360 degree bicycle cam has your back

Imagine a bicycle cam that films everything that’s going on around you – all the time. The Ricoh Theta S camera allows you to re-live every view of the ride after the event.

Have a go with the 360-degree bicycle cam yourself

The effect is astounding and has to be experienced. If you play the YouTube film below, you can use the icon in the top left hand corner of the picture to move the camera view in any direction you like.

Bicycle cam footage can be used as video evidence in the event of a road traffic collision. The flaw with conventional cameras is that they offer only a view of the road ahead. In the case of a car hitting you from the side or rear, footage that shows the run up to the collision can be retrieved.

The handheld camera, which is about the same size as a mobile phone, uses the view from two fisheye lenses to stitch together a 360 view of the world that you can navigate at will.

The Ricoh Theta S costs £300.

Bicycle cam footage and the law

It is notoriously difficult for cyclists to prove a motorist is at fault in the case of a collision. A no-win, no-fee cyclist legal service can be a highly effective way to secure compensation, but a panoramic view of a road traffic collision would prove invaluable in most cases.

There is no reason why helmet cam footage cannot be admitted as evidence like CCTV is used. It is likely that a witness statement would have to accompany the bicycle cam footage and it would have to be downloaded to a CD with a certificate (preferably countersigned by a solicitor) stating that it had not been altered in any way from its original digital format.

Protection for you and your bike

ETA Cycle Insurance never devalues your bike, doesn’t charge extra for things like third party liability, personal accident or friends and family cover, and has a sympathetic policy on storage in sheds and garages. If you are unfortunate enough to be knocked off by a car, our legal team will help fight your corner.

For 25 years we have been providing straightforward, affordable bicycle insurance and in 2015 we were voted ethical in Britain.