Another reason why this radar is a good piece of technology to have is that with the rise in electric cars you won’t be able to hear them as they approach you.This alerts you of that.
After viewing your (and others) review of the Varia radar I went and bought one last week. Whilst riding over the weekend in Nth east Victoria, I was blown away with it and wonder how I ever rode without one! Pairs with my 1030 everytime and very easy to use and understand. Totally changed my feel/anxiousness whilst riding on open country roads (speed limit of 80/100). Is awesome when descending long mountains when wind/noise makes it hard to hear cars coming up from behind. Thanks Shane. The best bit of kit I've ever bought for a bike I reckon.
Great review. Side benefit is speed demon motorists with radar detectors (legal in WA down under, and almost all US states) will probably get a "hit" that a radar device is nearby and slow down for us thinking they're avoiding a ticket!
Brilliant! This is why I'll always tell people to get one of they ride on similar roads. They are a game changer. Thanks for the comment Tracy on your experience. I really appreciate it. Ride safe!
I’ve been running an original version 1 Varia for over 3 years for around 35,000km now and I fully agree it’s a 10/10 piece of kit. Totally reliable, never let me down. When it eventually does wear out I’ll pick up a new one immediately. Highly recommended.
Thank you so much for reviewing this product. I love my new Radar. I ride in “rural” Colorado and it’s really allowed me to ride with much less anxiety. I don’t even find myself looking over my shoulder anymore. I recently road in a multi day tour through Colorado and was able to warn other riders when it was safe to pass. Like you said, probably not for someone in the city, but a necessity for those of us out on the back roads.
I bought two of them for my wife and I two weeks ago. Absolutely love this device. I connect mine to a 1030 and her to an 820. Such a great addition to our Garmin cycling units, the interface is excellent. Love what these do for awareness and safety out on the road.
Had mine for a few days now and I love it, and love it even more now that my shapeways saddle bag mount has arrived. Wasnt expecting to use it on my city commute but Ive found it still to be pretty useful for dooring zones where I can now comfortably ride into the car lane and know 100% theres nothing behind me. The light as well is pretty damn bright, I thought the Fly6 light was pretty good but this just eclipses it. Cant wait for the day we get a radar, camera, and light in the one unit.
I’ve just used one of these for the first time today - just wow! It made the cycling experience so much less stressful and in the modern day when more and more cars are becoming electric and silent on the road this is such a useful piece of kit.
I have been looking at this for a while because I have a hearing impairment and a lot of the time I cannot hear the cars coming. I will be definitely order one now, thanks Shane.
Even without any hearing problems relying on hearing sound of incoming cars is really bad idea. Most of the times wind and air noise make it impossible to hear them fast enough. Visual confirmation of clear road is a must every single time. This radar will surely improve safety and awareness of every cyclist by a lot
Flankeinstein Mr. this device is awesome. It’s a must if you Ride in regular roads. I’ve tested today for the first time and it blew my mind of how good it is.
Looks like a great product. I live in a regional area and 90% of my riding is on straight open roads where the speed limit is 110. I use a Sprintech mirror and its been great at seeing what's behind me, but there is the occasional time where I zone out and forget to look. A lot of people say a mirror is hard to get in the right position, but I haven't found that at all. Mine never moves and I can always see what's coming behind me. I think a mirror combined with the Varia would be a great option to stay safe and feel less anxious on country roads.
In sunny conditions I find the LEDs on the Wahoo difficult if not impossible to see. Maybe tones would be another option but don't expect anything soon and I wouldn't expect Garmin to go along either since they would rather sell you stand alone head units than help Wahoo integrate functionality.
Just got one of these the other day on the back of this video and DC's. First try today. Mind blown. Love it! Not sure if anyone from garmin would ever read this, but if it were not for these two videos there is no chance in hell I would ever have popped $270 on this. If you are reading this garmin, do with it what you may, but be absolutely certain that I'm not the only one. The procedure is basically this; hear about a new product, check Shane's and DC's videos, mull over it for awhile ( or until the missus buys a new handbag lol) and then buy or don't buy. Giant you're in there too, hell the entire retail cycling industry is really! I appreciate it must be a very difficult situation for all parties involved because the minute money changes hands the authenticity is completely corroded (ahem *cough* GCN), but you guys deserve something nonetheless. From me, it's a simple thank you. I'm going to have a better/safer time riding because of these videos.
Thanks for the comment. Great to hear your experience with the Radar matches mine. It's a total game changer. I'm still using it every single ride. I've forwarded your comment to the relevant people at Garmin too so they're across your experience and feedback. Thanks again.
We’re so happy to hear about your experience with the Varia! There’s nothing better than cycling with confidence in your safety. We love hearing stories like this from our customers! Feel free to share any success you have with our social media channels too!
I've ridden last 18 months with Edge 520 and the original Varia radar. A lot of miles riding by myself on country roads with few cars (once every 10 minutes or so), and then they appear out of nowhere doing 60mph. To make it more interesting, most of these rides start with 50+ minutes into a headwind, where I'm in a deep aero position at 90-100% FTP and Varia has greatly improved my awareness and safety even though I already had a mirror on end of left handlebar. The original Varia lights are not as bright as the RTL510 unit, and so I have a Bontrager Flare RT and setup a light network on Edge 520. With Flare RT as rear light, I'm able to turn off Varia lights and get about 6 hours of battery. Last year on a 13 hour double century I used an Anker lipstick battery pack to recharge 520, Flare RT, and Varia while riding. Highly recommended.
I find that it notifies you so early and tells you how fast the car is coming that then you can actively listen for and/or look for it and start to move over earlier and decide how far to go. This is a huge improvement over hearing a car going over twice your speed when it's only 20 yards and a half second away. Also when you can see the dot approaching slowly you know that you're most likely safe because you're not going to get hit by a driver who takes 10 seconds to overtake you. That driver will have plenty of time to identify you. It's the asshole going twice the speed limit and covers that 150 yards in 2 seconds that you have to worry about and the Varia will tell you which of those guys is behind you.
Thanks Shane, for meeting my requested review. I ended up getting the old unit on special, it works exactly the same accept for the head unit has solid lights not blinking and the rear is not as bright. Stock hasn't been despatched yet, I back ordered the day it came out but 3 weeks later no unit. I am too very impressed, takes a while to trust it, still in the learning stage. I found a reverse curve out front mount so I have both units out front as I have a wahoo elemnt. Also the old bundle came with a extra rear mount that uses a solid piece for round seat posts, plus the one you had in the bundle.
WoW - soo impressed with this! I did see it ages ago on Ray’s channel but discounted it as unnecessary for me. But something you said in your review about it lowering anxiety levels really struck a chord with me, that and seeing you get home and buying another sold it to me and I am so glad it did, thank you... I live in Oman and recently the government put a law out making it illegal to drive with your feet, yes feet! - (apparently its easier to text with both hands free) so that gives you a feel for their general spacial awareness. I also live in an area where, at least early in the weekend (which starts today here) the back roads are pretty quiet. So I went out today with it and can honestly say this thing is amazing, it was so accurate and reassuring. The only real thing I feel that they could improve would be to make the warning noise louder and if the is a fast car coming to beep constantly and maybe flash the red LED. A quick tip for anyone who has problems with it, if you hold the button of the indicator head unit for 8 seconds it will reset it and then you can re-pair it to the light. After I firmware updated mine it did some wierd stuff, a full reset cured it.
Great tech, just purchased the rvr315, as I have a fly6, the new gen units now support Bluetooth smart. And result is they can be used on Wahoo and other Bluetooth devices, as well as on a smartphone via the varia app bloody great tech
Mine came in last week and I’ve had 2 rides with it. Unbelievably great tech! Can’t believe it took me so long to get a varia but I’m glad I waited for this version. Great video.
Thanks for the review - helpful. I just bought one of these to upgrade from the original that I had. If this is like that version, there is one case that is hard to test but is very important since it’s a FALSE NEGATIVE - in other words, you think there is no car there but there is a car. This thing measures differential in speed, but if the car is pacing you and going the same speed you are, the unit will not show it’s there. If you act on that information - say a quick turn in front of the car then you could be in serious trouble. Therefore, it’s important to always check behind you before you turn - this is no substitute v1.0 eyeballs.
