Tubular tyres. Not new tech, they were the fastest, once upon a time, but if you puncture, they are a nightmare. Also Slime inner tubes. Don't know if they ever stop a puncture. But if you got one they made it impossible to fix. Used once, straight in the bin. Thumb breaker handlebar shifters. They were the cheaper option when first out. I am so glad I paid the extra, even though I didn't really have the cash.
Apparently everything affordable sucks. You guys make some great videos, but understand that not everyone can afford the luxury brands and parts. Come back down to earth a bit.
Here's a tech that sucks: aero road bikes that require major surgery if you want to make the slightest change to your setup, because everything is internally routed. Oh, you want a 5mm spacer added? Drop your bike off at the shop for a week, and it will cost you about $100 in labor.
hydraulic disc brakes and other overly complex and expensive tech that make it impossible to do home bike maintenance are a no go. From a bicycle touring perspective being able to work your own fixes is key. From a the perspective of a hobbyist on a budget affordability is key.
Hey guys I think your wrong regarding to the radar backlights. It’s a ad-on, you don’t rely on them for 100% you still need to look over your shoulder to see traffic coming behind you but it will give you a warning if a car is coming up to you from behind. I am using it for a month now, had no issues with the radar (Magene) No false warnings or missing traffic behind me. I think its a welcom extra safety warning system that works well. I am happy with it. Great show BTW. Greets Rene The Netherlands.
Highly disagree with the radar rear light. Even though ears work, the radar can pick up the car coming before it’s close enough for me to hear it. Especially on a windy day or when having a chat with friends
also I was riding during my vacation, the radar was handy, I installed a widget on my bike computer and that tells me how fast the car is approaching and the distance is is behind me. Keeps count on how many cars have passed during the whole ride. I think the Dr is missing the point, the radar does not prevent the cars from hitting you but you can take action to move more to the right to avoid being hit. plus I have had EV pass that were hard to hear on a fast downhill.
It is shocking that some people cant figure out how to use radar to increase their safety. I get there is no point of having one on a road full of cars. But where I ride the cars pass me once in 1 minute on average. On the weekends or when riding towards very little populated areas maybe once in 10 minutes. It is great to know when the car is behind you. You can ride in the middle of the road enjoying the view. Sometimes when it is raining or you ride against the wind you cant really hear cars coming until they are really close. Also the roads are not perfect. I have to go around potholes quite often in some areas. Well, you can imagine it is nice to know there isnt anything behind you. Or to know that you still have time to go around the pothole because you can actually see how close the car is. Or when the road is narrow and the cars are coming from both directions. Then I know I have to move to the roadside as close as possible. Or when I am coasting I cant hear anything because fancy wheels have noisy hubs. If you have radar, you can see on your bike computer that something is behind you and again you can take action and put yourself into a safer position.
I get so frustrated with the comment when they bring the Varia up that it won’t prevent you from being hit by a car, so there’s no point to using it. The purpose of the Varia is not to create an invincibility bubble around you; it’s to increase situational awareness for the cyclist and more aggressive flashing warnings for approaching drivers.
I agree with most of your comments on tech that sucks, but not on the light / radar. First, the light itself is very bright, with distinctive modes, and is a good safety feature in itself. Secondly, I don't think you tested the radar feature with a unbiased viewpoint. The single beep on the radar (which can be turned off but it makes no sense to do so) is non intrusive and just alerts you to one or more fast approaching vehicles. Ollie notes that he has good hearing (so does not need radar) but there is no way anyone (even Ollie) can hear a car coming from behind on windy downhill at 70 - 80 kph. The radar lets you know if there is a vehicle approaching and allows you to consider your line on the road and to slow down if necessary. I suggest you both give it more of a try when you are riding outside the city and reconsider your negative views - it may save you someday when a car door opens in front of you and you are not sure if you can safely swerve to avoid the crash. Of course, the radar will not save you, but it may give you a chance to react a bit sooner to a dangerous situation.
Knowing a car is coming only matters if you're riding in the middle of the road. As for getting doored, I think few think about cars I the road. They react immediately to what they see in front of them and you may very well not steer into the road due to a car, get doored, then get hit by a car anyway
@@veganpotterthevegan Rubbish - When you're approaching a section of road with traffic islands and your Varia gives a red alert meaning the vehicle coming towards you at speed gives you options such as waiting for it to pass before entering the narrow section of road. The noise on some roads means your never 100% which direction a fast car is coming from - The Varia spots it when it's behind you.
Love my Garmin Varia… yes you’ll never stop idiots crashing into you, but the increased situational awareness (especially for someone with below average hearing) is worth every day of the week! Love the videos otherwise 😁
Absolutely with you on this one - Had a Garmin Varia for some time now and it actually picks up vehicles often before I have heard them. The red warning which shows you the vehicle is driving fast, gives you options especially when approaching a traffic island in the road.
@@veganpottertheveganno, it’s not true. If the radar signals, i usally always ‘look up or back’ to indicate to the car i’ve noticed them. I also tend to go more to the side of the road to make more room (if able and/or necessary). The radar back light also changes to draw more attention. If it don’t feels or looks right, i am even leaving the road if necessary. Anyhow; there’s a lot going on before a car is able to ‘hit’ me. They must be really blind if they do, and i was sleeping too. In case of a hit, the radar (the one i have) films everything. For police and insurance. There were a few cyclist hit and runs in my area thus i got one of those radars.
Radar lights - GCN you're wrong. Of course they won't stop a car hitting you but they do offer additional situational awareness and of course it means I'm running a rear light when I normally wouldn't.
what are you talking about, radar rear lights are brilliant. Once you've mastered their few limitations. what they're really good for is showing you the road behind is clear.
RE: Radar light. These are especially useful on vehicle-sized gravel roads. The noise of riding often obscures vehicles approaching from behind. It's nice to know they're coming.
Ok, obviously a rear light isn’t going to create a barrier between you and a car, but it increases your situational awareness and gives you time to react. I still think it’s a great piece of tech.
All of this! I love my Varia and couldn’t imagine riding without it. Mirrors don’t cut it for me. You have to have the angle right, and holy glare, Batman…
I don’t understand the hatred of the radar tech! I genuinely find riding more relaxing now because I always know if there are cars behind me. Wouldn’t ride without it! Also don’t underestimate the value of peace of mind for the other half who always worries when you are out on the bike! Also have to say, having someone ride behind you doesn’t prevent the radar from working; unless you are literally giving someone a backie…
have you tried the Garmin Varia radar? Mine picks up cars way before I can hear them and before I can see them since I can only turn my head about 90 degrees. It picks up multiple cars and in 6 months of use it hasn't missed anything yet. It will even pick up my riding friend if he gets to far back then comes back up.
Another Radar Rear Light comment As someone with a neck issue meaning i can't turn my head round properly, the radar is a game changer. I started with the small mirror fitted in the bar end, and then a treated myself to the Garmin Vario - Game Changer! Between the mirror and radar i now feel confident
Using the reader in combination with a mirror is the detail NOBODY gets to in any video about radar. Without a mirror, the radar is just a countdown to a possible collision.
Alex radar rear lights work great and garmin shows multi things plus distance/speed coming from behind. Its a bit like mirrors in cars they dont stop car hitting you but they tell you what's about and help you make good decisions!
The speed reading of approaching vehicles is incredibly helpful for situational awareness. If the radar shows a vehicle is approaching at high speed and not slowing you can assume that they don’t see you or don’t care and take evasive action.
Over the last 7 years I have ridden 40000 km on my 60mm rim brake carbon clinchers, bought on aliexpress for $700. 75kg, flat roads, no problems with braking. My guess is 90% of GCN audience doesn't ride competitively. We can stop with carbon rim clinchers perfectly fine.
I'm more of a weekend rider and had my aliexpress-sourced 50mm carbon wheels (EliteWheels) for only a year, and also did not had any issues whatsoever. They stop as fine ass the aluminium wheels I had previously (with the proper brake pads for carbon ofc), are gorgeous AND make me want to use the bike more, so it's a win-win-win.
Disc brakes have place in the mountains and in rainy weather. Almost everyone else will be totally fine with carbon rims and rim brakes. On a leash of paying manufacturers, gcn's job is to make all old bike technology look bad although they are still very usable in right place (rim brakes, mechanical groupsets, tubulars, narrow tires).
radar plus a bar-end mirror is an ideal combination IMO. The radar tells me there's something coming, the mirror shows me what it is and, more importantly, if it's giving me room
I far prefer a helmet mounted mirror nowdays...less movement needed to see behind, and works regardless of what position you're in. Although bar ends usually are clearer.
I do this, and have a slick, small folding mirror that when folded up, the other roadies can't tell the difference between the mirror and a thick bar plug.
I couldn’t get my eye to work with a helmet-mounted mirror - kept trying to focus on the mirror rather than “through” the mirror into the distance. The bar-end works OK
I can’t even ride a bike anymore without my bar end mirror. I feel so exposed without it, it’s just part of my scan, and if I look down and don’t see it, I get a bit panicky. I always go with that and front and rear lights, even on gravel trails. Yet to try radar.
The radar rear light is to let you know that there is a car behind you. I like to know they're there or are coming up. I don't like to be surprised by some truck blowing by me at highway speeds. You don't hear them until they are RIGHT on top of you because of wind noise most of the time. I am in the US and we don't have a whole lot of quiet English country roads available here. Highway speed limits are anywhere from 45 to 65+ mph for cars. I won't ride without my radar out on the road... Just my experience...
They don't have all that many quiet English country roads in England actually. 60M people squeezed into a relatively small island means tons of traffic. I moved from England to N. America and generally enjoy the much quieter roads that can be found over here.
@@chriswright9096actually quiet roads are dangerous too since you might think you're alone. I ride a lot of quiet roads with little traffic, but I do like to know when there actually is traffic that I need to be aware of.
Interesting. My fiancé bought me a Varia radar rear light for my birthday and I love it! I was skeptical at first, but I found it to be incredibly accurate and beneficial. While riding I am typically hugging the curb, where are the rocks and other debris lay. But with the active radar, I am able to ride in the middle of a lane on smoother asphalt. Once the radar goes off, I hug the curb, lets the car pass, and get back on the center of the lane.
Exactly and by doing that, you are more easily seen by motorist which pass you with more space and because you know they're coming you too can move a bit to the side as they come giving you even more space. Radar a fantastic bit of tech, plus it's super aero!
I ride in the correct place on the road whether a car is behind me or not, the car then overtakes me. It not advisable to move into the gutter, as you could come up to a pothole or some debris you need to avoid, but you’ve now got nowhere to go as you’ve just invited a car to pass you without it needing to move over sufficiently.
Not using a radar is like wearing Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses. You two, Zaphod, and Ford Prefect would make a great group ride. "If a car's gonna to hit you it's gonna hit you" is not an accurate assessment of what a radar is for. it's equivalent to saying you don't want to be aware of possible dangers. You are struggling against a predetermined outcome in your minds that prohibit you from understanding the value of enhanced situational awareness. They give you three bits of information about what is behind you: Presence, distance, and relative speed. All at a glance. There is not other way to get that. Not rear view mirrors, not turning your head, not listening for sound. If that information is not useful to you, it is because you ride in a place where bicycles don't compete with autos to cross narrow bridges or where bike lanes end suddenly or don't exist at all. Besides, I live in an area where a huge percentage of vehicles are electric, and I have a hearing disability anyway, so sound as a source of awareness is not as useful as you may think it should be,.
I bought a radar a couple weeks ago, and honestly I think is really helpful, I realize that I can hear the car noise about 20/30m only, but with the radar you can know a car or several cars are conming from 100m, so you can be more alert. Also in days I ride in the coast, I can only hear the sea and waves noises, or in a windy days or descent. for me, 100% worth it.
Bike light radar….. with electric cars getting more and more common these things help dictate safe passing or not. Agree not quite there yet but blimey, they’ve made me not get hit over by pulling out slightly before bends knowing a car is coming the other way. Big fan.
I don't know if anyone added this but I like the radar light because it changes the light pattern when it detects a car. I think this is a nice little added safety measure and I take any extra safety I can get.
Having a rear radar has tons of value. One thing I like is that on my Sunday recovery rides with my buddy Marc, I can ride side by side and chat without looking over my shoulder every 10 seconds. When the radar beeps, I tap the break and tuck in. The radar beeps way before I can hear the car, so I tuck in sooner, reducing road rage. That's just one reason, but there are so many more. It is the greatest safety device for a bike since the invention of the helmet. You guys talking against them are actively harming cyclists.
I have friends that have radars and they all praise them , I have drop bar mirror which is very effective once you train yourself to take a quick glance down at regular intervals .The mirror shows you where a vehicle is on the road not that it is just coming up on you ideally both would be great .
Sorry but radars are excellent. Ears are completely fallible, I live in Tokyo where its super noisy and there are also quiet cars. Your ears simply cannot be relied on. Get a radar and connect it up though Bluetooth to headphones and its an excellent system, especially with the radar vibrating the phone on your back also. And it's not about cars not hitting you, it's about me not mindlessly assuming there are no cars or forgetting about cars completely and going out of my lane.
Varia is incredible. Piece of mind for the rider, bright light for the driver. I make eye contact with drivers when I know they’re coming up behind me…it’s a great piece of tech
I absolutely love my Garmin Varia rear radar light. Much better awareness especially on really windy days when you can't hear approaching cars as easily. Also alerts you when a car is approaching much faster and situational awareness improved when turning right on fast roads. Yes you still look behind and use your eyes but improves safety greatly. You are also forgetting riding in town and busy traffic. I think this would also help newer less experienced riders as well. Sorry chaps i think you are wrong on this one and I have been road riding for over 45 years.
Can’t agree with you on rear radars. I’ve had one for a couple of years now and it’s fantastic. When you’re going downhill or at 20kph+ the wind noise means you can’t hear any cars behind you (well at least for us older riders). The radar give you confidence and makes my ride less stressful, and as for not picking up cars, my Garmin Varia has not missed anything, even with other riders behind me. Tech I couldn’t be without!
I will join the chorus of those who sing the praises of radar. I do a lot of my riding on rural roads with limited or no shoulders. I find it very helpful to get a warning about vehicles approaching from the rear. I also use a large helmet-mounted mirror (admittedly the antithesis of aero!) that enables me to check the amount of space motorists are about to provide me. (I will pull over if the situation warrants.) After riding for 45 years without radar, today I wouldn't ride without it.
Adding to the list of people challenging you about radar lights. It's not a question of whether a car is going to hit you or not, it's about being aware that there are vehicles approaching and being able to take the time to assess the road ahead and position yourself to be in the safest position. I wouldn't ride without my radar and handlebar end mirror. Maybe if I was riding on quiet country lanes with a film crew following me it wouldn't be an issue, but on two lane roads with limits of 80 or 90 kph it's good to know long before you can hear them that there is a vehicle coming. I'll grant you everything else on the list except mechanical disk brakes, which I'll bet outperform rim brakes on average across all riding conditions. But if you are interested in upgrading my ride to hydraulic brakes so I can demo them I'll go along.
Have to disagree about cable disc brakes, they work, they're easy to maintain and adjust for the home mechanic and it's much easier getting the wheels in and out than rim brakes (this may be specific to me, started out on a cheap MTB and it was a nightmare getting the brakes loose enough to get the wheels out just to clean and re-lube everything, so would have been even worse if I'd had a puncture and had to deal with the brakes out on a ride. Now riding a gravel bike with cable disc brakes and it's a breeze getting them in and out.)
Disagree on the radar light. Here in Sweden, where traffic is very limited, it's quite easy to forget about cars. It's excellent for an early warning. This is particularly true when riding on snow, as the cars are virtually silent when rolling on compacted snow.
Polarising opinions chaps but I agree with the majority of respondents on the rear radar - it is the best piece of tech that I have put on my bike in years. Not only does it let me ride in a more comfortable and safe place on the road when nothing's behind, but it allows me to move out of the way in time so that drivers don't get annoyed. It also changes to a bright flashing mode when it detects cars making me more visible and shows me not only the number of cars in the queue, but warns me when they are coming particularly quickly by turning the head unit red. I realised recently that I actually relax when I glance down and see the head unit turn green meaning there's nothing behind. Almost all my riding is done alone and it has reduced my stress levels significantly. I just can't understand why all of the above isn't a good thing!
Have you used a rear-facing radar in traffic? I find mine quite useful in some situations. Pointless in heavy car traffic, for sure. It's never given me a false negative, and it's always a good rear light. Cable disk brakes work pretty well with non-compressible cable housings. Bike-branded lubes and cleaners (except chain lubes) are a waste of money when auto-branded products cost way less and do the same job. Most of the "cool-looking" things being pushed on us today (deep section wheels, integrated headsets, giant pulley wheels, etc.) don't look cool at all; they look goofy, especially on a classic bike. Super-light carbon fiber frames and wheels are for racing. Electronically-controlled, motorized shifting is stupidly overpriced and utterly unneeded if you know how to adjust your mechs and how to shift cleanly. Rim brakes are great with aluminum wheels, and aluminum wheels are the best choice for most non-racers. So disk brakes are an unneeded complexity on most road bikes.
I agree fully... radar is somewhere between pointless on roads with heavy traffic or windy roads, but on more back roads brilliant. My computer will beep at me well before I can hear ANY car (or even semi truck). Furthermore, it's helpful when other things are coming up behind you... I've been alerted to dogs chasing me that I was unaware of and once a bull. On heavy traffic8roads or group rides/events/races, I'll turn off the radar to stop constant beeping.
Disagree with the electronical shifting especially when you get older and riding gravel in 30 degree weather. I can't tell you how many times I have dropped my chain between the chainring and frame going from the small to large chain ring especially while wearing big winter gloves. One time it happened and a mechanic had to take my chain ring off to get the chain out. I'm also older and just don't have the strength I use to have. With electronic shifting, hit a button and done! No drama or worries about being stranded alone on a gravel road in the middle of no where.
Bike radar for those with hearing loss. A great invention. I cant wear hearing aids when riding due to increased wind noise and its nice to know something is behind before its on my shoulder. Try riding with ear plugs in and you'll understand.
I have found a rear radar to be a game changer. I know how many cars are behind me, I feel way more confident when needing to pull out and absolutely love it. I do agree that they’re not great for a group ride but when solo (or a v small group) they are invaluable to me 😊
Wow Alex (and by extension because you cosigned the opinion, Ollie), were you using a trash radar unit? I ride in areas where there are only _sometimes_ traffic and often my radar will alert me to cars that are far enough back that I cant even hear them yet. Even when I'm riding in heavily trafficked areas I use my radar to know whether or not I should even move to check over my shoulder. On roads closer to freeways or other busy roads the ears absolutely play tricks on you. This is like the reverse camera on cars, there will always be people who just say "turn around, use your mirrors" and you should definitely do that, but this sees further and in areas you simply cannot with your other senses. Its an objective safety upgrade.
Sorry, disagree on the radar rear lights - I love mine. The warning is great, you can't always hear a vehicle coming. And it also picks up on other bikes, so if someone tries to pass me with great speed, I am ready to accelerate and ride on their wheel :)
Radar rear light is one of the best purchases I made and was upset I didn’t do it sooner. Garmin varia is what I’m referencing. And solo riding it’s absolutely amazing. I can look back and it puts the driver on notice.
I won't ride without my Varia Radar light. With most of my riding is in the city, commuting in the morning darkness, and afternoon busy traffic about 9 miles each way it is indispensable. The rout is a mix of bike lanes, normal roads, and some off street trails. I need to get in the main lane several times for left turns and some bridge crossings. The Radar is visible on my Wahoo and beeps to let me know and look down. It is 95% accurate showing the number of cars, speed approaching and when it's clear. I still look behind every time when getting in the lane and it helps to know am I just confirming it's clear, or seeing how far the car is behind me before I get out in the lane. Other times I ride closer to the road side of the bike lane to avoid debris closer to the curb. When I get an alert I get a little closer to the curb as the car approaches. Just makes me more aware of the cars that are always trying to kill me lol. I have been hit by a car before by a driver that was completely not looking in the direction that they were turning. The Radar would not have helped me, but it reminded me that many drivers are not paying attention to cyclist on the road, and I don't mind inching over a bit as they approach from the rear for my own safety. I have seen cars that have passed me on a slow curve, hug the bike lane line, not because they are deliberately trying to code me but they are just being lazy with their lane discipline. Those are the ones I avoid by moving over a bit as I see them approach on the Wahoo.
I just rode a big event this weekend and was very happy to have a radar rear light. We were not on closed roads, but we were on country roads. Speed limits for cars were 80kph. There were many riders on the route and we often formed up into smaller groups. The rear radar let me notify the group when a car was approaching, when it was coming fast and even how many cars were coming. That allowed the riders around to go single file if needed or to make sure they don’t cross the center line to pass another blob of cyclists. Oh and the radar worked just fine with people behind me, it’s not blocked by a cyclist or even a car. When doesn’t it work as well? Heavy traffic. So if you’re riding in the city it’s not nearly as useful. Also, because it uses speed differential to calculate if there’s a car back it will also alert to a notably fast cyclist coming up on you.
Garmin varia radar one of the best safety features you can go for. works faultlessly, and extremely useful whether riding alone or in a bunch where even less space on the road.
Another radar comment: you’re wrong on it getting blocked if there’s someone or something behind, it can see up to 8 vehicles, even if the one immediately behind you is a bus or truck! It’s nice to know if there’s more than one thing behind you. It’s fantastic for solo rides e.g. rural commuting. Not so good in the busy city though…
Disagree with you about Rear radar. Where I live, we ride narrow country roads. I have hearing loss so when I'm riding these roads and a car approaches from behind, I don't always detect it. If I'm grabbing a drink from my water bottle, or maybe grabbing a chew, or dodging something in the road, and don't know that Cadillac Escalade is bearing down on me, and I drift a little out into the roadway, I become road kill. Now with the rear radar, when my radar indicates there's a car approaching from behind, I am aware of it and keep myself steady along the edge of the road until the car passes and my radar shows me "all clear". Also, I work at a bike shop and there has been a marked increase in the number of cyclist being hit by cars in our part of the country over the last ten years.
The rear radar interacting with a bike computer is a additional information to have before bothering to look back over your shoulder. The Garmin Varia works.
I’ll have to disagree on the radar backlights. I’ve been in group rides on narrower roads and since I’m normally near the front, when the guys in back have the radars and call out “car back” while/before we’re swapping out the lead riders it definitely makes life easier.
Thanks Clement and Dr O.....I agree with the Varia lovers !! .....I ride alone and it's a HUGE worry not being able to see behind me . The light and the warning are all I have to let me know a car is coming , you can't hear em !! The hellfire option is coming dude , payback is a bitch .
I have to strongly disagree with your comment on Radar units. In combination with a good and stable rear view mirror it gives me the confidence to know what's coming and if they are likely to give me space or slow down when there is oncoming traffic or if they are just going to squeeze past me at speed.
Radar rear light is hugely helpful for me… never not worked the way you have experienced. Mine (RTL515) can detect cars behind a car that’s behind me. And it’s also helpful in giving a very early heads up that something is approaching. Especially on commutes and in busy areas (Sydney), lifesaver I would say. Yea sure if a car is going to crash into you the lights not gonna help, but if you use that argument, none of the safety tech, including the helmet mirror, might help anyway.
Totally disagree on the radar rear light - been using one since it came out, and now I would not ride anywhere without one….it has been a real life saver, allowing me to know how many cars are behind me, warn me when they come into view, warn me of the speed they are approaching - and tell me that cars speed, and log it - all giving me time to take avoiding action if the car is approaching far too fast…. I can only think that the presenter did not set the unit up properly or did not understand it when attempting to use it…
I use radar rear lights for some time, and I do not leave home without it. You might say that it won’t save you from being hit from behind but help you to be more aware when a car approaches. I certainly disagree from the opinion of GCN on this issue.
I disagree concerning the radar lights. I have been using a Garmin varia radar and love it. It tells me when cars are coming from behind. How fast and how close they are. Thats a very useful information. Unless you are in a city with cars everywhere. There a radar is useless.
May I please know where Ollie has left his previous Dogma rim brakes with carbon clinchers? I would propose myself to take it and relieve him from such a hated piece of cycling tech...
Sorry guys...completely wrong on the radar. It's not much help in the city, but in the country? Dead useful. Drivers also give you more space because the radar reacts to their presence. I don't get false negatives, unless you count vehicles which are being polite and matching your speed (which you already were notified of them coming up). And again....I want to see you safely look over your shoulder, in whiteout conditions, on icy roads. And notice the white vehicle coming up behind without headlights on. Because the radar will catch that. Eyes won't.
Yep, I agree with many in these comments that radar, mine is a Garmin Varia, is an essential piece of equipment. On those rare occasions when i find myself without, i really miss it.
I totally disagree with them about Radar lights. I love my Varia and it makes me feel much safer. The key is the head unit must be loud enough to hear the beeps. Now you can get one with a video recorder. My Varia improves my comfort level on the road.
I disagree with the cable operated disc brake comment, Ive been using TRP sprye C brakes on my gravel bike with 160mm rotors and have had no issues at all. Ive also used shimano R7000 hydraulic brakes and they were a bit better but I dont think they were a great deal better. Stopbeing a snob Alex.
Carbon clinchers - I had a set of wheels ridden in temperatures from below zero to above 40C, including mountains and got around 50,000km out of them with just the odd spoke and truing.
Radar rear lights aren’t to prevent cars from running into you. They are an excellent tool for road AWARENESS. And you can take the full lane on a country road with much greater confidence. Just my 2 cents.
