Brand promises ‘best in class experience compared to Garmin Varia and other competitors’
Anyone here have experience with radar devices like this? Wondering if it would be fundamentally different from hearing cars approaching
No personal experience but I’ve heard a number of people speak favorably of their Varia for whatever that’s worth.
Anyone here have experience with radar devices like this?
I have the Varia RTL515, and it’s been amazing. There are some cars that you simply will not hear behind you, and this thing catches them (and any cars behind them) without missing a beat! It also helps catch e-bikes or e-scooters or faster riders approaching from behind on trails.
It integrates nicely with my Garmin bike computer.
One thing it helps with is it avoids you having to constantly look behind you, especially in areas that have potholes and other road hazards. It also allows you to pace lane changes depending on how many (or few) vehicles you see on the radar.
As a rear light, it will flash depending on how close an upcoming vehicle gets, so it draws their attention more than a static or simple flashing light. I’ve had another rider with a radar comment that motorists have praised this feature when they see it in action.
Wait, it can tell how many cars are behind you? That’s pretty impressive…
Yes, so on my bike computer the radar will put dots (along with an audio queue) for each vehicle it detects. So, if there are four of them, you’ll see four dots at their respective distance from you.
Not only that, but with a third-party app that I can install on my Garmin bike computer, the radar can capture speed data of those passing cars! It’s some very cool techn.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Damn, that’s pretty cool. I think I might’ve just figured out what to hint I’d like for a birthday gift this year lol, been wanting to get a Garmin computer for my commuter anyhow…
I love my bike computer. Yes, you don’t “need” one, but once you start using the features like navigation, fitness tracking, and have it as a tool to better your health, it becomes incredibly valuable.
I prefer it over using my phone as a navigation device for more than a few reasons 😀
I have a Garmin watch and it’s been pretty solid so I’m kinda sold on them as a company between my experience with the watch and the computer reviews.
It also helps catch e-bikes
Granted, if you are riding with someone on an e-bike, it can just repeatedly detect them through your ride.
Granted, if you are riding with someone on an e-bike, it can just repeatedly detect them through your ride.
The way mine works is that it will only notify you when a vehicle is moving at a speed that can overtake you. If an ebike (or any vehicle) is moving behind you at the same speed, you won’t be constantly alerted, but the “dot” representing them on your screen will show up so you know they are behind you.
You will be notified when a vehicle is no longer behind/beside you.
But yes, if you are riding with people behind you, and they are constantly fluctuating their speed, you will be alerted multiple times. Not a bad thing (you can mute the alerts), but it can be annoying if you ride in crowded city bike paths. A radar won’t add much value in that context, so I would just keep it on to act as a rear taillight.
I personally don’t have any experience with it, but times that I’ve seen people who have used it they’ve had extremely positive things to say.
Personally I’d rather have a camera/light combo because I just don’t particularly see how useful the radar would be. So I use a Cycliq, and if it dies, I might consider the Varia RCT715 which has a camera in addition to its radar.
‘best in class experience compared to Garmin Varia and other competitors’
Oh yeah? Why use some proprietary mount, then?
A quarter turn mount is standard with so many products (Garmin and non-Garmin) and that compatibility strengthens their position.
I wouldn’t go with the Trek radar simply because of the mount.
I’d rather see more entries into the Cycliq market. They’re infamous for their products failing prematurely and my experience has been disappointing camera quality, but there are only one or two other companies producing actual competition to them. From people who’ve used it I’ve heard only good things about the Varias and their radars, but to me it always seemed more of a gimmick compared to the utility of having a camera.
