Garmin Bundle Varia Smart Lights (HL501, TL301) - Reviews

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4.5.2016

Firstly, make sure the firmware of the radar light is up to date and same for the Edge if you're using one with the radar rear light, you can do this by installing Garmin Express on your PC and connecting the devices with a USB cable. I had problems with mine until I got both fully up to date.Summary - The Varia Rearview is a handy little device which does an effective job at showing vehicles coming up behind you, whether that's useful or not is up to the individual rider.Pros:- Simple, sturdy mount using the Garmin quarter circle system- effective radar with good range, multiple vehicle detection and shows approach speed- good integration with Edge devicesCons:- expensive- average batterylifeFullreviewThe Varia rearview radar is part of a new range which is a mix of smart lights and a heads up display system which can work on their own or connect to an Edge cycle computer for added benefits. Garmin sell the rearview light as a bundle with a dedicated display unit or you can use rearview with an Edge cycle computer, Garmin list the Edge 25, Edge 510, Edge 520, Edge 810, Edge 1000 and Edge Explorer 1000 as compatible - I've been using the Edge 520 with my rearview. The rearview uses the same type quarter circle mount as the Edge devices and there's a couple of mounts in the box, one a bracket you tighten up and one you put on with rubber bands I presume for larger or oddly shaped seatposts. I've found the mount has worked well on keeping the Edge attached to my bike and so far no issues with the rearview staying attached on the harsh ride of my road bike. The unit itself is simple with an on/off button that also changes modes, an array of red LEDs and a status LED which shows the charging status mainly.Adding the rearview to the Edge is straightforward and much the same as adding any other sensor, you choose to add a light type but if you're missing this option you probably need to update the firmware on the Edge. After updating my Edge 520 I added the rearview and it showed as connected including changing the display but it wouldn't actually show any cars approaching, I updated the firmware on the rearview and it's all worked fine since and the Edge has correctly detected the rearview each time it's been powered on. When the rearview is connected, the rearview will show the unit as both a light and a radar unit plus the display will change to show a wifi like symbol at the top left/right (you can change it in the options).When the unit detects a vehicle behind you, the Edge beeps and flashes red then a scale will appear up the side with a circle at the top representing you and then white dots come up from the bottom which show the cars. The faster the white dots approach the quicker the cars are approaching and then when they turn off or overtake the top dot changes to green and the display returns to the wifi symbol. I've been very impressed with how well the radar works as somehow it can detect multiple vehicles which it represents as multiple dots and it even works when within a group of bikes, when I had four pedal bikes behind me the unit was still reliably detecting vehicles approaching our group. The range when it first detects the vehicle is a reasonable distance, generally a good bit further back than I'd hear the car and giving you time to see how quickly the car is approaching. It also picked up motorbikes without issue despite the smaller size.Of course the system isn't perfect and Garmin themselves have a warning not to rely entirely on the unit, since it measures the difference in speed when cars join from side roads they may not show initially and also if they come up behind then slow to your speed they can disappear off the display until they speed up again to overtake. It's generally good at showing there's more than one car although with more than two cars in a group it doesn't always show all of them and going through town or built up areas I was getting some ghost returns. I didn't find any of these to be much of a problem when riding and mainly mentioning them to be thorough.The rearview also functions as a light with an array of red leds which by default show four flashing leds in the middle and as a detected vehicle is approaching more of the lights are activated . You can also choose to have the leds on solid instead although if you want to use the rearview purely as a radar device to conserve battery power, it seems you have to deactivate the light part every time you switch the Edge on which seems to be a bit of a bug and I'm not sure if they've sorted that yet as I've been leaving mine on the default flashing mode. I've not seen what this looks like from behind so I don't know how much benefit it is, I'm still using my normal rear lights although more lights can't hurt. One nice little touch is that when you switch the rearview on the leds will light in sequence to show how much the battery is charged.The main question is whether knowing that vehicles are approaching is actually useful or not and I've read quite a few criticisms that although the device works well, it's not actually that much use. When I'm at speed on the road bike I usually can't hear cars approaching because of the wind noise and the speed they're doing so I end up frequently checking over my shoulder, the rearview system means I know when vehicles are approaching, how many and at what speed. If I know there's cars coming I'll normally move over tighter to the side of the road particularly if I know there's multiple cars or a car coming at speed.On the downside, at £140+ it's an expensive accessory although so far I think it's well worth the money for my use. Batterylife isn't that great either as it's rated at around eight hours in flashing mode and five or so hours solid, I haven't tried how long it will last as I've been charging it between rides although it's lasted up to four and a half hours.

