Cycliq Fly6 ce alternative

[c60rider]

So I've had the Fly 6 ce which is the gen 2 version for over 2 1/2 years and once they got the firmware sorted out I've been really pleased with it. All the rubbish reviews for it are from 2018/early 19. Unfortunately the tabs have broken on the rear of the light and the connector I subsequently glued on to attach to a fin style clamp has broken twice so it's time to get a new one. I'm definitely not looking at the new gen 3 cycliq, honestly less battery life? That's the complaint of all gadgets not enough battery so how can they say going from 6 hours to probably 4 be better? That's just rubbish. So I'm thinking of just getting another gen 2 before they disappear completely but I wondered if there are any other genuine alternatives offering similar spec to the cycliq?

[TobinHatesYou]

There really isn't anything that combines great video quality and great battery life. It's inexplicable.

[sychen]

Indeed.. Was in the same boat a month ago.. My fly6v gen 3 was dying.

Fly 6Ce gen3 with less battery life is plain ridiculous and pointless for people that does longer rides (aka most of us on this forum) . Even wrote an feedback email to them.



Considered a garmin radar instead but living in the middle of Sydney.. Camera is still my preference over a radar that will be pinging constantly.

Got a fly 6ce gen 2 in the end.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[c60rider]

Thanks for the replies it's what I suspected. But yes it's totally crazy that the market hasn't exploded for a product like that. Mobile phones have batteries that last many hours doing all sorts of heavy duty work you'd have thought it's everything cyclists want. A small, easy to fit unit that has a mix of light options and a decent camera 1080p or higher. The only improvement to the cycliq would be better poor light images but seeing as I use mine in daylight it's not a requirement. But 2 1/2 years on from buying my previous one there's nothing better yet

[jackie]

double post. sorry

[jackie]

i wont bother with them,. my fly6 gen 2.. got in april in 2019.. .. due to the convid didnt get to use it since jan 2020. then when i got back to riding a few month back.. couldnt take a charge.. wrote to cycliq.. took forever to get back to me and guess what. sorry. out of warranty, cant help but we can give u 10%...discount.
i mean..if a f#$king product cant even last over 16 month and went kaput.. wtf....
havent said that, it did work well when it was good. but .. shitty product.

[GiantRider]

I purchased a new lithium battery and replaced it myself, there are videos on how to DIY. Sometimes the best support is your own.

[EvilEuro]

Every battery replacement video I have found is for the original Fly 6. Anyone found one for the Fly 6ce? I'd love to get more battery life/time out of my Fly 6ce (same for my Fly 12 v2), so if anyone can point me to a battery replacement video for it, I'm game to give it a go.

[pgee70]

i just got a cheap camera from https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... 802SkzO8k , cost $AUD41. then i designed and made a 3d printed bracket to fit the camera.
if anyone is interested, here is some footage from the camera.

image of camera on 3d printed mount.

[SystmSix]

The one thing I like about an actual camera facing backwards is it actually looks like a camera to the non-cycling community so drivers are more likely aware they are being recorded versus something they dont see and they continue to drive foolish behind you...,.

[c60rider]

The one thing I like about an actual camera facing backwards is it actually looks like a camera to the non-cycling community so drivers are more likely aware they are being recorded versus something they dont see and they continue to drive foolish behind you...,.

I'd be amazed they can even see a camera when most motorists deny even seeing the cyclist!

[GiantRider]

i just got a cheap camera from https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... 802SkzO8k , cost $AUD41. then i designed and made a 3d printed bracket to fit the camera.
if anyone is interested, here is some footage from the camera.



IMG_6389.jpeg

That looks really cool! What is the battery run time on that camera? Also, does it just create one big video file until the battery dies or can it create small files and over-write the oldest ones so you do not ever need to do file maintenance manually? I already have a cycliq and would love to have the same functionality in a smaller size like this.

[c60rider]

i just got a cheap camera from https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003 ... 802SkzO8k , cost $AUD41. then i designed and made a 3d printed bracket to fit the camera.
if anyone is interested, here is some footage from the camera.



IMG_6389.jpeg

That looks really cool! What is the battery run time on that camera? Also, does it just create one big video file until the battery dies or can it create small files and over-write the oldest ones so you do not ever need to do file maintenance manually? I already have a cycliq and would love to have the same functionality in a smaller size like this.

It says battery life is 900mAh. Seeing as the Fly 6 gen 2 that I have is 3200mAh and lasts about 6 hours and the Fly 12 CE is 4200mAh and lasts 7 1/2 in my real world use then you'll be struggling for much more than 100 minutes even though it claims 3 hours.

[markdjr]

I replaced the battery on my Fly6 CE and it still didn't work. Granted, I could have made a mistake, but it was 2 wires, so pretty straightforward.

Every battery replacement video I have found is for the original Fly 6. Anyone found one for the Fly 6ce? I'd love to get more battery life/time out of my Fly 6ce (same for my Fly 12 v2), so if anyone can point me to a battery replacement video for it, I'm game to give it a go.

[EvilEuro]

There really isn't anything that combines great video quality and great battery life. It's inexplicable.

Yes, I'm quoting a post from two years ago, but it actually is pertinent and isn't just to dredge up a ghost thread.

As stated above, the fact that there isn't anything that combines great video quality and battery quality is pretty inexplicable. That was true in 2020 and it's still true today in 2022. Alternatives are thin on the ground and those that are out there, like the one Pgee70 showed from AliExpress, do decent video but with poor battery life.

Since we're talking about the Fly6CE (or Fly6 Gen 2 for that matter), I'm posting this assuming that having integrated radar like the new Varia RCT 715 isn't a priority. It'd be appreciated, but isn't a priority. So a quality rear-facing camera and integrated tail light is "good enough" or "exactly what I want", based upon your desires.

Someone on the CyclingTips forum mentioned the Tooo Cycling VR80 as a replacement for the Fly6. I had never heard of the company or the product before. I then found a French video on YouTube that did a pretty extensive review of the VR80. I came away impressed between the video review and the write up from the person on the CT forum.

Pros
- Good video quality at 1080p/60 (changeable in settings)
- Video can be set to record in 10 minute chunks (changeable in settings)
- Extended battery life. CT forum user said that heleft it overnight to record in 1080p60 (without the flasher) and it ran for over 7 hours.
- USB-C connector
- Price. $195 and it includes a 128GB SD card. I'm unsure of the quality of the SD card, but you can replace it with a higher quality, faster card for transferring video for a negligible cost.

Cons
- Questionable waterproofing. The CT user lives in Southern California and says that the build quality seems good, but he hasn't had a chance to test how it will stand up to rain (thinks it should be okay). But until someone says otherwise, this is a question mark.
- Rubber flap for USB-C port seems "flimsy".
- Does not have ANT+ or Bluetooth connectivity, so it will not automatically turn on or connect to form a light network with a supported head unit. Everything has to be done manually.

Video Review: