Reviews

Cycliq Fly12 front light and camera

Feature-packed camera/light combo, all wrapped up into a neat little package

Wherever you stand on the whole recording your ride business, the Cycliq Fly12 is a neat integrated option which provides a subtle, all-in one solution in a relatively compact, lightweight (244g) package.

Some record rides for posterity, while others do so for an extra layer of reassurance. The Fly12 is probably more geared towards the latter, given it’s combined with a perfect commuter unit with a powerful 400-lumen light that’s suitable for shining the way, with static and various flash modes to keep you visible in low light.

The main reason you’ll want one though, is the camera – so let’s discuss that, shall we? It’s capable of 1080p recording at 45 frames per second, while it’ll also record 720p at 60 frames per second. There’s also a decent internal microphone within the unit, as well as space for a microSD card.

The Fly12 is supplied with two mounts – one dedicated around-the-bar version, and one that allows it to fit into a Garmin mount. There’s also the flexibility to mount it beneath the bars, freeing up space if you’re especially keen to keep your handlebar real estate clean.

Cycliq supply a 16gb card, although these days it’s perfectly cost effective to go bigger (up to 64gb) if you wanted the extra space. And, instead of simply refusing to record, it takes cues from the security industry by constantly overwriting the oldest videos on the card. There’s also ten hours of battery life when using the camera, so you needn’t keep charging it every time you arrive at work or back home.

However, it gets a bit clever when the device senses that it’s been tipped over by 45 degrees or more. If this happens, it in turn assumes that you’ve had a spill of some kind, and sets aside space to save the 15 minutes before and after the ‘crash’. Simple and effective.

Cycliq Fly12

Videos are then accessible via either manually removing the microSD card or by linking it to the smartphone app, which allows a suite of editing options, including a Strava data overlay if you link up your ride to the platform and you’re interested in sharing a particularly exciting spurt.

Also, in an added security feature, if you have the Fly12 linked to your phone while you sit in a café enjoying a slice of cake, it’ll also send you a warning if it’s been moved. You get this, alongside the ability to change the unit settings, via the app too.

Which means, all-in-all, the Cycliq Fly12 is a tidy little unit – perfect for roadies who like to record their rides, whatever the reason.