Summer may be here, and you've most likely packed away your best bike lights until next winter, but I'm a big fan of running daytime lights—especially a rear light, as being spotted by other users in the daytime is just as vital as riding in the darkness.
One of the best rear lights on the market is the Magicshine SEEMEE 300, and as a professional deals hunter, I've highlighted many good deals on those. However, my personal favourite rear light that has a few extra tricks up its sleeve and provides a load of extra safety features is the Garmin Varia RCT715, which packs not just a rear light but a radar and camera into its lightweight and compact package.
Right now, REI is offering a 25% discount, making the Garmin Varia RCT715 the cheapest it's been this year. This equates to a fantastic savings of $100, reducing the Varia from the MRSP of $399.99 to $299.99.
Save 25% The Garmin Varia RCT715 is a brilliant piece of cycling tech that I never ride without. As well as providing a superb rear light with a load of visibility options, it has a built-in rearward camera and a very clever radar function. It links easily to the best Garmin cycling computers, bar-mounted smartphones, and smartwatches. The Varia will alert you to traffic approaching from the rear, giving information on how far, how fast and how many vehicles are on your tail.
As much as I personally rate and recommend the Garmin Varia RCT715, I haven't actually reviewed it. However, in his Cycling WeeklyGarmin Varia RCT715 review, Paul Grele backed up my own opinions and gave the Varia a well-deserved 4.5 out of 5 stars, saying, " The Varia is a really impressive unit capable of filming, providing a rear light and incorporating a radar. It will link to existing Garmin products" (and other non-Garmin GPS units or a bar-mounted phone).
Paul summed up his review by adding, "The Varia like most Garmin products is well made and straightforward to setup and use. Whilst the camera film quality is excellent and the rear light is good, the radar is the standout feature. It gives the rider really accurate information to plan your movements on the road."
For me, the clincher that makes the Garmin so good is the simplicity of use, and if you're already in the Garmin eco-system, then it syncs up in seconds. I paired mine with the Garmin Edge 830, and the benefit- in fact, the joy of seeing the dots representing approaching traffic- is just fantastic. At first I still would have a look over my shoulder to confirm what the Garmin was telling me, and I've always found it to be spot-on, once you adapt to trust the tech—you really no longer have to look when making a move, but I'd still advise you do so anyway.
Another great feature is the safety of having a built-in camera with various settings, including always-on and radar-activated. It has you covered for recording close pass incidents or worse, and it can also detect an incident. Footage is recorded in sharp, clear 1080p at 30 fps, or the resolution can be reduced to 720fps to extend battery life for longer rides. Depending on the settings, you can expect the battery to last up to ten hours.
In our review, we felt the Garmin Varia RCT715 was an impressive piece of tech, only missing out on a perfect score by its whopping price tag. So, at this price with $100 off, it makes it incredibly good value for a clever piece of kit that actually gives you three items in one.
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Garmin Varia RCT715 is securely mounted on the suppled clamp(Image credit: Paul Brett)
(Image credit: Paul Brett)
(Image credit: Paul Brett)
The Garmin Varia RTL515 is also discounted and provides much of the same functionality of its Varia RCT715 sibling—just without the built-in camera. If you're happy to live without that, but want the radar and light, then the RTL515 is the way to go.
Save 25%.TheVaria RTL515 rearview radar provides visual and audible alerts for vehicles approaching from behind. It misses out on the rearview camera of the Garmin Varia RCT715, but that makes it cheaper. It has all the same features as its pricier sibling.
These deals are currently only available in the US, but below, you'll find all the best Garmin Varia RCT715 and Garmin Varia RTL515 deals in your territory.
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Paul Brett is a deals writer for Cycling Weekly and has been cycling for as long as he can remember, initially catching the mountain biking bug in the 1990s, he raced mountain bikes for over a decade. An award-winning photographer, when not riding a bike, he can be found at the side of a road world championship or a cyclocross track shooting the action. Paul was the founder, editor and writer of Proper Cycling magazine, and he's travelled the world interviewing some of the top personalities in cycling and writing about some of the biggest cycling brands.
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