I was riding in eastern Finland last summer. Quiet road, wind in my ears when suddenly out of nowhere HUGE ASS LOGGING TRUCK whizzed by me 90 km/h. Almost soiled myself and drove off the road. That's when I decided to purchase a radar. I quess the need of radar depends on what kind of roads you ride.
Just wait for Wahoo to release their radar, suddenly it's gonna become the very best thing for GCN 😅since Wahoo doesn't have technology yet it is a rubbish for GCN, of course.... 🤦♂
I have a Magene radar real light which is paired to my Garmin 530 and so far never had an issue, once in a while I'll get a beep to tell me a vehicle is behind when there is not, but I would happily recommend people using one, especially when commuting on crap roads, The light it self is really bright, It will also change it's flash to a quicker sequence when i car is behind to alert it, and also flashes when braking hard.
I love my Garmin Varia light/radar. I pair it with a wahoo elemnt bolt on my Trek Domane AL5 Disk. It works great for me, alerts to approaching vehicles, many times before I can hear or even see them in my drop bar mirror. I do not ride in high traffic areas. My 70 year old neck does not turn as easily as it use to. Also, they must be positioned correctly to work correctly.😮
Not sure what you don't get about the radar rear light. It is without a doubt miles over hearing a car. I have the Garmin radar light and it can tell me when a car is approaching from 200 meters away. It's not there to tell you if the car is going to hit you unless you are in the middle of the road.
Continued bad takes on the radar lights. The ability to remind me to check behind myself proactively, focus my line, etc. are things I like to be able to choose to do. You must also have magic ears. A lot of the time on the road I hear wind noise WAY more than any vehicles passing. No tech is perfect, but being able to improve your awareness any measurable amount is really valuable for me.
Remember there are people without loads of cash to splash on the latest tech. Cable rim brakes are perfect because they work and they are super cheap. Don’t need fancy tools to bleed them. Rear light radar lights are great. Just because you don’t understand the need for them doesn’t mean they’re useless.
Re: cable disc brakes, if set up with something like Nokan cables or odyssey linear cables, they work pretty well. The biggest weakness in the system is the housing compressing, if you can set them up with compressionless housing, they move a little bit further up the spectrum.
Disagree with your opinion on radar lights. Definitely not going to stop a distracted driver from hitting you, that’s not the point. They are helpful in detecting vehicles and letting you know what’s happening without you looking back. The different flash signal when the car is approaching, might help though, but no studies done. So who knows.
Varia radar light is amazing. Yes. Amazing. I won't ride without it. Works really well, even when im on the front of a double line of cyclists, 5 deep. Ears don't work with electric vehicles or when riding fast or in a big headwind. Radar let's me know not to peel off the front or to not stray from my line. Seriously, not sure how you two don't see the value.
Carbon wheels and rim brakes do not mix well. Solving the problems involved led to hydraulic disc brakes. That said, I stick with rim brakes and aluminum rims.
Radar rear light is one of the best things for safety. I ride with way more confidence, don’t have to turn around to see if I can use the entire lane and one exactly how many cars are approaching without having to turn around. You guys are so wrong about this! OPW are the biggest scam. Test after test show them to be by far the most expensive and least effective aero gains of any bike tech that you can add.
Cable disc brakes have their place. I have a tandem and have been advised by the manufacturer not to use hydraulic disc as it is possible to permanently damage disc and pads. I have upgraded the pads and this has given a reasonable performance improvement. 😮
Totally ridiculous that you cannot ‘get’ radar light!!!! Your credibility has gone right down in my view. For another reason, apart from those raised by others, I ride away from the gutter when I see green line. Will not ride without it, simple. Even my fellow riders behind me love it, knowing themselves when my light flashes, a vehicle is approaching behind. You know a vehicle is there … BEFORE YOU HEAR IT, get your ears checked fellas. Also, I can see many vehicles getting ready to pass. I don’t need to take eyes off road in front or turn head. Plus as mentioned, we have loads of very quiet electric vehicles including scooters. Plus the light is incredibly bright, so clear so far back. I cannot believe your views on this. Crazy. Plain crazy.
If radar's suck, helmet mirrors suck worse. Less aero. My radar is genuinely helpful when riding in busy Southern CA knowing when all the traffic has fully passed without having to look past me. Riding out there is sometimes like putting your life in those driver's hands and just hoping they don't hit you. That's why my HR is a bit higher when they're passing me so close. The radar helps to let me know where they are in relation to me and when they're all past me. It's a great tool. I also use my intuition, bike handling skills, safe road using skills, etc to get around safely as well. The radar is simply an additional tool.
Speaking of carbon clinchers, I have a set of Spinergy Rev-X wheels that have aluminum braking surfaces, bonded onto carbon. Specialized Tri-Spokes were also built that way. Why weren't more wheels built like that?
If I go out without my Varia. it feels almost as vulnerable as I would if I wasn’t wearing a helmet. As others have said, it improves road awareness, especially when riding on the UK’s pothole ridden roads!
Totally agree with comments about carbon clincher rim brake rims......bad idea I've sen a few delaminations in the UK. The suppliers always blame the user, but fail to supply ahy information with new wheels on how braking should be done, ie do not drag ghe brakes. I have a pair of campagnolo bora one 35 tubular with ac3 brake track braking is superb even in the wet.
I live in Vietnam. The Radar light has saved me from many potentially dangerous situations. It is a great piece of equipment for my use-case, I have it on every bike I ride and I will always reccomend it to anybody who rides in less than perfect traffic conditions
Carbon clinchers and rim brakes work fine, had more issues with spokes braking than anything else. I live in South of France and do fast mountain desents all summer - no issues (except some squeaking), no over heating, no wear on the rims. I am usually faster in and out of corners than disk brake friends but this is more to do with handling than the 'tech'. In other words its biased sponsored commentators that suck here. Also regarding a weak area between rim and brake contact. Each wheel type are built for the job intended and the disk brake equivalent wheels are heavier due to stresses of disk brakes in other parts of the wheel. Therefore weight for weight disk brake wheels are more fragile than clincher and need more material to do the same job. Only valid point was worse braking in the wet which is rarely an issue where I live but could be a deal breaker for some people. In any case the tech needs considered as a whole. Such as - Weight, cost, ease of maintenance, frequency of maintenance, ease of replacement etc where rim brake setup is generally lighter/cheaper/easier/simpler.
Propped against a rock, presumably by the pedal, is unacceptable for the bike vault, but the picture afterward propped against a brick wall by the handlebar is fine? Make it make sense
What bike tech do you think sucks? 😤
Tubular tyres. Not new tech, they were the fastest, once upon a time, but if you puncture, they are a nightmare.
Also Slime inner tubes. Don't know if they ever stop a puncture. But if you got one they made it impossible to fix. Used once, straight in the bin.
Thumb breaker handlebar shifters. They were the cheaper option when first out. I am so glad I paid the extra, even though I didn't really have the cash.
Apparently everything affordable sucks. You guys make some great videos, but understand that not everyone can afford the luxury brands and parts. Come back down to earth a bit.
Here's a tech that sucks: aero road bikes that require major surgery if you want to make the slightest change to your setup, because everything is internally routed. Oh, you want a 5mm spacer added? Drop your bike off at the shop for a week, and it will cost you about $100 in labor.
hydraulic disc brakes and other overly complex and expensive tech that make it impossible to do home bike maintenance are a no go. From a bicycle touring perspective being able to work your own fixes is key. From a the perspective of a hobbyist on a budget affordability is key.
Having to make sure your bike is charged in order to ride it, I'm looking at you electronic shifting.
Hey guys I think your wrong regarding to the radar backlights. It’s a ad-on, you don’t rely on them for 100% you still need to look over your shoulder to see traffic coming behind you but it will give you a warning if a car is coming up to you from behind. I am using it for a month now, had no issues with the radar (Magene) No false warnings or missing traffic behind me. I think its a welcom extra safety warning system that works well. I am happy with it. Great show BTW. Greets Rene The Netherlands.
I have the Garmin and it works great. I have hearing damage, so the radar is very welcome.
And also, in windy netherlands, you ears are not that usefull for ‘hearing’ upcoming cars. Especially multiple ones.
Highly disagree with the radar rear light. Even though ears work, the radar can pick up the car coming before it’s close enough for me to hear it. Especially on a windy day or when having a chat with friends
also I was riding during my vacation, the radar was handy, I installed a widget on my bike computer and that tells me how fast the car is approaching and the distance is is behind me. Keeps count on how many cars have passed during the whole ride. I think the Dr is missing the point, the radar does not prevent the cars from hitting you but you can take action to move more to the right to avoid being hit. plus I have had EV pass that were hard to hear on a fast downhill.
