Cycliq Fly6 rear light & camera cycling safety system gets even smaller with new Gen 3

Written by Zach Overholt Jun 01, 2020 2:11 p.m. ET

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Thanks to their latest update, Cycliq has just made their Fly6 rear light/camera even more desirable. When Cycliq launched their original Fly12 and Fly6 models, the combination of a camera and light system was fairly novel. Here was a piece of technology that helped make you more visible to oncoming traffic with the hopes of keeping you safe. At the same time, both of those products continuously recorded everything just in case you needed video proof of an altercation. Now with the Gen 3 Fly6, the concept is the same, but the form factor is quite a bit smaller.

Measuring in at 71mm tall and 35mm wide, the Gen 3 is similar in size to other mega-bright tail lights – but with the addition of a camera.

Equipped with an auto-looping function, the camera will continue to write over the existing SD card if there is nothing to report. If there is something you want to keep, there is a locking function that will save those files. Also, there is an incident protection mode that automatically saves the footage if it detects a crash.

The camera has the ability to record in 1920 x 1080p at 30 fps or 1280 x 720p at 60 fps, with a 135° wide angle lens. While the battery is limited to 2000mAh, the Gen 3 Fly6 offers up to 4 hours of recording with the camera and light both operating, or 5 hours in camera only mode. A Home Safe mode will kick in if the battery gets too low, cutting off the camera to keep the rear flasher working.

Two hours of charging will get you back to full power with a USB-C connection.

Before, during, or after your ride, you can control the Fly6 through the Cycliq app which connects to the light via Bluetooth 5.0. This also lets you set the built-in alarm system if you need to leave your bike somewhere briefly.

Cycliq states the Fly6 is “independently tested for all weather use,” but is also waiting for a IP56 certification that is pending. Offering up to 50 lumens with multiple flash modes, the Fly6 has a claimed weight of 77g. When available, the light will sell for $229 and will include an 1/8th turn quick release mount, two straps, adapters to use with round or aero seat posts, a 32GB micro SD card, USB-cable, and tether.

Cycliq has announced that a pre-sale will start Monday June 15th, which requires you to be pre-registered through their site. The first units will begin shipping in August of 2020.

cycliq.com

Zach Overholt

5,633 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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39 Comments

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Velo Kitty

3 years ago

I’m glad that Cycliq is continuing to release new versions.

Their product page says “BUILT TO LAST – Whateverproof”. How have they addressed the reliability issues of previous generations of the Fly6? Is the warranty going to remain at a one-year limited warranty?

Has image quality in low light been improved?

Paul S.

3 years ago

Reply to Velo Kitty

I have the same question wrt lowlight image quality. I’m really hoping that a newer design will have better performance as a matter of course.

3 years ago

So…. less battery life due to the smaller battery and 50 Lumens vs 100 Lumens on the previous generation. The size and weight savings are ok I guess, but is it worth it? Also no indication if this model will have better memory card compatibility…? I just don’t understand how this model more desirable. I wish there were other options.

Kevin R

3 years ago

Reply to jh

The memory card limitations are written by lawyers. You can use larger cards and they work fine. There are some patents they don’t want to run afoul of.

Andrew

3 years ago

I hope they come out with a smaller version of the Fly12. IMHO, that’s actually much more useful (both for safety AND for capturing fun footage) …I like the idea of pairing a Fly12 with my Varia Radar in the rear, but I’ve never been able to get over the form factor of the current Fly12

Ramon Ochoa

3 years ago

I have had the Fly6CE for about two years. The camera quality itself is ok, the wind noise is just awful on long descents. The single most annoying feature is the “BE BE BEEP” sound when the battery is low that goes off every few minutes to remind you that the battery is low. It should do that once, maybe twice and that’s it so it doesn’t further reduce the battery by making those beep sounds. You can’t disable it either.

Phialm

3 years ago

Don’t buy this unreliable junk. It will not work out of the box ,then turn into a brick when you follow their instructions to try to fix your brand new product. Then they will say that you need to ship it back to them in Australia for them to take a look at the piece of junk that they sold you that never worked in the first place.

Grant Fanning

3 years ago

I cannot think of another product that is more difficult to get any kind of customer support with than this light.

I applaud Cycliq for making such a device, I think it’s uber important for cyclists. However, the entire system is buggy. The app is almost worthless and warranty help takes about a month to get anything done.

It shouldn’t be all that difficult to get reliable performance out of this thing, which is essentially a really crappy GoPro with a flashing light built in.

Michael

3 years ago

With the limited battery life it is necessary for me to be able to control the unit from my bike computer. That way I could turn the camera on and off to extend the getup battery life. I don’t med the camera when a bike trail or lightly traveled road.

Dennis T

3 years ago

I was excited for this release but it’s a total downgrade from the previous version.