Some nice drivers around here come up behind me and then pace along a short distance back until they can see that the road is clear for them to pass. The dot for them does NOT disappear when they match my speed. I wonder if the Varia initially detects traffic coming up from the rear by virtue of its closing speed, and then hangs onto that contact even if the rate of closure goes to 0? After MANY rides with the Varia, I have yet to see a false negative, though of course I do shoulder checks to confirm the road is clear before moving out into the lane, making a turn across the oncoming lane, etc. On winding roads in hilly terrain, contacts sometimes disappear temporarily when terrain blocks the radar beam. I have seen very few false positives. Some of them occur in places that I think might have motion-activated security cameras (such as fire departments, etc), wonder if those might trigger the Varia? It also picks up the traffic on a divided expressway if I am on a path or road paralleling it closely - even if the traffic going the same way as me is way over on the other side of the expressway.
Shane I know this is a very old review but I just watched your recent review of the custom cervelo aspero and noticed the Varia. I have my Varia mounted very similar to yours but discovered an improved mounting setup for seat posts. Find some double sided Velcro in the plastic type. Cut a band 8mm wide by approx 22 centimetres long and thread it through the rectangular hole in the Garmin mount between the rubber o-ring bands. Pull it tight and around the seat post. You find it firms up the mount far better than just the o-ring and gives you a safety backup in case the o-ring slips off or breaks.
I used mine for the first time yesterday and was very impressed. The only issue I had was when going very fast, usually only descending, I couldn’t hear the alert tone on my Edge 520. That’s not to do with the Varia though, more the volume limit on my edge. Still wouldn’t ride without it now though, changed my riding experience in a positive way.
This is a great product. I tested it out last week, and it definitely did not disappoint. Fair price as well (at least in Canada). It also pairs/works well with the Garmin Fenix 5x. Great Vlog post, Shane!
J.S. Patel Can you tell me please what does it show on Garmin Fenix watch? It only beeps/vibrate that there is a car or it shows distance and more? Thanks
Hey GP2Volny, Sure thing. I'll send over some pics. Essentially, it relates the same info/date as the Garmin 1030 (ie. three dots, on an approach, from three cars). Pairs within the Bike setting while holding down the middle button.
I used mine for the first time today. It’s a game changer 😜. I used a 1030 and pairing and was so easy. No false info. Quite surprising how far it picks up traffic behind.
Gplama, Great review. As an owner of the older model , I would point out two things. 1. Look how it rejects cars going the other way.! “No false positives” kind of implies that, but ... just sayin’. 2. It may be improved on your newer model, but occasionally a car can creep up at low speed (relative approach) and go undetected, or sometimes disappear if just matching your speed. So you’re right to still glance back; for me it’s an exercise in safety: “Does he see me?” “Do I need to bail?” “Are they looking at the road, or a phone?” Mine tracks as many as five (maybe six) cars on the approach simultaneously. Fantastic in the city where noisy environments keep you from hearing cars. I never get surprised by “that Car” I didn’t hear or see with the last glance over the shoulder.
Shane I have been using the first iteration of this the “version one” since it’s introduction and Iove it. It’s great at catching 98% of all the cars behind you. It will miss very slow moving cars and cars that suddenly turn onto the street behind you from a side street. There a few times that you get faults alert but overall a very useful unit. I personally was hoping this new version would come with an integrated camera so you see if the car is too close behind you so that you take evasive action. It helps knowing that a car is behind you but even better if you can see if it’s too close in real time so you car take action. Oh well maybe in version 3...
I had a mate picking on me until we went for a ride together and he paired his 820 to it. He ordered one for himself before he had even ordered a coffee when we stopped :-)
An indispensable bit of kit - started using when first came out three years ago and wouldn't ride alone without it. Works in groups as well. The new version has much better light so even safer.
Great video thanks! Another group of riders that can benefit from this is the hearing-impaired, like my wife who is expecting her unit to arrive this week. The wind noise is too much for he hearing aid so it is off when riding. This unit should allow her a lot more saftey and confidence.
Shane this is a... another car... great video. I wasn’t... another one... sure this product would interest me but... two cars, moving fast....now I want... another car... to buy it. Aaaand clear.
The missus overheard me watching your video and was so impressed of your thoughts of it that she gave me permission to go buy one! So thankyou for the video! Ive bought the Saddle Bag clip from shapeways while I wait for it to come in stock so I can use the Fly6 in combination with the radar.
I asked wahoo. Melissa Ake (Wahoo Fitness Support) Jun 7, 11:39 AM EDT Hi Chris, Thanks for reaching out to us! At this time the Garmin lighting systems are not supported by the ELEMNT ecosystem. I do not know of any immediate plans to add this, but I will pass your request on to our development team for consideration in future updates. Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions. Thanks, -Melissa
Hey, I'm using the old Varia Radar for almost 2 Years now. The most useful thing I found so far is that it lets you know if there are multiple cars behind you. Because you can usually hear if there is a car behind you but you most likely won't hear the 2nd or even the 3rd. The unit itself works as far as I can tell reliable. Just a bit better battery life would appreciated. (Again I have the old version). The only thing that bugs me is the insane amount of bugs that my Edge 1030 has. Every time it receives an Update I must reset to default settings otherwise some sensors cut out during a ride or the edge freezes when it tries to upload the ride afterwards.
I have had previous version for more than 2 years. Its great device, but detection of multiple cars is something, varia radar doesnt excel in. It often cannot detect more cars behind. It happens, that when following car accelarates and overtakes me, it doesnt detected too. It looks that it is worse with edge 1030 than 520.
Great review. I ride with the Varia RTL510 on roads in and outside London. It is great tech and gives great comfort and I always ride with it. Perhaps not as common in Ballarat but it is a must here in London for picking up electric cars which are silent and can’t be picked up by hearing - we have increasing numbers of electric cars and they are so quiet. Negatives - (1) the Varia does not always detect a vehicle that is travelling at the same speed as you - so a car driving up your backside for half a km waiting to pass won’t always register on the Varia. Trap for young players - always check with a look over the shoulder. (2) battery range is quite poor and nowhere close to the battery range of my Garmin 1030 Plus. After 4 hours riding it is liable to switch off which not what I want. Would be great if the Varia had more battery power albeit at a small increment in weight but well worth it
I find the radar fantastic for TT racing in open roads; you're going hard and not processing information as well as normal, this helps remind you about cars, all with your head down.
Had Gen one 2 years. Concept 10/10 Execution 4/10 The bad: ordinary battery life,buttons horrendously hard to press,rear unit clunky,difficult to mount,1980’s dot display. The good: excellent for quiet non urban roads,particularly in conjunction with a discrete handlebar mirror. I can’t help feel that when Wahoo take this on they’ll just do it oh so better. Get rid of the light component(another device trying to do all things). Add radar differentiation displaying cars in relation to the curb with a proximity warning of imminent impact. Heads up option that clips to the helmet. This tech has a real future.
My first thought was - why not just get a mirror as someone else already mentioned but I understand racing + this is always watching. Different angle to road safety than the Fly6 takes.
Have been waiting for someone like you to review this product aswell as the varia head up display. As geeky as the headup would look attached to your glasses the extra confidence it will afford the rider is worth the money in my opinion, thank youbfor proving its accuracy now buy yourself the 1030 lol.
Von has the 1030. I can't justify the price at the moment. This data in a set of heads-up glasses would be what I'd expect to see in a few years for sure. That'd be RoboCop brilliant.
Shane definitely getting the bundle version when they become available. Any chance of grabbing the 1030 from Von for a review as you did on the 820. Like to get a Garmin eventually to pair with this but not sure about the past 820 issues. Alternately get a Bolt and use the Varia head unit.
Looks like some fantastic piece of tech. I guess most cyclists can relate to these situations of not hearing cars in head wind. Great review once again.
Thanks Shane. I've been thinking about what to spend my birthday money on, I was looking at the Garmin Varia 2 ( as some site are calling it in the UK) but couldn't decide and it was also out of stock in a few places. Having watched your video i have now ordered it. This will also help when i'm out with a group of youth ( U14 and up) riders, being made aware sooner to what is going on behind. PS i've also posted this on your FB page
Shane, this was the most comprehensive review (by far!) on the Varia RTL510 so I bought it almost solely based on your recommendation - well, if you can't trust a Lama what's the world coming to? It did take a few weeks to get my hands on one but after 2 long rides now I agree it's absolutely fantastic!! I do have two user questions you might be able to solve that I couldn't find a quick answer to on the garmin website. 1. When I get to my mid-ride coffee stop I like to switch my lights off so as not to offend my fellow coffee addicts. Turning my VariaRTL510 and Varia UT800 (which also pairs to my Edge 520) using the buttons on each obviously disconnects it from the head unit too but they don't reconnect when I switch them back on - I have to manually enable both. Presumably the 520 only scans for paired devices on start up? Alternatively I could turn the head unit off, which also turns the light off, but I presume that would end my ride and then my trip home would be a new ride, which I don't really want. It doesn't seem that the auto-pause on the head unit turns the lights off, but perhaps it does if you wait long enough? 2. I presume the brains in the light(s) interact with the head unit to determine which light mode is best (full, flashing etc) but it isn't always picking the one I would use. If I change it by scrolling through the modes on the light(s) then next time I check I find it's reverted to the mode that Garmin thinks is best. Eg. This morning at 8am in good daylight Garmin selected the rear light to be permanently 'on' whereas I would normally have chosen flashing. I wonder if there's away around this I haven't found yet, or maybe I just need to trust that Garmin knows the right better than me? Thanks, and keep up the great reviews!!
