Cyclists always lose in an altercation with a car, but with a new product currently raising funds on Kickstarter, you’ve got something watching your back.
The Fly6 Camera & Tail-Light Combo is the first cycling camera and tail-light accessory that records what happens behind you as you ride.
“We have a big mission – to make drivers aware they might be recorded, so they behave appropriately,” reports the company.
The idea for the light came after one of the company founders was shot with a slingshot at point blank range by the passenger in a car as he was cycling in Australia.
The Fly6 attaches to your seat post and also functions as a tail light; when the camera is on, the device flashes with a bright strobe pattern.
Running on a USB rechargeable Lithium Ion Battery, the Fly6 will record five hours of 720p video on a single charge. It can record on a loop, so you just turn it on and forget it, just charge after every few hours of riding.
In case of an incident, “Incident capture protection technology” stores the video for use as evidence.
The device weighs in at 105 grams.
Ostensibly, the Fly6 will make motorists behave when they know they are on camera. Even if they don’t, at least there’s a good chance a license plate can be captured in the event of a hit-and-run or other bad behavior.
The Fly6 is in fund-raising mode now on Kickstarter and is clearly a popular idea, having raised Austrailian $108,798 in just a few days on the crowd-sourcing site. Several deals are available there for early supporters.
The device will go on sale in July in Australia (where it’s being developed) and October in the USA and Europe for $160. —Sean McCoy
