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Varia RTL515 Radar With Tail Light
See and be seen with Garmin Varia™ RTL515 rearview radar with tail light. It pairs with your Edge™ bike computer, other Garmin device or compatible smartphone to alert you of vehicles approaching from behind up to 153 yards (140 meters) away.
When used with your compatible smartphone, the Varia™ app helps increase your awareness with vibration alerts and more. With daylight visibility up to 1 mile, motorists will be able to see you from a distance. The radar's compact vertical design allows for device mounting on most road-use bicycles. And peloton mode provides a low-intensity flash that is kind to other riders' eyes when riding in a group.
Features:
Rearview radar with tail light provides awareness of vehicles approaching from behind up to 153 yards (140 meters) away
Pairs seamlessly with your Edge™ bike computer and compatible smartphone as well as select Garmin wearables or the radar display unit
When used with your compatible smartphone, the Varia™ app provides graphics — plus tone and vibration alerts — that indicate approaching cars
When used with a compatible smartphone, Varia™ radar integrates with third-party apps such as Ride with GPS to overlay your maps with rearview radar alerts
Daylight visibility up to 1 mile alerts motorists to your presence as soon as possible
Compact vertical design mounts easily to most road-use bicycles
Peloton mode provides a low-intensity light flash that is perfect for cycling in groups
Battery life: up to 16 hours in day flash mode, up to 6 hours in solid mode
Included: RTL515, mounting hardware, USB cable, documentation
B-Stock - This product has one or more B-Stock units available. These units can be purchased at a discount (see option select). B-Stock units were returned from other customers and may have missing or damaged packaging materials. These units are otherwise as new. The full manufacturer warranty applies. Click Here for more information.
Reviews Ordered by Most Relevant First
5 stars
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1 stars
Great product!
by golfwheels
Daily Commuter
Chicago, IL
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
A lot of bike tech these days seems like overkill but that's not the case with this. It has made my commute safer and I wouldn't feel as comfortable riding without it. I use the Garmin 530 and the ap on my phone. I keep one earbud in while riding to get the sound alerts. I love the color sequence that it goes through: orange means a slower vehicle, red means a faster vehicle and green means all clear. After using since last May to commute, I can honestly say I have yet to see a false positive or negative. The only issue I had was my old pannier system blocked the sensor. so I had to swap that out. Otherwise, this thing works flawlessly and makes my daily commute safer. I hated the small mirror I used to use on my bar end which was way to distracting.
Reviewed 1/11/2023
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Safety that's worth the price tag!
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
The Garmin Varia is a great device for informing you of any traffic (car or otherwise) overtaking you from behind. This device alarms (if you want) and has a visual proximity indicator, giving you ample time to shelter as close as possible to the side of the road.
I found the device to be most helpful not on busy roads while commuting, but on longer rides at those moments when riding two-abreast, it's a great reminder to fall into single file, as it alarms or notifies you with plenty of time to make this adjustment.
Hard to ride without it at this point!
Reviewed 10/27/2022
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A game-changer, but a few limitations
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
SE CT
5 of 6 customers found this review helpful.
Have been using an RTL510 for 6-8 months, now won't ride without it. Useful in ways I hadn't imagined: (a) on fast descents when it's too dangerous to look back, it tells you if traffic is coming up behind you, (b) tells you if it's safe to move left to avoid bad pavement, (c) if you need to turn left, it helps you tell if a clot of traffic is approaching from behind, (d) while it doesn't display the lateral position of a vehicle passing you, you should expect a close pass if it shows that a pass is happening close to a blind corner or crest, or oncoming traffic. Also, I was unaware that its flash rate increases when traffic is approaching from behind until one day in my car I came up behind a RTL-equipped cyclist - quite a light show!
Limitations: (a) in high-traffic areas it will alert continuously (I avoid areas like that anyway), (b) if you are cycling along a secondary road paralleling an expressway, it may pick up traffic on the highway, (c) on curvy or rolling roads, terrain may block the radar beam long enough for a contact to be temporarily lost, reappearing as it gets closer. You should double-check with a head turn when it's important, because the RTL gives a low rate of false positives (not critical) and a lower rate of false negatives (critical!) in certain specific situations. The false positives seem to be triggered by motion-detecting lights or cameras (I routinely get false alerts when passing certain facilities). Occasionally it may temporarily show multiple dots when there is only a single vehicle, or "miss" a vehicle following closely behind another. False negatives happen when an upcoming vehicle slows to wait for a safe opportunity to pass me, so that it is going at my speed, no longer approaching me. If that situation persists long enough, that vehicle may vanish from my screen, making an abrupt left turn risky. Have gotten these false negs a number of times.
