Garmin Varia RCT715 Rear View Radar With Camera and Taillight

It watches the road behind you so you can focus on the road ahead.

The Garmin Varia RCT715 combines three of the most important safety tools for road riding in one compact unit: rearview radar that warns you of approaching vehicles, a bright taillight that keeps you visible to drivers, and an integrated camera that records your ride. If the RCT715 detects an incident, it automatically saves the footage from before, during and after the event, giving you a clear record of what happened.

It pairs with your Garmin Edge® bike computer, select Garmin smartwatches or the Varia™ app on your smartphone. Traffic alerts appear right where you’re already looking, so you know what’s coming without turning your head.

Key Features

Rearview radar with speed-based alerts. The RCT715 detects vehicles up to 140 meters behind you with a 40° beam and classifies threats by approach speed, so a car closing fast gets your attention sooner. Alerts appear on your paired Garmin device or in the Varia app.

Integrated 1080p camera with incident detection. Record in 1080p or 720p at 30 FPS. A built-in accelerometer detects incidents and automatically locks the footage so it isn’t overwritten. A 16 GB card is included.

Flexible camera modes. Record continuously, switch the camera off, or use radar-activated mode, which records only when a vehicle approaches. This saves both storage and battery on long days.

Bright, daylight-visible taillight. Four light modes cover every condition: solid (20 lumens), peloton (8 lumens), night flash (21 lumens) and day flash (65 lumens). Visibility reaches up to 1 mile with a 220° viewing angle.

Radar-only mode. Turn off the camera and light when you just want traffic awareness and maximum runtime.

Easy footage access in the Varia app. Review and transfer videos, control the camera, and customize settings such as data overlays from your phone.

Built for real-world riding. The IPX7 water rating means rain doesn’t end your ride, and at 5.2 oz the unit stays light and unobtrusive on the bike.

Battery Life

With 1080p recording active, the RCT715 runs about 6 hours in day flash, 5 hours in peloton mode, and 4 hours in solid or night flash. Choosing your camera and light modes to suit the ride lets you get the most from every charge.

Who It’s For

The Garmin RCT715 is a strong fit for road cyclists, commuters and gravel riders who share the road with traffic and want both early warning and a reliable record of every ride. If you already ride with a Garmin Edge, it adds a full layer of situational awareness that integrates seamlessly with your existing setup.

Not sure how it will fit your bike or your Garmin setup? Our team can help you choose the right mount and configure your alerts and camera settings so it works the way you ride.

The Victory Take

The Garmin Varia RCT715 is the rear-facing device we recommend most to riders who spend real time on roads shared with traffic. Radar awareness changes how you ride. Once you’ve had a reliable heads-up on every approaching car, riding without it feels like missing a sense. The RCT715 adds something radar alone can’t: a record. If something goes wrong, the camera’s automatic incident locking means the footage is saved without you having to think about it.

What we appreciate most is how well it fits into a Garmin setup. Paired with an Edge computer, alerts show up right on the screen you’re already watching, and the speed-based threat classification helps you tell the difference between a car easing past and one closing fast. The 65-lumen day flash is genuinely noticeable in daylight, which is when most rides happen.

In the Box

• Varia™ RCT715
• Seat post mount kit
• USB cable
• SD card
• Documentation