GarminVaria RTL515 Radar With Tail Light(Return to Product Page)

We have a bike path beside the main road and it really helps to know when cars are coming. The mount is not very good, I lost the rubber piece for it.

I ride on the road and this radar makes me feel safe. Its an absolute must have for someone who wants to avoid rash drivers coming up from behind. Compatible with my phone and garmin computer

Very dependable alerts and long battery life between charges. Easy setup

the radar tail light is awesome. I makes you feel more comfortable what is behind you when you are riding. It is easy to use and works.

I love knowing when cars are approaching fro so far back. I have an Italian racing mirror but with the wind and road noise you don't always know something is back. The combination of mirror and radar is fabulous and I don't feel comfortable without them. I don't particularly like the rubber band mount. A fixed mount would be better but with so many seat posts designs I can see how it would be difficult.

I love it. I used to right with just a tail light and thought it was a little overkill for radar. But after a few months with it, I can easily say I'd never ride without it. Can't count how many times it's alerted me to oncoming cars that I didn't hear, or 2 cars approaching together that I would have missed thee second car. Really invaluable tool for safety. Gives me a little more peace of mind out on thee roads. Definitely recommend.

Can't say enough about how much more peace of mind the radar gives me while riding. It almost always spots cars before I hear them, beeps loudly enough to be noticed, and gives a clear sense for whether they're coming in particularly hot. I now own two of these and bought a third as a birthday present for my sister in law. Would recommend without hesitation.

The setup on it was simple and easy to pair wirh my wahoo edge. I feel a lot more comfortable on the road knowing more about where cars are relative to me. I'm also impressed with it's ability to detect speeds and change color on my screen.

The word "awesome" is overused. Not in this case. You feel like you have eyes in the back of your head. The alerts, yellow to red, definitely help with situational awareness. It isn't a solution to distracted drivers, but now I know when a vehicle is approaching too fast, too close or is just big.

This is my third unit. Worthwhile upgrade from RTL510. Dual notification of approaching cars: visual on the head unit and sensory, by iPhone vibration in your pocket.

Battery is long lasting.

Would never consider road riding without this.

I tend to listen to podcasts when I ride, and the auditory signals that the Varia send out provide an alert to switch my attention to traffic approaching from the rear. My experience is that it gives virtually no false positives. The light flashes when a car is approaching, and if someone is riding with me they also get this visual warning to be vigilant.

Initial testing

Tested my new Varia today in today's morning ride - In a straight line it's great - Could not detect the cars sneaking out of alleys - it did- when it's too near. My conclusion -it's good to have both the radar and a mirror

Summary after 2 months

The Varia is a literal lifesaver when riding alone on quiet roads.I'd say the Varia is best suited for quiet country roads and very small groups where you get limited traffic and need a warning that a car is approaching, especially helpful when your mind is wandering from taking in the sights.

There are supposed to be some tricks to reduce false hits when riding in a larger group

When riding in a group, look behind for teammates to stay at a group pace or keep the group together.

When turning right, after an initial check for traffic, I can continue looking while turning, but the Varia radar is still pointing to the angle of the old road.

Wishlist:

Size of car or truck behind. Helps me decide how much I need to swerve out of the way.

I use it as my first look when I change lanes in traffic. It works so consistently well I can solely rely on it almost 100% of the time .

While this unit is not cheap, it lets your Garmin computer sync and provide information about cars approaching from the rear. Far enough range and give a bit more peace of mind when on the road. Picks up cars long before I hear them approaching.

It's a great tool to know whether you have traffic sneaking up behind you to remind you to pull to the right. Super useful on roads with light traffic since you will be constantly alerted if you are riding along a busy street. The only improvement I would like to see is a more secure way to mount to the seat post. The rubber band is pretty slim.

For a long time, I didn't think a Varia was necessary. I used a "dumb" rear light for several years. But, given some of the roads that we ride, I decided to try it out.

I'm impressed. The combination of the Varia with my Garmin head unit provides a much better than expected warning of approaching cars. There's an additional measure of awareness that I'm sure that I didn't know I was missing.

I' can't ride without it now.

This Varia is a solid item. It syncs easy, works well with my Garmin 1030 Plus, and detects cars. It is a most valuable accessory.

Keeps you aware of traffic approaching from behind. Even the electric vehicles. I feel a little safer riding the streets in Vegas.

I love it .... Should have bought it sooner but, I am having problems with it disconnecting from the Garmin 830 head unit randomly.

I ride on a roadway that has a shoulder shared by walkers and runners...Varia lets me know if it's safe to ease out into the traffic lanes when going around them...love it!!