First Impressions of the Insta360 Third Person Bike Tail Mount on a Bianchi Infinito
When it comes to capturing unique cycling footage, the Insta360 Third Person Bike Tail Mount promises a distinctive perspective. I recently tested this mount on my Bianchi Infinito, and here are my first impressions and some insights that might help you decide if it's right for you.
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Installation and Setup
The Tail Mount attaches directly to the bicycle seat post. To protect the post, I wrapped two layers of black vinyl tape around it before securing the mount. This precaution ensured that the mounting bracket didn't damage the seat post while still providing a firm grip.
Installation was straightforward, comparable to the ease of setting up the Third-Person Bike Handlebar Mount. However, while installation is simple, the performance on the road tells a different story.
Performance on the Road
Despite Japan's famously smooth tarmac, the camera experienced excessive bouncing, more than the Insta360's software could stabilize. The footage was disappointing. When I played it back, covering the bike in the frame showed that the background was excellent. Unfortunately, the bike’s presence in the shot made it look like the camera was strapped to a kangaroo.
Pedestrians and fellow cyclists could spot the camera, extending noticeably behind the bike. This visibility requires careful manoeuvring, especially when cutting in front of stationary vehicles to avoid clipping the camera. Additionally, mounting and dismounting the bike becomes awkward since swinging your leg over the back is no longer an option.
Despite these challenges, I appreciated the potential of the new camera angle, and combining it with a handlebar-mounted camera could yield interesting results.
Audio Recording Experiment
At the beginning of the ride, I attempted to capture high-quality stereo audio using a Zoom APH-1n mounted on the handlebar drops. The idea was to record the sound of gear changes and the Hunt wheel hubs. Instead, the recorder picked up every road bump, creating thunderous rumbles and making the audio unusable. However, when stationary, the audio quality was impressive. In future rides, I plan to clip the recorder to the back of my jersey for better sound isolation.
Final Thoughts
As a videographer, the bounce might seem more noticeable to me, but I'm open to suggestions. If there's a setting in the Insta360 camera that could stabilize the footage, I'd love to hear from you in the comments. For those looking to buy the Insta360 Third Person Bike Tail Mount, keep in mind that this was my first time using it, and there might be ways to improve its performance.
For a comprehensive list of my current camera gear and accessories, visit my detailed post: https://www.themagiccrayons.com/gear-list.
Strava Route
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