GoPro is finally back in the 360˚ action camera market, after being somewhat on the sidelines for the last few years as the Insta360 X line took the genre by storm. The GoPro MAX2 is its newest addition, and it comes with an impressive list of tech specs, which I'll examine in more detail now, and find out if the brand that arguably started all this can still mix it with the best cycling action cameras available...

Construction

Chief among these specifications is what GoPro calls True 8K with 10-bit colours (10 billion). Several other action cameras promise to offer 8K definition, but in reality they apparently base this 8K definition on the number of pixels present in the square that surrounds the circle of image that is captured, rather than the pixels in what is captured. GoPro claims these brands get close to 8K and then ‘fill in the gaps’ as such using software. Instead, GoPro uses the two 14mm lenses (35mm equivalent), recorded on a 1 / 2.3 inch chip. You can read more about what this means over on the GoPro site itself, as I won’t do the full explanation the credit it deserves.

Dimensions wise the camera is also a fair bit smaller than the competition from DJI and Insta360. Width is 64.0mm, height 69.7mm, and depth 48.7mm, with a total weight of 195g. This also includes the inbuilt mounting feet along with the inbuilt threaded mount.

New for the MAX2 is the inclusion as standard of the cold weather Enduro battery. Often batteries can perform poorly in cold weather; my old GoPro Hero 8 tended to cut out after a few minutes while riding in anything below 8˚C due to windchill. This new battery means that for winter weather filming the GoPro Max 2 is well optimised to save battery life. Indeed GoPro gives a usable temperature range of -10-35˚C.

To aid performance in hot weather however, the body of the camera features cooling fins, first introduced on the Hero 13 model. A greater surface area at the front aims to increase the rate of thermal transfer and thus aid cooling, especially while moving. This is also complemented with waterproofing to 5m submerged without a dive case. For cycling purposes this means the camera is fully functional in even the heaviest prolonged rain.

The GoPro MAX2 is the first 360˚ action camera to offer tool free lens replacement. Insta360 lenses can be replaced, but require specific tools. Meanwhile the DJI 360 offering does not feature replaceable lenses. It's a key selling point, as it’s not unlikely that the camera will be dropped or you’ll knock it against something, and at this price replaceable lenses make a big difference. GoPro also has the GoPro Subscription, which as well as giving access to additional editing and even some bonus features, includes no-questions-asked camera replacements of up to two a year.

You can use a single lens option which caps you at 4K video footage at 60fps, while using the MAX2 in camera mode gives you 29MP 360˚ photos. You can then crop, zoom, and adjust these in the app afterwards. This allows for editing for use on TikTok, Reels, or any framing options you want. The Quik app itself also gives a good range of video editing capabilities. While filming 360˚ footage, you can use AI features such as object track, which is great for selecting a rider to stay in focus. You can also use the horizon lock for descending videos where the horizon stays level, but you and the bike move around that. Max HyperSmooth assists in keeping the footage stable without any juddering or shaking of the video footage.

The Ride

GoPro has equipped the MAX2 with both a threaded mount and the classic GoPro feet mounting, giving some flexibility in how the camera is fitted. Admittedly, to get the best perspective when riding, you want to set this up out-front using the threaded mount. At present GoPro does not offer this sort of mount for cycling, so I used the Insta360 one. Straight away, this demonstrated one area of the MAX2 that wins out over the competition for me.

The camera is a lot shorter than the Insta360 X5 and a bit smaller than the DJI 360. This means that there is less of a weighted lever over the end of the mount, and it tended to wobble less. This was actually visible in the footage compared to the X5, especially over rougher road surfaces.

Although shorter, it didn’t seem to have any negative impact on the perspective, I was still able to get my full body and the bike in shot with the 360 lens. Obviously you can fit this with the GoPro feet, but the usual under-mounting will struggle to get much other than a broader field of view in front of you, with limited footage of behind unless mounted on the stem. This is a bit more of an awkward fitting point for a 360 camera though.

You can fit it on an extension pole for interesting shots from behind, but again you need a dedicated mounting system which at present GoPro does not offer, but Insta360 does.

Screen wise, the GoPro screen is a bit smaller than the Insta360 X5, but the touchscreen is highly responsive and accurate, while the control scheme is very easy to use relying mainly on the two button format. I personally find it easier to use while riding then the X5, but on the fly adjustments to a more advanced level are not advisable when riding anyway.

Obviously one of the main attractions of a 360˚ camera is the footage that you can acquire. All the top players in this market claim to offer 8k maximum resolution. However, offerings from Insta360 and DJI measure the square area that encompasses the circular image captured by the lens. This square makes up 8k resolution, but of course some of that is black pixels. GoPro measures that actually colour capturing pixels for a true 8k, one of the cameras key selling points. I’ve only compared the Insta360 X5 and the GoPro MAX2, and although the standard colour saturations used are different, the actual definition is fractionally better on the GoPro, especially as you zoom in on focal points.

You can also drop the quality down to 5.7k and get 60 FPS rather than 30 FPS to get a slightly smoother looking video. However smoothness is another area where the MAX2 wins. GoPro has a great reputation with the HyperSmooth functionality on its cameras and the MAX2 is no different. As already mentioned, the shorter stature means that small flexes at the base translate to smaller movements at the lens over rough road surfaces. But the HyperSmooth picks up any additional vibration and prevents the footage looking like you’re riding on cobbles.

Another bonus I’ve found for the MAX2 over the X5 is the frame stitching. There were certain shots or angles where I could see the stitch between the two 360˚ lenses on the X5, where something would not be entirely visible as it was cut out. On the MAX 2 I have yet to find an angle where the stitch line is visible. It just ensures that the image looks more like a true 360˚ image in more scenarios.

Using as a single lens camera the MAX2 is not quite the same level as the Hero 13 Black, but it’s not meant to be. This is a 360˚ camera and that’s where it’s designed to shine.

There is one glaring area though that the GoPro MAX2 does underperform quite significantly, and it’s the same area that the Hero 13 Black also struggles. In low light performance the MAX 2 is a long way behind the Insta360 X5 and the DJI cameras. It’s a shame as for something like a twilight crit race or any situations with lower ambient light conditions it just does not work well. It’s not that it’s not as good as the others, it’s just plain bad.

Fortunately, most of the occasions that I find myself wanting to use an action camera on a bike, I am not in need of low light performance. But for those considering using this for events where environments are darker, the competitor offerings are substantially better in this category.

GoPro has also bolstered the Quik app in terms of the video editing that you can do. Features such as AI object tracking have been added, and work pretty well, although not as consistent as the Insta360 app. There is also the ability to adjust the aspect ratio and angles, plus transitions from ‘key frames’ to allow for highly tailored editing.

It does however, take quite a bit of getting used to. Something I really like about the Insta360 app is that it is far better when it comes to taking over the editing capabilities itself. The AI editing does a superb job at changing frames and angles based on what is happened. Such as following the curve of the road rather than requiring a careful timing in the app to achieve the same effect on Quik.

Saying that, Insta360 does tend to add quite a high contrast colour to the videos as standard which is slightly jarring, it also takes a bit of time to work out how to remove the ‘Insta360’ logo pinned on the screens.

Another area where GoPro lags behind are the filters you can add. On the Hero 13 Black, you could add GPS overlays if the camera was on long enough to pick up GPS before filming. In theory, this should be possible on the MAX2, but so far that option has not been available in the Quik app. The likes of Insta360 can connect with Garmin to provide quite detailed overlays of speed and power to give an insight into the effort behind the footage. In Quik, this currently is not as readily available. There is also now a desktop app, after GoPro discontinued the Quik desktop app, now called GoPro Player. This allows for a bit more specific editing rather than carefully dragging your finger across a phone screen. Overall though I prefer the Insta360 editing performance as I'm not a pro when it comes to editing and the AI functionalities make up for that somewhat.

For those who are more adept at filming and photography though, GoPro does have an ace up its sleeve. And that is the GoPro labs. This is essentially a plug-in capacity for users to tailor the way they can grab footage by scanning QR codes and updating firmware and unlocking new capabilities. These features can include speed activation recording, camera traps activated by movement, or for those more adept when it comes to videography they can create custom programmes.

This is paired with the ability to record RAW footage and 10-bit colour capture. This allows for a lot of data to be recorded in a RAW unedited format, and gives a great deal of scope for additional editing on apps such as the Adobe range of editing software. I am not expert in videography, but for those that are the GoPro appears to offer more tailored capture and editing features than the other 360˚ competitors.

Battery life is of course another key area of focus. GoPro has fitted the Enduro battery to the MAX2, which in cold weather conditions has proved absolutely fantastic; the battery can record good chunks of footage over multiple rides without needing regular charging. I don’t tend to capture really long form footage, more minutes at a time, but so far I’ve only needed to charge the camera once during the testing period.

In warm conditions however, this is where the Insta360 can perform a touch better with the larger battery size. Possibly the long slimmer body also helps with dissipation of heat better as well. GoPro has added cooling fins, which increases the surface area for greater heat dissipation. As long as you are travelling with some windchill, this does a great job at preventing the camera from overheating. Even riding on the turbo and getting some footage there, a desk fan has done well at keeping the battery at a good temperate.

It is a smaller battery than the X5, but it’s significantly lighter, smaller, and isn’t far off the max performance claims on the highest quality recording sessions. You need to be recording for a solid ~2 hours on max settings to drain the battery in normal conditions.

Value and Conclusion

When it comes to value, the GoPro MAX2 is actually somewhat of a shift from previous pricing. Whereas traditionally the Hero line of cameras from GoPro have been the higher priced offerings on the market, the MAX2 is somewhat budget for an 8k 360˚ action camera.

At £449 / $499 it’s not cheap, but the Insta360 X5 comes in at £519.99 / $549 as standard. Meanwhile the DJI Osmo 360 is a touch cheaper in the UKat £409.99, but retails at $549 in the US.

The Insta360 and DJI have far superior low light performance, but outside of that the MAX 2 performs at the same level or exceeds in my opinion. If you’re buying to film in low light, the MAX2 is poor value and best avoided. For everything else, I think it offers better value than the X5 for on par or greater performance, while daylight footage is superior to the DJI so justifying that higher price.

GoPro don’t offer as many accessories, but you can use other branded options rather than relying on proprietary fitting methods.

The app is the only other area that potentially lets the camera down from an amateur cyclist recording standpoint. For those more advanced in videography it allows for more scope for editing and tailoring footage. But for rookies like me, the difficulty in setting up GPS overlays and an AI editing system that’s not as refined as Insta360, it could be better.

One big plus for the MAX2 though is the replaceable lenses. DJI cannot be replaced, while Insta360 has a more laboured system for switching lenses out. GoPro has a simply twist and switch system which for an action camera is a truly superb addition and means in the event of a crash, there is potentially more scope for the camera to survive long term and represent better long term value.

