Bought the Garmin Varia "Perfect for commuting"
- Thread starter Mac_user82
- Start date
My first one was returned as it couldn't recognise a Toyota Lancruiser at 10 feet!
However the replacement is truly amazing. I still use a mirror (Rearviz) strapped to my wrist but I find I only glance at it just before a manoeuvre as the Garmin Varia is so good.
I love the way it shows the number ov vehicles coming up behind you but the way it turns from amber, if the vehicle is doing a sensible speed, to red, if the vehicle is coming up fast.
It's a fantastic safety feature and worth every penny.
However the replacement is truly amazing. I still use a mirror (Rearviz) strapped to my wrist but I find I only glance at it just before a manoeuvre as the Garmin Varia is so good.
I love the way it shows the number ov vehicles coming up behind you but the way it turns from amber, if the vehicle is doing a sensible speed, to red, if the vehicle is coming up fast.
It's a fantastic safety feature and worth every penny.
i actually don't have the edge at all because i use a nyon instead i would have no use for that but i have the Garmin varia bundle
From now on i will make sure my Garmin Varia is charged before i go out anywhere a very handy device to see drivers at any time of the day
i was going to buy a good rear mirror but there is no point in buying it because at night time it useless the Varia would be more use to me because it would be able to pick up traffic in heartbeat and it would make
me more safer on the road
i will admit i do in generally feel a lot more safer when on the road that i know where cars are behind me which is always a good thing nothing worse then someone comes behind you and you don't know they are behind you
It works on some edge computers. I think it gives audio and visually up the side of the screen.
Going to order one from halfords at £137 .
i think you would have to buy the back radar which is about £130 and then you would connect it to your edge and then it would show when someone is behind you
i believe you have to connect it via Bluetooth i haven't read awful into it because i have bought the bundle instead which works fine for my needs due to have the Bosch nyon display
Thanks, I might be interested. Please post a review when you've had chance to use it for a while.
i hope you are happy with the Garmin Varia i personally couldn't go out the door without it attached to my bike now because it good that you have a head up when someone is behind you on the road
For example yesterday i was cycling down the road and car was about 140 metres behind me and i was cyling along and i pulled over in this lay by because it was perfect time to pull over i just let the car passed and carried on cycling if i never knew that car was behind me
i probably would of never of stopped and carry on going down the road and had make the driver wait till it i was able to pull over for them it does make life more easier because you are not in their way their not in my way just pleasant cycling
It would seem that the radar receiver doesnt beep but if used with a compatible edge device it doers. Although the beep on mine is a bit insignificant but hopefully that can be turned up..
I was "lefted" 3 times today which made up my mind to get one.. I do have a mirror, but its a drop handlebar bike and looking in the mirror needs a definite "eyes off the road" look down to see it, so in busy traffic I dont look at it much.
I was "lefted" 3 times today which made up my mind to get one.. I do have a mirror, but its a drop handlebar bike and looking in the mirror needs a definite "eyes off the road" look down to see it, so in busy traffic I dont look at it much.
That is correct the Varia doesn't beep at all it will just flash at you when you are cycling along which is always good
i have find at night time mirrors are a waste of time and not worth bothering with at all the Varia would be a lot better option and of cause you can see how many cars are behind you when you are cycling too which is always handy to have too
Just ordered. Collect Wednesday. Will report how it works on the garmin edge.
I'm tempted to get one as was nearly killed one night last month when indicating right and a Mercedes driver decided he would try and take me out.
Well put it like this steve a won't be going out on the road without one now because it clearly shows you how many cars are around you and how far they are away from you which is always handy to know.
One thing you can say is you cannot put a price on safety on the road when you are cycling it could save your life when you are cycling
other good feature it has it can tell you how fast the vehicle is coming towards you too which is good to know when you are out on the road when you are cycling
The one thing i do like is if a car is behind its goodbye to them creeping up behind you and nearly
knocking you off and their is normally no room to get passed you or either push you in a hedge
Well i must admit i do enjoy cycling more now i do have the radar to use for when i am out on the roads when i am cycling i never been a fan of mirrors really especially at night time they are a complete waste of time and no point bothering with them at all really because you cannot see thought them at all so they are just pointless least with the radar you can clearly see what is behind you
i would say roughly when you are cycling on a figure you are 90% more alert when you are cycling on the roads
Garmin Varia Radar the good and the bad..
Been using this and have come to some conclusions..
First the Bad, well not really bad but ..
The name Radar suggests something akin to an air traffic control with a system that can "see" things behind you, when actually this isnt the case, and if it was it would see all the parked cars and much more. What it really does is note the difference in speed of car approaching from behind, but the downside is that if a car follows at the same speed as you then it doesnt see it at all, so in conditions of stop start and slow moving traffic it is unreliable. in fact if a car slows and follows behind it disappears of the radar.
Now the Good.
This unit picks up cars long before they can be seen in a mirror at at least 100 yards away and gives a clear representation of the speed of the approaching vehicle(s) ( Garmin says up to 8 but I have seen 5, which in itself is amazing). and when paired with my Edge 100 explore it gives a muted beep and takes over the right side of the display showing dots representing the cars. Just the barest if glaces is enough to see whats there which is especially good when turning right at junctions.
Would I recommend it? Yes 100%
Does it make me feel safer? Yes absolutely.
Will it replace my mirror? No, it cant be trusted !
Been using this and have come to some conclusions..
First the Bad, well not really bad but ..
The name Radar suggests something akin to an air traffic control with a system that can "see" things behind you, when actually this isnt the case, and if it was it would see all the parked cars and much more. What it really does is note the difference in speed of car approaching from behind, but the downside is that if a car follows at the same speed as you then it doesnt see it at all, so in conditions of stop start and slow moving traffic it is unreliable. in fact if a car slows and follows behind it disappears of the radar.
Now the Good.
This unit picks up cars long before they can be seen in a mirror at at least 100 yards away and gives a clear representation of the speed of the approaching vehicle(s) ( Garmin says up to 8 but I have seen 5, which in itself is amazing). and when paired with my Edge 100 explore it gives a muted beep and takes over the right side of the display showing dots representing the cars. Just the barest if glaces is enough to see whats there which is especially good when turning right at junctions.
Would I recommend it? Yes 100%
Does it make me feel safer? Yes absolutely.
Will it replace my mirror? No, it cant be trusted !
I'm very happy with mine and i always make sure it charged up before i head out somewhere because it such a useful device to have with you
with using the Garmin bundle you are unable to hear any beeps which
is not great really it would be good to hear the beeps when you are cycling down the road to make you more aware when something is behind you
Tested mine tonight on a 10 mile ride. I felt safer and happier i knew what was around me. It's not perfect, but very good for price. Yes i'll be using my other senses when traffic is around as it doesn't like sharp hill crests and lost traffic for a few seconds.
I think we are all saying we are happy with varia, i know i am.
I think we are all saying we are happy with varia, i know i am.
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