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Head-to-head · Best Bike Lights

Garmin Varia RTL515 vs Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+ comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.4 vs 4.3). Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+ is best for: Road and gravel riders who need a see-by front light with long run time at high output. Read the strengths below before deciding.

Garmin Varia RTL515
Ranked #1 in Best Bike Lights
Garmin Varia RTL515
2 sources$199.99as of Oct 11

The Garmin Varia RTL515 combines a rear light with a radar that warns of traffic approaching from behind. Road.cc found the radar alert reliable and the light very good, and Cycling Weekly came away impressed by how early it flags vehicles. Garmin quotes a detection distance of 140 metres, and the light changes its flash pattern when something approaches. Both outlets call it expensive, Cycling Weekly notes it gives only one alert for vehicles in convoy and does not spot every approaching vehicle, and road.cc points out that it charges over Micro USB.

Strengths
  • — Radar alerts the rider to overtaking traffic before it can be seen or heard, per road.cc
  • — Day flash is rated at 65 lumens with a claimed 16 hours, which road.cc found about right
  • — Light changes its flash pattern when a vehicle approaches
Watch-outs
  • — Expensive, according to both road.cc and Cycling Weekly
  • — Cycling Weekly: only one alert for vehicles in convoy, and it does not spot all approaching vehicles
  • — Charges via Micro USB rather than USB-C
$199.99 · Buy at garmin.comFull review →
Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+
Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Bike Lights
Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+
1 source$99.99as of Oct 11

The Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+ is a compact 1,400-lumen front light that BikeRadar credits with good run times and a beam that lights the road directly ahead while keeping decent peripheral coverage. BikeRadar lists a claimed three-hour run time at peak output from a 5200mAh battery, an IPX7 rating and USB-C charging, with the light fixed to an integrated rubber strap mount. Its race mode cuts the seven modes down to two constant levels, which BikeRadar found more convenient on the road at night. The same review notes that no USB-C cable is supplied and that the light is not as function-rich as some competitors.

Strengths
  • — Claimed three-hour run time at the full 1,400 lumens, per BikeRadar
  • — Focused central beam with decent peripheral coverage
  • — IPX7 rated with a robust build
Watch-outs
  • — BikeRadar found it not as function-rich as some competitors
  • — No USB-C charging cable is supplied
  • — Stretching the integrated rubber strap takes considerable force
$99.99 · Buy at ride.lezyne.comFull review →

How they stack up

Garmin Varia RTL515

The Garmin Varia RTL515 peaks at 65 lumens in day flash, below the Knog Blinder Link's 100-lumen maximum, but adds radar alerts the Knog does not have. It charges over Micro USB, while the Knog Blinder Link uses USB-C.

Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+

At 1,400 lumens the Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+ puts out almost three times the NiteRider Swift 500's 500 lumens. Its IPX7 rating compares with IP64 on the Swift 500.

Specs side-by-side

SpecGarmin Varia RTL515Lezyne Macro Drive 1400+
Lumens65 (day flash)1400
Light Modes4: solid 20 lumens, peloton 8 lumens, night flash 29 lumens, day flash 65 lumens7
Battery Life6 hours solid, 8 hours peloton, 6 hours night flash, 16 hours day flash (claimed)3 hours claimed at full output; up to 300 hours claimed in Femto flash
Radar Range140 metres (claimed)—
ConnectivityANT+, Bluetooth—
Charging InterfaceMicro USBUSB-C (cable not supplied)
Mounting TypeSeatpost, quarter-turn mountIntegrated rubber strap, handlebar
Battery Capacity—5200mAh
Water Resistance—IPX7
Weight—230g
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