GoPro has come back strong into the 360˚ action camera range after several years of zero updates. Impressively it has done this while coming in at a lower price than some halo level competitors. True 8K footage, a range of mounting options, and the easy to use interface are all massive strong points, while cold weather battery is exceptional.

It lacks some of the easy editing features that Insta360 offers, and the low light performance is objectively poor. However for most instances where you would be filming cycling footage, the GoPro MAX2 camera is a superb entry. It may lack the range of accessories of some, but can be used with other brand mounting accessories. Replaceable lenses also boost usable longevity of the product.

Action cameras are great for capturing the scenery you ride through or a rider’s point of view of the road, but they can be a bit of a faff to use, with extra bike mounts, connectivity requirements, complex settings and time-consuming downloads. And they only capture footage in one plane – the one they’re facing. Step forward the Insta360 X4, which has two lenses that capture a 360° field of view by seamlessly merging footage from both.

The X4 is well-built and slightly heavier than expected for its size at 204g, but it feels solid and well-engineered. Durability has been excellent throughout testing – a crucial consideration, given my clumsiness. The bike mounts are also good quality, especially the main mount, which is rock-solid once attached to the bike. The longer ‘invisible’ selfie stick, however, didn’t survive my testing. What stands out is the X4’s vibrant touchscreen display. The combination of excellent processing power and its sharp display allows you to review footage and pan around in your 360° world in real-time, without any lag. In a world where many cycling computers still feel sluggish, the X4 felt like a treat to use.

Specification

Image quality is superb—the X4 records in 8K 360°, producing crisp, detailed footage. Of course, 360° recording comes with a few quirks. The ultra-wide lenses can create a fisheye distortion, but the software does an excellent job of correcting it. There is a faint seam line where the two cameras stitch together, but it’s barely noticeable.

What sets the X4 apart from a traditional action camera is the freedom it gives you in post-production. I didn’t frame any shots because there is simply no need – just hit record and decide later whether you want a handlebar view, a forward-facing perspective, or a rear-facing follow cam.

The Insta360 app is intuitive to use and makes editing straightforward. Most functions can be controlled from a smartphone, keeping everything streamlined for quick social media uploads, if that’s what you’re after. The integration with third-party apps like Garmin Connect is nice too, allowing you to overlay real-time stats like speed, power, heart rate and cadence. Truth be told, I haven’t yet exhausted all these features, but every one that I have had cause to test works very well.

There are a couple of drawbacks that need mentioning, though, starting with the form factor. The X4’s long, slim shape means its weight is positioned quite far from the mounting point. On smooth roads – like those I rode on during a press trip in France – this wasn’t an issue, but back on Oxfordshire’s rougher tarmac, the camera bounced around a bit. Fortunately, the stabilisation software smooths things out in the final footage, but it can be distracting while riding.

Then there are the lens guards. These are disappointingly fragile. I managed to scratch one and crack another without any major impacts or particularly rough treatment. They’re inexpensive to replace, but if you’re not careful, you’ll find yourself having to buy them regularly.

Verdict

In my opinion, the Insta360 X4 is one of the best action cameras for cyclists. The 8K 360° recording eliminates the stress of framing shots, while its rugged build and excellent stabilisation make it ideal for capturing rides. However, the top-heavy design can be bouncy on rough roads, and the lens guards are worryingly fragile. If you can overlook these minor issues, the X4 represents a significant upgrade over traditional action cameras.

The GoPro Hero 13 Black is, as the name suggests, GoPro’s 13^th entry into the Hero line-up, specifically the top of the range Hero Black version. There has also been the Hero Fusion/Max 360˚ camera, Mini, Session, and Hero (standalone), but the Hero Black has been the continual top-spec offering in terms of resolution and is featured in our guide to the best bike and helmet cameras.

The construction

The Hero 13 features the same 8:7 sensor and GP2 image processor as the Hero 12, capable of a top resolution of 5.3K at 60 frames per second (FPS) or 4K at 120 FPS. Likewise, the aspect ratios, digital lens offerings, video smoothing, effects, and 27MP stills remain the same. It’s also waterproof to 10m.

Comparing this to something like the Insta360 Go 2 action camera, and you'll realise it's positively bursting with features.

But what’s different between the new and the old? The Hero 13 uses WiFi 6 rather than 5 for connectivity, which results in faster data transfer speeds. You can also create custom video presets in the camera rather than the accompanying app. The Hero 13 also features a burst slow-mo function for short very high FPS clips for extreme slow-mo. As a new feature, you can connect Bluetooth headphones such as AirPods for voice control or audio recording, while the HDR has been upgraded to the HLG HDR (Hybrid Log Gamma High Dynamic Range).

The battery is the main standard hardware difference, with 1900 mAh rather than 1720 as well as improved performance in warmer conditions thanks to greater cooling with the new heat dissipation grill at the front of the camera. GoPro claims this results in a 13% improvement in battery life with airflow on the highest power settings, and 38% better without airflow than the Hero 12.

GoPro has also built on its Lens Mods feature, which allows for different lens options to be fitted to either give a Macro Lens, Anamorphic Lens, Ultra Wide lens, or motion blur with ND filters. Media mods such as speaker and backlight can also be added for those using it for Vlogging.

Hardware wise the Hero 13 has still has the same 2.27 inch touch screen LED at the rear, and 1.4 inch colour LED screen at the front. Charging is again done via USB-C and the fold out legs for the traditional GoPro mounting are still present. However, a universal tripod mounting point has been added as well as a magnetic clip option.

Total weight is 60g on our scales while dimensions are 71.8 x 50.8 x 33.6mm. As for colour choices, it’s offered in black and white.

The ride

I’ve been a long time user of GoPro cameras, but not with great frequency. My last purchase was a Hero 8 and using this latest model I found the system itself has remained very simple and easy to understand. If anything it has become even more so.

The main menu is customisable into a fairly basic setup where you can easily point and shoot with determined presets. You can also switch to a more advanced menu option which allows you to adjust the resolution, frame rate, and framing of images and video. I appreciate how easy the buttons are to use, with a power on/off and video on/off button. The device can be turned on with either and starts recording straight away with the video on/off. A touch screen is used on the rear for the majority of controls, and it’s straightforward to use thanks to the 2.27inch size. I never encountered any issues of mis-pressing on-screen buttons.

The key selling points of a GoPro, or any action camera, is the image and video quality. This is an area where the GoPro Hero 13 Black does perform brilliantly, for the most part. A big contributor to the quality of the video footage you capture is where you mount the camera. GoPro’s mounting system has become synonymous with most action cameras now - the standard dual-feet attachment with a screw through the centre. This gives a broad array of fitting options with stem/bar/tube mounts, under bike computer mounts, under the saddle, chest mounts, and even mouth pieces to hold. For the most part I opted for under my computer mount or on a top-of-the-stem mount.

Using the standard lens supplied with the Hero 13, you’re able to get a wide 156˚ field of view (FOV) on the Hyperview setting. It’s worth bearing in mind that as the FOV increases, so too does the fisheye effect which can distort some shapes and lines. At this FOV you can record in the full 5.3K or 4K with a higher frames per second (FPS). Unless you’re exploding the video onto the big screen, 4K is frankly enough definition, and the increased FPS does result in a smoother video clip. A major bonus of GoPro footage is the proprietary HyperSmooth setting, now in its sixth iteration at HyperSmooth 6.0. This is a very impressive element of GoPro cameras and has been a big selling point against its competitors. The HyperSmooth reduces bumps and noise from potholes, rougher off-road terrain, and any other elements that may result in shaky footage. In practice it works supremely well, and still allows for banking angles when cornering, an issue I previously had on the older Hero 8 where the horizon was levelled as part of the stabilisation.

Other unique video features include the Burst Slo-Mo which allows for 400 FPS at 720 resolution. This does compromise the image quality, but can allow for some quite unique slo-mo shots, and is a feature not found on competitors at present. GoPro also has its HLG HDR (Hybrid Log Gamma High Dynamic Range) to enhance video footage colours, saturation and details. These are things that more savvy video/photo editors will likely want to change themselves, but I am not one of them. However, the capacity to capture images in RAW and turn off HLG HDR allows for tinkering and editing for professionals.

Taking us on to the photographs, and the Hero 13 has two means of capturing these. Firstly, stills can be taken on their own, with a 27 megapixel photo, which delivers decent quality in good light. Alternatively, video stills can be captured frame by frame, in a max resolution of 24.7MP. I found this great for capturing shots of myself when a video was taken and I could grab specific frames.

All this is highly impressive, but the Hero 13 is limited by using the same image processor and sensor as the Hero 12. A fault of this setup was that the performance in low-light was sub-par, especially compared to the competition, and this remains an area where the Hero 13 struggles. Fortunately, there were not many occasions where I was getting footage in low light conditions such as very early mornings or evenings. However, if you want to use this camera for safety video footage in the event of an incident, then low light levels are important, especially for winter commuting rides.

Something else that is not new, but has been expanded upon heavily with the Hero 13, are the Lens Mods. Previously the Hero 12 used the Max 2.0 lens for a wider field of view, up to 177˚. That has been replaced by the Ultra Wide lens which expands the FOV by 36% and the vertical FOV by 48% compared to the standard lens, as well as enhanced HyperSmooth and the capacity to film in a 1:1 ratio, which can be cut later to suit media outlets of your choice.

There is the new Macro lens, suitable for real close up of bikes or components, plus ND filters. These add a level of motion blur based on the light conditions that you film in, and put the focus on what’s coming up rather than the crisp and clear visual of all the surroundings that the standard lens gives. Also newly released is the Anamorphic lens, which allows filming in a 21:9 ratio, ideal for YouTubers who want something a bit more cinematic, with lens flare and motion blur to boot. All of these twist on easily enough once the standard lens is removed. However, they all come at an additional cost. It does allow the Hero 13 to have more video features as a whole than much of the competition, but the added cost can’t be ignored.

Something else that has changed for both better and worse, is the new larger 1900mAh Enduro Battery. This is a nice boost as the battery life and performance is significantly longer than the Hero 12, with up to 2.5 hours of continuous recording in the right conditions. I say the right conditions, because temperature and settings have a big impact on battery performance. Using higher resolution settings and higher FPS will drain the battery faster, as will filming in overly hot or cold conditions.

Batteries though have come on a long way since the Hero 8, which struggled to stay on for more than 20 minutes in 5˚C or lower. However, the new Hero 13 has an additional feature to enhance battery life in the shape of ‘cooling gills’. At the front of the camera there is a panel of material under the lens which is ridged. This allows for a greater surface area of material for better heat dissipation. Indeed in properly hot temperatures, 36˚C during a holiday abroad while testing, the battery life was exceptionally good with a full day of video capture on and off, draining the battery by less than half. GoPro claims a 38% improvement in battery life over the Hero 12 with no airflow present. Cycling usually involves some airflow, so the claimed improvement drops to 12%, but still very useful.

