Technical Report Draft #1

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Background
According to the Garmin website (Garmin, n.d -a) the Garmin Edge 830 is not only a bicycle navigation device but it also provides performance monitoring for cyclist training and recovery. One reason why cyclists do not want to use their phones for navigation is that it drains the battery of the phone, and when the cyclist receives a phone call, the screen is changed to reflect the details of the caller, taking precedence over the navigation screen. ‘ This is the reason why a ”customer wants a product that fits one purpose, something they can put up on their big screen”(Taub, 2015).
Garmin ( n.d. -b) also states that there are three different mounts that the Edge 830 can be mounted to. The standard mount included in the box has two rubber straps that are used to strap around the bike stem connected to the rubber disc which holds the Garmin Edge. 
The second and third mounts provided by Garmin are external mounts that need to be bought, both of the mounts use screws to hold the mounts in place which also holds the Garmin edge more securely. Although being more secure, the cost of it is much more expensive than other competitive companies that provide mounts at a lower price which also has a basic mounting mechanism.
According to Obridgewood (2018), after a period of time the Garmin mounting system wears off and the plastic on the back of the unit wears down over time which can cause the device to vibrate during cycling. Thus, this causes the device to be less secure. 
Also, Semantik (2013) suggested in the Online Forum Post ‘Lost my Garmin Device-can Garmin help?’ that once the provided o-rings stretched over the stem over long periods of time, it will loosen and will not fit as snug anymore. In the same forum post, thegreatdivide (2013) also added that even after you have lost your device you might not be able to find the device even if you logged in to your Garmin account.
Due to the problems with the current mount offered by Garmin, customers may search for alternative mounts from competitor companies/outside sources such as SRAM which provides a similar mounting system at a lower cost compared with the other three mounts provided by Garmin. Our team has proposed a secure locking mechanism mount that prevents the Garmin Edge from dropping out from the handlebars of your bicycle will help not only in providing a secure mount it also prevents theft of the user’s Garmin Edge when the user forgets to remove it from your bicycle this additional feature will be unique to the other mounts available in the market.
The ideal attachment device is to be mounted on the bike with a magnetic lock that is easily removable by the owner yet prevents the device from being easily stolen, is weather-resistant, is universally applicable to various bicycles and combines Garmin and any other mount into a single unit. 
Problem statement
The basic o-ring mount provided in the box by Garmin is not secure enough to prevent it from falling out of the bicycle. Moreover, once it is lost the user might not be able to find it. Although Garmin does provide external accessories for mounting the Garmin Edge it costs at least $50 for just providing basic mounting mechanisms.
Purpose
This report proposes that the Garmin mount design team implementation of Smartride a locking mechanism that not only allows the cyclist to mount their Garmin Edge but also prevents theft even if the cyclist forgets to remove it from the bicycle.
Modification
The current mount for Garmin Edge only provides a basic mechanism to hold the device. Implementing an improved mount which includes a magnetic lock where only the cyclist has the magnetic key. This allows the cyclist to remove Garmin Edge easily with the magnetic key as well as preventing theft of the device. 
Magnetic Lock
Firstly, a key enhancement implemented into SmartRide is changing the way the Garmin Edge is being mounted. The current method is by pushing the device into the mount followed by twisting to the upright position. An improved mechanism that SmartRide has to offer is by magnetic lock. This advanced system consists of the SmartRide itself and a unique magnetic key. The user has to align the key and then place the device on top of the mount. Upon removing the key, SmartRide will hold Garmin Edge securely in place. What makes this key unique is that every user will have their own distinct key that can only unlock their own mount thus preventing the theft of Garmin devices.
Universal mount
SmartRide can be utilised with various forms of transportations not only subjected to bicycles. Most forms of transportation that have a handlebar can have SmartRide mounted to it. What makes SmartRide universal is that it has a range of diameters of handlebars that it can be fitted to rather than being restricted to only one as currently, Garmin has three different types of mount that are only suitable for bicycles. With a universal mount, users can save the cost of buying different mounts as they can use one SmartRide for their personal mobile devices and even motorcycles.
Choice of material
A proposed modification on the current mount is to revise on the material that is used to manufacture it. Since the mount will be exposed to various weather conditions, it is advised that the material is relatively light proof. Ultraviolet(UV) light from the sun causes plastics to go through a process called photodegradation where the plastics disintegrate (Chandler, 2012). After being exposed under the sun for long hours, UV light will deteriorate the plastic causing it to lose its durability and strength. Hence, it is not wise to have the mount to fail during the cycling routine.
