Opinions on Garmin Varia

[Shut Up Legs]

I prefer a mirror: I have one mounted on my handlebar, in a position where it doesn't interfere with my handlebar grip in any way, and it has good coverage of my rear view. I still look behind when I need to, though. Advantages of a mirror: (a) no batteries to recharge, (b) cheaper and easier to replace if broken, (c) doesn't have the 'same speed' limitation of the Varia, (d) more reliable than the Varia, because a mirror has one simple function and always performs it.

I'm not anti-tech, by the way: I've used Garmin (and other) GPS computers for many years and love using them to record my rides, but I've never used a Varia, so my above assessment is based only on what I've read on this thread and on other forums.

Also, as @ColinJ just mentioned, I'm also hard of hearing (I was born with it), and any device that beeps at me has only limited usefulness for me.

 

[ColinJ]

Also, as @ColinJ just mentioned, I'm also hard of hearing (I was born with it), and any device that beeps at me has only limited usefulness for me.

I do find the Varia handy, but I still have problems hearing the beeps from my Wahoo Elemnt Bolt under certain conditions.

I have therefore just installed the Varia app on my phone. I tried it out inside the house with the Varia in test mode (press and hold the power button to start the device, and continue pressing until the Bluetooth LED starts flashing yellow). Alert sounds from the phone app are definitely loud enough for me to hear in virtually any conditions that I am likely to ride in.

I will have to see if the app is reliable. I read about some users having problems with the app losing connection, or shutting down. I also want to see if the phone battery drain is acceptable.

I am thinking of contacting Wahoo to suggest a mod to their firmware to enable their head units to send radar notifications to phones. If they did that then there would be no need to run the Varia app. I would patch such notifications through to my smartwatch so I would get a warning vibration on my wrist every time a vehicle came into range behind me.

 

[Sea of vapours]

I still have problems hearing the beeps

I presume you do have the top LEDs on the Bolt set to alert from the Varia? I concur that the beeps are more noticeable, assuming you can hear them, than the flashing LED alert, but they're a help.

so I would get a warning vibration on my wrist

And in contrast to my first comment: do you notice wrist vibrations, specifically when cycling? I have had my watch set to vibrate for assorted things but hardly ever noticed it when cycling.

 

[ColinJ]

I presume you do have the top LEDs on the Bolt set to alert from the Varia? I concur that the beeps are more noticeable, assuming you can hear them, than the flashing LED alert, but they're a help.

I do, but they have the same problem as the side display and my mirror, which is that I get distracted and forget to look down! I don't notice the lights in my peripheral vision in sunny conditions. Maybe I would with less ambient light?

On yesterday's scenic ride with a pal, multiple times I was riding alongside chatting to him, and he interrupted me to warn about a fast-moving vehicle approaching from behind.

And in contrast to my first comment: do you notice wrist vibrations, specifically when cycling? I have had my watch set to vibrate for assorted things but hardly ever noticed it when cycling.

I do! I was quite surprised by how strong the vibrations are, having read reviews from people complaining that they were too weak. In fact, I just found a vibration intensity setting on the watch and have turned it down slightly because it was a little too intense. I will check to see if I still notice alerts when busy doing things. (It is a Pixel Watch 4. I think that Google boosted the vibration intensity from that on models 1/2/3.)

 

[geocycle]

Has anyone tried the new Garmin Varia RearView 820? Sounds like a better radar but v pricey.

I have been using an old Garmin 315 radar only version on the commuter with an old Element Bolt v1. The 315 has just broken and the Bolt v 1 is really only useful as a radar display unit now, so I’m debating whether to replace with another RTL515 and get a new wahoo headset (I already use one on my other bikes) or something else. In practice I’d put the new kit on the best bikes and downcycle the current tech to the commuter.

 

[ColinJ]

Has anyone tried the new Garmin Varia RearView 820? Sounds like a better radar but v pricey.