Cheers Chris. 1 - I've found the same with the 820. I'm planning on submitting a support ticket with Garmin. I'm hoping someone already has and it's in the next firmware update(s)! :) . 2) One for the Garmin forums. I'm just rolling with whatever it it set at with my rides (and sometimes I switch the light off but have the radar on).
1. With the latest Edge 520 firmware, and with this configuration for the Lights in Edge 520: - Network Options -- Light Mode: Individual -- Light Beam Activated: Timer Start The taillight lights up as soon as I hit the timer start button. When I press the timer start button again to pause the activity, the taillight is still on. If I press and hold the power button on the Edge 520 - not saving the activity yet - to turn off the bike computer, the RTL-510 switches off and goes into standby mode. Pressing the power button on the Edge 520 to turn it back on also turns on the taillight. To continue the activity, just press the timer start button. When you are done with your activity, saving it or discarding it will turn off the taillight. 2. If you want to override the Garmin and pick your own light mode, you first have to set the Light Mode to Individual Menu --> Settings --> Sensors --> Lights --> Network Options --> Light Mode Then, you choose the Light Mode in the following menu to a specific light mode (choices are Low / Day Flash / Night Flash / Off) In the Menu --> Settings --> Sensors --> Lights --> Radar (this should contain the ANT+ ID for your Varia radar) --> Light Mode. After selecting the light mode you prefer, it should take you back to the Radar menu and under Light Mode - if you RTL-510 is currently "off" or in standby mode - it will display Off, instead of your saved preference. This is kind of confusing as it appears your preferred light mode is not saved. Trust me, that setting is saved. The Light Mode actually displays the current status of the taillight. If you don't believe me, turn on the taillight and then go back to the same menu. You will see that the Light Mode setting reflects the light mode of the taillight.
great review, especially when it comes to anxiety on the open road. i wonder though, on a windy coastal road for example when there is a block of cars behind you how would it make you feel.
Looks interesting. However, I recommend using a helmet mirror. I've been using one ever since a car ran into the back of me, and I would not ride without one now. I can easily and quickly scan for traffic behind with the mirror, without having to look behind all the time. This radar would prompt me to check the mirror at times when I can't hear the car coming. So yes, could be useful...
I'm a huge fan of the updated Varia radar/taillight (I own the original version as well). I can say without a doubt that it is the only device currently forcing me to stick with the Garmin Edge bike computers. The moment Wahoo supports the Varia radar/taillight in its ELMNT bike computers, I'm dumping Garmin!
I find the radar is great when paired with a RearViz mirror. It'll beep/light up the head unit and you can check your wrist/elbow mounted mirror really easily. You say batteries don't last forever, but if this new unit is the same as the first one, you can charge it via USB at the same time as it is running :)
Great bit of kit, Question, I have a specialized seat with the twin bottle racks attached to it, would there be enough room between rear tyre and bottom of bottles, how room do you need ??
A big problem for some folks like me is I can’t hear the RTL510 light’s audible alerts with my Edge 1030. Garmin support confirmed there currently aren’t any alert loudness or alert tone controls for the 1030. The visual alerts on my 1030 screen are great but I can’t stare at the screen all the time. I do have some high frequency hearing loss from crewing on helicopters but I can hear my friends older 500 light paired with his Edge 510 from 5ft away.
Great review and you are obviously blown away by this piece of tech! From your experience, is there a huge effect on the head unit's battery life? Did Von's radar already arrive and if so, how does she like it? Safety out on the open road is a big issue for me and especially my wife.
I haven't done enough rinding looking at the battery % to be honest. I've been swapping head units and re-charging them with all the other work I'm digging into. Maybe someone else can chip in with their experience on this one. Von loves the unit. (Dr SLane also has one and loves it)
I'll head to the hills soon and find out. I suspect it'll be pretty good. I'm keeping a list of things to follow up - so this has been added. Cheers. :)
I have the previous Varia RTL500 (aka Varia v1), and live near Merimbula (Australia). So most of my riding is country roads and there isn't much flat road here, mainly rolling hills. So when cresting a hill or taking a corner, yes, it won't see an approaching car until it's in radar sight (which I assume is direct line of sight), but this is normally enough distance that you're not taken totally by surprise. I never wear headphones on the bike, so normally hear cars coming, but the Varia excels in two ways. 1. It tells you if there is more than one car coming, which ears alone really struggle to make out. 2. On downhill stretches when doing ludicrous speed, you can't hear anything but wind noise. Here a quick glance from time to time is enough to warn of approaching traffic. The way the traffic is shown on my Edge 1030 means you really don't need to stop and focus on the screen. A really quick glance is enough to know if it's clear or not. I do get the occasional false positive (detect something that isn't traffic), but have yet to see a false negative (car appear without a varia beep). Lastly, while the technology is great, and after almost 12 months with it I'm pretty confident in it, I will still do a head check when I need to move into "traffic". As Shane hinted at, doing a head check when nothing is there feels so much easier than if something is there.
Hi Shane Miller - GPLama. After you video and after you answer on my question i bought teh Garmin Vari 511. Know i've got Garmin 820 edge and Garmin Varia 511. All items already synchronized (like radar and like light) . But i have 1 problem, varia radar's back light is not blinkin then car is close to me. Do you know, what is problem ?
You'll need to talk to Garmin or where you purchased that model from. The RTL511 is not the same as the RTL510 (the version in the video) - For reasons you've discovered.
So dope! Thank you Shane. I want to buy but I find it priced higher then it should be for the tech. Seems to be using lasers. There is the philosophy: it's never too expensive for more safety. I'll pick up in the future. This video has me sold.
Good review, Shane, as always. I bought a Varia a few months ago for riding on narrow UK country lanes - and it's a godsend. In towns it is not much use because the sheer number of cars render it redundant. Even though it sits only an inch above my pannier bag, it still works flawlessly. Incidentally, Shane, how are your Hunt hoops going? I shall be taking delivery of some Hunt carbon gravel wheels later this week.
Great review--couple of questions. The reason I did not buy the earlier version (RTL-500) was because of the lack of an audible warning feature. The RTL-510 display unit does give an audible warning, but I did not hear it in the video. Why is that? Also, the display looked very bright. Does that hold up when cycling in bright sunlight? Is it still as easy to see the displayed data when the sun is shining on the unit? Lastly, a Garmin rep told me the 510 HUD display head is L2"xW1" from edge to edge on each dimension--is that pretty accurate?
The supplied head unit with the bundle beeps. I had a microphone on for my voice, not to capture the unit. The light on the HUD works well in bright light. I've no idea on the measurements. Let's go with their official specs, I'm not near the unit at this point to validate their measurements.
Tks for the initial unboxing. Questions for in-depth review: What if the car behind is traveling at the same speed? Will it show up or disappear off screen? Does this actually enhance safety or just offer a false sense of safety? How does this expensive piece of technology rate against the low-tech mirror that mounts on a handlebar drop cap and offers a visual of the type of vehicle and how close to the shoulder it is travelling?
