We all have different cycling needs. Some of us want the quickest and most efficient way to carry our phone while out on the bike, some are looking for the most stylish case available, and some of us want to be able to easily see our phone’s screen even while riding. So, how do all of these things work out?
Having a phone on your bike doesn’t make you an amateur. It does mean you can take advantage of the latest technology. But that can be a bit tricky. Many of the bike-friendly phone mounts available today are little more than big plastic pucks. They need to be small enough to fit in your handlebar bag, but some are simply too bulky.
There are a number of great bike phone mount options available today. A few points to consider when looking for the best bike phone mount: 1. The mount should be easily adjustable. 2. The phone should be adapted to the mount. 3. The mount should be suitable for your bike. 4. The mount should be safe and secure.
Thanks to a plethora of ride-friendly training and navigation applications, smartphones are becoming more helpful to us cyclists. As a result, more cyclists are searching for a way to attach their phone to their bike.
While the finest bike computers combine all of your needs in a small, bike-specific package, some riders prefer to use their smartphones.
Both have advantages and disadvantages. A dedicated bike computer won’t deplete your phone’s battery, is built especially for the task, and connects to a variety of peripherals (usually through ANT+ and Bluetooth).
Using a smartphone, on the other hand, eliminates the need for a separate device and usually comes with a user-friendly interface. It’s also a popular option for riding to work since there are an increasing variety of applications and, generally speaking, you always have your phone with you for short journeys by bike.
If you’re going to ride your bike with your phone, be sure it’s securely attached. We put six of the most popular bike phone mounts to the test to see which ones are worth purchasing.
There are a number of options for phone mounting solutions, as well as a few distinct approaches. If you want to understand more about the various designs and which ones may be ideal for you, check out our buyer’s guide at the bottom of this page.
Our professional testers have ranked the best bike phone mounts.
In our evaluation, the following items received at least a 4 out of 5 rating.
- £50 / 9.95 / €59.95 Bike Kit with Quad Locks
- £20 for the Zyklop Navigator III by Birzman.
- £25 Bike Kit by Zefal
Quad Lock Bike Kit
The Quad Lock Bike Kit may be customized to meet your specific requirements. Immediate Media / Russell Burton
- Cost: £50
- 60 gram weight
- Stem/bar mount is included.
- Light/camera mount, vehicle mount, arm band, and weather cover are all optional options.
Quad Lock is a solution that you customize to fit your needs and budget. We tried the basic stem mount (which can also be mounted to a handlebar) and snap-case combination, but you can pick and choose from the two out-front mounts to customize your setup.
Even with the mount on the back, the case is sleek, so we simply left it on while we weren’t riding. Rubber O-rings are used to fasten the stem mount we tested. With a smooth-to-use push-and-twist locking mechanism, it won’t move once it’s in position. Pull down the retaining ring and twist to release – the lock is strong, but it’s a simple process.
On test, this was our favorite mount. The Quad Lock seems worth its somewhat expensive price because of its high-quality craftsmanship and a kit structure that enables you to purchase just the components you need.
Birzman Zyklop Navigator III
The Birzman Zyklop Navigator III is simple to install and use. Immediate Media / Russell Burton
- Price is £20.
- 78g in weight
- Bag that attaches to the top of the tube is included.
- No extras are available as an option.
The Zyklop Navigator isn’t as elegant as some of the other choices on offer, but it’s just as useful as the other bag/holder types.
The cushioned bag fits on top of the top tube and is secured with Velcro straps around it and the stem. Velcro flaps keep the phone securely in place against the cover, ensuring a strong connection with the touchscreen and reducing reflection.
We’ve been keeping our wallet and keys in the bag. A spare tube and tools would be a tight fit, but a tiny grab-strap makes it simple to carry all your belongings with you when you leave the bike.
This little bag has nothing to hate about it. It’s simple to install, operate, and maintain, and it won’t break the bank.
Zefal Bike Kit
With O-rings, the Zefal is firmly attached to either the bar or the stem. Immediate Media / Russell Burton
- The cost is £25
- 76g in weight
- Stem/bar mount, as well as a weather cover, are included.
- Light/camera mount, vehicle mount, and arm band are optional accessories.
Thanks to a no-tools-required configuration that utilizes rubber O-rings to connect the mount to a bar or stem, the Zefal Bike Kit is very easy to install and rock-solid in usage.
The snap-on phone cover features an integrated fitting that enables you to switch between various mounts and purposes – but it’s a little too bulky to keep on all the time.
A simple twist through 45 degrees and a solid positive lock secures the phone onto the mount. To release it, two buttons on the bottom must be depressed, so there’s no possibility of doing so inadvertently.
The basic kit has a weather cover, and we’d be tempted to upgrade to the superior out-front mount kit, which includes a light/camera as well.
Take into account…
The following items received fewer than four out of five stars in our testing but are still worth investigating.
Bike Bundle from SP
The only snap-case holder with a weather cover is the SP Connect. Immediate Media / Russell Burton
- Cost: £50
- 100g in weight
- Stem mount, clamp mount, and weather cover are all included.
- Light/camera mount, vehicle mount, and arm band are optional accessories.
We tried the SP Connect Bike Bundle, which comes with a stem cap/bar mount and a weather cover as standard, making it an excellent value.