The downside for past GoPro users is that this new battery is not backwards compatible, and old batteries are not forward compatible. This means that any GoPro users who had a selection of battery spares for long trips filming, will have to purchase additional new ones. There is the option for a magnetic charging door on the Hero 13 to increase usable battery life without taking the battery out, but again this is a further cost.

Elsewhere, the mounting has been expanded significantly with the option of magnetic mounting, as well as standard tripod screw mounting. Again, the magnetic mounts are an added cost, but it does allow for quick and easy switches of the GoPro position while riding, or removing it for Vlog style footage. I personally found the add-on a really useful feature, and the magnetic mount was more than secure enough for an underside mounting over some rough gravel terrain.

A previous complaint of GoPro cameras for the Vlog style of use, was the microphone. It still picks up some wind noise when riding, although on playback it appears less so than some previous generations. However, you can now connect a pair of AirPods for a dedicated microphone and voice pickup, although this doesn’t eliminate the wind noise issue; the likes of DJI have a superb microphone option that can clip onto the jersey cuff and do a better job at eliminating wind noise.

There are other features too that just don’t quite hit the mark, like the GPS overlays. They are interesting, showing speed, route, gravitational forces and others. However, they are a touch hit and miss with the connection, and the speed was not the most accurate when compared to my bike computer. Tree and cloud cover did seem to have an impact on this, plus the camera needs to be on for a few minutes before filming to get a signal. However it just wasn’t quite refined enough, especially as rival brand Insta360 has offerings that can overlay heart rate and power data for more cycling specific insight. It would be great to see GoPro implement this feature.

The final piece of the GoPro puzzle is the Quik app. This is GoPro’s proprietary companion app for video upload and editing. It can be either a fairly basic adjustment, or as part of a GoPro Premium subscription with access to more editing features. For my own personal use, I found it pretty comprehensive for the edits that I would want to make for social media. From stitching together footage, to grabbing stills for Instagram Reel cover images. You can also adjust the aspect ratio of footage to vertical for TikTok or Reels, or horizontal for more YouTube style videos. The app is fantastic for adjusting camera presets and tailoring those to what you want for specific footage requirements. Additionally it does well at making some smart edits of footage that has been gathered over a day and then cutting and fitting them together in a highlights edit. An added feature is that if you allow permission for the app to access your phone gallery, it takes images from the same days as footage to create these edits. It’s more creative than I am, so I really like this feature. It is sometimes hit and miss to connect, as you need to connect to the Hero 13’s wifi network which was not always as reliable as I would have liked.

A word on the GoPro Premium subscriptions. It is nice to be able to get additional cloud storage, especially with video use; discounts on accessories, and replacement units. It’s decent value at $24.99/ £24.99 for the first year and even $49.99/ £49.99 thereafter is fair. However, I don’t like that you need to pay $99.00/ £99.99 a year to unlock HyperSmooth Pro, essentially gatekeeping some specifications of the camera behind a paywall. Especially given that this feature is actually a decent upgrade, especially when riding over rougher road surfaces where buffeting can impact the HyperSmooth 6.0 function a little.

Value & conclusion

When it comes to value, and comparisons within the market, the two main players that are in competition with the GoPro Hero 13 Black are the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 and the DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro. Both of these feature the same magnetic feet mounting, while the DJI has a wider FOV lens option and the Insta360 has optional ND filters. Both miss out overall on the lens mods that GoPro has.

However it’s the hardware where there are some key differences between them. The Insta360 features 8K resolution footage and higher 50MP stills and photos. The DJI is limited to 4K videos but has 40MP photos. Low light performance is better in both thanks to the larger sensors allowing for more light into the lens. Insta360 also has a better noise isolation capacity which is ideal for road cycling. There are other neat elements to the Insta360, with the flip screen allowing cyclists to see what they are filming without having to get eye-level with the camera, perfect for stem mounted options. Both cameras additionally have a feature where they capture footage for a period before the camera starts recording as long as it is on, so as to avoid missing any must-see footage. Finally, the DJI has 47GB inbuilt storage, so an SD card is not necessary upon purchase.

When recording at lower resolutions, the Hero 13 actually has a higher max FPS. 4K FPS is limited to 60 FPS on the Insta360 save for one configuration option, while the DJI has some FPS limitations, although not as many. The Hero 13 manages 120 FPS at 4K. The Hero 13 also wins out on maximum FPS at 400 for super slo-mo footage, while the image stabilisation is arguably better. The Hero 13 is mixed when it comes to battery life, as it is better than the Insta360, but the DJI wins outright at 240min claimed run time.

There are also many similarities between these three cameras. All use USB C charging, all support up to 1TB storage via Micro SD Card, and all have their own companion app for editing and adjustments.

What it comes down to is what you want most from a camera. I would argue that the DJI offers the best value for money, while the Insta360 offers a better overall spec and video footage capacity. Where the GoPro slots in is the additional extras that turn it into something of a more unique offering based on your requirements. However, those add-ons do not come cheap, and can easily double the price of the camera.

The GoPro Hero 13 Black is, on paper, a rather modest update to the Hero line-up. An unchanged image processor means no enhancements in resolution or low light performance, which is unfortunately lagging against competitors. However, updates to the software and HDR do result in footage that looks richer and more refined than previously. The addition of Lens Mods enhances the scope for video potential and creativity, also setting it slightly apart from others. However, this comes at an added cost, which does make the GoPro Hero 13 not the best value offering on the market, even with improved battery life.

If you need a camera that can only do certain unique elements that the Hero 13 can do, such as the Anamorphic filming option, it may well be worth the money. For more amateur videographers or those that want low light footage that is the best, other competitors will likely be better suited.

The Cycliq Fly12 Sport is a unit that combines a camera and bike light in one, providing the reassurance of both a daytime running light and a recording of your ride. Like other of the best bike and helmet cameras the Fly12 has a crash mode that will lock recorded files to preserve evidence.

Otherwise, footage is recorded in a loop on the memory card – overwriting old files from the start to ensure it never runs out of memory, and there are choices of video quality or light mode to better suit the battery and memory card space needed for the type of riding the user does.

The customisation is done in the accompanying app, much the way a lot of cycling electronics such as GPS computers and sports watches are controlled nowadays.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Previous experience was not positive

Of course I approach every product I review from a neutral, fair and unbiased starting position. However, I will note a slight contradiction to that when it comes to Cycliq products: I’ve used them before – both an original Fly12 and two iterations of the Fly6 – and I was not impressed.

The Fly12 would regularly go wrong – maybe it would simply stop recording mid-ride despite being charged and the memory card being present, sometimes it would turn off despite reporting to have sufficient charge, often the memory card would have to be formatted and the camera reset to factory defaults just to function at all.

The more recent Fly6 breathed its last after filling with water on a wet commute: it still turned on and recorded after that, but all you could see was the water sitting behind the lens. A wet commute in the UK, hardly a surprising or extreme circumstance for a bike camera.

Therefore, I am pleased to report that the Fly12 Sport on review has performed well and my overall opinion is net-positive. This camera is a huge improvement on the hit-and-very-often-miss products I have suffered from Cycliq over the last few years.

Even better, this one came with a memory card so once charged I could start using it right away; which wasn’t the case for me previously.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Arrival and set up

The Cycliq Fly12 Sport arrived in a rectangular cubed box and included a memory card, charging cable and several mounting options. One of these I have used to attach the camera to the flat handlebar of my hybrid, while on request the brand also sent an out-front mount that is on my winter road bike where the camera sits below a bike computer. 

Frustratingly, I couldn’t make any combination of the mounts fit the aero bars or proprietary out-front mount on my Cannondale road bike.

The camera came with some juice in the battery, but the setup instructions suggested fully charging the unit before setting out. With that done, I was almost good to go. I wasted a while failing to get the unit compatible with my aero road bars, but soon had the Cycliq attached to my winter bike along with my handlebar bag for all the winter roadside repair essentials.

You can buy a lens protector to go with the camera, but in lieu of that I left the little plastic-film covers on to avoid scratches.

Twisting the camera into the mount requires a bit more force than a Wahoo bike computer, and probably a bit more force than you’d expect, but this brings added reassurance that it’s unlikely to come loose and fall out while you’re riding along.

Mounted to my winter bike, the Cycliq was another accessory on an already busy cockpit. I moved my large handlebar bag down slightly to allow for the camera-light to fit under the out-front mount that holds my Wahoo bike computer.

I've also got a small light there for daytime riding (adding a larger one when riding at night), so I mostly only used the Fly12 as a camera to maximise its battery life; gaining illumination from other sources.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Rear display and recording indicator light

The back of the camera has a small display, which shows: time of day, which function is running – camera only, solid high, solid low, flash high, flash low, pulse high, pulse low, organic – and battery level.

Next to that is a small red light, which flashes when the camera is recording: it’s easy to spot when riding along if you feel the need to check the camera is active.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Image rotation

I’ve been using the Fly12 on my winter road bike – where it is situated under an out-front mount, and on my hybrid shops-and-station bike – where it sits in a supplied mount on top of the flat handlebar.

As such, from one mounting position to the next, the camera is at times upside down – and records footage that way. You can set up the camera in its accompanying app to specify whether it will be mounted on top or below your handlebar and it will orientate accordingly.

But when rushing out the door, possibly cutting it a bit fine to make the train, it’s unlikely anyone is going to bother reorientating the camera in the app every time it’s attached to a different bike. After a couple of rides where the footage was upside down – easily flipped on a computer if needed and thankfully no incidents that needed saving – I discovered the ability to set which way is up using one of the unit’s side buttons.

However, it might also be good if the camera could intuitively ‘flip’ to record the right way up however it’s mounted, but I appreciate this might conflict with its ‘incident protection mode’ which kicks in when the camera is tilted over to a certain degree.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Buttons

On one side, the unit has three buttons. The first has the universal power symbol between two raised dots. This is obviously to switch the camera/light on and off, with the dots making it easy to choose the right button without looking.

The second button has the Cycliq brand letter ‘Q’. The purpose of this is explained below.

The third and final button shows three parallel lines. Discovering that this button allows for the camera’s rotation to be changed without the use of the app hugely improved my use of the camera.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Crash mode

As per Cycliq’s website, “The Fly12 Sport has a feature called incident protection mode. This mode ensures whenever your Fly12 Sport is tilted more than 60° from vertical (or 30° from the ground) for more than five seconds the footage will be automatically saved and stored without being overwritten.”

