Amazon Buys for Mounting a GoPro on my Bicycle
- smangancyclist
- Nov 7, 2023
- 4 min read
I started filming my bike rides over three years ago. It started with a phone that I kept pulling out of my jersey pocket. At first, it was sunrises and ocean views. Then it turned into selfie smiles and wanting to share more views on the bike with friends and followers. When I packed up my life in Florida, and moved out to Seattle, I discovered an endless amount of bike routes, and I wanted to share them with the world. It only made sense that a GoPro was next.
There are dozens of ways to mount a GoPro. This is a list of the accessories "I" like to use to mount my video camera. I'll either wear my GoPro on my chest or mount it on the front of my bike with an extension arm. Below, I have links on Amazon for everything I have. Before I get into a little detail, this is where I tell you these are affiliate links and I make a few cents for each purchase you make through these links.
I picked a GoPro Max, two years ago. 360 degree cameras are super popular with cyclists for race events, rugged MTB rides, and having a hands-free and quality recording with a wide lens. I got it so I could switch the POV in any direction, and I could use the camera facing me, and also see it with a screen on the same side.
Nowadays, I think the newest GoPro Hero models have fish-lens adapters and an accessory that allows Hero users to have a viewing screen facing you when the camera is also facing you. These were THE reasons I picked out the Max, so to be honest, if I could do it all over again, I'd try a different GoPro model, like a Hero. I'm not clever enough to utilize some of the more creative features the Max has to offer.
I only had a selfie stick in the early days. It was chunky and it used a big bag for storage, right on my handlebars. The products I'm about to link are definitely my preferred method of capturing videos on my GoPro for short-form social media.
Bar Mount for GoPro (and drone)
This bar mount was originally purchased for my drone controller (this post isn't about that), but I noticed the extension arms has similar attachment points to the drone controller mount. So I removed the drone controller mount, and it then became an action camera mount.
There is a rubber pad that allows the bar clamp to fit bars as small as 22 mm in diameter, up to 26 mm. Chances are that's the diameter of smallest and largest parts of your handlebars. Most people will have to remove the rubber pad to accommodate the thick center of most handlebars.
The only issue I have with this clamp, is that it doesn't handle tons of vibration well. The part where the extension mount and clamp are attached, has become loose a few times. The arm sinks, and the GoPro points towards the sky. It's doesn't cause any safety issues, just inconvenient on crazy descents. All of these parts are from very different manufactures, so I didn't expect a perfect fit, but it's pretty close.
Extension Arm for GoPro
Having the GoPro mounted directly to a bar mount, didn't provide the point-of-view that I was hoping for. A short google later, and I found a link to these extension arms. I've only every used the lonest one to achieve the view I was looking for. I have never combined arms, to make a bigger one. The GoPro Max, that I have, is fairly large and heavy. The plastic bar mount, even when tight with with extension arm, will sometimes loosen just enough for the GoPro to sink a bit towards the ground. (I mentioned earlier that the bar mount plastic is a little soft.) I've only experienced this on fast descents through exceptionally bumpy roads and trails, and I can't recommend making an extra long arm mount for a GoPro Max. I can't speak to the other GoPro models.
The extension arm is long enough to almost make it look like someone in front of me is recording me. It is also a hands-free way to get a selfie-esque point of-view. I think the view is a few inches longer than what you'd expect from holding your phone at arms length.
GoPro 90 degree Adapter
It didn't take too much brain-storming to know, that the most important accessory to this set up, is an adapter that could hold my GoPro 90 degrees sideways. Without this piece, the camera can only record horizontal footage, while attached to the extension arm. This is great if you're making Youtube videos, but I'm more of an Instagram/TikTok gal. This is a no-frills, aluminum accessory that doesn't get loose on long, bumpy rides. It's never let my GoPro jiggle either, it stays tight.
I don't think there's too many other parts and bits out there that can work so well together for niche bicycling videography. Give these parts a try if you want a great bike handlebar POV on your next ride!
Bonus: Chest Mount Harness
As a "chesty" woman, I'd expect a GoPro chest mount harness to not work for me. I was pleasantly surprised, and a couple angle adjustments later, I was uploading nice bike POV videos. This thing is a real steal, coming in at over 60% less than the GoPro branded chest mount. It is a durable alternative to a brand-name chest mount. Just get it.
Tailwinds Y'all!
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