smartphones on handlebars

[PaulSB]

I understand the points regarding using a suitable mount and modern phones being robust but think both miss a key point.

A few years back I hit a pothole with the result my Garmin 810 flew off and hit the tarmac. The rider behind me rode straight over it. The screen smashed and the unit a write-off. No doubt either I hadn't attached it correctly or the mount was worn.

I contacted Garmin who replaced the unit for £85. Has anyone tried similar with Apple, Samsung, Motorola?

I've a friend whose six month old £800 Samsung has developed a screen fault. The shop says it's physical damage, her insurers don't want to know and Samsung say send it to us and we'll think about it. Its never been close to a bike!

Aside from issues such as battery life mounting a decent phone on the bars is asking for a trouble.

 

[chriswoody]

It's not just road riding either, I ride a lot off-road on a rigid, drop bar bike wich is pretty rough at the best of times. I use a 15 year old Garmin on my bars and leave my phone in my pocket, though I've not really noticed the Garmin vibrate or move. I also recently bought a nice Micro -four thirds camera, because I like to indulge in a bit of photography as well. Knowing that the vibrations from living in a bag on the bike would kill it in no time, I invested in a Mountain bike bum bag to carry it on my body. Hopefully that should be enough to protect it, only time will tell.

 

[biggs682]

lots of folk do mount smartphones on bars though to use for navigation

Next your be telling us that they can also take pictures as well , which opens up a whole new aspect to my cycling

 

[mustang1]

Electronics can get damaged by strong vibrations, no sh1t sherlock

FIFY
Consumer electronics get damaged by strong vibrations, because CE are sh1t sherlock
As opposed to electronics found in, gee let's see now, space shuttle, formula 1 cars, fighter jets...

(I use CE but I dislike the general unreliability of them. Sure, they work 90% of the times, but that 10% when they don't work really wastes a lot of time).

 

[Drago]

Sorry im late...

I don't have a smartphone.

 

[Oldhippy]

Phone in saddlebag, stop, get phone take photos and back in saddlebag.

 

[tyred]

How do I mount my mobile phone on the bars?

 

[Arjimlad]

How do I mount my mobile phone on the bars? View attachment 609062

Try and use that as a phone and you'll be in for a shock !

 

[le_al_khemista]

I've never understood why people are happy to mount their phone on the bike. A relatively new iphone could be worth more than the bike!

Cycle computers are perfect for the job.

I aim to buy a cycle computer one day (horses for courses, etc) but at the moment my budget just doesn't stretch that much and it's just not a priority to be spending £200+ on a gadget for the bike which I'd be using maybe 1-2 times a week. On the other hand, most people (myself included) already have a smart phone they carry around everyday which does the job of a cycle computer (and more) rather well, with a few caveats.

So, on longer rides I tend to have my smart phone on the handlebars for navigation, quick stats, etc. I just can't justify the cost of a cycle computer when I already have something else with a similar set of functions.

I understand that if I was to have a serious fall and damage my phone, the cost of replacing it would potentially be £400+ compared to say £200+ of the CC but that's a risk I'm willing to take in order not to buy something a don't need and save a few quid now...

 

[fair weather cyclist]

I've never understood why people are happy to mount their phone on the bike. A relatively new iphone could be worth more than the bike!

Cycle computers are perfect for the job.

It's for people who use it for navigation/listening to music while riding and don't have the need for a bike computer.

So, it's something that people who own a bike but can't really be defined as cyclists do

 

[Daninplymouth]

I used to use a quadlock mount on my iPhone and it killed one of the camera lenses. It’s due to the constant vibrations I think the phone constantly battles to try and stabilise against it so burns itself out and that’s not actually using the camera whilst riding. I looked online and a few others had the same issue I believe

 

[classic33]

How do I mount my mobile phone on the bars? View attachment 609062

First remove the casing...

 

[Alex321]

I've never understood why people are happy to mount their phone on the bike. A relatively new iphone could be worth more than the bike!

Cycle computers are perfect for the job.

Many people already have a smartphone but not a bike computer.

A decent bike computer can easily cost £200 plus and can be hard to justify when the phone can already do most of what the computer will.

 

[Oldhippy]

My bike computer was £25. Speed, distance and the time.

 

[Oldhippy]

Navigation? That's the thing that people like in a smartphone.

Ah, I use paper maps and generally just aim in the rough direction I want to go.