21.11.2016

The Garmin Varia rearview radar is (in Garmin’s own words) the world’s “first cycling radar that warns of vehicles approaching from behind up to 140 metres”. Welcome to the 21st century of cycling gadgets! During this review, I will be (briefly) providing an overview of the main features of the Varia radar, my own reasons for purchase and what the benefits of such a light system are.OVERVIEWIn simple terms, the Garmin Varia rearview radar is a backlight for your bike, that also acts as a radar to detect vehicles approaching from behind. Vehicle monitoring is achieved via a dedicated Varia head unit or by connecting and using a compatible Garmin Edge computer screen.The radar is available both as a standalone alone (ideal if you plan to use it with an Edge unit) or as a bundle with the radar and head unit. As I already have a Garmin Edge 1000, I went for the radar only, which is ideal as I prefer as less clutter on my bike’s cockpit as possible.Included in the box is the Varia radar tail light, seat-post mount, universal set-post mount, USB charging cable and manuals. According to my scale, the unit itself weighs in at 64.1 grams, which is very close to the weight advertised by Garmin of 63.5 grams. The unit is also fairly average for a tail light; 7.3cm x4.4cm x2.3cm. The is quite impressive considering that there is a sophisticated radar built in to detect motor vehicles from a distance behind.The unit lights up in two main modes, solid and flashing. I have not had much hands-on time with the unit (yet!), but to summarise, the radar picks up vehicles approaching you from behind (up to 140 metres) and displays this information on your Garmin Edge screen. The unit can detect up to eight vehicles simultaneously, each represented by a dot on the right side of the Edge’s screen. As the vehicle gets closer to you, the dot will migrate up to the top of the screen, and once it has passed, will disappear. Furthermore, the radar light will warn approaching vehicles by flashing faster and brighter as the vehicle approaches.Linking the unit to my Garmin Edge was a quick and simple process. You simply go to settings > devices > Varia, and then select the unit. You are now connected and each time you turn on the Edge unit, it will automatically connect the radar to your light network. The unit is charged via the included USB to micro-USB cable, and can be charged by any USB port. I am also a huge fan of the Garmin quarter turn mounting system. The radar is easily attached and secured to your seat post by the included seat post mount. To Garmin’s credit, they provide seat mount for either circular post or a curved one, so your bike will be catered for without the need to DIY or fiddle with your bike too much.REASONS FOR PURCHASEI do a lot of commuting on my road bike, usually four to five times/week. For my weekend rides, I like to venture out onto the quiet country lanes in Essex. I feel that both of these environments offer unique challenges during bike rides, sufficient to justify the need to be aware of motorists behind you, as well as the requirement to alert them of your presence.I recently purchased the Garmin Varia headlight, and being in the market for a quality rear light, it was a no-brainer to opt for the Varia radar, in no small part due to the seamless integration with the Varia headlight and Edge 1000. I feel that this is a complete system, with both front and rear lights being controlled by the Edge, as well as the benefit of vehicle detection.THE RADAR SYSTEMJust from taking to a few cyclist friends, I am well aware that many are not convinced by the rearview radar. Yes, the price is steep, retailing for £160 for the unit alone (although around 10% cheaper from online retailers), but it does serve a very important function. As a relatively new cyclist, I find myself looking over my shoulder quite often, for example when I wish to move over into the road for a right turn. Now I will not blindly trust the integrity of the Varia, as it is still a machine and there is the chance that it may not pick-up a car resulting in a false-negative. For this reason I will still us caution and common sense along with the Varia but it is nice to have a system that I can depend on for potentially less hazardous scenarios.I should add that the radar works much, much better on less busy roads. If you are cycling in the city, the radar does not work very well. This is because cars may be approaching you slower than your own speed(?), and in my tests it was picking up a lot of false positives.CONCLUSIONSIn some ways, the radar is a perfect companion to your rides, and in my opinion is the best rearview light available on the market today, purely due to the ability to detect vehicles, alert you on their positions and simultaneously alert the vehicle to your presence. To this end, I would highly recommend the Varia system to anyone who is willing to invest into their road safety. If you spend any significant time cycling on the road, you owe it to yourself to be safe!

