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

Did you live without it before? Could you drive without one now? Yes of course, but it's REALLY nice not having to crane your neck around to confirm no one's there. Same thing with this radar. Drivers are increasingly distracted so on the road, I like having a tail light. I also like bombing descents as fast as possible, and taking the lane makes that easier. Having a quick glance at my head unit confirm there's no cars behind makes bombing descents that much more enjoyable.

I waited until after all my riding partners had a Varia to get on one for myself. I wish I'd gotten it sooner! All those years I spent trying in vain to use a mirror connected to my glasses! The Varia integrates seamlessly with my Hammerhead Karoo 2 computer which detects it the same way it would a HRM or cadence sensor. When a vehicle approaches from behind, a vertical band appears on the left of the Karoo that tells me how many vehicles and if a car is coming REALLY fast, it flashes a red alert. It also picks up other cyclists if they are "closing" on me to help me be aware and avoid crashes. The mount it comes with is adequate, but if you're gonna use it on more than one bike, I would recommend separate mounts for each bicycle as it isn't easy to put on or remove the mount. Oh, and I've used a taillight for a long time so having the functionality in this unit is also a big plus and the fact that it shines more brightly when cars are approaching is pretty neat!

Although it is easy to quickly look behind you and/or use a helmet mirror, there are instances when you have to focus on the road ahead, the route, your training plan etc.. Wind and road noise can obscure the sound of oncoming cars, I found that having an alert on the head unit was a huge safety advantage when your focus is divided. Also the light on the unit pulses quicker the closer the vehicle is to you, giving the driver a visual clue as well. I have installed a Garmin quarter-turn mount on all my bikes so I can use the Varia Radar every time I ride. In my opinion it is an indispensable bit of tech.

Been riding for 30 years - don't know how I survived without the Varia radar. My new confidence in situational awareness on the bike cannot be overstated. The unit performs superbly as it detects overtaking motion (car, cyclist, runner?!?) LONG before you can even see it over your shoulder. And it has not returned a false positive yet nor missed any overtaking vehicle (the device detects overtaking motion, not "presence").

The only negative is the mounting: it sucks for aero seatposts, and I can't imagine it's any better for round seatposts. The device is secure and snug to the seatpost (aero or round) but will NOT stay in place; it is constantly rotating to the left or right. Fortunately there are a plethora of aftermarket 3D printed mounting solutions.

This product was an instant success, I smile as I see cars coming up from behind, and can prepare with enough notice. Addicted to the safety aspects after one mile, truly a game changing product. As important as riding with a helmet for added safety on the road. Expensive, but would pay twice the price for what it does and how it improves the quality of every ride. Easy to link to my Garmin display with plenty of battery power for a 100 mile + day ride.

I've always used a rear view mirror attached to my glasses and thought there was no need for a Varia Radar sensor. Boy was I wrong'! Immediately on my first ride with it I was amazed as to how terrific it was. Now I rely on it every time I ride. Especially if I ride solo.

I recommend using the Varia in conjunction with a dropbar end mirror, or helmet mirror, for knowing what's behind you. The Varia syncs cleanly with my Wahoo Bolt head unit, and is mostly accurate.

The Varia's cons are: 1) If a car/truck is keeping pace with you, it won't show up. It needs to be gaining on you. So, sometimes the car shows up on the screen only as it's passing you. 2) Ghosts. The vehicle icon stays on the screen sometimes even after there's no longer a vehicle behind you. Seems to happen most after making a turn. 3) "RADAR ERROR". I get this message occasionally, maybe once per ride. The quick fix is to Dismiss the message. Then it starts working right again, usually.

This RLT515 is a replacement for the RLT510 that I had been using for almost 4 years but sadly lost. It looks virtually identical but also now includes bluetooth and "peloton" mode. Unfortunately I've been having problems with my new unit throwing "0:FC" errors somewhat randomly during my rides. Some rides it performs great while other times it gets so bad that I have to disconnect it from my Edge 1040 solar. For instance I went for a 3 hour ride recently and it was fine for the first hour and a half then is started throwing the error several times a minute which is both frustrating and dangerous. The error came up probably 30 times in about as many minutes so I just disconnected it from my headunit and used it as a dumb light.