It is shocking that some people cant figure out how to use radar to increase their safety. I get there is no point of having one on a road full of cars. But where I ride the cars pass me once in 1 minute on average. On the weekends or when riding towards very little populated areas maybe once in 10 minutes. It is great to know when the car is behind you. You can ride in the middle of the road enjoying the view. Sometimes when it is raining or you ride against the wind you cant really hear cars coming until they are really close. Also the roads are not perfect. I have to go around potholes quite often in some areas. Well, you can imagine it is nice to know there isnt anything behind you. Or to know that you still have time to go around the pothole because you can actually see how close the car is. Or when the road is narrow and the cars are coming from both directions. Then I know I have to move to the roadside as close as possible. Or when I am coasting I cant hear anything because fancy wheels have noisy hubs. If you have radar, you can see on your bike computer that something is behind you and again you can take action and put yourself into a safer position.
People who need a "radar" on a bicycle are most likely also 3 dart finishers💉💥💔
I get so frustrated with the comment when they bring the Varia up that it won’t prevent you from being hit by a car, so there’s no point to using it. The purpose of the Varia is not to create an invincibility bubble around you; it’s to increase situational awareness for the cyclist and more aggressive flashing warnings for approaching drivers.
Mirror on the end of the bar. I can SEE what’s going on behind me. Won’t ride without it.
I agree with most of your comments on tech that sucks, but not on the light / radar. First, the light itself is very bright, with distinctive modes, and is a good safety feature in itself. Secondly, I don't think you tested the radar feature with a unbiased viewpoint. The single beep on the radar (which can be turned off but it makes no sense to do so) is non intrusive and just alerts you to one or more fast approaching vehicles. Ollie notes that he has good hearing (so does not need radar) but there is no way anyone (even Ollie) can hear a car coming from behind on windy downhill at 70 - 80 kph. The radar lets you know if there is a vehicle approaching and allows you to consider your line on the road and to slow down if necessary. I suggest you both give it more of a try when you are riding outside the city and reconsider your negative views - it may save you someday when a car door opens in front of you and you are not sure if you can safely swerve to avoid the crash. Of course, the radar will not save you, but it may give you a chance to react a bit sooner to a dangerous situation.
Spot on! Rarely disagree with GCN but this one..they got it wrong I, some of us, think
Knowing a car is coming only matters if you're riding in the middle of the road. As for getting doored, I think few think about cars I the road. They react immediately to what they see in front of them and you may very well not steer into the road due to a car, get doored, then get hit by a car anyway
EVs are quiet!!!
@@veganpotterthevegan Rubbish - When you're approaching a section of road with traffic islands and your Varia gives a red alert meaning the vehicle coming towards you at speed gives you options such as waiting for it to pass before entering the narrow section of road. The noise on some roads means your never 100% which direction a fast car is coming from - The Varia spots it when it's behind you.
@bradfordzone5187 just don't be lazy and stay to the outside anyway dumbdumb
Love my Garmin Varia… yes you’ll never stop idiots crashing into you, but the increased situational awareness (especially for someone with below average hearing) is worth every day of the week! Love the videos otherwise 😁
You're better off being relaxed and unaware if you're going to get pegged by a car.
Absolutely with you on this one - Had a Garmin Varia for some time now and it actually picks up vehicles often before I have heard them. The red warning which shows you the vehicle is driving fast, gives you options especially when approaching a traffic island in the road.
My favorite aspect is in group riding. It gives a little more time for the group to get orderly when traffic approaches. Just helps with the PR.
@@veganpottertheveganno, it’s not true. If the radar signals, i usally always ‘look up or back’ to indicate to the car i’ve noticed them. I also tend to go more to the side of the road to make more room (if able and/or necessary). The radar back light also changes to draw more attention. If it don’t feels or looks right, i am even leaving the road if necessary. Anyhow; there’s a lot going on before a car is able to ‘hit’ me. They must be really blind if they do, and i was sleeping too. In case of a hit, the radar (the one i have) films everything. For police and insurance. There were a few cyclist hit and runs in my area thus i got one of those radars.
Radar lights - GCN you're wrong. Of course they won't stop a car hitting you but they do offer additional situational awareness and of course it means I'm running a rear light when I normally wouldn't.
what are you talking about, radar rear lights are brilliant. Once you've mastered their few limitations. what they're really good for is showing you the road behind is clear.
rear radar, you're wrong gents, probably one of the most useful gadgets I've ever used ... and I've had acdf surgery so neck not as twisty as most.
Probably because they are sponsored by wahoo Who doesnt offer One atm?
RE: Radar light. These are especially useful on vehicle-sized gravel roads. The noise of riding often obscures vehicles approaching from behind. It's nice to know they're coming.
Ok, obviously a rear light isn’t going to create a barrier between you and a car, but it increases your situational awareness and gives you time to react. I still think it’s a great piece of tech.
Also, on windy days you cannot hear the vehicles with the wind noise.
Saves my neck from having to turn back a million times on a busier road.
All of this! I love my Varia and couldn’t imagine riding without it. Mirrors don’t cut it for me. You have to have the angle right, and holy glare, Batman…
Same here. Still cant believe they dont like the radar.
In America, people crash into very large brightly colored emergency vehicles with flashing lights on them.
I love my Garmin Varia not only does it beep to let me know there is a car coming but on my Garmin edge it shows how close it is until it passes.
* Garmin Varia works with the wahoo as well: thanks to Garmin opening their tech.
I don’t understand the hatred of the radar tech!
I genuinely find riding more relaxing now because I always know if there are cars behind me. Wouldn’t ride without it!
Also don’t underestimate the value of peace of mind for the other half who always worries when you are out on the bike!
Also have to say, having someone ride behind you doesn’t prevent the radar from working; unless you are literally giving someone a backie…
It only shows an object behind you approaching you right? A rider sucking your wheel won't show up
have you tried the Garmin Varia radar? Mine picks up cars way before I can hear them and before I can see them since I can only turn my head about 90 degrees. It picks up multiple cars and in 6 months of use it hasn't missed anything yet. It will even pick up my riding friend if he gets to far back then comes back up.
Another Radar Rear Light comment
As someone with a neck issue meaning i can't turn my head round properly, the radar is a game changer.
I started with the small mirror fitted in the bar end, and then a treated myself to the Garmin Vario - Game Changer!
Between the mirror and radar i now feel confident
Using the reader in combination with a mirror is the detail NOBODY gets to in any video about radar. Without a mirror, the radar is just a countdown to a possible collision.
Alex radar rear lights work great and garmin shows multi things plus distance/speed coming from behind. Its a bit like mirrors in cars they dont stop car hitting you but they tell you what's about and help you make good decisions!
The speed reading of approaching vehicles is incredibly helpful for situational awareness. If the radar shows a vehicle is approaching at high speed and not slowing you can assume that they don’t see you or don’t care and take evasive action.
Over the last 7 years I have ridden 40000 km on my 60mm rim brake carbon clinchers, bought on aliexpress for $700. 75kg, flat roads, no problems with braking. My guess is 90% of GCN audience doesn't ride competitively. We can stop with carbon rim clinchers perfectly fine.
Agree!
I'm more of a weekend rider and had my aliexpress-sourced 50mm carbon wheels (EliteWheels) for only a year, and also did not had any issues whatsoever. They stop as fine ass the aluminium wheels I had previously (with the proper brake pads for carbon ofc), are gorgeous AND make me want to use the bike more, so it's a win-win-win.
Disc brakes have place in the mountains and in rainy weather. Almost everyone else will be totally fine with carbon rims and rim brakes. On a leash of paying manufacturers, gcn's job is to make all old bike technology look bad although they are still very usable in right place (rim brakes, mechanical groupsets, tubulars, narrow tires).
I have bad hearing and the radar rear light is a Gamechanger for me. Garmin Varia has sofar been really good
I couldn't agree more. I'm deaf and planning on getting one! Maybe put some ear plugs in and go for a ride... then maybe the value will be clear.
Rear-facing radar is great! I can no longer make a left turn without it.
Do you not look behind you before making the maneuvre?
@@adnartmadmartm8718 Yes, but I am never confident that a quick glance back is enough to capture every oncoming threat.
radar plus a bar-end mirror is an ideal combination IMO. The radar tells me there's something coming, the mirror shows me what it is and, more importantly, if it's giving me room
I far prefer a helmet mounted mirror nowdays...less movement needed to see behind, and works regardless of what position you're in.
Although bar ends usually are clearer.
I do this, and have a slick, small folding mirror that when folded up, the other roadies can't tell the difference between the mirror and a thick bar plug.
I couldn’t get my eye to work with a helmet-mounted mirror - kept trying to focus on the mirror rather than “through” the mirror into the distance. The bar-end works OK
I can’t even ride a bike anymore without my bar end mirror. I feel so exposed without it, it’s just part of my scan, and if I look down and don’t see it, I get a bit panicky. I always go with that and front and rear lights, even on gravel trails. Yet to try radar.
The radar rear light is to let you know that there is a car behind you. I like to know they're there or are coming up. I don't like to be surprised by some truck blowing by me at highway speeds. You don't hear them until they are RIGHT on top of you because of wind noise most of the time. I am in the US and we don't have a whole lot of quiet English country roads available here. Highway speed limits are anywhere from 45 to 65+ mph for cars. I won't ride without my radar out on the road... Just my experience...
They don't have all that many quiet English country roads in England actually. 60M people squeezed into a relatively small island means tons of traffic. I moved from England to N. America and generally enjoy the much quieter roads that can be found over here.
@@chriswright9096actually quiet roads are dangerous too since you might think you're alone. I ride a lot of quiet roads with little traffic, but I do like to know when there actually is traffic that I need to be aware of.
Couldnt disagree more on the radar. Best thing I got for the bike by far.
Interesting. My fiancé bought me a Varia radar rear light for my birthday and I love it! I was skeptical at first, but I found it to be incredibly accurate and beneficial. While riding I am typically hugging the curb, where are the rocks and other debris lay. But with the active radar, I am able to ride in the middle of a lane on smoother asphalt. Once the radar goes off, I hug the curb, lets the car pass, and get back on the center of the lane.
Exactly and by doing that, you are more easily seen by motorist which pass you with more space and because you know they're coming you too can move a bit to the side as they come giving you even more space. Radar a fantastic bit of tech, plus it's super aero!
I ride in the correct place on the road whether a car is behind me or not, the car then overtakes me. It not advisable to move into the gutter, as you could come up to a pothole or some debris you need to avoid, but you’ve now got nowhere to go as you’ve just invited a car to pass you without it needing to move over sufficiently.
Not using a radar is like wearing Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses. You two, Zaphod, and Ford Prefect would make a great group ride.
"If a car's gonna to hit you it's gonna hit you" is not an accurate assessment of what a radar is for. it's equivalent to saying you don't want to be aware of possible dangers. You are struggling against a predetermined outcome in your minds that prohibit you from understanding the value of enhanced situational awareness. They give you three bits of information about what is behind you: Presence, distance, and relative speed. All at a glance. There is not other way to get that. Not rear view mirrors, not turning your head, not listening for sound. If that information is not useful to you, it is because you ride in a place where bicycles don't compete with autos to cross narrow bridges or where bike lanes end suddenly or don't exist at all. Besides, I live in an area where a huge percentage of vehicles are electric, and I have a hearing disability anyway, so sound as a source of awareness is not as useful as you may think it should be,.
I bought a radar a couple weeks ago, and honestly I think is really helpful, I realize that I can hear the car noise about 20/30m only, but with the radar you can know a car or several cars are conming from 100m, so you can be more alert. Also in days I ride in the coast, I can only hear the sea and waves noises, or in a windy days or descent. for me, 100% worth it.
Bike light radar….. with electric cars getting more and more common these things help dictate safe passing or not. Agree not quite there yet but blimey, they’ve made me not get hit over by pulling out slightly before bends knowing a car is coming the other way. Big fan.
I don't know if anyone added this but I like the radar light because it changes the light pattern when it detects a car. I think this is a nice little added safety measure and I take any extra safety I can get.
Having a rear radar has tons of value. One thing I like is that on my Sunday recovery rides with my buddy Marc, I can ride side by side and chat without looking over my shoulder every 10 seconds. When the radar beeps, I tap the break and tuck in. The radar beeps way before I can hear the car, so I tuck in sooner, reducing road rage. That's just one reason, but there are so many more. It is the greatest safety device for a bike since the invention of the helmet. You guys talking against them are actively harming cyclists.
I have friends that have radars and they all praise them , I have drop bar mirror which is very effective once you train yourself to take a quick glance down at regular intervals .The mirror shows you where a vehicle is on the road not that it is just coming up on you ideally both would be great .
Sorry but radars are excellent. Ears are completely fallible, I live in Tokyo where its super noisy and there are also quiet cars. Your ears simply cannot be relied on. Get a radar and connect it up though Bluetooth to headphones and its an excellent system, especially with the radar vibrating the phone on your back also. And it's not about cars not hitting you, it's about me not mindlessly assuming there are no cars or forgetting about cars completely and going out of my lane.
The radar rear light. Good investment for me. Cars now give way more space when passing
You could have just bought a rear light…
@@rob-c. I could have and I had one of those before. But seeing when a car is approaching and how close it is provides added road safety.
@@rob-c.I think the flash pattern changes in response to car approach
@@billeterkIt does indeed.
Varia is incredible. Piece of mind for the rider, bright light for the driver. I make eye contact with drivers when I know they’re coming up behind me…it’s a great piece of tech
I absolutely love my Garmin Varia rear radar light. Much better awareness especially on really windy days when you can't hear approaching cars as easily. Also alerts you when a car is approaching much faster and situational awareness improved when turning right on fast roads. Yes you still look behind and use your eyes but improves safety greatly. You are also forgetting riding in town and busy traffic. I think this would also help newer less experienced riders as well. Sorry chaps i think you are wrong on this one and I have been road riding for over 45 years.
Can’t agree with you on rear radars. I’ve had one for a couple of years now and it’s fantastic. When you’re going downhill or at 20kph+ the wind noise means you can’t hear any cars behind you (well at least for us older riders). The radar give you confidence and makes my ride less stressful, and as for not picking up cars, my Garmin Varia has not missed anything, even with other riders behind me. Tech I couldn’t be without!
I will join the chorus of those who sing the praises of radar. I do a lot of my riding on rural roads with limited or no shoulders. I find it very helpful to get a warning about vehicles approaching from the rear. I also use a large helmet-mounted mirror (admittedly the antithesis of aero!) that enables me to check the amount of space motorists are about to provide me. (I will pull over if the situation warrants.) After riding for 45 years without radar, today I wouldn't ride without it.
Adding to the list of people challenging you about radar lights. It's not a question of whether a car is going to hit you or not, it's about being aware that there are vehicles approaching and being able to take the time to assess the road ahead and position yourself to be in the safest position. I wouldn't ride without my radar and handlebar end mirror. Maybe if I was riding on quiet country lanes with a film crew following me it wouldn't be an issue, but on two lane roads with limits of 80 or 90 kph it's good to know long before you can hear them that there is a vehicle coming. I'll grant you everything else on the list except mechanical disk brakes, which I'll bet outperform rim brakes on average across all riding conditions. But if you are interested in upgrading my ride to hydraulic brakes so I can demo them I'll go along.
Have to disagree about cable disc brakes, they work, they're easy to maintain and adjust for the home mechanic and it's much easier getting the wheels in and out than rim brakes (this may be specific to me, started out on a cheap MTB and it was a nightmare getting the brakes loose enough to get the wheels out just to clean and re-lube everything, so would have been even worse if I'd had a puncture and had to deal with the brakes out on a ride. Now riding a gravel bike with cable disc brakes and it's a breeze getting them in and out.)
cable disk are awesome!!! no stupid hydraulic fluid spilling everywhere!
Disagree on the radar light. Here in Sweden, where traffic is very limited, it's quite easy to forget about cars. It's excellent for an early warning.
This is particularly true when riding on snow, as the cars are virtually silent when rolling on compacted snow.
Polarising opinions chaps but I agree with the majority of respondents on the rear radar - it is the best piece of tech that I have put on my bike in years. Not only does it let me ride in a more comfortable and safe place on the road when nothing's behind, but it allows me to move out of the way in time so that drivers don't get annoyed. It also changes to a bright flashing mode when it detects cars making me more visible and shows me not only the number of cars in the queue, but warns me when they are coming particularly quickly by turning the head unit red. I realised recently that I actually relax when I glance down and see the head unit turn green meaning there's nothing behind. Almost all my riding is done alone and it has reduced my stress levels significantly. I just can't understand why all of the above isn't a good thing!
Have you used a rear-facing radar in traffic? I find mine quite useful in some situations. Pointless in heavy car traffic, for sure. It's never given me a false negative, and it's always a good rear light. Cable disk brakes work pretty well with non-compressible cable housings. Bike-branded lubes and cleaners (except chain lubes) are a waste of money when auto-branded products cost way less and do the same job. Most of the "cool-looking" things being pushed on us today (deep section wheels, integrated headsets, giant pulley wheels, etc.) don't look cool at all; they look goofy, especially on a classic bike. Super-light carbon fiber frames and wheels are for racing. Electronically-controlled, motorized shifting is stupidly overpriced and utterly unneeded if you know how to adjust your mechs and how to shift cleanly. Rim brakes are great with aluminum wheels, and aluminum wheels are the best choice for most non-racers. So disk brakes are an unneeded complexity on most road bikes.
I agree fully... radar is somewhere between pointless on roads with heavy traffic or windy roads, but on more back roads brilliant. My computer will beep at me well before I can hear ANY car (or even semi truck). Furthermore, it's helpful when other things are coming up behind you... I've been alerted to dogs chasing me that I was unaware of and once a bull. On heavy traffic8roads or group rides/events/races, I'll turn off the radar to stop constant beeping.
Disagree with the electronical shifting especially when you get older and riding gravel in 30 degree weather. I can't tell you how many times I have dropped my chain between the chainring and frame going from the small to large chain ring especially while wearing big winter gloves. One time it happened and a mechanic had to take my chain ring off to get the chain out. I'm also older and just don't have the strength I use to have. With electronic shifting, hit a button and done! No drama or worries about being stranded alone on a gravel road in the middle of no where.
Bike radar for those with hearing loss. A great invention. I cant wear hearing aids when riding due to increased wind noise and its nice to know something is behind before its on my shoulder. Try riding with ear plugs in and you'll understand.
I totally agree
I have found a rear radar to be a game changer. I know how many cars are behind me, I feel way more confident when needing to pull out and absolutely love it. I do agree that they’re not great for a group ride but when solo (or a v small group) they are invaluable to me 😊
Wow Alex (and by extension because you cosigned the opinion, Ollie), were you using a trash radar unit? I ride in areas where there are only _sometimes_ traffic and often my radar will alert me to cars that are far enough back that I cant even hear them yet. Even when I'm riding in heavily trafficked areas I use my radar to know whether or not I should even move to check over my shoulder. On roads closer to freeways or other busy roads the ears absolutely play tricks on you. This is like the reverse camera on cars, there will always be people who just say "turn around, use your mirrors" and you should definitely do that, but this sees further and in areas you simply cannot with your other senses. Its an objective safety upgrade.
Sorry, disagree on the radar rear lights - I love mine. The warning is great, you can't always hear a vehicle coming. And it also picks up on other bikes, so if someone tries to pass me with great speed, I am ready to accelerate and ride on their wheel :)
Radar rear light is one of the best purchases I made and was upset I didn’t do it sooner. Garmin varia is what I’m referencing. And solo riding it’s absolutely amazing. I can look back and it puts the driver on notice.
I won't ride without my Varia Radar light. With most of my riding is in the city, commuting in the morning darkness, and afternoon busy traffic about 9 miles each way it is indispensable.
The rout is a mix of bike lanes, normal roads, and some off street trails. I need to get in the main lane several times for left turns and some bridge crossings. The Radar is visible on my Wahoo and beeps to let me know and look down. It is 95% accurate showing the number of cars, speed approaching and when it's clear. I still look behind every time when getting in the lane and it helps to know am I just confirming it's clear, or seeing how far the car is behind me before I get out in the lane. Other times I ride closer to the road side of the bike lane to avoid debris closer to the curb. When I get an alert I get a little closer to the curb as the car approaches.
Just makes me more aware of the cars that are always trying to kill me lol. I have been hit by a car before by a driver that was completely not looking in the direction that they were turning. The Radar would not have helped me, but it reminded me that many drivers are not paying attention to cyclist on the road, and I don't mind inching over a bit as they approach from the rear for my own safety. I have seen cars that have passed me on a slow curve, hug the bike lane line, not because they are deliberately trying to code me but they are just being lazy with their lane discipline. Those are the ones I avoid by moving over a bit as I see them approach on the Wahoo.
Can’t wait for wahoo bringing a radar and suddenly it’s the best thing ever 😉
I just rode a big event this weekend and was very happy to have a radar rear light.
We were not on closed roads, but we were on country roads. Speed limits for cars were 80kph. There were many riders on the route and we often formed up into smaller groups.
The rear radar let me notify the group when a car was approaching, when it was coming fast and even how many cars were coming. That allowed the riders around to go single file if needed or to make sure they don’t cross the center line to pass another blob of cyclists.
Oh and the radar worked just fine with people behind me, it’s not blocked by a cyclist or even a car.
When doesn’t it work as well? Heavy traffic. So if you’re riding in the city it’s not nearly as useful. Also, because it uses speed differential to calculate if there’s a car back it will also alert to a notably fast cyclist coming up on you.
Garmin varia radar one of the best safety features you can go for. works faultlessly, and extremely useful whether riding alone or in a bunch where even less space on the road.
Another radar comment: you’re wrong on it getting blocked if there’s someone or something behind, it can see up to 8 vehicles, even if the one immediately behind you is a bus or truck! It’s nice to know if there’s more than one thing behind you. It’s fantastic for solo rides e.g. rural commuting. Not so good in the busy city though…
Disagree with you about Rear radar. Where I live, we ride narrow country roads. I have hearing loss so when I'm riding these roads and a car approaches from behind, I don't always detect it. If I'm grabbing a drink from my water bottle, or maybe grabbing a chew, or dodging something in the road, and don't know that Cadillac Escalade is bearing down on me, and I drift a little out into the roadway, I become road kill. Now with the rear radar, when my radar indicates there's a car approaching from behind, I am aware of it and keep myself steady along the edge of the road until the car passes and my radar shows me "all clear".
Also, I work at a bike shop and there has been a marked increase in the number of cyclist being hit by cars in our part of the country over the last ten years.
The rear radar interacting with a bike computer is a additional information to have before bothering to look back over your shoulder. The Garmin Varia works.
Week 25 of asking for a ‘The UCI has no jurisdiction here’ T-shirt
I’d settle for Stickers at this point
YEs, GCN, get on with it.
Keep up the good fight. ✊
I’ll have to disagree on the radar backlights. I’ve been in group rides on narrower roads and since I’m normally near the front, when the guys in back have the radars and call out “car back” while/before we’re swapping out the lead riders it definitely makes life easier.
Thanks Clement and Dr O.....I agree with the Varia lovers !! .....I ride alone and it's a HUGE worry not being able to see behind me . The light and the warning are all I have to let me know a car is coming , you can't hear em !! The hellfire option is coming dude , payback is a bitch .
I have to strongly disagree with your comment on Radar units.
In combination with a good and stable rear view mirror it gives me the confidence to know what's coming and if they are likely to give me space or slow down when there is oncoming traffic or if they are just going to squeeze past me at speed.
I can't believe you don't like radar. I don't leave home without mine. It works great.
Radar rear light is hugely helpful for me… never not worked the way you have experienced.
Mine (RTL515) can detect cars behind a car that’s behind me. And it’s also helpful in giving a very early heads up that something is approaching.
Especially on commutes and in busy areas (Sydney), lifesaver I would say.
Yea sure if a car is going to crash into you the lights not gonna help, but if you use that argument, none of the safety tech, including the helmet mirror, might help anyway.
Garmin RTL"S are great. Mirror was filled with a view of a motorhome, but my RTL510 showed 2 more vehicles following the motorhome.
Totally disagree on the radar rear light - been using one since it came out, and now I would not ride anywhere without one….it has been a real life saver, allowing me to know how many cars are behind me, warn me when they come into view, warn me of the speed they are approaching - and tell me that cars speed, and log it - all giving me time to take avoiding action if the car is approaching far too fast….
I can only think that the presenter did not set the unit up properly or did not understand it when attempting to use it…
Cable disk brake works very well and better than rim brakes in the rain or snow.
I use radar rear lights for some time, and I do not leave home without it. You might say that it won’t save you from being hit from behind but help you to be more aware when a car approaches. I certainly disagree from the opinion of GCN on this issue.
You used to like bad lubes when muc-off were sponsoring you 😂😂😂
I disagree concerning the radar lights. I have been using a Garmin varia radar and love it. It tells me when cars are coming from behind. How fast and how close they are. Thats a very useful information. Unless you are in a city with cars everywhere. There a radar is useless.
I generally agree with you guys on most things but you're completely wrong on the radar. So useful and such a great safety addition.
May I please know where Ollie has left his previous Dogma rim brakes with carbon clinchers? I would propose myself to take it and relieve him from such a hated piece of cycling tech...
Sorry guys...completely wrong on the radar. It's not much help in the city, but in the country? Dead useful. Drivers also give you more space because the radar reacts to their presence. I don't get false negatives, unless you count vehicles which are being polite and matching your speed (which you already were notified of them coming up).
