
For sure. I got the idea when I read a review about the entire Drift lens kit, and someone said “I wish they just sold the glass”. So, I measured mine up, and was able to find adequate replacements within minutes!
I have the Drift Ghost X, but with the extended battery pack. It gets me to the 8h mark, but I usually have to plug it in when I’m going for rides longer than that.
It’s been a great camera, and I wish they still sold this model. I may get the XL, but I really prefer to have a removable battery module.
If you have two or more Drift cameras, you can link them together to start/stop (and I believe tag videos) in sync. Extra stuff to manage compared to one camera with a dual lens, but it’s an option :)
Damn, they had ones with removable batteries!? I wish they still sold them too.
Yeah, the sync is part of why I got them: I figured down the road I could get a rear/front cam, plus maybe a helmet cam even (what I currently run).
The Insta360 also does front/back recording, but you run into the issue of battery life and recording space.
Damn, they had ones with removable batteries!? I wish they still sold them too.
Edit: the Drift Ghost X had a small battery built-in (non-removable) and a battery pack module that connected to it. You could swap the module for an extended pack, or a regular-sized one, and never really run out of juice.
Yeah, I keep checking Aliexpress and Amazon, hoping they’ll have old stock they want to get rid of on sale, but nothing.
I mean, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I got a different Drift model. The battery I’m using has already seen tens of thousands of KM of riding over the last 4 years, through extreme summer and the coldest winters. It’s probably the most reliable piece of cycling tech I own! LOL I just wish they never used that damn mini-USB connector. USB-C would make this camera perfect.
The Insta360 also does front/back recording, but you run into the issue of battery life and recording space.
I own an older Samsung 360 camera, and it’s REALLY NICE as a dash cam… but there are so many limitations when using a 360 camera:
- yes, poor battery life.
- SD card space is astronomical (I keep my ride recordings… many TB worth!).
- They are nowhere near as robust as the Drift.
- They kind of need to be mounted in a way that’s just too “out there” to be effective.
- They are way more expensive.
- You have to post process the videos afterwards, rather than simply dumping the files to be played easily from any device.
That said, if a cycling-specific 360 dash camera ever came out, I’d be very interested!
I’m not a fan of bike helmet mounted cameras, although, I was running the Drift on a motorcycle helmet (side mounted) for years before I sold my higher-power e-scooter.
I mount mine on the very top: I figure it i get into a crash it’s more likely to get knocked off and it’s a good vantage point.
I mount mine on the very top
I’ve been freaked out by ANYTHING mounted to my helmet after this incident.