Combining into a single unit
A final modification that would be beneficial for the user is by combining the Garmin Edge and the mount itself together as one unit. Therefore, there is no need for the user to keep on removing the device every time they are done with their cycling exercise. If the previously mentioned modifications have been implemented, it would not be a problem for the device to be left alone as firstly, the device will be well secured and locked with the aid of SmartRide’s magnetic locking system. Secondly, SmartRide can withstand various weather conditions and that the Garmin Edge itself is already waterproof. 
Benefits
The risk of theft will be greatly reduced with the additional safety features being implemented on the Garmin mount. Besides that, the additional features also provide a better choice of material that can protect the device under harsh conditions and helps the user to save the cost of buying mounts as it is not only restricted to be used for bicycles but also other transportation as well. Lastly, by combining the Garmin Edge and the mount itself together as one unit would be a great benefit for the user as there is no need for the user to keep on removing the device every time they are done with their cycling exercise.
Evaluation
Although the magnetic lock, universal mount, better material and combination of the device into a single unit do provide their benefits, the team foresees a few challenges that might be faced.
Increased Overall Cost
To implement all of the proposed modifications, a substantial amount of research and development (R&D) will be required especially for the magnetic lock system and material choice, increasing the R&D costs. This greatly raises the overall price of the Garmin Edge and the mount, which may discourage potential customers as the price may be higher than most mounts currently out on the market. 
Loss Key Management
Additionally, in the event that a customer loses their magnetic key required to unlock and remove their device from the mount, it will require either Garmin to send personnel down to where the customer is or the customer has to transport their entire bicycle to a Garmin service centre to remove the device using a master key and purchase a replacement key.
However, there are many designs on the market that Garmin can reference and there is publically available materials research that can be found easily. This ensures a simpler, less time consuming and more cost-efficient research and development for Garmin. Although it is the responsibility of the customers to keep track of their magnetic key, the creation of a master magnetic key is not difficult and should already be included in the initial prototyping.
Weighing the pros and cons, the team concludes that the potential benefits outweigh the problems Garmin may face. Thus the team trusts that sales will be boosted if Garmin embraces the ideas and improves the ease of mounting and the security of the device as these modifications are long term benefits.
Methodology
The relevant information for the completion of this report was referenced from secondary research sources.
Primary Research
Primary research was done by visiting a variety of shops that sell bicycles and their accessories. The team looked at the plethora of products sold by the different shops, specifically bicycle accessories such as mounting brackets for navigation devices. Through the use of the primary research, the team was able to identify potential problems with the current mounting accessories and the improvements that could be made.
Secondary Research
Detailed research was done on the device and mount, their shortcomings, and the potential modifications in order to develop an effective design proposal. The team used official sites from Garmin in addition to secondary resources to support the research. The Garmin websites were used to comprehend the main features of the devices as well as the mounting process. Pros and cons, as well as potential modifications needed to resolve the problems, were found using secondary sources. Secondary sites were also referenced to present applicable issues to improve the reliability of the proposal.
Conclusion
In conclusion, modification into a magnetic lock, universal mount, weather-resistant material and combination into a single unit should be implemented to make the Garmin Edge more secure, durable and flexible. If Garmin applies these modifications to their current mounts and devices, the mount will be simple to install and users can leave their device on their bicycles or motorcycles with the ease of mind that it will not be stolen nor would it be easily damaged by environmental factors. This will give Garmin an edge over its competitors.
References
Chandler, N. (2020, January 27). How can we speed up plastic photodegradation? https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/speed-up-plastic-photodegradation.html

Oliver, B. (2018, November 12). Garmin Edge 1000: Long term review review. CyclingWeekly https://www.cyclingweekly.com/reviews/computers-gps-watches/garmin-edge-1000
Semantik. (2013, September 21). Lost my garmin device-can garmin help? https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/12942292/lost-my-garmin-device-can-garmin-help
Taub, E. A. (2015, July 17). What stand-alone GPS devices do that smartphones can’t. New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/16/technology/personaltech/what-stand-alone-gps-devices-do-that-smartphones-cant.html
thegreatdivide. (2013, September 21). Lost my garmin device-can garmin help? https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/12942292/lost-my-garmin-device-can-garmin-help


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