All in all, the RTL is a huge plus, greatly reducing the amount of shoulder-checking I have to do, so I wobble less and scan the road ahead more closely.
Reviewed 8/13/2020
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I simply wouldn't ride without it
by Eugene Kriegsmann
Cycling Enthusiast
Bonney Lake, WA
9 of 9 customers found this review helpful.
I have been using the earlier version of Varia Radar 2 for a bit over two years. I have been told by drivers, among them two FedEX drivers, that it is the most effective tail light they have ever seen. It was visible at a distance of more than a mile. It begins flashing as soon as a car comes within the radar range. I ride just about every day and I have never been surprised by a vehicle coming up behind me. My computer beeps and the display of the vehicle or vehicles approaching shows along the right side of my Edge 1030. I can judge the speed and distance of the approaching vehicle from the display. It really is a remarkable piece of equipment, and it sounds like they have made it even better. My unit will start giving me a low battery warning after about 4 hours on a ride. I have never run out of battery, but my rides don't usually last longer than 4 hours. The longer life battery is certainly not a waste. To give some idea of the sensitivity of the radar, I was once standing by the side of the road taking a break when a runner I had passed earlier approached. The computer beeped, and the display showed the runner approaching. That is pretty amazing. Yet, at the same time, when I have ridden with another rider, his presence is not noticed by the radar, only cars approaching us. The stimulus for the radar is something approaching, not something keeping pace with you. Recharge time is about an hour or less. It is, in my opinion, a necessity if you ride on the road. It will pair with most Edge computers and, also, with Wahoo computers.
Reviewed 5/19/2020
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Won't road ride without it!
by Peggo
Cycling Enthusiast
Front Range Colorado
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
This is a great device for making me aware of vehicles behind me. I used the Varia app on my smartphone and strapped the phone to the bar. I was constantly amazed by how far away the radar sensed vehicles behind me. Both the graphic and audible alert on the phone are great! However, I do not like the large phone on the bars so have purchased a Garmin Edge 830 to use instead and hope the alerts on the Edge will help as much as the phone app did ! I was more relaxed riding having this one more tool in the box (besides listening, looking behind me and using a mirror). The radar picked up vehicles often before I could see any detail in my mirror or hear it so it helped me stay alert and avoided those last minute surprises that can happen when a fast vehicle suddenly shoots around you.
Reviewed 7/20/2022
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Varia radar works well with 1030 edge
by rewinans
Cycling Enthusiast
Downers Grove Il and Bear Lake MI
this model works quite well with my 1030 edge computer, a previous version did not work. Does not have a real long battery life but the computer lets you when its low. However I have only used it in cold weather. It is very handy when riding around in the suburbs.
Reviewed 1/6/2023
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Wouldn't ride without it!
Another on-line review said there are two kinds of people: those who don't have a Varia and don't see the need for one and those who have one and wouldn't ride without it. I moved from the first group to the second.
Easy interface with Wahoo computer. I turned off the audible alerts: TMI and annoying. But glancing down from time to time I see what's coming well before I hear it. I've tried to catch it making errors but so far have not been able to. Even tells you how many cars are coming. The LED alerts are usually washed out in daylight so are not that helpful.
Reviewed 4/28/2022
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Amazing piece of safety gear
by Dave O
Cycling Enthusiast
Anacortes, WA
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
I have my Varia RTL515 mounted on the back of my seat bag so the radar unit is positioned high for maximum distance and no interference from the rear tire. Although I like using it on small group rides it seems to be most beneficial on solo rides, keeping me aware of all rear approaching vehicles in plenty of time. The unit works as advertised and is living up to my expectations although I would have liked longer battery life. Isn't that always the case.
Reviewed 4/11/2022
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Most Valuable Investment
by aerodienamic
Competitive Racer
Portland, OR
It might be an illusion of safety, or just something to make you more aware of what is happening behind you. I for one have been hit by a car, and this little device has made me feel more confident with being out on the road alone. I would recommend this to anyone who ride a lot outdoors. I would say that riding in an area with higher density of population (ie City with a lot of cars) its starts to lose it value, I found that its better out on an open road in a suburban or rural area.
