Garmin Varia RTL515 Rearview Radar Taillight
See and be seen. Enhancing your visibility and giving you heightened awareness of vehicles approaching from behind, the Garmin Varia RTL515 rearview radar taillight helps you ride with peace of mind.




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- When paired with a compatible device (not included), rearview radar alerts you of vehicles approaching from behind, from up to 153 yards (140m) away
- Pairs seamlessly with a Garmin Edge bike computer, Garmin radar display unit, select Garmin wearables and compatible smartphones
- When used with your smartphone, the Garmin Varia app uses bold graphics to indicate the position and speed of approaching vehicles, plus it provides tone and vibration alerts
- When used with a compatible smartphone, radar integrates with third-party apps, such as Ride with GPS, to overlay your maps with rearview radar alerts
- Taillight provides daylight visibility up to 1 mile, helping to alert motorists to your presence as soon as possible
- Peloton mode provides a low-intensity light flash that is perfect for cycling in groups
- Battery lasts up to 16 hours in day flash mode, up to 6 hours in solid mode
- Compact vertical design mounts easily to most racing, touring and commuter bikes
Imported.
View the Garmin Varia Product LineView all Garmin Rear Bike LightsBest Use | Cycling |
---|---|
Bulb Type | LED |
Number of Bulbs | 1 |
Max Light Output (Lumens) | 65 lumens |
Taillight Mounting | Seat |
Battery Mount | Integrated |
Rechargeability | Rechargeable |
Charge Time | 3 hours |
Batteries | Internal |
Integrated Battery | Yes |
Battery Life on High | 6 hours |
Battery Life on Low | 16 hours |
Battery Life Flashing | Night flash: 6 hours; day flash: 16 hours |
Weight | 2.5 ounces |
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Useful, but needs better mounting options
I have rear-mounted panniers and a seat bag on one bike, and a trunk bag on the rack on another. The Varia comes with a variety of mounts for the seat post, and a warning that it needs to be level and unobstructed, so none of those mounts work for me or for anyone else who carries things on the bike. Frustrating. Garmin doesn't even make alternative mounting solutions. I hacked together a solution to hang a quarter-turn mount from my trunk bag, using an old paint stick, some coroplast cut from an old campaign poster, and a quarter-turn Garmin edge mount designed for fitting on a stem or handlebar. Inelegant, but it works.
The good and the bad
This is a difficult review; half great, half terrible. The Garmin Varia RTL515 Rearview Radar Taillight is probably one of the smartest cycling purchases I have made. It works great and has probably saved my life. It paired flawlessly with my Garmin 1030 and my iphone 11. I love it. If only the cheap rubber bands that hold it to the aero mount had not snapped and sent this $200 unit crashing to the pavement to be run over by car. The unit is well worth the money, the rubber bands that hold it to the mount are terrible. It was mounted on a 2020 Trek Domane SL7 eTap Disc that has a semi-aero seat post.
Great device to make cycling safer on roads.
I feel much safer on roads with the Varia. It not only tells me when something is coming (sound and picture) it lets me know how many and how fast. Also, it gets brighter when it senses something coming up. It seemed like cars slowed down more and gave me more space than usual. The battery life is good. I did a 40 mile ride on roads and still had 50% left. Only a couple of down sides. It is annoying if you are on a busy road as it is constantly going off, but I try to avoid these roads. If you are not the last cyclist in a group, it will go off if a cyclist behind you is going faster than you. It does not designate between a cyclist and a car. Also, if a car starts going the same speed as you it will turn green even though the car is still back there. Also, you cannot share with 2 Bluetooth devices (smartphones). You can share between a Bluetooth and ANT+ device or multiple ANT+ devices. The major down side is that the only mounts it comes with are for round objects, such as your seat post. I was on a trip with a rack and panniers, so this wouldn't work. I fixed it easily by cutting a rectangle from some stiff plastic, remove the round mount, attach it to the plastic and attach that to the rack. I also mounted it upside down to give me more tire clearance and it didn't affect it.