If the car isn't passing, it seemed to hold position on the screen. Also not a much of a threat if it doesn't pass. Safety factor - subjective I guess. My thoughts for my riding in the video. Compared to a mirror? No match. Replied in other comments - We can't race with a mirror, you have to line them up to see properly, and you have to remember to look. This thing is always looking. Width of the radar detection seems really good. Not enough hours in the day at the moment to test-case and present all of this. Something I'd hope companies like Garmin on-board people to do and put us RUclipsrs out of business so we can go ride bikes more! :)
I like the idea of the radar always looking. And less anxiety is always good thing for roadies, especially when having to contend with traffic. The auditory beep when cars appear on screen seems to be new to version 2.0 It would certainly be a lot better than looking down at mirror. Cheers! Enjoy your channel! Never stop:)
Rich - FYI, I have auditory beep sound on my Edge 1000 / version 1 set up - I seem to recall the auditory beep was an on/off option within the Edge settings somewhere
As a long time user of the device a few notes: 1. A representative from Wahoo told me that they will not support it. 2. It is designed to detect vehicles coming up behind you at a speed of approximately 5 mph faster than you are traveling. So if a car comes up behind you and slows to your speed it will disappear from the display. It’s just something you have to be aware of. You didn’t test that. It’s also designed that way to not detect other bicyclists. It’s my wish that they would eventually allow us to adjust the speed threshold in the settings. 3. Another feature that you missed is that the light will flash faster as the cars get closer to alert them to your presence. 4. I generally agree that it makes my cycling safer and I’ll buy almost anything that helps.
1 - Differs to what I've heard...but ok. At the moment they don't support it and that's all that matters. 2 - Testing every single use-case is impossible. I'll miss things. My hope is the companies that make these things will obsolete people like me from having to do (most of) this legwork for them. While the process is interesting, it's also impossible to cover everything, or re-visit when people ask. 3 - The light feature of this was really of little importance to me. It was bright, it flashed, that's all I wanted to know. It was the radar that blew me away.
I've spoken with Wahoo support on the phone several times, and they tell me the Elemnt and Bolt engineering focus is on improving compatibility with power meters. It might happen, but for now Wahoo is focused on improving head unit interoperability with power meters.
Thanks for all your reviews Shane, very useful! Just got the RTL 510 (love it) and I've been searching around to find out if you can run the radar only (ie: turn off light mode while still tracking cars coming via the radar) and I have not found out how, if at all possible that it. Thanks in advance!
Have you considered doing a review of the POWERTAP POWERCAL? Dc rainmaker has a good review, but there aren't any decent videos on it. I want to know if its a good "gateway" power meter to get into training with power, I'm aware it's not going to be perfect.
Hey Shane, great review thanks. Mines finally arrived and I’m going out today to test it. I bought the bundled pack as I use a Bolt, which leads me to a quick question, I updated the firmware of the main unit, but couldn’t get it to recognise the head unit ( not that there’s much in there I guess) just wondering if you ever update that? It’s gotta have one of the worlds worst manuals though (apart from quarq’s!) there are a few key functions available not mentioned ( like the extra light pairing) and light off / radar on modes and the standby mode, people really shouldn’t have to hunt through forums to get info on products that they have bought
I've been using the original unit for 2 years now. I've had false poitives but much much more important I have never had a false negative. I ride gravel roads a lot and the radar allows me to wander all over the road looking for the best path and not worry about upsetting old mate in his 4WD. Also I still do shoulder checks. But with radar I don't bother looking if I already know there is traffic coming. Only complaint is the light is piss poor so have to run a 2nd light most of the time. I hate riding country roads without my radar.
I am a Randonneur (Audax) and ride 200k~600k, one criteria I have for all bike devices is the ability to use them while charging. A friend has the first generation Varia and it DOES work while being charged, does the RTL510?
I didn't see the whole video but... can the head unit or the separate display unit do something like a rising pitch beep instead of just LEDs? You were taking your eyes off the road a lot to stare downwards and audio notifications could be safer here.
Shane - Great video and a cool product. You didn't comment much on the light though. How do you compare it to other rear lights? I currently use the Bontrager Flare R and won't leave home without it.
I share your sentiments on the value of this product. I've been using the Gen 1 for around 6 months now and found it to be a really useful piece of kit that has enhanced my riding experience. I do a reasonable proportion of my riding solo. The radar detects cars long before my ears pick them up. I have found it extremely useful in so many different scenarios. I read a comment about the radar a while back which said something along the lines of: You won't know the value of this product until you use it. So true. One question - is there anything stopping someone else connecting their Garmin head unit to my radar? For example, on a group ride, could one or more riders connect to it and share the benefit of knowing when a car is approaching?
Since it is an ANT+ device, you can connect multiple units to it. I am not if there is a limit to how many you can connect up to it. But, I do know you can connect multiple units to it. The only thing that has to be kept in mind is that the radar is on a single bike, so the cars could be closer or further away from a person depending on their position to the bike that has the radar on it.
Shane, quick question after only coming across this tech: It looks great for long lonely rides (which I do often); how does it work in group rides (on sportives etc) if you are in the middle of the peleton? Does it just pick up the riders behind you and I assume it can't pick up cars behind the riders behind you? Thanks (great video, as always)
Other rides in front of it is like standing in the doorway...it’ll see around them sometimes. Sometimes it’ll pick things up much later. It’s not a flaw, it’s just how it works.
Hi Shane Miller. As i saw from video you have Garmin edge 820, but in list -Supportetd devices- i didn't find model Garmin Edge 820. My quastions are 1.Is RTL-510 work (synchronize) with Garmin edge 820 ? 2.Is devices (Varia RTL-510 and Garmin edge 820, of course if Garmin edge 820 support with varia 510) make some alarm noise ? Thank's a lot.
Hi Shane, i have a Garmin Edge Explore 820 and thinking of purchasing the Garmin Varia RTL510 my question is do you receive audible alerts? If not, is the continuous eyes down to view head unit become a hazard in itself?
I use the Varia (version 1) and do like its functionality... just improves my awareness and is very accurate. Can’t tell if I’m about to be run over or safely passed, but I still find it valuable.
Another reason why this radar is a good piece of technology to have is that with the rise in electric cars you won’t be able to hear them as they approach you.This alerts you of that.
fyi 85% of car noise is from the tyres
And the other 15% is the wind. :-)
In Texas, 99% is the pickup's engine. :D
After viewing your (and others) review of the Varia radar I went and bought one last week. Whilst riding over the weekend in Nth east Victoria, I was blown away with it and wonder how I ever rode without one! Pairs with my 1030 everytime and very easy to use and understand. Totally changed my feel/anxiousness whilst riding on open country roads (speed limit of 80/100). Is awesome when descending long mountains when wind/noise makes it hard to hear cars coming up from behind. Thanks Shane. The best bit of kit I've ever bought for a bike I reckon.
Great review. Side benefit is speed demon motorists with radar detectors (legal in WA down under, and almost all US states) will probably get a "hit" that a radar device is nearby and slow down for us thinking they're avoiding a ticket!
That is a great side benefit.
Did my first ride with my new Varia today on a 50mile ride. WORTH ITS WEIGHT IN GOLD! It showed every vehicle and gave great imagery of the speed..
Brilliant! This is why I'll always tell people to get one of they ride on similar roads. They are a game changer. Thanks for the comment Tracy on your experience. I really appreciate it. Ride safe!
You’re very welcome. Please keep up the great Videos. I never miss them!
Thanks Lama... 20 years as a military pilot trashed my hearing, so this device will help bring back the awareness that my hearing loss took away.
"busier than a kangaroo in trampoline factory" hahaa I didn't expect this one! Great review Shane, thanks as always for the good content!
I’ve been running an original version 1 Varia for over 3 years for around 35,000km now and I fully agree it’s a 10/10 piece of kit. Totally reliable, never let me down. When it eventually does wear out I’ll pick up a new one immediately. Highly recommended.
Thank you so much for reviewing this product. I love my new Radar. I ride in “rural” Colorado and it’s really allowed me to ride with much less anxiety. I don’t even find myself looking over my shoulder anymore. I recently road in a multi day tour through Colorado and was able to warn other riders when it was safe to pass. Like you said, probably not for someone in the city, but a necessity for those of us out on the back roads.
I bought two of them for my wife and I two weeks ago. Absolutely love this device. I connect mine to a 1030 and her to an 820. Such a great addition to our Garmin cycling units, the interface is excellent. Love what these do for awareness and safety out on the road.
Had mine for a few days now and I love it, and love it even more now that my shapeways saddle bag mount has arrived. Wasnt expecting to use it on my city commute but Ive found it still to be pretty useful for dooring zones where I can now comfortably ride into the car lane and know 100% theres nothing behind me.
The light as well is pretty damn bright, I thought the Fly6 light was pretty good but this just eclipses it. Cant wait for the day we get a radar, camera, and light in the one unit.
I’ve just used one of these for the first time today - just wow! It made the cycling experience so much less stressful and in the modern day when more and more cars are becoming electric and silent on the road this is such a useful piece of kit.
I have been looking at this for a while because I have a hearing impairment and a lot of the time I cannot hear the cars coming. I will be definitely order one now, thanks Shane.
