Rideye is a black-box recorder for cyclists

Rideye is a black-box recorder for cyclists. Like a helmet, it’s something you’d have with you every time you bike, and it’s useful truly only when things go terribly wrong. Like the black-boxed on airplanes, Rideye’s purpose is to capture useful evidence in the event of a bike hit-and-run accident.

It’s a great example of why smartphone apps aren’t the answer to everything and how dedicated, inexpensive hardware devices have a place in the world. By focusing on the narrow use case of cycling accidents, Rideye can offer a dependable, simple-to-use and relatively inexpensive service ($119 on Kickstarter and no monthly fees) that “just works.” Accelerometers detect accidents and 120-degree field of view HD video makes sure that details like license plate numbers are recorded. The whole thing is enclosed in a sturdy metal housing. Check out their Kickstarter page for sample footage.

Rideye is also an example of a dedicated consumer hardware device that took care in designing the battery. Nobody wants to babysit a battery and ideas like Rideye would be dead on arrival if they needed even a weekly battery recharge. They’re using Panasonic 6,800 mAh Panasonic Lithium-Ion batteries that can record one-hour commutes for a full month before needing to be recharged — definitely a thoughtful, consumer-friendly design choice.

For another great hardware accessory for cyclists, check out Helios, a smart bike handlebar system that

Rideye is available on Kickstarter for $119.