Have been looking at the varia radar for some months but didnt want to go to the expense of the full package so waited for the 510 firmware before I bought the rear unit. Have read many horror stories of units not working straight from purchase but the store I bought from assured me if that was the case I would have replacement or refund. My 510 already has the latest firmware. I registered the varia on the garmin site and performed the firmware update (garmin says BOTH units must have latest firmware to work correctly.) Powered the units on and the varia connected almost immediately with 510.
I mounted the varia on a camera tripod and took that and the 510 out to the main road (I live in a quiet villiage) to make sure it was working ok. It picked up several cars and a motobike, and showed multiple targets. Phew, I didnt pick up a dud!
Mounted the rear unit on the seat post nice and high. I keep my tools in a water bottle on the seat tube opposite my water bottle - the tools are heavy and I like them mounted lower down to keep the c of g lower and also I think the water bottle is somewhat more aero than a bag, oh, and my rear lights sit higher up so are more vissible!
Does anyone remember tabgate? the tabs on garmin devices were snapping off resulting in lost/damaged gps? My 510 is always tethered but the varia radar has no such backup. After much headscratching I stuck on a plastic tab with a raised hole, and put a tether on. It is sticky backed so if the unit has to go back under warranty it will peel off and no harm done, but also I hope it wont fall off when I go over the cattle grids that are on my route!
So, how did it work? Well, for those still interested, it worked pretty darn well! But I absolutely MUST point something out first - I have read alot of users complaining there GPS isnt beeping loud enough to hear. I had no such problems with the 510. Not only did I have two layers over my ears, but it was howling a gale out there today and I didnt miss a single alert - and to me that is a GAMECHANGER - without the tones the unit really is no better than a mirror or looking over your shoulder - if you dont keep checking your display or mirror they are of no use, but I could just carry on doing whatever till the 510 beeped and my attention was brought to the screen to see what was happening - That in itself makes me sold on this unit - I dont have to keep staring at anything! Add to that Im struggling to look over my shoulder (think I might have some arthur itis age 49).
On the main A road I frequent, in the rush hour, there is quite a lot of heavy traffic, but also stretches where the road is clear - it was amazing to watch the traffic come from behind, tracking multiple cars and then the display clears and so does the road - As I mentioned, I am struggling to get my head round to see behind me. Also, I have competed at time trials at my local club for the last couple of years and its tough practicing where I live as the main A road is the only road near enough for me to practice on. I once had a very scary moment, whilst on the TT bars, when a lory missed me by inches and I was nearly dragged off the bike - that dented my confidence a lot - I feel confident that I can now practice my Time Trialling on this A road, and when a vehicle is behind me I can just sit up, let him past, then get back into a TT position.
One strange thing did happen today, I was stuck in traffic with cars front and rear, stationary. The ONCOMING traffic was registering on the 510! bizzarre.
So, first impressions are that, for me at least, it seems to work very nicely, but the separate head unit is redundant without tones - glad I waited for the firmware update. I hope, in Garmins wisdom, they will take on board feedback from these hallowed pages and release a Mk2 head unit, complete with tones and a display that shows, in meters, the distance of the closest vehicle and its speed?? Surely the rear unit is already capable of giving this information.