It just seems to be the occasional bump or something that causes it to say error but the errors don’t actually seem to cause any problem. A wild guess it sends out a radar signal but the bump causes it to read the signal bouncing back twice. The first reading is processed but the 2nd reading is an error, so the radar has not actually missed anything 
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I continue to be at a loss on this one, I purchased a Varia following the mountain of good reviews, and thus far have felt… underwhelmed. I just found it a bit hard to see the real benefit. Yes I can now see when cars are approaching from behind, but what do people do with this info? Move into the gutter? Surely more dangerous. Move further out to take the lane? Also potentially risky. Turn around to assess the situation? Feels like a real compromise to my own safety (vision ahead interrupted) and the frequency makes it impossible sometimes on busier roads. And what are you really going to be able to tell from a backwards glance?
I no longer use it because I found the beeping more of a nuisance than an aid, and because I just felt the need to look back regardless to try and tell if they’d actually seen me or not. I’m clearly the minority here, but do people have any reasoning to combat what I mentioned above?
I don’t really have any idea to combat those issues. I will say that I am one of those Varia Evangelists but in “heavy” traffic I turn the radar off because it’s annoying.
Where I am is mostly gravel roads. I ride in the “good” spot which is the two strips of good gravel where the wheels of cars have passed which is largely just the middle of the road. Between the gravel and the wind I can’t really hear any cars so I use my radar to know when a car comes and can move over to the side of the road.
If I’m riding in a more suburban/urban area it definitely depends on the road. Sometimes I’ll move over to the right, sometimes I’ll move more into the lane. The radar can’t tell you what to do you just have to assess the situation.
A backwards glance can tell you how close a vehicle is, how big the vehicle is, how fast it’s going, and potentially lets the driver know that you know they’re there. If you find it unsafe to look back though that’s a bit of an issue you should work on or perhaps a mirror is a better product for you.
Sometimes it’s a wide open road and I slide over to give them plenty of room. Sometimes it’s heavy traffic and I take the lane. That’s exactly why I use it. I never, ever feel the need to look back. Also, it tells me how many cars there are so I don’t accidentally move back into the lane when there’s a second or third car back there.
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Keep my eyes looking forward and don’t have that ‘wtf’ moment when they suddenly appear.
If you don’t get on with the beeping change it or turn it off.
What Garmin have you got? a B&W or colour one? With a colour one if its detected red circa 250m back and goes orange as it gets closer, its a safe bet to say they saw you. Regardless though there’s no real need to turn around if you keep your line, a ‘life saver’ doesnt hurt if you see a pothole and have to move out (looking forward will let you see that early enough to react).
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But I don’t suffer this kind of shock when passed, whether it’s because I’m used to it or can hear them coming.
I suppose I can, but I think to be clearer my annoyance was not finding it useful rather than the beeping itself!
I have a wahoo which has coloured LEDs depending on speed of approach as you describe, but I don’t believe that’s a good indicator of them seeing you or not. I have plenty pass me quickly but on the other side of the road, so clearly have seen me.
This sums it up quite well, and I suppose I don’t get as much out of being told how many cars/how fast they are approaching as others. Clearly lots of people love this product, I’m just a little sad to discover I didn’t after the near 100% thumbs up from the cycling crowd!
I’m down to less than that…started yesterday with a fresh charge and after a 90 min ride yesterday AM, a 75 min ride last night and a 90 min ride this AM, it was dead.
On the phone with Garmin Support (i.e. hold) now.
ETA - They are going to do a discounted exchange, which is what I expected. 1/2 price on a new one. Had the Varia for 2+ years and rechargeable batteries don’t last forever. Seems more than reasonable.
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Probably because you are looking back so much but hey ho if that’s how you roll, Good luck!
That explains a lot it’s a bit more refined on the garmin and easier to trust. My mate switched from Wahoo to Garmin as it integrates more smoothly and you can use the Varia like a rear view mirror to a degree but not everyone has got that money to chop and change things on a whim.
