Garmin Varia RTL515 Rearview Cycling Radar and Tail Light
Garmin Varia RTL515 Rearview Cycling Radar and Tail Light, UK/France
Take your cycling experience to the next level
| Dimensions: | 13.6 x 7.2 x 7.2 cm; 0.28 Grams |
| Model: | 010-02377-00 |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | Garmin |
| Department: | Unisex-Adult |
| Dimensions: | 13.6 x 7.2 x 7.2 cm; 0.28 Grams |
| Origin: | China |
Easy to set up and install. Battery life seems pretty good. Give warning of a vehicle approaching from about 140 mtrs away. I find it gives me more confidence and avoids suprises
Does it make you safe? Yes to a degree as you are more aware of what’s behind you. You are always at the mercy of drivers behind you but you can always position yourself especially if there are hazards ahead. Hopefully they can see that bright light. Other scenario is when you go in the country with a group and having a jolly. No need to look around (although you should as in the T&Cs of the item) to let everyone know there’s a car at the back aka the “car back” phrase. It’s worth the money!!
I had no issues connecting light to my Wahoo. The radar has an amazing range and able to pick up multiple cars and fast moving vehicles coming up from behind. Only issue I found was that sometimes the light would randomly disconnect from my cycle computer.
This radar system works 98% of the time correctly it’s a lifesaver stops you looking round as much and wobbling the bike as you try to look behind you feel a lot safer on the road now a lot more confident of what is coming from behind
Been using this for a couple of months and it’s great. You can’t always hear the traffic behind you and this gives you that extra edge in keeping safe. You have to remember it is only an aid and you should be looking behind as normal as it’s not infallible and on rare occasions doesn’t see a car behind. It is definitely worth it though.
When the Varia came out in its first edition I scoffed thinking why would you want one of these when a mirror for a few pounds will do the job. I was very wrong. I still use a mirror but the Varia picks up approaching cars sooner. The mirror is used to make sure I don’t lose an elbow as the car passes.
The beep as the car is detected gets you ready, you get an orange visual on the headset (mine is Wahoo) if the vehicle is approaching at a reasonable speed and a red if the car is coming fast, when all is clear it reverts to green. I’ve had frustration with various Garmin products over the years but they should be applauded for this device. A sceptic has been converted. The newer camera/radar is a good idea but it has not generated the praise that the radar on it’s own has. Maybe one to watch for in the future.
The Garmin Varia radar lets me know up to 5 cars are coming and extra warning if they are approaching fast – it connects to my Wahoo Elemnt Roam head unit to let me know what is approaching
The Garmin Varia give lots of warning of a car coming. At this point I will look over my shoulder – this lets the approaching drive know, I know they are coming. As they get closer I will look again. so they know, I know they are coming. I now get significantly less close calls with vehicles passing me. I know they are coming and don’t get caught out (especially when windy and you can’t hear as well). Drivers knowing that I have seen them and seem to give more space to me
Where it isn’t going to work – in a city or town where there is a lot of traffic (you can disconnect the radar for this situation). In a group of cyclists it will thing 2 or more riders are a car. So it it best for solo use (though riding with 1 other person it seems to still work ok), or a good excuse to sits on your mates wheel at the back.
It occasionally gives a false positive but rarely
Very impressed, would not be without it on a road ride now. it seem to improve safety significantly.
Purchased this on a Prime Day sale (they are expensive).
Much more than just a light. Great to know that a vehicle is behind even before I can hear or see i
Great product. It’s not strictly necessary, however it is very useful. Glad I have it, particularly on the quiet country roads when riding solo. Had a few different lighting modes and the alert noises can be turned off if required. Paired easily with my Elemnt Bolt. Use it on every ride now, but I turn off the audible alert when riding in a group as other group members can trigger. There is only 1 real failing I have noticed; when a vehicle approaches but then does not overtake the system can give a false all clear or the vehicle dissipaters from your head units’ display. The radar is sensing an object with a speed variable, so if there is no variable (i.e. the vehicle is sitting behind matching your speed) then nothing is displayed. As long as you appreciate this happens and not to place 100% reliance on the device then it’s not a major issue.
