Garmin 010-02376-00 Varia RTL515, Cycling Rearview Radar with Tail Light, Visual and Audible Alerts for Vehicles Up to 153 Yards Away
$199.00 USD
A whisper of wind and the thrill of the open road beckon, but safety takes the lead with the Garmin Varia RTL515. This cutting-edge cycling rearview radar not only enhances your awareness but also provides visual and audible alerts for vehicles approaching from up to 153 yards away. With its compact design and superior visibility, it pairs seamlessly with your bike and the Varia app, ensuring every ride is a secure adventure. Elevate your cycling experience, knowing you’re protected on every journey.
Description
Imagine gliding through the open road, the wind in your face, while a subtle yet powerful guardian keeps a watchful eye on the world behind you. The Garmin Varia RTL515 Cycling Rearview Radar with Tail Light is not just a device; it's your silent companion, ensuring that you remain aware and safe during every thrilling ride. This compact marvel combines cutting-edge technology with a sleek design, enhancing your cycling experience in ways that redefine the boundaries of adventure.
The Varia RTL515 offers an exceptional blend of visual and audible alerts, notifying you of vehicles approaching from behind up to 153 yards away. The moment you hear its gentle beep or catch the flashing light in your peripheral vision, you can focus on the joy of the journey while staying alert to any traffic. With the ability to pair with multiple devices, including the Varia app and various third-party cycling apps, it effortlessly integrates into your riding routine.
- Maximum Awareness: Stay informed about approaching vehicles with real-time alerts.
- Superior Visibility: The bright tail light ensures you’re seen by others, even in low-light conditions.
- Compact Design: Lightweight and easy to mount, it fits seamlessly into your bike setup.
- Multiple Pairing Options: Connect with a variety of devices for an enhanced riding experience.
- Peloton Mode: Ideal for group rides, providing alerts without disrupting your flow.
Whether you’re conquering steep hills or cruising through city streets, the Varia RTL515 enhances your ride with peace of mind. It's perfect for those who seek both adventure and safety, allowing you to explore new routes with confidence. With a battery life designed for long rides and a robust mounting kit included, this rearview radar is ready to accompany you on every journey.
Let the Garmin Varia RTL515 transform the way you ride, allowing you to embrace the thrill of the road while staying aware of your surroundings. Your next adventure awaits, and with the Varia by your side, you can embark on it fearlessly.
82 reviews for Garmin 010-02376-00 Varia RTL515, Cycling Rearview Radar with Tail Light, Visual and Audible Alerts for Vehicles Up to 153 Yards Away
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Chris T –
It is a very simple device but works well. I have it paired to a Garmin 1040 and they sync up on boot with no issues. The red LED is visible from a significant distance and has different modes (pulse, solid, etc). The radar is phenomenal and is a game changer for my road cycling. The unit beeps when a car is approaching and then beeps again as it overtakes you. This eliminates a lot of unnecessary turning around on your bike and gives you more comfort/confidence. In my experience it works 100% of the time, I have yet to see it fail even in inclement weather.
Battery life is fantastic and its a very simple but effective device. The price is fair considering the cost of a potential accident and how specialized it is. Very happy with it.
Paul –
After about 6 rides of more than 20+ miles each, I feel comfortable writing a review about the Garmin Varia RTL515. First, let me say that this Radar with Taillight works exactly as advertised and I can easily recommend it to any bike rider. That said, here are what I hope may be some helpful notes:
– I use the radar with my iPhone 14 Pro and the associated Varia app
– It took me less than 10 minutes to unpackage, mount, install the app and pair to my phone (note that for my rides my iPhone is attached to a mount on the handlebars)
– Some have reported issues with the mounting hardware that comes with the device. I encountered no issues at all (installing or while riding)
– Be sure to use the audible sounds and not just the visual (in other words, keep the volume on and up)
– The radar detected approaching vehicles 100% of the time and about 85% sooner than my hearing did
– I found the biggest benefit comes when I have to merge from the shoulder of the road out into traffic to make left hand turns or move out from a right only lane. As I have aged (now 65 years old) I don’t have the flexibility to turn around and look like I once had and this device helps in indicating if there is oncoming traffic and if there is, I can adjust my speed to slow down (or speed up) until it is clear. But make no mistake, DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON THE RADAR. Always use your eyes and ears!
– I can say, from my limited experience, that the battery life seems solid and unless you’re doing 6+ hour rides (just my estimate), you will be fine and won’t run out of juice
– Speaking of battery life, using the Varia app while using the Strava app to log my ride, I used up approximately 15% of my iPhone’s battery on a 2 hour ride
My only gripe is that there is no integration with my Apple Watch. It would be very beneficial to have haptic alerts. I did find a third party app that supposedly does this but have not purchased it ($5.99).
This device may not be for everyone but if you are looking for some added, reliable safety when you ride, it is worth it and, in my opinion, at a reasonable price.
Al –
The package arrived ahead of schedule. Works as it should. Got it for a great price. Thumbs up all the way
Osvaldo Revilla –
Esta compra es por la reposición de mi Garmin Varia desafortunadamente la extravié pero la repongo por su excelente funcionalidad y calidad, sin duda un elemento de seguridad esencial para salir en bicicleta de ruta
threeoneseven –
I just returned to road riding from a few long seasons of triathlon racing where 95% of my rides were indoors on a trainer, so I wanted to take advantage of the newer technology to improve my safety on roads. This radar has been flawless and pairs effortlessly with both my Stages M200 and Magese C606 computers. Light is plenty bright, battery life is very good, and it performs without fault. My only gripe was the mount which wasn’t the most confidence inspiring holding a $200 light. I purchased a hard mount replacement and it’s not rock solid.
It’s money well spent for the piece of mind I have while riding, and works great for knowing when cars are approaching from behind. I also find myself able to ride out in the road a little more, avoiding the shoulder where debris and potential tire poppers lurk. 10/10 would buy again, even at the price. I often purchase less expensive versions of cycling gear which perform great, but didn’t want to take the chance on such a vital piece of kit where failure isn’t an option.
Jpm621 –
The Garmin Varia RTL515 has become an essential part of my cycling setup, providing invaluable safety features that I rely on every ride. The integration with my Garmin Edge 840 is seamless and enhances my situational awareness on the road. It effectively alerts me to approaching vehicles, giving me critical information to adjust my riding position and stay safe.
One of the standout features is its light patterns that dynamically change as vehicles approach. This not only increases my visibility to drivers but also helps them anticipate my presence on the road. While the mounting system it comes with is functional, I opted for a better mounting solution to ensure a more secure attachment. This upgrade has significantly improved the stability of the Varia RTL515 on my bike, providing peace of mind during rides. The build quality is robust, and the device is weather-resistant, handling various conditions without issue. The battery life is impressive, lasting through long rides without needing a recharge.
Overall, the Garmin Varia RTL515 is an indispensable tool for cyclists prioritizing safety. Its reliable connectivity, advanced alert system, and adaptive lighting make it a must-have for anyone serious about staying safe on the road. I highly recommend it, especially with a sturdier mounting option, for enhanced security and performance.
Marcio Luis Costa Teixeira da Cunha –
Gostei do produto, ele funciona conforme o prometido, aumenta bastante a segurança durante as pedaladas; apenas, é um equipamento caro.
An –
First time using a rear radar light and can say quite impressed. its linked to my Garmin 830 and get a colour warning well in advance of me ever noticing by head checks or hearing. I am pleasantly quite impressed. only thing I worry about is that it doesn’t have a tether and may make me over confident and not do as many head checks as i would otherwise.
