Opinions on Garmin Varia

[Mike_P]

Thanks. Only just spotted this. My first effort didn't work but I also noted the Varia is asking for an update via Garmin express. I tried a random cable connection but this failed so I need to find the supplied cable which I guess will carry data.

Doesn't necessarily need to be the supplied cable, just one that has the correct number of wires so one with a slightly thicker cable will most likely work.

 

[PaulSB]

Doesn't necessarily need to be the supplied cable, just one that has the correct number of wires so one with a slightly thicker cable will most likely work.

Thank you. I didn't know this but now see some of my cables are thicker than others. I usually keep brand supplied cables separate from others but hadn't bothered with the Varia. I only discovered a couple of weeks ago it could be updated, something that had never occurred to me.

 

[PaulSB]

I have a Roam V2 and RTL515. It's the 'tal light' we're talking about in the above.

Soooo..... no need to physically touch the Varia, other than to put it on. Once it's on and shows connected on the head unit, go to the 'main menu' on the Roam and keep clicking down 'til you get to 'Radar', which is beneath the 'Settings' option (I Ihink, I don't have it to hand right now). Select and click that. On the resultant menu are about ten Varia related things about battery remaining, firmware levels, etc. These include 'Alert mode': set that to 'On'. Then set the time below (I think immediately below), which is Light mode' to 'Off'. That should do it.

There is a setting whose name I forget which essentially says 'Flash the rear light a bit when the radar alerts, then put it off unitl it alerts again'. This is what I use, set to zero seconds, so the light stops flashing when a vehcile has passed. In practice, on quiet roads in the Dales, that gives me around 15 hours of Varia life.

I'll update this with more precise terms re the menus if I can get to my Roam later today (I'm travelling).

EDIT:
1. From the top level menu, the one starting 'Start ride', click down to 'Radar' under the ' Sensors' section and highlight it.
2. Click 'More', which is the bottom right button once 'Radar' is highlighted. This may be the step you're missing.
3. Clcik down to 'alert mode' and click the centre bottom button 'til 'On' appears next to 'alert mode'.
4. Go down one more line to 'Light mode' and set that to 'Off'.
5. Go down to 'Auto light' and set that to whatever you wish, using the centre-bottom button. I have 1s. You can set it to 1,5, 10 or Disabled. The latter will keep the light always off. The others will make it flash when a car appears and then for X seconds AFTER a car has passed.

I think that's it. Hope that helps !

This is so detailed and accurate. You've highlighted parts of the Varia menu settings I wasn't aware of. Thank you. I've followed all of this, I'm out on Wednesday which will be my first chance to test the changes. Cheers. I have two buddies who want to do the same thing. I'll test it before passing on.

I hope one of them will notice my Varia only flashes when a car approaches. It is the sort of thing he would spot.

 

[Sea of vapours]

I hope one of them will notice my Varia only flashes when a car approaches. It is the sort of thing he would spot.

It's mildly entertaining to see how long people take to notice this behaviour. I've had a few comments suggesting that the Varia is broken before people realise what it's actually doing :-)

Prior to the ride, you could test that it's doing what you wish by starting a ride (I mean pressing 'Start ride' on the Roam) and then waving the Varia about 'til it triggers (vertically towards a hard surface is the easiest). It's also worth noting that leaving the Varia in the partially off mode, i.e. where the blue Bluetooth light is flashing will result in the Roam switching the light on when you click Start Ride, meaning you never need to turn on the Varia with its button. (It'll go off after the first radar alert, when the '1s then off' setting is triggered.) Over a period between charges of 2-3 days this makes no discernible difference to battery life on the Varia, though I charge the Varia fully after all but very short rides, so it might be an issue if you prefer not to charge every time.

I'm glad that was helpful.