I wasn’t sure that I needed one of these, but I’m now convinced. Coupled with my Garmin 830, you get both an audible and visual warning of approaching traffic. It’s especially useful if you’re day dreaming and brings your attention back to the road. It gives you both an indication of how many vehicles are approaching and their relative distance behind as they approach. You also get a red warning if the approaching vehicle is travelling at speed. It’s not perfect, and there are a few scenarios where a vehicle can disappear from the radar before it has passed you; such as where it maintains a continuous distance behind, so the Garmin eventually assumes it has turned-off, or you go around a bend and it is lost to the radar. However, the positives hugely outweigh any limitations. The light is bright and can be set for two continuous modes or flashing (my preferred setting). If your seat post is covered by a saddle bag, you can fix it to a seat pack very effectively (as I did) using techniques that you can find on youtube. Overall, highly recommended.
Set up with an Edge 810 and a 530 is really easy and it works exactly as it should.
This radar is a great product. I use my one as a rear light also.
When any vehicle is approaching from behind, my Garmin computer beeps and a ‘dot’ is shown while it is approaching to make me aware of this.
This saves me having to physically look over my shoulder so often.
I find this product very good for helping keep me safe.
I was quite sceptical about buying one of these but they come so highly recommended by anyone that has one.
Now I own one I have to agree with everything I’ve read, this is such a helpful device if you ride on country roads. Gives you a heads up about vehicles approaching and rarely have to think about checking over my shoulder now.
Several times in my first few rides I thought it was giving me false alerts but soon realised it can detect things so far before I’d normally hear them or see over my shoulder that is was just giving me an earlier heads up.
I think the information you see varies depending on device but I have mine paired with a Garmin Explore 2 and it gives you audible alerts as well as being able to see vehicles approaching as dots on the side of the display.
Getting very many hours out of a charge with the light on flash mode.
I’ve had a radar only unit for a while but on a new bike there was not enough room for radar and light so I bought this unit. It works well and has a nice feature whereby the lamp flashes more quickly when vehicles get close. I have used it with my Wahoo Roam. My old radar unit was used with a Garmin 1000. The Wahoo doesn’t seem to allow quite so much control over modes. The manual is rubbish and there’s no more complete a manual on line.
It can be upset by interference, especially from temporary traffic lights. One would think that in today’s regulated EMC world this would not happen.
Very accurate – picks up multiple vehicles and a good distance (50m+). Battery life is OK, I have to charge it far more often than the Edge and front facing light. I manage to get about 3 or 4 days’ use out of it on flash mode at ~2 hours per day, which is MUCH less than the quoted value. It is also difficult to tell what mode you are in, with no clear indicator as you cycle through. The mount is also quite flimsy and over rough patches of road the unit shakes around enough that it sometimes temporarily disconnects from my Edge.
BUT the increased situational awareness more than makes up for the shortcomings. Anecdotally, I’ve also found that drivers pass me with more room when the unit picks up their car and starts flashing. It’s stating the obvious but this should not replace visually checking your surroundings before turning or moving lanes, but this enhances awareness. A good addition to anyone who cycles frequently as a hobby or for commuting.
Bit of a non believer but tried it and love it, great when cycling on your own
Works well with both my wahoo and garmin headunits
Bit pricey, bought mine in the Amazon sale
Great piece of kit that lets you know in good time if approaching vehicles. Can track more than one car and advise whether it’s approaching fast. Saves a lot if looking round and works a treat with my Garmin explore. Can work with a phone too if using the Garmin app. All round a good buy as the rear light is bright and different modes can be controlled via my explore.
On a busy road it goes off too often to be of any use but on quiet country lanes it’s perfect.
It’s alert me of cars coming up behind me well before I’ve heard them and allows me to swerve around potholes without needing to check over my shoulder first.
Its also a really good bright light.
Fantastic. Pricey, but if you can get a deal, this is great. Much more confident on country roads. Should have bought one before now.
This is a real game changer when it comes to safety when road cycling.
You get an audible and visual alert when a car is detected but the radar ~100m.
It not only relays the number of cars approaching but also give a visual indication of their speed.
This can be paired with a phone using the Garmin app which is what I use or Garmin Edge.
