With mobile phones becoming mini computers in our pockets these days it's no surprise that having one attached to your bike also makes a lot of sense now too. By having a mobile phone mounted to your bike unlocks lots of cool things you can do including:
- Use your phone for navigation
- Play music/podcasts with ease
- See who messages/calls you (while not riding obviously!)
- Check your speed/distance on Strava or similar exercise tracking apps
- Plus more
Our favourite bike mount for your mobile is the Quad Lock Bike System which is available at Amazon for $164.11
What to Look for When Buying a Bike Phone Mount
Like all things cycling related, you get what you pay for and phone mounts for your bike are no different. We figure why would you spend $1k on a nice brand new iPhone and then put it on a cheap mount that could potentially fail? For this reason, we recommend investing in a good phone bike mount as they won't break the bank and will guarantee the safety of your phone.
Below are some other things we'd recommend considering when investing in a bike phone mount.
Mounting Element
From what we've seen on the market, phone mounts generally secure your phone using 3 different types of mounts. These include:
Case Mount
This style of mount will come with a phone case that's specific to your phone (e.g. iPhone 11 Pro) and a mounting block attached to your handle bars. The case is specifically designed to mount on the mounting block which is great as it results in a snug and secure fit so you don't have to worry about your phone detaching.
The only down side with case mounts is they can be annoying if you travel and like to rotate different phones (you baller you!) which means you'll need additional cases to fit your other phones. Not the end of the world.
We generally recommend case mounts as the most secure way to mount your phone to your bike.
Universal Bracket
As the name suggests, universal brackets are designed to fit all phones and generally rely on a gripping mechanism to hold your phone in place. Generally with universal brackets you get what you pay for with cheaper brackets relying on poor gripping plastic while more expensive options using more points of contact to grip your phone and using metal mounts with silicon grips to better hold your phone.
These are a great option if you're someone that doesn't want to have a special case on your phone for your bike mount system. The only limitation is that you need to make sure your phone isn't too big in terms of size and weight to fit the universal bracket. Another bonus with universal brackets is that they are great for people who carry different phones and want to have the freedom to easily mount them without needing a special case.
Frame Bag
One of the less practical options on the market, frame bags attach to the front of your bike's handle bars and are generally used for bike touring. These types of bags will have have a clear front section which will allow you to see your phone screen as you're riding along.
We think these are a great option if you're doing big day trips on the bike and want to be able to view your phone in case it's ringing or get a message and need to store your phone. It's not as practical if you need to be able to touch your phone quickly as you'll need to unzip the bag and get the phone out.
Strap Based
The last type of mount system you will see is a strap based mount which you will see in our Nite Ize Handleband review. These types of mounts rely on a silicone strap which straps around your handlebars and then wraps around your phone to securely hold it in position. These obviously aren't as popular as Case and Universal mounts but are a great option.
Ease of Installation
We recommend something that takes a bit of effort to install as this will be difficult for thieves to steal off your bike if parked in public and secondly, ensures the bike is firmly secured to your bike while you're riding.
Size
When looking for bike mounts be sure to consider whether the mount will be strong enough to hold your phone. From our experience, bigger phones like the iPhone 11 Pro and other phones that use large 6.5"+ screens struggle with some phone mounts due to their weight and size. Be sure to double check whether your phone is compatible before buying to avoid any issues on the road!
Durability
Phone bike mounts come in a variety of materials including Polycarbonate/TPU, Aluminium with a mix of Carbon Fibre, Plastic with a Rubber Grip Cradle and finally, silicon.
Which material is best for you? We recommend sticking away from bike mounts that rely on too much plastic and look for something that has good durability like an aluminium mount that then uses a rubber grip cradle to hold your phone.
Best Bike Mount
Quad Lock Bike Mount Kit
The Quad Lock is a brand that most people will be familiar with their quality phone mounting system. For those that are unfamiliar with the Quad Lock system, what makes it so good and worth the price tag you ask? Good question.
