MMWR/Tutuloo W100 Radar Review: A Positive Surprise?

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NOTE: I wrote this review before the radar was launched on Amazon, where it’s now listed as the Tutuloo W100.

Cycling radars such as the Garmin Varia RTL515, Bryton Gardia R300L, and Magene L508 are very popular due to their usefulness. So it’s no wonder this product category attracts other manufacturers who want the slice of the pie, even those you’ve never heard of.

One such company contacted me to see if I would be interested in selling their radars. I respectfully explained to them that I don’t sell products, but I am open to an unbiased and objective review. They agreed, and a few days later, their radar from China was at my desk.

My W100 rating at a glance:
Reliability 1/5 | Multi-object Detection 3/5 | Battery Life 5/5 | Brightness 2/5 | Side Visibility 1/5 | Mount 1/5 | App 3/5 | Price 5/5 | WEIGHTED OVERALL SCORE 2.5/5
More about this cycling radar scoring.

MMWR W100 Summary

The MMWR W100 is a bicycle radar inspired by Garmin, Magene, and Bryton radars. It’s sold on Alibaba for around $60. There’s a catch, though. You have to order at least 10 of them. Later, it has also been added to Amazon.

MMWR Radar Setup

After delivering the radar, I made a short unboxing video with first impressions:

I then tried to pair it with the iOS MMWR app. This went without any problems.

The app has an outdated design and only basic features: bike computer simulation and the ability to change light modes. It works most of the time but tends to freeze, so I had to close it and open it again.

Pairing with Garmin and Wahoo bike computers was also seamless. However, after a while, I noticed that the radar tends to disconnect and reconnect from the Garmin.

My Experience with MMWR W100

I used W100 for about a week. I found the following pros and cons.

Among the first surprises were the sound warnings – whether it was information about turning on the radar, changing the light mode, or alerts about approaching cars.

Honestly, I’m not a big fan of them. On the other hand, they allow people without a bike computer to use the radar. They can rely on audio cues instead of visualizing them on a screen. It’s just a shame that they can’t be turned off.

Another controversial thing is the mount. Almost immediately after receiving the radar, I contacted the manufacturer with my initial impressions and criticized it. MMWR went down this path to avoid patent infringement. However, they told me the next generation of their radar should have a better mount.

As for reliability, the W100 initially pleasantly surprised me. It tracked cars accurately. I even felt that when aiming at a busy highway, it tracked multiple vehicles better than, for example, the Magene L508 or Bryton Gardia R300.

However, it gave me many false positives. The signals were reflected from cars driving in the opposite direction, which was not good.

Unfortunately, during one ride, it missed two motorbikes (false negative). That reason alone is a reason to avoid buying this radar.

The claimed battery life of 18 hours in flash mode seemed quite high to me. However, due to the critical product reliability errors, I stopped using it.

The radar offers several light modes, which are confusing. I don’t understand why anyone would want to use this product just as a taillight without the radar.

You can switch between the modes in the smartphone app or with the power button. The button is difficult to press and deserves a redesign.

To summarize, MMWR W100 performs well in its basic function of tracking traffic behind you. Unfortunately, the development process was rushed, and the product didn’t receive the care it deserved.

Things to Consider Before Buying MMWR W100 (or Any Other Bike Radar)

If you buy a device like a cycling radar, you should have zero tolerance for false negatives. But you also shouldn’t 100% rely on cycling radars and use your other senses while riding.

Based on my testing, W100 proved to be unreliable. It gave many false positives and even a few false negatives (e.g., when overtaken by a motorbike).

Summary

I did not have high expectations from the W100 radar because of its low price. After unboxing it, I was unpleasantly surprised by the mount, which is large, heavy, and not compatible with aero seatposts. On the other hand, it is quite sturdy.

After using it for about a week, I concluded that its reliability wasn’t on par with other radars on the market. It had given many false positives and even missed several motorbikes.

The product feels rushed and unfinished. So, despite its low price, I would wait for the next generation that should have many of its problems solved.

MMWR W100 FAQ

The product for this review was kindly provided by the manufacturer. This did not influence my overall verdict or my opinion about the product. You can learn more about how I approach reviews here.