Compass near a magnet?

[Dave Davenport]

If I carry my compass clipped to my Ortlieb bar bag which has magnetic closures, will it knacker it? (they effect it within a foot or so).

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Yep - can't navigate if magnets or iron (like steel) are nearby. Unclip it and walk a few feet.

 

[Custom24]

https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/196996/can-a-magnet-damage-a-compass

Seems conflicting answers

However, when I was young I remember getting a gift of a compass. I also remember playing with it and a magnet. And I remember being upset when the compass no longer worked afterwards.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Yep ^^^^^ - it's not too difficult to demagnetise the needle

 

[Yellow Saddle]

A compass mounted on a bicycle is useless should you have had plans to navigate by it.
The good news is that storing it inside the pannier is OK too. To demagnetise the needle you have to repetitively do a bunch of stuff to it with a magnet in close proximity. That's not likely to happen either.
North is that-away. Off you go.

 

[Cycleops]

Use a digital compass app on your smartphone.

 

[Dave Davenport]

OK, think I'll clip it to a rear pannier to be on the safe side, it only tends to get used occasionally anyway.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Use a digital compass app on your smartphone.

What smart phone?

 

[Dave Davenport]

I've found one quite handy a few times, it's easy to get your direction a bit muddled when riding small lanes and tracks (especially through wooded areas). I don't need it mounted on the bike, I was just wondering if having it too near my bar bag would permanently damage it, I'll just hold it away from the bike if I use it.

 

[Markymark]

Use a digital compass app on your smartphone.

Works in the same way - a magnet will distort that too

 

[swansonj]

Works in the same way - a magnet will distort that too

But surely the OP isn't talking about getting a temporary erroneous reading when close to the bike, they are talking about permanent damage to the compass by demagnetising or demagnetising the needle. Compasses in phones are of course equally susceptible to the former but not the latter.

 

[Levo-Lon]

I'm waiting for a Bermuda Triangle thread now.

And a storm tomorrow too .it must happen

 

[Tim Hall]

What smart phone?

Stand your smart phone upright, like a tombstone. Mark where the shadow falls. Wait awhile and mark where the shadow is now. Join the points where the shadows were and are, giving you an EW line. Easy.

 

[Markymark]

But surely the OP isn't talking about getting a temporary erroneous reading when close to the bike, they are talking about permanent damage to the compass by demagnetising or demagnetising the needle. Compasses in phones are of course equally susceptible to the former but not the latter.

True

 

[Globalti]

Just find the balance point on the top tube and hang the bike from a tree branch. If the frame is steel, after a couple of hours of swinging around the bike will align itself to North and you'll see which way to ride. Probably.