Down from $339. Almost as cheap as previous deal. See previous comments on reasons for getting one.
Seems to be discounted at retailers too e.g. Pushys if you prefer to shop there.
Garmin Varia RTL515 Rear View Radar with Tail Light for $259.00 Delivered @ Garmin
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It is a genuinely useful device, especially if combined with a Garmin Edge head unit. Makes me feel much safer when riding on busy roads.
Works with other units like wahoo too
If you're a cyclist this is, hands down, the BEST thing you can buy for safety and peace of mind. Once you use one you won't be able to ride without it.
You will never look back?
Id like to see more cyclists use appropriate lighting and clothing at all times, not just at night..
So many do not use flashing lights during the day.
Be safe, be visible, obey the road rules.. give and gain respect.
Fixed it for you.
Id like to see more Drivers use appropriate care and attention at all times, not just at night..
So many do not have adequate awareness of the damage they can do, expecting others to make allowances for them.
Be safe, be aware, obey the road rules.. don't make it about blaming the victim.
There will never be a bell loud enough, a helmet strong enough or clothing bright enough to make up for poor drivers and poor infrastructure.
Yeah, I've had people deliberatly come close to me with a grin on their face - another on a scooter downhill slowly pushing me to the wrong side of traffic - no amount of safety gear will stop these evil people
I'm going to agree with Austaurean here.
No point going on about drivers after you have been wiped off the road. Cyclists must do everything they can to be safer and more visible.
This device is a fantastic start, I live in an Alpine area and ride where there isn't much traffic so this really helps. Lets me know when there is a driver so I can keep left, plus the light sends random flashes to get their attention. Absolutely love it.
I also have another rear light….the highest intensity I could find.
I get so pissed with cyclists who ride side by side on Alpine winding roads. It does nothing but hold up traffic and cause road rage. So many say this is for visibility yet they don't have adequate lights and wear black clothing.
When riders are on less busy roads going in and out of shadows they are next to invisible and drivers may not see them until it is too late.
Cyclists need to look after themselves. Make yourself as bright and noticeable as possible. Too many idiots speeding and not paying attention. It only takes one idiot!!
@slipperypete I also have one of these, I won't ride without one. Same as you, it makes me aware of impending danger approaching.
And yeah no problem, have a light, wear a helmet (which you surely know aren't designed for a vehicle magnitude impact), be aware that drivers are impatient when you ride legally side by side on the road.
But I disagree - the road rage is not caused by someone doing something legal, the road rage is caused by drivers being impatient or not driving with due care. If I may ask why are we saying "cyclists prepare for the idiot" and why not "drivers stop being idiots" or perhaps in this case "drivers slow down on blind bends there could be anything around that corner"
I'm not in fantasy land, there will always be law breakers and bad drivers. I've been hit by a car. I just want to see the conversation more about the behaviour of the person that can do more harm, not the people that get harmed. Around 1,200 people are killed each year on Australia's roads and about 40,000 are seriously injured. And yet we get in cars daily and don't think that we could be the CAUSE of one of those deaths or injuries. So we should try to remind people of that and spend less time making it about lights and hi-vis clothing. (look at https://twitter.com/HiVisFails for examples)
Also I am aware that this is bargain site, so apologies for going on.
@Snowie: hey I am totally with you
the road rage is not caused by someone doing something legal, the road rage is caused by drivers being impatient or not driving with due care
why not "drivers stop being idiots"
"drivers slow down on blind bends there could be anything around that corner"
So we should try to remind people of that and spend less time making it about lights and hi-vis clothing.non of these matter if you are killed or maimed. You can go to jail for dangerous driving or drink driving…does that stop things? We can talk about education all we like but when we have so many anti cyclist and rednecks on the road then deaths will always happen.
The point I am making is that if you don't make the effort to use lights then well you are not helping yourself.
Hi viz does help but effective lights are much better. They get the attention and will generally make a driver more aware. I always see a light flashing before I see the rider in poor lighting conditions. Also there is a difference between saying hi vis is not effective as comparing it to how noticeable a cyclist is wearing dark colours.
I am riding on the road less and less because it doesn't feel safe. When I do I make sure I do everything I can to protect myself and make myself visible…..I fully understand that drivers are the ones killing from lack of attention and stupidity but it doesn't stop it happening.
stay safe.
edit:
I just want to see the conversation more about the behaviour of the person that can do more harm, not the people that get harmed.
I wish it were more part of the driving curriculum!!
I lived in Munich for a year….so much respect for cyclists despite them causing delays. We have such a conservative society who can't get used to the fact that cyclists are part of life. Not only looking after their health but reducing impact on the environment
@slipperypete: With ya mate, I also light myself up with bright lights and unfortunately have been hit. I am not saying don't use light or anything. Just want the focus to shift back to drivers.
