I am not a tall rider so there is no seat-post real estate below my saddle bag so I had to order a new saddle bag with a Garmin mount. It works pretty well but the angle is down more than I'd like.
The light is very bright, I put it on flash mode to save battery. I disabled the audio from the radar as it is quite annoying in heavily trafficked roads.
Occasional software issue--1/10 rides-- where audible car alert will not work on iphone 11 used as a control device through the Garmin app. The visual alert has never filed to work. This seems to happen once charge on the radar is at 40% or less. Annoying, and Garmin tech support is not particularly responsive, nor do they follow up.
That said, it's an amazing device, which detects cars flawlessly and I can't imagine road riding without anymore.
Always relied on a bar end mirror, then husband talked me into also getting this. Surprised by how good it is. Often, didn't hear a car coming if windy out or other noise. But the Varia lets you know something is behind from WAY back and shows its progress in getting closer to you, so you will be ready to watch in your mirror when it is passing. GREAT product.
I love the radar feature, I have an older Garmin and it does sync with it so I feel safer on the road. The negative thoughts: It does not seem to hold the charge a 2 hour ride. It should come with a hard mount the elastic mount is a cheap and non secure method to keep an expensive light on the on the bike. I bought a hard mount separate.
I have had the Varia for a couple of years. The light works fine and the radar works great with my Garmin 1030. The best/safest solution is to use the Varia with a bike mirror: one warns you to watch and by watching you can take evasive action if needed. If I were just starting out riding on the roads I would pair the Varia RTL515 to my phone and use a mirror while riding.
My son says this is all rationalization for buying the Varia RTL515 because riding on the road is crazy and to think my 73 yr old "catlike" reflexes will save me from being hit is a fantasy. But hey, I am a believer.
I've been riding for over 15 years on the same, primarily rural roads and know the traffic. However, in the last year, I added a mirror, which is suitable for looking behind but wasn't convenient. I purchased the Garmin Varia RTL51 5 Rear Radar on sale, and using it in conjunction with the mirror has brought back a comfort level to riding on the roads again. The Varia alerts me to an approaching vehicle (or vehicles), which I can check in the mirror, and then alerts me when traffic has cleared - good for multiple vehicles, especially trucks with trailers. I find the combination of radar and mirror immensely helpful and reassuring in providing another layer of safety on the road.
I'd been leery of the price yet consistently blown away by the positive comments on the Varia and finally ordered it a few months back. The positivity is 100% warranted. I've used it in the dark, in the day and during large group rides and have found all the modes pretty fantastic. It may be a placebo effect but I feel like cars give me a wider berth since I've been using it, too. The best part is that you can relax and enjoy the quiet roads even more, knowing you're free and clear. About the same time you can hear tires behind you, the Varia detects the car coming and you can move over.
I've been using this bike radar for a while now, and when I compare this to other less expensive options, the radar cone (the triangular detection area) the radar covers is larger, and accuracy is a bit more precise when detecting oncoming rear traffic.
As with any threat detection system, the rider's eyes and ears are the best.
What a great piece of gear. The radar brings your situational awareness to the next level.
I bought one early on and have been using it continuously until just recently after surviving multiple drops from my recumbent bike bag while cruising over bumps at 20+ mph, I dropped in onto my concrete garage floor and it became unreliable. I nursed it until my new one arrived, and ordered a backup just in case. BTW, I got one for my wife�s recumbent Catrike too. The Garmin picks up cars just after I can see them in my mirror. So, if I have not seen by the time it beeps, it�s time to react to the car. It keeps me warned on expressways and multilane residential streets of high speed vehicles.
After initially scoffing at the idea of the Varia radar as being yet another piece of electronics for the bike I finally grew tired of cars sneaking up on me and with a 25% discount from WesterBikeWorks finally pulled the trigger. I was an idiot for not buying it sooner. That's no joke. It's great getting alerted to approaching cars particularly on windy days where I can't readily hear them. I have the single radar paired to both my Garmin as well as my wife's so when we ride together we can both take advantage of it. The light is bright and very difficult to miss (and blinding on group rides when people don't set it to a lower intensity). The only negatives I've found is the included universal mount is so-so on my round seat post and will be replaced by the Garmin clasp type mount in the future. The other negative is you can't use it while charging, meaning on a long ride you need to be conscious of which light mode you're using so you don't run out of battery.
Have been using an RTL510 for 6-8 months, now won't ride without it. Useful in ways I hadn't imagined: (a) on fast descents when it's too dangerous to look back, it tells you if traffic is coming up behind you, (b) tells you if it's safe to move left to avoid bad pavement, (c) if you need to turn left, it helps you tell if a clot of traffic is approaching from behind, (d) while it doesn't display the lateral position of a vehicle passing you, you should expect a close pass if it shows that a pass is happening close to a blind corner or crest, or oncoming traffic. Also, I was unaware that its flash rate increases when traffic is approaching from behind until one day in my car I came up behind a RTL-equipped cyclist - quite a light show!
Limitations: (a) in high-traffic areas it will alert continuously (I avoid areas like that anyway), (b) if you are cycling along a secondary road paralleling an expressway, it may pick up traffic on the highway, (c) on curvy or rolling roads, terrain may block the radar beam long enough for a contact to be temporarily lost, reappearing as it gets closer. You should double-check with a head turn when it's important, because the RTL gives a low rate of false positives (not critical) and a lower rate of false negatives (critical!) in certain specific situations. The false positives seem to be triggered by motion-detecting lights or cameras (I routinely get false alerts when passing certain facilities). Occasionally it may temporarily show multiple dots when there is only a single vehicle, or "miss" a vehicle following closely behind another. False negatives happen when an upcoming vehicle slows to wait for a safe opportunity to pass me, so that it is going at my speed, no longer approaching me. If that situation persists long enough, that vehicle may vanish from my screen, making an abrupt left turn risky. Have gotten these false negs a number of times.
