The Garmin Varia RTL 515 is a radar to be installed as a rear light, which connects to your GPS navigator and is compatible with many devices, such as my trusty Wahoo Roam. Una volta collegato, il Garmin Varia will alert you to the presence of vehicles approaching from behind. On the left side of the screen of the Wahoo Roam a vehicle icon will appear, showing you the approaching distance and also beeping. When the side strip is green, it means the road is clear of vehicles. When the Garmin Varia detects an approaching vehicle at a distance of about 400 meters, the strip will turn orange, indicating moderate speed, or red if the vehicle is approaching rapidly. In addition, the navigator will begin to emit beeps, with different alerts depending on the distance to the vehicle. It’s like having a digital rearview mirror that lets you keep an eye on traffic without having to turn around. A simple function that greatly increases the road safety.

The association of the Garmin Varia to Wahoo Roam was a breeze to use, and once you do, you quickly get the hang of it. At first I tried to figure out how the distances displayed on the screen matched reality, but once I understood, I could appreciate the reliability of the device. The Garmin Varia can detect more than one vehicle at a time, and the sound really helps you understand the situation better. In addition, the powerful rear light of the Garmin Varia, visible from 1.5 km away, clearly signals your presence to motorists passing you. This detail impressed me a lot, as I noticed that by drawing more attention, cars tend to Maintain a greater safety distance from cyclists.

One of the biggest mistakes we can make as cyclists is often to not being sufficiently visible. Even during daytime rides, it is advisable to always use rear lights to signal your presence on the road. Initially, I was skeptical about purchasing the Garmin Varia, but when I have doubts, I always turn to Grisorando, my trusted randonneur friend, who has given me his full support.