Nice! When or if Garmin improves upon their RCT715 light + camera + radar, I may give that unit a try. But for now, the Cycliq Fly6 Pro is the best option available IMO.
Another great video, Mike. Thank you. I had been curious about video and rear cameras. Fortunately, I haven't had any incident that may have warranted video footage. I hope it stays that way. Having used a Varia radar, the RTL515, for over a year, I genuinely feel uncomfortable riding without it. I like the situational awareness it provides. If available, I will ensure I hug the shoulder or move into a shoulder lane and often adjust my speed and level of caution appropriately. I know this will not prevent a collision, but I believe it offers me an opportunity to improve awareness and reduce risk. A camera allows you to prosecute an offender, but that's about it. I am happy to hear your opinion on this.
Yeah, I hear the same positive comments from others that use the Garmin Varia. They feel much more safe with it. And you're right, the camera is simply to provide evidence should something terrible happen. I first started using a Cycliq camera when I was leading group rides with my club. We had a bad two or three months with several near misses from aggressive drivers. As a ride leader, I felt some responsibility to do what I could to be able to bring about some justice should something stupid happen. Actually, it was also a good educational tool for cyclists to learn proper group riding etiquette. Riders could use it to identify, and correct, bad riding habits after-the-fact. I actually caught one of our crashes on camera! Made for good viewing. Personally, I rarely get caught out not hearing a passing vehicle, so not sure how much I'd actually use the radar. Plus, I just hold a straight line out of habit, so don't usually adjust my riding if a vehicle is passing. And I don't see how a radar can stop collisions any more than a camera. Both probably provide a false sense of security to some degree. Would be really cool if some PhD student would study the effectiveness of radars. While the Garmin Varia RCT715 isn't great, if someone came out with a really good light + camera + radar unit, I'd buy one for sure. Thanks for commenting! I know I'm in the minority for not digging the radar units.
Nice summary. I want both camera and radar (lights are more useful when combined eith radar as it could react to a vehicle approaching), so i carry varia rwdar and will carry Fly6. I dont mind having 2 boxesYou could have mentioned battery life without lights too..
Yeah. Good point about battery life without lights. I never run it that way because I don't carry another light. I actually wish I had the option to turn off the video camera and keep the light on when I need to conserve battery life. I'm surprised you don't go with the Garmin Varia RCT715 (light + camera + radar) just to have everything in one compact unit. Although, it's a bit of a compromise all around. I totally forgot to mention that version of the Varia in my video.
@@bikesbymikei already have 1st gen varia radar for a long time (horizontal layout) and i still like it - garmin rct715 didn't have very good reviews on the camera and has a short battery life. due to max 5h bsttery life i didnt get Fly6 and i was waiting till Fly6 gets up to par with recent Fly12 - so i am buying both cycliqs this fall.
I like having radar since it'll notify my headunit of potential vehicles without me having to constantly check over my shoulder. I can focus on the road ahead until I get notified by an audible alert, and decide whether to stay in primary or move over to secondary position. With wind noise, and or cars with electric motors, sometimes you don't know it's there till they are right behind you. Ideally I'd like a light,radar and camera combo unit, but the 715 which I believe is the only product that does that IMO doesn't have decent enough video capability.
Yeah. Good points, John. And I had completely forgotten about the Garmin Varia RCT715 until another viewer (and you) pointed it out. I had completely forgotten about it as it was never a serious option for me. Like you, I don't consider the 715 a serious player in the light + camera + radar space as it has too many limitations based on the reviews I've seen; namely, poor video quality and variable battery life ranging from pretty good (4.5 hrs.) to poor (1.5 hrs.).
Also - Garmin lights change intensity when detecting a vehicle so it notifies the driver of your presence. Multiple people confirmed that drivers behave in a more cautionary way when thry ride with radar.
Thanks for the video. 👍 Went through 3 of the Gen 3's a few years back. The picture quality was absolutely fine for the UK Police and I used it about 5 times for reporting close passes. The problem was that every time it rained and the camera got wet it broke. So I stopped using it. Water proofing was awful, despite assurances it was waterproof. Got a silicon case but all that did was hold the water in the camera! Based on the FB user group this was a common issue. Did you ride with it in properly wet conditions? I presume so at some point over the 3 months. Have a couple of friends with the Varia camera version and that seems rock solid....the price point puts me off though.
Good on you to report the close passes. In Ontario (Canada), a close pass carries a maximum fine of $109; disgraceful in my opinion. Should be much higher for such dangerous driving. I never had issues with water penetration on my Gen 3, but unlike you, I rarely had it out in heavy rain. As for the Fly6 Pro, I think I only had it out on one ride with really wet conditions. Hardly a big test, but I had no problems with it. The flap that covers the charging port and microSD card does seem much better than on the previous model. I can see myself buying a future version of the Garmin Varia RCT715, but only after they make further improvements. May take them a couple reiterations to get it right. I'm not impressed with the picture quality or the batter life, but love the light + camera + radar combo.
Excellent review. Convinced me to buy this unit or their latest version hopefully during a Black Friday sale.
Nice!
When or if Garmin improves upon their RCT715 light + camera + radar, I may give that unit a try. But for now, the Cycliq Fly6 Pro is the best option available IMO.
What about Garmin varia 715?