The light is very visible and can be set to blink as a car approaches making you more visible to unsuspecting motorists.
I’ve had lorry drivers pull up besides me at traffic lights completing me on being so visible.
I’ve even bought a second Garmin Varia for my wife because I value her safety.
Cannot recommend highly enough.
I wish I’d got this years ago. Makes cycling so much safer. It works so well.
Being able to know the likelihood of car(s) being behind you is a godsend. Always trust to common sense and double check, but having this has made me feel a lot safer on he roads.
Warns me before I would otherwise notice a car coming up behind
An excellent addition to any road using bicycle. This niffty piece of kit lets you know a car is approaching from behind even before you can hear it. The light is powerful enough to keep you seen from a good distance ahead. It’s battery life will get you throught a good day of riding, I can be out for 5-6 hours. I wouldn’t want to use it again without a charge after this length incase the light failed on me.
I would definately recommend any road cyclist buy one of these. I have encouraged several people in my club to invest.
This is an excellent device; I’ve been using it with my Wahoo Roam and it detects cars sometimes long before I’m aware of them. The approach speed indicator is very handy for alerting me to faster cars and the LED is really bright, plus it flashes to alert cars as they get closer.
Highly recommended.
I had been looking at this for a couple of years and a mate had one so I bit the bullet and got one on prime day. Can’t speak highly enough from a safety perspective. I use this in conjunction with my phone or garmin 520. When the app is running I can listen to music and the app will give me a defined beep to warn me of on coming cars and my garmin 520 shows how many cars with visible dots. After 4 long cycles for me it has been 100% accurate. Worth every penny
I was very sceptical until I tried it. Now I understand why people who use these things refuse to be without it. For me, the best thing was when there are two cars behind me. I can hear and see the first one, but often miss the fact that there is another car behind that one. Having the varia tell me that there are two cars is really useful.
Pairs quickly, even with my ageing Edge, lasts ages but key is to have the warning of traffic, even if it’s another bike going faster than me (usual!) in time to do something.
This is an absolutely amazing product. I was cynical about how good this could actually be but I’ve been absolutely blown away by how accurate it is at picking up approaching traffic. It was expensive, but when you take into account the cost of a decent rear light or the Garmin radar without the light, it’s actually pretty good value. It integrates perfectly with my Garmin Edge 830 and turns on and off automatically once setup and connected to my cycle computer. I wouldn’t be on the roads without it now. If you’re on the fence about buying this, just do it – you won’t regret it.
Works amazingly well with a beep from a connected head unit giving several seconds warning for even fast approaching cars. As I’m hopeless at looking over my shoulder without a bit of a wobble I’m really glad that I bought this.
The Garmin Varia rear radar is probably the best thing I’ve ever bought for cycling. Whether it’s cycling on quiet country lanes of busy main roads the warning bleep and visual indicator on the paired headset gives excellent advanced warning of approaching vehicles.
To know that one of more vehicles are approaching from behind gives you time to prepare. The inbuilt rear light is very bright and offers a range of flashing options. I have my device set to pulse flash and the battery has outlived my 4 hour rides with ease.
5 mins in on the first ride I knew I wouldn’t do without this again. It’s grea
A load of people at my bike club started turning up and raving about these – I took the view that they were highly expensive rear lights – but somehow let myself be talked into buying one. The radar function seamlessly connected with my Edge 1000 – and the radar gives an audible ( if you want it) and visual indication of what is coming up behind you ( not other bikers at the same speed) – and seems to be 100 percent accurate – very re-assuring to “see” cars coming up behind you – when you cannot hear them or see them. Not sure I would without one now. Caveat – Yes, I like gadgets – but that aside – the reassurance it provides when paired to a Garmin bike comp is just brilliant – even if the are eye wateringly expensive.
Used it on one ride in “pocket mode” . Connected to phone via ridewithgps app, paired it in less than a minute and relied only on audio alert, btw I left all the app settings on default. Let the audio go on headphones and listened to chimes. There were 2 different chimes most of the time – ding ding ding ding (incoming), zing (all clear) and rarely a third – vibration-like chime (incoming quickly). So, basicaly, after “zing” I was checking possible chasers manually and waited. The moment the traffic is within sight, the “incoming” alert sounds and my eyes are on the road and I stick to the edge of the road untill all the cars pass and “all clear” zing sounds, then I check behind (manually ) and it really is clear!
