Edge 1040 - metal mounting tabs are a questionable idea
 

I bought myself an Edge 1040 and I have encountered a minor issue. The 1040 has precision-machined aluminum mounting tabs, likely to strengthen the tabs. Every review mentions this feature as a benefit of the 1040. It's possible people have had problems with plastic tabs snapping on prior models, but that's not an issue I've heard of.

The metal tabs have two issues:

1. The tolerances of the metal tabs seem slightly different from the plastic tabs and they don't fit as tightly in most third-party mounts. The 1040 rattles in two of my "included with the bike" third party out-front mounts. Both rattles were easily solved with a couple slivers of tubeless tape inside the mount, but this is annoying. My old Edge 520 this is replacing does not rattle at all in any of these mounts. Note that the Garmin mount included with the 1040 seems to incorporate tighter tolerances and more plastic damping to account for this.

2. The metal tabs are obviously much harder than the plastic mount inserts any mount uses. I'm certain that over time the metal tabs will wear away at the plastic mounts, decreasing security and increasing rattling. If you have an integral mount (as most higher end bikes do these days), it will likely be hard to replace these parts.

Again, this is hardly a deal-killer with the Edge 1040 but it's the kind of thing that makes me question why they did it. I wish bike computer makers would just pick a mount standard and stick to it.

It's a real problem (not overly frequent). Even if you haven't heard of it.

https://www.dogearsgps.com/

Some of the mounts allow you to replace the plastic receiver. Integral mounts (especially) should provide for that.

I'm not sure what to think about this. I know people that have broken the ears on the gps and there have been posts about it here. My only input is definitely use the lanyard that comes with it.

As long as it's the one I use. Everybody else having to go buy new mounts is fine, but not acceptable if it affects me. ;)

GPS watches make excellent bike computers and wrists are pretty universal as far as mounts go. Garmin does a much better job with their watches than dedicated bike computers.

So your issue with the mounting tabs on the 1040 is that third party suppliers haven't updated their design to properly fit, while Garmin has? I hope you never buy a Varia RCT715. Your head will explode.

Yeah.. why doesn't my 27" tire fit my new bikes rims? Surely it must be a conspiracy!

Going to metal was a good idea, given that Garmin had a liberal device replacement policy for broken tabs on plastic models. Let the aftermarket manufactures play catch up for the re-design. Ive no issues, I use either the Garmin mounts, some Velo Endeavor/Amazon out fronts, or some metal mounts that install on the stem cap on my mt. bikes, no issues with any.

Quote:

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As long as it's the one I use. Everybody else having to go buy new mounts is fine, but not acceptable if it affects me.

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Checking out.

You shouldn't give up so easily. Nor should you take offense because others of us don't see it the same way you do.

Garmin includes the correct mounts to use with their devices. Usually two different styles of mount with each Edge device.

What did you expect the BF brain trust to be able to do for you about this? We can't go back in time and change an existing product in the world to be something different. This is a discussion forum, all we can really do here is discuss ideas and hope useful information gets shared. In this case, you learned that the plastic tabs on older models did in fact break off sometimes and that's why they made this change. I guess other people learned the 1040 has metal tabs and is anybody else online is similarly concerned you may have brought this to their attention too.

Interesting, from a couple of perspectives.

I've never broken one of the older version plastic tabs. I wonder if this is more of an off-road problem? (Or have I successfully avoided more potholes than I knew?)

I wonder if this is an attempt to reclaim some of the aftermarket sales. Change the dimensions just a little bit, it still works but maybe some consumers will say "[Aftermarket maker] mounts are just junk, better to stick with Garmin mounts."

I also wonder if the rattling @Hiro saw with existing mounts is the reason Garmin went with plastic in the first place. Metal is going to rattle louder than plastic! Or if they opted for plastic for cost.

I've never broken the plastic dog ears either. However there were always angry threads at the Garmin forums from people that did.

Also, the weight of the devices are increasing. So maybe that plays into Garmin's decision to change the mounting up some.

My old Edge 500 was only 2 oz.

Edge 530 2.7 oz.
Edge 830 2.8 oz.
Edge 1040 4.4 oz
Edge 1040 solar 4.7 oz

[QUOTE=Seattle Forrest;22749426]As long as it's the one I use. Everybody else having to go buy new mounts is fine, but not acceptable if it affects me. ;)

GPS watches make excellent bike computers and wrists are pretty universal as far as mounts go. Garmin does a much better job with their watches than dedicated bike computers.[/QUOTE

Unless you want to see your data while riding. It’s easier to view a device on the bar with much larger screen and text. I can track with my instinct, but no map means I don’t use it for cycling much

[QUOTE=Steve B.;22751073]​​​​​​I do this all the time with my watch, check my current power output, use the map for Madison or to make a decision, etc. I keep hearing this is impossible even though it's easy and straightforward. :o

[QUOTE=Seattle Forrest;22751108]only if your eyes are good enough to see map details on watch's face.

even now that I've had cataract surgery, I doubt a map on a watch face would work for me. My 830 is just large enough.

Welcome to the club! :/

FYI, Bolle and Tifosi, at least, have riding glasses in clear or tinted with reading "bifocals." It's still easier for me to read the bar-mounted GPS that trying to read a watch while rolling.

There are as BTW, iQ add-on apps that allow you to increase font sizes of the data screens.

I can read the the things I want to read on the 830 no problem, especially now. My watch will put up a full screen of 3 point text (for no reason) that is impossible for me to read with no glasses. Like when I'm swimming, it's all just lost on me. The 830 does this too, do the developers even ride bikes, ever? Even if I had my readers on, I sincerely doubt I would want to read a wall of text while I was riding my bike, and I surely don't want to stop to do it. I tried locking the screen on the 830, but it still does this. Locking just means I can't do it, not the developers.

When I still had cataracts, I could read my 830 okay during the day. But at night I needed glasses. Now I need sunglasses so I'm not in pain from all the light, so I get cheap bifocal safety glasses.