GPLama sounded generally pretty impressed in his review a few months back, but he did flag some issues that needed addressing...

 

[Dogtrousers]

DC Rainmaker 's super detailed review of the 820. I'll just link it rather than try to paraphrase as it's so detailed.

View: https://youtu.be/AHjDw6Vsyvs?is=G8PxXFM8qdho0bxJ

One thing he says which is wrong is that whatever your setup the new one can replace the 520 because the mounts are the same. Not so. Looking at it the 820 has the quarter turn mount lower down so it sits higher on the mount. If you have tight clearance (eg a tool bag sitting above the radar) the new one won't fit

 

[johnnyb47]

I posted here a couple of years back about mine and I was very impressed with it back then.
2 years on its still working faultlessly and wouldn't be without it to be perfectly honest.
It's been unbelievably accurate and it puts me on my guard every time it alerts me to passing traffic.
The only thing I would say is that it is very easy to rely on it to much, and you can subconsciously just use it without doing shoulder checks of what's behind you .
I have to sometimes remind myself of this

 

[Mike_P]

I posted here a couple of years back about mine and I was very impressed with it back then.
2 years on its still working faultlessly and wouldn't be without it to be perfectly honest.
It's been unbelievably accurate and it puts me on my guard every time it alerts me to passing traffic.
The only thing I would say is that it is very easy to rely on it to much, and you can subconsciously just use it without doing shoulder checks of what's behind you .
I have to sometimes remind myself of this

The problem is a vehicle behind matching your speed is no longer recognised. Plainly shouldn't be a problem but then doing a right turn is likely to result in the blast of a horn.

 

[Sea of vapours]

The problem is a vehicle behind matching your speed is no longer recognised. Plainly shouldn't be a problem but then doing a right turn is likely to result in the blast of a horn.

That is the single, to me at least, best feature of the new version (820). It is now able to track same-speed vehicles very well. As you say, not essential, and one should check, etc, but it's definitely an enhancement.

 

[cougie uk]

I posted here a couple of years back about mine and I was very impressed with it back then.
2 years on its still working faultlessly and wouldn't be without it to be perfectly honest.
It's been unbelievably accurate and it puts me on my guard every time it alerts me to passing traffic.
The only thing I would say is that it is very easy to rely on it to much, and you can subconsciously just use it without doing shoulder checks of what's behind you .
I have to sometimes remind myself of this

Had mine for three and a bit years now and it's still absolutely fantastic. Very impressed with the technology.

 

[Dogtrousers]

A big problem is the lack of mounts. If you have loads of exposed seat post, great. But aside from that there are no alternatives.

Ok there are a few dodgy "I 3d printed this thing" alternatives, but nothing at all from Garmin.

 

[cougie uk]

A big problem is the lack of mounts. If you have loads of exposed seat post, great. But aside from that there are no alternatives.

Ok there are a few dodgy "I 3d printed this thing" alternatives, but nothing at all from Garmin.

I have a saddle rail mount that's worked really well with my garmin. Annoyingly i cant get my saddlepack to fit under though.
Mate has a 3D printed one for his S works and fits perfectly on his immaculate bike. Nothing dodgy goes on there ! :-)

 

[Mike_P]

A big problem is the lack of mounts. If you have loads of exposed seat post, great. But aside from that there are no alternatives.

Ok there are a few dodgy "I 3d printed this thing" alternatives, but nothing at all from Garmin.

As posted earlier in the thread I fitted the circle part of a Garmin mount to a saddle bag
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/what-have-you-fettled-today.87079/post-6544525

 

[Dogtrousers]

As posted earlier in the thread I fitted the circle part of a Garmin mount to a saddle bag
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/what-have-you-fettled-today.87079/post-6544525

I've bodged mine too. I bought a quarter turn mount off Amazon, hacked it about with a Dremel and bolted it on to my rack.

But the annoying thing is that all this dodgy bodgery is necessary because Garmin assumes that everyone has 20cm of exposed seat post.