I never had these problems with my old unit and would go back to it in a heartbeat if I could find it. Searching the Garmin forums made it seem that it's a software issue and Garmin is aware of it. I love Garmin hardware but their software is utter garbage, hopefully they take care of this soon.

Today was my second ride using the Garmin Varia. I really like it because it warms you about cars that are behind you from a very long distance. All that information is shown on your Garmin head unit. The view on the screen contracts and there is a dot that shows the car as it approaches you. I feel much safer knowing what is going on behind me and this device works very well. I did get a sensor error message once for a short time. But it resumed working as it should shorty after. I'm glad I bought it.

No need to turn your head around for cars anymore. Visual on Garmin & audiable. But, it must be fully charged for each ride. Mine is paired w/ Edge 820.

This is a great safety add to my bike. It has never failed me. I ride in hilly, rural farm areas and I am sometimes surprised by cars showing up behind me. This radar made that a thing of the past. The integration with the Garmin 1030 plus is nice. It stays in a low power mode but when an alert appears it goes to high flash. It is a tad overweight and needs USB-C like all other Garmin products otherwise it is an excellent light and warning system. I would definitely recommend it if you are thinking about getting one. BTD had a great sale so I could not resist.

If you're looking for more safety and want to know what's coming behind you this is the product you should have attached to your bike. It definitely sees everything that's coming towards you and gives a warning you do need a garmin computer for it to work properly.

You'll need a bike computer or Garmin watch, but assuming you have one (or both), this is a very worthwhile piece of safety equipment. It's quite reliable and easily understood. It pairs with your computer like any other sensor. I used to rely on listening for cars and looking over my shoulder before moving out into a lane. I still do both, but there are many times when I hear nothing and the Vario beeps to let me know someone is there.

I've had one of these for over a year and put it through some cold temps. Battery life has been great so far, as advertised even down into the upper 30's. The system itself can track multiple cars and has a nice beep warning when they are coming up on you. In an urban area, this can be pretty often, but it keeps you from veering into a car you wouldn't have seen otherwise.

It only comes with a mount to attach to a seat post, so cannot mount to a bag without some modifications. I poked a couple holes into my bag to get the screws in an it works great. Only other downside is no strap like the GPS's have to catch the unit if it falls off, so far it has not fallen off.

I had seen others use it and grew accustomed to hearing the audible alert in a group ride. I found myself missing it when I rode solo so I purchased one. It's a little big, not aero and the mounting system is goofy. Despite that, I give it five stars for the safety it provides. I don't ride without it.

I resisted purchasing this rear radar light because I thought it wasn't 'really' needed. On my first ride with it I realized it provides early warning of approaching vehicles that I was not aware of even though I used a glasses mirror and checked it frequently. I should have purchased this years ago.

This is my second Varia. My first one's battery wore out after so much usage over the past 6 years. I used this in Vietnam to warn me of the cars and motorcycles that swirled around me. It was a big help. I now use it here in the USA. Too many of my friends have been injured in accidents caused by cars, so I am so happy to have this as a part of my daily cycling.

Light is compatible with my edge and alerts one of vehicles. The light is bright and has several options. Charging the unit is simple.

I am not a tall rider so there is no seat-post real estate below my saddle bag so I had to order a new saddle bag with a Garmin mount. It works pretty well but the angle is down more than I'd like.

The light is very bright, I put it on flash mode to save battery. I disabled the audio from the radar as it is quite annoying in heavily trafficked roads.

Four years ago I got the RTL510 version of this (no bluetooth) and paired it with a Wahoo Bolt. That combo has been the single best bit of kit that I have added in ten years. If you ride in urban areas I would probably skip it as the radar will go off constantly, but in suburban and rural areas it is absolutely worth every penny. My first unit worked perfectly, the only reason I upgraded tp the RTL 515 is that after about fifteen thousand miles the battery life degraded from just over four hours to just over three (with the light on solid... if you use the flasher it has much longer life). Just finishing a month in France riding almost every day and the newer RTL 515 has been every bit as solid, with battery life exceeding 4.5 hours on solid. The few times I have gone out without it I feel naked. This from a guy that never used a tail light because it seemed like just one more think to complicate my life.