stompandgo
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Last week, the shop received the new Garmin RearVue 820 rear radar/light unit. I have the original, 1st generation RTL510 unit, which has been falsing a lot due to the radar band it uses interfering with modern vehicle collision detection/emergency braking/object avoidance systems. When it falses, it puts up a black overload/error screen that will not go away unless I take my hands off the bars and touch the screen. So I decided to upgrade to the RV820, which is paired to my Edge 840 computer, which I have had for a year or so. This unit also uses the standard Garmin 1/4 turn mount as it's predecessors, so that it is compatible with my custom Garmin mount on the Pinarello.
I have yet to ride with it. Tomorrow and Wednesday look great right now, so maybe then. The biggest feature upgrades are:
Longer battery life - 24+ hours
Longer range - up to 200m
Brighter light - up to 100lm
Threat size detection - bikes show up as the smallest icon, then cars, then trucks
Multiple lane detection and movement - if a vehicle is in an outside lane and is crossing over to the lane next to you, the icon follows this
Threat level detection - colors change from white to yellow to red
Multiple flash types, including a custom flash capability
On-board accelerometer detects braking and changes the flash to a steady bright brake light
It uses two new radar broadcast bands to reduce falsing
It is compatible with all computers that support the Varia, but some of the new features will only be available on more modern computers. It is also supported by a phone app, which can be used for configuration as well as display without a computer. There is a vibration button as well, so that your phone could be inside a pocket and you would get alerts via sound and vibration without the display.
I will post my impressions as I ride with it during the season. This will not be a DC Rainmaker review. You can find that on your own. Just my impressions as an early radar light adopter and someone who refuses to ride on the road without one.
I have yet to ride with it. Tomorrow and Wednesday look great right now, so maybe then. The biggest feature upgrades are:
Longer battery life - 24+ hours
Longer range - up to 200m
Brighter light - up to 100lm
Threat size detection - bikes show up as the smallest icon, then cars, then trucks
Multiple lane detection and movement - if a vehicle is in an outside lane and is crossing over to the lane next to you, the icon follows this
Threat level detection - colors change from white to yellow to red
Multiple flash types, including a custom flash capability
On-board accelerometer detects braking and changes the flash to a steady bright brake light
It uses two new radar broadcast bands to reduce falsing
It is compatible with all computers that support the Varia, but some of the new features will only be available on more modern computers. It is also supported by a phone app, which can be used for configuration as well as display without a computer. There is a vibration button as well, so that your phone could be inside a pocket and you would get alerts via sound and vibration without the display.
I will post my impressions as I ride with it during the season. This will not be a DC Rainmaker review. You can find that on your own. Just my impressions as an early radar light adopter and someone who refuses to ride on the road without one.
