Well, I can’t really say that since I’ve not tried the Varia, but this Zefal Spy mirror is something I can’t live without. Excellent situational awareness, I never get surprised by any vehicle approaching from the rear.
Video is a bit wobbly, but in reality it’s much more stable than that.
Can swap between bikes in seconds (although I own a couple of mirrors).
I can see behind me on all 3 hand positions. In a steady stream of traffic I can anticipate cars vs buses vs trucks etc - not sure what the Varia would do better.
Although it’s better with 44cm bars rather than narrower ones, as you’ll see more of your hip/thigh.
Can’t recommend these highly enough, used them in the US and Europe. Never tried to fit one on my TT bike though.
I’ve not tried the Varia…not sure what the Varia would do better.A mirror is a passive device that depends on you constantly looking at it. And, a mirror is limited in distance by what you can actually see. A Varia actively tells you when vehicles are coming, how many are coming, relatively how far apart they are, and how fast they are closing. And, the Varia typically sees vehicles much further back than you can see in a mirror. If you are riding in a group, others can also know what is behind you by the flashing pattern on your tail light.
If you are on a technical section of road, you may not look at your mirror as often. That is not a limitation with a Varia.
A mirror is a passive device that depends on you constantly looking at it.
True. I presume the Varia makes some audible sound through the head unit? Will I always hear that?
A Varia actively tells you when vehicles are coming, how many are coming, relatively how far apart they are, and how fast they are closing. And, the Varia typically sees vehicles much further back than you can see in a mirror.
Hmmm, I’ve done tens of thousands of km with the mirror - I’m happy I can get all that info too, plus the advantage of seeing with my own eyes
If you are on a technical section of road, you may not look at your mirror as often. That is not a limitation with a Varia.
Only on an extremely technical descent maybe.
The potential issue with the mirror is more that it may distract you from looking straight ahead until you are quite used to it.
I presume the Varia makes some audible sound through the head unit? Will I always hear that?
I’m happy I can get all that info too, plus the advantage of seeing with my own eyes
Only on an extremely technical descent maybe.DCRainmaker pretty much nailed it when he put it this way “In general, there’s two trains of thought to people with the Varia radar: A) People that have tried it and love it;B) Everyone else.” You are in the everyone else category.
Your risk of not happening to miss a car because you were not looking is probably much higher than missing an audio alert. But, that depends on your hearing and your head unit. I do not think I have ever missed an audio alert.
Varia is superior not because it tells you more (it does), but because it tells you before you would have seen it. Almost every time. It does the mental processing for you so that you can focus on the road ahead. You are not distracted from missing grates, getting door’d, missing a stop, whatever, because you are staring at a mirror behind you.
I wish Garmin would advertise a ‘2 week, no questions asked’ return on varia radar. Mirrors are good and situational awareness is definitely improved. But, until you try it, you really can’t compare them.
If you are in PDX, I’ll loan you mine for a week.
(By the way, transferring between bikes is seconds as well. The seat post mount hangs on by a (pretty dang indestructible) rubber band.
I have a couple of these mirrors too although I find mounting it on the left side outside gives me a better result. If the car has DRL, its easily spotted at Varia distance but a dark car with no lights I agree is not seen until it is much closer. I ride the bike the way I drive a car, scanning the road, mirror(s) and periphery. I don’t think there is a right or wrong way. If your 10 year old car works fine for you, there is no need to upgrade to one that alerts you to lane departure, brakes for you, parks itself, has a rear view camera, etc. OTOH, some of these features are nice to have although I suspect they make you dependent on them. I have tried the Varia but have not bought one as yet.
I’ve not tried the Varia…not sure what the Varia would do better.A mirror is a passive device that depends on you constantly looking at it. And, a mirror is limited in distance by what you can actually see. A Varia actively tells you when vehicles are coming, how many are coming, relatively how far apart they are, and how fast they are closing. And, the Varia typically sees vehicles much further back than you can see in a mirror. If you are riding in a group, others can also know what is behind you by the flashing pattern on your tail light.
If you are on a technical section of road, you may not look at your mirror as often. That is not a limitation with a Varia.
Does the Varia tell you if the car behind you is vearing onto the shoulder and that the driver is clearly distracted?
Mirrors are the bomb and that constantly looking at it crap is something I get tired of. I can see with peripheral vision on my mirrors on my sunglasses exactly what is going on behind me at all times.
I think the Varia is a cool product but it does not beat being able to actually see what is happening behind you.
Its too bad you are forced to only have one or the other. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could actually put both on a bike? Maybe the Varia could look behind you ALL THE TIME, and whenever it beeped you could check the mirror to see exactly what the car is doing as it gets close enough to cause harm. That would be cool…maybe, some day.
I’ve not tried the Varia…not sure what the Varia would do better.A mirror is a passive device that depends on you constantly looking at it. And, a mirror is limited in distance by what you can actually see. A Varia actively tells you when vehicles are coming, how many are coming, relatively how far apart they are, and how fast they are closing. And, the Varia typically sees vehicles much further back than you can see in a mirror. If you are riding in a group, others can also know what is behind you by the flashing pattern on your tail light.
If you are on a technical section of road, you may not look at your mirror as often. That is not a limitation with a Varia.
Exactly. The purpose of the Varia is to keep you visible the radar is just a bonus. It will change it’s blinking pattern as a car approaches and gives you an audible beeping.
I have had a few folks tell me they were able to see that blinking from way down the road.
This is exactly the reason I do not use Zwift. It is so primitive that they have not built rear-view mirrors into the simulation. Totally lame. Car video games had rear view mirrors in the 90s.
I’m sure the friction model is equally primative. Maybe they can upgrade to the iRacing tire models, and it will help the Zwifters’ bike handling skilz.