Bottom line: you can rely on audio only but it’s a lot better to have the phone or garmin gps on handlebar and have the visual also, because visual gives a dot for each chaser and you can know how many is supposed to overtake you, whilst audio gives only the overtaking alert and overtaking finished. Game changer and life save
Battery life is good, I can easily get 9-10 rides in without charging. Love the auto turn feature (turns on when you turn on your bike computer like my Garmin 530). Easy to setup. The most important thing is that this gives you the reassurance of knowing what’s happening behind you, it’s especially helpful on quite roads and lanes. If your on busy city or roads due to the amount of cars in can alarm quite a bit, but I suppose still not a bad thing. I wouldn’t ride my bike without this now. Game changer for me in terms of safety.
Bought on offer, with 50 off. Excellent rear light, with a number of flash settings, as you’d expect. The radar works seamlessly with my Wahoo elemnt bolt, and is a great feature. Battery life is very good. Was reluctant to buy at full price, but on sale I would definitely recommend.
Obviously a computer is the best but of tech, then your power meter but this radar comes in next. You are thinking that if won’t stop a car hitting you and you’ve been riding for years without etc etc.
Everyone who has one swears by it for very good reason- it really is a game changer – highly recommended
Four stars – despite myself.
Superb device, well worth having and along with a bit of rare common sense will make cycling much safer on country roads. BUY IT, BUT…..
GARMIN! !!!!! ever heard of dropper posts? or do your R+D guys not ride bicycles?
Why oh why does GARMIN fashion such a perfectly engineered device and make it extremely difficult for it to be attached to any other part of the bike but the seat post. (hint : possibly even the rear carrier??)
come on guys – you can clearly do better than this. At these prices, I’m sure you can make even more money out of manufacturing a gizmo that lets you connect your Varia RTL515 to the BACK of the bike and not hidden away oop ones derriere. Ta Ta.
I’m not a cyclist, I bought it for my wife who cycles between 10000/15000 klicks a year. She loves it, says it’s the best bit of kit ever. When on long rides ( she’s doing the cathedrals at the moment,) I go with her but in the car. From MY prospective I can see the rear light before her. She says that the radar is brilliant. No regrets investing in the product. D Naylo
Amazing bit of kit, picks up incoming vehicles every time with plenty of warning. Perfect on the winding days when you can’t hear as well. Battery life really good. I upgraded the mount to the rigid one which is a lot better than the bands. Only real criticism is it takes quite a bit of space so not much room for a 2nd lights but with the decent battery life and brightness you don’t really need a 2nd. Paired with my 1030 plus, battery indicator/warning is very good as well.
This works and works well.
I often ride in a group of 6 and they all connect to my radar.
I’m a sucker for buying gadgets that are not necessary, but this is such a brilliant safety device.
The o-ring mount supplied is universal. For a circular seat post I recommend the sturdy plastic clamp purchased separately.
The unit operation is quite simple. It reports any large objects approaching the sensor at distances of up to 140m. It reliably picks up cars and large vehicles. Motorcycles are mostly picked up close to max distance. Other cyclists approaching tend to be reported intermittently until within drafting distance.
When paired with a compatible head unit – I use a Wahoo – a green band appears down the lefthand side of the screen. A car icon moves up the display as a detected vehicle approaches. The band turns orange when a vehicle is closing in and red if approaching at high speed. There is a double beep when a detection is made and upward couple when the detection clears. The instructions say the lamp flashes brightly to alert the driver upon first detection.
The head unit displays up to six vehicles. But, as they queue to overtake, the radar no longer identifies separate vehicles approaching at differing speeds so the display merges to a single icon. There is a short lag before a passing vehicle to clear from the display. This can be an minor irritant when wanting to promptly know whether it was the last.
More than one compatible bike computer can be paired with the Varia but obviously the radar has to be at the back of the group to effectively monitor approaching vehicles.