Quad Lock have developed their own proprietary based system which is argued to be the most lightweight and secure phone mount for your bike on the market. This is largely due to the mounting mechanism using a case based mount which then mounts onto a block mounted to your handle bars.
While another great part of the Quad Lock system is how quick it is to mount and dismount your phone when you're on the move. You'll hear a click when the phone has mounted into the position and you're away.
The Quad Lock system is designed for handlebars with a tube diameter of 25-40mm.
The downside of the Quad Lock system is the fact that a special case is required to be used on your phone. Another down side is that you will find if you use different phones on your bike then you will also need a seperate case for each phone. These aren't super expensive but it's more just an inconvenience if anything.
Best Strap Based Bike Mount
Nite Ize HandleBand
This one sure is different to the other bike mounts we reviewed. The Nite Ize Handleband relies on an expandable silicone strap that wraps around any sized phone with any sized case and then securely mounts to your handlebars. You're probably wondering to yourself how does it actually hold your phone though? Good question. The Nite Ize Handleband relies on two seperate straps that secure your phone in place.
We really liked that the Nite Ize Handleband comes in 3 different colours (Black, Blue and Green) while also being able to double up as a bottle opener when not attached to your bike. Perfect for those long days on the bike!
One down side of the design of the Nite Ize Handleband is that you may find that due to the straps covering the screen, this may result in you not being able to see parts of the screen and get in the way.
We do wonder whether having the strap so securely around your phone will cause too much pressure to shatter/cause issues to your phone but with so many people using the Nite Ize Handleband we don't think this will be an issue.
Best Option for Bikes and Motorbikes
Roam Universal Premium Bike Phone Mount
Roam's universal bike mount is a great option for anyone that doesn't want the fuss of having to mount specifically designed case to their phone. The Roam universal mount has been designed to securely fit phones up to 3.5" wide. You may find that with bigger phones on the market with screens of 6.5" and upwards may be too big for this holder so it's worth trying before you can buy if possible.
The Roam universal bike mount relies on two points of contact to securely mount your phone to the holder.
As the Roam bike mount is also capable of being mounted to a motorcycle going at much faster speeds than you will travel on your bike, you can rest assured that the mount will securely hold your phone and survive the odd bump here and there.
Best Universal Mount
Aikzik Universal Bike Phone Mount
The Aikzik was our favourite universal phone bike mount thanks to its anti shake technology which works perfect for us commuters that venture off the road and onto dirt tracks. The anti shake is made possible thanks to the rubber gasket and sponge gasket which helps reduce vibration.
Relying on 4 contact points, the Aikzik is more than capable when it comes to securing your phone and is compatible with all major phone models including the iPhone 11 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10+ and Google Pixel. One word of warning however that larger phones like the Samsung Note can be difficult to put in and out of the phone due to the size.
One thing we really liked about the Aikzik phone mount is the 360 degrees free rotation adjustment which allows you to have it either facing you in portrait or landscape orientation. This is super useful if you are following a map on your phone and need to have it in landscape orientation.
Best Minimal Design
Nite Ize Wraptor
The Nite Ize Wraptor is a universal mount that relies on 4 points of contact to securely hold your phone. One thing we really liked about the Nite Ize Wraptor is the minimal design compared to other universal bike mounts we reviewed. This is thanks to the unobtrusive silicon bands that keep your phone secure.
When your phone is attached to the mount, you are provided with 360 degrees of rotation which means you can easily change the screen orientation to either portrait or landscape in a breeze.
In terms of phone compatibility, the Night Ize Wraptor is designed for smaller phones and struggles with larger phones like the iPhone 11 Pro or Samsung Note. For this reason, we recommend trying before you buy if you have the option.
One down side of the Night Ize Wraptor is that the mount can loosen and slide around on your handle bars on bumpy roads. We recommend examining the mount before each ride to ensure that it is securely tightened to avoid any issues.
I’m Ben! I used to catch a bus to work until one day I decided the time would be better spent commuting by bike to save time and keep fit. Ever since then, I’ve loved commuting to work with this blog sharing some of my favourite tips and equipment for fellow commuters.