Varia rear light worth it?

[mikeIow]

Its safer in the context of getting a warning from some distance of an rear approaching vehicle and you can consequently judge your route ahead; which side of a pothole or rough surface to go. Also in busy traffic you know it's pointless looking back for the sake of it and instead you can keep an eye on whatever next the road surface is going to throw at you.

Absolutely this!
It will often warn me of a car approaching well before I hear it.
As I wrote above, that gives you options on behaviour: approaching a brow of a hill or other unsafe place to be overtaken? Move out a bit, perhaps wobble to make the driver nervous.
@mjr - note the light flashing changes when cars approach: that will inevitably be more likely to catch they eye of a driver than a steady pattern. I’m not sure what kind of evidence you are expecting for this kind of device, but watch some reviews from experienced cyclists: they will confirm the value. For example:
View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LSToPKFwZMw


Mirrors are obviously a cheap option, but only give limited view, only ‘warn’ you when you peer into them, and are also tricky to fit on bars like mine, with the brilliant Ergon GP5 ends.

@Slick - let us know your thoughts after you’ve tried them: I think you got a bargain 👍

 

[cougie uk]

It might feel safer but I don't know of evidence it is safer. Looking behind occasionally is still a good idea for many reasons. If you need or want a mirror, get one, maybe as well.

Definitely I think it's safer than without. Especially for those roads that you are turning right from. No need to have to look behind all of the time. You ride until the radar says there's a gap and THEN you look behind to make sure.

Much safer than riding along and having to look behind you.

My riding pal was hooking up to my radar and was so impressed that he bought his own within a month.

 

[mikeIow]

Definitely I think it's safer than without. Especially for those roads that you are turning right from. No need to have to look behind all of the time. You ride until the radar says there's a gap and THEN you look behind to make sure.

Much safer than riding along and having to look behind you.

My riding pal was hooking up to my radar and was so impressed that he bought his own within a month.

Same: a good friend bought one the week after seeing mine in action

 

[mjr]

@mjr - note the light flashing changes when cars approach: that will inevitably be more likely to catch they eye of a driver than a steady pattern. I’m not sure what kind of evidence you are expecting for this kind of device, but watch some reviews from experienced cyclists: they will confirm the value.

No, experienced cyclists will confirm their opinion, which will mostly be about feeling. I accept it will make some feel safer but I am not convinced it is safer, evidenced to some level which would allow the claim to be made in an advert. Casualty rates for similar users and non-users, perhaps. Fine if you want to say it makes you feel safer or whatever, but please don't make this thread contain wild claims not even allowed in ads.

And variable flash rate is strictly illegal at present, for good reasons around photosensitivity.

 

[cougie uk]

No, experienced cyclists will confirm their opinion, which will mostly be about feeling. I accept it will make some feel safer but I am not convinced it is safer, evidenced to some level which would allow the claim to be made in an advert. Casualty rates for similar users and non-users, perhaps. Fine if you want to say it makes you feel safer or whatever, but please don't make this thread contain wild claims not even allowed in ads.

And variable flash rate is strictly illegal at present, for good reasons around photosensitivity.

So on a fast descent I'd be checking behind me to see if there's a car there.

With this - I don't need to. The radar always picks up cars. I can keep my eyes on the road.

Safer.

 

[Mike_P]

variable flash rate is strictly illegal at present, for good reasons around photosensitivity.

It's not variable in the sense of being random, it's still a constant flash but at an increased frequency when a car approaches.

 

[mjr]

After unsupported claims were made in the "bargain" topic:

It's not variable in the sense of being random, it's still a constant flash but at an increased frequency when a car approaches.

It's variable that's illegal, not random. The law requires constant rate.

 

[mjr]

So on a fast descent I'd be checking behind me to see if there's a car there.

With this - I don't need to. The radar always picks up cars. I can keep my eyes on the road.

Safer.

Looking behind will always give you more info and be safer, so you should be looking anyway if physically able.

It doesn't only pick up cars, does it? It'll bIeep for overtaking bikes and motorbikes, even if they pass fairly wide.

It sounds a lot like it enables you to ride descents faster than possible with normal observation. I doubt that's safer in reality, even if it feels like it.

 

[Sea of vapours]

It doesn't only pick up cars, does it? It'll bIeep for overtaking bikes and motorbikes, even if they pass fairly wide.

it will. I infer that you're suggesting that that's a bad thing? If so, why? I'm often decidedly more concerned about the roadcraft of people on two wheels compared to those on four or more so that's very much a plus to me. (The fact that it'll pick up pedestrians when the bike's stationary is less useful, though not problematic as such.)

 

[alex_cycles]

it will. I infer that you're suggesting that that's a bad thing? If so, why?

Because he hasn't got one

 

[AlanW]

For those that like lots of data, download the "My Bike Radar" app from the Garmin IQ store then add it to one of your data screens on your Garmin. However, the main problem now is that you are now more likely to run into the back of a parked car because you will be looking at the Garmin all the time analysing all the data of any passing cars!

Quote:
See how many vehicles passed you in a ride. Plus upload your .FIT file after the ride to see exactly where each car passed you. The latest version doesn't require internet access. I am hoping to add an automatic sync feature at some point in the future, but for now you must manually upload your ride to mybiketraffic.com if you want to see the locations and speed data for where cars passed you. *NOTE* you must not only install this app, but ALSO add it as a data field in order for ride data to be recorded during your ride.

 

[cougie uk]

Looking behind will always give you more info and be safer, so you should be looking anyway if physically able.

It doesn't only pick up cars, does it? It'll bIeep for overtaking bikes and motorbikes, even if they pass fairly wide.

It sounds a lot like it enables you to ride descents faster than possible with normal observation. I doubt that's safer in reality, even if it feels like it.

There's no effect on speed. Bit weird to think looking behind you at 40mph+ is safer than ahead tbh ...

 

[Milkfloat]

It's variable that's illegal, not random. The law requires constant rate.

That is not my understanding - I thought it it flashed then it had to be between 1 and 4 times a second. I don't think I have ever ready that this cannot vary.

 

[Mike_P]

For those that like lots of data, download the "My Bike Radar" app from the Garmin IQ store then add it to one of your data screens on your Garmin. However, the main problem now is that you are now more likely to run into the back of a parked car because you will be looking at the Garmin all the time analysing all the data of any passing car

Pointless app IMO - now if it gave a count of how many vehicles were behind that would be useful. Re what is detected it's anything that is moving faster than you so that can include other cyclists

 

[mjr]

That is not my understanding - I thought it it flashed then it had to be between 1 and 4 times a second. I don't think I have ever ready that this cannot vary.

It's not mentioned as often, but it is there: "the light shown by the lamp when flashing shall be displayed not less than 60 nor more than 240 equal times per minute and the intervals between each display of light shall be constant" (RVLR 1989 amended)