Pros Intuitive to use, fast set up and it reliably works. Perfect for light to medium traffic backroads. Alerts both the rider of a car behind well in advance via alert on cyclocomputer and alerts the overtaking driver with different light flashes. After 2 months of using it, I would say at least 80% of drivers slow down more and give me more room due to this device and it snaps me out of any potential day dreaming to alert me of an overtaking vehicle.
Cons if you ride in high density traffic, it will be much less effective as it will go off constantly.
ust finished my first ride with the Garmin Radar synced to my Wahoo Element. Blown away with its capabilities. It really is eyes in the back of your head.
A few blocks from my house, the first car to come up on me from the rear triggered the orange LEDs across the top of the Wahoo screen. But they did not go off after the car passed. I thought maybe the device needed to be calibrated because I did not hear any cars approaching me. Then I looked in my rear view mirror and saw a few more cars approaching a half black behind me. Once they all passed the LEDs turned off.
Riding north on Sheridan road on what seemed to be an empty road the orange LEDs lit up. I heard no cars. Looking in my rear view mirror I saw a car about 1 and half blocks behind me. I decided to look in my rear view mirror and note when I could hear the vehicle approaching. I found I can only hear a car from about 100 ft behind me vs the Garmin Radar alerting me of a car approaching at about 800 ft.
Ive always thought that not wearing headphones let my ears be another set of eyes. But today the wind was out of the north at about 15 mph and I had a beanie on under my ski helmet. Bottom line you dont hear cars approaching from the rear until theyre about 100 ft away.
Having always worn a rear view mirror on my helmet I falsely believed that I would see rear approaching traffic. Today's Radar reality checked showed me I don't look in my rear view mirror nearly often as much as I should, which should be every 5 to 10 seconds. The radar proved to me I only look in my mirror infrequently or not at all unless I hear an approaching car.
With 15 minutes left in my 90 minute ride I noticed some car icons moving up the left hand side of my screen. Having not read the directions for the radar I was pleasantly surprised that not only does the radar alert you to the rear approaching vehicles, it shows you how far back they are. It even shows you how many cars are behind you and there relative distance to you. They move up the screen as the car gets closer to you
Additionally, it has a strobe light that flashes brighter when the car gets closer.
Mounting takes about 30 seconds with a rubber band seat post adapter.
Bottom line, I was really impressed with the Garmin Radar and would recommend it every cyclist, especially if you wear headphones.
I am an active road rider in the midwest and ride generally on country roads. Varia gives you advance warning for cars approaching from behind. It has been 100% accurate an often notifies you of an approaching car before you can hear the car.
Wish I could ride with this all year. In the cooler winter weather near Chicago, this unit causes my Garmin 520 Pluss battery to die early so I have learned not to use it in the winter.
I trickled my old Varia tail light to my wife and got this one for Christmas. The light is brighter. It's also longer than the older rectangular Varia so I had to move my mount up a bit to avoid hitting the seat stays. I got hit by a car and almost killed 6 years ago and even though this won't fully prevent that, it definitely affects driver behavior.
It is great getting early notification that cars and trucks are coming up behind you. The light is nice and bright. The only drawback is that the placement of the unit is limited. I would have liked to place the unit on my helmet to make sure that the light is seen.
I used to worry about not seeing or hearing a car approaching from the rear. Not anymore, the visual & audible cutes work excellent for detecting approaching traffic. Love it & im glad i purchased it.
There are two problems. The ding tone in the speedometer unit is not anywhere near loud enough and if your use the unit in the winter, the Garmin speedometer battery will go dead long before the ride is over!
Gives me piece of mind when heading out solo on the bike. This piece of tech is literally like having eyes in the back of your head. Getting an audible and visual alert with every passing car is something you cant put a price tag on when you love to ride your bike.
Works great. As long as you have a head unit it's like having a set of eyes in the back of your head.
Picked this up on sale to couple with my Garmin 830. Didnt realize how valuable it was until I began using it. Excellent for country roads and I even use it in the city. Gives me a third eye so-to-speak. Couldnt recommend this product highly enough.
Great for tracking traffic from behind, especially useful on narrow roads with heavy traffic. I highly recommend this item.
Love this unit. I have two of them. One. for my travel breakaway bike and one for my local rides. Great investment.
This is a great radar that can track multiple vehicles approaching from behind. It also serves as a super back light with varying flash modes. I use my Garmin Vivioactive HR watch as my head unit, but you can use just about any Garmin device to keep you informed. I cannot believe I road so long without this device.
This device gives me peace of mind to alert me when a vehicle is approaching, whether it's a motorcycle or a cartruck. I was wondering if there is a way to program an audible sound to help alert as well, because you have to glance at the computer often to visually see if a vehicle is approaching.
Can't ride without it! Paired with edge 530, the smart functions are great. Switches modes based on sunlight and turns off with the computer. Radar has not left me down yet. False positives happen sometimes, but better than it not working sometimes. Pricey, but I feel waaaay safer
I was always skeptical on if this was worth the price of admission until I tried it. Its like having an extra set of eyes on the road, and knowing when something is approaching quickly from the rear is an indispensable tool on the ride.
It is very useful and essential bike gear for road rider.
Its catch the objects faster than you very well.
The light by it self is pretty bright and visualble from far distance.
Bettery life is pretty decent. Once it fully chargerd, I rided about 200 miles in daytime and it still working. (blinking mode)
It is well made product and once you have it, you won't like to ride with out it.
The unit works pretty good. Id buy another if needed, but it could be better. My Garmin 820 looses the signal sometimes and it thinks other bicyclist are cars, but it almost always detects cars. I find it helpful alerting of passing cars. The tail light is bright, and it changes intensity when cars are approaching
It's bright and when paired with a Garmin computer Perfection. I have upgraded to the RTL510 from the Garmin Varia Rearview Radar Tail Light. It's much brighter during the day and the battery lasts longer. 15 hours in blinking mode. If you have ever missed seeing a car or motorcycle this is a perfect extra set of eyes. It always detects vehicles.
MUST HAVE FOR ROAD CYCLING.