Danny Chang –
Has a warning sound when a vehicle is coming behind you about 120ft away. Then when is just behind you theres a short ringing sound and can watch it on radar. Theres a car symbol on the screen when its behind and then beside you. When it has passed another short bleep that it is gone . Well worth money no need for a mirror anymore, will not leave without when I go biking.
Rick Neukamm –
Has a warning sound when a vehicle is coming behind you about 120ft away. Then when is just behind you theres a short ringing sound and can watch it on radar. Theres a car symbol on the screen when its behind and then beside you. When it has passed another short bleep that it is gone . Well worth money no need for a mirror anymore, will not leave without when I go biking.
Frank –
Has worked flawlessly. Integrates with Ride GPS. Has never missed an upcoming vehicle and picks up an upcoming car well before I can hear it.
Audible alerts are annoying but can be shut off.
JK –
If you ride your bicycle on the open road, this is a really useful bit of gear. At least it has been for me. In my experience, it does a good job of identifying vehicles approaching from behind about a city block away. The vehicle, or vehicles, are represented by a dot or dots on the side of the cycling computer screen. They move up as the vehicle approaches. With this, one can get an idea about the speed the vehicle is moving… fast or slow. I have found it to be accurate and reliable. It will also pick up other cyclists, but this is not as consistent as with larger vehicles.
The radar works off of movement. If a vehicle remains at a consistent speed and distance behind you it may disappear off the radar until it changes its speed. One needs to be aware of this.
Battery life is okay. Major issue is being able to monitor battery life. Not really a good way to do so with the device itself. I recommend getting the Varia app. It has an icon indicating battery life. It can also be used in lieu of a cycling computer if one doesn’t have one. It does not appear to power off once disconnected from the computer, so be sure and power it down after the ride or it may be drained by the time you plan to use it again.
This is my second Varia. I purchased the first one in June, 2020. It started having problems and the on/off button became worn this year so I replaced it in June 2025. Not sure if 5 years is a reasonable lifespan. Would have like to have gotten a few more. I did buy a silicone cover to help protect the button. I also like it well enough to replace it.
Stan R. –
This is the very most worthwhile investment I’ve made for my cycling. Used for months and never false (as far as for cases I’m aware). Battery life is great and several modes let you save battery according to scenario. It is compatible with Garmin’s own computers, many third-party computers, Garmin’s app, and many riding companion apps. It makes monitoring the traffic behind you way easier. It by itself is also a bright and smart rear light. A good thing go get for your safety, which is your life.
Danny Chang –
After several uses, I kept asking myself… Why didn’t I get this radar much earlier? Cynics saying a mirror would do the job that the Varia does isn’t completely wrong Except Varia does much more than a mirror. Firstly the Audible beeps to warn me of approaching car more than 150meters back, without taking my eyes off the road. Trying spotting a car on a small bicycle mirror that far back while keeping 100% focus on road ahead. Secondly, mirror users are partly replying on sound. The unit picks up another cyclist riding overtaking at higher relative speed to avoid collision or wheel touch.
I discovered that the unit can be mounted both ways, lights at top or bottom. Doesn’t appear to impact radar signal.
It does send out conservative and overly cautious signal when u r on a bike path with passing cars on main part of road. Overall a great defence tool to minimize probability of being hit from the rear. Great investment.
Rick Neukamm –
Gostei do produto, ele funciona conforme o prometido, aumenta bastante a segurança durante as pedaladas; apenas, é um equipamento caro.
Paul –
After about 6 rides of more than 20+ miles each, I feel comfortable writing a review about the Garmin Varia RTL515. First, let me say that this Radar with Taillight works exactly as advertised and I can easily recommend it to any bike rider. That said, here are what I hope may be some helpful notes:
– I use the radar with my iPhone 14 Pro and the associated Varia app
– It took me less than 10 minutes to unpackage, mount, install the app and pair to my phone (note that for my rides my iPhone is attached to a mount on the handlebars)
– Some have reported issues with the mounting hardware that comes with the device. I encountered no issues at all (installing or while riding)
– Be sure to use the audible sounds and not just the visual (in other words, keep the volume on and up)
– The radar detected approaching vehicles 100% of the time and about 85% sooner than my hearing did
– I found the biggest benefit comes when I have to merge from the shoulder of the road out into traffic to make left hand turns or move out from a right only lane. As I have aged (now 65 years old) I don’t have the flexibility to turn around and look like I once had and this device helps in indicating if there is oncoming traffic and if there is, I can adjust my speed to slow down (or speed up) until it is clear. But make no mistake, DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON THE RADAR. Always use your eyes and ears!
– I can say, from my limited experience, that the battery life seems solid and unless you’re doing 6+ hour rides (just my estimate), you will be fine and won’t run out of juice
– Speaking of battery life, using the Varia app while using the Strava app to log my ride, I used up approximately 15% of my iPhone’s battery on a 2 hour ride
My only gripe is that there is no integration with my Apple Watch. It would be very beneficial to have haptic alerts. I did find a third party app that supposedly does this but have not purchased it ($5.99).
This device may not be for everyone but if you are looking for some added, reliable safety when you ride, it is worth it and, in my opinion, at a reasonable price.
An –
Esta compra es por la reposición de mi Garmin Varia desafortunadamente la extravié pero la repongo por su excelente funcionalidad y calidad, sin duda un elemento de seguridad esencial para salir en bicicleta de ruta
Marcio Luis Costa Teixeira da Cunha –
First time using a rear radar light and can say quite impressed. its linked to my Garmin 830 and get a colour warning well in advance of me ever noticing by head checks or hearing. I am pleasantly quite impressed. only thing I worry about is that it doesn’t have a tether and may make me over confident and not do as many head checks as i would otherwise.
Hsing –
This is the very most worthwhile investment I’ve made for my cycling. Used for months and never false (as far as for cases I’m aware). Battery life is great and several modes let you save battery according to scenario. It is compatible with Garmin’s own computers, many third-party computers, Garmin’s app, and many riding companion apps. It makes monitoring the traffic behind you way easier. It by itself is also a bright and smart rear light. A good thing go get for your safety, which is your life.
Gary A. –
This Radar works really well with my Garmin Edge Explorer 2. When you power your Garmin down it puts this Radar into a sleep mode and wakes it up when Garmin powers up. Has some different light modes. Mounts with a Garmin Style mount. In Individual mode the light is on at a lower power and when it detects a car it starts flashing. This saves the most battery. It is nice to get notified when a car/s are on the approach. The only time it will cease to show a car is when both you and the car are at or near the same speed. Overall, I am very happy with it.
Stan R. –
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The Garmin Varia RVR315 works well. It’s pairs quickly and is the best bike radar to use with the Ride with GPS app . The price is right and i like that it doesn’t have a camera or flashing light. Lights and cameras can be bought separately and very low prices.
I don’t have a bike computer instead i bought an amazon refurbished iphone 11 and use the ride with GPS app.
Even when the iphone screen is not displayed the Garmin Varia RVR315 radar will alert to the vehicles approaching behind you with about 5 seconds warning and then another alert that it’s clear behind you. See my video.
Also use two small zip ties to secure the mount to your bike icase the supplied o ring breaks
Irving –
Un accesorio imprescindible para tu vida en el ciclismo. No dudes de adquirirlo.
No olvides que necesitas un ciclocomputador
Mike S. –
For me this is a must for road cycling. It works well with my Garmin Edge 830 showing the approaching vehicles on the screen. I like the configuration options (i.e. audio beeps or silent for large group rides, flashing modes, etc.), and it has been very accurate for detecting approaching vehicles.
Gary Avrett –
This Radar works really well with my Garmin Edge Explorer 2. When you power your Garmin down it puts this Radar into a sleep mode and wakes it up when Garmin powers up. Has some different light modes. Mounts with a Garmin Style mount. In Individual mode the light is on at a lower power and when it detects a car it starts flashing. This saves the most battery. It is nice to get notified when a car/s are on the approach. The only time it will cease to show a car is when both you and the car are at or near the same speed. Overall, I am very happy with it.
