Opinion
What’s the deal with all these bike gadgets?
by Patrick Bardelli
Not for me: Garmin "Varia Vue" front light with dashcam
5.6.2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Patrick Bardelli
Garmin recently launched the new "Varia Vue". After a month of using the front light with integrated dashcam on my gravel bike, my conclusion is this: Thanks, but no thanks.
There are electronics for bikes that I really appreciate. For example, bike computer or a rear light with integrated radar function. This gadget has often warned me - for example, when a farmer on a tractor has roared along a country lane or an S-pedelec has flown up from behind almost silently.
But how much technology do you really need on a bike? I recently asked myself this question and didn't scrutinise electronic gears or dropper seat posts, but all the gadgets that I bolt onto my bike. You can read more about my findings here.
And then there are products that are exciting at first glance, but superfluous at second glance. At least for me.
Garmin «Varia Vue»
One such device is the new «Varia Vue» from Garmin. The manufacturer kindly provided me with the device for this test, after which I returned it. In principle, I have nothing technically wrong with this front light.
Once you have successfully completed the marathon of commissioning, including pairing(s) and software updates, which is unfortunately often the case with Garmin, everything works perfectly. The light shines, the camera records. The recording quality can be set to 4K or a lower resolution, such as 1080p. The camera records continuously or, when paired with a compatible Varia radar, in radar mode.
Control is either via the Varia app, a compatible Edge bike computer or selected Garmin smartwatches. I opted for the version with the app.
The light has a maximum output of up to 600 lumens and can emit this in different modes. Depending on the setting, this has an influence on the maximum battery power. In full light mode with 550 lumens and 4K recording, the manufacturer specifies 1.25 hours. This is in line with my experience. In daytime flashing mode with 600 lumens and 1080p, it should then be up to seven hours.
The device supports microSD memory cards of class 10 or faster with a minimum of 8 to a maximum of 512 GB. The memory card must be purchased separately. A positive feature is the fact that the saved videos can be edited directly in the app. Here is an example video. For data protection reasons, I deliberately selected one without other road users (more on this in a moment).
Rightly complicated from a legal perspective
Let's summarise briefly: For 550 francs, I get a bike light from Garmin that can take pictures of dicey traffic situations. So far, so good. But what is the legal situation? Are such recordings even admissible in the event of a dispute in court? It is, how could it be otherwise, complicated.
When researching this topic, I came across the law firm SMS, among others. On their website you can read:
The Swiss Criminal Code protects secrecy and privacy (see Art. 179quater StGB). What takes place in public and can be seen by anyone is not covered by the criminal code. Recordings from dashcams and private mobile videos of public road traffic are not prohibited under criminal law. However, recordings of data that can be used to identify persons or licence plate numbers are subject to the Data Protection Act (DSG). According to this law, it must be clear to the person affected by the recording how the data was obtained and the purpose of the data processing (see Art. 4 para. 4 FADP).
And Baloise Insurance has also given the topic some thought. The company's website includes the following information:
With a dashcam, a private individual is conducting video surveillance on public property. Very strict limits apply to such surveillance, especially when recording other people and vehicle licence plates. In the opinion of the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC), anyone who makes such dashcam recordings is in breach of the principles of the Data Protection Act. However, some legal experts disagree with the FDPIC and the legal situation is currently unclear. But one thing is clear: anyone who publishes dashcam recordings on the web in which people or vehicle licence plates are recognisable is violating the personal rights of other people and can be prosecuted in civil proceedings.
The manufacturer itself informs potential customers about this in the small print on its website as follows:
In einigen Gerichtsbarkeiten ist die Verwendung dieser Kamera gesetzlich geregelt oder untersagt. Du musst dich mit den Gesetzen und Rechten auf Privatsphäre vertraut machen, die in den Gerichtsbarkeiten gelten, in denen du das Gerät verwenden möchtest, und diese einhalten.It therefore remains unclear whether such recordings are admissible as evidence in court. If I understand it correctly, this must be assessed specifically in each individual case and is above all at the discretion of the respective judge.
In a nutshell
Garmin "Varia Vue": Who benefits from it?
Anyone who knows me knows that I prefer to ride off-road on gravel or mountain bikes away from busy roads. In this respect, I probably don't belong to the main target group for the Garmin "Varia Vue". Anyone who commutes to and from work by bike and possibly experiences a few hairy moments every day is more likely to be one of them.
Here, the use of such a dashcam can make perfect sense. With the legal restrictions described above. For me and my two-wheeled needs, this super-expensive bike light de luxe makes no sense.
Technically, the device would get 5 stars, but I deduct 1 because the "Garmin effect" bothers me: pairing, software updates etc. is always a problem with this brand: sometimes it works, sometimes only on the 5th attempt, sometimes not at all because you use the "wrong" cable. I deduct 1 because the dashcam probably doesn't help at all, so in my opinion it's a useless feature, and I also deduct 1 for the price, because it's for a feature that I (you) don't need, and for a lamp, 550 francs is easily a zero too much.
Pro
- Product does what the manufacturer promises
Contra
- Extremely high price
- Legally unclear situation
Header image: Patrick Bardelli
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
6 comments
later