Reviews over the

Garmin Varia RTL515 Rearview Radar

Super, fast shipping and the rear light with daytime flash mega

I love it. It connected so quickly and easily with the wahoo and shows approaching vehicles quickly and reliably. Unfortunately, the flashing rear light is not permitted in Germany, but the Garmin Varia has different modes, so no problem.

The standard mount from garmin is of poor quality. The rubber band is supposed to hold things in place, which it cannot do. In cobblestones or the like, the vibration becomes too intense and it starts hanging crookedly. I also wonder how long the rubber strap will last.

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Cars are getting quieter. You hear them harder and harder. Now I can just see them coming. Brilliant when you have to dodge a parked car on an embankment......

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Super!!!

Very easy to Connect with bike navigation, this device should actually be mandatory before you even hear anything of the approaching car or motor the vara has already notified you and you see on your screen the vehicle approaching

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Cars are detected even before they are audible. Pairable with multiple GPS devices. Makes cycling a lot safer!

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With contemporary motorists indispensable on the road bike

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True to expectations. Would prefer fixed mounting, like the mount at the navigation. And a lanyard so that radar does not get lost if e.g. dropped

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Already the second device. Perfect for road journeys and the flashing light means you can be reliably recognised.

Highly recommended. Gives you a feeling of safety. Also clearly visible during the day. I purchased the screw-on bracket from a third-party supplier.

Device also detects cars on the road if you drive on a cycle path which is quite a distance from the road (5 metres). This is disturbing.

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I hesitated for a long time because it is pricey .after buying it tested it and came to the conclusion that this product is well worth its money. Due to whiplash I cannot see well behind me. The garmin Varia RTL515 now helps me keep an eye on everything happening behind me. It is a tool I should have bought much earlier. This is highly recommended

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Experience to 4 course is fine

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It is a great gadget for safely cycling on shared roads. The coverage is more than enough to get a good idea of the traffic behind you. The included adapters make it fit virtually any type of frame. I recommend it for group rides and rides on roads where several cars are expected.

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Great rear light, especially when combined with a comptable bike computer. It is waterproof but the on-off mode button is very sensitive to grains of sand. As a result, the button sticks. Today I exchanged mine as there was no more movement in the button. Kudos to the Mantel employee in Utrecht (who got me a new one without any problems) who advised me to order a silicone cover on the internet to protect the button, among other things. Naturally, I followed his advice.

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I feel safe, when I need to avoid an obstacle on the road, a simple glance can save you from the worst.

A safe bright rear light that is easy to use.

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Works super especially after the good explanation and installation by Mantel.

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Perfect for the daily journey to work!

The Garmin Varia rear light is very good. The radar shows all approaching vehicles. The rear light is very bright and the battery lasts a very long time.

I should have had these years ago...

Radar works excellently, provides safety because you are never surprised by traffic

Works better than expected, easy to pair with my edge, I use it on my road bike and e bike, so even when we cycle together my wife can hear and see from the flashing and beeping that a car is approaching.

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Have had the product for 3 weeks now and works very nicely

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Good and easy to install. Meets expectations.

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Plug and play. Lots of light. Good detection of following traffic. Requires a complex to install app on your satnav for more features. Battery lasts about 2 long rides. Location on your seat post could be better. I used a tiewrap just to be sure. So did my club friends.

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I struggled for a long time with whether the device was worth the money and whether I would prefer to use the version with dashcam. Mantel had the best price and the safest ;) features. Especially on country roads, with the increasing number of quiet e-cars, it is extremely helpful to know when a car is approaching without having to constantly look behind and possibly overlooking potholes, branches or other obstacles. The accuracy of the display is pretty good. On the display of a Garmin Edge, you can see the vehicles approaching as dots on the side of the display. It is important to note that the top edge of the Garmin is not the location of your bike, but a few millimetres below it. If the dots leave the display at the top, they have already passed the bike. The device is able to detect vehicles even through crash barriers and bushes if you are on a path next to the motorway/country road/main road. It is not the lightest and smallest device, but it is indispensable in poor visibility (dusk, brightest sun, fog, rain). What I would still like to see: - A brake light function like the Sigma Blaze - Recognising cyclists (especially racing bikes that want to overtake you)

Easy to use.

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After almost 1000 kilometres I haven't had a single false alarm and only twice or three times have I noticed a car behind me before it was detected by my Varia.