Sample E –
I’m always hesitant to spend money bicycle tech, but I decided give this a try when I needed a new taillight. I liked the idea of also having a warning of vehicles approaching from behind. There are several competitors that make similar devices, I decided to go with Garmin as I’ve had good luck with the brand in the past. My expectations were low, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well this works. I currently have it synced to the Varia app on my phone as I don’t own a Garmin head unit. It works flawlessly. There’s an audible alert when a vehicle is detected and a car icon shows up on my screen long before I could hear a car approaching. As electric cars become more common, hearing cars approaching from behind will become more difficult. This device solves that problem. The display changes if a vehicle is approaching at a high rate of speed. It clearly displays multiple vehicles approaching. I usually ride solo on rural roads, and this little gadget makes my rides much safer. My only complaint is with the mounting hardware. It comes with multiple adapters to fit a ride range of seatpost shapes and sizes, but it attaches with a thick rubber band. It seems like an afterthought. I have multiple bikes so I’m concerned that the rubber band may stretch out over time switching between bikes. I’d much prefer a more permanent mount but this design does work. There are 3rd party 3D printed mounts available that I might buy so I can easily switch between bikes without having to fuss with the rubber band. The mounting mechanism is the only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars. Functionally, this is an excellent product that I highly recommend.
Hsing –
After several uses, I kept asking myself… Why didn’t I get this radar much earlier? Cynics saying a mirror would do the job that the Varia does isn’t completely wrong Except Varia does much more than a mirror. Firstly the Audible beeps to warn me of approaching car more than 150meters back, without taking my eyes off the road. Trying spotting a car on a small bicycle mirror that far back while keeping 100% focus on road ahead. Secondly, mirror users are partly replying on sound. The unit picks up another cyclist riding overtaking at higher relative speed to avoid collision or wheel touch.
I discovered that the unit can be mounted both ways, lights at top or bottom. Doesn’t appear to impact radar signal.
It does send out conservative and overly cautious signal when u r on a bike path with passing cars on main part of road. Overall a great defence tool to minimize probability of being hit from the rear. Great investment.
GBW –
It’s the single best bike accessory you can buy. Works like a charm on roads. Picks up cars everytime. I usually ride about two hours at a time and recharge every third ride. I feel safer riding on roads with this unit. STRONGLY RECOMMEND!! I suggest purchasing a Garmin compatible mount for mounting under your seat. The under seat mount allows you to keep a spare flashing light on the seat post.
T. Reavis –
Let me start off by saying, I’ve been biking since my 20’s, now in my 50’s. I’m what I consider a long distance, casual, organize touring biker. In other words I’m not a racer. I’m not sure how this device has escaped me for as long as it has. I used this radar for the first time on a 20 mile loop only due to the time of day. I must say I was very excited with the way the radar performed. For the first 5 to10 mins I still looked over my shoulder. Once I had a handle on where the car or cars were in relationship to what I saw on my phone. I felt pretty confident with using the radar. Sometimes when you have to rely on your hearing or looking over your shoulder some quieter vehicles manage to sneak up on you especially if the wind is blowing in the opposite direction that you are riding. You then have to make a split second decision on whether to avoid bad road pavement and possibly creating a close call situation or play it safe with the car and pray you and your bike survives hitting a pot hole, gravel, etc. I feel with the radar it allows you to focus more on the road ahead of you, instead of constantly looking over your shoulder. Which actually allows you to make a more informed decision on navigating the pavement, because you see ahead of time where the cars are in relationship to you. I’m very satisfied with that feature. I use the radar with the Varia app on my retired LG G7 phone. They both work well together. I’m very happy with the app. It’s a very basic, lean, and clean app. It’s not loaded with a bunch of unnecessary options. It does just what it is suppose to. I may be a little picky, but I just wish that I had the ability to turn off the light and continue to keep it linked to the app. I probably would not use it that way, but it would be nice as option if you need to stretch the battery life a little longer. Definitely not a game changer. Also the bracket is okay, not a big fan of the silicone like stretchy bands for attaching expensive devices on the back of my bike that could possibly brake loose and I may not know in time if the device fell off my bike. I also wish that garmin would make a bracket that allows the radar to be extended pass your saddle bag. I since have ordered a K- Edge Go Big Pro Saddle Rail Go Pro Camera Mount. I was also going to order a 3d garmin to Go Pro adapter to attach to the mount, but i decided to buy a For Garmin Varia Radar RTL510 tail light mount holder saddle bracket off Ebay. This bracket is much shorter, but I only bought it to remove the garmin attachment and attach that to K-Edge. The housing around the garmin attachment is made of medal, which I feel would be better than a plastic 3d adapter. Hopefully with the extra length that the K-Edge has it will be just long enough to clear my saddle bag. I will update when I acquire all of the above mentioned mounts. Oh by the way there are similar mounts on here on Amazon like the RTL510 that also include the garmin attachment, but it seems like they all ship from China. Which would be okay if your willing to wait 5 to 7 weeks.
Kindle Customer –
The potted review:
In certain circumstances this gadget could be a true life saver. I won’t ride on roads shared with motor vehicles without it but I don’t rely solely on it for my safety, either. Think of it rather as a particularly valuable addition to the suite of hardware and strategies that you use to keep yourself safe on the roads. I’m very pleased to have it and recommend it highly but I’m not about to get rid of my mirror.
The full Monty:
This is my second Garmin radar. So far, it’s great in most respects but it has a quirk or two common to these devices that any new user should be aware of.
Yesterday, for example, it apparently failed to detect a car no more than 50 metres behind me that I could clearly see in my handlebar mirror. I worried that it had malfunctioned until I remembered (it’s been a while since I last used my old one) that these devices only report cars *approaching* the rider, that is, moving faster than him or her. As soon as one matches speeds or goes slower it literally drops off the radar and is seen no more. I’ve often yelled “car back!” to my group when one appears on my screen only for it to clear and the car seemingly disappear – and then pop out of nowhere a little while later, blowing by at speed on the next open stretch of road. It had merely been lurking behind the bunch waiting for its moment to pounce. A slightly more worrying issue is that at one point it seemed to have been blocked by a single rider behind me, although chances are it was merely another case of the phenomenon just described.
As to how it works from the rider’s point of view, it overlays a narrow semi-transparent stripe down each side of whatever screen is active on the head unit. Their colours reflect the relative speed of approaching vehicles, which are shown as dots moving up the right hand edge of the screen, and range from a gentle amber to a dangerous deep red. It can detect and show a number of vehicles and their closing speeds but it’s not totally reliable in that respect and should be treated with due caution. As Garmin points out, two cars travelling close together, such as one tailgating another, or a very large truck might appear as a single dot. It does takes some time to learn to translate the graphics into a sense of where vehicles physically are relative to you but it improves with practice. I still use my mirror as a double check before moving out into the lane, though.
It’s not necessary to be looking at the screen to be alerted; it can be set to beep, or rather squeak, whenever it detects an oncoming car or to vibrate, if it happens to be connected to the phone in your back pocket. The squeak might be irritating to others in your bunch until they realize what it’s telling them.
Certain data fields for Garmin head units downloaded from Connect IQ will record all the cars the radar detects along with their relative and absolute speeds, and that information can be displayed in the Connect record of the ride, as shown in the picture. The fields do not have to be actively on screen or even added to any page; simply being installed on the head unit is enough. It can be interesting, and sometimes alarming, to see just how fast that maniac was going when he just missed your handlebars.