All in all, the RTL is a huge plus, greatly reducing the amount of shoulder-checking I have to do, so I wobble less and scan the road ahead more closely.
Always thought my hearing was good enough to hear traffic coming up from behind me. It took only one ride with the Varia to appreciate the benefit of having radar. Let's me know traffic is approaching before it can be heard. Also shows when multiple vehicles are approaching. It easily paired with my Garmin 530. Had my wife drive up behind me while I was riding and she noted the high visibility of the light. Definitely an essential part of my riding gear to be used on every ride.
Bought the Varia RTL515 for my son, after first having experience with the 715 that has the rear view incident camera, on my bike. The camera on the 715 adds bulk and weight, and is only really useful to have video evidence if you happen to get hit from behind. The best thing about either light is the alert to your computer that there are cars or other bikes gaining on you from the rear. Saves your neck from having to check back as frequently, especially on aerobars. You get the alert on your computer much sooner than you would generally see the vehicles otherwise. Only reason I gave the 515 four stars instead of 5, is because my son ( who lives in another state, Oregon) reports that on his older Garmin computer, the alert is just an orange bar plus audio, whereas on mine I also see dots for each vehicle, as well as their relative distance from each other and me. I don't know if his just isn't synced correctly, if the radar on the 515 doesn't relay this info, or if it's just because his compatible Garmin computer is older, and just unable to show the approaching dots. But I know he likes it, as I do. If it's an issue with his computer, he can upgrade it, because the added safety feature is worth it.
I have been using the earlier version of Varia Radar 2 for a bit over two years. I have been told by drivers, among them two FedEX drivers, that it is the most effective tail light they have ever seen. It was visible at a distance of more than a mile. It begins flashing as soon as a car comes within the radar range. I ride just about every day and I have never been surprised by a vehicle coming up behind me. My computer beeps and the display of the vehicle or vehicles approaching shows along the right side of my Edge 1030. I can judge the speed and distance of the approaching vehicle from the display. It really is a remarkable piece of equipment, and it sounds like they have made it even better. My unit will start giving me a low battery warning after about 4 hours on a ride. I have never run out of battery, but my rides don't usually last longer than 4 hours. The longer life battery is certainly not a waste. To give some idea of the sensitivity of the radar, I was once standing by the side of the road taking a break when a runner I had passed earlier approached. The computer beeped, and the display showed the runner approaching. That is pretty amazing. Yet, at the same time, when I have ridden with another rider, his presence is not noticed by the radar, only cars approaching us. The stimulus for the radar is something approaching, not something keeping pace with you. Recharge time is about an hour or less. It is, in my opinion, a necessity if you ride on the road. It will pair with most Edge computers and, also, with Wahoo computers.
Although it is easy to quickly look behind you and/or use a helmet mirror, there are instances when you have to focus on the road ahead, the route, your training plan etc.. Wind and road noise can obscure the sound of oncoming cars, I found that having an alert on the head unit was a huge safety advantage when your focus is divided. Also the light on the unit pulses quicker the closer the vehicle is to you, giving the driver a visual clue as well. I have installed a Garmin quarter-turn mount on all my bikes so I can use the Varia Radar every time I ride. In my opinion it is an indispensable bit of tech.
Did you live without it before? Could you drive without one now? Yes of course, but it's REALLY nice not having to crane your neck around to confirm no one's there. Same thing with this radar. Drivers are increasingly distracted so on the road, I like having a tail light. I also like bombing descents as fast as possible, and taking the lane makes that easier. Having a quick glance at my head unit confirm there's no cars behind makes bombing descents that much more enjoyable.
I waited until after all my riding partners had a Varia to get on one for myself. I wish I'd gotten it sooner! All those years I spent trying in vain to use a mirror connected to my glasses! The Varia integrates seamlessly with my Hammerhead Karoo 2 computer which detects it the same way it would a HRM or cadence sensor. When a vehicle approaches from behind, a vertical band appears on the left of the Karoo that tells me how many vehicles and if a car is coming REALLY fast, it flashes a red alert. It also picks up other cyclists if they are "closing" on me to help me be aware and avoid crashes. The mount it comes with is adequate, but if you're gonna use it on more than one bike, I would recommend separate mounts for each bicycle as it isn't easy to put on or remove the mount. Oh, and I've used a taillight for a long time so having the functionality in this unit is also a big plus and the fact that it shines more brightly when cars are approaching is pretty neat!
I really like that the Varia, coupled with my Garmin cycling computer, let's me know what is happening behind me without needing to look behind and check or rely on what I hear. I also like the I brightness, visibility and long battery life associate with using the "day flash" mode on the light! I feel safer on rides using this Varia RTL515 device!
Been riding for 30 years - don't know how I survived without the Varia radar. My new confidence in situational awareness on the bike cannot be overstated. The unit performs superbly as it detects overtaking motion (car, cyclist, runner?!?) LONG before you can even see it over your shoulder. And it has not returned a false positive yet nor missed any overtaking vehicle (the device detects overtaking motion, not "presence").
The only negative is the mounting: it sucks for aero seatposts, and I can't imagine it's any better for round seatposts. The device is secure and snug to the seatpost (aero or round) but will NOT stay in place; it is constantly rotating to the left or right. Fortunately there are a plethora of aftermarket 3D printed mounting solutions.
