Garmin has announced upgraded versions of its Varia product range – the Varia RVR315, a rearview radar, and the Varia RTL515, a rearview radar with tail light. These alert cyclists of approaching vehicles. Both devices work with the new Varia app, allowing cyclists to use their phone as a primary or backup display while riding.
“Our previous generation rearview radar with tail light quickly became a staple for cyclists around the world, providing peace of mind during any ride, day or night,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin Vice President of Worldwide Sales.
“With the new RVR315, RTL515 and Varia app, we’re bringing those state-of-the-art safety features to even more riders, helping to ease some of the anxiety they can experience when on the road.”
When paired with a compatible Garmin device, the new Varia app, or a dedicated radar display unit, cyclists will receive both visible and audible alerts warning them of vehicles approaching from behind, up to 153 yards away.
For riders using the Varia RTL515 during a daytime ride, ‘the tail light can be seen up to a mile away’, making it easier for drivers to see a cyclist before the radar sees the vehicle. The Varia RTL515 now also includes ‘peloton mode’, providing a low-intensity flash that is easier on other cyclists’ eyes while riding in a group.
While riding, cyclists receive colour-coded alerts on their phone – green means everything is OK, amber means a vehicle is coming and red means a car is approaching at high speed. In addition to the graphics – tone and vibration alerts will let cyclists know when a vehicle is coming.
When used with a compatible smartphone, the Varia RVR315 and RTL515 integrate with popular third-party apps such as Ride with GPS, letting cyclists overlay their maps with rearview radar alerts.
The Varia RVR315 features up to 7 hours of battery life and has a suggested retail price of US$149.99. Featuring up to 16 hours of battery life in day flash mode, and up to 6 hours in night flash or solid mode, the Varia RTL515 has a suggested retail price of US$199.99.
