Troul 

Glad to read that I wasn't missing anything, thank you for the clarification.

It is a shame that Wahoo is not more aggressive with updating the OS to have full compatibility with such auxiliary devices. IMO, it would retain a loyal customer base & potentially gain new customers that want to stay with a simple bicycle computer setup.

I really wish I could create an additional live "map" in the page section, it only allows 1 map, & that is a hard loaded page from factory. Hopefully it is not able to ever be accidentally erased lol!

WhyFi

I'm guessing that is just a matter of popularity - at the time that was written, there weren't very many ANT+ Lights on the market besides the Bontrager offerings.

jaxgtr

So I got my Varia in the mail today, setup, went for a ride tonight in my local area where it takes me through a fairly large business park area. I waited until after the vast majority of people pulled a snagglepuss, and exited stage left. I pretty much aged myself right there, anyway, this business park now has both business and residential condo's, so traffic can be somewhat light, to interstate like based on the time. Initially it was alarming off the chain, but once the traffic died off as I got more toward the residential area's, I really liked having the alarm knowing what was behind me. Also, getting the alarm through my headset, really made me more more aware of what was going on. I would not normally ride this area during the week due the heavy traffic that I would have to deal with initially, it's really pretty sketchy, but, on weekends and later at night, after 9 or so, I have no issues with it.

I can see where this is going to be a great tool, and when I turned back into my neighborhood and was almost home, I got an alarm, looked behind me and there was a car about 300 ft behind me. Yea this was a solid purchase I should have done earlier.

My only potential issue is that on my Emonda, I need to come up with a secure mounting point on my Topeak seat bag. I think if I mount it to my seat post, it will be too low and the rear tire will screw with the detection. I do not have a seat bag on my Domane, since it has the downtube storage, so that is not an issue, although I would like to find something else besides straps and the D shaped mount for the Domane, it just seems a little loose, and the smaller strap seemed over stretched.

Time for some web surfing. I am sure someone has printed a solution.

Mojo31

I use this on my Domane upper post (what’re that is called).

https://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Seat-p.../dp/B015CDO9EM

chaadster

Yes the current 515 model can, and it’s as easy as pushing the mode button to cycle through to the light off/radar on mode. I don’t know if there’s mode memory such that it’ll return to that setting after being powered down and back on again. A GPLama Youtube video describes this “radar only” functionality of the 515; I’ve not verified it myself as I’ve not seen the need for the feature in my use-cases.

jaxgtr

yea I picked one of those up for my Emonda, but not sure if it will work on the D shaped post I have on my Domane, is your Domane D or round?

chaadster

Good gravy! I’m glad you like it, but man, having that incessant beeping in my ear hole would make me batty! I’m in the minority that can barely stand the Varia and which finds it of only particular and specific usefulness, but I also do a lot of group rides where multiple riders’ units create the most annoying chorus of redundant and frankly stupefying beeps quite contrary to the essential tranquility of cycling. For solo gravel, it’s cool enough, but any other ride and I’d just as well leave the Varia home.

jaxgtr

Interesting.... sort of a BOA dial mount, pretty much fit anything out there, but $40 .... keeps looking, but saves page.

https://komcycling.com/collections/g...in-varia-mount

jaxgtr

Yea, when I was in heavy traffic , the alarming was not good, so I when I had to stop, I turned off the sound. When I got back to the more quiet area's, I turned it on, just to check things. I also found I could feel the vibration fairly well, so might just stick with that and leave the sound off.

Seattle Forrest

Somebody in a Varia thread got a quarter turn mount and glued it to the end of their seat bag. This looks like a better solution but I guess that's an option too.

yaw

I just got the no-light version and put it on my Emonda 'seat mast cap' with the large rubber band. I mounted it upside down as that places it a bit more central between tyre and the saddle/integrated saddle light.

While that seems like it will hold fine when riding (road), I did notice that it's rather easy to twist the mount off centre when taking off/attaching the unit. The smaller rubber band is too tight to fit over the fat seat mast cap.

I have also come across a lot of talk of people tethering these things for additional security. Is this necessary? Do these Garmin rubber band mounts have a history of coming off, so that the aftermarket clamp mounts or an additional zip tie or tether are a good idea?

jaxgtr

Ok, so this is interesting. I have the Bontrager Integrated light on my Domane, so I could just mount the varia there and the light using the seat post mount it came with.

https://www.shapeways.com/product/LN...li=marketplace

SoSmellyAir

Is there a seat rail adapter mount?

diphthong

swear by my varia (non-light version). only negative i've encountered with it is that it will drain your garmin computer unit about 15-20% more than without it.
not an issue on a full charge and for rides lasting < 6 hours but on those long, all day, century rides, have gotten used to turning the varia off for certain
stretches to save the battery on my garmin edge. easy enough to reach down and turn on/off.

jaxgtr

I have come across some of those, but, for the Domane, it will block the tail light access and will not work on my Emonda as my seat bag is in the way, however, I did find this for the Emonda that will work quite well. It uses the mounting bolts on the bottom of the Bontrager Verse saddle I have and mimics light mount you can use and adds the varia mount and should give me enough clearance for the seat bag as it angles out

https://www.shapeways.com/product/6E...li=marketplace

njkayaker

This might work on your saddle.

https://buplabs.com/collections/bike-mounts

jaxgtr

Yep, saw those, but will not work for me. I think I am going to go with the 3d printed option I found.

njkayaker

If your saddle is a current model, you might consider asking BUP about it. (They are 3D printing their mounts too.)

WhyFi

I know that, with some older models Edge units, the Varia could kick on the screen back light even when it was supposed to be off, which drained the battery significantly. My club mate with a 520 piggybacked on my Varia and had that problem; he had to disconnect about 4 hours in to a long ride. Did that ever get resolved via update?

I really couldn't say how much battery life difference the Varia makes with my 530 - it's no problem to run 8+ hours.

WhyFi

I don't know if the bands are the primary concern or of it's an inadvertent bump that could twist it out of the quarter turn. I haven't had an issue with either, though.

If it fits, I'd recommend Garmin's solid mount. I've got one on the Cervelo - it doesn't wiggle out of alignment and it's just nicer and more solid than the rubber band mount.

chaadster

Also less bulky and holds Varia closer to the seatpost for a slightly more svelte appearance.

I’m not a fan of Varia styling either, and would have preferred the mount centered, at least, to avoid it looking like an overripe pawpaw dangling from your post. 😬

Mojo31

My post is D shape, and it works fine. Stays really secure. I also have the integrated light under the saddle, and they work well together.

Troul 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PQKQHF1...xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

or

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09PTPJ9D8...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

jaxgtr

Oh cool, then I will pick up one of these then.

Mojo31

I'll snap a close up when I get home this evening so you can see how it fits.