Gadgetwise Blog: A Bike Camera to Record What's Sneaking Up

Carbon fiber frames and automatic shifters have brought bikes into the 21st century. The Cerevellum Hindsight 35 brings bike mirrors up to date as well. This $300 video camera system ($364 with a heart rate monitor) mounts on any bicycle and offers a bright image of what is coming up behind you as well as important speed information.

The Cerevellum Hindsight 35 rearview video camera system for bikes records what is coming at you from behind.

The Hindsight is encased in hard black plastic and is waterproof. A long cable runs from a3.5-inch LCD screen on the handlebars, along the bike to the rear seat post, where the camera and included LED safety lights survey the scene. The system also records five minutes of video as long as you’re riding. The recording system will shut itself off automatically if you crash (or are hit), in that way ensuring you have a record of the accident.

As Nick Wingfield reported in The New York Times on Saturday, video cameras are increasingly being used by cyclists to record accidents.

Because it is ANT+ compatible, the Hindsight can also take heart rate, speed and cadence readings from low-power wireless sensors on your body and bike. The upgradable hardware allows you to add new features as they become available. It runs for about five hours on one charge.

Bikers in bad parts of town can remove the screen with a few quick twists of a waterproof connector cable. While performance bikers may be put off by the weight–eight ounce– city riders will definitely appreciate the durability, and the security that comes with knowing what is behind them.