Reviewed 2/14/2022
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Fantastic Device
1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.
Works like a charm!
Communicates with my Garmin well.
Does communicate twice - once for the radar and once for the light.
Virtually no documentation with unit.
Had to reference online documentation to figure out how to make light come on when you start a ride.
Decent battery life.
Picks up cars (and other cyclists) at a distance.
A must have if you ride on roads with cars
Reviewed 10/17/2022
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Great peace of mind while road riding
by FCoons
Cycling Enthusiast
Columbus, OH
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
I used to rely on handlebar mirrors and/or quick glances over my shoulder to check for cars behind me, but the Garmin Varia has been a savior and at least replaced the mirrors. The read out display on my Garmin head unit gives and audible warning and also provides ample alert to cars approaching from the rear. If there is any concern it is that while in group rides with teammates behind me the radar can sometimes confuse cars and bikes and filter out the warning, but perhaps I don't have the unit set correctly to accommodate for both bikes and cars behind me. I will not ride again without the Varia on my bike and should have purchased it when it first came out.
Reviewed 7/5/2021
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Great product
This product was exactly what i was looking for and needed. I feel more comfortable riding on the road now knowing when cars are approaching from the rear. Everyone i bike with also enjoys it because they also know when a car is coming. The light is bright and battery lasts for several rides. Great product would highly recommend to anyone.
Reviewed 7/15/2022
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Lifesaver
by HO
Cycling Enthusiast
Detroit
2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.
This is, without a doubt, one ofnthe best purchases I have made. I ride in a city where most streets don't have bike lanes, so it used to be a constant craning of the neck to check on traffic. The radar on this light is amazing. It is highly accurate and gives a city block distance of warning of approaching cars. I never look back now. I ride how I want, and pull to the shoulder when the radar beeps. An incredible experience. Only issue is with integration with my Edge 820 (it won't connect unless another sensor first connects, Garmin is no Apple) but once it does, it is perfect.
Reviewed 12/10/2020
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Best. Product. Ever.
by Anonymous
Cycling Enthusiast
Portland, OR
A friend recommended this to me and I bought one. I love it. For a techie product, I love that it just works. Easy peasy. It is a substantial safety improvement to see cars approaching from behind. It is really the only game changer in many years. I bought an Edge 130 computer to go with it, replacing an older computer, and it is great, too. The best thing is that 1) I can work it, and 2) it requires no sensors. No wires, no batteries to keep replacing. I liked it so well I bought my daughter the same kit.
Reviewed 10/23/2020
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A third eye
by Mike
Happy Valley Oregon
My commute takes me on busy roads with a bunch of left hand turns so it's nice to know how I'm going to take that turn based on the cars from behind. This device makes it easier to determine if I take the lane or do a u turn on a perpendicular road. Very few ghost cars if any. Great safety device.
Reviewed 4/18/2022
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A third eye
by Mike
Happy Valley Oregon
My commute takes me on busy roads with a bunch of left hand turns so it's nice to know how I'm going to take that turn based on the cars from behind. This device makes it easier to determine if I take the lane or do a u turn on a perpendicular road. Very few ghost cars if any. Great safety device.
Reviewed 4/14/2022
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Awsome
by Danimal
Cycling Enthusiast
Midwest
went on sale, got one. Don't know why I waited , WORKS GREAT
Reviewed 7/19/2022
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Accurate and reliable. I don't think I could road ride without after using.
Excellent purchase. Highly recommend. May not be of great use if you constantly have traffic behind you.
Reviewed 8/8/2021
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I don't ride without it
by OhioCyclist
Cycling Enthusiast
Cleveland, Ohio
Very reliable device for road cycling. Paired with my Garmin Edge, get visual and audio cues about approaching vehicles. Effective in identifying multiple vehicles. Usually warns me before I can hear vehicles. Combined with the integrated flashing beam, offers better margin of safety than my previous combination of mirror and rear light. Usually get about 4 hours of riding between charges.
Reviewed 8/6/2021
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Excellent product which detects car traffic behind.
Great way to observe cars behind. I use it to supplement my rear view mirror. It provides ample warning.
Reviewed 6/19/2022
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