Phone holders for bicycles: types and choices

The need to install a phone holder on a bicycle in the age of gadgets does not surprise anyone - the modern industry offers many accessories for different types and sizes of mobile devices. With the help of such a device, you can significantly ease your life on the road and daily trips, do not miss an important call or message. Besides, if the holder is correctly selected, the smartphone can easily be turned into a bicycle navigator or tracker while traveling.

But how to do it without errors? Without studying the features of bicycle mounts for a smartphone, it can be difficult to navigate the offers on the market. How to choose a stand for the steering wheel or frame? What is the difference between the different options for the clamps? Before choosing the appropriate mount for your smartphone, it is worth considering all the available offers and understand how they fit the riding style of a particular rider.

The phone holder, mounted on a bicycle, is a mount in the form of a cover or frame into which the mobile device is inserted. It would seem that this device should often be found on two-wheeled vehicles, but so far such accessories more often appear on the pages of thematic sites and magazines.

Riders are not yet too eager to acquire phone holders - most prefer not to take risks, fearing vibration, shock or the risk of breaking the smartphone in the fall.

However, the benefits of having a mount still outweigh the risks.The holders help to expand the capabilities of the bike and make it easier to use your smartphone on the go.

When is the use of bicycle phone holders absolutely necessary?

• When using the phone as a navigator. In this case, the device must be in front of the rider's eyes. Its reliable fixation at the right angle is also an important component of the successful transformation of the smartphone into a navigation system. Instead of a separate microcomputer in this case, you can install a mobile device in a horizontal position. You don’t have to worry about it either, leaving the bicycle unattended - it will be enough to simply remove the phone from the mount.

• If necessary, be constantly in touch. If a missed call or message threatens with loss of customers or other risks, you should consider using a special holder. It is placed vertically in sight. In this case, the phone will be conveniently used in combination with a headset, and if it is not there, you can always stop and answer the call.

• When monitoring sports performance. Using a smartphone instead of a tracker eliminates the need for extra gadgets, as it clearly demonstrates all measured parameters in real time. Using the holder, it is easy to fix the device in a convenient position, connect sensors to it and receive useful information on biological parameters, distance traveled along the way and other important characteristics.

In fact, the bike mount for your phone is a convenient accessory capable of significantly simplify the life of a lover of walks on two-wheeled vehicles.

All bicycle mounts can be divided into categories according to the method of attachment, type of grip and size. Stand for smartphone can be of several types.

• Universal. In this case, the fixture is adjusted to specific parameters, shifting its edges in a horizontal or vertical plane. The bracket frame is fixed using special bolts.

• For Android smartphones or iPhone. The individual bike carrier is more reliable and allows you to fix the device more firmly in the place chosen for it. But when changing the model and brand of the device, you will have to buy an accessory that does not have adjustable elements.

• Waterproof. Available in both universal and individual versions, with fixation on the steering wheel or frame. Suitable for use on expeditions and travels.

Depending on which fasteners are selected, the stand can be fixed in one of several ways. Most often, in this capacity, an ordinary plastic collar acts, squeezing the steering wheel. For its fastening, screws or special keys are used to quickly dismantle the bike holder.

Mounts on the frame are made in the form of a bag or a rigid block, which allows to securely fix the device. In this case, the smartphone will not be used as a navigator, but it will be in the access area for calls and messages.

Pad Model most often found among offers from the most famous brands. This mount is combined with the case and allows you to securely fix the smartphone. This option is used by true fans of the bicycle extreme, preferring country routes to riding on a flat highway.

Phone holders for bicycles may vary in how they fit into the stand. The most common option is the classic "frame" with elastic or rigid sliding sides clamped by a screw lock.

Full-fledged covers are no less demanded - they allow you to reliably protect the design of the device from moisture and dirt, do not close the screen - it can be used as a navigator, tracker. But answering a call without a headset will be quite difficult.

Some manufacturers experimentally suggest installing on bicycles. vacuum Velcro - they hold the phone by pumping air from the space around it. It is difficult to call such a mount reliable, but it is quite suitable for use when riding in the park.

Flexible elastic bands grab the steering wheel and mount the smartphone in the corners. Not the most reliable option, but on the road in an emergency can help out.

Among the materials suitable for the manufacture of a bicycle holder for a telephone, one can note the following options:

• Silicone A practical and non-slip option. A transparent silicone case is usually made for devices that need all-weather protection. In addition, “rubber bands” are made from it - express fixators that easily take the desired shape.

• Plastic. Holders from it are made mainly with mounting on the steering wheel. Polymeric materials have low strength, but they are cheap and practical. From special soft polymers, contact areas are created in which the smartphone case can beat or rub against the stand.

• Leather. It acts as an element of the overall design of the closed case, in front of such a product there is always a silicone transparent insert. Leather is considered a premium material and is often used by well-known companies.

• Metal. Today, this material is rather regarded as auxiliary. But a metal holder can use existing fasteners. For example, be part of a bottle holder or place for a pump on a frame.

Phone holders for the phone today produce many well-known brands. The models that are especially popular include the following.

• GUB G-83. The universal holder can be mounted on the take-out or the steering wheel itself; the manufacturer provides detailed instructions. The stand is plastic, the aluminum mounting bracket, there are polymer crimp bushings. The bracket is swivel, can be in 4 positions. The take-out fixation is done with the screw in the kit.

• Life Proof. The company creates mounts for iPhone, universal, for motorcycles or bicycles. Can be mounted to hold the unit horizontally or vertically.

• Scoche HandleIT. The model is a universal type for mounting on the steering wheel. It is conveniently fixed with a screw that controls the clamping intensity. The mount itself has limiters on 3 sides, can expand to the desired dimensions of the mobile device. A convenient button is included to quickly remove the phone.

• BioLogic. Not the most budget model, but one of the most versatile to use. The mount is equipped with a rigid block in the form of a case with a transparent front panel. Access to ports is protected from moisture, the entire structure successfully mitigates any shock and other external influences.

• Arkon Slim-Grip. The model of the holder with a steering wheel mount is considered universal, suitable for fixing most smartphones and phones, adapted to bikes of different designs. Included is a head that supports 180-degree rotation and guarantees accurate positioning of the device. The model is equipped with an additional seat belt for better fastening.

In addition, phone holders for companies deserve attention Wahoo, Satechi, iCarry Bike-S, Joy Factory. These companies regularly update their assortment and take into account the features of new models of mobile devices.

When choosing a bicycle holder for a mobile phone or smartphone, the following points should be considered.

1. Type of vehicle. For cross-country travel on a mountain bike or fat bike, it is better to choose closed covers from the very beginning, from which the device will not fly out when traveling. For urban and road models, open and plastic universal mounts are suitable.
2. The number of closed sides. There should be at least 3, otherwise, if the wheel hits the tussock, the device can simply fly out of the holder. Converted car mounts for phones are most often double-sided.
3. Type of smartphone. If the processor of the device becomes very hot during operation, it is better to forget about completely closed tight covers. Most often, this problem occurs on Android smartphones.
4. Type of mount. If you just need to have a phone in range, you can do with the usual frame mount. But in the case when it comes to using the device as a navigator or if you need to quickly answer calls, it is better to give preference to open structures with an arrangement on the steering wheel.

Given these important points, you can choose the holder that is most convenient for use on the road and securely attach it to the bike.

The following video provides an overview of 8 models of GUB bike phone holders.