Even without any hearing problems relying on hearing sound of incoming cars is really bad idea. Most of the times wind and air noise make it impossible to hear them fast enough. Visual confirmation of clear road is a must every single time. This radar will surely improve safety and awareness of every cyclist by a lot
Please be so kind and write a response here, if you've tested it yourself :) I'm really interested about you usecase.
Flankeinstein Mr. this device is awesome. It’s a must if you Ride in regular roads. I’ve tested today for the first time and it blew my mind of how good it is.
Looks like a great product. I live in a regional area and 90% of my riding is on straight open roads where the speed limit is 110. I use a Sprintech mirror and its been great at seeing what's behind me, but there is the occasional time where I zone out and forget to look. A lot of people say a mirror is hard to get in the right position, but I haven't found that at all. Mine never moves and I can always see what's coming behind me. I think a mirror combined with the Varia would be a great option to stay safe and feel less anxious on country roads.
I agree, how awesome would it be if Wahoo bought comparability to its computers and utilised the lights.
I’d be curious to know whether the Varia uses public, documented data formats or whether 3rd parties are left to try and figure it out themselves.
Moose Legrand These are Public ANT standarts available on the ANT website. They should be able to integrate with ease.
When I went to upgrade my head unit I looked hard that the wahoo, but because it didn’t support my lights I just went to the 1030.
In sunny conditions I find the LEDs on the Wahoo difficult if not impossible to see. Maybe tones would be another option but don't expect anything soon and I wouldn't expect Garmin to go along either since they would rather sell you stand alone head units than help Wahoo integrate functionality.
I contacted Wahoo and they said Varia support is on the roadmap, but they don't have a date.
Brought one based on facts from this review for all my foreseeable solo riding. Couldn't be happier, keep up the excellent content Shane
Just got one of these the other day on the back of this video and DC's. First try today. Mind blown. Love it! Not sure if anyone from garmin would ever read this, but if it were not for these two videos there is no chance in hell I would ever have popped $270 on this. If you are reading this garmin, do with it what you may, but be absolutely certain that I'm not the only one. The procedure is basically this; hear about a new product, check Shane's and DC's videos, mull over it for awhile ( or until the missus buys a new handbag lol) and then buy or don't buy. Giant you're in there too, hell the entire retail cycling industry is really! I appreciate it must be a very difficult situation for all parties involved because the minute money changes hands the authenticity is completely corroded (ahem *cough* GCN), but you guys deserve something nonetheless. From me, it's a simple thank you. I'm going to have a better/safer time riding because of these videos.
Thanks for the comment. Great to hear your experience with the Radar matches mine. It's a total game changer. I'm still using it every single ride. I've forwarded your comment to the relevant people at Garmin too so they're across your experience and feedback. Thanks again.
We’re so happy to hear about your experience with the Varia! There’s nothing better than cycling with confidence in your safety. We love hearing stories like this from our customers! Feel free to share any success you have with our social media channels too!
I've ridden last 18 months with Edge 520 and the original Varia radar. A lot of miles riding by myself on country roads with few cars (once every 10 minutes or so), and then they appear out of nowhere doing 60mph. To make it more interesting, most of these rides start with 50+ minutes into a headwind, where I'm in a deep aero position at 90-100% FTP and Varia has greatly improved my awareness and safety even though I already had a mirror on end of left handlebar. The original Varia lights are not as bright as the RTL510 unit, and so I have a Bontrager Flare RT and setup a light network on Edge 520. With Flare RT as rear light, I'm able to turn off Varia lights and get about 6 hours of battery. Last year on a 13 hour double century I used an Anker lipstick battery pack to recharge 520, Flare RT, and Varia while riding. Highly recommended.
Thank you for this review! Just bought it and paired with my 1030, very happy, amazing peace of tech!
I find that it notifies you so early and tells you how fast the car is coming that then you can actively listen for and/or look for it and start to move over earlier and decide how far to go. This is a huge improvement over hearing a car going over twice your speed when it's only 20 yards and a half second away. Also when you can see the dot approaching slowly you know that you're most likely safe because you're not going to get hit by a driver who takes 10 seconds to overtake you. That driver will have plenty of time to identify you. It's the asshole going twice the speed limit and covers that 150 yards in 2 seconds that you have to worry about and the Varia will tell you which of those guys is behind you.
Thanks Shane, for meeting my requested review. I ended up getting the old unit on special, it works exactly the same accept for the head unit has solid lights not blinking and the rear is not as bright. Stock hasn't been despatched yet, I back ordered the day it came out but 3 weeks later no unit. I am too very impressed, takes a while to trust it, still in the learning stage. I found a reverse curve out front mount so I have both units out front as I have a wahoo elemnt. Also the old bundle came with a extra rear mount that uses a solid piece for round seat posts, plus the one you had in the bundle.
Hands down best review of the Garmin radar unit
WoW - soo impressed with this!
I did see it ages ago on Ray’s channel but discounted it as unnecessary for me. But something you said in your review about it lowering anxiety levels really struck a chord with me, that and seeing you get home and buying another sold it to me and I am so glad it did, thank you...
I live in Oman and recently the government put a law out making it illegal to drive with your feet, yes feet! - (apparently its easier to text with both hands free) so that gives you a feel for their general spacial awareness. I also live in an area where, at least early in the weekend (which starts today here) the back roads are pretty quiet. So I went out today with it and can honestly say this thing is amazing, it was so accurate and reassuring. The only real thing I feel that they could improve would be to make the warning noise louder and if the is a fast car coming to beep constantly and maybe flash the red LED.
A quick tip for anyone who has problems with it, if you hold the button of the indicator head unit for 8 seconds it will reset it and then you can re-pair it to the light. After I firmware updated mine it did some wierd stuff, a full reset cured it.
Great tech, just purchased the rvr315, as I have a fly6, the new gen units now support Bluetooth smart. And result is they can be used on Wahoo and other Bluetooth devices, as well as on a smartphone via the varia app bloody great tech
Mine came in last week and I’ve had 2 rides with it. Unbelievably great tech! Can’t believe it took me so long to get a varia but I’m glad I waited for this version. Great video.
Thanks for the review - helpful.
I just bought one of these to upgrade from the original that I had. If this is like that version, there is one case that is hard to test but is very important since it’s a FALSE NEGATIVE - in other words, you think there is no car there but there is a car. This thing measures differential in speed, but if the car is pacing you and going the same speed you are, the unit will not show it’s there. If you act on that information - say a quick turn in front of the car then you could be in serious trouble. Therefore, it’s important to always check behind you before you turn - this is no substitute v1.0 eyeballs.
Some nice drivers around here come up behind me and then pace along a short distance back until they can see that the road is clear for them to pass. The dot for them does NOT disappear when they match my speed. I wonder if the Varia initially detects traffic coming up from the rear by virtue of its closing speed, and then hangs onto that contact even if the rate of closure goes to 0?
After MANY rides with the Varia, I have yet to see a false negative, though of course I do shoulder checks to confirm the road is clear before moving out into the lane, making a turn across the oncoming lane, etc.
On winding roads in hilly terrain, contacts sometimes disappear temporarily when terrain blocks the radar beam.
I have seen very few false positives. Some of them occur in places that I think might have motion-activated security cameras (such as fire departments, etc), wonder if those might trigger the Varia? It also picks up the traffic on a divided expressway if I am on a path or road paralleling it closely - even if the traffic going the same way as me is way over on the other side of the expressway.
Shane I know this is a very old review but I just watched your recent review of the custom cervelo aspero and noticed the Varia. I have my Varia mounted very similar to yours but discovered an improved mounting setup for seat posts. Find some double sided Velcro in the plastic type. Cut a band 8mm wide by approx 22 centimetres long and thread it through the rectangular hole in the Garmin mount between the rubber o-ring bands. Pull it tight and around the seat post. You find it firms up the mount far better than just the o-ring and gives you a safety backup in case the o-ring slips off or breaks.
Great tip! 👌🏼
I used mine for the first time yesterday and was very impressed. The only issue I had was when going very fast, usually only descending, I couldn’t hear the alert tone on my Edge 520. That’s not to do with the Varia though, more the volume limit on my edge. Still wouldn’t ride without it now though, changed my riding experience in a positive way.
This is a great product. I tested it out last week, and it definitely did not disappoint. Fair price as well (at least in Canada). It also pairs/works well with the Garmin Fenix 5x. Great Vlog post, Shane!