One noticeable deficiency is that many drivers tend to slow late. The head unit displays them until they stop closing in. The vehicle then remains invisible as they drop back or maintain the bike speed. When they start to accelerate and overtake they reappear. This demonstrates the need for confirmatory looks back before changing road position. Drivers who maintain a safe distance will reappear and disappear as relative speed varies. The head unit knows the bike is moving, say at 15mph, so any nearby object maintaining a near constant distance should be displayed?
In urban areas, I tend to tune out of the beeps from regular traffic. On quiet lanes, it tends to beep at just beyond the distance to first hearing an car engine. Many newer cars, especially electric ones, are much quieter these days. Wind or vehicles from the opposite direction can mask the sound. Also, when tiring over long rides, awareness is not as sharp.
The unit is useful when planning to turn right. Rather than repeated looks over the shoulder to identify a gap, simply wait for a gap on the display and then take a final confirmatory glance over the shoulder before beginning to signal and manoeuvre.
The full strength constant light has led to complaints from a couple of drivers. I now use the peloton setting. The flashing mode has considerably longer battery life. Charging time is 2-3 times that of the other rear light and bike computer.
A low battery warning appears 60-80 minutes before the unit switches off. I regularly completed 4-5hr rides over 3 years without a low battery warning.
Sourcing and fitting replacement batteries is possible though not a simple task. Photos show old dissembled unit.
Overall, not an essential piece of safety kit, but a useful additional feature for a modern GPS head unit.
hat was a best bike add-on I’ve ever bought. First impression is ‘what ?! did I pay all that money for thing that buzzes all the time….’ But… after some time you realise that you feel yourself a way more relaxed about what is happening behind you. That doesn’t play much role on a flat road but on uphill when you don’t have a time to look back or a downhill when you’re moving with high speed and have to concentrate on what’s in front of you – radar helps really well since you just need to have a quick look to your computer screen and you see the situation behind you. That. Is. Amazing! Especially on a narrow English roads 😉 I wish I have this radar back in Moscow.
I bought this for use with my Wahoo Roam cycling computer.
I had no idea how essential it would become. I ride around rural roads, with car speeds of around 60mph, so knowing when something is approaching is invaluable. It is highly effective, giving an indication of distance and number of vehicles. It also displays red when a car is approaching very quickly. It provides an audible warning then displays a graphoc of the approaching car(s).
I am no longer caught off guard, by fast approching vehicles.
Highly recommended.
I cycle a lot, all year, in all weathers. Primarily road cycling.
This rear light and radar is expensive. But. Its a good light with good range and handles spray and heavy rain well..no issues with battery life and I’m told that it’s pretty bright.
It links to my Garmin Edge 530 easily for the radar and for any necessary software updates.
Comes with variety of attachments to suit your seat post.
The radar, which is the main reason for my purchase activates pretty accurately and in my view is a great safety addition especially at night or bad weather.
Its radar function notifies vehicle proximity on my Garmin Edge 530 by flashing orange and reporting the cars location as large white dots approaching you on the right of the screen. The first beep and flash to indicate a car is approaching from the rear occur at about 60-75 meters away. It also indicates how many cars there are each with their own dot closing in on you. In my view it’s pretty accurate most of the time. The Edge display functionality is not affected when notifying you. Display screen borders change colour when there is a car directly behind you roughly 2 to 3 meters away.
It does not replace physically checking before making a move or turn. But it helps as an additional safety tool to improve your road awareness and a prompt to check before moving.
Could do with a small elastic lanyard to larks-foot around the seat post incase it’s mountings we’re to loosening come off, in the same way as the Edge 530 has.
Would I recommend….Yes. Strongly. I don’t cycle without it day or night.But its not cheap!
Great for bike safety, especially when riding alone, i would say it is around 90% accurate though. overall a great light and definately worth the money
Super bright light, full functionality/compatibility through wahoo elemnt bolt compute
I decided to give this a go because of all the rave reviews, and I’m so glad I did.
I ride mainly on quiet country lanes, and 90% of the time I have the road to myself, but I was constantly looking back to see if there was anything behind me, and even then, occasionally I’ve been startled by cars or even tractors when wind noise has prevented me from hearing them. This is particularly a problem for me because I’m deaf in one ear.
