Garmin Varia and Ride with GPS Keep You Safer Off Gravel

Ride with GPS has teamed up with Garmin to offer riders greater peace of mind through its mobile app, with Varia RVR315 and RTL515 compatibility.

Garmin developed Varia, a first-of-its-kind rearview bike radar and smart bike lights system, to create a safer cycling environment by warning cyclists of vehicles approaching from behind, while also alerting approaching vehicles of a cyclist ahead. Our users now have the ability to connect the Garmin Varia RVR315 rearview radar or the RTL515 rearview radar with the tail light unit with their Ride with GPS mobile app and receive in-app notifications about approaching vehicles in real-time.

Ride with GPS and Garmin join forces to make riding the best routes safer

How it Works

Once a Varia unit is connected to the Ride with GPS app, Garmin's Varia radar will overlay on our maps seamlessly, with a simple sidebar display:

  • During a ride, the vehicle sidebar will change colors to indicate when vehicles are approaching and to provide warning of vehicles traveling at high speed.

  • Audio notifications will allow riders to keep their eyes on the road and stay in the know when their screen is out of view, with different tones to indicate when there are vehicles approaching, to warn of vehicles traveling at higher speeds, and alert when all’s clear.

Varia side by side comparison

In addition to seamless integration with the Ride with GPS app, the Varia RTL515 and RVR315 units come with the following features:

  • See Behind: Both units warn of vehicles approaching up to 153 yards (140 meters) and offer improved detection of vehicles as they slow down from behind.

  • Be Seen: With the RTL515 tail light, approaching vehicles can see the cyclist from up to 1 mile away.

  • Peloton Mode: RTL515 offers a mode that provides a low-intensity flash that is kind to other cyclists' eyes.

  • Improved Mounting: Varia can now be mounted to D-shaped, aero, and round seat posts.

  • Optimized Battery Life: Up for 16 hours in day flash mode, 6 in solid for RTL515, and up to 7 hours for RVR315.

Better get out of the way - vehicle high speed alert

To get started, purchase a Varia RVR315 or RTL515 unit, then enjoy peace of mind out on the road while still getting access to all of Ride with GPS's powerful mobile features:

  • Turn-by-turn voice navigation and offline maps

  • Fast, easy, powerful mobile route planning

  • Estimated arrival time that updates in real-time based on your ride progress

  • Live Logging so friends and family can follow along in real-time

Learn more at Ride With GPS and Garmin.