The integrated light would be welcome, even if it only meant one less gadget to be dismounted, charged, and then remounted on my bike. However, it is more than just another light. It can sense ambient light and adjust its brightness accordingly, and it has at least four different modes for various situations. But what is particularly clever is that when paired with a suitable Garmin head unit or the Garmin Connect app on a phone it is enrolled in a network that allows the user to control it from either device, which is handy when you’re riding and the light is beneath your saddle bag. Any other Varia lights on the bike will be included and can be managed likewise. It can be really bright. When I was futzing with it when it had just arrived I accidentally turned it on to its brightest setting just a foot or so from eyes and they literally hurt. It took quite a while for my vision to return to normal. Let that be a lesson to you.
The claimed battery life in day flash mode is 16 hours, which is far longer than I’m ever likely to need but it is comforting that I need never worry about it dying mid-ride, or at least not until it is much older and its battery is ailing.
GBW –
After several uses, I kept asking myself… Why didn’t I get this radar much earlier? Cynics saying a mirror would do the job that the Varia does isn’t completely wrong Except Varia does much more than a mirror. Firstly the Audible beeps to warn me of approaching car more than 150meters back, without taking my eyes off the road. Trying spotting a car on a small bicycle mirror that far back while keeping 100% focus on road ahead. Secondly, mirror users are partly replying on sound. The unit picks up another cyclist riding overtaking at higher relative speed to avoid collision or wheel touch.
I discovered that the unit can be mounted both ways, lights at top or bottom. Doesn’t appear to impact radar signal.
It does send out conservative and overly cautious signal when u r on a bike path with passing cars on main part of road. Overall a great defence tool to minimize probability of being hit from the rear. Great investment.
Kindle Customer –
The media could not be loaded.
I saw a video of a rider not doing a lifesaver and then being run over by a truck. I thought to myself, ‘What product would have prevented this incident’? and my research led me to this as a solution. This is not a replacement to a lifesaver, but this is additional information which dramatically increases rider’s awareness of their surroundings. My friends use a camera instead of this, but I feel a camera vs a radar are quite different products for different problems. I, personally, much rather have information to avoid an incident vs a record to take follow-up action (If one is able).
An ideal product would be a radar, brake light and camera in the same form factor, weight and reliability.
Danny Chang –
Gostei do produto, ele funciona conforme o prometido, aumenta bastante a segurança durante as pedaladas; apenas, é um equipamento caro.
The Stig –
I was hesitant to get this light/radar simply due to the price. I wish it was about half as much as it is. That being said, I got it on sale for 50% off so I’m very happy with my purchase now. This light is fantastic if you use a garmin bike computer. It syncs up in seconds and the battery lasts me quite awhile. I’ve taken it on 3 rides that were all over an hour without charging and it was still going. I typically charge after every other ride because I don’t want it to die while I’m out so I’m not sure how long it will really last, but it’s longer than I’ll ever need. The radar works fantastically, it catches cars and other cyclists and gives you an alarm warning, flashing red screen, and a readout of how close they are to you on your computer. It comes with mounting stuff that should fit most bikes, although my seatpost is a bit of an odd shape so I’m hoping to find something that’s a little more secure. There is zero risk of it falling off, but it does slide down on the post because the rubber pad is just a tad too small for my seatpost.
Kindle Customer –
The package arrived ahead of schedule. Works as it should. Got it for a great price. Thumbs up all the way
Instarx –
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I absolutely love this thing. It gives me such a feeling of confidence riding on the roads, which I have to do. It alerts me to cars approaching well before I can even see them in my mirror. So there are no “surprise cars” like there can be with my mirrors. It also tells me if there are several cars coming, so one car cannot hide behind the other and fool you. If I would lose this detector I would buy another immediately.
Most people say this device is good at letting them know when there is a car approaching, but I think they have it backwards. The most useful feature of this device is it tells you when there ISN’T a car. Need to go around a pothole, dodge a stick, or change lanes for a left turn? You know with a glance that there is no car behind you. Priceless.
Although the detector can be used with other Garmin devices, I just use it with the Android App on my smartphone. There is no need to buy any other devices.
I have used this for about six months and in all that time I had one false negative when I first mounted it on my bike – it said there was no car when there was. But I think that was because I had it mounted in a place where my cargo carrier interfered with it. I moved it to the rear of the carrier and it has been 100% accurate since. No false positives and no false negatives in literally hundreds of car interactions.
If you listen to music through earbuds, the app dings on top of the song to let you know it has detected a car approaching. Very handy.
This thing is brilliant. I love it. It really gives me confidence in my commute.
Irving –
The potted review:
In certain circumstances this gadget could be a true life saver. I won’t ride on roads shared with motor vehicles without it but I don’t rely solely on it for my safety, either. Think of it rather as a particularly valuable addition to the suite of hardware and strategies that you use to keep yourself safe on the roads. I’m very pleased to have it and recommend it highly but I’m not about to get rid of my mirror.
The full Monty:
This is my second Garmin radar. So far, it’s great in most respects but it has a quirk or two common to these devices that any new user should be aware of.
Yesterday, for example, it apparently failed to detect a car no more than 50 metres behind me that I could clearly see in my handlebar mirror. I worried that it had malfunctioned until I remembered (it’s been a while since I last used my old one) that these devices only report cars *approaching* the rider, that is, moving faster than him or her. As soon as one matches speeds or goes slower it literally drops off the radar and is seen no more. I’ve often yelled “car back!” to my group when one appears on my screen only for it to clear and the car seemingly disappear – and then pop out of nowhere a little while later, blowing by at speed on the next open stretch of road. It had merely been lurking behind the bunch waiting for its moment to pounce. A slightly more worrying issue is that at one point it seemed to have been blocked by a single rider behind me, although chances are it was merely another case of the phenomenon just described.
As to how it works from the rider’s point of view, it overlays a narrow semi-transparent stripe down each side of whatever screen is active on the head unit. Their colours reflect the relative speed of approaching vehicles, which are shown as dots moving up the right hand edge of the screen, and range from a gentle amber to a dangerous deep red. It can detect and show a number of vehicles and their closing speeds but it’s not totally reliable in that respect and should be treated with due caution. As Garmin points out, two cars travelling close together, such as one tailgating another, or a very large truck might appear as a single dot. It does takes some time to learn to translate the graphics into a sense of where vehicles physically are relative to you but it improves with practice. I still use my mirror as a double check before moving out into the lane, though.
It’s not necessary to be looking at the screen to be alerted; it can be set to beep, or rather squeak, whenever it detects an oncoming car or to vibrate, if it happens to be connected to the phone in your back pocket. The squeak might be irritating to others in your bunch until they realize what it’s telling them.
Certain data fields for Garmin head units downloaded from Connect IQ will record all the cars the radar detects along with their relative and absolute speeds, and that information can be displayed in the Connect record of the ride, as shown in the picture. The fields do not have to be actively on screen or even added to any page; simply being installed on the head unit is enough. It can be interesting, and sometimes alarming, to see just how fast that maniac was going when he just missed your handlebars.
The integrated light would be welcome, even if it only meant one less gadget to be dismounted, charged, and then remounted on my bike. However, it is more than just another light. It can sense ambient light and adjust its brightness accordingly, and it has at least four different modes for various situations. But what is particularly clever is that when paired with a suitable Garmin head unit or the Garmin Connect app on a phone it is enrolled in a network that allows the user to control it from either device, which is handy when you’re riding and the light is beneath your saddle bag. Any other Varia lights on the bike will be included and can be managed likewise. It can be really bright. When I was futzing with it when it had just arrived I accidentally turned it on to its brightest setting just a foot or so from eyes and they literally hurt. It took quite a while for my vision to return to normal. Let that be a lesson to you.