Fly6 CE Gen3
50 lumen
2000mAh battery
1080p at 30fps

Fly6 CE Gen2
100 lumen
3200mAh battery
1080p at 60fps or 30fps

Kevin Collings

3 years ago

Had the Fly6v, then grabbed the updated Fly6 CE last November. Was a great bump in picture quality & visibility, but it’s fragile. ~12″ drop to linoleum cracked the (glass?) lens cover, which can’t be replaced like it could be on the previous model. Just living with it cover-less until it dies.

advcyclist

3 years ago

I really wish Cycliq and/or Garmin would either collaborate or get off their collective butts and figure out how to integrate the Varia radar and light network to the camera’s operation.

There should be a mode that allows the rider to set the camera to only begin recording when the Garmin’s Varia radar is activated, then stop recording and go into “Sleep” mode until activated again. This would greatly increase battery life, reduce the over use of SD cards, and only record relevant data rather than miles and miles of white lines.

Of course the option would be there to record all the time and loop as currently programmed but it seems painfully obvious, to me anyway, that these companies could make a really effective safety bundle for road cyclists that use radar and want to record interactions with motor vehicles.

Robin

3 years ago

Reply to advcyclist

That’s a Cycliq problem, not a Garmin problem. Wahoo was able to get Varia radar to work on their computers, so if Cycliq wanted to integrate radar function, they should be able to do soemthing.

Cal

3 years ago

Don’t understand why they didn’t go for a replaceable battery? Why make it smaller rather than increase battery life? LONGER BATTERY LIFE. That’s what the customers want. ‘up to 4 hours’ means 3 and a bit hours I imagine. 8-10 hours would be more useful.

BlackWaterCyclist

3 years ago

I was hit by a car 2 years ago and did a video about it on my YouTube channel on how to get back on the bike after getting hit by a car. I really looked for options to build my confidence to get back on the bike and I must say that I passed on this product pretty quickly because it doesn’t prevent impacts, just a great way to record it if someone hits and runs which could be invaluable. @advcyclist, I do use the Varia Radar and that is a brilliant Idea to have them integrated like that. I am sure Garmin could do it themselves fairly easily without Cycliq.

Mike W.

3 years ago

The Garmin Varia sounded stupid to me when I first heard about it. But eventually I was convinced to pick one up and try it and now I can’t go on a bike ride without it. It is that useful for seeing where cars are in relation to your riding. So while I like the idea of the Cycliq, I will stick with my Garmin Varia. I would be interested in a front light/camera combo, though, but it would need to be very small and easy to use.

Robin

3 years ago

Reply to Mike W.

I had the Varia vs. camera debate in my head. I decided that the Varia radar can help keep me from being hit by a car while a camera can only help me after I’ve been hit. I thought the former was more important. The Varia in combination with looking behind (and a mirror), decreases the likelihood I’ll be hit by a car.

A Varia radar unit working with a camera such that the varia triggers the camera to record if a set of criteria are met would be interesting, but it would likely be very expensive, especially if you wanted the camera to only record “threats” as opposed to recording every car that gets within a certain distance.

Dan

3 years ago

Hey, I own the Fly 6CE and Fly12CE

I had a problem with my Fly6 CE v2 after about 6 months of use. I just went through the website to requiest support and Cycliq had me ship it back to them in Austria, refunded me the postage and then replaced the camera so I’ve had a really positive experience with the customer service.

I have to admit loving the idea of the garmin radar being linked in, I’ve suggested it before and not heard anything back. Another company i follow https://www.chilli-tech.com/ are bringing out a rear camera that may rival the Cyclic Fly6, they are more open to improvements and work with supplier, listening to customers requests so i’ve suggested the radar link in.

Bob

3 years ago

Is there a redesign of the flap covering the charging and micro SD ports? Mine (on a Gen 2) was missing when I went to charge it today, God knows how. Fortunately it happened inside the house so I eventually found it and stuck it back on. From now on, making sure it is there will be a step I will include whenever recharging.

Ron Larson

2 years ago

Reply to Bob

They finally seem to have gotten the port cover right. On my gen 2 the rubber was brittle, fatigued and broke off. Secured it with some duct tape. On the gen 3 they have used a different rubber and reorganized so that the cover can actually come loose and pivot out of the way. I’m actually on my second gen 3 having returned an earlier one when it totally locked up electronically.

Jaws 77

3 years ago

That’s my exact thought. When I first read that Cycliq was coming out with a new Fly6, I thought that they were going to improve it. Based on this review, they only made it smaller, not better. They need to put in a LARGER battery, a light at least as bright as the previous model, and possibly a 4K resolution camera. Plus, the app needs to work. Since it will be mounted on the seat post, and not my helmet, any size or weight increase won’t bother me. Having to deal with customer service in the USA would also be a huge plus in a decision to purchase. Unfortunately, from what I see here there is no reason for me to buy one yet.

Robin Bouc

3 years ago

Thank you, this is exactly the info I was looking for. My gen2 works great, but I thought smoker a a lighter would be preferred—not with those downsized specs!

cyclist6

3 years ago

Google eBay for – 1mm Thick Flat Mineral Watch Crystal Lens Glass 17mm-40mm Fits Seiko Citizen etc.