And again....I want to see you safely look over your shoulder, in whiteout conditions, on icy roads. And notice the white vehicle coming up behind without headlights on. Because the radar will catch that. Eyes won't.
Yep, I agree with many in these comments that radar, mine is a Garmin Varia, is an essential piece of equipment. On those rare occasions when i find myself without, i really miss it.
I totally disagree with them about Radar lights. I love my Varia and it makes me feel much safer. The key is the head unit must be loud enough to hear the beeps. Now you can get one with a video recorder. My Varia improves my comfort level on the road.
I disagree with the cable operated disc brake comment, Ive been using TRP sprye C brakes on my gravel bike with 160mm rotors and have had no issues at all. Ive also used shimano R7000 hydraulic brakes and they were a bit better but I dont think they were a great deal better. Stopbeing a snob Alex.
Carbon clinchers - I had a set of wheels ridden in temperatures from below zero to above 40C, including mountains and got around 50,000km out of them with just the odd spoke and truing.
Radar rear lights aren’t to prevent cars from running into you. They are an excellent tool for road AWARENESS. And you can take the full lane on a country road with much greater confidence. Just my 2 cents.
You guys just hate the radars because GCN isn’t sponsored by any of the manufacturers
I was riding in eastern Finland last summer. Quiet road, wind in my ears when suddenly out of nowhere HUGE ASS LOGGING TRUCK whizzed by me 90 km/h. Almost soiled myself and drove off the road. That's when I decided to purchase a radar. I quess the need of radar depends on what kind of roads you ride.
Just wait for Wahoo to release their radar, suddenly it's gonna become the very best thing for GCN 😅since Wahoo doesn't have technology yet it is a rubbish for GCN, of course.... 🤦♂
GMBN do have Garmin as a sponsor though interestingly enough.
I have a Magene radar real light which is paired to my Garmin 530 and so far never had an issue, once in a while I'll get a beep to tell me a vehicle is behind when there is not, but I would happily recommend people using one, especially when commuting on crap roads, The light it self is really bright, It will also change it's flash to a quicker sequence when i car is behind to alert it, and also flashes when braking hard.
I love my Garmin Varia light/radar. I pair it with a wahoo elemnt bolt on my Trek Domane AL5 Disk. It works great for me, alerts to approaching vehicles, many times before I can hear or even see them in my drop bar mirror. I do not ride in high traffic areas. My 70 year old neck does not turn as easily as it use to. Also, they must be positioned correctly to work correctly.😮
Agreed with you on the radar but had a ride into a noisy headwind and nearly moved into the path of a passing car. Gave it a go and now a convert.
Not sure what you don't get about the radar rear light. It is without a doubt miles over hearing a car. I have the Garmin radar light and it can tell me when a car is approaching from 200 meters away. It's not there to tell you if the car is going to hit you unless you are in the middle of the road.
Continued bad takes on the radar lights. The ability to remind me to check behind myself proactively, focus my line, etc. are things I like to be able to choose to do. You must also have magic ears. A lot of the time on the road I hear wind noise WAY more than any vehicles passing.
No tech is perfect, but being able to improve your awareness any measurable amount is really valuable for me.
Remember there are people without loads of cash to splash on the latest tech. Cable rim brakes are perfect because they work and they are super cheap. Don’t need fancy tools to bleed them.
Rear light radar lights are great. Just because you don’t understand the need for them doesn’t mean they’re useless.
I think the PC term is unconscious bias 🙄
Re: cable disc brakes, if set up with something like Nokan cables or odyssey linear cables, they work pretty well. The biggest weakness in the system is the housing compressing, if you can set them up with compressionless housing, they move a little bit further up the spectrum.
Disagree with your opinion on radar lights. Definitely not going to stop a distracted driver from hitting you, that’s not the point. They are helpful in detecting vehicles and letting you know what’s happening without you looking back. The different flash signal when the car is approaching, might help though, but no studies done. So who knows.
Varia radar light is amazing. Yes. Amazing. I won't ride without it. Works really well, even when im on the front of a double line of cyclists, 5 deep. Ears don't work with electric vehicles or when riding fast or in a big headwind. Radar let's me know not to peel off the front or to not stray from my line. Seriously, not sure how you two don't see the value.
I have now done 15,000 miles on a set of Zipp 454 tubeless carbon wheels and with regular pad maintenance have had no issues
The roads I ride radar allows me to ride more freely, they are not the end-all but a useful tool…
Carbon wheels and rim brakes do not mix well. Solving the problems involved led to hydraulic disc brakes. That said, I stick with rim brakes and aluminum rims.
Radar rear light is one of the best things for safety. I ride with way more confidence, don’t have to turn around to see if I can use the entire lane and one exactly how many cars are approaching without having to turn around. You guys are so wrong about this!
OPW are the biggest scam. Test after test show them to be by far the most expensive and least effective aero gains of any bike tech that you can add.
Cable disc brakes have their place. I have a tandem and have been advised by the manufacturer not to use hydraulic disc as it is possible to permanently damage disc and pads. I have upgraded the pads and this has given a reasonable performance improvement. 😮
Totally ridiculous that you cannot ‘get’ radar light!!!! Your credibility has gone right down in my view. For another reason, apart from those raised by others, I ride away from the gutter when I see green line. Will not ride without it, simple. Even my fellow riders behind me love it, knowing themselves when my light flashes, a vehicle is approaching behind. You know a vehicle is there … BEFORE YOU HEAR IT, get your ears checked fellas. Also, I can see many vehicles getting ready to pass. I don’t need to take eyes off road in front or turn head. Plus as mentioned, we have loads of very quiet electric vehicles including scooters. Plus the light is incredibly bright, so clear so far back. I cannot believe your views on this. Crazy. Plain crazy.
If radar's suck, helmet mirrors suck worse. Less aero. My radar is genuinely helpful when riding in busy Southern CA knowing when all the traffic has fully passed without having to look past me. Riding out there is sometimes like putting your life in those driver's hands and just hoping they don't hit you. That's why my HR is a bit higher when they're passing me so close. The radar helps to let me know where they are in relation to me and when they're all past me. It's a great tool. I also use my intuition, bike handling skills, safe road using skills, etc to get around safely as well. The radar is simply an additional tool.
Cable rim brakes don't suck, good ones are very effective and simple off grid maintenance
AVID BB7s don't suck. ;) For adventure rigs, they're field serviceable. I'd rather replace a cable than deal with a leak 100km from town.
Speaking of carbon clinchers, I have a set of Spinergy Rev-X wheels that have aluminum braking surfaces, bonded onto carbon. Specialized Tri-Spokes were also built that way.
Why weren't more wheels built like that?
It’s easy not to see the benefits of a radar rear light when a large proportion of your riding is done with a camera crew driving behind you 🤔
If I go out without my Varia. it feels almost as vulnerable as I would if I wasn’t wearing a helmet. As others have said, it improves road awareness, especially when riding on the UK’s pothole ridden roads!
Being an old fart for whom it is no longer possible to look behind yourself without swaying, the radar is actually quite nice.
Totally agree with comments about carbon clincher rim brake rims......bad idea I've sen a few delaminations in the UK. The suppliers always blame the user, but fail to supply ahy information with new wheels on how braking should be done, ie do not drag ghe brakes.
I have a pair of campagnolo bora one 35 tubular with ac3 brake track braking is superb even in the wet.
I live in Vietnam. The Radar light has saved me from many potentially dangerous situations. It is a great piece of equipment for my use-case, I have it on every bike I ride and I will always reccomend it to anybody who rides in less than perfect traffic conditions
Carbon clinchers and rim brakes work fine, had more issues with spokes braking than anything else. I live in South of France and do fast mountain desents all summer - no issues (except some squeaking), no over heating, no wear on the rims. I am usually faster in and out of corners than disk brake friends but this is more to do with handling than the 'tech'. In other words its biased sponsored commentators that suck here.
Also regarding a weak area between rim and brake contact. Each wheel type are built for the job intended and the disk brake equivalent wheels are heavier due to stresses of disk brakes in other parts of the wheel. Therefore weight for weight disk brake wheels are more fragile than clincher and need more material to do the same job.
Only valid point was worse braking in the wet which is rarely an issue where I live but could be a deal breaker for some people. In any case the tech needs considered as a whole. Such as - Weight, cost, ease of maintenance, frequency of maintenance, ease of replacement etc where rim brake setup is generally lighter/cheaper/easier/simpler.
10000000% agree.
Propped against a rock, presumably by the pedal, is unacceptable for the bike vault, but the picture afterward propped against a brick wall by the handlebar is fine? Make it make sense