Such a tilting would occur just from laying your bike down (never on the driveside) but is, of course, programmed into the camera in case of a collision when the bike would be laid over beyond the tilt limit. The requisite files are then locked on the memory card and cannot be automatically overwritten by new footage, as is the case for normal recordings.

If an incident occurs where you are threatened, intimidated or put in danger, you can also manually lock files as you ride.

“You can protect video footage from being overwritten manually by pressing the Q button on the side of the Fly12 Sport,” Cycliq explains in its online FAQs.

“This is useful whenever something occurs that isn’t triggered by incident protection mode. An example might be when there is a close pass by a vehicle, or you see something happen to somebody else that you want to capture for them.”

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Image quality and file intervals

On the whole, especially in daylight, the image quality is very good (and better than displayed here). You can tweak the resolution up or down in the app, bringing memory advantages to the lowering of image quality.

The options are: 2880x2160p at 24fps (4K playback), 2560x1440p QHD at 30fps, 1920x1080p FHD at 60fps, 1920x1080p HDR at 30fps, 1280x720p HD at 120fps.

At night, though, I have been a bit hard pushed to pick out number plates of oncoming cars when viewing footage back. Riding country lanes with only my front bike light (not the Cycliq but a more powerful floodlight), cars flash in and out of view and sometimes it is difficult to read their front plate on the footage as it disappears between their headlights and just looked like a white smear on the front of the car.

Thankfully I’ve had no reason to read or report the registrations, but if one came around a corner too fast and knocked me off, I’d want the locked video files to be of use by showing me the culprit.

As well as changing the image quality in the app, you can also change the interval lengths of recorded files with choices of 5, 10 and 15 minutes. I use the 5 minute for a number of reasons. The files are smaller, so easier to transfer, save or upload to somewhere like Google Drive. The smaller files also mean that when they are overwritten it happens in smaller chunks rather than big 15 minute swathes.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: File writing and overwriting

The Cycliq Fly12 Sport – as per all Cycliq cameras – overwrites old footage files as soon as the memory card’s capacity is reached, so it is always able to save the recordings.

This works fine for commutes as those rides are unlikely to last longer than the capacity of the memory card, meaning that if there is an incident (or just a nice bit of scenery) that you want to save or report, you can simply move the file to a computer before the recordings go round again and overwrite it.

If you are looking to record a whole long ride, or rides on consecutive days, then this system might not work for you – but why would you need to?

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Audio

While the audio perfectly picks up every crunched gear change and the sound of my mudguards clogging up, the microphone seems less adept at hearing my voice. 

For most of the time this is probably a blessing, mumbled swear words as I huff up a hill or have a car try and tickle me with its wing mirror, but if you were inclined to say something you wanted to hear back – for example, that car’s number plate – you’d be hard pushed to make out what’s being said.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: GoPro comparison

Much like ‘Garmin’ and ‘Hoover’, GoPro has become synonymous with its genre even when talking about another brand making a similar product. The Cycliq Fly12 Sport starts at $319.00 / £299.00 so is less than a GoPro Hero 12 at $399.99 / £399.99. GoPro also offers the Hero 11 Black Mini for $299.99 / £299.99, which is likely to be a better option for road riders looking to record any incidents rather than downhill mountain bikers getting footage for their latest edit.

There’s a bit of a horses for courses approach here where the buyer will need to decide which brand best covers their needs from a bar-mounted camera, with GoPro versus Cycliq an imperfect comparison but worth considering due to the ubiquitous nature of GoPro.

Cycliq Fly12 Sport: Value and conclusion

With a list price greater than a Wahoo Bolt V2 or Garmin Edge 530, for most of us this will be a considered investment and not a spur of the moment or must-buy purchase. Tyres worn out? Well you’ll need to buy some more before you can ride again. No handlebar-mounted camera? Well the bike still rides, doesn’t it?

However, for the functionality offered within the unit, the vastly improved performance compared to its forebears and the robustness of the build, I find $319.00 / £299.00 a reasonable price for those who can afford it. I’ll continue to use the Fly12 Sport to ensure it continues to work this well over a much longer period. I’ll be sure to report back if I find myself having to reset to factory settings before every ride.

The HC-1 is the latest addition to the Techalogic family of cameras. They are primarily purposed as evidential cameras, allowing you to record events while you cycle, motorcycle, horse ride, etc. As always we hope that they are not needed but the best bike and helmet cameras could make all the difference should they be called upon to show what really happened in an incident. The camera may be helmet mounted or chest mounted or even fitted to your handlebars using the ubiquitous GoPro fixing system.

Techalogic HC-1: construction

The HC-1 can record in either 1080 Full HD using 30 or 60 frames per second or the higher resolution 2k Quad HD at 30 fps (default). There is a 720 HD / 60fps setting too for those wanting to record smaller files. The bitrate can be set to low, medium or high (default) along with the microphone volume which is also high as default. You can choose different loop lengths or to deactivate that feature. When looping, the oldest files will be overwritten first.

The case is IP65 rated which means that it will handle the worst that the weather can throw at you but it can't be submerged in water. Its 2.5 hour battery life should be sufficient for most commuting riders too. 

The kit supplied is comprehensive with its fittings, and it will allow you to fit a webbing strap, 3M adhesive patch or a non-vented helmet type strap (useful for some commuter or horse rider helmets). 

The HC-1 was nicely packaged with everything that you'd need to get you going. The only additional item that you might need to purchase would be a Micro SD card - the camera will take up to a 256Gb card. 

I slotted in a 64Gb card that I already had and then used the webbing mount, which I fitted to the mid/front section of my vented bike helmet. It uses a standard GoPro base plate. I chose to mount the camera upside down to keep the weight and inertia lower and closer to the helmet - I had found this a bit of an issue when testing the Techalogic's DC-1 camera. When watching a film back I just rotated the picture so that I could see the images normally. I did also use the camera the 'correct' way up using a handlebar mount later on in the test.  Addendum: The camera is able to be removed from the backplate to allow it to be fitted in to one of 4 positions so that it is able to keep the controls on the top surface. A neat feature that was not obvious to me. How to here

The ride

I found that riding with the HC-1 on my helmet felt much nicer than the DC-1 I've tested previously.  The camera was barely detectable this time - the 55 gram weight saving doesn't feel like much when holding the device in your hand but it made quite a difference when on your helmet!

First impression watching the filming back, using the default QHD 2K setting, was how much clearer the picture was compared to the DC-1. It was certainly of similar quality to the Garmin Varia rear camera and really nice to watch back. 

The microphone was set to high and it picked up a conversation clearly, and when riding there was less 'shhhh' from the wind too. The stills below show a variety of situations from normal daytime, to night-time with street lighting, to a really dark lane with no lighting (other than my bike lights). Its ability to film in the dark is really impressive. 

I really liked the one button operation of this camera and the single buzz to let you know that it's on and ready to go. Very simple. 

I found linking to it via WiFi (using an iPhone) straightforward and the app 'HC-1 Helmet Cam' was easy to navigate. You can adjust the settings in there as well as using it as a viewfinder to set up the HC-1. In addition, you can view any films or stills taken, download them onto your phone and send them from there if necessary. This means that you don't have to involve a laptop if you don't want to. 

The weather flap covering the Micro SD card and USB port worked well but I did find that trying to extract the card is really awkward. Normally the press of a fingertip or nail can release an SD card, but I had to use a pen lid to click the card out, and then use tweezers to remove it. I don't even have sausages for fingers...! Lucky that you can access the files via your phone then!

I found this Techalogic's HC-1 camera to be excellent; Lightweight on a helmet, small on the bars, easy to use with its one button functionality, and its straightforward app control. The removal of the Micro SD card was tricky as it sits in a 'well' and a tool was needed to extract it rather than the usual fingertip or nail. However the weatherproofing around this area felt substantial.

Its ability to record good quality film in all light levels was also impressive, particularly a dark lane with no street lighting and little ambient light. 

It is great value at £149.95 considering what it packs into such a small device. 

The HC-1 can be bought at both Amazon and directly from techalogic.co.uk.

Specs

• Camera Weight: 48g
• Camera Size: L46mm by W46mm by H38mm
• Storage: Micro SD Card 8gb to 256gb
• Video Format: MP4 with H.265 encoding
• Video Resolution: 1440 QHD 30 Fps, 1080 FHD 60 Fps, 1080 HD 30 Fps, 720HD 60 Fps
• Viewing Angle: 120 Degree senso
• WiFi: 2.4G
• Data Interface: Micro USB
• Battery Capacity: 850Mah = 2.5 hours run time
• Battery Charging Time: 90 Mins
• Weatherproofing: IP65
• Working Temp: -5 degree C to 45 degree C

The Techalogic DC-1 is a dual camera, meaning that it can record in front as well as behind you, at the same time. This makes it a great option if you wish to keep your filming simple and straightforward, particularly in one unit. 

It is a device aimed at cyclists and is one of the best bike and helmet cameras, but it can be useful additionally to motorcyclists, horse riders and even E-scooterists - basically anyone wishing to record their travel for evidential purposes.

These cameras are successfully bringing poor and dangerous driving to light and are able to be used as evidence in gaining a conviction. Hopefully, over time, this will make some people think twice about their poor decisions on the road. 

Techalogic DC-1: construction

The unit comes with a wide variety of GoPro compatible fixings to enable the camera to be fixed to a helmet. There is the webbing variety (shown in the pictures) as well as 3M double sided glue patches to fix the mount plate to a helmet which doesn't have vents (i.e. motorbike and equestrian helmets). 

Having a mount plate enables you to easily remove the unit to charge it up. There is also a watch-sized remote control that can be worn on your wrist or strapped to the bars, and it allows you to take a still photo or to save a section of your recording. 

The camera is IP65 rated against water ingress, which means it can cope with being outside in all weathers. It has a 2.5 hour battery life when using both cameras and will automatically loop the recordings, which means that it will overwrite the oldest files first, but not any that have been locked to save. The loop function may be turned off, though.

The unit feels well made in the hand, and the flaps covering the USB and SD Card ports seal neatly. The card port flap does need to be rotated and pulled away to allow easier access to the card but it worked well once the technique was found.

Once you have set the unit up onto your helmet, you'll need to do two things. Firstly; download the 'ROADCAM' app (iOS and Android) or the 'VIIDURE' app (Android only), and secondly format the Micro SD card. Power the camera up and search for it on your WiFi settings, enter the password and then open the app... 

I used an iPhone to connect up, which worked easily. Then you can format the card, choose your film loop time lengths (off, 1min, 3mins, 5mins or 10min) and choose the quality that you wish to film at. There are three options: HD P60, FHD P30 or QHD P30. The default is FHD P30 using both cameras and the 3min loop, which I used. You are also able to see what the camera is pointing at using the app as a viewfinder and it shows both images in the same window. 

