I tried using Garmin's rear view radar for bicycles 'Varia R TL515' that can detect the approach of a car with a millimeter wave radar and can also be a tail light
Many people have the experience of riding a bicycle around the city and being surprised when a fast-speed car or a hybrid car with a quiet running noise suddenly approaches from behind. Also, even from the perspective of a car driver, there is often only a reflector behind the bicycle, so it is very dangerous at night because it is difficult to notice the existence of the bicycle. Garmin's ' Varia RTL515 ' can be used as a radar that detects the approach of a vehicle by linking a millimeter wave radar and a smartphone application, and with a rear view radar with a built-in light that can be used as a tail light with powerful light of up to 65
Varia RTL515 | Sports / Fitness | Products | Garmin | Japan | Home
https://www.garmin.co.jp/products/intosports/varia-rtl-515/
You can see what it feels like using 'Varia RTL515' in one shot by watching the following movie.
When Garmin's rear view radar for bicycles 'Varia RTL515' is attached to a bicycle and used, it looks like this-YouTube
◆ Opening and preparation for use
This is the 'Varia RTL515' package.
The contents are the radar body, instruction manual, warranty card
Seatpost mount for fixing the radar to the seatpost of the bicycle, 2 types of O-rings for mounting, 3 types of rubber pads
USB cable and sticker for charging.
The radar body, which is large enough to be wrapped with one hand, has a red tail light.
The actual weight was 71g.
The button on the top is a device key for turning on the power and changing the lighting mode of the tail light.
There is a status LED on the side that displays the charging status and so on. You can also see the red lighting part of the tail light on the side.
There is a USB port with a waterproof cover on the back and a convex part for attaching to the mounting parts.
Since it is necessary to charge it before using it, remove the waterproof cover on the back and insert the attached USB cable ……
Connect the cable to your PC to charge it.
When charging starts, the status LED will flash green. Charging is complete when it keeps lighting green without blinking.
Next, prepare to attach it to your bicycle. First, select the one that matches the thickness and shape of the seatpost of the bicycle from the three types of rubber pads ...
Align the rubber pad with the seatpost mount.
All you have to do is hook the ring into the grooves on the left and right of the seatpost mount and secure it to your bike.
Next, prepare to use it as a radar. The radar function of 'Varia RTL515' can be used by pairing with Garmin's GPS cycle computer such as the
Garmin Varia ™-Google Play app
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.garmin.android.apps.variamobile
'Garmin Varia ™' on the App Store
https://apps.apple.com/jp/app/garmin-varia/id1463175187
There are Android version and iOS version of the application, but this time we will install it on the Android terminal Pixel 3a . First, access the above app distribution page on Google Play and tap 'Install'.
After installation, tap 'Open'.
The app will ask for permission to use the location information, so tap 'Allow only while using the app'.
Tap 'Pair now'.
Tap 'Apply'.
Then, the following screen will be displayed ...
Near your smartphone, press and hold the device key on the radar to turn it on.
Then, the radar body will be in pairing mode and the status LED will blink purple.
If you look at the screen of your smartphone in this state, the following screen will be displayed, so tap 'Pairing target found!'.
Pairing is successful if the following radar screen is displayed on your smartphone.
◆ Use
First, fix the radar body to the bicycle, but it is very easy to install. If you watch the movie below, you can see how the radar body is actually attached to and removed from the seatpost mount of the bicycle.
Garmin's bicycle aview radar 'Varia RTL515' is very smooth to put on and take off-YouTube
With the radar body tilted 90 degrees to the right, insert the convex part on the back of the body into the concave part of the seatpost mount ...
All you have to do is twist the body 90 degrees. The maximum operating time of the radar is 16 hours, so if you ride a bicycle often, you need to charge the battery in a few days to a week, but it is easy to recharge because it can be attached and detached in an instant without a tool such as a screwdriver. ..
Next, the following movie tried the five modes of tail light.
If you press and hold the device key on the top of the main unit for about 1 second, it will start up as 'default mode' that always lights up at medium brightness (20 lumens). Not limited to this mode, the light of the main body emits red light not only from directly behind but also from the left and right parts, so it can appeal to vehicles approaching from the side.
Pressing the device key again puts you in a slightly darker 'group drive mode' with 8 lumens. This mode is mainly used when touring with multiple people, while maintaining the function of the tail light so that it does not affect the eyes of subsequent people.
Next is the 'night flash mode' where the strong light flashes slowly with 29 lumens. This is suitable for use as a tail light in dark situations such as at night.
Next is the 'day flash mode', which flashes with a maximum output of 65 lumens.
This mode flashes with a dazzlingly strong light when you look directly at it, so you can have your car driver find it quickly even in bright daytime.
Press the device key again to enter 'standby mode' where it does not glow. If you press the device key in this state, it will return to the default mode, and the mode will loop each time you press the button.
'Varia RTL515' can be used not only as a tail light but also as a radar linked with a smartphone.
If the car is not approaching from behind, you will see a green band on your smartphone screen. Also, the radar itself is in dayflash mode, but the lights flash very slowly.
However, when the radar catches a car approaching from behind up to 140 meters, the band of the screen turns yellow at the same time as the horn sounds, and the radar body blinks faster. In all modes except standby mode, the radar body blinks when a car approaches.
Also, if the car is approaching at high speed, the display will turn red.
Therefore, if you use a tool that fixes the smartphone to the handlebar of the bicycle like this, it is possible to detect that the vehicle is approaching from behind even while facing forward.
The 'Varia RTL515' has four lighting modes and a strong light emission capacity of up to 65 lumens, which dramatically improves the visibility of the bicycle during the day and at night, improving the safety of cycling and touring. I realized that it is an item that will give me. In addition, by linking with the smartphone app, it can also be used as a radar that alerts you with a warning sound and display when a vehicle approaches from behind, so even if you are in a car, 'a person who rides a bicycle wears it. I'm glad you gave it to me. '
However, if you use the radar function, you will hear a warning sound quite often in places with heavy traffic, so you may be a little worried when there are many other bicycles or pedestrians around. Also, the radar is not accurate enough to distinguish whether the type of vehicle approaching from behind is a car, a motorcycle, or a bicycle, and the mark indicating the approaching vehicle suddenly disappears or appears. Since it happens occasionally, I felt that it was necessary to check the safety with my own eyes and ears, and to use the radar as an aid.
'Varia RTL515' is available on Garmin's official website, and the price is 23,800 yen excluding tax. However, at the time of writing the article, it is sold out and the timing of restocking is unknown. It was also out of stock on
Garmin Online Store | Product Details Varia RTL515
https://store.garmin.co.jp/shop/ProductDetail.aspx?sku=010-02379-00
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