Bicycles

New bike mount moves your GoPro from the bars to the stem

New bike mount moves your GoPro from the bars to the stem
Paul Components is now making a GoPro HERO camera mount that replaces the handlebar stem cap on a mountain bike
Paul Components is now making a GoPro HERO camera mount that replaces the handlebar stem cap on a mountain bike
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The mount works with all three generations of HERO cameras
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The mount works with all three generations of HERO cameras
The camera can be tilted up or down as it's being tightened into place on the mount
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The camera can be tilted up or down as it's being tightened into place on the mount
The 24-gram mount is made from solid 6061 aluminum
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The 24-gram mount is made from solid 6061 aluminum
The mount comes with black or silver anodized finishes
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The mount comes with black or silver anodized finishes
Paul Components is now making a GoPro HERO camera mount that replaces the handlebar stem cap on a mountain bike
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Paul Components is now making a GoPro HERO camera mount that replaces the handlebar stem cap on a mountain bike
The view from a stem cap-mounted GoPro
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The view from a stem cap-mounted GoPro
Paul Components also makes a stem cap light mount
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Paul Components also makes a stem cap light mount
View gallery - 7 images

GoPro HERO actioncams are proving to be pretty popular with mountain bikers, although not everyone wants to wear one of the cameras on their helmet or chest. Riders can always mount it on their handlebars, although now Paul Components is offering an alternative – a GoPro mount that replaces the handlebar stem cap.

First of all, why wouldn’t you want to mount your camera on your handlebars? For one thing, you might already have things like a light, a bell or a computer taking up space on there. Additionally, be it ever-so-slightly, the camera has to be mounted a little off-center to allow for the stem clamp. Finally, it’s always nice to be able to get the bars in the bottom of the shot – it helps gives viewers a sense of perspective, putting them “in the action” more.

The 24-gram mount is made from solid 6061 aluminum (anodized black or silver), and replaces the top cap of a 1 1/8-inch threadless stem. It works with all three generations of HERO cameras, which can be tilted up or down as they’re being tightened into place on the mount.

Paul Components also makes a stem cap light mount
Paul Components also makes a stem cap light mount

Should you like the idea of putting the stem cap to use, but you’re not into videography, Paul also makes a stem cap light mount (see above) ... you can also always replace your stem cap with a clock.

Paul Components’ stem cap GoPro mount is priced at US$49 – video shot using it can be seen below. The light mount costs $36.

Source: Paul Components via BikeRadar

Camera Mount Demo

View gallery - 7 images
6 comments
6 comments
Gadgeteer
"Finally, it’s always nice to be able to get the bars in the bottom of the shot"
That's a matter of opinion. Some of us don't want that intrusion.
What I would prefer is a mount that sticks the camera in front of the handlebar clamp and adds some kind of Steadicam-style image stabilization to help reduce the jitter from road shock that's transferred up to the camera.
Keith Reeder
Designed by someone who's never gone over the handlebars...
The Skud
Seems to me to be the most logical place to mount a camera in the first place! Mountain bike riding usually involves fairly violent snapping of the handlebars from side to side, making the videos I have seen almost unwatchable (whiplash on the couch, anyone?). KEITH - Surely a breakaway mount would stop any risk to the rider's sensitive parts if going over the bars? How about adding an 'airbag' on the bar for the times your foot slips off the pedals?
Leonard Foster Jr
Not a good place for a metal mount
Keith Reeder
"KEITH - Surely a breakaway mount would stop any risk to the rider's sensitive parts if going over the bars?"
The last thing I'd want to attach my expensive video camera to is something DESIGNED to break.
Calson
Dumb design on many levels. Bad location for a camera as the front forks take up all the road shock and there is more movement at the stem than anywhere else on the bike. A helmet mount is the best place from any perspective.
A static mount is also going to produce boring video. It is one thing to have a camera mounted in this manner to use for 4 second clips inserted into footage but another to use it entirely. A helmet mounted video allows for changing both the angle of view downward and upward as well as from side to side and would produce infinitely more interesting video - and isn't that the point, make it interesting for others to watch?