Other than formatting the card and getting the view set up, you almost don't need the app. By this I mean that the camera is a one button operation. You power the unit up by pressing the 'on' button for two seconds until it buzzes once and you're good to go! It is about as simple as tech goes, really. 

Once powered up, the unit tells you that it is recording, as well as its battery and WiFi status via LEDs around the 'on' button. Powering down and saving any filming is a similar procedure except that you get three buzzes. This simplicity was rather refreshing. 

Once riding, you do feel the weight of the camera to a degree. I had to click my helmet up tighter to stop additional movement. It is partly because the camera sits quite a distance from the helmet due to the GoPro mounts. I did wonder whether the weight would've been less noticeable if the unit sat really close to the helmet. You felt the inertia of the camera sticking out rather than the weight per se. You probably wouldn't notice it mounted on a motorbike helmet, as they are significantly heavier items.

Film quality

The quality is pretty good. You can clearly make out car number plates and plenty of detail. In absolute terms there is a little graininess to a picture, but we are filming to establish events not create a YouTube video. 

As the camera is mounted on your head the film becomes quite jiggly and it flicks from side to side as you look left and right at a junction (for example), but this could be crucial if the film needs to be used as evidence. At night time, the camera recorded pretty well in lit up areas but less so in unlit country lanes. 

I used a good front bike light that helped in the lanes but the rear camera struggled to show much apart from car lights approaching to pass. Three pairs of photos (one front and one rear) are shown below. Please note that I have taken a still from the video to demonstrate the relative qualities described above.

The unit will record sound but I found that normal speaking voices were rather quiet. Sometimes, whilst riding, the sound would be minimal but then as you turned your head you'd get a lot of 'shhhh' from the wind on the recording. 

Value and conclusion

To conclude, I liked the one button operation and quality feel of the camera; I didn't like the sensation of it on my helmet. I felt, rightly or wrongly, that if you were to come off your bike and your helmet was needed in the fall, that having something clamped to it may compromise the helmet's protection. 

I feel similarly about bigger lights fixed to the top of helmets. Lighter ones that are fitted around the rim feel less of an issue to me. This is purely a personal opinion and I can't mark it down for that. You may feel that the extra safety afforded to you by recording your ride is worth it.

The Techalogic DR-1 is reasonably priced at $239.99 / £189.95.

However I came away thinking that I preferred the rear camera/light options from Techalogic (the CR-1, $135.70 / £109.95) and Garmin (Varia RCT715, $399.99 / £349.99) and would prefer a front camera (for example, Techalogic HC-1) that was lighter instead. I can appreciate the simplicity of this device and see that it has much to offer, but overall I didn't enjoy the weight sensation.

The DR-1 can be bought at both Amazon and directly from techalogic.co.uk.

Specs

• Battery Life: 2.5 hours from 1600mAh battery and, extendable with any powerbank – e.g. a 5000 mAh power bank would extend the battery by 7 hours.
• Size: 110 x40 x 33 mm
• Weight: 104g
• Sensor: Sony Starvis IMX307
• Film Quality Settings: HD P60, FHD P30 or QHD P30
• Storage Size available: 64Gb & 128Gb
• Dual Lens
• Codec.265
• WiFi Connectivity to phone
• IXP65 water resistant
• No need to manage or delete video files. The DC-1 stores video segments in 3/5/10 minute files and once your SD card is full, it will overwrite the oldest files first, but it will not overwrite any locked files you have generated. The loop record function can be turned off.
• One button control with vibration alert so no having to guess if the camera is on and recording.

The Techalogic CR-1 is a rear light/camera all-in-one compact unit. It allows easy recording of an incident, should you need to submit evidence (let's hope not, though!), all in full 1080P HD quality, with a 120 degree wide angle lens. 

In addition the rear light has 6 different options depending on whether you're riding in the day or at night, including a solid light and various flashing modes. Settings can be easily configured using the RICAM app on your smartphone. 

Techalogic CR1 Rear Light and Camera: construction

Similar to many of the other best bike and helmet cameras, the Techalogic CR-1 uses GoPro fixings to allow a variety of on-the-bike positions. It comes with two sizes of seat post mount. The smaller diameter mount fits a 27.2mm seat post and the larger will work on a 30.9mm post. It is a fairly compact unit measuring 80mm by 47mm by 27mm, and it weighs in at 120 grams (4.5oz).

The CR-1 came with a pretty comprehensive set of fittings and tools as well as a 64gb micro SD card (which is available separately at around $10.00 elsewhere or £14.95 from Techalogic). You may already have a suitable card so you can save yourself some extra outlay. Included was the following: The CR-1 unit, usb charging cable, two seat post mounts (two separate sizes) plus a 2-3 prong GoPro adaptor, three bolts plus an Allen key, a finger bolt plus spanner and a micro cloth cleaner.

The camera/light unit is well made and feels reasonably robust. There are three buttons on one side and a weatherproof flap on the other. The three buttons switch the unit on, change the light mode or take a still photo. Under the flap is the USB port and the micro sd card slot. The CR-1 is IPX5 water resistant, which implies that a device can endure direct contact with water that is projected from a nozzle. In reality, spray from the road shouldn't be a problem. On the rear is a two tab GoPro compatible mount.

Although you can use the light/camera straight from the box with default settings, if you want to alter the settings then you'll need to download the RICAM app. I used an iPhone to do this. Then you'll need to access WiFi on the phone to link to the CR-1 and you're in. It was pretty straight forward and the extra information (passwords etc.) that you'll require is all in the manual. Also remember to format the card first, otherwise it won't record anything! 

One neat feature is that you can see what the camera is viewing in the app, which is helpful for adjusting the angle correctly. Once the seat post mount has been fitted, you're all set to ride. It is pretty easy to power up and choose the lighting mode that you want using the buttons on the nearside of the unit. The green led beneath the lens indicates that you are filming. 

The ride

During the daytime, the image quality is more than good enough to clearly read car number plates and you get a good vision of the road behind. In absolute terms, the quality isn't as good as the Garmin Varia RCT715 - but then the Techalogic CR1 is about a third of the cost. It is, as mentioned, plenty good enough for evidential purposes and this is what its purpose is for. 

The in night, the images are still good enough to read number plates on roads lit by street lighting, but it struggled in really dark country lanes and wouldn't show much detail. This points to a mostly city/commuter or daytime riding user. The recording is able to time and date stamp the film, too (see pictures below).

The solid block lighting mode is 60 lumens and whilst better than my Cateye LD610, I felt that it wasn't as piercing as the Garmin Varia RCT715 and certainly not close to my benchmark lights (Exposure Tracer ReAKT or Knog Cobber Mid). It was, however, absolutely fine and still a lot better than many lights that I see on commuter bikes in the evenings.

The microphone does pick up sound but I found that the 'Shhhhhh' of road noise was pretty dominating on the recording. You can hear a freewheel clicking and the 'woosh' from an overtaking car, but it won't really pick up your voice if you're talking whilst riding.

It is a little fiddly getting the micro sd card out, as the flap gets in the way a bit. But I think that in practice the card is a fit and forget item. It is there to record in a loop until such time that you need to extract it. I was only having to remove it so often in order to view the footage as part of this review.

Value and conclusion

Coming in at a third of the price of the Garmin Varia RCT715, it is hard to argue with the CR-1's value for money. The Garmin unit does feature a radar in addition to the camera and light functionality - plus it does feel a more premium offering. 

That said, the price differential is a big one. If being seen and recording your journey is important to you - and you don't want to spend out too much - then the Techalogic is well worth considering. The light can be bought at both Amazon and directly from techalogic.co.uk.

Specification 

• 1920 x 1080 @ 30 fps Resolution
• H.264 encoding
• 120 degrees sensor viewing angle
• AVI Video File Type
• Loop recording
• Date and time stamping
• 60 Lumen light: 6 light modes available, various flashing or solid.
• Micro USB charging
• Battery Capacity 1500mAh. Up to 6 hours runtime with LED. Over 7 Hours recording with LED off
• IPX5 water resistant – Weatherproof and shock resistant. Water resistant for any weather, and extremely durable.
• G sensor option. In an incident the camera will recognise the impact and auto lock that all important video file so it cannot be over written.
• WiFi/app-controlled. Easily change settings. Check and download your videos on your mobile device
• Dimensions: 80mm by 47mm by 27mm. 120 Grams / 4.5oz

The Varia RCT715 is the range topping device from Garmin's Radar series which also includes the RTL515 and RVR315. The RCT715 features a camera, rear light and radar, and it is able to link with either a cycling computer (a Garmin Edge device or others including Wahoo's Elemnt Bolt and Roam, and Hammerhead's Karoo 2), or your mobile smartphone for additional functionality. It weighs 147g without the bracket and measures 106.5x42x32mm (LxWxD). 

Garmin's Varia RCT715 is a device aimed at keeping you safe on the road by giving a visual warning to following vehicles (via the light), recording any incidents (via the camera) and giving the rider notice of following traffic (via the radar), namely the number of cars, their distance and approaching speed. It does not replace sensible riding and good all round observation, however! In conjunction with the latter, though, it is a really interesting and useful device.

We headed out to see how Garmin's 3-in-1 device compares to the best bike lights and best bike and helmet cameras. 

Garmin Varia RCT715: construction

The Garmin Varia RCT715 is solidly made and felt durable in the hand. The sides feature a lightly rubberised feeling plastic which helps with holding it securely. The mounting bracket comes with three shims for round, aero and d-shaped seat posts and is secured with a double loop band that goes around the seat post. The camera/light then fits into a slot on the bracket and is held securely using its locking lever.

The microSD card is located under a penny slot cover which has a weather seal, whilst the USB-C is under a weather cap near the bottom of the unit. Both seals appear to be well made and didn't allow water in on rainy rides. It has a water rating of IPX7.

As with all configurable technology there will be many permutations that you can select for your own bespoke setup, however you can expect the battery to last between four and 10 hours depending whether you run the camera all the time and have a rear light on solidly, or have the camera off and using a flashing light mode. The Garmin site has a good manual pdf download which is well worth a read, if you have very specific questions. 

There are four light modes; 20 lumens solid, 8 lumens peloton, 29 lumens night flash & 65 lumens day flash. There are also three camera modes to choose between too: Continuous, off, radar-activated with each able to record in either 1080p or 720p at 30 FPS. The RCT715 has ANT+ to control the radar and lights as well as BLE for the radar and camera control.

Garmin Varia RCT715: the ride

I have primarily used the Garmin Edge 530 head unit while riding with this camera/light/radar and whilst I have used the Garmin Varia App on an iPhone too, I didn't ride with it. 