I can’t describe how liberating it is to be able to ride on a quiet lane and know that I can swerve around the potholes, puddles and debris, and simply enjoy knowing that I have the road to myself, without having to look over my shoulder every two minutes.
It’s less useful on busy roads, as there are always cars behind, but I avoid busy roads anyway.
I’ve been out on the bike just once without it since I bought it, and I felt incredibly vulnerable. I now view this as an essential piece of kit, and if it broke I would buy it again immediately.
I’ve used it 3 times now and I’m wondering how I ever managed without it. It is brilliant at detecting cars approaching from behind and showing you how quickly they are approaching.
Works incredibly well. Great light and super radar. Phone app is better than on bike computer but I generally have both on. Great feeling of safety and just a little reminder to tuck in when cars are coming very quickly.
One of the best additions I have purchased for my bike. It works really well in conjunction with my Garmin navigation device. I feel a bit more secure these days with additional eyes behind me.
If you enjoy riding your bike. especially on the road, this is a must.
When cycling on the road you are constantly looking out cars, bikes , lorry’s etc.
With the Garmin Varia RTL51 it links to your garmin. I think it links to you Apple. It bleeps and warns you of vehicles approaching some 1/4 of a mile away. It’s a mus
It work wicked saves a lot of time looking over my shoulder when I could be looking a head
Strongly recommend to anyone regularly commuting or riding on the roads. Confidence ony my bike has gone up, and nervousness at junctions and signalling in the road has almost disappeared. Combined with a decent bike computer or the phone app, you will see real benefits.
This is an excellent piece of technology. Cyclist will know that with the wind in your ears and more electric vehicles on the road they cannot hear upcoming vehicles! This Radar warns of approaching vehicles, the number of vehicles and when the road is clear behind. Would recommend also doing a manual check for vehicles before turning.
Was so excited to try this on my weekend bike rides
Was super easy to set up and sync with my Garmin edge
Was great to use and pretty accurate, it took a few minutes for it to register I waa in the peleton but it quickly stopped beeping
Love that it goes red when the radar detects vehicles approaching extremely fast, you get a moving for on your bike head unit so you can’t tell whether it’s a car or lorry
My rides were only for a couple of hours and the battery lasted fine
I’ve downloaded the compatible phone app, which has extra features apparently, will give the app a try this weekend to figure out what those extra features are and whether it drains the phone battery
The light only missed picking up 1 car, but luckily I heard it
I was worried that I would have to ride with a smaller saddle bag, but have realised that I can securely mount the light to all of my larger saddle bags using a standard Garmin mount so that’s a huge bonus
Great device I absolutely love i
Makes a big difference to how visible you are in traffic and lets you know really clearly when a vehicle is approaching from behind – with plenty of notice. I feel a lot safer cycling on the busy roads in Birmingham now that I have this. All traffic gives me a wide birth or waits patiently behind me until it is safe for them to over take me. For me this is a complete game changer. Thoroughly recommended – even given the price.
This is without doubt the best accessory I have purchased for my bike, the amount of times I have had cars go past quickly without hearing them coming when riding on windy days etc, this works perfectly and even shows you how many cars are coming up behind then lets you know when the last one has passed. This is without doubt a great safety addition to my cycling, 5* across the board except for value for money as it is an expensive purchase but then again it is a safety device not just a rear light.
Was not sure because of the price however if you ride alone on country lanes then this is an amazing piece of technology. Wouldn’t leave home now without it. Doesn’t miss a single vehicle and gives distance warnings on my garmin head unit.
Absolutely awesome device, once you have one you’ll never look back!
Don’t expect to see it working if trying to test indoors – it needs traffic (people, bikes, motor vehicles) to activate.
It’s very early days for me but in urban areas, its usefulness is questionable – it will beep constantly & just confirm what you already know! When the traffic is lighter then it comes into its own as various reviews & YouTube vids will confirm.
