Garmin Waze bike alerts: how they work and where they fail

A Garmin rider who shares LiveTrack can now appear in Waze as a moving icon, and drivers get an alert when they are nearby. It is the feature the Garmin Connect code revealed last week, and it is the first, most basic of the three possibilities we set out then.

How it works

It works for outdoor cycling with a compatible Garmin Edge or watch paired with a phone running Garmin Connect.
Riders opt in once through Garmin Connect. Sharing starts when an outdoor ride starts and stops when it ends.
Drivers see a cyclist icon and a notification to slow down. The rider’s name, identity and route are hidden.
It reaches drivers only when Waze is open. Google Maps, which has far more users, is excluded.
The feature is free. LiveTrack is free on Garmin devices, and Waze is free for drivers.

What it means for cyclists

A driver coming up behind you on a country lane can get a warning before you are in sight. Your Varia radar warns you about the car; this warns the driver about you. On a narrow road with blind bends, it is worth having when the driver can’t see you at all, and it costs nothing if you already run LiveTrack.

The drawbacks are the ones we flagged last week. Your position travels from the Garmin to your phone, to Garmin’s servers, to Waze, and then to the driver’s phone, so a few seconds of lag on a patchy rural signal can put you round the wrong bend. Only drivers running Waze get the alert, and in town most drivers can see you anyway if they are looking. A rider who leaves their phone at home, or whose phone loses signal, disappears.

The angles the press release leaves out

Garmin went around the industry. Trek, Specialized, Shimano, Bosch, Hammerhead and Ford have worked since 2021 on a bicycle-to-vehicle standard through Tome Software and the SAE, where the bike talks straight to the car by short-range radio with no cloud in between. Garmin is not a member. Pairing with Waze instead reaches 200 million drivers today, on any car, with no new hardware. The trade-off is the lag.
It only works one way. Garmin already sells the opposite, Varia radar, which tells the rider about the car. Nothing in this launch links the two, so a driver with Waze and a rider with Varia both get warned, but neither system knows the other exists.
The responsibility question. Cycling campaigners said the same of Ford’s 2022 app concept: a system that needs the cyclist to carry a device and opt in shifts the burden of being seen onto the vulnerable road user. A driver who gets no alert may also assume the road is clear.
Distraction. Waze already shows police, hazards and other drivers’ reports. Cyclist icons add to a screen meant to be glanced at, not watched.
Who gets it next. Wahoo, Hammerhead and Coros riders are invisible to it, and Google owns Waze, Fitbit and Pixel Watch. The useful version is one where every rider shows up and Google Maps shows them too.

Quick answers

Can Waze drivers see my name or route?
No. Garmin and Waze say drivers see a moving cyclist icon and an alert, and your name, identity and route are not shown. Sharing ends when you end the ride.

Do I need a subscription to show up in Waze?
No. The feature runs on LiveTrack, which is free on compatible Garmin bike computers and watches, and Waze is free for drivers.

Will it work without my phone?
No. It needs a phone running Garmin Connect with a data connection, so a ride without signal does not show up.

If you enjoyed this quick read, here are three more in the series:

Last Updated on 10 November 2026 by tfk the5krunner

Small things I always use

Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.

Watches and sensors

Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.

On the bike

Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.

Home and indoor training

NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.

Health, recovery and sleep

FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.

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tfk the5krunner

tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID

Garmin’s Waze bike alerts: 5 problems