J.S. Patel Can you tell me please what does it show on Garmin Fenix watch? It only beeps/vibrate that there is a car or it shows distance and more? Thanks
Hey GP2Volny, Sure thing. I'll send over some pics. Essentially, it relates the same info/date as the Garmin 1030 (ie. three dots, on an approach, from three cars). Pairs within the Bike setting while holding down the middle button.
I used mine for the first time today. It’s a game changer 😜. I used a 1030 and pairing and was so easy. No false info. Quite surprising how far it picks up traffic behind.
Gplama,
Great review. As an owner of the older model , I would point out two things.
1. Look how it rejects cars going the other way.! “No false positives” kind of implies that, but ... just sayin’.
2. It may be improved on your newer model, but occasionally a car can creep up at low speed (relative approach) and go undetected, or sometimes disappear if just matching your speed. So you’re right to still glance back; for me it’s an exercise in safety:
“Does he see me?”
“Do I need to bail?”
“Are they looking at the road, or a phone?”
Mine tracks as many as five (maybe six) cars on the approach simultaneously. Fantastic in the city where noisy environments keep you from hearing cars. I never get surprised by “that Car” I didn’t hear or see with the last glance over the shoulder.
Just ordered mine (back ordered as well), would be really nice if they had a camera in there as well. My Fly6 is getting old.
Shane I have been using the first iteration of this the “version one” since it’s introduction and Iove it. It’s great at catching 98% of all the cars behind you. It will miss very slow moving cars and cars that suddenly turn onto the street behind you from a side street. There a few times that you get faults alert but overall a very useful unit. I personally was hoping this new version would come with an integrated camera so you see if the car is too close behind you so that you take evasive action. It helps knowing that a car is behind you but even better if you can see if it’s too close in real time so you car take action. Oh well maybe in version 3...
Wirelessly transmitting video sounds like it'd be expensive and require a big battery. Better off getting a mirror..
Not really buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/530536
I had a mate picking on me until we went for a ride together and he paired his 820 to it. He ordered one for himself before he had even ordered a coffee when we stopped :-)
Love when you toss the manuals aside in these kinds of videos.
SOLD! Even for inner city commuting or my beloved perth river loops there is never a bad time to know when a car is approaching.
I love river loops! Hope to get back over there soon for more.
An indispensable bit of kit - started using when first came out three years ago and wouldn't ride alone without it. Works in groups as well. The new version has much better light so even safer.
Great video thanks! Another group of riders that can benefit from this is the hearing-impaired, like my wife who is expecting her unit to arrive this week. The wind noise is too much for he hearing aid so it is off when riding. This unit should allow her a lot more saftey and confidence.
Shane this is a... another car... great video. I wasn’t... another one... sure this product would interest me but... two cars, moving fast....now I want... another car... to buy it. Aaaand clear.
The missus overheard me watching your video and was so impressed of your thoughts of it that she gave me permission to go buy one! So thankyou for the video! Ive bought the Saddle Bag clip from shapeways while I wait for it to come in stock so I can use the Fly6 in combination with the radar.
Would love something like this if Wahoo would support it. I wonder if it could be smaller tho.
Maybe they could make the Wahoo Radr? :)
Love it! @Wahoo where are you?
I asked wahoo.
Melissa Ake (Wahoo Fitness Support)
Jun 7, 11:39 AM EDT
Hi Chris,
Thanks for reaching out to us! At this time the Garmin lighting systems are not supported by the ELEMNT ecosystem. I do not know of any immediate plans to add this, but I will pass your request on to our development team for consideration in future updates. Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions.
Thanks,
-Melissa
What’s this Wahoo that everyone is talking about?
Hey,
I'm using the old Varia Radar for almost 2 Years now.
The most useful thing I found so far is that it lets you know if there are multiple cars behind you. Because you can usually hear if there is a car behind you but you most likely won't hear the 2nd or even the 3rd.
The unit itself works as far as I can tell reliable. Just a bit better battery life would appreciated. (Again I have the old version).
The only thing that bugs me is the insane amount of bugs that my Edge 1030 has. Every time it receives an Update I must reset to default settings otherwise some sensors cut out during a ride or the edge freezes when it tries to upload the ride afterwards.
I have had previous version for more than 2 years. Its great device, but detection of multiple cars is something, varia radar doesnt excel in. It often cannot detect more cars behind. It happens, that when following car accelarates and overtakes me, it doesnt detected too. It looks that it is worse with edge 1030 than 520.
Danny D. I can't confirm that issue. Have you tried different positions on your seat post?
Great review. I ride with the Varia RTL510 on roads in and outside London. It is great tech and gives great comfort and I always ride with it. Perhaps not as common in Ballarat but it is a must here in London for picking up electric cars which are silent and can’t be picked up by hearing - we have increasing numbers of electric cars and they are so quiet. Negatives - (1) the Varia does not always detect a vehicle that is travelling at the same speed as you - so a car driving up your backside for half a km waiting to pass won’t always register on the Varia. Trap for young players - always check with a look over the shoulder. (2) battery range is quite poor and nowhere close to the battery range of my Garmin 1030 Plus. After 4 hours riding it is liable to switch off which not what I want. Would be great if the Varia had more battery power albeit at a small increment in weight but well worth it
Im a London cyclist myself, ordering one of these for sure!!
Thanks for the video. I would have like a little description on how the radar notification worked with the garmin smart watch as well.
I find the radar fantastic for TT racing in open roads; you're going hard and not processing information as well as normal, this helps remind you about cars, all with your head down.
Had Gen one 2 years.
Concept 10/10 Execution 4/10
The bad: ordinary battery life,buttons horrendously hard to press,rear unit clunky,difficult to mount,1980’s dot display.
The good: excellent for quiet non urban roads,particularly in conjunction with a discrete handlebar mirror.
I can’t help feel that when Wahoo take this on they’ll just do it oh so better.
Get rid of the light component(another device trying to do all things).
Add radar differentiation displaying cars in relation to the curb with a proximity warning of imminent impact.
Heads up option that clips to the helmet.
This tech has a real future.
There is a heads up display buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/530536
My first thought was - why not just get a mirror as someone else already mentioned but I understand racing + this is always watching. Different angle to road safety than the Fly6 takes.
Great, very thorough yet simple review as usual!
Have been waiting for someone like you to review this product aswell as the varia head up display. As geeky as the headup would look attached to your glasses the extra confidence it will afford the rider is worth the money in my opinion, thank youbfor proving its accuracy now buy yourself the 1030 lol.
Von has the 1030. I can't justify the price at the moment. This data in a set of heads-up glasses would be what I'd expect to see in a few years for sure. That'd be RoboCop brilliant.
Shane Miller - GPLama Two cyclists died today on Australian roads I wonder if this would be different had they used this tech???
Shane definitely getting the bundle version when they become available.
Any chance of grabbing the 1030 from Von for a review as you did on the 820.
Like to get a Garmin eventually to pair with this but not sure about the past 820 issues. Alternately get a Bolt and use the Varia head unit.
When Shane gives it a 10/10 you know it’s good. Just had to order one after watching the review.
Looks like some fantastic piece of tech. I guess most cyclists can relate to these situations of not hearing cars in head wind. Great review once again.
A roo in a trampoline factory?
Sounds like a good job for the beast.
The Varia sounds nice.
Thanks Shane. I've been thinking about what to spend my birthday money on, I was looking at the Garmin Varia 2 ( as some site are calling it in the UK) but couldn't decide and it was also out of stock in a few places. Having watched your video i have now ordered it. This will also help when i'm out with a group of youth ( U14 and up) riders, being made aware sooner to what is going on behind. PS i've also posted this on your FB page
Shane, this was the most comprehensive review (by far!) on the Varia RTL510 so I bought it almost solely based on your recommendation - well, if you can't trust a Lama what's the world coming to? It did take a few weeks to get my hands on one but after 2 long rides now I agree it's absolutely fantastic!! I do have two user questions you might be able to solve that I couldn't find a quick answer to on the garmin website.
1. When I get to my mid-ride coffee stop I like to switch my lights off so as not to offend my fellow coffee addicts. Turning my VariaRTL510 and Varia UT800 (which also pairs to my Edge 520) using the buttons on each obviously disconnects it from the head unit too but they don't reconnect when I switch them back on - I have to manually enable both. Presumably the 520 only scans for paired devices on start up? Alternatively I could turn the head unit off, which also turns the light off, but I presume that would end my ride and then my trip home would be a new ride, which I don't really want. It doesn't seem that the auto-pause on the head unit turns the lights off, but perhaps it does if you wait long enough?
