Is there a sound level option in your 530 setting that might fix this?
Whatâs wrong with using my ears?
Though perhaps if the light sequence alters as vehicles approach there may be some worthwhile value?
Are you asking about the value of radar as a tool broadly speaking in addition to basic awareness?
If so, there are numerous reasons including:
- Conditions like wind or attention being focused on something else can lead to typical car noise being hidden or unnoticed.
- Add in the new future of electric cars and their more silent presence and even the basic audio detection we use can be impeded or completely ineffective.
There are several more I donât have time to summarize, but most are present in the other radar discussion threads if you want a deeper dive.
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No. Itâs either on or off.
So, the Varia radar actually makes noise? The Trek radar does not. I wish that it did. But, then again, Iâd also like to be able to change the volume.
The companion Trek app seems to have nice visuals, but the problem is that itâs on a phone and thatâs in my pocket. The Garmin 530 radar visuals seem sufficient, and they work on the data screen I use.
- That would be news to me. I think the only audio alert comes from the paired device (head unit, watch, phone) as I donât think the Varia has a speaker on board.
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That is correct the Varia does not have a speaker. I use my Garmin watch with it set to vibrate for alerts. That is a nice way to be quickly aware of a car.
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Indeed but via the head unit, IIRC the default is two loud audible beeps designed to be unique from other garmin edge noises or you can change it to one audible beep which I done before my 1030âs sound unit failed. In a group although my sound unit has failed I can clearly hear my friends units and glance down at my screen.
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Before I got my radar, I was constantly thinking I was hearing a car coming. Only to look and see nothing â it was just the wind in my ears. And plenty of other times my ears would let me down, not hearing an approaching car. The radar does this all much much better.
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Like to add trailers, country roads and cars with trailers / caravans getting notification that there are 2 cars is fantastic
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Thereâs a very long discussion in the Varia thread full of those of us who swore Varia was useless until we bought one. Iirc - there was 1 person out of the whole thread who regretted their purchase. Mine made such a huge difference that I bought one for my wife after only using mine once. The vast majority agreed that itâs one of the best cycling purchases theyâve ever made.
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Multi-detection is definitely nice so you can plan according to those actual vehicle numbers vs the simple take that âSound = 1â per our ears.
I had this exact discussion with a guy in yesterday evenings group ride. You donât think you need it until you get it, and then when you get it, you wonât ride without it.
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Yeah, this is the thing. I really think people vastly overestimate their situational awareness.
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I wonder why they would possibly regret it? I am one of those who hasnât bought one because I just donât see big use, but I think regret would be a stretch.
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The use case is fairly obvious and has been gone over numerous times here. I have yet to meet anyone who has not loved the unit and would recommend any sceptics borrow one at the very least.
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I mean, I had the discussion in the thread and plenty agreed I donât have a huge use case for it, but that is neither here nor there. I am in fact asking how could one regret it, as I donât see any downside to owning one.
Reasons to not own a radar that come to mind:
- $200 USD (or similar) in the bank.
- Annoyance from excessive alerts in high traffic areas or situations that are generally known to have constant traffic.
- General demand / inconvenience of pairing, using & charging another device.
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The only âdownsideâ was my 2016 purchase of the original rtl500 - it required a separate rear light, so I bought a Flare RT. Still have the Flare RT.
In 2022 I gave the RTL500 to someone on this forumâs pay it forward thread:
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