# Cygolite Metro Plus 800 vs Garmin Varia RTL515: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Cygolite Metro Plus 800 (Cygolite) and Garmin Varia RTL515 (Garmin) among bike lights. Cygolite Metro Plus 800 is the cheaper of the two at $65.95.

## Side by side

| Spec | Cygolite Metro Plus 800 | Garmin Varia RTL515 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $65.95 | $199.99 |
| Brand | Cygolite | Garmin |
| Light type | front | rear |
| Max lumens | 800 | 65 |
| Runtime high hrs | 1 | 6 |
| Runtime low hrs | 110 | 8 |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | — | — |
| Charge port | micro-usb | micro-usb |
| Charge time hrs | 5 | — |
| Weight grams | 140 | 71 |
| Water resistance rating | — | IPX7 |
| Mount type | handlebar | seatpost |
| Mode count | 9 | 4 |

## Key differences

- Light type: Cygolite Metro Plus 800 front vs Garmin Varia RTL515 rear
- Max lumens: Cygolite Metro Plus 800 800 vs Garmin Varia RTL515 65
- Runtime high hrs: Cygolite Metro Plus 800 1 vs Garmin Varia RTL515 6
- Runtime low hrs: Cygolite Metro Plus 800 110 vs Garmin Varia RTL515 8
- Weight grams: Cygolite Metro Plus 800 140 vs Garmin Varia RTL515 71
- Mount type: Cygolite Metro Plus 800 handlebar vs Garmin Varia RTL515 seatpost
- Mode count: Cygolite Metro Plus 800 9 vs Garmin Varia RTL515 4

## Sources

- Cygolite Metro Plus 800: https://www.performancebike.com/cygolite-metro-plus-800-rechargeable-headlight-black-mtr-800-usb/p685685 (performancebike.com, verified 2026-07-13)
- Garmin Varia RTL515: https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-C41F445D-457F-447D-88C8-FE286BF157E9/EN-US/GUID-FBD11322-E81F-477A-8A12-28BF12FAC26F.html (www8.garmin.com, verified 2026-07-13)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/bike-lights/cygolite-metro-plus-800-vs-garmin-varia-rtl515/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Cygolite Metro Plus 800 ($65.95) vs Garmin Varia RTL515 ($199.99) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/bike-lights/cygolite-metro-plus-800-vs-garmin-varia-rtl515/
License: CC BY 4.0.