2. I presume the brains in the light(s) interact with the head unit to determine which light mode is best (full, flashing etc) but it isn't always picking the one I would use. If I change it by scrolling through the modes on the light(s) then next time I check I find it's reverted to the mode that Garmin thinks is best. Eg. This morning at 8am in good daylight Garmin selected the rear light to be permanently 'on' whereas I would normally have chosen flashing. I wonder if there's away around this I haven't found yet, or maybe I just need to trust that Garmin knows the right better than me?
Thanks, and keep up the great reviews!!
Cheers Chris. 1 - I've found the same with the 820. I'm planning on submitting a support ticket with Garmin. I'm hoping someone already has and it's in the next firmware update(s)! :) . 2) One for the Garmin forums. I'm just rolling with whatever it it set at with my rides (and sometimes I switch the light off but have the radar on).
1. With the latest Edge 520 firmware, and with this configuration for the Lights in Edge 520:
- Network Options
-- Light Mode: Individual
-- Light Beam Activated: Timer Start
The taillight lights up as soon as I hit the timer start button. When I press the timer start button again to pause the activity, the taillight is still on. If I press and hold the power button on the Edge 520 - not saving the activity yet - to turn off the bike computer, the RTL-510 switches off and goes into standby mode. Pressing the power button on the Edge 520 to turn it back on also turns on the taillight. To continue the activity, just press the timer start button. When you are done with your activity, saving it or discarding it will turn off the taillight.
2. If you want to override the Garmin and pick your own light mode, you first have to set the Light Mode to Individual
Menu --> Settings --> Sensors --> Lights --> Network Options --> Light Mode
Then, you choose the Light Mode in the following menu to a specific light mode (choices are Low / Day Flash / Night Flash / Off)
In the Menu --> Settings --> Sensors --> Lights --> Radar (this should contain the ANT+ ID for your Varia radar) --> Light Mode.
After selecting the light mode you prefer, it should take you back to the Radar menu and under Light Mode - if you RTL-510 is currently "off" or in standby mode - it will display Off, instead of your saved preference. This is kind of confusing as it appears your preferred light mode is not saved. Trust me, that setting is saved. The Light Mode actually displays the current status of the taillight. If you don't believe me, turn on the taillight and then go back to the same menu. You will see that the Light Mode setting reflects the light mode of the taillight.
Cool device. My birthday is coming soon and I think I know what I want some else to buy me - haha!
It's nice to know when it's clear so you can take up the road as much as you want/do wahtever you want, and then move to the side when it shows a car.
great review, especially when it comes to anxiety on the open road. i wonder though, on a windy coastal road for example when there is a block of cars behind you how would it make you feel.
SOLD I'm always very anxious riding on busy city roads this looks great for me!
Looks interesting. However, I recommend using a helmet mirror. I've been using one ever since a car ran into the back of me, and I would not ride without one now. I can easily and quickly scan for traffic behind with the mirror, without having to look behind all the time. This radar would prompt me to check the mirror at times when I can't hear the car coming. So yes, could be useful...
Had the original for years and cant ride without it.
a little mirror on the handlebar would be a good combination even tho it looks dorky. You can then see if it's too close to you etc.
I'm a huge fan of the updated Varia radar/taillight (I own the original version as well). I can say without a doubt that it is the only device currently forcing me to stick with the Garmin Edge bike computers. The moment Wahoo supports the Varia radar/taillight in its ELMNT bike computers, I'm dumping Garmin!
I find the radar is great when paired with a RearViz mirror. It'll beep/light up the head unit and you can check your wrist/elbow mounted mirror really easily.
You say batteries don't last forever, but if this new unit is the same as the first one, you can charge it via USB at the same time as it is running :)
Wish it could detect magpies as well!
Great video and thank for sharing. I wonder if this product can detect cars approaching in different multiple lanes.
Great bit of kit, Question, I have a specialized seat with the twin bottle racks attached to it, would there be enough room between rear tyre and bottom of bottles, how room do you need ??
Just ordered mine from my LBS. love your videos from Iowa!
I’ve had the old version in the uk for a while now ,superb bit of kit
A big problem for some folks like me is I can’t hear the RTL510 light’s audible alerts with my Edge 1030. Garmin support confirmed there currently aren’t any alert loudness or alert tone controls for the 1030. The visual alerts on my 1030 screen are great but I can’t stare at the screen all the time. I do have some high frequency hearing loss from crewing on helicopters but I can hear my friends older 500 light paired with his Edge 510 from 5ft away.
I have the 820, and I heard it most of the time. I wonder if there one unit is louder than the other
Great review and you are obviously blown away by this piece of tech! From your experience, is there a huge effect on the head unit's battery life?
Did Von's radar already arrive and if so, how does she like it? Safety out on the open road is a big issue for me and especially my wife.
I haven't done enough rinding looking at the battery % to be honest. I've been swapping head units and re-charging them with all the other work I'm digging into. Maybe someone else can chip in with their experience on this one. Von loves the unit. (Dr SLane also has one and loves it)
Great video as always...did you test it with terrain that wasn't as flat. How do you think it would work on rolling terrain?
I'll head to the hills soon and find out. I suspect it'll be pretty good. I'm keeping a list of things to follow up - so this has been added. Cheers. :)
I have the previous Varia RTL500 (aka Varia v1), and live near Merimbula (Australia). So most of my riding is country roads and there isn't much flat road here, mainly rolling hills. So when cresting a hill or taking a corner, yes, it won't see an approaching car until it's in radar sight (which I assume is direct line of sight), but this is normally enough distance that you're not taken totally by surprise.
I never wear headphones on the bike, so normally hear cars coming, but the Varia excels in two ways.
1. It tells you if there is more than one car coming, which ears alone really struggle to make out.
2. On downhill stretches when doing ludicrous speed, you can't hear anything but wind noise. Here a quick glance from time to time is enough to warn of approaching traffic.
The way the traffic is shown on my Edge 1030 means you really don't need to stop and focus on the screen. A really quick glance is enough to know if it's clear or not.
I do get the occasional false positive (detect something that isn't traffic), but have yet to see a false negative (car appear without a varia beep).
Lastly, while the technology is great, and after almost 12 months with it I'm pretty confident in it, I will still do a head check when I need to move into "traffic". As Shane hinted at, doing a head check when nothing is there feels so much easier than if something is there.
great review Shane and a very useful product
Shane, the battery in my Garmin 520 takes a big hit using this. What have you experienced? I do love it for solo rides tho
Yep. Seems lighting the screen up and beeping pulls on the battery a little harder.
Interesting it's sold out everywhere. Bought the first version for about 60% of this price two years ago - didn't think they were popular.
Hi Shane Miller - GPLama. After you video and after you answer on my question i bought teh Garmin Vari 511. Know i've got Garmin 820 edge and Garmin Varia 511. All items already synchronized (like radar and like light) . But i have 1 problem, varia radar's back light is not blinkin then car is close to me. Do you know, what is problem ?
The RTL511 is the non blinking edition sold in Germany (and other EU) countries due to laws around flashing lights.
Shane Miller - GPLama . Thank's for answering my question. For blinking the light can i do something ?
You'll need to talk to Garmin or where you purchased that model from. The RTL511 is not the same as the RTL510 (the version in the video) - For reasons you've discovered.
A bought it from internet-shop out of my country, i mean i can't send it back. Anyway thank's a lot. Now i try to solwe my problem :-).
So dope! Thank you Shane. I want to buy but I find it priced higher then it should be for the tech. Seems to be using lasers. There is the philosophy: it's never too expensive for more safety. I'll pick up in the future. This video has me sold.
Good review, Shane, as always. I bought a Varia a few months ago for riding on narrow UK country lanes - and it's a godsend. In towns it is not much use because the sheer number of cars render it redundant. Even though it sits only an inch above my pannier bag, it still works flawlessly.
Incidentally, Shane, how are your Hunt hoops going? I shall be taking delivery of some Hunt carbon gravel wheels later this week.
Hunt wheels are going well. Veronica just ordered the same set, tubeless. I'll cover those in the near future. They were a good buy.
Great review--couple of questions. The reason I did not buy the earlier version (RTL-500) was because of the lack of an audible warning feature. The RTL-510 display unit does give an audible warning, but I did not hear it in the video. Why is that? Also, the display looked very bright. Does that hold up when cycling in bright sunlight? Is it still as easy to see the displayed data when the sun is shining on the unit? Lastly, a Garmin rep told me the 510 HUD display head is L2"xW1" from edge to edge on each dimension--is that pretty accurate?