The varia rtl515 works perfectly on the bike computer, the garmin viva activ smartwatch and via the varia app on the mobile phone. I have hearing problems and am now informed early about traffic coming up behind.

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I have also been riding the RVR315 without lights for years and can no longer imagine riding a bike without using Varia and rear-view mirrors. I feel much safer in the face of approaching vehicles. Drivers behave differently with the indicator function. They keep more distance to the rear and to the side.

Only 3 days between purchase and delivery in France...well done. Ideal equipment for not being surprised by the arrival of a car behind your back. Perfect integration with my Wahoo GPS. I recommend this equipment for all types of cycling.

I have the RTL 516 which has STVO approval. This is completely incomprehensible, as the light output is rather weak and it is only approved for continuous lighting mode. The RTL 515, on the other hand, lights up in different modes, is much brighter at certain settings and the flashing has a high recognition effect. The best you can buy for your own safety.

Macht was es verspricht. Fahrzeug-Erfassung sehr gut, dabei Blinkt auch das Licht um dich gut erkennbar zu machen. Licht sehr hell.

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Works beautifully, sometimes indicating behindcoming traffic before you have seen them yourself. The person in your wheel, it predominantly does not report happily.

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A serious, highly visible and responsive system. Increases cyclists' safety.

Very solid material. Battery life is very good. Radar works perfectly and good visibility e.g. Wahoo. Easy to connect to your navigation system

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Did hesitate for a long time because it has been going well for 30 years without it anyway. But this is a product you don't want to miss once you buy it. Has a sense of security when you get early warning of traffic coming up behind. You no longer have those jittery moments and can cycle behind in a timely and calm manner. I feel that cars now also pass more calmly and don't rush past irritated or honk loudly. In short: the Garmin Varia gives peace of mind and a safer feeling. The somewhat high purchase price was quickly forgotten. The warning does not work as well when riding in a group. This makes sense because the radar cannot see through people. (Always riding in the back of the group (out of the wind) is then an option :-). The radar also continues to work with the "light off" mode. This gives you a long battery life and the warning light is not needed during the day. Ivmm short seatpost I had to buy one smaller tool bag (1 tube and tools). It is also an option to put the tools in a tool bottle. After all, how often do you cycle with two water bottles!

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Nice sturdy radar & lamp in one. Works seamlessly with Garmin cycle computer. Good recognition of cars and also approaching cyclists. Very precise! Modes for lighting easy to operate. Sometimes bothered by proverbial ghost notification of a car on a dyke about 3 metres higher. Not a big deal, radar doesn't miss anything and that's reassuring. Mounting material is a bit so-so with the rubber straps, it suffices but that's it. Included for on multiple seatpost shapes. All in all very positive experience, don't cycle without it anymore.

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It exceeds my expectations !!!

I use it on my road bike. The Edge/Varia shows whether there is something going on behind me on the road - or whether there is nothing going on. It is more relaxed when there is a lot of traffic and also when there is very little. The vehicle recognition actually works excellently, better than I expected. The biggest advantage for me is not being surprised. Overall, it's much better than just hearing (wind noise, several vehicles in a row, etc.) or even a small mirror. If you want, you can optimise it individually via ConnectIQ and Smart Bike Lights.

Quickly mounted, installed and tested (with Garmin Edge 530) - great!

All in all, a great improvement when you're travelling in busy areas. I wouldn't want to be without it.

I'm so excited that you can now always keep an eye on the traffic from behind.

I opted for the EU version with blink mode as I cycle a lot in Italy and France. For long tours in the Alps, you need the flashing mode to have a good battery life. The brightness is great, and thanks to the Rader function I am always informed about vehicles approaching from behind. I generally always ride with the Varia as I've got used to it. It's a reassuring feeling to see on the display of the Garmin Edge when a vehicle is approaching from behind.

The radar function in particular is ingenious, seeing cars that you can't recognise despite the mirror

On the road, indispensable for warning us of the arrival of a vehicle long before we hear it!

It has become indispensable to me for my daily commute and my cycling trips.

simply a great product from garmin

Easy to pair with the Garmin. Indicates in time when something is coming up behind you. On the cycle path, however, the radar also detects traffic on the motorway, which I found annoying at first, but soon got used to.

