Varia RTL515 Rearview Radar with Taillight
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Varia RTL515 Rearview Radar with Taillight
As functional as the bar and helmet-mounted mirrors are, there is a cost in aerodynamic drag and, for some reason, an insurmountable drag to the image of the road-devoted cyclist. Garmin preserves our pride and taps into some nifty tech with the Varia RTL515 Rearview Radar with Taillight, that packs significant features into a small package. Fitting onto most road bike seat posts, it tucks out of the way and is a rear-facing, red light flasher with a built-in automobile radar feature.
The standard bulb modes are found here with 20 lumens on solid beam, 29 on night flash, and 65 on day flash, however, the Varia sends it over the top with a courteous peloton specific mode with 8 lumens of brightness. So keep your group ride safer without creating frenemies along the way.
The Varia's primary feature is the radar that picks up traffic headed your way from 140 meters behind, and relays that information to your Garmin Edge bike computer or Varia app on a smartphone. The "car" shows a relative distance to help you judge proximity and gives you time to make lane adjustments or turn corrections. And the bulb provides enough visibility for you to be seen from up to one mile away.
Battery life is impressive with 16 hours of on flash mode and six hours on solid, which will see you safely through most training rides.
Details
- Seatpost mounted taillight and radar provide peace of mind
- Oncoming car data is displayed to your Garmin Edge computer or phone
- Proximity display helps you make lane corrections in time
- Taillight is visible from up to a mile away
- Conserve battery with various bulb intensities to suit the conditions
- Peloton mode turns down lights to keep the pack happy
- Item #GRMF011
- Bulbs
- LED
- Power Source
- built-in lithium-ion battery, rechargeable by USB or wall-socket
- Modes
- solid, peloton, night flash, day flash
- Lumens
- [solid] 20, [peloton] 8, [night flash] 29, [day flash] 65
- Burn Time
- [solid] 6 hours, [peloton] 8 hours, [night flash] 6 hours, [day flash] 16 hours
- Mount
- seatpost
- Waterproof
- IPX7
- Includes
- Varia RTL515, mounting kit, cables, documentation
- Dimensions
- 3.9 x 0.8 x 1.6in
- Claimed Weight
- 2.5oz
- Manufacturer Warranty
- 1 year
Reviews
Q&A
What do you think about this product?
Overall Rating
5 based on 13 ratings
Review Summary
Fits True To Size
Screen reader users: the following list provides a visual scale to illustrate the product fit. Please refer to the heading above for the fit type in text.View
Selecting an option will reload the available reviews on the pageDecember 15, 2024
Safety first
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
This is the second purchase of this item. I have the original and needed a second one for a new bike. I wouldnt ride without it. It works well with my Wahoo ROAM and BOLT.
Originally reviewed on Competitivecyclist.com
October 14, 2024
Excelente product
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
This is my second one, it’s great
Originally reviewed on Competitivecyclist.com
August 30, 2024
Amazing radar tail light combo
- Familiarity:
- I've put it through the wringer
Paired with Garmin 530 Edge. Don't know how I lived w/o it. All at a very reasonable price (it was on sale) Only regret, should of purchased earlier
Originally reviewed on Competitivecyclist.com
August 15, 2024
Game Changer!
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
After just a few rides, this has proven itself as a must-have to anyone who rides on the road. It works EXACTLY as described. Easy to us, easy to hear, easy to pair to the Garmin Edge 800.
August 4, 2024
Radar backlight
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
It iş bey useful especially when you’re riding alone and dark
Originally reviewed on Competitivecyclist.com
July 21, 2024
Shouldn't have waited
Anytime I was in a group ride I benefited from the people around me with these. I am glad I finally picked up my own. First couple rides and I am annoyed I waited so long. Paired quickly to my Edge 820 and off and running.
June 28, 2024
Extremely helpful!
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
I have been riding on the roads for a long time, now having the Varia alert me to cars and bikes coming up behind me is awesome. Wish I purchased this earlier!
Originally reviewed on Competitivecyclist.com
June 19, 2024
Simply excellent!
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
I have used this for a couple and so rides already and I am very happy with it. Everything I have read about before buying this has been true and accurate. I was worried a bit that during group rides, the bike behind you would trigger an alert, but as engineered, it will not recognize cyclists behind you running at the same speed. What's more, even with several cyclists right behind you, when it detects a car entering the threshold, the alert goes off. Simply an amazing technology and product and it beats trying to look back if it is safe to change lanes due to no incoming traffic. I only wished that I got the version with the camera with it. Better than Trek CarBack in a sense that Trek's version claims it can detect vehicles at a greater distance. From a video review, Trek is no better than Garmin's. I guess, CarBack is simply just too new to work it kinks out. Maybe after a few years when CarBack has reached the maturity of the Varia. But then again, I don't see the marginal value of having to detect vehicles in a greater distance than 140m. Time to get a Garmin watch to take advantage of vibration alerts. I have just learned an app integration with Apple Watch called ARadar. Downloaded it and hope it works!
June 8, 2024
Great product
- Familiarity:
- I've used it several times
Works as advertised and worth the money. Will not ride on the streets without it.
April 11, 2024
Works perfectly
I had the first varia that came out. It was good, but this one is much improved. I used it recently on a couple week bikepacking trip in Spain. It detects vehicles further back than the earlier version. The beep and visual from my garmin computer gave me a heads up. The battery life is excellent, and most days lasts longer than a person can pedal. I really like the device for giving me another piece of data to help avoid cars.
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