You may utilize the angle-adjustable arm that comes with the mount (we didn’t). The Road Bike Bundle adds an upgraded mount that holds the phone out front and has room for a light/camera for an extra £10. The enhanced location and versatility of usage, in our view, make it worthwhile to upgrade.
This is one of the better phone cases: it has a nice feel to it, and the integrated mount is low enough to not get in the way while you’re using it. However, there is no positive click when it is locked in place, and it must be released with a strong hand.
Ridecase by Topeak
Topeak’s technology is very adaptable, allowing you to change the phone’s tilt. Immediate Media / Russell Burton
- Price is £45.
- 100g in weight
- Stem/bar mount is included.
- Light/camera mount, vehicle mount, and arm band are optional accessories.
This mount’s standard fitting may be used to attach it to a handlebar or stem, or even to replace the stem cap. You’ll need a 4mm Allen key to install it, but it’s simple and secure once in place. The mount is also completely angle adjustable, allowing you to utilize it in either landscape or portrait mode.
The phone is placed in a snap case that fits into the mount. It’s simple, but a more positive click after it’s in place would give it a boost of confidence. A lever is used to unlock the door.
The rear of the case includes a mount that can be used as a stand; it works best in portrait mode, but it’s handy enough to contemplate keeping on all the time to save time when setting out.
An upgrade bracket that holds the phone out front with room for a light or camera is available as an add-on. It raises the price, but the added flexibility is worth it.
Riverside BTwin 520
Plastic reflections may make it difficult to view the screen at times. Immediate Media / Russell Burton
- The cost is £13.
- 120g in weight
- Two bags and a top tube-mounted case are included.
- No extras are available as an option.
While the Riverside 520 isn’t particularly sleek or high-tech, we found ourselves liking it a lot more than we expected because of the tube-mounted twin bags. The phone is placed on top, with the wallet and keys on one side and the spare tube and tools on the other. And that was all for £13.
The kicker is that the straps could be longer, necessitating some ingenuity in order to secure it. The phone fits easily into its holder, but because it isn’t firmly pressed against the cover, reflection from the plastic can make it difficult to see the screen at times.
Furthermore, the touchscreen connection isn’t always accurate. However, for the low price of £13, you get something that securely secures your phone as well as two stash bags.
A buyer’s guide to phone mounts and covers for cyclists
Phone mounts come in a variety of styles.
A bicycle phone mount is similar to a bike computer mount, but it allows you to securely connect a smartphone to your bars, stem, or top tube instead of a computer. This has the benefit of eliminating the need for a separate bike computer.
The majority of bicycle phone mounts are tiny plastic brackets that you clip onto your bike and then into which you put your phone. Some are transparent pockets that are attached to bags that may be strapped to your frame and used for storage. They must offer a durable method to carry your phone on your bike and protect it from the weather while enabling you to use it in either case.
Case and mounting
Quad Lock’s case-style mount for attaching your smartphone creates a sleek, secure appearance. Immediate Media / Jamie Beach
Bike phone covers are typically for stem or handlebar mounts, and they’re all variants on the same theme: your phone is housed in a case that’s tailored to your phone’s size and type, and it can then be clipped firmly into a tiny plastic block on your stem or handlebar. The case may be watertight or not.
In general, these types of mounts enable you to position your phone in either portrait or landscape mode. Although, if the phone is placed on the stem, it’s better to utilize portrait orientation to keep it out of the way of wayward knees.
Bracket that is universal
If your phone has an odd form or size, Olixar’s universal phone mount is an excellent option. Immediate Media / Oli Woodman
These mounts are similar to the ones above, but they don’t need you to put your phone in a special case. Instead, they utilize a universal mount that connects to your handlebars or stem and can hold almost any phone, even if it’s already in a case.
The apparent benefit is that you don’t have to purchase a new mount every time you change phones (and you can lend it to others), but there’s also a drawback: we believe they’re less secure.
Frame bag
Your phone is hidden behind a touchscreen-compatible polycarbonate screen in the front section. Immediate Media / Reuben Bakker-Dyos
Carrying your phone in a frame bag is an option if you’d prefer leave the space on your bar free. A phone frame bag fits immediately below the head tube on your top tube. This will feature a transparent sleeve for your phone to slip into, as well as some storage space.
The main question is whether the clear glass offers enough weather protection while still enabling you to use the phone’s touchscreen.
The main disadvantage of this method is that you must look/reach down farther than if your phone was mounted on your bar. If you can’t hear the audio warnings, the frame-bag option may be a better fit for riders who are willing to stop to use their phones.
Check to see whether your bike phone mount is compatible.
Which phone mount you choose will ultimately be determined by which one works with your phone. Most mounts come in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit as many different types of phones as possible, but double-check before you buy.
Similarly, if you’re on a contract and will be changing/upgrading models soon, it may be worth waiting until you know which model you’ll be moving to. It’s pointless to spend money on a phone mount for a phone you won’t be using in a few weeks.
Most bike riders like to take their phone with them for navigation with turn-by-turn directions and music playing in their ears. The problem is that taking your phone out of your pocket all the time can make your pants a tangled mess and put your pocket at risk for theft.. Read more about bike stem phone mount and let us know what you think.
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