smartphones on handlebars

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Milkfloat

An Peanut
Location
Midlands
I thought that was well known already, the same as you should not wear expensive watches whilst playing golf as the impact vibrations can affect the mechanisms.
 
OP
OP
Blue Hills
Location
London
I thought that was well known already, the same as you should not wear expensive watches whilst playing golf as the impact vibrations can affect the mechanisms.
lots of folk do mount smartphones on bars though to use for navigation - they've been doing it for years - I have never thought it a good idea for all sorts of reasons.
 

fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Not keen myself, especially with a decent phone. That lives tucked away and waterproofed just in case. The Garmin does the rest, far cheaper and more robust.
 

freiston

Veteran
Location
Coventry
I usually carry my (smart) phone in my bar bag or a pocket, mostly the bar bag. Occasionally on longer rides in unfamiliar territory with a destination being aimed for, I will mount it on the handlebar for navigation. The mount itself incorporates a waterproof zip-up case with foam wadding in it. The phone is also rated water resistant (IP68) but was relatively cheap and certainly cost less than the bike and less than most of the Garmins I have looked at with interest. It's not an iphone and so I don't know if it is affected similarly (i.e. camera functions) but whilst proving useful at times, the camera functions of my phone are not a high priority for me. The phone is over three years old now, it still works without issue despite being dropped a few times (every time whilst running for a bus, thinking I had put it in my coat/jacket inside breast pocket but missing). I'm not going to worry and I will still mount it on my handlebar for occasional navigation.
 
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HMS_Dave

Grand Old Lady
Not that i go far on my bike compared to some well seasoned bike travellers on here, but my wife brought me a Casio Smartwatch (wsd f21HR) last spring with HR sensor. It has Strava ability, GPS, Maps that can be downloaded if you wish and another built in cycling app. Battery life would last on all but the longest day rides/tours. I suppose you could charge it each night off a powerbrick if you were tenting or whatever. I wouldn't mount my phone, personally...
 

newfhouse

Resolutely on topic
New Olympic sport. Put an expensive looking phone on your handlebars and ride through South London, see how long it lasts.
 
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Alex321

Veteran
Location
South Wales
I used my Samsung Galaxy phone as my bike computer for about 18 months, until I bought a Wahoo along with my new bike a few weeks ago.

Always in a case, attached to the stem, I don't think it ever hit the ground in the few crashes I had - the Cateye front light, mounted further out did, and broke the mount - twice.

While I do much prefer the Roam, I don't think there is anything wrong with using a phone. Most decent modern phones are pretty robust - and waterproof if the case leaks.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Pity they didn't advertise it also as a stabbing/defensive weapon. My first mobile phone was a Philips ph301. The stiff plastic aerial nearly had my eye out a few times. Tough as a house brick mind. I think most of them were.
Doubt you'd be able to stab anyone with one of those, the "Sharkfin" aerial is fairly flexible.
 
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