Fixing The Garmin

Fixing the Garmin Tabs

Garmin bike components are familiar. The bike computers are especially popular. Over the past few years, Garmin has introduced a video camera, lights, a heads up display and pedal-based power meters. The bike computers and lights attach to their mounts with
the classic Garmin quarter turn. However, as many Garmin computer owners know, the tabs on the computers can break or wear down over time. The plastic tabs do not stand up to long-term use. This problem made me use the included tether.

My Garmin Varia Rearview Radar is only five months old, and it tumbled out of its mount while I  was riding. I heard a plastic clatter and my Edge bike computer notified me that the radar was ‘disconnected.' I backtracked and found it on the ground blinking. The tabs had sheared off. The weight of the light and the riding vibration worked against the tabs in the mount. Edge computers lie flat, so the mounting and unmounting the computer wears the tabs down over years of use. Crashing will snap the tabs on an Edge computer as well. However, the Varia weigh 5 grams more than the Edge 520, and the vibration of the bicycle puts a force on the upper tab of the Varia.

After only four months, I was sure that my Varia was under warranty. But that would get me more plastic tabs. After doing a little searching on the web, I found another product for fixing Garmin tabs. Dog Ears, a company based in Utah, has designed an aluminum mounting plate that fits over the broken tabs and mount disk of the Garmin. The mounting plate is advertised for Edge computers. Since the Varia uses the same mounting as the Edge, I ordered one to try.

The mounting plate was $19.95, plus $5 shipping. The aluminum tabs will outlast any plastic tabs. It may wear out the Garmin mount over time. However, a replacement mount is much cheaper than the Varia itself. The plate arrived in three days and came with two small metal screws. The company provides an installation video on the website.

The installation was easy.

1. I filed away the remains of the broken tabs so that the Dog Ears plate would fit over the Garmin mounting disk on the back of the Varia.
2. I place the Dog Ears plate on the Varia and installed the screws to get the holes going. And then I removed the screws.
3. I put Gorilla Glue on the back of the mounting disk and in the screw holes. It is important to use glue that will bond to both metal and plastic. And the glue must not damage the plastic.
4. I placed the Dog Ears plate back on the Varia and reinstalled the screws. I then let it dry overnight. 

The mount looks solid, and it works in the Garmin mount.