This thing is awesome!
Love it! I do a lot of solo rides on roads due to my schedule and during my first group ride a fellow rider told me the beeps I was hearing was traffic alerts from his Varia tail light. Bought one before my next ride and this thing is great. Visual and audio alerts on your computer or smart phone app and audio alerts through your headphones if you like to listen to music while riding. Total game changer!
Frugal roadie thinks it's worth every cent
I'll keep this brief since every other review pretty much says the same thing. Driving my local roads I kept seeing this bright rear light and asked each cyclist "what is that light". Then "is it worth it" was met with emphatic YES from each one. I've been seeing cars with my eyes and ears for decades, but sometimes a headwind and deep gravel has cars sneaking up on me, and in remote roads the gravel is so deep to the right that I'm forced to ride more left, and that's when a car will get ya. Frugal and a bargain hunter who waits for Black Friday and the like, I paid msrp and have zero remorse. I'll still do my best to "see and hear" cars, but the Varia 515 is definitely worth every second and cent when it comes to my riding enjoyment and safety. Didn't want to give up my saddle bag. Varia upside down, two zip ties through bag's clip patch.
Essential
Detects all oncoming objects, people, bikes, cars, you name it. Alert sound on phone with icons of approaching vehicle with color to indicate rate of approach. Light flashes at vehicle as it closes. Allows rider to enjoy the ride instead of constantly checking mirrors. Great when wind noise or electric car approaches. Also spots drivers without headlights that you would miss at night in your mirror. Greatly enhances safety and ride enjoyment. Membership takes $20 off. Money well spend. Yes the mount sucks. I found a third party mount for it that allows solid attachment to my rear metal basket or rack.
Use with phone, range & battery life excellent
I use with Varia app on my iPhone, and a rearview mirror. Works great, I feel safer and battery life is very good. I wanted something to alert me to cars behind me when riding on country roads where traffic comes and goes and I sometimes forget to check my mirror. Longest ride was 3.5 hours and charge didn't drop much. I bought the one with a light because its battery life was rated for 16 hours instead of 7 hours for the one without a light. My only complaint is I can't turn off the light without turning off the entire device. I generally set it to low-intensity flash. The device detects cars A LONG ways back - I am impressed.
Great for safety - and peace of mind
After talking with an REI employee about this device, and reading multiple reviews, I decided that I needed one for the long distance rides I do on country roads. There are times when, with a strong headwind, I might not hear a vehicle until it's passing me, which I've always found unnerving. I've completed two short (20 mile) rides with this now, and have had no false negatives or false positives. It detected every vehicle - usually well before I could hear it. Granted, it's not inexpensive, but if you can afford it, I think it's a great safety device. (But Garmin really should provide a better mount - I'm replacing the Garmin mount with a third party version.)
Does what its job well, not a necessity
I got this for bike commutes in NYC and there’s a lot of traffic on my route. It’s pretty handy—I use it with my phone and get a loud alert when there’s a vehicle approaching. But after using it I realize that because I ride in so much traffic that a) it’s constantly going off and b) I’m ALWAYS hyper alert and checking around me so the device doesn’t give me that much more peace of mind. I think it might actually make the most sense for riders in remote areas where there are few cars and you tend to let your guard down. I’ll keep using it, especially if I’m out after dark, but I don’t think it’s a necessity in conditions like mine (especially at this price), if that helps anyone who’s on the fence
A Must-Have Electronic Device for Cycling
I just purchased the Garmin RTL515 and paired it with my Wahoo Element Bolt, and it is clearly one of the best investments I've made. I have a really nice road bike and cycle to work everyday and ride on weekends. Every feature of the Varia RTL515 is exceptional -- the rear light, the radar, the interface with my Element Bolt and iPhone, the design, ease of setup and interface, and the battery life. Garmin has scored big time in support of cyclists and consumers.