The claimed battery life in day flash mode is 16 hours, which is far longer than I’m ever likely to need but it is comforting that I need never worry about it dying mid-ride, or at least not until it is much older and its battery is ailing.
T. Reavis –
It’s the single best bike accessory you can buy. Works like a charm on roads. Picks up cars everytime. I usually ride about two hours at a time and recharge every third ride. I feel safer riding on roads with this unit. STRONGLY RECOMMEND!! I suggest purchasing a Garmin compatible mount for mounting under your seat. The under seat mount allows you to keep a spare flashing light on the seat post. UPDATE … A couple of months after my purchase. Still fantastic! I will not ride on the road without it.
kenny beam –
For me this is a must for road cycling. It works well with my Garmin Edge 830 showing the approaching vehicles on the screen. I like the configuration options (i.e. audio beeps or silent for large group rides, flashing modes, etc.), and it has been very accurate for detecting approaching vehicles.
kenny beam –
Works very well with my Garmin Edge 130 plus. No compliance out of me so far. It is good where I live, and it picks up the cars that come in my blind spot/spots. Of the time of owning the Garmin Varia Rtl 515. It is easy to install or mounting to my rear rack and most of the time in the day time blinking better for the battery life. This is the start of April and the stability. The factor of not having the record is the con of it.
Marcio Luis Costa Teixeira da Cunha –
Un accesorio imprescindible para tu vida en el ciclismo. No dudes de adquirirlo.
No olvides que necesitas un ciclocomputador
T. Reavis –
After several uses, I kept asking myself… Why didn’t I get this radar much earlier? Cynics saying a mirror would do the job that the Varia does isn’t completely wrong Except Varia does much more than a mirror. Firstly the Audible beeps to warn me of approaching car more than 150meters back, without taking my eyes off the road. Trying spotting a car on a small bicycle mirror that far back while keeping 100% focus on road ahead. Secondly, mirror users are partly replying on sound. The unit picks up another cyclist riding overtaking at higher relative speed to avoid collision or wheel touch.
I discovered that the unit can be mounted both ways, lights at top or bottom. Doesn’t appear to impact radar signal.
It does send out conservative and overly cautious signal when u r on a bike path with passing cars on main part of road. Overall a great defence tool to minimize probability of being hit from the rear. Great investment.
Mike S. –
Let me start off by saying, I’ve been biking since my 20’s, now in my 50’s. I’m what I consider a long distance, casual, organize touring biker. In other words I’m not a racer. I’m not sure how this device has escaped me for as long as it has. I used this radar for the first time on a 20 mile loop only due to the time of day. I must say I was very excited with the way the radar performed. For the first 5 to10 mins I still looked over my shoulder. Once I had a handle on where the car or cars were in relationship to what I saw on my phone. I felt pretty confident with using the radar. Sometimes when you have to rely on your hearing or looking over your shoulder some quieter vehicles manage to sneak up on you especially if the wind is blowing in the opposite direction that you are riding. You then have to make a split second decision on whether to avoid bad road pavement and possibly creating a close call situation or play it safe with the car and pray you and your bike survives hitting a pot hole, gravel, etc. I feel with the radar it allows you to focus more on the road ahead of you, instead of constantly looking over your shoulder. Which actually allows you to make a more informed decision on navigating the pavement, because you see ahead of time where the cars are in relationship to you. I’m very satisfied with that feature. I use the radar with the Varia app on my retired LG G7 phone. They both work well together. I’m very happy with the app. It’s a very basic, lean, and clean app. It’s not loaded with a bunch of unnecessary options. It does just what it is suppose to. I may be a little picky, but I just wish that I had the ability to turn off the light and continue to keep it linked to the app. I probably would not use it that way, but it would be nice as option if you need to stretch the battery life a little longer. Definitely not a game changer. Also the bracket is okay, not a big fan of the silicone like stretchy bands for attaching expensive devices on the back of my bike that could possibly brake loose and I may not know in time if the device fell off my bike. I also wish that garmin would make a bracket that allows the radar to be extended pass your saddle bag. I since have ordered a K- Edge Go Big Pro Saddle Rail Go Pro Camera Mount. I was also going to order a 3d garmin to Go Pro adapter to attach to the mount, but i decided to buy a For Garmin Varia Radar RTL510 tail light mount holder saddle bracket off Ebay. This bracket is much shorter, but I only bought it to remove the garmin attachment and attach that to K-Edge. The housing around the garmin attachment is made of medal, which I feel would be better than a plastic 3d adapter. Hopefully with the extra length that the K-Edge has it will be just long enough to clear my saddle bag. I will update when I acquire all of the above mentioned mounts. Oh by the way there are similar mounts on here on Amazon like the RTL510 that also include the garmin attachment, but it seems like they all ship from China. Which would be okay if your willing to wait 5 to 7 weeks.
Norfolk VA Runner –
Simple set up w/ my garmin 840. Virtually no false alarms and allows plenty of time for the group to single up when vehicles are trying to pass. Particularly helpful in detecting approaching EVs since they are really hard to hear. I am still am a vulnerable rider on a highway but feel 100% safer knowing what is approaching from behind plus it flashes faster to alert the driver to pay attention. Highly recommend, money well spent.
Ben –
I finally gave in and bought this item after reading so many great reviews — so glad I did. This is the real deal for any cyclist who wants to be safe.
In my attempt to be safer while riding, I’d added a bar mirror as craning my neck and relying on sound never felt safe, and while the mirror helped a little, it always seemed like it took a moment to register what I was looking at and how close an approaching car was.
The Varia really solved a lot of that. I was concerned that it would not work well with my small monochrome Garmin Edge 130 bike computer, but it actually works really well, showing each car as a moving dot along a small line on the screen. This is very helpful when you’re on a quiet road away from the city that has no bike line or shoulder. I always felt uneasy on those roads not knowing what was behind me and would ride close to the edge of the road. The Varia lets me ride on the smoothest part of the road until I get an alert beep that a car is behind me, and I can move over. This peace of mind is almost priceless.
It’s also nice that it was a built-in light as a flashing rear light is an absolute must, in my mind.
This is a well-built, well-designed item, easy to charge, easy to mount — although the rubber strap for the mount doesn’t seem super secure, although honestly it has not been a problem, and there are plenty of third party mounts you can buy.
Like so many others have said, the Varia is a absolute home run.
Victor Alves –
Top!!
Rather B. Golfing –
After several uses, I kept asking myself… Why didn’t I get this radar much earlier? Cynics saying a mirror would do the job that the Varia does isn’t completely wrong Except Varia does much more than a mirror. Firstly the Audible beeps to warn me of approaching car more than 150meters back, without taking my eyes off the road. Trying spotting a car on a small bicycle mirror that far back while keeping 100% focus on road ahead. Secondly, mirror users are partly replying on sound. The unit picks up another cyclist riding overtaking at higher relative speed to avoid collision or wheel touch.
I discovered that the unit can be mounted both ways, lights at top or bottom. Doesn’t appear to impact radar signal.
It does send out conservative and overly cautious signal when u r on a bike path with passing cars on main part of road. Overall a great defence tool to minimize probability of being hit from the rear. Great investment.
Gary in NV –
The taillight is very bright I pair the radar with the Cyclemeter app on my iPhone. It shows traffic and the distance from me. The sound alert is loud. The radar picks up traffic long before I notice it on my rear-view mirror. It’s a great safety enhancement for riding in my community.
Irving –
Un accesorio imprescindible para tu vida en el ciclismo. No dudes de adquirirlo.