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I bought this radar when I went cycling in Spain because you usually cycle on the motorway there. It detects following traffic very well and already from far away. It can see how many cars are coming and how fast they are going. The light is very highly visible and it makes me feel safe, the radar detects it even before I can hear the traffic myself. Unexpected advantage is in descents where you can't hear the traffic coming because of the wind. However, there is a big disadvantage to it and that is that at random times it disconnects the radar and then gives a sensor error. Then the radar stops working and you have to push those notifications away on your bike computer, which is very distracting. This happens several times every ride, sometimes several times in quick succession.

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Fahre seit Jahren mit dem Varia. Es ist eine Bereicherung fürs Radfahren. Viel mehr Sicherheit, da man weiß, was hinter einem passiert.

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Now I don't have to turn around all the time

The Garmin LED light provides a very bright light, and gives an extra alarming flickering light when traffic is following behind. The radar gives a safe feeling because it is linked to the Garmin Edge and gives a signal + visual. Battery is fine and lasts for several hour-long rides. Mounting is simple and effective for many frames but feels cheap and unfortunately not suitable for the Giant Propel. Purchased a saddle mount myself for a few euros which fits optimally (for any bike) and feels better quality.

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Amazing detection of approaching cars and very bright light. Seatpost mount is not so stable though. I use it with gopro mount adapter instead to give much more stable attachment.

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Excellent, reliable product. Allows me to tackle descents with better trajectories or to be more central when the roads are bad on the sides without having to turn round all the time. When the audible and visual signals inform me, I have time to reposition myself. Be careful, though, as the radar doesn't have the same effectiveness in tight bends or when a car is following at the same speed, it disappears from the screen, so it can be a surprise when it suddenly overtakes. Overall, though, it's a very valuable accessory that I'd recommend. The rear light also contributes to good visibility.

The function is excellent and the device has a very good quality.

I really like this rear light. It improves my situational awareness on the road and I will use it on all my training rides from now on. I think this flashing RTL515 version is better than the steady RTL516. Both are legal in Sweden. I think cars will see you earlier and also possibly give you more room with the adaptive flashes. I wouldn't hesitate to buy it again. The only downsides discovered is that it has occasionally had short drop outs with a message on my head unit that it was disconnected and seconds later connected again. It has also somtimes warned me for cyclists that are sitting on my wheel as if they were cars approaching from behind.

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I bought these to go cycling with in Spain, since they don't have separate bike paths there. The radar already detects approaching vehicles from a great distance and also how fast they are going and how many there are. It is really nice to be prepared that something is coming, so you can already start riding behind each other and a little more to the side. You also don't get surprised anymore on the descents when the wind whistles in your ears and you can't hear if something is coming up behind you. Unfortunately, occasionally it spontaneously disengages and falls into sensor error. I again do not know if that is part of it or if this is a defect.

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After about three bike rides, I can say it is a good product. Works great with a Wahoo Element, easy to connect via Bluetooth. Vehicles are recognized and indicated in the display. A safe and convenient tool. Very occasionally a message that the cog has a connection error, after all they are still wireless devices, but that also quickly clears itself. It also detects vehicles on the road when the bike path is 10 meters next to it. But so far a fine cog with rear light which provides a bit of extra safety.

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Didn't think it would work so well

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Meets expectations as radar and action on approaching vehicle. Automatic on-off works. Can be used and charged at the same time. Lighting can be programmed differently if desired. Only Micro USB is such a shame. USB C would be nicer because of stable connection. And ah yes, the Garmin mount is quarter turned compared to an Edge. That's not practical if you want to use something other than the included standard mount; I have the Varia on a GoPro mount. All in all, a serious recommendation! Top done Garmin.

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Now my bikes are perfectly equipped. Very early and reliable warning when a fast vehicle approaching from behind. No more ride without radar.

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The saddlebag has touched and operated the on / off button. Have the holder therefore sewn to the saddlebag. Otherwise it works very well.

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Use more than meets and exceeds my expectations

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So far no vehicle has been overlooked

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Very briefly get used to the layout. After that, you won't want to miss it. Increases your own safety, but also that of other road users.

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I had long wondered whether I needed it at all. Once you've tested it, you don't want to do without it.

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Safety is priceless, but this is an absolute bonus. In "good visibility" mode, lamp and radar last Saturday lasted 11 hours before I received notification to charge it.

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The radar works great. Ideal for detecting traffic behind you (autos, speedpedelecs). You are visible from very far away. Very long battery life.

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Feels safer anyway

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Excellent safety feature on the road, reliably indicates approaching traffic that is moving faster than you (cars, bicycles etc.)

