Radar love
I started using a mirror several years ago due to disc problems in my neck, as well as hearing loss. I don't wear my hearing aids when riding because the wind noise drowns everything out. Using a mirror made a world of difference, although occasionally I'd be lost in thought or zoning out on the surroundings and that's when an unexpected car would fly by. I found myself constantly glancing in the mirror, always looking for the next threat. I recently got a Garmin Edge 130 Plus and the Varia RVR315 Rear Radar sensor hoping it would increase my safety and allow me to enjoy the ride more.
I will never ride without this setup again.
I'm sure I'm not the first one here to discover this, but I can't get over what a difference it has made. It picks up cars 500 ft away and dots on the display show them as they approach, as well as how many. Up to 8 cars. There are audible beeps too. Some of the roads I ride are a bit rough and the smoothest parts are out in the lane. Before, I'd always be worrying about a car coming up unexpectedly and would be constantly glancing over. Now I get an 8-10 second audible warning. More often than not, I get an alert before I can see them in the mirror. It also works without a computer by downloading a free Garmin Varia phone app.
The only issue I had at first was not always hearing the tone. I solved that with a single earpiece and ran the app on my phone where I could make the tone louder. You would think there would be a volume control, but I haven't found it. Accidents will happen, but along with the mirror, I think the Varia goes far to mitigate the risk.
I haven't been using this too long. Do any long time users have any useful tips or observations?
Stay safe out there!