No olvides que necesitas un ciclocomputador
Ben –
I was hesitant to get this light/radar simply due to the price. I wish it was about half as much as it is. That being said, I got it on sale for 50% off so I’m very happy with my purchase now. This light is fantastic if you use a garmin bike computer. It syncs up in seconds and the battery lasts me quite awhile. I’ve taken it on 3 rides that were all over an hour without charging and it was still going. I typically charge after every other ride because I don’t want it to die while I’m out so I’m not sure how long it will really last, but it’s longer than I’ll ever need. The radar works fantastically, it catches cars and other cyclists and gives you an alarm warning, flashing red screen, and a readout of how close they are to you on your computer. It comes with mounting stuff that should fit most bikes, although my seatpost is a bit of an odd shape so I’m hoping to find something that’s a little more secure. There is zero risk of it falling off, but it does slide down on the post because the rubber pad is just a tad too small for my seatpost.
Roy McCarthy –
A rear-facing radar should be required for anyone who rides on the roads. I was skeptical at first-seemed like a lot of money for a rear light. I wont ride without it now. Works as advertised. There are a few things to understand about owning it and limitations too.
1. If you ride on a busy road with lots of traffic this may not be ideal. All it would do is go off and would be a total distraction. Also I think the rider would become insensitive to the alarm and ignore it. Best on less busy areas. Alarm for me comes from my Garmin computer and is loud enough my wife who rides in front of me can hear the computer alarm for an approaching car. You may think that you can hear an approaching car (tires are noisy) which is true. I can usually hear the car coming before the alarm goes off but if its windy my hearing the car is significantly diminished and the radar can detect several cars approaching.
2. Radar beam is wide and goes back far enough to move to the right if you need to make room. If you are riding on a bike path adjacent to a road, the alarm will detect cars approaching that are hundreds of feet away.
3. If a vehicle approaches and slows down to your speed the radar will track it for about 30 seconds and if the car hasn’t passed and the distance remains the same the radar will ignore the car and give you an all clear. In my case it was a big agricultural combine and I knew it was back still behind me.
4. Purchase a different mount. The rubber band mount is less than ideal. I went with a 1/4 turn Garmin that solidly mounts on the seat post. Don’t know why Garmin didn’t include it with the radar. Rubber bands to attach a 200 dollar light seems really sketchy.
5. Battery life is good and adequate for a few long rides between charges. Also charges fast with the micro USB cable.
Overall, highly recommended. Other than a helmet; the most important safety device I can think of for road bikers.
Roy McCarthy –
I love this. First ride with it today. What I like the most is the speed of an approaching vehicle is accurately gaged. It helps you figure out how aggressive the person behind you is driving. It definitely makes riding much safer. A cheap price to pay for how much safer it makes your ride.
Danny Chang –
Un accesorio imprescindible para tu vida en el ciclismo. No dudes de adquirirlo.
No olvides que necesitas un ciclocomputador
Irving –
Top!!
Wagner –
Muito bom,agora tenho segurança pra pedalar na estrada,o radar indica ate motos.
Estou muito satisfeito.
MarlaAGrutkowski –
This device had absolutely increased the safety of my rides.
This is my first experience with a bike radar. I’ve been riding with a helmet mounted mirror for many years, but that’s only helpful when you take your eyes off the road to focus on the mirror.
I always ride with Ride With GPS, and my phone is mounted on my handlebar stem so I can see the screen when needed. I wear Bluetooth earbuds that get the Ride With GPS turn by turn directions.
The radar has its own app, which shows the number of and distance to cars behind you. It also interfaces with RIde WIth GPS, putting a thin bar along the left side of the screen that is either green, yellow red depending on the circumstances. It also plays one of three alerts: a chime that indicates a car behind you (yellow band on the display), a different chime that indicates car approaching quickly (red band) and an all clear (green band).
Bottom line is I never have to take my eyes off the road ahead to know there is a car behind me. If I hear the alert I know it’s there; if it passes me and I haven’t gotten the all clear, it means there is another one. If I want more information I can glance at the display to see how far back it is, or look in my mirror.
Now I am never caught by surprise when a car passes me. It also detects passing bikes on a bike path.
One thing to be aware of, radar doesn’t see around curves, so on a curvy road a car may disappear (all clear) and then reappear. Of course mirrors don’t see around curves either. And, you should probably shut it off if you stop for a break, or it will alarm for cars and people passing it the whole time you are off the bike.
I use it on more than one bike. The included mounting options worked well on one bike, for the other I found a Garmin mount on Amazon that worked well with a trunk bag I carry. There are plenty of these options.
Brad K –
Muito bom,agora tenho segurança pra pedalar na estrada,o radar indica ate motos.
Estou muito satisfeito.
Chris M –
Top!!
Kyle D. –
purchase for my wife to feel safer when riding on city roads. works nice and gives her the confidence needed to ride safely. I won’t ride the roads without a radar!
Brad K –
I wasn’t convinced I needed this until I had it, now I consider it mandatory equipment for road riding. I do have a very slick bar end Italian Road Bike Mirror that I greatly appreciate and still do even with the Varia however having both is the perfect combination. The mirror is great but sometimes due to lighting, distance or just focused on the road ahead I would not notice an approaching car but with the Varia I can remain focused and only have to look at the mirror when alerted. So far it has been super reliable and alerts me with enough time to look in the mirror and asses if there is any danger. It has paired and functions perfectly with my Edge 530 and the auto features work great. I did pick up an aftermarket mount because the stock rubber band one kept rotating on my round seat post, battery life could be better but will get you through several hours but depends on how much traffic there is. Although I highly recommend this version if you can afford the newer model it has longer detection distance and battery life.
Wagner –
Excelente lámpara trasera por su iluminación y el radar que utiliza para poder identificar los vehículos que vienen detrás de ti
Danny Chang –
Muito bom,agora tenho segurança pra pedalar na estrada,o radar indica ate motos.
Estou muito satisfeito.
M in PNW –
A rear-facing radar should be required for anyone who rides on the roads. I was skeptical at first-seemed like a lot of money for a rear light. I wont ride without it now. Works as advertised. There are a few things to understand about owning it and limitations too.
1. If you ride on a busy road with lots of traffic this may not be ideal. All it would do is go off and would be a total distraction. Also I think the rider would become insensitive to the alarm and ignore it. Best on less busy areas. Alarm for me comes from my Garmin computer and is loud enough my wife who rides in front of me can hear the computer alarm for an approaching car. You may think that you can hear an approaching car (tires are noisy) which is true. I can usually hear the car coming before the alarm goes off but if its windy my hearing the car is significantly diminished and the radar can detect several cars approaching.
2. Radar beam is wide and goes back far enough to move to the right if you need to make room. If you are riding on a bike path adjacent to a road, the alarm will detect cars approaching that are hundreds of feet away.
3. If a vehicle approaches and slows down to your speed the radar will track it for about 30 seconds and if the car hasn’t passed and the distance remains the same the radar will ignore the car and give you an all clear. In my case it was a big agricultural combine and I knew it was back still behind me.
4. Purchase a different mount. The rubber band mount is less than ideal. I went with a 1/4 turn Garmin that solidly mounts on the seat post. Don’t know why Garmin didn’t include it with the radar. Rubber bands to attach a 200 dollar light seems really sketchy.
5. Battery life is good and adequate for a few long rides between charges. Also charges fast with the micro USB cable.
Overall, highly recommended. Other than a helmet; the most important safety device I can think of for road bikers.
Yorgi –
Top!!
T. Reavis –
I wasn’t convinced I needed this until I had it, now I consider it mandatory equipment for road riding. I do have a very slick bar end Italian Road Bike Mirror that I greatly appreciate and still do even with the Varia however having both is the perfect combination. The mirror is great but sometimes due to lighting, distance or just focused on the road ahead I would not notice an approaching car but with the Varia I can remain focused and only have to look at the mirror when alerted. So far it has been super reliable and alerts me with enough time to look in the mirror and asses if there is any danger. It has paired and functions perfectly with my Edge 530 and the auto features work great. I did pick up an aftermarket mount because the stock rubber band one kept rotating on my round seat post, battery life could be better but will get you through several hours but depends on how much traffic there is. Although I highly recommend this version if you can afford the newer model it has longer detection distance and battery life.