"I wish it were more part of the driving curriculum!!"
Totally agree, and regular updates, rather than a quiz and test at the start of your driving life and nothing after.
Lastly these Radars are awesome - I think everyone should have one. Once you get one, you won't want to ride without it.
i'm for self-preservation so i always run a good front and rear lights day and night.
that said, i do notice a few cyclists, usually the meth-head, lost their licence types who don't wear helmets and use lights at night. i think they're trying to not draw attention to themselves but likely has the opposite effect.obey the road rules.. give and gain respect.
you don't need to be patronising to get your point across.
Maybe use your eyes. I hate entitled people like you that think driving 1 ton of metal gives you the right to shit on others
i dont even ride bikes and i want one, what a cool bit of kit.
This is the way!
Awesome device, they also work with quite a few phone nav apps, so you don't have to have a Garmin or Wahoo
Absolute must have for road cyclists. Never leave home without it
There are lots of gadgets to get for your bike, but this is a true game changer.
Having said that, I never trust it absolutely, always head check before moving over the white line. But for help in being aware of approaching cars so you can move a little further left or go single file if needed this is worth every cent. Bonus is that your ride mates can connect to it also.
As a road cyclist, I'm not yet using a radar, but I'm curious to hear from other roadies how the use of the radar has changed your riding habits? I feel like I'm somewhat aware of what's going on around me already and the vague location of the cars just by ear. I also do consistent head checks while planning maneuvers. In my head, just by reading the blurb I can't think of how much more useful a radar would be beyond that, but the feedback from you guys has been pretty good, so that does get me curious?
Have any of you picked up new habits riding with a radar?
It hasn't changed habits - just makes me more aware, leading me to better decisions on the road.
If I know I have a clear road behind me, I'll ride close to the middle of the lane to make me more visible (and avoid any bumps and debris typically in the gutter).
Once my head unit alerts me that there is a car behind (and it is a decent distance), I'll start moving to the side. Or if there is a parked car approaching, it makes me aware of what cars are behind me (and how close) so I can make my decision on whether I let the car behind me pass or I hand signal to indicate that I'm taking the lane to pass the parked car.
Also, my head unit will beep faster with an urgent red colour, telling me that it is a fast approaching vehicle (or sometimes it is a large truck or bus). So I will be more cautious and turn my head to show the approaching driver that I see and know he/she is there.
I also do not wear earphones to listen to music - I find it is too unsafe and I need to hear my surroundings.
Pro tip for cyclists. Own the lane, especially at roundabouts. Do not let a car overtake you at at the approach to a roundabout. The law is that you ride to be safe. Do not be intimidated. Ride in the middle of the lane in dangerous conditions
Dunno how these would be on busy roads but make riding so much easier in quieter areas. This is because I can relax and it will pick up a car before I hear it. As the lights change their pattern when the car approaches I know it is an attention getter.
Ha…the issue is when I forget the light i feel vulnerable. I also have has lapses in attention which have scared me when a car comes flying by.
So the downside is it can make you a tad lazy
Many factors affect you hearing rear approaching traffic. e.g. electric cars, wind noise, traffic in the opposite direction. Radar picks up cars from approx. 140m and in my experience never fails to detect vehicles other than the occasional false positive. It is hard for some people to understand that they are not paying attention to their surroundings 100% of the time and this device helps alert the cyclist that a vehicle is approaching and they may need to slightly alter their behavior like moving closer to the side of the road.
I ride with guys who got this unit. When I ride, I have to constantly look back to see if there are any cars approaching from behind. With this unit, you don't have to do that anymore. It notifies you when there is a car coming. You can see that on your bike computer as well. Even riding on a bunch.
If I ride with others who don't have this I always ride behind and call out when a vehicle is coming.
It's pretty. They don't even look back to say "Car back" :)
So how does it work exactly? You ride on the main road, notice a car with it's help from behind which you are unable to hear or see otherwise for some reason, and you jump off the road?
Isn't "dash" (or action in that case), camera more useful for a cyclist? I have only seen about 1% of cyclists use them. Of course, I only consider city riding. Rural riding on a highway must be a totally different beast.
I understand that it is a bit anecdotal, but I have witnessed around 5-6 traffic accidents involving cyclists which caused serious injuries. Every single one of them involved merging of the car onto the road and was a sideways collision. E.g. cyclist riding on the main road minding his own business - a car suddenly emerges in front of him from a side road. Every single time drivers lied in one way or another trying to minimise their fault. Action cam would have been highly useful.
I have never seen or heard of a car accident where a car chased a cyclist from behind like a wolf chasing hare in a field and made a nose to tail impact.
Following
Haha - maybe some will shed some light for us…
Or is this just for those dreaded guys who ride shoulder to shoulder to each other used as a signal to them to start riding like normal people in a single file if the car is approaching from behind? Who knows…
I can tell a city rider often because they have a good front light and a lousy rear light. They are focussed on cars merging.
