Garmin Varia RearVue 820: Next-Gen Bike Radar with USB-C & Extended Range
- Garmin has launched the Varia RearVue 820, a significant update to its popular cycling radar and tail light, addressing shortcomings of the previous model, the RTL515, which debuted...
- The market for cycling radar systems has grown considerably since the RTL515’s release, with competitors like Trek, Wahoo, Lezyne, Magene, and MagicShine entering the fray.
- One of the most significant improvements in the Varia RearVue 820 is the inclusion of a USB-C port, a long-awaited upgrade.
Garmin has launched the Varia RearVue 820, a significant update to its popular cycling radar and tail light, addressing shortcomings of the previous model, the RTL515, which debuted in 2020. The new device, announced on , aims to provide cyclists with enhanced awareness and visibility on the road.
The market for cycling radar systems has grown considerably since the RTL515’s release, with competitors like Trek, Wahoo, Lezyne, Magene, and MagicShine entering the fray. While these competitors have often matched Garmin’s detection capabilities, they have typically fallen short in other areas, such as battery life or mounting systems. Despite this, the Garmin Varia RTL515 had begun to show its age, particularly with its outdated micro-USB charging port.
One of the most significant improvements in the Varia RearVue 820 is the inclusion of a USB-C port, a long-awaited upgrade. This change alone would have significantly improved the competitiveness of the RTL515. Beyond the charging port, Garmin has also increased the battery life, boasting up to 24 hours in day flash mode and 30 hours in radar-only mode, surpassing the 16-hour day flash capability of the previous model and exceeding the battery life of many competitors.
Garmin has also increased the brightness of the tail light, offering 25 lumens in solid mode and 100 lumens in day flash mode, up from the RTL515’s 20 and 65 lumens respectively. The disruptive flash pattern, initially popularized by Trek, which is designed to be more noticeable to motorists, is retained, and now includes the ability for users to create custom flash patterns via an app.
The mounting system has also been redesigned. While the Varia RearVue 820 remains compatible with the standard Garmin quarter-turn mount, allowing for continued use of third-party mounts, the included mount has been improved with a taller design and a more user-friendly rubber band attachment system, addressing a common frustration with the previous model. A leash attachment point has also been added, a feature requested by users and often missing from competitor products.
Perhaps the most crucial improvement addresses a fundamental limitation of radar technology: the inability to track vehicles traveling at the same speed as the cyclist. Garmin claims to have solved this issue with the Varia RearVue 820, allowing it to detect and alert riders to vehicles maintaining the same speed, potentially aiding in situational awareness when drafting or being overtaken.
The detection range has been increased to 175 meters, and the field of view expanded to 220 degrees. This wider field of view, while potentially detecting vehicles not directly behind the cyclist, is coupled with new features that allow the device to identify vehicles in multiple lanes and categorize threat levels based on size, speed, and position. This information is displayed on compatible Garmin Edge cycling computers, the Varia smartphone app, or even Garmin smartwatches, with both visual and audible alerts, as well as haptic feedback on compatible devices.
The Varia RearVue 820 is priced at $299.99 and is available for purchase starting . This positions it as a premium option in the cycling radar market, but one that addresses many of the shortcomings of its predecessor and offers a comprehensive suite of features designed to enhance cyclist safety and awareness.