The 2nd generation Varia has a longer battery life, and is more visible to drivers both daytime and nighttime. The Varia 2 is an excellent improvement over an already great product. I bike commute to work all year around weather permitting, and with short day light hours Nov-Feb, having the rear radar to alert me to traffic as well as provide a highly visible tail light makes this an accessory I never leave home without.
A marked advance for safety. Highly recommended.
Got this with the goal of keeping better track of cars during rides, particularly when riding double. Read generally good reviews about its function. Was easy to install, seems adequately secure, using it with a Garmin Edge 820. Works as advertised - registers vehicles (and sometimes cyclists) approaching from the rear with a beep and a dot on a bar on the right side of the GPS. Shows progress of cars toward me to give an idea of how quickly to adjust riding location, if necessary. Light works adequately - not as bright as the previous light I used, but seems adequate. Used up battery quicker on the 820 - got down to 20% on a 4.5 hour ride. If radar is turned on before the GPS, the radar did not register as present. I'll keep using it, except for longer rides (because of the battery use) - helpful to know when to get to single-file during a group ride.
I use it on my Road and Gravel bike. It really helps given I am hard of hearing to give me early warnings of approaching cars. The Fenix 5 is also paired and it vibrates which is a great alert when I am not looking at my Edge. Also it last a really long time for 100 mile rides.
The light is much brighter than the older rectangle model making this a much better product in general. No need to run a second light now.
The radar works flawlessly and seems a bit more sensitive than the old one as well. I did like the way the old one gave you a charge level indicator at start up but that is the only flaw in the new one.
Battery life is much longer. Works great.
The new version improves upon what the first was lacking, brighter light and better battery. Having both I noticed it does one thing worse, it generates a lot more false positives when people or bikes are behind me. The original version almost never did that. Still a gepteat product, hope they can fix this with a software update.
Riding rural Iowa roads on my tri bike, the radar works flawlessly-I run through my Garmin 935
I usually ride alone so this is like have another set of eyes watching my back. Ive paired it with my edge 1030 and can easily see cars coming up on me.
Great piece of mind when riding on the road. Love the integration with the Garmin Edge. Definitely recommended if you commute by bicycle.
I've quickly gotten to really appreciate the radar, especially when riding alone. I've never liked riding with a mirror and sometimes less noisy vehicles would be passing me by the time I realized they were there. I don't get those surprises anymore. It reliably alerts me to vehicles approaching from behind and gives an idea of how fast they're going. Even works pretty well when riding in a group. One thing I learned quickly is that since it relies on speed differential to identify approaching vehicles, a vehicle that stays behind you and matches your speed for a short time will disappear off the radar until they start going faster than you again. So you do have to pay attention to cars that disappear off the radar without passing you- they may have turned off, or they may just be sitting there in stealth mode. The light is unremarkable but adequate and fairly bright (three modes). As with most Garmin products it seems a little pricey but not terrible if you find it on sale- and it's the only product of this type as far as I know.
Our weekend rides feel that much safer with the Garmin Radar. Picks up traffic and keeps me looking forward rather than back.
Yes, the information this sends to my Garmin 820 and Varia Vision about approaching cars is accurate, reliable, and extremely helpful for safety. The only time it got it wrong was when it thought a tractor trailer was 2 cars. Big deal. Woulnd't ride alone without this.
I had the prior version of the Varia Radar. This new unit the RTL510 is much better. Longer battery life, the light is extremely bright and the radar notification is much more reliable. Just a great unit.
Riding with the RTL510 gives me better situational awareness. I feel safer while riding with it.
While installing the mount, I discovered that the device did not fit the aero seat post of may Cannondale Synapse. The end result is that it has a tendency to rotate with the Varia attached to it. Since the moi t is fastened with a rubber band, Im also concerned about losing the device during a ride. The inclusion of a tether would remedy that concern. Otherwise, it performs very well. Im get a visual notification of traffic approaching from the rear and separate blips on my Edge 1000. Its a great add on for my cycling computer!
Read the DCRainmaker review and have had the same experience as Ray. Radar is easy to set up and gives me alerts on my 520 when a car comes up behind me reliably. Even my riding group likes it because they know what its telling me either because the light starts blinking or they hear the alert. In town, when cars are all around you, the radar's information is accurate but not much more useful than a bright blinking light (and this is a good, but expensive, bright light). Country roads and hills, when cars can can pop up on you, is where I've come to really like the Varia's information.
I often ride alone, usually on country roads where cars can come up suddenly. I purchased the light to pair with my Garmin 810 and have been very impressed. After riding with the rear view radar about 5 times I have become very confident in its ability to alert me to approaching traffic and even to track multiple cars. The audible alert and track display on the side of the Garmin screen is unobtrusive and easy to interpret. It seems to take a long time to recharge but otherwise awesome safety device.
Wonderful product!!! Takes the fear out of moving from the shoulder into the road when there are hazards. Always know whats behind you.
I was looking into buying the older verson of this taillight for some time now. When I saw the newer version I had to have it. I am very happy that I purchase this item. Tail light works great just as advertised would not hesitate to recommend to anyone. If you are thinking about buying pull the trigger and do it great product.
