When I was cycling from Birmingham to London I could not stop thinking how much better it would be if the iPhone bike apps I was using would be accessible from the bike handlebars. Then I wouldn’t have to keep stopping and getting it out of my bag. Fortunately there is plenty of choice out there of iPhone bike mounts. Unfortunately, many of them are not particularly good!
See also: iPhone apps for cyclists
Let’s start with the Best iPhone Bike Mounts
These are the one’s that I’d personally trust my iPhone in and wouldn’t expect to have them fling my iPhone in to the road.
Tigra Console Mount
I’ve personally reviewed this mount here. You may have noticed that it looks exactly the same as the Biologic Bike Mount. That’s because it is! However, the Tigra also comes in a version for the iPhone 4. Be aware! Apparently fake versions of this bike mount are circulating so make sure you buy from a reliable seller.
Click here to buy the Tigra mount.
Biologic iPhone bike mount
The Dahon Biologic is a waterproof mount that can fit the iPhone 3GS (Apparently an iPhone 4 version is in the works). The mount can be swivelled to be positioned in landscape or portrait. The ports for plugging in an external battery (I strongly recommend the Pebble) are available therefore meaning you could vastly extend the iPhone’s battery life. The reviews that I’ve seen here have been generally positive.
Ram Ez-On Mount
When it comes to bike mounts one company to trust is Ram. They’ve got a long history of producing all sorts of mounts and therefore there was no big surprises when they released one that would mount an iPhone to a bike. The Ram EZ-On iPhone bike mount is available from Amazon for £22.99 or alternatively Amazon.com for $10-$20.
The mount relies on zip ties to secure it to the frame which is largely fail proof. The only downside is that it lacks any rain protection and so your darling iPhone will have to cosy up in your pocket in a downpour.
iPhone Bike Mounts to Avoid
VeloTrac iPhone bike mount
Another option is the VeloTrac which is available from their website for $29.95. This bike holder can fit an iPhone, Blackberry or Windows Mobile phone. It comes with rain and dust cover so your iPhone can be used in all conditions. Unlike other holders it attaches to the top tube using velcro straps and the iPhone is visible through the clear lid. That all sounds good but… apparently the bag slips all the time and the screen is tough to see.
Alternatively…
If you are not so keen on attaching your iPhone to your bike handlebars then an armband style holder may be more to your liking.
But my iPhone is going to fly off down the road..
This is unfortunately a possibility. You can vastly minimise the risks of this in three ways. The first is to choose a mount that comes with a cover. So if it snaps off at least the iPhone will have some protection. The second is to make sure 100% that it is securely fastened in place. Hear the snap and try and tug to see if it gives. The third that many people have been suggesting is a rubber arm band around the mount.
My personal experience: I’ve been riding with two different iPhone bike mounts for 12 months now and even on tough mountain bike trails they’ve never fallen off my bike.
The worst case scenario
I’ve cracked my iPhone screen before (not from having it fall from an iPhone bike mount). I didn’t send it to Apple (it was out of warranty anyway) and I did the repair myself relying on the guys at iPhone Repairs UK. The new screen cost me £30 and included the tools and instructions to do the repair. It was nerve racking but I’m here to tell the tale!
Want to really get the most out of your iPhone for Cycling?
I’ve written a whole eBook on the subject here – after all if you’ve already spent £500 or $700 on an iPhone why not really see what it can do?
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