Bicycles

Owl 360 serves as a third eye for cyclists

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The Owl 360 is a rearview camera and monitor system for bicycles
Top view of the Owl 360's monitor
The Owl 360 is a rearview camera and monitor system for bicycles
The Owl 360 is a rearview camera and monitor system for bicycles
The Owl 360 is a rearview camera and monitor system for bicycles
The Owl 360 is a rearview camera and monitor system for bicycles
The Owl 360's monitor features a quick-release hot shoe attachment
The Owl 360's monitor mounts on the handlebars
The Owl 360's monitor displays what is behind the rider
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What do cars have that bicycles don't? Lots and lots of things, actually, but one of those is a rearview mirror. While both cyclists and drivers have to shoulder check when changing lanes, cyclists additionally have to twist all the way around in order to see what's directly behind them. Helmet- and handlebar-mounted side mirrors are certainly one way to minimize that twisting, but for people who like stuff, there's another - mini rearview camera and monitor systems. Cerevellum has just started taking orders for one called the Hindsight, which now has a competitor known as the Owl 360.

The Owl consists of a CMOS video camera that attaches to the bike's seatpost, and a 3.5-inch monitor that attaches to the handlebars. A cord connects the two devices. The monitor contains a 3.7-volt lithium-polymer rechargeable battery, that powers both the monitor and camera for a reported five hours per charge. The handlebar mounting bracket has a hot shoe connection, so the monitor can easily be removed before the bike is left unattended.

The camera is surrounded by a ring of ten red LEDs, which will automatically start flashing when the built-in light sensor notices that it's getting dark outside. Both the camera and monitor are said to be weather-resistant and vibration-protected.

Consumers can expect to pay US$179.99 for the Owl 360 when it hits stores, although it is available now for preorder via the company website.

View gallery - 8 images
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10 comments
Charles Gaines
Waste of money imo. You can see perfectly fine behind yourself on a bicycle without even a rear-view mirror, let alone a camera rig for nearly 200 dollars.
alcalde
Charles, do you literally have eyes in the back of your head or can you twist your head around like an owl?
Carlos Grados
Show me the video quality- this sounds like fun.
Pres
Good idea!... but make it a helmet mounted unit for mobility and security. You could use a small eyebrow screen for viewing with your helmet on.
You do ride with a helmet don\'t you?
Slowburn
alcalde you can also turn your eyeballs.
Gadgeteer
Pres,
Sort of like this, but with video?
http://www.gizmag.com/go/2430/
This wouldn\'t be necessary if helmet manufacturers would integrate side-view mirrors into their products so they wouldn\'t look like geeky add-ons. Cars have long since made their mirrors stylish, flowing, color-matched extensions of the fenders or A-pillars so the same could be done with helmet mirrors. It would go a long way toward eliminating the stigma of helmet-mounted mirrors that stick out like a sore thumb. I don\'t understand why the companies couldn\'t do it with at least their urban/commuter-oriented models like the Bell Metro or Citi. But even racing helmets with mirrors could provide a benefit. Bicycle racers would be able to discreetly keep an eye on the competition behind them without having to twist around to look.
Chris Jordan
Ideal for velomobiles- especially enclosed ones. Rain and snow are coming; but what do I know.....
Todd Edelman
Curious if helmet-mounted mirrors cause injuries when people fall and hit their heads? Anyway, this thing is anti-bike: Too complicated, too dependent on batteries... and do the rear lights blink in red?
Mirrors are useful for older persons and others who don\'t have as much flexibility (combined with balance issues).
Walt Stawicki
$200 for those who don't know how to "read" a mirror image? send in Darwinism please...
unklmurray
Let me just say ''Helmet mounted mirrors are Stupid!!'' they would be Ok if you didn't move your head,Mirrors only work on cars because they are stationary on the car,The mirror on the handle bars are hard to use because you have got to keep the bars steady,most bicyclists have a tendency to wobble back and forth so-as to stay upright and make using mirrors hard to use .....these ''cameras' '' are mounted in a fixed position and the rider only needs to look down at their bars where they are looking anyway......with the advent of ''Real time video cameras we could ''In Theory'' be inside of a closed box and have 360 degree video cameras and surround screens inside the box,you could then be in any position inside the box or even like a RC drone where you don't see yourself but only what the camera shows you!!.......I like these rear view cameras and for $200.00 that is a great price!!