Jaime Gordillo –
Excelente lámpara trasera por su iluminación y el radar que utiliza para poder identificar los vehículos que vienen detrás de ti
Chris M –
It is a very simple device but works well. I have it paired to a Garmin 1040 and they sync up on boot with no issues. The red LED is visible from a significant distance and has different modes (pulse, solid, etc). The radar is phenomenal and is a game changer for my road cycling. The unit beeps when a car is approaching and then beeps again as it overtakes you. This eliminates a lot of unnecessary turning around on your bike and gives you more comfort/confidence. In my experience it works 100% of the time, I have yet to see it fail even in inclement weather.
Battery life is fantastic and its a very simple but effective device. The price is fair considering the cost of a potential accident and how specialized it is. Very happy with it.
Yorgi –
The radar functionality makes riding a lot safer. You get a warning starting at about 150 meters and so far I have had zero falses and it’s never missed an approaching car. Form factor, battery life, mounting system, buttons are all very good. The LED light performance is also excellent – super bright. The only negative is the USB-micro charging interface which is ancient by today’s standards. Garmin really needs to release a version 2 of this light with a USB-C port.
When on sale the value is decent compared to the other Garmin models and offerings from Wahoo etc. If you are on a budget, I recommend the Coospo TR70 which is a clone of this light with identical performance and a USB-C port for half the cost.
The Stig –
After several uses, I kept asking myself… Why didn’t I get this radar much earlier? Cynics saying a mirror would do the job that the Varia does isn’t completely wrong Except Varia does much more than a mirror. Firstly the Audible beeps to warn me of approaching car more than 150meters back, without taking my eyes off the road. Trying spotting a car on a small bicycle mirror that far back while keeping 100% focus on road ahead. Secondly, mirror users are partly replying on sound. The unit picks up another cyclist riding overtaking at higher relative speed to avoid collision or wheel touch.
I discovered that the unit can be mounted both ways, lights at top or bottom. Doesn’t appear to impact radar signal.
It does send out conservative and overly cautious signal when u r on a bike path with passing cars on main part of road. Overall a great defence tool to minimize probability of being hit from the rear. Great investment.
Sara & Ken Gross –
Let me start off by saying, I’ve been biking since my 20’s, now in my 50’s. I’m what I consider a long distance, casual, organize touring biker. In other words I’m not a racer. I’m not sure how this device has escaped me for as long as it has. I used this radar for the first time on a 20 mile loop only due to the time of day. I must say I was very excited with the way the radar performed. For the first 5 to10 mins I still looked over my shoulder. Once I had a handle on where the car or cars were in relationship to what I saw on my phone. I felt pretty confident with using the radar. Sometimes when you have to rely on your hearing or looking over your shoulder some quieter vehicles manage to sneak up on you especially if the wind is blowing in the opposite direction that you are riding. You then have to make a split second decision on whether to avoid bad road pavement and possibly creating a close call situation or play it safe with the car and pray you and your bike survives hitting a pot hole, gravel, etc. I feel with the radar it allows you to focus more on the road ahead of you, instead of constantly looking over your shoulder. Which actually allows you to make a more informed decision on navigating the pavement, because you see ahead of time where the cars are in relationship to you. I’m very satisfied with that feature. I use the radar with the Varia app on my retired LG G7 phone. They both work well together. I’m very happy with the app. It’s a very basic, lean, and clean app. It’s not loaded with a bunch of unnecessary options. It does just what it is suppose to. I may be a little picky, but I just wish that I had the ability to turn off the light and continue to keep it linked to the app. I probably would not use it that way, but it would be nice as option if you need to stretch the battery life a little longer. Definitely not a game changer. Also the bracket is okay, not a big fan of the silicone like stretchy bands for attaching expensive devices on the back of my bike that could possibly brake loose and I may not know in time if the device fell off my bike. I also wish that garmin would make a bracket that allows the radar to be extended pass your saddle bag. I since have ordered a K- Edge Go Big Pro Saddle Rail Go Pro Camera Mount. I was also going to order a 3d garmin to Go Pro adapter to attach to the mount, but i decided to buy a For Garmin Varia Radar RTL510 tail light mount holder saddle bracket off Ebay. This bracket is much shorter, but I only bought it to remove the garmin attachment and attach that to K-Edge. The housing around the garmin attachment is made of medal, which I feel would be better than a plastic 3d adapter. Hopefully with the extra length that the K-Edge has it will be just long enough to clear my saddle bag. I will update when I acquire all of the above mentioned mounts. Oh by the way there are similar mounts on here on Amazon like the RTL510 that also include the garmin attachment, but it seems like they all ship from China. Which would be okay if your willing to wait 5 to 7 weeks.
M in PNW –
This is my second Varia Radar Tail Light. The first lasted about seven years of three-hour-a-day use before the battery grew weaker and weaker after each recharge.
My only complaint is the lack of an attachment point for a safety lanyard. On my first Varia, I epoxied a small wooden block on the back with a hole to run a lanyard. With the new Varia, I also purchased a Takewell protective cover that has a lanyard.
The mounting system Garmin uses with rubber bands is a little scary for an expensive device. I want a backup in case the rubber bands break, although I must say, I’ve not had the band fail in seven years.
Functionally, the Varia is great! Plenty of light coming from the strobe, and the radar picks up cars before I can hear them. I stopped using a helmet mirror because the Varia offers better audible and visual alerts on my ELEMNT Bolt GPS handlebar display.
M in PNW –
I finally gave in and bought this item after reading so many great reviews — so glad I did. This is the real deal for any cyclist who wants to be safe.
In my attempt to be safer while riding, I’d added a bar mirror as craning my neck and relying on sound never felt safe, and while the mirror helped a little, it always seemed like it took a moment to register what I was looking at and how close an approaching car was.
The Varia really solved a lot of that. I was concerned that it would not work well with my small monochrome Garmin Edge 130 bike computer, but it actually works really well, showing each car as a moving dot along a small line on the screen. This is very helpful when you’re on a quiet road away from the city that has no bike line or shoulder. I always felt uneasy on those roads not knowing what was behind me and would ride close to the edge of the road. The Varia lets me ride on the smoothest part of the road until I get an alert beep that a car is behind me, and I can move over. This peace of mind is almost priceless.
It’s also nice that it was a built-in light as a flashing rear light is an absolute must, in my mind.
This is a well-built, well-designed item, easy to charge, easy to mount — although the rubber strap for the mount doesn’t seem super secure, although honestly it has not been a problem, and there are plenty of third party mounts you can buy.
Like so many others have said, the Varia is a absolute home run.
George Adel Andraws –
I used the Varia RTL515 on several rides during the day and night and traveled over 300 miles with it. I never thought I needed it but now I don’t think I can ever ride without it. It is significantly underrated product that every biker should have.
PROS
– Multi-car detection
– Accurate detection of cars approaching, ignored passing vehicles
– Light warns riders behind you
– Integration with Garmin Edge bike computers
– Varia app integration
– Easy to use and configure
– Battery life – used for about 10 hours without issues
CONS
– Alerts can be excessive during high traffic areas
Other reviews cover a lot of details, so I’ll call out just a few highlights.
This is indispensable when riding in a group. The loud beeps warn the bikers ahead of oncoming cars. The changing backlight warns riders behind you.