22.4.2019

Garmin Varia RDU and RD510 rear light reviewBeing nearly 55 years old and having started cycling at the age of 5 or less, I can say with conviction that I have 5 decades of cycling experience under my belt! Still keen and fit, I would say that in terms of cycling safety, nothing can replace experience, road sense and good observation. Hence, it was with some magnanimity and caution that I approached this device to review - but ended up an enthusiastic convert.The small RDU unit clips easily using the Garmin ‘1/4 turn’ mount that fits to your cycle stem or crossbar (various adaptors are supplied). The rear light unit likewise connects to the rear seatpost (it must be firmly mounted - it cannot be clipped on like some rear lights).The two units pair via bluetooth.Mine initially would not pair until I did a firmware update which is done by syncing with the relevant Garmin iOS or Android app in your smartphone and the RDU.The rear light unit provides a useful 3 mode light functionality - bright, medium and flashing. As a light alone, It’s very good - one of the best I have used, with superb range. This is achieved by a small switch on the top of the unit. But the piece d’resistance is the built in rear-facing radar transceiver. It can detect multiple moving vehicles up to c.150 m behind your bicycle, within a 45 degree arc of radius. This information is beamed to the RDU to give a visual readout. Green - all clear, amber - vehicle/s approaching, red - vehicle approaching fast. A white led moves to show the approach of the vehicle/s. Simple and very effective and intuitive.I tested the set-up in two scenarios - busy London roads and quiet roads in rural Portugal.The system works remarkably well. With road tyre noise or just a light wind, even on quiet rural roads, it can often detect a vehicle coming before you can hear it. In heavy London traffic it works very well, coping with a stream of multiple cars and trucks easily. Its most useful advantage is that it gives you a visual all-clear indication if you want to turn left or right off a road. This can only be a double-check to your own observation, of course.It’s only shortcoming, clearly, is on a twisty road: cars out of direct line of sight would be missed by the radar beam as it would have a ‘blind spot’.If you have one of the newer Garmin Edge GPS cycle computers, you get more functionality and bluetooth connections to the RDU and rear light.Battery life of the in-built rechargeable Li-Ion batteries seem to be a commendable 15 hours in real use situations, though the rear light I only used in daylight in flashing mode.In summary, I am generally cynical about many gadgets and apps in modern life that are sometimes a ‘solution to a problem that doesn’t exist’, so to speak (marketing is usually about convincing us what we want rather than what we need) but I would not apply that analysis to this device. It’s a genuinely useful piece of technology. Build quality and engineering design are as high quality as we have come to expect from Garmin. So is it worth about £150? I would say so…..

26.6.2017

A clever but relatively expensive piece of technology that lets you know what's going on behind you before you move out to avoid that pot hole, that badly repaired section of road, or before you need to pull across traffic travelling at 60+ mph to make a right turn. Yes, I know some will say just look over your shoulder to see if it's clear, but this device will tell you if there is one or more cars there before you do. That information allows you to wait until the cars have cleared before taking that all important shoulder check.Again some will say that looking at your Garmin Edge Computer or the display screen that comes with the bundled version of this product means you're not looking where you are going but I find that argument flawed on at least 2 levels.

23.4.2017

I wasn't at all convinced that this purchase would be worth it - but it is!The Bike Radar works excellently with my Garmin 820, and I find it very reassuring to receive an alert when a car is approaching from behind me as I ride. Now, of course, very often I can hear a car is approaching, but sometimes the Garmin Radar picks up the vehicle well before I hear one coming. This is especially the case if I am riding into a wind, or going fast so that the air noise is high, or if traffic is coming towards me and blotting out the noise from behind. Also, it is useful when one car overtakes and there is another coming up behind.I wouldn't 100% rely on the Bike Radar for turns across traffic,

14.12.2017

This gadget quite simply saved my life. Nearly 2 weeks ago on my way home my Garmin head unit bleeped warning me of a car 140mts behind. I carried on riding dropped down a hill over a brook and whilst climbing I knew the vehicle was closer to me, so being the cyclist I am I moved over slightly to left then BANG! The car hit me and then drove off! I did suffer some injuries and I still suffering but If I hadn't moved over the car would have hit me and I would have been over the bonnet.Besides this its quite simply excellent, it gives you plenty of warning and also the number of vehicles behind. Its brilliant on club rides me warning others. Quite simply it gives me more confidence cycling either me own or in a group.

