Camera Options

Disclaimer:

The below document and attached database does not in any way represent recommendations nor suggestions made expressly by the SCBUG.  The following is simply an assessment of the information and data collected. SCBUG takes no responsibility for purchases made as a result of information provided here. 

Camera Assessment

In the event of a road incident, video evidence is often the difference between a dismissed report and a successful prosecution.

This assessment is designed to provide you with information so that you can make your own informed decision on which cameras best suit your needs, as well as the needs of our law enforcers.

We have collected and examined in detail, the features and benefits of 97 cameras that are currently available both in-store in Australia and on-line.

Our campaign focuses on cameras that are most suitable for law enforcement use; devices designed for use on bicycles to reliably capture license plates and driver behaviour, rather than just cinematic scenery.

You also told us that the two main reasons you don't have a camera already, is cost and complex technology.

We have cast the net wide, and have included low cost and 'simple to operate' cameras if they also satisfy the law enforcement suitability.

Below you will find a detailed overview of the most suitable front and rear cameras, classified by cost.  You will also find access to our entire list of 97 cameras, and to deeper insights drawn.

We hope you use this information to make an informed purchase of front and rear cameras and install them on your bike. We also hope you do the right thing when riding, and hold others accountable for dangerous behaviour.

So here are the results of our investigations.

1. Choosing Your Camera - What Actually Matters?

Look for cameras that have the following features:

  • incident capture

  • reliable loop recording and incident detection

  • battery life

  • stability on a bike

  • likelihood of capturing readable number plates and rider behaviour

  • value for money

2.  Main types of Cameras

The main types of cameras are:

  • purpose-built bicycle dashcams 

  • small cylindrical dashcams adapted to bikes

  • action cameras

  • micro/helmet cameras as specialist lightweight options

Action cameras like GoPro and Insta360 are excellent cameras, but for law enforcement evidence they represent less value. 

3. Which Cameras best pass the test?

Here is a snapshot of the 5 strongest law-enforcement-value cameras in our list:

Front

  1. Cycliq Fly12 Sport

  2. VIOFO A119 Mini

  3. Techalogic DC1

  4. Drift Ghost XL

  5. Blueskysea B1W

Rear

  1. Cycliq Fly6 Gen3

  2. Cycliq Fly6 Pro

  3. Garmin Varia RCT715

  4. Cycliq Fly6 CE

  5. Mobius Mini

Below we have expanded on the features and benefits of those cameras, and added a few more 'stand-outs' from our list. 

Front Cameras

〰️

Front Cameras 〰️

Low Cost Options:

    • One of the best value entries in the whole database

    • value for money

    • Light at 60 g

    • Has loop recording and incident detection

    • Cylindrical shape is easy to adapt to bike use

    Best for

    • Riders wanting a cheap but serious evidence camera

    • Value for money

    • Small and light at 70 g

    • Loop recording and incident detection

    • Good “dashcam mindset” compared with typical action cams

    Best for

    • Cheap front evidence setup with minimal fuss

    • Small, light, adapted well for bike use

    • Better evidence logic than generic action cameras

    • Has incident detection

    • Sensible price

    Best for

    • Budget front recording where evidentiary reliability matters more than video glamour

Medium Cost Options:

    • One of the strongest non-bicycle-specific evidence cameras in the entire list

    • Excellent Incident Capture

    • Dashcam Design

    • Loop recording and incident detection

    • Better evidence-oriented design than most action cameras

    Best for

    • Probably the best front non-Cycliq evidence camera

    • Specifically oriented toward cycling evidence

    • Good battery life

    • Loop recording and incident detection

    • Better bike relevance than generic dashcams

    Best for

    • Riders who want something closer to a dedicated cycling evidence tool without paying Cycliq prices

    • Very strong reliability reputation

    • Incident Capture

    • Battery Life

    • Good low-light rating

    • Loop recording and incident detection

    Best for

    • Riders who care about dependable evidence capture more than sleek form factor

Premium Cost Options:

    • Best front purpose-built bicycle dashcam in the database

    • Integrated front light

    • Excellent battery life

    • Proper bike-specific design

    • Strong all-round evidence package

    Best for

    • The rider who wants the cleanest serious front enforcement camera

    • Slightly cheaper than the Sport

    • Still a true cycling dashcam

    • Excellent incident logic

    • Integrated light

    • Older charging port, but still strong evidence value

    Best for

    • Someone wanting most of the Fly12 Sport concept for less money

    • Massive battery life at 540 minutes

    • Very practical for long rides and touring

    • Good value

    • Less elegant as a dashcam than Cycliq, but very strong for all-day evidence

    Best for

    • Long-distance riders who prioritise continuous recording

REAR CAMERAS

〰️

REAR CAMERAS 〰️

Low-Cost options

The next three are not all purpose-built rear bike dashcams, but they are the best budget rear evidence options in the full database.

    • Extremely light at 39 g

    • Very cheap

    • Loop recording and incident detection

    • Easy to conceal or mount rearward

    Best for

    • Ultra-cheap rear evidence backup

    • Tiny cylindrical form works very well for rear adaptation

    • Good battery for its class

    • Strong value score

    • Dashcam-style recording behaviour

    Best for

    • Seatpost or rear rack evidence setup on a budget

    • Small and cheap

    • Good evidence-oriented firmware logic

    • Better value than most cheap action cameras

    • Easy to dedicate as a rear-only camera

    Best for

    • Riders wanting a simple rear evidence cam without paying a premium

Medium Cost Options

    • Purpose-built rear safety camera

    • Integrated rear light

    • Loop recording and incident detection

    • Widely proven concept

    Best for

    • Riders who want a true rear cycling evidence camera at a lower price than newer models

    • Good battery life

    • Good stabilisation

    • Adaptable rear mount

    • More versatile than the cheapest options

    Best for

    • Riders who want a rear camera that can also be repurposed elsewhere

    • Small and light

    • Easy rear mounting

    • Better form factor than many boxy action cams

    • Good enough as a rear evidence camera where compactness matters

    Best for

    • Lightweight rear recording on bikes with limited mounting space

Premium Cost Options

    • Arguably the best rear value sweet spot in the whole database

    • Very strong rear evidence logic

    • Integrated rear light

    • USB-C

    • Good size and practical battery

    Best for

    • The best balance of price, purpose, and usability for rear enforcement footage

    • Longer battery life than earlier Fly6 models

    • Improved sensor

    • Strong rear-specific design

    • Better all-day utility

    Best for

    • Riders wanting the most polished dedicated rear camera in the Cycliq family

    • Rear camera plus radar plus light

    • Excellent situational awareness

    • Very good evidence and safety combination

    • Expensive, but uniquely useful

    Best for

    • Riders willing to pay for the most integrated rear safety package

We hope this information has helped better inform you about which cameras are most suitable for your needs. 

If you are a 'detail' person and want it all, the links below are for you! 

To access the entire list of 97 available cameras, along with features and benefits, scoring and comparisons, please download our spreadsheet here:

Give me the spreadsheet

Note that the Innovv RC6 is the only complete (same brand) front and rear system which also features radar.

For even more detail about other insights gathered, please use the following link:

More Camera insights