I'll start with the fitting of the seat post mount. The bracket is well made and you have a choice of shims which are marked, for example, 73deg / 77deg to allow fine tuning of the bracket and ensure that it sits perpendicular (at 90 degrees) to the road. This is to ensure that the camera has the best angle of view as well as allowing the radar to be most accurate. 

The stretchy double band is a bit fiddly to fit but once fitted it does stay in place. I would quite like a bolt-on version or seat rail clamp bracket for a more permanent solution but it seems that this is the only option at the moment. The locking lever clicks home very securely. As the bracket is slim I found that there was also good leg clearance while riding.

Once the RCT715 has been setup, microSD card formatted, Bluetooth/ANT+ pairing done, then you can ride. 

Camera quality

The camera records pictures really clearly in 1080P and you can easily read car number plates. It also records sound. The ambient noise is fairly low when riding slowly but a rumble and 'shhhhhhh' increases as speeds get faster. My freewheel is clearly audible when coasting. It doesn't pick up speech particularly well, so if you're giving a commentary about unfolding events then it'll probably be lost. 

I settled on the radar-activated camera mode as opposed to the continuously filming one to save on battery and memory. 

It's worth being aware that the RCT715 does overwrite older footage as it records in a loop.

Rear light functionality

The rear light is pretty good even with 20 lumens in solid mode. It has edge windows either side of the light section to give out more light to the sides. As is it, it is a fine light but compared to the Exposure TraceR ReAKT and Knog Cobber Mid it gives a bit away - those two really are a benchmark for an excellent rear light.

Experimenting with the different setting I settled on the Day Flash 65 lumen for daytime use and Solid 20 lumen for night riding. As a vehicle approaches from behind, the light will automatically start to flash/change mode to alert the driver. Then, once the car has passed you, the light reverts to your chosen setting.

Radar use

Next is the radar functionality. Using the Edge 530, I had the screen showing the usual stats (speed, distance, timer etc) open, and with ANT+ operating I could see the connected symbol in the top right hand corner of the screen. 

When a car starts to approach from 140 meters behind you, the edges of the screen turn orange. You then see a white dot move from the bottom right side up the screen edge to the top. When it is near the top it means that they are right behind you. If they have slowed to your pace the screen edges flash green. Also if there are several cars behind you then you will see several white dots on the screen edge. Once you have been overtaken and the road behind you is clear then the screen returns to normal. There is also a red screen edge which is activated when a vehicle is approaching you very quickly. 

I really came to value this feature and used it a lot. Whilst nothing should replace a proper look over the shoulder, it gave me a heads up and extra information for planning my next section of road, and then I would use conventional observation skills. If you are in very busy traffic or commuting you may find that there is too much information, however in the country lanes it performed superbly.

Garmin Varia RCT715: value and conclusion

I think that there are different ways to look at the Garmin Varia RCT715. Firstly, if you want a single integrated bit of kit and need all three functions, then great, it works really well, and is nicely made with great integration. Sorted! 

You may not feel that you want or benefit from the camera part, in which case the RTL515 has the same radar and rear light functionality. It'll be a bit lighter and saves you some money. 

For me, I have been massively impressed with the radar section and as I already have a very good rear light I'd probably go that direction and get the RVR315 (radar only). It's nice to have the choice, though, isn't it!

Scoring-wise, I've broken the individual components down to the three parts. Firstly, the rear light is good but not as good as my benchmark for lights so give that aspect four out of five stars. Secondly, the camera is a really good quality unit but it doesn't record sound/spoken commentary too well so I'll give that 4.5. Finally, the radar is excellent and I'd give it a full five out of five star rating – a fantastic bit of useful tech.

Taking that all together, I've given this unit with the light, camera and radar a 4.5 star rating overall.

Garmin Varia RCT715: specs

• Dimensions (LxWxD): 4.2″ x 1.7″ x 1.3″ (106.5 x 42.0 x 31.9 mm)
• Weight: 5.2 oz (147.0 g)
• Light modes: Solid, peloton, night flash, day flash
• Lumens: 20 solid, 8 peloton, 29 night flash, 65 day flash
• Camera modes: Continuous, off, radar-activated
• Camera settings: 1080p/720p, with 30 FPS
• Battery life: 4 hours solid, 5 hours peloton, 3 hours night flash, 6 hours day flash (all with 1080p recording)
• ANT+®: Yes (radar, bike lights)
• BLE: Yes (radar, camera control)
• Wi-Fi®: Yes (local network only)
• Water rating: IPX7
• Viewing angle: 220°
• 16 GB SD card included
• Onboard accelerometer to automatically lock footage on incident detection
• Camera control of Garmin Edge® and select wearables
• Varia App provides convenient radar display, camera control and video transfer

I spend long hours out on my bike in areas around Portland, Oregon, experiencing unbelievable landscapes. But when I get home, there's not been a good way of sharing what I've had the pleasure of seeing. 

Over the years, I've been through periods of trying to find a some way of sharing my experiences. I always have my phone with me – so any potential option always has the modern mobile phone as competition. Especially given that there are times when I resign myself to using my phone and give up looking for another option. 

The perfect solution would be waterproof and rugged. It would be small, and it would be easy to use. I have tried still cameras, but the good ones are too large and too delicate while small cameras lack quality. For a lot of people, action cameras like those offered by Insta360 or GoPro fill the space, but they aren't without their drawbacks. Large files and extensive editing needs tend to diminish their use. 

The Insta360 Go 2 is something different. It's a unique product in the world of the best bike and helmet cameras that lets my phone stay stashed while also allowing me to share the time I spend alone on the bike. 

Form Factor

The Insta360 Go 2 is so unique I have to start with a description of its physical form. There's no generic design language that fits what the product is. I can say it's an action camera but it's unlike anything else. 

Without knowing what it is, most people would think it's a set of true wireless earbuds in a charging case. It's small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and built from white plastic. Turn it around and examine it and you will find a USB-C port, a couple of foldable legs, and a tripod mount. 

Like the case for a set of true wireless headphones this case also acts as the charger and external battery. Open up the case and inside is where the camera lives. The lower part of the case contains a small screen and two buttons. The screen is tiny, and minimal, but allows for a bit of interaction if you decide to control the camera with the two buttons. 

The camera itself is less than half the size of the case. It sits in the upper part of the case and connects magnetically. Removed from the case it's smaller than my thumb and the only significant feature is a small status light and the lens. On the rear of the camera is a connection for charging and the lower front portion of the body is clickable for interaction. 

Features

The Insta360 Go 2 is a video camera with a 180-degree field of view. It's waterproof up to 13ft (4 meters) and it's reasonably rugged because it's so light and there are no moving pieces. Resolution is either 1440p or 1080p and frame rate is either 30fps or 50fps. There is also a slow-motion mode available via the case that gets you 120fps at 1080p. If you use it as a still camera, you get a 9mp image. Color profiles are Vivid, Standard, or Log.

The power of the unit comes in the mounting options. In the box, you get three mounting options. There is a pivot stand that will stick to flat surfaces, a clip mount for something like a hat, and a magnetic pendant. The magnetic pendant is the most interesting to me. Wear it under a thin shirt and the camera will seem to hang like magic in the center of your chest.

I wouldn't trust the magnetic pendant mount in a real physical situation but it's an easy way to get a unique point of view. With a thin shirt and minimal jumping it works well. Out for a hike with kids, or a mellow ride across town, and you've got everything you need for point of view video.

If you want to do something that requires a stable camera there are options for that as well. Use the charging case and it has a tripod mount or small legs that hold it up on a flat surface. The three-prong action camera mount opens up even more possibilities.

In Use

The easiest way to use the Insta360 Go 2 is to leave it in the case. The controls and screen are minimal but there is a way to confirm what mode you are in and switch it if you want. The case also makes it much easier to hold the camera. Unfortunately, the case is not waterproof. Given that what I find most useful about the camera is that it lets me keep my phone safe that limits the use of the case.

With or without the case, the mode you want is Pro video mode. I'd also recommend 1440p and 50fps. If you shoot in Pro video mode then load the files into the Insta360 desktop app you have options. After the fact, it's possible to change the field of view or the stabilization mode. I don't actually see any reason to use the standard video mode and leave yourself fewer options later.

With that in mind, you should practice a bit ahead of time. With only a single, colored, light to show what's happening. It's not always clear. With the camera off press and hold the button to turn it on. Initially, the status light will be dark blue. When you feel the camera vibrate let go and the status light will change to a light blue. It's now on and ready to go. The single press gets you Pro video. The status light will be flashing between off and white. A single press stops the recording but leaves it on. Long press to turn it off or it will turn off on its own after a default time of 120 seconds.

Value

The Insta360 Go 2 creates good quality video but it's not leading the pack in that regard. Without 4k recording, there are plenty of better-quality options. When it comes to quality it's passable but it's not the selling point. The selling point is the size and simplicity. 

Removing quality as a differentiator I see the main competition as the phone I also have in my jersey pocket on every ride. Is it worth carrying another product instead of using the phone I already have? I would say it is. 

Modern mobile phones are expensive. Not only are they expensive but they are very precious. Your whole life runs through your phone, do you really want to destroy your phone on a ride? The trip to get a new one the next day, or the day or two it takes to get a replacement, is a world of hassle and expense. For $299.99 the Insta360 Go represents a cheaper product that will have minimal impact if it's lost or broken. 

The basic backstop of its value is allowing you to leave your phone safely stashed but it does offer more than that. The ease of mounting allows you to explore your creativity in ways your phone doesn't. The Insta360 Go 2 is a tiny gadget that's purpose-built for what it does. It allows you to relax and enjoy the ride while also sharing it with others. 

When it comes to filming your rides via one of the best bike and helmet cameras there's a lot of options on the market. Start narrowing it down to the serious contenders though and the field actually gets pretty small.

Nowadays, getting good quality out of an action camera is an expectation, and thus it is its other features that make a camera stand out or lag behind.

Stabilization has to be spot on or you end up with unwatchable footage. A road bike might seem smooth from the saddle but every tiny vibration gets multiplied, and a rigid mount from the camera to the bike acts like a lever on the lens that will ruin even the best scenery. 

Ease of mounting, ease of editing, packaging, and battery life are all others important aspects of the modern action camera shopping list. The Insta360 is a camera that addresses these issues and comes out in the top tier.

Insta360 action camera features

There are three main sections to this modular camera, in itself a unique offering: the battery, the screen and processor, and the lens and sensor. You choose which battery size and which lens and sensor combo you want and then put it all together. We took a look at the 1-inch module and the 360 module as well as a slew of accessories.

Though not so common, it is possible to pick up a fairly run of the mill 4k action camera module and the quality will more or less match the competition. Opt for the Insta360 with the 1-inch module and you've got something truly different and special.

