I've been a regular cyclist since 2015 and have had my fair share of bike accidents (all minor, thankfully, where at worst I got away with a few cuts) and the common denominator was that I was distracted by my phone.
A smartphone mounted on a bicycle handlebar is a distraction magnet. The big, bright screen is great for navigating with Google Maps, but notifications and other pop-ups can also take your attention off the road. This setup can also drain your phone's battery pretty quickly, especially if you're also recording your ride on an app like Strava, making it less than ideal for longer rides.
Bike computers aim to address these issues. They can look like small smartphones, but without distractions, recording metrics like speed, distance, heart rate, time, and more. They can range from basic models that cost no more than AU$20 to high-end computers that have built-in GPS and maps, and even a digital “doorbell” via a built-in speaker (for about the same price as a mid-range smartphone).
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Eyes on the road, not on a screen
I tested Garmin's newest bike computer, the Edge 850, to see how much it improves the riding experience compared to using my phone while it's mounted on the handlebars.
The smaller black and white screen only shows numbers, which minimized distractions and kept my eyes on the road more often compared to using my phone. It also has real-time alerts for any upcoming dangers, such as potholes and road debris, which are usually reported by users (similar to how Waze works).
The built-in GPS is accurate and the maps are as intuitive to navigate as Google Maps, and the Edge 850 will also recalculate your route if you miss a turn.
While the features above are great, what really makes a Garmin bike computer an essential safety upgrade for anyone who rides a bike is a standalone add-on accessory: the Garmin Varia RearVue 820.
Tesla's vehicle detection technology, but for bicycles
The Varia RearVue 820 may look like a regular bike taillight on the outside, but it contains radar to detect if there are vehicles behind you, similar to Tesla's vehicle detection technology.
Bicycle radars are not a new invention by any means; Garmin made the first commercial rear-facing radar in 2015, which has since spawned copycat models throughout the cycling industry.
What sets the Garmin Varia RearVue 820 apart is that it can also tell you whether the vehicle behind you is a conventional car or something much larger, like a bus or truck.
Being passed by a large vehicle at high speed while cycling is not for the faint of heart. The air displaced by the passing vehicle creates a push-pull effect that could cause a cyclist to veer onto a sidewalk or onto some gravel or grass, or worse, the cyclist could be “sucked in” and crash into the side of the truck or bus. This is one of the reasons why cars of any size should leave at least one meter of space when overtaking a cyclist, but that's a topic for another day.
I have been in situations like this many times and have almost avoided an accident when a truck sped past me. With the Varia RearVue 820, seeing the large vehicle alert on my screen helped me prepare to brace myself when it passes by by holding onto the handlebar tips to prevent it from spinning on its own.
The radar connects to a compatible Garmin bike computer or smartwatch and adds a new section on the screen to replicate a road. Each detected vehicle is displayed as an icon in the shape of a car and its corresponding size. I was able to connect to the Edge 850 with no issues, but I was pleasantly surprised when it was just as easy to pair it with my 9-year-old Garmin Fenix 5 smartwatch.
The alerts are accompanied by beeps, so you don't have to be glued to the screen. Vehicles can be detected up to 170m away to give cyclists more time to prepare. The radar can also show if vehicles are in the same lane as the cyclist, reinforcing that peace of mind.
Garmin says this technology is made possible by a higher-frequency V-band radar of 60 Hz (compared to 24 Hz on its other models), which detects the “contours” of a vehicle rather than a single “dot,” which are then converted into virtual cars that appear on the bike computer or smartwatch screen.
More visible than ever on the road
The bike light isn't just there to make radar discreet: the Garmin Varia RearVue 820's rear light is bright enough to be visible to other road users up to 2km away. Garmin says that a car running at 100 km per hour covers 2 km in about 70 seconds, so this visibility would alert the driver much sooner than other bike lights, giving them more time to adjust.
The light may also flash rapidly when you have to brake suddenly; The Varia RearVue 820 uses radar data and an accelerometer to detect deceleration and produce a “visual shout” to alert other cyclists and road users. I hadn't realized this feature until someone on a group tour pointed it out to me, showing me how effective it was.
The connected bike computer or smartwatch can control the light remotely instead of the rider having to reach back and set it to what they want the light to look like. The light can be set for full visibility or in a much less bright “platoon mode” while riding in a group.
Should you get one?
While the Garmin Varia RearVue 820 is fairly accurate at detecting vehicles, it shouldn't be a complete substitute for occasionally looking over your shoulder to check for cars when it's safe to do so.
That said, it's still an excellent piece of safety technology, given that cyclists are some of the most vulnerable road users. The addition of the brake light function and increased visibility also increase the safety factor. At $299 / £259.99 / AU$469, it's a big ask for some cyclists, but, for someone who puts safety above all else, it's a smart investment to help save lives.
While you can splash out on the top-end $599 / £519.99 / AU$949 Garmin Edge 850, Garmin says the Varia RearVue 820 is compatible with 162 different devices, including 2015 Edge cycle computers and 2016 smartwatch models.
You can even skip the bike computer altogether and simply pair the Garmin Varia RearVue 820 with your smartphone. The Garmin Varia app on iOS and Android replicates the same experience on a larger screen and can also work alongside Google Maps appearing as a slim sidebar. Just be sure to temporarily turn off notifications by setting a focus mode or Do Not Disturb profile that's optimized for cycling, so you can reduce distracting notifications.
This makes the Garmin Varia RearVue 820 an essential safety upgrade for anyone who bikes regularly on the roads, whether you're a serious cyclist using a bike computer to track your workout or a bike commuter with your phone mounted on the handlebars. Heck, I'd say it's even worth using when you're leisurely heading to the local coffee shop.
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