I can understand why it’s so highly rated – it seems like magic, it’s so effective but is not perfect! The most important thing to realise is that it only picks up vehicles moving towards you from behind so if a lorry is following you at the same speed then suddenly decides to overtake, you will get very little warning. If you are buying this for safety rather as a status symbol, you will already be using a mirror of some description, won’t you?! Buy a mirror first – they are a lot cheaper & you will be able to see vehicles travelling at your speed directly behind you rather than having to keep a mental note if someone has passed or not!
The other option is to look behind but at my advanced age, that’s not a great idea as it once was!
One of the supplied rubber inserts fitted my Giant Defy’s “D” shaped seat tube perfectly, another fits a round cross-section & the 3rd has a deep groove for aero ones. I bought a saddle bracket for my hybrid to fit a SI Flite Flow.
This model includes a rear light that integrates with vehicle detection in that it will flash if the light is set to a steady mode or flash faster. Unfortunately, if the light is set to off, it won’t won’t start flashing which is a pity IMO. You can control the light from your head unit but not turn off the radar. You also get a battery indication. The light has a so-called Peloton mode that doesn’t annoy other cyclists when in a group (dimmed) & if you cycle with a small number regularly, you can apparently allow them to also pair to their head units. It’s too soon to comment on battery life but is reported to be between 6 & 16hrs.
Positives:
Will detect up to 6 vehicles behind you & show them graphically
Very reliable detection
Will detect what you don’t always hear
Detects vehicles quite a distance behind on straight roads
Saves your neck so reduces the possibility of crashing
Negatives:
Doesn’t highlight anything travelling at the same speed that’s might be about to overtake
You still need some sort of mirror if worried about your safety
Some of the functions may well depend on what it’s paired with & downloading Widgets or apps may be needed to get best use. I will report back after a lot more use.
Was sceptical, used fir the first time the other day on a min ride with 16 riders I was not at the rear and it didn’t pick up cyclists, picks up cars coming from a good distance away.
Many praise enough especially as it works with the Garmin bike computers giving you warnings of what’s behind you.
This addition to my bike is epic. It gives so much confidence on the road esp with E cars becoming more popular. The headset show relation of car and approach speed and alert sound is clear enough to hear even in traffic and rain. Superb.
Hooked up seamlessley to my ancient Garmin Edge 810 and works perfectly with effectively no setup or need for callibration. Really helps me feel safe and and much more situationally aware. I would say it depleted the (old & hardened) Edge battery more rapidly but that’s not going to be an issue with newer devices
It can “loose” vehicles following you on winding country lanes but in general it’s accurate and dependable. Always worth a double check over your shoulder of course. After a very short distance you’ll wonder why you didn’t buy one years ago!
To be able to be warned of traffic approaching from behind without forever shoulder checking is a great safety advancement for everyday cycling. Easy to synch and use with Varia app. Good battery life. Bright light, witha range of modes. I have mine linked to my mobile phone mounted on the handlebars. It gives me an audible and visible signal when one or more cars is approaching, something I find very reassuring and allowing me to focus on the road ahead.
Makes you feel so much safer. On quire roads picks up cars well over 150 m away. I found that I could not hear the warning bleeps on my garmin edge head unit so just downloaded the app and now no problem apart from phone battery life. I estimate about 4 hours.
While riding with a friend, he could pick up the Bluetooth signal on his garmin, and was so impressed with it that he bought one the following week.
Thought it may be just another expensive gimmick, but hooked o to a friends via bluetooth on a ride on busy country road. Quickly realised I was wrong as it gave me notice of all vehicles approaching. Especially useful as cars are quicker and quieter now. Got home and ought my own. Light is really bright too feel so seen…
First impressions was that it’s quite big, and as I was mounting it to the rear of a pannier rack and it came with only seat post mounts I had to wait for a bracket to be delivered before I could attach it (I used a saddle mount which worked perfectly as there isn’t a pannier specific mount).
Pairing with my Edge Explore was a doddle, and once the radar was paired the light part was automatically added. Choose in the settings which light settings you want
Day/night flash/solid etc and then you have a dedicated screen to override it’s settings. Oh and Peleton mode is great, my other half was riding behind me and complained about how bright the light was until I selected Peleton mode and she stopped complaining so it must have worked.
