I make cycling content for a job and the Insta360 X4 Bike Bundle is a serious upgrade over traditional action cameras

Action cameras are great for capturing the scenery you ride through or a rider’s point of view of the road, but they can be a bit of a faff to use, with extra bike mounts, connectivity requirements, complex settings and time-consuming downloads. And they only capture footage in one plane – the one they’re facing. Step forward the Insta360 X4, which has two lenses that capture a 360° field of view by seamlessly merging footage from both.

The bike bundle offers a significant amount of flexibility both for body and bike mounting, especially for those with awkward shapes, such as aero handlebars and seat posts.

(Image credit: Future)

The X4 is well-built and slightly heavier than expected for its size at 204g, but it feels solid and well-engineered. Durability has been excellent throughout testing – a crucial consideration, given my clumsiness. The bike mounts are also good quality, especially the main mount, which is rock-solid once attached to the bike. The longer ‘invisible’ selfie stick, however, didn’t survive my testing. What stands out is the X4’s vibrant touchscreen display. The combination of excellent processing power and its sharp display allows you to review footage and pan around in your 360° world in real-time, without any lag. In a world where many cycling computers still feel sluggish, the X4 felt like a treat to use.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Resolution – 360 mode	8K30fps/5.7K60fps
Resolution – Single lens	4K60fps
Resolution – Stills	72MP
Editing	Via Insta360 App
Waterproof	up to 33ft/10m
Battery life	135mins
Price (Camera only)	£499/$499
Price (Bike Bundle)	£589/$586

The Insta360 app is intuitive to use and makes editing straightforward. Most functions can be controlled from a smartphone, keeping everything streamlined for quick social media uploads, if that’s what you’re after. The integration with third-party apps like Garmin Connect is nice too, allowing you to overlay real-time stats like speed, power, heart rate and cadence. Truth be told, I haven’t yet exhausted all these features, but every one that I have had cause to test works very well.

There are a couple of drawbacks that need mentioning, though, starting with the form factor. The X4’s long, slim shape means its weight is positioned quite far from the mounting point. On smooth roads – like those I rode on during a press trip in France – this wasn’t an issue, but back on Oxfordshire’s rougher tarmac, the camera bounced around a bit. Fortunately, the stabilisation software smooths things out in the final footage, but it can be distracting while riding.

In my opinion, the Insta360 X4 is one of the best action cameras for cyclists. The 8K 360° recording eliminates the stress of framing shots, while its rugged build and excellent stabilisation make it ideal for capturing rides. However, the top-heavy design can be bouncy on rough roads, and the lens guards are worryingly fragile. If you can overlook these minor issues, the X4 represents a significant upgrade over traditional action cameras.

Source link

I make cycling content for a job and the Insta360 X4 Bike Bundle is a serious upgrade over traditional action cameras

Enjoy Tadej Pogačar, the new Eddy Merckx, while you can – Ned Boulting’s Tour de France column

Australia vs. British and Irish Lions: Second Test live updates

You may also like