Garmin Varia RTL515, Cycling Rearview Radar with Tail Light, Visual and Audible Alerts for Vehicles Up to 153 Yards Away - 010-02376-00

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Muito bom,agora tenho segurança pra pedalar na estrada,o radar indica ate motos. Estou muito satisfeito.

Excelente lámpara trasera por su iluminación y el radar que utiliza para poder identificar los vehículos que vienen detrás de ti

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.

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