Lights, Camera, More Action – Contour+ HD Video Camera & TerraCycle Cockpit Mount Reviews

This is an article by Gary Kaye; a professional writer who is passionate about e-bikes.  Check out Gary’s writing/marketing services at CompellingTelling.com.

TerraCycle Cockpit Mount

TerraCycle Cockpit Mount

One of the problems with electric assist recumbent bikes and trikes is that there’s not just enough room to put stuff.  We’re talking stuff like a camera, or GPS, cell phone, etc.  But TerraCycle has come up with a unique system to put on almost as many add-ons as you can come up with.  The TerraCycle Cockpit Mount system uses two clamps attached to a long tube and a short tube.

You can create a variety of configurations, and the dual clamps will allow you to mount with virtually any articulation to keep the gadgets clear of your knees and wheels.  TerraCycle offers a variety of other clamps and mounts to further increase the versatility of the system.  You can also use pieces of the mount to add things to standard handlebars.  So, if you have a bike bag in front, you could use the mount to raise your lights so as not to be blocked by the bag.  Price for the cockpit mount is $59.95 at www.terracycle.com

Contour+ HD Action Camera with GPS

One of the things you could add on your Cockpit Mount is the new top end action camera from Contour, the Contour + Action Camera.  This little package has some great innovations.  For starters it solves the problem of not being able to see what you’ve shot until you view the video at home.  Contour has created a free app for iPhone and Android that uses Bluetooth so that you can use your phone as a viewfinder.

The system only works to help you set up the shot.  Once you start recording the Bluetooth connection shuts down, otherwise Contour says, it would drain the battery.

The app will also let you change your camera settings from your smartphone, something you could only do from your computer on earlier models.

The Contour+ also has a built-in GPS.  When you playback the video on your computer you see two screens, one with the video you’ve shot, and a smaller screen displaying a GPS track so you know where you had all that fun.

The system is capable of full 1080p HD recording, and has a mini-HDMI socket so you can playback directly to your HDTV.

It comes with a 2GB micro-USB card which can record about 30 minutes of video.  You might want a heftier card for a longer adventure.

The wide angle lens on the camera rotates so you can mount the camera at any angle.  It comes with a helmet mount and a flat surface mount, the bike mount is extra.

Many stores are carrying the Contour+ for just under $500.  For more information and some cool video examples visit www.contour.com.

Do you own the TerraCycle Cockpit Mount or the Contour + HD video camera?  What are your thoughts on these products?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Thanks!

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