I have been using a 12 and 6 for a long time now. Currently using the 12 CE and 6 CE2 ( think…). One of the selling points on them is the ability to control them on your Garmin, but I haven’t found it to work properly. They connect, but constantly drop out, plus don’t give the proper functions (or functions I like) like a steady light instead of flashing, etc. Anyone found a way to make them work well?
Unfortunately, they don’t have any competition right now, so they haven’t put a lot of work into getting them to work right. I have just been using them just independently because they work fine that way. But after getting a Varia that actually works, I kinda wish the Cycliq did too.
So in some cases the ANT+ and BLE connections are single point, meaning you can’t so something with them on your phone then try it on the camera. Try ensuring you’re only connecting a single device, and see what result you get.
This sums up my experience with my Fly 12. I wish someone else would enter this space and do a better job, as the idea of their products is much better than their execution. Based on my experience with the 12 (OG), I’d have a tough time buying another product from them unless it was heavily discounted.
I think Garmin could really do something nice here with a camera built into a Varia radar unit. This could record only when there was a radar contact, and likely get virtually all interesting incidents. This would do wonders for battery life in many cases.
Something like this with 6+ hour battery life (and able to operate while charging) would be an amazing device.
I REALLY wish I could just program which light options would run (I preset the options via the app). But the lights always default into an ultra bright mode that burns the battery.
Garmin 1030 and I assume others now support turning off the light network on a given profile. So set to Indoor profile and the lights won’t turn on. This made a HUGE difference
I had the 12 and 6 a few years ago and was constantly frustrated by them. I eventually got rid of them. For me they were the most overhyped, under delivered sports tech product I ever dealt with.
My wife and I have been through many sets of Cycliq 12 and 6 cameras.
2- Fly 12 OG (one sold, one dead)
2- Fly 6 OG with micro USB charge port (one sold, one dead)
2- Fly 12 CE (both still operational)
2- Fly 6 CE (both dead)
2- Fly 6 Gen3 (one arrived yesterday, other due next week)
My personal opinion is they are junk but no worthy competitors as of yet. Their software sucks and the units are not robust. After a friend was hit and killed with no witnesses, I adopted the use of cameras. Many of my buddies use them too. We report illegal passes and close calls to the police. In fact, I was sideswiped in an illegal pass last Thursday which was captured on my and my buddy’s cameras. I created a video and sent it to the police after contacting them when I got home.
A tip for Cycliq users, reformat your memory cards regularly as they become corrupt and you might not capture the video you thought you had.
Here is a frame from my buddy’s video. I didn’t post the video since it contains some unsavory language from both myself and buddy. Along with my arm making contact, the driver brushed my bars and thigh.
I have used both the 6 and the 12 for several years. Agree that they can be better supported and need the technology updated. Updating the firmware is painful.
The 6 was losing charge faster and faster so I opened it up and replaced the battery myself. (Required wiring and soldering). The battery life with the new battery was better than new. Last year, I replaced the 6 with a Varia radar unit. I love it and feel much safer with this than with the Fly 6. Important for me as I don’t wear my hearing aids while riding.
I still use the Fly 12. Occasionally have to reseat the memory card as it jostles lose and the unit starts to complain. I find that I rarely look at the video unless something interesting happens on the ride that I want to share with my wife. I’ll keep using it until it dies but likely won’t buy another one.
There WAS another offering in this space awhile ago, and my SO bought a couple of them. He used them for a year or so, but they kept having overheating problems. Instead of fixing the issue they just went out of business. I can’t remember the brand, but I recall the guy was here in the SF Bay area.
EDIT: They were RideEye cameras.
I agree, I wish someone else would enter this space. I don’t like how big the CycleIQ cameras are. The 12 has the resolution but I don’t want the lights. Hard to have no options. I just don’t use a camera, but I wish I could. Also, people seem to forget that not everyone rides a 56cm bike, and therefore not everyone has a lot of space.
-Battery life when not in use, is terrible unless you disable BLE and ANT+ … which was half the reason I got the BLE/ANT+ version to work with my Garmin 530.
-I should have just returned it when I found that out, but I waited too long.
-Basically have to use it in “dumb” mode with no BLE/ANT+ and charge it before every single ride.
After some close calls, I started using the original Garmin Virb on all my road rides. It only has about 2.5-3 hours of recording time. I’ve considered upgrading to the Cycliq but this thread is making me reconsider.
Yup, right in “The Sweetest Place on Earth” (Hershey, PA). The police have gotten back to me with the driver’s name and confirmed it was a 73yr old driver. I knew the move wasn’t malicious, just stupid, and wanted her educated on the rules of the road and her poor decision to pass.
Sadly soo close, and yet soo far!