Opinions on Garmin Varia

[Dogtrousers]

Wahoo is bringing out TRACKR RADAR, a Varia competitor.

DC Rainmaker says
Wahoo has announced their first cycling radar, aptly called TRACKR Radar. This new radar does pretty much all the usual cycling radar bits, and integrates with everyone else, and costs about the same as everyone else. It has a handful of new features though, and better battery life – which may give it the edge. Plus, it’s got USB-C.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/04/wahoo-trackr-radar-cycling-details.html

Interestingly, only last weekend I thought "I wonder if Garmin have updated the Varia to USB-C yet". I did a search. No they haven't, and I'm not the only one wondering this - Garmin forums are full of people bellyaching about just this.

 

[Dadam]

I don't really see the gripe about not having USB-C. I mean yes it's better but the device comes with a charging cable and micro-USB charging cables aren't exactly hard to get or expensive if you lose it.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I don't really see the gripe about not having USB-C. I mean yes it's better but the device comes with a charging cable and micro-USB charging cables aren't exactly hard to get or expensive if you lose it.

It's just a bit irritating.

I already own an approximately infinite number of micro USB (and other) cables. But can I ever find one when I need one?

I think that's what they call a First World Problem

More importantly, for me at least, the deal breaker with the Wahoo TRACKR is that it has a quarter turn mount that's incompatible with all the other quarter turn mounts out there. So if I did want one (which I don't really, as I already have a Varia) I couldn't use it on the quarter turn mount that I've bodged onto my rack. I'd have to re-bodge a new one.

 

[Dadam]

Definitely a first world problem. Things are gradually converging on USB-C but I imagine before everything does, there'll be a new standard. I've not got any wireless charging devices yet though.

We have a couple of "device charging stations" in the house. Just sockets with a 4 way USB charger permanently plugged in, and there's always a couple of micro-USB cables in the vicinity along with the couple of Apple lightning cables and USB-C cables. Often tangled up.

What's really irritating is when you think a device wants a micro-USB and turns out to be a USB mini B socket! They're getting rarer so usually have to hunt through boxes and drawers to find one.

 

[Mike_P]

DCrainmaker buying one because it has USB-C seems a bit odd IMO given the mount issues. Big Q must be does it have less radar errors than a Varia.

 

[Ridgeway]

Wahoo is bringing out TRACKR RADAR, a Varia competitor.

DC Rainmaker says
Wahoo has announced their first cycling radar, aptly called TRACKR Radar. This new radar does pretty much all the usual cycling radar bits, and integrates with everyone else, and costs about the same as everyone else. It has a handful of new features though, and better battery life – which may give it the edge. Plus, it’s got USB-C.

https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2025/04/wahoo-trackr-radar-cycling-details.html

Interestingly, only last weekend I thought "I wonder if Garmin have updated the Varia to USB-C yet". I did a search. No they haven't, and I'm not the only one wondering this - Garmin forums are full of people bellyaching about just this.

This is great news 👍🏻 I’ll be the first to buy one after Garmin fail miserably to support any battery issues

 

[Mike_P]

This is great news 👍🏻 I’ll be the first to buy one after Garmin fail miserably to support any battery issues

Be interesting to see if its possible to change the battery, something which seems impossible on the RT515. That was what softened the loss of old one in that left any time with a full charge it quickly went flat (and yes the bluetooth was off)

 

[PaulSB]

I only really want the radar function, not bothered about the light (I have a couple of Cateyes on the bike) so to extend battery life I'd be happy if there was no light at all but as far as I know this isn't possible. I set it onto flash only (by pressing the power button repeatedly). Am I missing something?

It is possible. I can do this using a Wahoo Roam V2 as the head unit, so it is bound to be possible with a Garmin head unit (!). On mine, I can go into 'Radar Settings', within 'Settings', and there are options for light mode and alert (radar alert) mode separately, and the light one includes 'Off'. I have mine set so that it only flashes when the radar alerts and battery life is the 16 hours or so Garmin quote.

Today's stupid question. You are both referring to the rear facing light which acts as a replacement for a tail light? I know it's daft but I've got myself confused as to if you mean the warning light on the head unit or the tail light?

I would like to turn off the tail light to extend battery life for very long days. When I've tired this manually on the Varia itself I've lost the radar warning on my Wahoo screen. I'm running a Roam V2.

 

[abcd efg]

Be interesting to see if its possible to change the battery, something which seems impossible on the RT515. That was what softened the loss of old one in that left any time with a full charge it quickly went flat (and yes the bluetooth was off)

There is a company in England satnavspecialist.co.uk that I have used twice to change the battery in my Garmin Edge Explore 2. They were tremendous. Costs about £35 depending on how quickly you want it done.

 

[Mike_P]

There is a company in England satnavspecialist.co.uk that I have used twice to change the battery in my Garmin Edge Explore 2. They were tremendous. Costs about £35 depending on how quickly you want it done.

But a Varia?

 

[Sea of vapours]

I would like to turn off the tail light to extend battery life for very long days. When I've tired this manually on the Varia itself I've lost the radar warning on my Wahoo screen. I'm running a Roam V2.

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 !

 

[PaulSB]

I have a Roam V2 and RTL515. 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).

Thank you. When Mrs P wakes and I can ferret around in my cycling cupboard I'll get my Varia and have a play.

 

[Sea of vapours]

Thank you. When Mrs P wakes and I can ferret around in my cycling cupboard I'll get my Varia and have a play.

You're welcome. Note that I've updated the post with precise, menu item by menu item instructions after extracting Varia and Roam from my luggage. I actually bought the Roam V2 (replacing a Roam V1) to enable this 'light off' mode, hence more or less recalling how.

 

[cougie uk]

DCrainmaker buying one because it has USB-C seems a bit odd IMO given the mount issues. Big Q must be does it have less radar errors than a Varia.

I just have a plug that's got multiple usb slots in. so i have USBC, Micro USB and my Garmin watch all charging there. Sorted. Leave the cables in all the time.

 

[PaulSB]

You're welcome. Note that I've updated the post with precise, menu item by menu item instructions after extracting Varia and Roam from my luggage. I actually bought the Roam V2 (replacing a Roam V1) to enable this 'light off' mode, hence more or less recalling how.

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.