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I attach a little rear mirror to my glasses. Varia signals and I start paying attention
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Dont worry about it.
You dont have to like everything just because everyone else likes it 
I love mine.
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Situational awareness. Its ok if you don’t see any benefit.
This is why I bought the original in late 2017 (?).
While on rides my watch tells me this:
Thats from the wind, and a few cars. But mostly the wind, its is loud and noisy.
On the outbound it is so windy you can’t hear cars and trucks approaching from behind. Narrow country roads and it can be 5+ minutes between cars passing. I hate being surprised when a car or truck passes me at 60mph. Worse when it is a close pass because the road is narrow and I’m not in the gutter. Worse yet if it is a surprise, close pass, and there are 1 or 2 other vehicles also flying by at 60mph.
Coming home with a tailwind I’m carrying speeds of 22-28mph and the roads are crap so I prefer riding near the crown of the road. For example this lovely 0.5 mile section:
In a tailwind its usually easier to hear vehicles, except during an interval when breathing hard, and I don’t hear them until its a surprise.
So here I’m near the middle of a narrow road, one of many crap roads I ride and train on. Doing intervals and hitting 26-29mph in a tailwind, breathing heavy, rarely getting passed by a vehicle, staying out of the broken pavement and long cracks on the right, and riding near the crown of the road. You can bet I want a heads up that a car/truck is coming in hot from behind, and carefully pick a quick line over to the right.
Situational awareness. Mostly on those roads above. From my house its about 5 minutes of traffic getting in and out of the city, where having the radar is useless because of the constant parade of cars.
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This is a good case study / use case.
Anybody using the newer Varia RCT715 with camera? Reviews from @dcrainmaker and @gpl at time of release weren’t great but a lot of the issues were around the app and the usability so wondering if there may have been some improvement since then via firmware updates.
Long time and happy user of the original Varia but mine is 4 years old and battery life is getting pretty bad, especially in cold weather, so probably time to replace it. Recently seems I’ve attracted an unusually high number of close passes (including wing mirror contact twice in the last month), so starting to seriously consider the merits of having a camera.
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I have found the Varia to be tremendously useful with the proliferation of near-silent electric cars. And, as @WindWarrior outlined, in windy conditions where it’s difficult to hear.
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When the Varia first came out, I thought it was a gimmick and wondered who would ever need one. Recently, I’ve been looking to add a second rear light to my bike. Seems like back, country road drivers where I am like to speed while typing on their phone and drinking too hot coffee. And that yellow line in the middle and white line on the edge of the road are just suggestions.
In my searching for a second rear light, I discovered this thread. I was so amazed at the positive feedback, I had to check out the Varia. I’ve been using one for a couple of months now and I agree. I really wouldn’t want to be out on the road without it. It adds a definite level of confidence to my riding. I still use a mirror and still look over my shoulder when pulling out. But I never get startled by passing cars anymore. And if I do need to ride down the middle of my side of the road, I’m not worried about someone coming out of nowhere behind me.
One question though. With the two bikes I use the Varia on, I like to use saddle bags. Some are small and some are large. They all have straps for lights. And they all block the Varia when it’s on the seat post. Has anyone found a reliable way to mount the Varia on the back of a saddle bag?
Thx.
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My proper Varia mount is on my TT bike and electrical taped so it isnt really transferable, on my other bikes I use the standard edge twist mount with smaller bands that might work.
KOM Cycling offers a Varia clip or a saddle bag with integrated mount.
Garmin Varia Clip Mount for Saddle Bags – KOM Cycling
Saddle Bag – KOM Cycling
Or search Etsy or eBay for “Garmin Varia saddle bag mount”.
FWIW, I recently left my Varia at home on a week long trip. I didn’t realize just how much I depended on that feedback til I rode for several days without it. Big fan, especially when there are multiple cars passing.
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Thanks for the replies regarding a saddle bag clip for the Varia.