diff --git a/ultraplot/axes/plot.py b/ultraplot/axes/plot.py
index 2ba144c71..91d1137de 100644
--- a/ultraplot/axes/plot.py
+++ b/ultraplot/axes/plot.py
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 import re
 import sys
 from numbers import Integral, Number
-from typing import Any, Iterable
+from typing import Any
+from collections.abc import Iterable
 
 import matplotlib.artist as martist
 import matplotlib.axes as maxes
@@ -2486,18 +2487,16 @@ def _parse_cycle(
                 resolved_cycle = None
             case True:
                 resolved_cycle = constructor.Cycle(rc["axes.prop_cycle"])
+            case constructor.Cycle():
+                resolved_cycle = constructor.Cycle(cycle)
             case str() if cycle.lower() == "none":
                 resolved_cycle = None
-            case str() | int():
+            case str() | int() | Iterable():
                 resolved_cycle = constructor.Cycle(cycle, **cycle_kw)
-            case constructor.Cycle():
-                resolved_cycle = constructor.Cycle(cycle)
             case _:
                 resolved_cycle = None
 
-        # Ignore cycle for single-column plotting
-        resolved_cycle = None if ncycle == 1 else resolved_cycle
-
+        # Ignore cycle for single-column plotting unless cycle is different
         if resolved_cycle and resolved_cycle != self._active_cycle:
             self.set_prop_cycle(resolved_cycle)
 
diff --git a/ultraplot/constructor.py b/ultraplot/constructor.py
index d5aae8bd3..a673668ea 100644
--- a/ultraplot/constructor.py
+++ b/ultraplot/constructor.py
@@ -938,6 +938,12 @@ def _build_cycler(self, dicts):
         mcycler = cycler.cycler(**props)
         super().__init__(mcycler)
 
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        for a, b in zip(self, other):
+            if a != b:
+                return False
+        return True
+
     def get_next(self):
         # Get the next set of properties
         if self._iterator is None:
diff --git a/ultraplot/tests/test_1dplots.py b/ultraplot/tests/test_1dplots.py
index 5510695c6..0d4dac394 100644
--- a/ultraplot/tests/test_1dplots.py
+++ b/ultraplot/tests/test_1dplots.py
@@ -458,3 +458,50 @@ def test_norm_not_modified():
     assert norm.vmin == 0
     assert norm.vmax == 1
     return fig
+
+
+@pytest.mark.mpl_image_compare
+def test_line_plot_cyclers():
+    # Sample data
+    M, N = 50, 10
+    state = np.random.RandomState(51423)
+    data1 = (state.rand(M, N) - 0.48).cumsum(axis=1).cumsum(axis=0)
+    data2 = (state.rand(M, N) - 0.48).cumsum(axis=1).cumsum(axis=0) * 1.5
+    data1 += state.rand(M, N)
+    data2 += state.rand(M, N)
+    data1 *= 2
+
+    cmaps = ("Blues", "Reds")
+    cycle = uplt.Cycle(*cmaps)
+
+    # Use property cycle for columns of 2D input data
+    fig, ax = uplt.subplots(ncols=3, sharey=True)
+
+    # Intention of subplots
+    ax[0].set_title("Property cycle")
+    ax[1].set_title("Joined cycle")
+    ax[2].set_title("Separate cycles")
+
+    ax[0].plot(
+        data1 + data2,
+        cycle="black",  # cycle from monochromatic colormap
+        cycle_kw={"ls": ("-", "--", "-.", ":")},
+    )
+
+    # Plot all dat with both cyclers on
+    ax[1].plot(
+        (data1 + data2),
+        cycle=cycle,
+    )
+
+    # Test cyclers separately
+    cycle = uplt.Cycle(*cmaps)
+    for idx in range(0, N):
+        ax[2].plot(
+            (data1[..., idx] + data2[..., idx]),
+            cycle=cycle,
+            cycle_kw={"N": N, "left": 0.3},
+        )
+
+    fig.format(xlabel="xlabel", ylabel="ylabel", suptitle="On-the-fly property cycles")
+    return fig
diff --git a/ultraplot/tests/test_format.py b/ultraplot/tests/test_format.py
index 9d8be905d..cd073e2ba 100644
--- a/ultraplot/tests/test_format.py
+++ b/ultraplot/tests/test_format.py
@@ -340,3 +340,58 @@ def test_label_settings():
     ax.format(xlabel="xlabel", ylabel="ylabel")
     ax.format(labelcolor="red")
     return fig
+
+
+def test_colormap_parsing():
+    """Test colormaps merging"""
+    reds = uplt.colormaps.get_cmap("reds")
+    blues = uplt.colormaps.get_cmap("blues")
+
+    # helper function to test specific values in the colormaps
+    # threshold is used due to rounding errors
+    def test_range(
+        a: uplt.Colormap,
+        b: uplt.Colormap,
+        threshold=1e-10,
+        ranges=[0.0, 1.0],
+    ):
+        for i in ranges:
+            if not np.allclose(a(i), b(i)):
+                raise ValueError(f"Colormaps differ !")
+
+    # Test if the colormaps are the same
+    test_range(uplt.Colormap("blues"), blues)
+    test_range(uplt.Colormap("reds"), reds)
+    # For joint colormaps, the lower value should be the lower of the first cmap and the highest should be the highest of the second cmap
+    test_range(uplt.Colormap("blues", "reds"), reds, ranges=[1.0])
+    # Note: the ranges should not match either of the original colormaps
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        test_range(uplt.Colormap("blues", "reds"), reds)
+
+
+def test_input_parsing_cycle():
+    """
+    Test the potential inputs to cycle
+    """
+    # The first argument is a string or an iterable of strings
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        cycle = uplt.Cycle(None)
+
+    # Empty should also be handled
+    cycle = uplt.Cycle()
+
+    # Test singular string
+    cycle = uplt.Cycle("Blues")
+    target = uplt.colormaps.get_cmap("blues")
+    first_color = cycle.get_next()["color"]
+    first_color = uplt.colors.to_rgba(first_color)
+    assert np.allclose(first_color, target(0))
+
+    # Test composition
+    cycle = uplt.Cycle("Blues", "Reds", N=2)
+    lower_half = uplt.colormaps.get_cmap("blues")
+    upper_half = uplt.colormaps.get_cmap("reds")
+    first_color = uplt.colors.to_rgba(cycle.get_next()["color"])
+    last_color = uplt.colors.to_rgba(cycle.get_next()["color"])
+    assert np.allclose(first_color, lower_half(0.0))
+    assert np.allclose(last_color, upper_half(1.0))