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I have tested all cycling radars available on the market, including Garmin Varia RTL515, Magene L508, Bryton Gardia R300L, iGPSport SR30, and more.
Now, the market has a new member: the Trek CarBack bike radar. So, what’s new? And will it be competitive with other radars? I will try to answer these questions below.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Based on the specifications, the only major benefit of the Trek CarBack radar should be its longer detecting distance of 240m. The other radars usually have a range of around 150m. However, early reviews suggest CarBack doesn’t perform as well as claimed.
The battery life is quoted as 7 hours. The luminosity is 20 lumens higher than the Garmin Varia. The radar should be visible from up to 2km away. Of course, you can pair it with a bike computer or smartphone and charge it via USB-C. Feel free to buy it here (it is only available in the US now) or continue reading for more info.
I will do my best to get my hands on this radar as soon as it’s available in Europe.
Trek CarBack Bike Radar Specifications and My Comments
Below, I summarized the technical specifications of the Trek CarBack radar.
Trek CarBack Bike Radar Specifications
Detecting distance: 240m
Battery life: 7+ hours
Light modes: Day flash, day steady, night flash, and night steady
Weight: 70g
Lumens: Up to 90
Charging port: USB-C
Connectivity: ANT+, Bluetooth
From the pictures on the Trek website, it looks like the CarBack comes with a universal mount that should provide a solid fit and not slip on rounded seatposts. Will it handle aero seatposts? I don’t think so. Based on the radar’s design, I don’t think CarBack was designed for hardcore roadies.
I don’t like the design of this radar. It’s too bulky and lacks aerodynamics. I would also expect a much longer battery life. What I do like, though, is the battery level indicator on its side.
For me, the longer vehicle detection distance of 240m is not a deal breaker. The most important thing is the radar’s reliability. Furthermore, early impressions from Shane Miller suggest that the real detecting distance of the CarBack is around 150m.
The price is similar to the Garmin Varia RTL515. CarBack costs $199 (£169.99 | €199.99 | AU$299). So, I’m wondering what is the main reason for choosing this radar over cheaper but similarly capable competitors such as Magene, Bryton, or iGPSport radars.
Trek CarBack vs. The Competition
The following table compares Trek CarBack with other bicycle radars, like Garmin Varia RTL515, Bryton Gardia R300L, Magene L508, and iGPSport SR30.
Varia RTL515Magene L508Bryton Gardia R300LiGPSport SRTL SR30Trek CarBack
Dimensions98.6×19.7×39.6 mm 3.9×0.8×1.6 in94×38×25 mm 3.7×1.5×0.98 in97×20.9×40 mm3.82×0.82×1.57 in99×20.3×39.7 mm3.9×0.79×1.56 in70×50×30 mm2.76×1.97×1.18mm
Weight71g65g66g68.8g70g
Claimed battery life6 hours solid8 hours peloton6 hours night flash16 hours day flash4-11 hours solid10-16 hours peloton15-18 hours quick flash11-13 hours pulse, flash10-12 hours rotation19 hours radar only8 hours high solid (20 lumens)12 hours low solid (5 lumens)11 hours group ride (peloton)17 hours night flash (12 lumens)17 hours day flash (73 lumens)24 hours radar only8 hours solid12 hours flash15 hours breathing 18 hours night flash20 hours radar onlyOver 7 hours
Real battery life9 hours and 30 minutes in the day flash mode¹7 hours and 20 minutes in the flash mode11 hours and 40 minutes in the day flash mode²16 hours and 55 minutesNot tested yet
ChargingMicroUSBUSB-CUSB-CUSB-CUSB-C
RadarYesYesYesYesYes
TaillightYesYesYesYesYes
Brake sensingNoYesYesYesNo
Auto stand-byNoYesYesYesn/a
LumensUp to 65Up to 40Up to 73Up to 65Up to 90
Light modesSolid, peloton, night flash, day flashSolid, peloton, flash, pulse, rotation, quick flash, no light (radar only)High/low solid, group ride (peloton), flash, no light (radar only)Constant (solid), fleet, breathing, day flash, night flash, radar onlyDay flash, day steady, night steady, night flash
Customizable light modesNoYes³NoNoNo
Detecting distanceUp to 140mUp to 140mUp to 190mUp to 150mUp to 230m⁴
Relative detecting speed10 to 160 km/h (6 to 99 mph)10 to 120 km/h (6 to 74 mph)10 to 120 km/h (6 to 74 mph)10 to 120 km/h (6 to 74 mph)n/a
Water resistanceIPX7IPX7IPX7IPX7IPX7
Viewing angle220°220°220°220°n/a
Horizontal detection angle40°40°40°40°n/a
ProtocolsBluetooth, ANT+Bluetooth, ANT+Bluetooth, ANT+Bluetooth, ANT+Bluetooth, ANT+
More infoRTL515 reviewL508 reviewR300 reviewSR30 reviewn/a
BuyCheck PriceCheck Price (rei.com)Check Price (tredz.co.uk)Check PriceCheck PriceCheck PriceCheck Price
This table compares features of the selected bicycle radars.¹About two years old unit. The battery depreciation probably influenced the battery life.²Demo unit – I am not sure if this influenced the battery life. ³Paid subscription or free for email subscription.⁴Early reviews suggest the real detecting distance is around 150m, which means more or less the same as other radars.Updated on 19.4.2024.
Conclusion
Based on the specifications, Trek CarBack promises a longer vehicle detection distance. According to GP Lama, the real detecting distance falls far behind the claimed one. The mount is incompatible with the competition, as Trek uses a proprietary attachment mechanism. From the pictures, it looks like it could hold up quite well on rounded seatposts, but I am not sure about aero seatposts.
Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to test the radar yet because it is unavailable in Europe, but I’ll try to get to it as soon as possible. Once I test it, I will update this article to reflect my experience.
What do you think of the new radar? Let me know in the comments.