Don't confuse the larger sensor in the 1-inch edition for a simple resolution upgrade. It does carry a higher 5312x2988@24/25/30fps max resolution but the new on the market GoPro Hero 9 also offers 5k max resolution. What's different about a larger sensor is that there's more physical room for the photosites. Without getting too technical it's fair to say that larger photosites are preferable, and even if the resolution is the same, larger photosites give more detail and better low light performance. 

The 360 module uses a smaller sensor but it carries two lenses and films everything in an environment all the time. Resolution is still 5k but it's slightly different. Options include 5760x2880 at 30fps, 25fps, and 24fps, or lower for slow motion or file size considerations. Remember though that the data recorded in that file size is much greater, but it's going to get cropped.

Where the 360 module comes into its own is in post-production cropping. You can crop your content to a standard video, then at any moment choose a different point of view. It gives options you've never had before and because of the modular nature of the Insta360 you don't choose either or.

The 360 module is worth owning but you might not want it all the time. This way you can add on the 360 module when you want a 360 view, but swap it off when it's time to narrow the focus. 

In Use

The first thing you've got to do with the Insta360 is assemble the chosen pieces. The 360 module makes for unique footage while the best quality will come from the 1-inch mod. Next, choose which direction you want the screen facing and push it against the lens/sensor mod, before choosing which size battery and connect it to the bottom of the other pieces. There's a latch on the battery and it can be a little fiddly to connect the last piece.

There is also a plastic cage, called the mounting bracket, that everything fits into. With the standard battery this is where the hook and push mounting (commonly referred to as a GoPro mount) sits. If you've chosen the boosted battery case it won't fit in the mounting bracket. Instead, it has its own mounting integrated attachment. The 1-inch mod won't fit into the mounting bracket without removing, then reinstalling the lens protector.

Now that you've got everything assembled, you can shoot your footage in whatever way works for you. The camera is waterproof to 5m (16.4ft) and since it uses an industry-standard mount there is a mount for everything you could think of. We initially used a Barfly mount to situate the camera under our computer but we rethought things when the rain got heavy. Looking to minimize road spray we moved the Garmin 1030 Plus to its own mount and resituated the Barfly above the bars.

https://youtu.be/KIvjwgolAEU

While filming it's possible to interact with the camera via the touchscreen or connect via a smartphone and use it as a secondary screen. Once you've finished, that same Insta360 app does a respectable job of handling editing. For many people editing the footage while still on the camera through the app is going to be a killer feature.

Long editing sessions through the phone and a Bluetooth connection aren't ideal but quick edits for social posts work perfectly. If you are using the 360 mod it's easy to choose the point of view via keyframes. Once the keyframes are chosen, the software will smoothly swing from one point of view to the next. Once done editing, export the finished product and share it.

Value

We reviewed the Insta360 One R Expert Edition Ultimate Kit. It's a bundle that includes the 1-Inch Wide Angle Mod, 1x Dual-Lens 360 Mod, 1x Core, 2x Battery Base, 1x Insta360 ONE R Invisible Selfie Stick, 1x 32GB Micro SD Card, 1x Lens Cap, and 1x Mounting Bracket and costs $759.96 (£721.47).

On the face of it that's more than the price of competition from DJI and GoPro - but you are getting two cameras for one here. To get the same setup from GoPro you'd need the GoPro Max as well as the GoPro Hero 9. Purchased together the price would be almost exactly the same without all the accessories.

No matter how you slice and dice the packages you end up with a product that costs about the same as what GoPro offers but with more accessories. There are little pros and cons for each company but Insta360 has one thing that GoPro can't offer. Because it's a modular system, you've got scope for swapping in a new mod at a much lower price in the future. If Insta360 sticks to its standards moving forward, this unit with updated moducles could offer much better value than alternatives.

How do we score products? Check out the scale here.

If you fancy a GoPro but are put off by the price, the Akaso EK7000 Pro action camera may be a good alternative. It’s under half the price of GoPro’s entry level Hero7 White model although, unlike the GoPro, it doesn’t come with a MicroSD card or voice control.

It shoots in 4k/25fps, 2.7k/30fps or 1080P/60fps modes as well as shooting 16Mpixel stills. That’s better video performance than the GoPro Hero7 White, but a bit less than the £280 Hero7 Silver. In 18=080P/60fps mode, it offers image stabilisation too. If you plan to attach the camera below a Garmin mount, you can set it to record images upside down. Plus there are options like burst photo (taking three stills per second), time lapse photos and loop recording.

Image-wise, the Akaso EK7000 Pro action camera includes image stabilisation like many of the best bike and helmet cameras. There’s the option to select four different fields of view, so you can have a narrowed image of the view ahead as well as one taking in more peripheral action. The images are bright and clear, although they look a little oversaturated. You can, however, alter the image colour balance via the camera’s settings menu.

The Akaso EK7000 Pro action camera comes with a waterproof case that’s compatible with GoPro mounts, so you can set it up on your bike or take it underwater (where there’s a mode to rebalance the colours to compensate for the different colour balance in water). You can operate the four main controls easily via the large silver buttons on the case. When out of its case, the Akaso EK7000 Pro action camera has a 2in rear touchscreen that I found easy to use to select camera features and play back video.

Connectivity is via micro USB and micro HDMI ports as well as using WiFi. As you’d expect, Akaso has an app which you can link to the camera and which lets you control the camera, as well as play back and share content and update the camera software. You can also use it to download 1080P content directly from the camera; otherwise, you need to remove the SD card to transfer images and video to an external device.

>>> Cycliq Fly 12 CE action camera review

What Akaso also does well is to package with the EK7000 all those mounts and other bits and pieces that GoPro charges a lot extra for – £25 and up for most options. So in the pack with the camera is a remote control that can be attached to your bars or elsewhere, allowing you to start and stop the camera without starting and stopping your ride.

Plus there’s a helmet mount, a range of seven different mounts to glue, strap, clip or screw the Akaso EK7000 Pro action camera to just about anything, a frame to attach the helmet to a GoPro mount without its case and a whole load of Velcro straps and zip ties.

>>> Garmin Virb Ultra 30 review

Battery life is around 90 minutes, but Akaso includes two batteries with the camera, along with a USB charging cradle, so you can take a second battery along and swap it out mid-ride if you want. The battery compartment door is a bit fiddly to open, however.

>>> Buy now from Amazon for £74.99

So I’ve been impressed by the Akaso EK7000 Pro action camera’s ability to provide pretty much everything you need to shoot videos and stills on the road, without needing to pay a huge price.

Cycliq’s bike camera packs in a light and alarm too

If you’ve watched a video of a cyclist being knocked off his bike by a kangaroo or other errant mammals, chances are it’s been shot on the forward facing Cycliq Fly 12 or the rearward facing Fly 6 action camera.

Cycliq combines a camera with a 600 lumen light in the Fly 12 and with a red rear light in the Fly 6, so that its cameras do double duty as running lights too.

We reviewed the Fly 12 on Tech of the Month in April 2018, so if you want to see video footage recorded in the traffic of lovely South London, take a look.

The action cam in the Fly 12 will take MP4 1080p HD video at 60fps or 30fps, or 720p video at 60fps. It’s plenty clear enough to get good definition, helped by electronic image stabilisation that's often a component of the best bike and helmet cameras. The 135 degree viewing angle is useful too – you can see that kangaroo emerging from the bushes and there’s a built-in stereo microphone so that you can record its cries.

Charging of the Fly 12 takes some time – around 2.5 hours on a standard wall adapter and up to 8 hours from a PC, so it’s not fast. Plus, the unit uses a USB C cable. This gives faster video download but is not compatible with a standard Micro USB cable, so you need to carry the cable around with you if you plan to charge up the unit away from home. Both the USB plug and the MicroSD card slot for recording your video live under a flap in the unit’s side.

Once charged, run time is around 8 hours for video recording only or 4 hours if you use the light too. There’s a Home Safe mode that prioritises the light if the battery starts to run low, keeping it running for around 30 minutes.

The light in the Fly 12 is powerful enough to keep you seen by day and by night. With nine different beam settings, it provides plenty of flashing and constant options too, although these can be selectively inactivated via the Cycliq app, to reduce the number of choices to toggle through. Or you can switch the light off and just record video. The Fly 12 will double up as a car dash cam as well as an action cam.

The Fly 12 records in a loop, overwriting the oldest footage once the memory card is full. You can set each video segment to be 5, 10 or 15 minutes long. But if you are involved in an incident, you can lock the footage or set the unit to do so, so that it is not overwritten.

It identifies an incident as occurring when the unit is tipped through more than 60 degrees for more than 5 seconds, which it assumes means that you’ve hit the deck. Of course, this isn’t always the case, so you may find that it’s gone into protected footage mode when you don’t want it to.

Anther useful add-on feature of the Fly 12 is the built-in bike alarm. Once set using the mobile app, it will go off if the bike is moved.

The Fly 12 is designed to be mounted above or below the bar or stem. Under the stem, it’s pretty unobtrusive, although at around 200g, it’s quite a heavy unit. It attaches to its mount securely via an eighth of a turn, so it’s quick to take on and off your bike. Cycliq includes a universal mount adapter, so you can attach the Fly 12 to a suitable out front mount too.

The unit is IP67 rated, so it can cope with rain, dust and submerging in a metre of water. Plus Cycliq says that it has hydrophobic coated the inside and outside of the unit to help keep it clean.

As with many bike accessories, there’s an app to parameterise your Fly 12. It pairs up via Bluetooth and lets you control recording and light settings as well as check on battery and memory card status. The Fly 12 app also lets you pair via ANT+ and overlay your video with Strava stats. You can plug the Fly 12 into a PC or Mac and use the desktop app to achieve the same results, as well as to edit and share video.

The unit itself has just two buttons on it. Switch it on and it will start recording. It’s easy enough to switch light modes, but it’s a bit fiddly to try to do anything else without using the app. Communication of battery level, mode and other status info is via a single small LED that flashes either green or red and a series of beeps from the in-built speaker. It’s a code that’s confusing at first, but reasonably easy to get to understand.

The Fly 12 isn’t cheap at £255 and you need to factor in the cost of a MicroSD memory card on top – Cycliq’s is an extra £26.99 for 32Gb, although you can find Class 10 cards of this capacity cheaper elsewhere. But if you want to record that kangaroo taking out your mate, the Fly 12 packs a range of nice features into one handy unit.

Whether your totally new to capturing your cycling action, a dab-hand at making your own edit or are looking for safety dash-cam style filming, action cameras are a real hit with novices and pro's alike. However, once you've decided on filming your ride the problems soon arise as to where and how to mount you camera. Designed specifically for the GoPro Hero model's 2 to 4 (including the + range), the Tacx GoPro Bike mount will also support any action camera with the identical GoPro base.

