Originally Posted by
kahn
Those that use the Garmin Varia: Do you use it with a Garmin device or your cellphone or both? Does it audibly alert so that if using a phone (android in my case) you can have the phone in a pocket or handlebar bag and still hear an alert - that is, if you don't want to mount phone/garmin on the handlebars? I was hit by a pickup truck from the rear many years ago and while he really dinged up my body, I managed to dent the entire length of the pickup truck bed with my butt!!!!
I use it with a Garmin head unit which gives both visible and audible warning. I haven't used the Garmin phone app, but it looks like it would work in a very similar way. Not sure how effective it would be in your pocket though. The visible indicator is very useful to see cars closing in on you. There is also the option of a simple bar mounted dedicated indicator if you don't have a head unit. I believe it also works with some other non-Garmin head units e.g. Wahoo.