The radar part is amazing, it’s magic, I actually don’t know how it can see cars behind other cars but it spots them. The orange shading comes on to show it’s picked up something approaching from behind way before it’s close enough to be a dot on the screen. I have a mirror but particularly at night it has to be offset slightly to avoid blinding me every time a car is behind me so to be able to know something is coming gives me the advanced warning I need to check the mirror and decide if I need to do anything. I’m not saying I couldn’t live without it but to have it in conjunction with a good quality mirror definitely makes me feel a little more safe when it comes to traffic approaching from behind.
The light is seriously bright, I had a friend drive behind me and he said it was easily comparible to a fog light on a car. I like how it changes flash pattern as a car approaches and I can control it all from my Edge Explore (or my Fenix 6 Pro, but that would be a bit of a faff on the move).
All in all the hole this leaves in my bank account hurts but if it has the lifespan of some of the other Garmin products I have had it should last me long enough to forget it was nearly 200 and I’ll just be happy to see those little dots warning me of something coming.
Brilliant piece of kit. No more surprise overtakes. I would have given it five stars but Garmin, cheaped out on the fixing. Why couldn’t they have put a couple of lugs with a Velcro loop? The rubber bands perish, break and the you lose a valuable piece of kit.
What a brilliant piece of kit this is.
Arrived promptly, easy to set up.
I have it connected to my Wahoo Elment Bolt.
Its a bit noisy on a busy road but most of my riding is through the lanes of Somerset and Devon and the confidence it gives is fantastic. Even on a windy day when hearing is limited, I am immediately made aware of vehicles behind me. No more surprises.
A fantastic and very valuable bit of kit. Worth every penny
Have really felt 100% more confident when out on the bike with what traffic is behind me and being able to make quicker judgements on the road.
Honest review with no bribes or sponsorships: I very rarely rate anything 5 stars. But this product 100% deserves it.
I am a Wahoo and iPhone user and this Garmin product connects perfectly. It is simple to setup and get started with. The twist and click mounting is perfectly simple and secure. The battery is fast charging and long lasting.
I have been using for a few months now and won’t ride without it. It is reliable and accurate. I now know when something is behind me so I may be alert to any danger. This doesn’t stop the risk but it helps inform me about how I may manage it.
I have recently done two 100 mile Century rides and this device worked perfectly for both. I did get a couple of ‘disconnected’ warnings pop up on my Wahoo but it was still working okay.
The red light has several modes but I just use the strobe mode. It is very bright and effective, even during the day.
I trust this device 100% and won’t ride without it. I can recommend it to you without hesitation.
Great product. Works well.
Expensive, but I now know what’s going on behind me.
Yes I was reticent, it’s stupidly expensive, but! It works so well. I feel so confident now and safer on the road , you have to see and experience how well it works to appreciate it. If you ride on roads you need this, your family need this so they know your safe.
I was unsure about this but with a week of riding with my 10 year old coming up and consistently good reviews I took the plunge. I now wouldn’t ride without it. The security offered by knowing what’s coming from behind and the addition of the flashing notification to alert other riders, I can’t recommend this enough.
Works very well at detecting traffic approaching at any speed. In particular, keeps you aware about a second car following through. Good visibility on your Garmin. Additional benefit – your co riders benefit from seeing your back light flash when traffic coming from the rear!
Great piece of kit bought on the word of someone saying it works with the wahoo bolt and it’s brilliant good battery life the warning is really on cars approaching also warns how fast they are approaching fits well on the bike really would recommend this ligh
Following a stroke I have trouble looking over my shoulder to see what is behind me. The radar has been 100% accurate and has warned me of every approaching vehicle without fail. The ‘blinking’ light has lasted through all my plus 6 hour rides. This is a great product.
Brilliant item. Well worth the money and feel so much safer on my bike now. Very accurate.
Very reassuring when cycling alone to understand when cars are coming up behind you. This does exactly as it says; and works well.
Unbelievable light. Makes cycling a lot safer. Wish I bought soone
Its worth getting a saddle fixing and use thread lock glue to be more confident it will remain in place
Great device , working perfect with wahoo roam , must have for safety
Christmas present for the husband and he loves it….it works perfectly and a few friends thought it was grea
Excellent gadget for cyclists..very accurate & well worth the money.