It has light camera and radar
Yes, I'd love to see a similar review of that as well -- the weight and mount stability is the thing that concerns me
@StacyODell yes I'd love to see the comparison video since the Garmin gives a light, radar and camera!
Ah--my bad! Garmin does have a camera/light/radar option. Thanks for the correction!
@bikesbymike Love your videos my friend!
I was thinking the same thing. Granted, everyone says the video quality on that is very bad, so I haven't considered buying one.
Another great video, Mike. Thank you. I had been curious about video and rear cameras. Fortunately, I haven't had any incident that may have warranted video footage. I hope it stays that way. Having used a Varia radar, the RTL515, for over a year, I genuinely feel uncomfortable riding without it. I like the situational awareness it provides. If available, I will ensure I hug the shoulder or move into a shoulder lane and often adjust my speed and level of caution appropriately. I know this will not prevent a collision, but I believe it offers me an opportunity to improve awareness and reduce risk. A camera allows you to prosecute an offender, but that's about it. I am happy to hear your opinion on this.
Yeah, I hear the same positive comments from others that use the Garmin Varia. They feel much more safe with it. And you're right, the camera is simply to provide evidence should something terrible happen.
I first started using a Cycliq camera when I was leading group rides with my club. We had a bad two or three months with several near misses from aggressive drivers. As a ride leader, I felt some responsibility to do what I could to be able to bring about some justice should something stupid happen. Actually, it was also a good educational tool for cyclists to learn proper group riding etiquette. Riders could use it to identify, and correct, bad riding habits after-the-fact. I actually caught one of our crashes on camera! Made for good viewing.
Personally, I rarely get caught out not hearing a passing vehicle, so not sure how much I'd actually use the radar. Plus, I just hold a straight line out of habit, so don't usually adjust my riding if a vehicle is passing. And I don't see how a radar can stop collisions any more than a camera. Both probably provide a false sense of security to some degree. Would be really cool if some PhD student would study the effectiveness of radars. While the Garmin Varia RCT715 isn't great, if someone came out with a really good light + camera + radar unit, I'd buy one for sure.
Thanks for commenting! I know I'm in the minority for not digging the radar units.
Nice summary. I want both camera and radar (lights are more useful when combined eith radar as it could react to a vehicle approaching), so i carry varia rwdar and will carry Fly6. I dont mind having 2 boxesYou could have mentioned battery life without lights too..
Yeah. Good point about battery life without lights. I never run it that way because I don't carry another light. I actually wish I had the option to turn off the video camera and keep the light on when I need to conserve battery life. I'm surprised you don't go with the Garmin Varia RCT715 (light + camera + radar) just to have everything in one compact unit. Although, it's a bit of a compromise all around. I totally forgot to mention that version of the Varia in my video.
@@bikesbymikei already have 1st gen varia radar for a long time (horizontal layout) and i still like it - garmin rct715 didn't have very good reviews on the camera and has a short battery life. due to max 5h bsttery life i didnt get Fly6 and i was waiting till Fly6 gets up to par with recent Fly12 - so i am buying both cycliqs this fall.
@@pkundrat Yeah. Makes sense. I spotted one review suggesting the Varia RCT715 gets less than 2 hours runtime, which ended my interest right away.
I like having radar since it'll notify my headunit of potential vehicles without me having to constantly check over my shoulder. I can focus on the road ahead until I get notified by an audible alert, and decide whether to stay in primary or move over to secondary position. With wind noise, and or cars with electric motors, sometimes you don't know it's there till they are right behind you.
Ideally I'd like a light,radar and camera combo unit, but the 715 which I believe is the only product that does that IMO doesn't have decent enough video capability.
Yeah. Good points, John. And I had completely forgotten about the Garmin Varia RCT715 until another viewer (and you) pointed it out. I had completely forgotten about it as it was never a serious option for me. Like you, I don't consider the 715 a serious player in the light + camera + radar space as it has too many limitations based on the reviews I've seen; namely, poor video quality and variable battery life ranging from pretty good (4.5 hrs.) to poor (1.5 hrs.).
Also - Garmin lights change intensity when detecting a vehicle so it notifies the driver of your presence. Multiple people confirmed that drivers behave in a more cautionary way when thry ride with radar.
Thanks for the video. 👍
Went through 3 of the Gen 3's a few years back. The picture quality was absolutely fine for the UK Police and I used it about 5 times for reporting close passes. The problem was that every time it rained and the camera got wet it broke. So I stopped using it.
Water proofing was awful, despite assurances it was waterproof. Got a silicon case but all that did was hold the water in the camera! Based on the FB user group this was a common issue.
Did you ride with it in properly wet conditions? I presume so at some point over the 3 months.
Have a couple of friends with the Varia camera version and that seems rock solid....the price point puts me off though.
Good on you to report the close passes. In Ontario (Canada), a close pass carries a maximum fine of $109; disgraceful in my opinion. Should be much higher for such dangerous driving.
I never had issues with water penetration on my Gen 3, but unlike you, I rarely had it out in heavy rain. As for the Fly6 Pro, I think I only had it out on one ride with really wet conditions. Hardly a big test, but I had no problems with it. The flap that covers the charging port and microSD card does seem much better than on the previous model.
I can see myself buying a future version of the Garmin Varia RCT715, but only after they make further improvements. May take them a couple reiterations to get it right. I'm not impressed with the picture quality or the batter life, but love the light + camera + radar combo.