I live in a country area and all my rides are on quieter but high speed limit roads. I have this and another high powered rear light. I don't even worry about a front light.
This makes you aware of an upcoming car or multiple cars (shows how many on your Garmin GPS)
It also flashes a\random patterns that change as the vehicle gets closer….a great attention getterdash cams aren't much use after you have been swiped off of the road…probably only good if they catch the number plate for prosecution
I have never seen or heard of a car accident where a car chased a cyclist from behind like a wolf chasing hare in a field and made a nose to tail impact.
unfortunately these are one ones that kill. High speed impacts from behind
Yes, just as I thought.
In urban riding where you often have a steady stream of cars behind you this would be totally useless.I understand that a rear light must be good:
- bright (Garmin Varia RTL515 is only 65 Lm which is average but nothing outstanding, mine is 120 Lm);
- with random and complex pattern (mine is like that as well);
- it's a nice feature if it is smart (mine act as a stop light when it detects breaking).Do you know how much mine cost? $20 or so.
You did not explain however how excatly you react to the information that radar gives you (that there is now a car behind you). Do you stop? Do you go off road? How does your behaviour change?
How come you do not see or hear oncoming cars on quiet rural rodes? I hear and see them (lights) on quiter urban roads even without turning my head.There are a lot of commenters in this thread that state that this Garmin is very useful, but it looks like it may be hard to articulate how exactly?..
Dash cams: I do not think there are many drivers that are ballsy enough to knock over a cyclist and potentially kill him and do a hit and run, unless the car is stolen. So it is more for providing evidence that corraborates your version of events. Because traffic accident participants, especially the ones at fault, will lie a lot.
You did not explain however how excatly you react to the information that radar gives you (that there is now a car behind you). Do you stop? Do you go off road? How does your behaviour change?
When on country roads with limited traffic I can ride comfortable and weave to avoid road obstacles, bumps etc. I can ride and talk to others if I am with them. It's relaxed.
If I get an alarm then I will make sure I ride left and keep left. If with someone else I will pull in to single file so that the car can pass.Your device is good having random pattern. I think this is great…this one speeds up and gets brighter as vehicle gets closer. If you have been behind one it is almost like it is yelling at you ;)
On the Garmin you see dots representing how close the car is and multiple dots for multiple cars.
How come you do not see or hear oncoming cars on quiet rural rodes? I hear and see them (lights) on quiter urban roads even without turning my head.
You obviously ride different roads or ride at a slower pace. I understand what you are saying if it is a very quiet area and straight long roads, but not all scenarios are like that. This will generally pick it up much earlier, also there may be other noises that block the car. For example a car going the opposite direction. Also at higher speeds then you get helmet noise etc that blocks the car. Cars on roads doing 80-110kmh are often not noticeable until they are close by.
I have had 2 of these and I can say without a doubt it is my favourite piece of equipment
Dash cams: I do not think there are many drivers that are ballsy enough to knock over a cyclist and potentially kill him and do a hit and run, unless the car is stolen.
Like you said, most wouldn't do this. Hit from behind is a mistake. If a redneck wanted to cause a drama he isn't gonna look to see if you have a dashcam!!!
They aren't a deterrent. I had one and it had no use so never use it any more
@slipperypete: I ride very fast. My biggest problem is usually the guys that are riding "relaxed" weaving around and next to each other. I quickly chase them up but they are hard to drop because they never see me from behind and they are constantly moving in random directions. Eventually they do make space or I just get around them.
Knowing how big of a pain a slow rider riding randomly (or a bunch of them) is, I always ride in a straight line and keep to the left, although I am rarely dropped.
Weaving around potholes usually does not get one off the track too much.
I guess I am trying to say that when I am riding I am constntly trying to ride causing as little inconvenience to others as possible and in the safest possible way. Regardless if there is anyone behind me right now or not, just a habit.
It's funny how you described what I mentioned in the first post! (Bunch of riders lining up in single file once there is a car behind).
Dashcam… If I wanted to I could get someone in trouble for not giving way every single time I ride in the City, and would have evidence to prove it. I never do that. But if there ever be a serious accident the footage would come in handy because the other driver would lie a lot, ecspecially if I am badly hurt. It is just as a dash camera in a car - you hope you would never have to use it but sometimes you do need that footage badly when it's your word against theirs.
Hit a car as a teenager that didn't see me because I didn't have a front light. Serious damage to the car but do NOT ride without a front light.
It's weird but you do learn how to crash/fall with experience
I don't think it's for me. Im a regular city rider with a year as a bike courier under my belt, but, a bargain.
10% off gift cards currently at Pushys would bring it down to $234 (with $200 + $50 cards for $225 and remaining $9 balance)