The supplied head unit with the bundle beeps. I had a microphone on for my voice, not to capture the unit. The light on the HUD works well in bright light. I've no idea on the measurements. Let's go with their official specs, I'm not near the unit at this point to validate their measurements.
Great review thanks. What are the main differences between the 500 and 510? Any technical or performance improvements?
Tks for the initial unboxing. Questions for in-depth review: What if the car behind is traveling at the same speed? Will it show up or disappear off screen? Does this actually enhance safety or just offer a false sense of safety? How does this expensive piece of technology rate against the low-tech mirror that mounts on a handlebar drop cap and offers a visual of the type of vehicle and how close to the shoulder it is travelling?
If the car isn't passing, it seemed to hold position on the screen. Also not a much of a threat if it doesn't pass. Safety factor - subjective I guess. My thoughts for my riding in the video. Compared to a mirror? No match. Replied in other comments - We can't race with a mirror, you have to line them up to see properly, and you have to remember to look. This thing is always looking. Width of the radar detection seems really good. Not enough hours in the day at the moment to test-case and present all of this. Something I'd hope companies like Garmin on-board people to do and put us RUclipsrs out of business so we can go ride bikes more! :)
I like the idea of the radar always looking. And less anxiety is always good thing for roadies, especially when having to contend with traffic. The auditory beep when cars appear on screen seems to be new to version 2.0 It would certainly be a lot better than looking down at mirror. Cheers! Enjoy your channel! Never stop:)
Rich
- FYI, I have auditory beep sound on my Edge 1000 / version 1 set up - I seem to recall the auditory beep was an on/off option within the Edge settings somewhere
As a long time user of the device a few notes:
1. A representative from Wahoo told me that they will not support it.
2. It is designed to detect vehicles coming up behind you at a speed of approximately 5 mph faster than you are traveling. So if a car comes up behind you and slows to your speed it will disappear from the display. It’s just something you have to be aware of. You didn’t test that. It’s also designed that way to not detect other bicyclists. It’s my wish that they would eventually allow us to adjust the speed threshold in the settings.
3. Another feature that you missed is that the light will flash faster as the cars get closer to alert them to your presence.
4. I generally agree that it makes my cycling safer and I’ll buy almost anything that helps.
1 - Differs to what I've heard...but ok. At the moment they don't support it and that's all that matters.
2 - Testing every single use-case is impossible. I'll miss things. My hope is the companies that make these things will obsolete people like me from having to do (most of) this legwork for them. While the process is interesting, it's also impossible to cover everything, or re-visit when people ask.
3 - The light feature of this was really of little importance to me. It was bright, it flashed, that's all I wanted to know. It was the radar that blew me away.
Shane Miller - GPLama just be aware of #2
I've spoken with Wahoo support on the phone several times, and they tell me the Elemnt and Bolt engineering focus is on improving compatibility with power meters. It might happen, but for now Wahoo is focused on improving head unit interoperability with power meters.
Thanks for all your reviews Shane, very useful! Just got the RTL 510 (love it) and I've been searching around to find out if you can run the radar only (ie: turn off light mode while still tracking cars coming via the radar) and I have not found out how, if at all possible that it. Thanks in advance!
The RTL510 can be put into 'light off' mode when using Garmin head units. That mode doesn't play well with Wahoo units for some reason.
hi Shane, how do you mount this on a vertical seat post? the rubber mount forces the Varia to slant when it's on a vertical post.
Great review.
Shane, are you still using it after 1 year?
Every ride.
Have you considered doing a review of the POWERTAP POWERCAL? Dc rainmaker has a good review, but there aren't any decent videos on it. I want to know if its a good "gateway" power meter to get into training with power, I'm aware it's not going to be perfect.
Stay tuned. Coming very very soon.
Hey Shane, great review thanks. Mines finally arrived and I’m going out today to test it. I bought the bundled pack as I use a Bolt, which leads me to a quick question, I updated the firmware of the main unit, but couldn’t get it to recognise the head unit ( not that there’s much in there I guess) just wondering if you ever update that?
It’s gotta have one of the worlds worst manuals though (apart from quarq’s!) there are a few key functions available not mentioned ( like the extra light pairing) and light off / radar on modes and the standby mode, people really shouldn’t have to hunt through forums to get info on products that they have bought
Not sure on the little head unit for the Varia having firmware updates. One for Garmin Support. Agreed on the manuals/documentation.
15:17 does it actually flicker or is it just the camera?
Also there’s no provision for a flat-back seatpost, (eg giant d-fuse)
Just the camera. And you'll need to get creative if you're an edge case.
Hi Shane, you have to do a review on ' The Italian Road bike mirror' Say no more.
No. Those wound't be allowed in any racing I'd be doing, at any level.
I've been using the original unit for 2 years now. I've had false poitives but much much more important I have never had a false negative. I ride gravel roads a lot and the radar allows me to wander all over the road looking for the best path and not worry about upsetting old mate in his 4WD. Also I still do shoulder checks. But with radar I don't bother looking if I already know there is traffic coming. Only complaint is the light is piss poor so have to run a 2nd light most of the time. I hate riding country roads without my radar.
Great review!! I have this unit and it’s flawless. A must have for any roadie!!!!
I am a Randonneur (Audax) and ride 200k~600k, one criteria I have for all bike devices is the ability to use them while charging. A friend has the first generation Varia and it DOES work while being charged, does the RTL510?
Great review thank you, Does the radar work at night? car head lights put it off etc.?
I didn't see the whole video but... can the head unit or the separate display unit do something like a rising pitch beep instead of just LEDs? You were taking your eyes off the road a lot to stare downwards and audio notifications could be safer here.
There are beeps for the connected unit
Hope I didn’t miss this in the vid. Does this version of the RDU head unit have audible warnings? Thanks for the video, getting ready to order.
The connected head unit beeps
Shane - Great video and a cool product. You didn't comment much on the light though. How do you compare it to other rear lights? I currently use the Bontrager Flare R and won't leave home without it.
It looks like the Bontrager Flare R has an output of 65 lumens. That is the same as the highest output of the RTL 510. Hope that helps!
I share your sentiments on the value of this product. I've been using the Gen 1 for around 6 months now and found it to be a really useful piece of kit that has enhanced my riding experience. I do a reasonable proportion of my riding solo. The radar detects cars long before my ears pick them up. I have found it extremely useful in so many different scenarios. I read a comment about the radar a while back which said something along the lines of: You won't know the value of this product until you use it. So true. One question - is there anything stopping someone else connecting their Garmin head unit to my radar? For example, on a group ride, could one or more riders connect to it and share the benefit of knowing when a car is approaching?
Other people can pair to it... and you become a friend with benefit! :)
Since it is an ANT+ device, you can connect multiple units to it. I am not if there is a limit to how many you can connect up to it. But, I do know you can connect multiple units to it. The only thing that has to be kept in mind is that the radar is on a single bike, so the cars could be closer or further away from a person depending on their position to the bike that has the radar on it.
Shane, quick question after only coming across this tech: It looks great for long lonely rides (which I do often); how does it work in group rides (on sportives etc) if you are in the middle of the peleton? Does it just pick up the riders behind you and I assume it can't pick up cars behind the riders behind you? Thanks (great video, as always)
Other rides in front of it is like standing in the doorway...it’ll see around them sometimes. Sometimes it’ll pick things up much later. It’s not a flaw, it’s just how it works.
Hi Shane Miller. As i saw from video you have Garmin edge 820, but in list -Supportetd devices- i didn't find model Garmin Edge 820. My quastions are 1.Is RTL-510 work (synchronize) with Garmin edge 820 ? 2.Is devices (Varia RTL-510 and Garmin edge 820, of course if Garmin edge 820 support with varia 510) make some alarm noise ? Thank's a lot.
The Edge 820 is supported. It makes a noise when a vehicle is detected.
Thank's a lot Shane for answer and for good review
Hi Shane, i have a Garmin Edge Explore 820 and thinking of purchasing the Garmin Varia RTL510 my question is do you receive audible alerts? If not, is the continuous eyes down to view head unit become a hazard in itself?
I believe it does, yes. My 820 isn't within reach to confirm.
I'd like to see how this deals with a big city area at rush hour, might be easier to let you know when there isn't a car there!
Switch it off. Expect cars.
I use the Varia (version 1) and do like its functionality... just improves my awareness and is very accurate. Can’t tell if I’m about to be run over or safely passed, but I still find it valuable.