5.9.2017

I took up road cycling this year and on my first rides really struggled between wind noise and traffic noise.I absolutely love this radar and it integrates with my 520 really well.This has given me so much more confidence on the bike and I have found it to be very accurate. The warnings are well in advance of what you can hear and provides valuable seconds to consider what is approaching you and you are approaching and to make any precaution you might need.I cycle on busy A roads and quieter country B roads. Invaluable to me and encourages me to continue cycling. Battery lasts long (7+ hours is max I have tried it on).I think it also provides better awareness to the drivers thanks to the changes it can make to flashing as a car approaches.Overall,

5.5.2018

I have it paired with a Garmin Edge 1030 head unit. I can't say enough good about it. In a few hundred miles of riding on small English country roads, it has not missed a car. There have been a couple of late notices because the car was hidden by another car or a bend in the road with hedges. Only one or two false positives. On a busier road it would easily pick up 4-5 cars in a row. All in all it gives me confidence and I don't feel like I constantly need to be looking over my shoulder. While it is pricey, it is cheaper than hospital bills because you decided to try to avoid a rough patch of road when you thought you were clear.Update, still love it. I regularly ride with a few other guys,

30.4.2017

I have been using this for about 6 months now mainly on UK B roads. The improvement in vehicle awareness to me due to its use is quite a subjective measure though I do feel the number of close passes has reduced since I started using it. The key value is knowing exactly how many cars are behind me and approximately where and being able to use that information to calculate risk related to the timing of oncoming cars passing at the same time as being overtaken, a key problem on B roads. I use it with an Edge-810 head unit and have found it to be near 100% reliable in spotting cars (and motorcycles) with the occasional false positive, obviously Garmin have rightly biased the sensitivity that way.

7.1.2018

I am using this on three bikes, including a tandem that I cycle with a blind friend. It is particularly useful when turning right off a main road as it saves from having to constantly look over your shoulder for a gap in the traffic. I will still not move out without checking, but it saves lots of unnecessary checks. It normally detects cars long before they can be heard. When riding into a headwind it has detected a following car 12 seconds before I could hear it. It will not stop you being knocked off, but it does keep you aware, and makes you more careful when cars are just behind. There are a limited number of mounts available. If you have a rear rack with panniers then you will probably end up having to manufacture a mount.

6.7.2016

I was sceptical about this. When it came out I thought it was a bit of a gimmick. But a colleague got one and raved about i so I ended up getting one. I am amazed at how useful it is. I live in a rural area and my riding is on narrow lanes. This has has given me much more freedom. Riding reasonably quickly the wind blots out the sound of cars behind, so I had been subconsciously straining to hear, or had been surprised by cars behind. This toy let's you know so riding is more relaxed. In small villages it gives a clear idea of how far a car is behind and how fast it is gaining on me. i can safely judge whether I have time to pull out to move past a parked car or whether i need to go slower.

10.2.2017

Very useful, especially in winter when your ears are likely to be covered or if its windy. The radar beeps and you see how many cars are behind you and where they are. Definitely gives you a more secure feeling and worth using. The downsides, first, it does drain the battery of your Edge. Today, after a three and half hour ride the battery of my 2 years old Garmin Edge 1000 was at 44% (also running a Stages power meter and heart rate monitor, temperatures around 0C). Second, I had a few cases where the connection freezes and the radar shows as being connected but stops warning you. The only solution to get it working again is to restart your Edge (and your ride).

27.11.2016

This is the second unit I have received. The first just didn't work so I returned it. When this one arrived I had to check it out straight away.. it was a horrible night so didn't take the bike out but stood at the side of the road in the village to test it. I have to say it was brilliant and I'm glad I reordered. It clearly showed multiple dots getting towards the top of the screen and the other benefit, if you live in a village which has a 30 limit and most ignore it.... the flashing red light doesn't half make them slow down!I will now ride with more confidence that I'm not going to be "rear ended" by a driver who doesn't see me.

28.2.2018

having brought this a while ago now and having time to try it out, living on Sheppey with only one road off for cycles to use, it's saved me a few times from having cars sneak up behind me also it picks up 2 or more cyclist coming up from behind me.also have found that if you turn off the display unit the tail unit shuts down as well, one less thing to remember to turn off.only possible draw back its ok at night but the rear light does not seem that bright during the day when I'm out but having said that it's ok as a pair of eyes in the back of your head, if anything goes wrong with this unit I'll will buy it again no problem

11.9.2017

It's not the lightest lamp in the ? but it's beam pattern is very good for road use and even better when integrated with compatible Garmin GPS Units. I.e. The Edge 25 works well.A little Heavy and the bracket could do with a larger Allen Bolt as I had trouble getting it to stop dropping when navigating rougher terrain but otherwise delighted. It has three brightness's and a flash mode claiming to last 12-15 Hrs but full power 2.5 hrsThe switch on the lamp is very stiff to operate and has no click to it, so I opted for the varia remote control which is another outlay but is far easier to operate

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