How to: attaching camera to bike

[bjurasz]

Not sure where to post this so here goes. Wondering how to attach my EM-10 to a bicycle. I've done this to cars in the past but struggling with the how-to for a bicycle. And by attaching I mean "attaching a camera to a bicycle in such a manner as the camera is floating out in space several feet away from the bicycle and pointing back towards it". In other words, rigging it to the bike.

As an example of how it is done with a car, see:
How to Create a DIY Car Camera Rig on the Cheap

 

[tkbslc]

The problem with doing this to a bike is you are going to create dangerous leverage to the steering and balance if you hang even a small camera that far out in front or to one side.

Can you just have the bike follow a car and hang the camera out the window instead?

 

[Harvey Melvin Richards]

I have seen videos that a guy shot using a GoPro attached to a “propeller” that was attached to his helmet. He would spin the propeller as he rode and it shot a video with him always in the center.

I made a 90° angle bracket that I use with a PD Capture Clip on my backpack strap. It worked ok, but with me out of the photos, which I wanted. The main problem was that the camera wasn’t parallel to the ground. If the bracket was adjustable to less than 90° it would be parallel to the ground.

 

[nstelemark]

The problem with doing this to a bike is you are going to create dangerous leverage to the steering and balance if you hang even a small camera that far out in front or to one side.

Can you just have the bike follow a car and hang the camera out the window instead?

For a specific shoot I can see doing this for some general purpose footage there would be a not insignificant risk. The pace car(small SUV sit in the back) seems like a really good idea. I have done this in the past.

 

[tkbslc]

I'd probably just get a goPro....

 

[speedy]

The problem with doing this to a bike is you are going to create dangerous leverage to the steering and balance if you hang even a small camera that far out in front or to one side.

Can you just have the bike follow a car and hang the camera out the window instead?

Nah. People carry surfboards and all manner of things around on bicycles without any real dramas.
A camera would only be a kg, you can stick your leg out as far as you like, which weighs many multiples of that, and not instantly crash.

 

[tkbslc]

Nah. People carry surfboards and all manner of things around on bicycles without any real dramas.
A camera would only be a kg, you can stick your leg out as far as you like, which weighs many multiples of that, and not instantly crash.

There's a big difference when it's on the handlebars or front wheel. Since OP said they wanted the camera several feet out front, I can't think of anywhere else to mount it but handlebars. You are correct above, but those are typically either at the rear where the bike balance is very stable, or very close to the bike and centered if on the front.

 

[bjurasz]

Good food for thoughts everyone. No, was not thinking handle bars. Was thinking bike frame. But in the end I think I'm just going to go with an old-fashioned panning shot.

 

[StephenB]

Don't! I did it with my EM10/2, the results on a flat as a pancake surface over a 2 mile run were awful. I attached a Manfrotto Pixi to the cam, closed the legs, jammed and taped them inside an LED torch holder on the handlebars, the attachment was safe and stable, but the vid was really jumpy. I've removed it from Youtube as the music I put with it was copyright and that worried me, otherwise I would have linked it.

You would be better off getting a GoPro copy for a few £/$ and experimenting with that, I've just bought one for £16 on ebay, and it comes with a million different attachment options. If the vids turn out Ok-ish I shall by a GoPro Hero, or similar.

I know you were thinking of attaching it to the rear of the bike, I don't think where you attach it will make much difference - here's where i attached mine for the terrible results.

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