I had the same issue.

lorax

3 years ago

Reply to cyclist6

Many thanks for this. I don’t suppose you know what diameter I need for a Fly6 CE Gen 2 do you? It looks like 12mm but I assume I need to be more precise than that!
Does the old one just pop out from the rubber surround using a thin blade?

davy

3 years ago

I had last generations fly6. It was so buggy and unreliable that much of my rides didnt even record. I cant believe no other company has created a similar product. Id think something out of China or something would be out.

JMB

3 years ago

The third generation Fly 6 will not ship before 15 October now according to an email I received from Cycliq about my order.

David Regonini

3 years ago

I have Fly 6CE and the sound recording is lousy, almost non-existent. Sent it back to AU and they basically said that’s the way it is. Literally, I held it to my mouth to speak into it like a microphone and it sounded like my voice was muffled by a pillow. At arms length, no discernible voice recording. Is this normal? Does the new version improve sound recording? Sound is as important as video in accident investigation

Paul

3 years ago

Terrible quality and customer service. My unit stopped recording within the warranty peroid. Multiple emails to the company and posting it back at my cost to be reviewed have determined it’s defective. All they will offer is a 10 percent discount on a new unit. I’m currently taking this to the Australian Consumer Affairs Tribunal

Paul

3 years ago

The product is a great idea but I would steer clear of them. Terrible quality and customer service. My unit stopped recording within the warranty peroid. Multiple emails to the company and posting it back at my cost to be reviewed have determined it’s defective. All they will offer is a 10 percent discount on a new unit. I’m currently taking this to the Australian Consumer Affairs Tribunal

EJ Acosta

3 years ago

Reply to Paul

I was an early adapter og the second generation Cycliq Fly6. The device had problems from the get go. They replaced my first unit, but the second one also had problems. The software was/is buggy, the unit itself is not well made. The rubber flap tore off, leaving the card slot and US charger slot exposed to the elements, there was water ingress into the lens and the quarter turn wheel in the back broke off making it impossible to attach the unit to its mount. I was going to take a leap of faith and order the Gen 3, but repeated delays in shipping turned me off—there is only so much that you can blame Covid-19. The folks at Cycliq tried to do too much. A simple camera would have been fine. But they loaded this little device with so many features that it just didn’t perform as advertised. I have the Garmin Varia 510 RTL and it works just fine. It would have been nice to have a camera to compliment the Garmin…oh well.

Kurt McMillen

3 years ago

I agree completely with all of the comments about the Fly6 reliability and customer service. I have had both a Gen 1 and Gen 2 and they have been off of the bike more than on because of faulty performance. And trying to get a quick turn on warranty replacements is impossible due to required shipping back to Australia (in fact, it took 6 weeks, probably due to Covid) to get my current unit back into their hands). Go with the Garmin Varia radar/light. Better reliability all around.

Steve Hyle

3 years ago

I dropped my fly 6 ce and cracked the lens. Contacted cycliq and they sent me a new one for $25. It’s the entire back piece and is fairly easy to replace

Scott

3 years ago

I got 2:40 of video before it was completely dead. I’m pretty disappointed.

alfredolucas

3 years ago

I have opened a ticket with Cycliq September 2020 complaining about the quality of the recordings and after making some recordings available to their team I was requested to send my camera to an address here in US. My Cycliq was sent to them on Sep 1st and delivered Sep 4th.
Since then I got some e-mails from Aron N. stating it would take some time to send the camera due COVID and some issues with taxes in the country the cameras are shipped from.
I completely understand 2020 was a complicated year but at least what I was expecting from Cycliq was some sort of update every 15 days or worst case scenario once a month.
Anyway, I sent 5 e-mails this year asking for updates on my ticket (Jan 7th, Jan 11th, Jan 13h and more) and I did not get a single response with the status of my ticket.
I feel like I’ve been stolen as they got the camera and suddenly stopped caring about my case.

REID DRUMMOND

3 years ago

I cannot get the camera to mount vertically. Tabs line up at 45 degrees when putting the camera into the mount, but the unit is about 30 degrees off vertical after rotating it. Also, does not lock securely into place. The camera would likely fall out if the bike hits a bump.

Chaki

3 years ago

Reply to REID DRUMMOND

I had to take a hammer to force into 60 degree mount. Would otherwise get stuck at 30. Have you tried fixing the mount on seat post first and then twisting while the mount is affix? Btw my device stopped working after it was delivered a week ago. Keep it away from any form of liquid, water or splashes on the road. It just doesn’t work.

Chaki

3 years ago

Fly6 was recently delivered after months of products delays (about 6 months since ordering in August 2020)

It stopped working after 2nd ride. Device just won’t start up and it seems to be one of the most frequently occurring issues for others users too.
Customer service is rather atrocious and have been waiting patiently.
I don’t understand how is this a real company of all the issues everyone else is facing as well. At least they could step up customer service with such lousy product.

Cycle speed

2 years ago

I had a previous gen Fly6 with a 12-month warranty and it died at month 11. I immediately contacted them and after many weeks of back-and-forth emails, they stated that the Fly6 appears to have a defect. However, by that point we were past the 12-month warranty period – because they slow-rolled the communications – so they refused to replace the unit!