Bike Helmet Mount / Bicycle Handlebar Mount for Nokia Lumia 1020
November 22, 2013I’ll say it right now. I’m too cheap to go out & buy a GoPro. I have a DSLR and a camera phone, and always thought that it SHOULD be possible to just use the outstanding 1080p video recording, noise cancellation and image stabilization features my Nokia phone has to use it in place of a GoPro (at least for non-weatherproof settings). Here’s a solution for that.
First off, get yourself a Lumia 1020 with the optional battery grip. Originally listed at $75, I got mine as a freebie when I bought it at the Microsoft Store.
Then, go grab something like the Arkon CMP227 Handlebar Mount that I got from Amazon for about $6.
Handlebar-mounting the camera results in some pretty poor video, unless of course you’re riding on the smoothest road ever. Despite the Lumia 1020’s excellent image stabilization, mounting the cam on the handlebar transmits all of the vibrations from the trail to the camera, and the result is an unwatchable mess once you take it on the trail. I tried it once, then worked out how to stick it on my helmet.
For the helmet mount, I just had to take a hacksaw blade and shave out around my helmet enough for the bracket to fit through. Once done, it could clip on quite securely without any wiggle at all.
Nokia Lumia 1020 Mounted on Bicycle Helmet
And, luckily, the clip inside was flush enough against the padding to not create any discomfort when riding.
Camera Mount Helmet Clip inside Bike Helmet
I of course did get some funny looks when I went out for my first ride (“what’s that on yer head, son?”) but it did provide a pretty snug and wobble-free mount despite the weight of the camera. Owing to the way that the image stabilization works, there was still some wobble when the going got rough, but all told, it shot pretty well for a camera phone. And especially well for a total of $99 spent (on contract) plus a $6 bracket.
Here’s a sample of video from it from my first ride. And yes, the extra clearance took some getting used to. 🙂
