If you ask me about one true love, I’d say its mountain biking. Ever since I was a little kid, my favorite holiday would have been the one that involved biking and mountains.
My dad would always take me to camp and stuff and we’d bring our bikes there. Mountains and bikes always have had a special place in my heart and this love of mine merged as I grew up.
Mountain biking was where I found my life’s passion and it is the one thing that I enjoy doing the most.
With the passage of time, mountain biking became full-time support for me rather than a hobby.
I have now a huge collection of professional gear and was recently thinking about getting myself a mountain biking action camera to add spice to the sport. So, I researched a little and made a list of best 8 mountain biking cameras for under 250 US dollars.
The best mountain biking cameras:
There is only a name that rules the action camera world and that is GoPro. Undoubtedly the best, and doesn’t stand in comparison to anybody.
GoPro is the king of this action camera world and there is no denying that, but then, of course, it is really pricey too.
So, it’s not really affordable for people like me who do not come from elite backgrounds or the non-professional players who are not getting their gear sponsored.
Yeah, of course, you can save and buy the camera but even then, I’d think twice about using up all my savings for a camera while I can get more or less the same features with slight differences offered by other brands too.
What to look for in a mountain biking action camera:
What you need the most in an action camera is not the resolution but rather a vast dynamic range.
After all, you’re not taking stills for a photography competition rather shooting a full-action video at full speed and turbulence.
There will be changing light and dark scenes, sunlight and shadows, ups and downs, mud and dirt along a racing path.
So, it’s necessary to have a more powerful dynamic range.
The camera can be directly attached to the handlebars of the bike, or it can be helmet mounted.
Either of these two makes a perfect location to film your mountain biking experience.
The camera should also be light-weighted as to not interfere with your cycling.
The slim structure is also a plus point. Another thing that in my opinion is a cherry on top is the voice commanding feature in cameras.
Since a biker is almost always wearing thick gloves and is unable to use fine keys and the touch features of the camera, it is super beneficial to have a camera that follows your voice commands.
Here, I made a list:
Keeping in view all the above-mentioned points, I made a list of the best 8 front-of cameras under $250 for mountain biking. Go and check on and see what’s the best pick for you!
Olfi one. Five black:
Olfi one five black is my most recommended go-to choose. It is a handlebar camera and is super light-weight so you don’t have to worry about adding extra grams into your ride in the mountains.
You can get it on Walmart for a super cheap price of about $180.
The camera’s resolution is 15 MP with an impressive field of view. A few downsides are that it doesn’t have great battery life and that it functions on buttons instead of voice commands or touch screen which is a major turn-off for some bikers. Otherwise, it’s a great deal for such a great price.
Yi lite action camera:
The Chinese brand is going ways in making the best action cameras with the most reasonable prices and greats specs.
The Yi Lite action camera is super cheap and is easily affordable by amateur bikers who do not have their stuff sponsored.
So, they can easily get their hands on this beauty for just under a hundred dollars.
You can get this on Amazon and Walmart also. It shoots in 1080 HD just like the king GoPro. The camera is 16 MP and is also weather-resistant for up to 40 mm.
This is a feature that even our high-profile cameras may lack. The additional plus point is that it’s available in three pretty colors for bikers who are bored of the monochromatic electronic gear.
Yi 4k+ action camera:
This action camera by the same Chinese brand is even more awesome than the one mentioned earlier.
It may price a little more but is totally worth it. It has a 4k camera and a touch screen monitor.
Almost all of the incredible specs make it stand along with the famous GoPro but it is more attractive to the customers who want to keep it in the budget. Because you can get this super amazing camera for just under 250 dollars.
SJCAM SJ8:
One of the cameras that can compete with this Chinese brand is the SJCAM SJ8. This cam offers all the amazing specs and comes with a waterproof casing.
It offers 4k video recording and image stabilization is really admirable too. touch-screen makes it user-friendly.
And the best part is that you can get this cam for even fewer prices than the Yi 4k+ itself. Every option is better than the last one.
Olympus TG Tracker Action Camera:
This is a pretty decent camera with 4k video recording at 30fps and still resolution of 12 MP. It’s waterproof and supports a battery life of 3 hours making it an excellent pick for the long route bikers.
Drift Ghost 4K:
Drift 4k has a low-profile design with the standard 4k, 30fps recording and stills of 12 MP. You can get amazing deals on this camera making it budget-friendly.
The tough design makes it apt to use for adventure sports riders but since it’s not water-proof, you might want to avoid it in muddy planes.
Nikon KeyMission 360:
The famous Nikon is an ideal camera is my view. With its 4k video recording and 30 MP still resolution, it’s one of the best cameras offered in the market. Waterproof for up to 30 mm and reasonable battery life makes it your perfect companion in your biking adventures.
GoPro Hero 5 Black:
This one is an amazing camera with the excellence of GoPro and price within the budget. Its waterproof for up to 10 mm and light weighed with only about a hundred grams. It offers 4k video recording with 30fps and still resolution of 12 MP making it an excellent choice with staying in budget.
Share your story with me!
Here, I’ve shared with you the list of the best mountain biking action cameras in my view. My wide experience and usage of multiple kinds of gear have made me believe that these are the best and the most reasonably priced cams that you can get your hands on.
So, go on and make your pick. Also, tell me about your experiences with action cameras too
. I would love to hear your stories and learn about your adventures with the mountain biking video making. Happy biking fellas!