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Above expectations, use together with garmin edge; especially nice as I cycle a lot In empty polder landscape; extra long battery life by keeping lamp off and radar on....

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Unfortunately after every ride in or after a rain shower, there is a lot of fine sand between the knob causing it to stick. A hassle to get that button working again.

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So far, the device has reliably detected and displayed on my Garmin 1030+ everything that approached from behind and overtook, including cyclists. Especially when approaching quietly and suddenly passing in close proximity, the moment of shock is now eliminated, which, for me, creates an increased feeling of safety. I can fully recommend the product

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A great product for the road bike. Cars and motorbikes are safely detected. Strong light increases the rider's visibility.

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Very good 'you see me, i see you' principle, works really well and you can already see the car behind you on your display using red lines and a dot which comes up behind you and the lines turn green again when the car has passed. you keep an eye on the car coming up behind because you know it's coming.

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I have been riding around with the Varia RTL515 on my road bike for over a year now. It really gives me a super safe feeling, you may speak of extra eyes in your back which gives safety a huge added value. I notice that cars pass me in a wider arc when overtaking. I was once complimented by a police officer saying "every cyclist should have that device". I first used the device in combination with the Garmin Edge Explore. The disadvantage was that the beeping signal of the Edge Explore is very soft. In all honesty, I sometimes missed overtaking traffic coming from behind because of this. After all, you are not constantly looking at your bike computer. Now I ride around with the Garmin Edge 1030 Plus. This one has a much louder signal tone. Great, you can't miss the beep now. Combined with all the information on the screen, even safer! I really never take off without the Varia RTL515 again (cycling 10,000 km. a year). One downside: I ride with a bag under the saddle. This leaves no room to mount the Varia RTL515 to the seatpost. I therefore had to attach it to my saddle bag itself, which was a bit of a puzzle.

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A really great product, worth every penny.

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Absolutely meets my expectations

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A safe feeling on the country road.

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Gives you the feeling of additional safety as you are better seen and also warned of approaching traffic from behind.

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So far, everything is working great.

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teammates find rear light too bright light intensity should be adjustable but that requires adding screen options yourself first

Didn't see the benefit of this radar at first. But since I was only going to cycle in the mountains, I did. Very satisfied with it. Sometimes, due to curvy mountain roads, you can't hear traffic coming, but the radar already detects it! The battery also lasts a long time (at least on flashing mode). Well worth the money already!

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The unit does its job absolutely reliably.

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I bought the "European" model and am super satisfied. Contrary to the "German" model, it can flash (forbidden according to the German STVO). But I think it is much safer that way... The installation and connection was self-explanatory and totally problem-free. When driving, you can rely on the RADAR. It shows too often rather than too seldom (which is the better alternative). I really feel much safer, especially on country roads, and I wouldn't want to drive without the Garmin radar any more...

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Works smoothly, very easy to install and use if you are accustomed to Garmin products.

Fully met the expectations. I feel much safer. Super investment.

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Provides a safer bike ride

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Very simple and very quick to pair with Wahoo. Works well, does take some getting used to at first on group rides, then it also regularly sees cyclists from its own group accelerating to close gaps. Gives confidence in what is happening behind you.

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Since there is no flashing in Germany, I have resorted to this version! I can only recommend it and I don't want to do without it anymore;)

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Reliably shows how many vehicles are approaching.

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You can sit more relaxed on the bike and don't have to be pushed off the road by unexpected encounters of the four-wheeled kind.is of course not a 100 percent safety, but close and highly recommended for riders who are often alone on country roads. Not so recommended in the city because there is too much traffic and then it becomes too much with the warnings.

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I can recommend this to every racing cyclist. A + in safety, especially on country roads.

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Surely this device makes cycling a little safer especially where there is heavy traffic

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Overall a very useful tool, the holder with the rubbers is a bit wobbly

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The Garmin Varia RTL is easy to mount on the bike with the accessories and is suitable for different seat posts. The integration into the app or a suitable bike computer is absolutely problem-free. The battery life is easily sufficient for normal tours or long distances. Provided you charge the Garmin light after every ride. I wouldn't want to do without the visibility and radar function. That gives a plus in safety.

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Once you have tried it, you don't want to do without it. It recognises every vehicle that comes up behind you 100% of the time. It is indicated both visually and acoustically. No false alarms so far

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