>>>Best bike cameras 2017 

Construction

Made from a injection molded plastic, the Tacx GoPro Bike mount is actually two in one mount. The bracket that fits to the actual base of the GoPro case, via the standard bolt through attachment mechanism, effectively attaches the camera to one half of the Tacx GoPro Bike mount, with the actual camera position interchangeable via permanent brackets mounted on either the handlebar, stem or the bike saddle.

The front handle bar adaptor fits in the place of the top cap, using the top cap bolt to secure in place. A simple sprung quick release button then allows the user to attach or detach the camera. The rear adaptor is mounted on the saddle rails, fitting a standard rail width of around 43/44mm and, a rail circumference of between 7-9mm (enough to account for oversized carbon).

The Ride

It was a bit of a false start with mounting the Tacx GoPro Bike mount, as my first attempt of heading out with it on the road bike was thwarted by the 5mm bolt, which wasn't compatible with my integrated FSA headset. Once finding a bike with a threaded headset, installation, of both front and rear mounts was a breeze.

Swopping between front and rear mounting was really simple, although you do need to remember to manually turn the camera settings to upside down when filming at the rear. By the nature of the front mount position on top of the headset the camera captures a fair amount of stem, and handle bar in the footage. Personally, I actually rather liked this 'on deck' view, but some might prefer more of a cleaner uninterrupted camera angle.

In terms of quality of image from the Tacx GoPro Bike mount, it's as good as the GoPro camera inside. It was incredibly stable with excellent imagery, even in the really rough terrain it was tested over.

Value

Once you've invested in a GoPro, the choice as to how to mount it on your bike can be somewhat overwhelming. But at just shy of £17 the Tacx GoPro Bike mount is a really good option providing great footage and speedy change between front and rear filming. The other great thing about the mount, it that it's also compatible with Tacx's mudguard and saddle bag, so once the rear mount it attached to the saddle rails, you can easily decided what to attach to it.

The Garmin Virb Ultra 30 will record ultra-high-definition video, with a maximum 4k/30fps, although you can drop to 1080p or lower for more memory capacity and battery life. It also includes image stabilisation (although not at 4k resolution) for less blur when you are out riding.

The standout feature of the Garmin Virb Ultra 30 is its voice control. This means that you just have to give voice commands to start and stop recording, take a still photo or highlight a video clip.

>>> Best helmet cameras reviewed 

In practice I found that this worked OK when stationary and in quiet environments but not so well when moving, probably because wind and traffic noise stopped the camera from picking up commands accurately. You get buttons on the phone and on its case to let you control it manually too, though, and you can buy a separate remote control.

>>> Review of Garmin Virb Ultra 30 on Trusted Reviews

At the rear, there’s a 44.5mm colour touchscreen which lets you control other features. It’s small but bright enough that you can see what you’re shooting, play back recorded footage and use it to select menu options for camera set-up. The recorded footage is very crisp when downloaded to a computer or tablet.

Garmin builds in a GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, altimeter and compass so you can generate a ton of stats from the camera itself. It also has ANT+, Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity so you can garner other data like heart rate and power by coupling external sensors.

Its connectivity also means that you can control and configure the Garmin Virb Ultra 30 using other Garmin devices or the mobile app. There’s the option to live stream footage from the camera by pairing it to your smartphone. The app also lets you make quick edits, share footage and overlay video with the stats you’ve captured, although you’ll need something more robust for more polished output.

The Garmin Virb Ultra 30 comes with a waterproof casing which will keep out water to 40 metres depth. To achieve this it’s slightly fiddly to open, so when you want to charge the unit or retrieve the SD card you need a bit of dexterity. But you can use the touchscreen to control the unit pretty effectively through the case.

>>> Best bike action cameras

Battery life is not the camera’s forte though, with less than a couple of hours at 1080p/30 and only just an hour at 4k/30, so you need to be judicious in deciding when to start and stop shooting: start it up on 4k when you leave home and you might just about have got out of the suburbs before the battery gives up.

In common with other Garmin devices, charging uses a Mini USB cable rather than the more common Micro USB, so you need to carry the cable with you to make sure you can recharge when away from home.

People filming their rides is becoming more and more popular. The Hero4 Session is the smallest and lightest GoPro yet. It measures 35mm x 35mm making it substantially smaller than other GoPro Hero4 cameras- in fact GoPro says it is 50 percent smaller and 40 percent lighter!

>>> Review: Drift Stealth 2 Action Camera

One of the reasons it is a lot lighter is that it is water proof which means that GoPro could do away with the plastic housing of previous models. Another benefit of removing the plastic housing is that the two microphones are not covered which should improve audio quality.

>>> Buyer's guide to bike and helmet cameras

In addition to being protected from the elements the Hero4 Session also comes with a protective frame which is compatible with existing GoPro mounts.

Battery Life

The Hero4 Session has a built in battery which is claimed to provide up to two hours of recording when fully charged, but may be less depending on the settings chosen and the temperature. I used it in fairly warm weather and found that the battery lasted consistently over 90 minutes but relying on it to last for two hours might be a bit optimistic.  One criticism, although not really a problem for me, is that if the battery runs down you can't swap it out for an alternative half way through a ride.

>>> What is the drag penalty when using an action camera?

One button control

The camera is operated using one main button. You press it once to turn on the camera which starts the camera rolling for video or press and hold for time lapse shots. Pressing it again stops the camera and turns the power off.

At the outset I had a few teething problems. I would press the button intending to shoot a video but would accidentally take multiple photos. However, after some practice this was no longer a problem.

Connect with your smartphone

To fully access all of the Hero4 Session's attributes you need to pair it with your smartphone. This can be done using the camera's in built Wi-Fi. You turn on the Wi-Fi using the small button at the back of the camera which activates a display showing settings and other display information. Initially I found turning on the Wi-Fi fiddly but once mastered it was easy to connect with my smartphone.

Further, once I had downloaded the free App it was straight forward to adjust the camera's settings, such as video resolution, frame rate and field of view.

For an editing novice I found it easy to cut the videos and then upload them to social media or download them straight to my smartphone.

Check out some riding footage shot with the Hero4 Session

The footage was easy to cut using the GoPro App. For example the above video was cut down from one minute to 15 seconds.

Video footage

There are several different quality settings, such as 1080p at 60 frames per second (fps), 720p at 100fps and 1440p at 30fps. Also, you can choose ultra wide and medium fields of view.

In addition to recording video footage it was easy to take photos, especially with the in built auto low light mode which changes the frame rate based on the light conditions.  This meant I didn't need to adjust the camera settings if moving from dark to light conditions.

As said above there are two in built mircophones, one on the front and one at the back. GoPro says that the camera selects the optimum microphone to reduce wind disturbance. I can confirm the sound quality in my videos with audio was pretty good even when it was windy.

Watch a second video shot with the GoPro Hero4 Session and then edited using the smartphone App

Cost

At £249.99 the Hero4 Session is unquestionably an expensive piece of kit. However, if you are looking for a high end action camera which is robust, light, and user friendly, it is competitively priced- for example Garmin's latest Virb XE has a RRP of £319.99.

The experience

As someone who is relatively new to using action cameras I was interested to see how intuitive setting up and using the GoPro Hero4 Session would be. In short, once familiar with the camera, it was really easy to use and I could be confident that a good quality video or photo would be shot.

The camera charged quickly and once I downloaded the GoPro App to my smartphone it was genuinely straight forward and didn't take long for me to get out on the road.

The various mount options mean that you can get numerous shots from different angles. Although, I preferred the standard bar mount for the majority of my rides.

Finally, I was impressed by the video quality and the ease with which I was able to cut the video and then share on social media or download to my smartphone.

The Stealth 2 is the latest offering from Drift, being the smallest, lightest camera the company have produced to date.  This makes it an attractive option for road cyclists, with it having a far more aerodynamic and sleeker profile than the boxier Go-Pro Hero 4.

The Stealth 2 pictured next to its bigger brother, the Ghost. Although it is half the size the battery life is the same.

Build Quality

Being splash proof, the unit is designed to be used on the bike without a separate waterproof case, although one is available for more extreme filming.  Something we really like is the confidence-inspiring rubbery polymer that makes up the camera body that, although we wouldn't advise it, feels like it would survive a drop better than others.

An industry standard screw thread hole for mounting tripods and other photography-related accessories is another very useful feature. The buttons are easy to press and a reassuring 'beep' confirms that you have started recording, which is useful if you can't see the screen.

The back of the camera features a robust cover that conceals the micro SD card, HDMI and USB ports.  This is removed by way of a dial, which we found difficult to undo on a couple of occasions.  We felt that if the dial featured a coin slot, this would allow more leverage and easier opening.

>>> Buyer's guide to bike and helmet cameras

A 300º rotatable lens is great for ensuring the camera is always shooting landscape, even when mounted in unusual places. Despite the small size, the compact package can deliver impressive battery performance, shooting in 1080p at 30fps for up to three hours.  The unit also has WiFi connectivity, enabling pairing to a smart phone or remote (which is sold separately) both of which are very useful for setting up shooting angles.

Picture Quality

The first thing to note is that the Stealth 2's field of view is restricted to 135º compared to the 170º of the Go-Pro and Sony Action Cam, which results in a very different look.  Footage appears considerably less fisheyed around the edges.  The colours and picture are crisp, as displayed in the video below.  We tested the camera out whilst cycling around Herne Hill velodrome with Alberto Contador and were impressed with quality (1080p 30fps).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQovH6IYLqQ&feature=youtu.be

The above video is raw footage and hasn't been altered. The sound quality is not great, but we argue that anyone serious about audio quality will not be relying on built-in action cam microphones.  Other shooting modes are: 960p at 30 fps, 720p at 60fps, 720p at 30fps and WVGA at 120fps.

Unfortunately, the Stealth 2 did not perform well in low light conditions, being completely out-classed by the Sony Action Cam in this regard.  To this end, if you are planning on filming your winter commute, the Stealth 2 is likely not to be the best option.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxlUJBS_uRc&feature=youtu.be

Mounting

When considering action cameras, mounting should not be taken for granted, as highlighted in our recent review of the Sony AS100V, which despite being a good camera, was let down by this crucial aspect.

Fortunately, we can report that the mounting on the Stealth 2 is versatile, strong, sturdy and equal to the Go-Pro.  In order to test the camera we were supplied with the handle bar mount, which is available separately (£16.99 RRP). This mount worked really well and was ideal for mounting on the bars and seat tube, which is great for rearward facing shots of riders behind you.

We found the camera very easy to use, with simple intuitive menus and utilitarian mounts. On screen menus are colour coordinated which is a nice touch, allowing you to glance at the screen and quickly see which shooting mode you are in.

For more information, head over to Drift Innovation.