Where Varia really shines is when there are multiple cars approaching. It tells you exactly how many cars there are so you don’t have to keep peeking behind. And multiple cars are usually obscured in a mirror so now you can know when the path is clear.
It was able to accurately detect cars in almost all situations. What was equally impressive is that it ignored passing vehicles. There was maybe only once where it inaccurately warned of a parked car.
Overall, I have zero regrets about purchasing this (potentially literally) life-saving backlight for $199. It’s an investment in safety and peace of mind for me and fellow riders.
Nicholas Miller –
The radar has been life saving. It paired easily and quickly, turns on and recharges fast, and it stays in place well. Being able to visibly see cars on all sides of me as I’m cycling with great indicators for them to see me has given me a ton of peace of mind at night. I will say for the price that you are paying the mounting straps are pretty shoddy and it’s the only reason this isn’t perfect.
Ben –
This thing is absolutely incredible. I can’t see myself riding without it. So far it has been very accurate. Battery is pretty good. It connects to the app really easily and the app is compatible with my old Samsung S21. I really like how it gives extra warning when a car is coming up really fast. 100% worth the cost! Though it’s amazing you still need to fully pay attention!!
Jaime Gordillo –
It is a very simple device but works well. I have it paired to a Garmin 1040 and they sync up on boot with no issues. The red LED is visible from a significant distance and has different modes (pulse, solid, etc). The radar is phenomenal and is a game changer for my road cycling. The unit beeps when a car is approaching and then beeps again as it overtakes you. This eliminates a lot of unnecessary turning around on your bike and gives you more comfort/confidence. In my experience it works 100% of the time, I have yet to see it fail even in inclement weather.
Battery life is fantastic and its a very simple but effective device. The price is fair considering the cost of a potential accident and how specialized it is. Very happy with it.
marcel handler –
I’ve been using the Garmin Varia radar for a few weeks now, and I can confidently say it’s one of the best investments I’ve made for cycling. This device provides an extra layer of awareness that makes riding on busy roads significantly safer.
The radar is incredibly accurate at detecting vehicles approaching from behind, giving me plenty of time to adjust my position if needed. The alerts on my Garmin head unit (or even a phone app) are clear and easy to read, with visual and audible warnings that ensure I never miss an approaching car. The battery life is impressive, lasting multiple long rides without needing a recharge.
Another standout feature is the built-in tail light, which adjusts brightness based on traffic conditions. It’s bright enough to ensure visibility, even in daylight, making me feel much safer on the road.
If you ride on roads frequently, this is a must-have. It provides peace of mind, enhances situational awareness, and ultimately makes cycling safer. Highly recommended!
HM –
There’s nothing better than having the Varia watching your 6. This little device coupled with bar end mirrors has reduced my road riding anxiety to almost zero. The Varia does a great job of alerting of cars coming well before they’re close enough to be an issue.
Admittedly if you’re on a busy road within city limits the chirping on your bike computer triggered by the Varia gets a bit overwhelming, however that’s a small inconvenience to deal with for the overall sense of security you get from its notifications.
There are a boatload of videos on YouTube to learn the technical ins-and-outs of the Varia or it’s sexier sister with a rearview camera, so I won’t get into the technical details beyond telling you that the connection between the Varia and my Garmin 540 was a breeze. The only confusing bit was the Varia’s lightning control, which I’ll confess was caused by me not reading about how and when to use the lighting override function. By the way, a function which I won’t use much, now that I’m just manually selecting a light pattern by pushing the power button on the Varia few times.
I did have to buy a separate, more rigid, bike mount for the Varia. The supplied mounts are fine if you don’twant to spend any more money, but I just couldn’t wrap my ahead around attaching such a pricy bit of kit with silicone rubber bands. This is just my choice, I don’t think it’s a requirement but if you can spare a few more bucks, a bolted on attachment seems like the wise investment.
For the sake of transparency I’ve only used this device on three rides, but I’ve trekked almost 100 miles with it watching my back. I’ve also been a serious cyclist on and off for the past 40 years, with no one or nothing watching my back. I’ve had a few close calls with traffic, in the past, but luckily have never got smashed into from behind. Although with traffic in our cities getting more and more conjested each passing year and aggressive, cycling hating drivers on our rural and county roads, I think it’s only a matter of time before I have a run in that could be bad. Fingers crossed this never happens!
I’m not getting any younger, but I definitely would like to get a lot older. I think this little device will help me stay safe out on the road for quite a few more years.
Bobotrono –
I’ve been using the Garmin Varia RTL515 for my rides for a while now, and honestly, it’s one of those pieces of cycling gear that I didn’t realize I needed until I started using it. The rear radar gives me a much better sense of what’s coming up behind me, especially on roads where I’m riding with traffic.
The alerts are really useful without being distracting. I can see vehicles approaching on my bike computer and get an audible alert when I need to pay attention. The tail light is also bright and gives me some extra visibility to drivers, which I really appreciate when I’m riding early in the morning, later in the evening, or on busier roads.
What I like most is that it doesn’t require me to constantly look over my shoulder to know what’s happening behind me. I still check my surroundings normally, but having the radar as another layer of awareness makes me feel much more comfortable on the bike.
Battery life has been good for my rides, and the whole thing is small enough that I barely notice it’s there. Setup and pairing have also been straightforward, and once it’s connected, I pretty much just turn it on and ride.
This has become one of the first things I check before heading out. I genuinely don’t like riding without it anymore. If you do a lot of road cycling, especially around traffic, this is one piece of gear I’d have a
Jaime Gordillo –
The radar functionality makes riding a lot safer. You get a warning starting at about 150 meters and so far I have had zero falses and it’s never missed an approaching car. Form factor, battery life, mounting system, buttons are all very good. The LED light performance is also excellent – super bright. The only negative is the USB-micro charging interface which is ancient by today’s standards. Garmin really needs to release a version 2 of this light with a USB-C port.
When on sale the value is decent compared to the other Garmin models and offerings from Wahoo etc. If you are on a budget, I recommend the Coospo TR70 which is a clone of this light with identical performance and a USB-C port for half the cost.
mike892 –
More expensive than most tail lights, but will buzz my garmin watch when a car is coming up on me from behind.
I think the safety is worth it.
Sara & Ken Gross –
This is my second Varia Radar Tail Light. The first lasted about seven years of three-hour-a-day use before the battery grew weaker and weaker after each recharge.
My only complaint is the lack of an attachment point for a safety lanyard. On my first Varia, I epoxied a small wooden block on the back with a hole to run a lanyard. With the new Varia, I also purchased a Takewell protective cover that has a lanyard.
The mounting system Garmin uses with rubber bands is a little scary for an expensive device. I want a backup in case the rubber bands break, although I must say, I’ve not had the band fail in seven years.
Functionally, the Varia is great! Plenty of light coming from the strobe, and the radar picks up cars before I can hear them. I stopped using a helmet mirror because the Varia offers better audible and visual alerts on my ELEMNT Bolt GPS handlebar display.
M in PNW –
After several uses, I kept asking myself… Why didn’t I get this radar much earlier? Cynics saying a mirror would do the job that the Varia does isn’t completely wrong Except Varia does much more than a mirror. Firstly the Audible beeps to warn me of approaching car more than 150meters back, without taking my eyes off the road. Trying spotting a car on a small bicycle mirror that far back while keeping 100% focus on road ahead. Secondly, mirror users are partly replying on sound. The unit picks up another cyclist riding overtaking at higher relative speed to avoid collision or wheel touch.
I discovered that the unit can be mounted both ways, lights at top or bottom. Doesn’t appear to impact radar signal.
It does send out conservative and overly cautious signal when u r on a bike path with passing cars on main part of road. Overall a great defence tool to minimize probability of being hit from the rear. Great investment.