With the rise in popularity of bike radars, Coospo has decided to release their own version with the Coospo TR70 smart radar taillight. It’s an affordable radar that claims to match many of the features of the benchmark Garmin Varia RTL515 while undercutting the price and offering more customization. Note, there is a bit of controversy around this radar with the initial release that had detection issues which have been resolved with updated software. The TR70 retails for $99.99 and it features a competitive 140m detection range. As a taillight the TR70 puts out 70 lumen with runtimes that range from 14-40 hours with the maximum runtime in the radar only mode. The TR70 has a modern USB-C charging port and a standard Garmin mount.
The Coospo TR70 is an affordable bike rear radar that has good performance along with nice features such as mode customization and USB-C charging.
| Retail Price | $99.99 |
| Rating | 8.4 / 10 |
| Measured Weight (in g) | 63 (GPS) / 26 (seatpost mount) |
| Likes | + Affordable price for the specs + Light mode customization using the Coospo App is a nice perk + Bright output with good side visibility |
| Dislikes | – Nearby cars are marked as critical regardless of speed which results in a lot of beeping – Not as responsive for higher speed vehicle or around turns compared to Garmin or other higher-end radars – Lacks a multi-level battery status indicator |
| Where to Buy (US) | Coospo |
UNBOXING
The Coospo TR70 comes in a small Coospo branded cardboard box with orange and white printed onto it. There is a large graphic of the radar on the front and basic specs written on sides and back. Inside you’ll find:
- TR70 radar
- Seatpost mount w/ strap
- Safety tether
- USB-C charging cable
- User manual
- Coospo stickers
The overall packaging is well done with cardboard center dividers to keep the contents separated.
MOUNTING
The Coospo TR70 uses a standard Garmin quarter turn style mount that is molded into the base of the computer. It uses two tabs that extend out the sides which slide into a corresponding slot on a mount to securely hold the computer in place. The mount design is very common so you can find a wide variety of third-party mounts like the KOM Cycling saddle rail mount or you can use the included seat post mount. It uses a rubber strap to secure the plastic mount to a seat post with multiple rubber backings included to accommodate aero, D-shaped or round seat post profiles. As with other radars, the radar should be mounted perpendicular to the ground with a clear view of the road behind you for optimal performance.
FIT & FINISH
Visually, the Coospo TR70 mimics the design and shape of the Garmin Varia with a rectangular design and rounded corners. The radar surface is placed on the bottom two-thirds of the body while an LED and red lens is integrated into the upper half. While the design is derivative it still looks modern with a smooth plastic body and simple Coospo branding. There are three LEDs, one main indicator in the center of the lens and two side markers to help with side visibility. A single button on the top of the radar controls it while a LED indicator on the bottom of the front will indicate low battery status, charging or normal operation modes with different colors. There is also a thick rubber cover to protect a USB-C charging port that can quickly recharge the radar.
The radar uses a standard ANT+ transmission protocol so it can be used with any radar compatible GPS cycling computer. There is also a BLE option which allows the radar to be connected to the Coospo app to view cars behind you as well as customize the modes and settings. Coospo has added a standard set of seven modes with two constant modes, four flash modes and a radar only mode. What makes the TR70 a smart radar is the brake sensing, auto sleep and car alert modes. A built-in motion sensor can detect when you are slowing down and switch the taillight to a high brightness mode or put the radar in sleep mode if no motion is detected. Additionally, the tail light automatically switches to a high-speed flash mode when a car is detected to help ensure you remain visible.
COOSPO RIDE APP
Coospo offers a free app called CoospoRide for both Android and iOS systems that connects via Bluetooth to the TR70. Once you have the device connected, the app can be used to directly display any oncoming vehicles with audible alerts which is convenient for cyclists using a phone instead of GPS head unit. Aside from the standard firmware update option, the app also lets you toggle five configuration settings on or off with all the settings defaulted to enabled: radar (i.e. use the TR70 as a taillight only), auto-mode change when cars detected, brake sensing, auto sleep and power saving mode.
The other interesting feature is the ability to re-order or disable the seven available output modes. It’s a feature we found useful as we typically only run the radar in daytime flash or constant mode, so it’s always been annoying to cycle through the other modes. This feature also lets you disable the “radar only” mode which turns off the taillight but leaves the radar on – again, this is another mode that has never seemed useful. The app isn’t as polished as Garmin or larger companies though, so features like the drag and drop feature of the modes doesn’t have an intermediate animation as your move the modes which is a bit confusing. Otherwise, the app works well and even has a standalone computer mode if you want to record your ride.
RIDING IMPRESSIONS
The Coospo TR70 has been out for a few months, so we’re not the first reviewers to get our hands on it. That’s why we were a bit worried as many of the early reviews were quite negative. However, Coospo has done a number of software updates to address the initial bugs and make the TR70 more stable. As a taillight, the TR70 is clearly a copy of the Garmin Varia with side marker LEDs that results in good long distance and side visibility. The daytime flash mode works well with an erratic flash pattern that attracts attention even in bright sunlight while the constant modes are a good choice for group rides or low visibility conditions. The runtimes were close to the claimed runtimes with more than enough battery for use to avoid charging more than once every other week. As with other smart taillights, we’d recommend disabling the brake sensor as it can reduce runtime due to false positives.
As far as the radar performance, we’d say the TR70 is mid-pack. It doesn’t have the features or responsiveness as higher-priced radars like the Garmin RearVue 820 or the Trek CarBack. However, the detection seems to be consistent with minimal false positives. The biggest issue we found, and something you can see in the video footage, is that cars coming around corners or higher speed vehicles tended to show up later on the radar. You would still see the car on the radar, but it would often show up in the middle of the detection range instead of further back as you would expect. There were also a few consistent spots such as forested areas with dips in the road that seemed to trigger phantom vehicles due to the elevation change and tree branches. It’s not the best radar on the market, but for the price discount it performs well and helps you stay more aware of cars approaching behind you.
THE VERDICT
Overall we found the Coospo TR70 radar to be well priced with nice features. The radar mimics the shape of the Varia and has similar specs but with more modern USB-C charging and an integrated brake sensor. With the focused LED and 70 lumen output, the radar is daytime bright and has good side visibility. Using the latest firmware, we found the performance of the radar to be good with long distance detection and no false negatives. While the radar isn’t as responsive to higher-end models, particularly with faster cars and on curved roads, the additional features such as light mode order customization are nice to see at this price point. The main negatives is the fact that it generates critical alerts for any nearby car (i.e. lots of beeping) and that it lacks a multi-level battery status indicator. That said, the Coopso TR70 is a good radar for cyclists looking for additional safety while staying on a budget.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Coospo. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.