indyfabz

^^This.^^

When on tour, I almost never use it while actually riding except to take some photos (others I take with my camera). Phone is in a baggie in a jersey pocket. Right pocket, to be exact. And it’s often in Airplane mode to save battery power and/or so I’m not disturbed. Not much worse than having the phone ring ring while I’m trying to enjoy myself.

pdlamb

Phone rings while riding? I've got a rotten record of hearing the phone, stopping the bike, pulling phone out and answering it before it goes to voice mail.

My record of responding to voice mail is much better. And voice mail is collected on airplane mode. Thank goodness for modern conveniences!

RB1-luvr

This past June I crashed hard in a park two miles from my house. I rode home with a severe concussion, bleeding all over myself and the bike. Wife tells me I walked upstairs, traumatized the children and said to her "I think I need to go to the hospital". I don't remember a thing, or the next two days either. So weird how the brain works.

btw, phone was in a zip lock bag in back pocket and stayed there.

wolfchild

I keep my phone on mute while riding.

Sierra_rider

Phone in the middle pocket for me, gels/nutrition in the right jersey pocket, and trash in the left. My Garmin head unit lets me know about texts/calls, but I generally don't have good service in most of the places I'm riding. If I were to overcook a corner on one of the descents up here, a phone probably wouldn't do me any good. Knock on wood, but I only have had 1 real road crash. Leaned to far into a corner and low-sided, lots of road rash and bleeding, but I was able to ride home.

Inusuit

Fanny pack with wallet, first aid supplies, random tools.

staehpj1

I have been carrting mine in a pocket in my bibs in the small of my back, but I have also used the Amphipod Airflow Endurance Waist Pack. It works great to carry a phone, drivers licence, credit card, and a few other small items. I have worn it a lot for trail running and riding. It works well. I typically wear it in the front under my jersey or tee shirt.
https://www.rei.com/product/776506/a...nce-waist-pack

Edit to add that I am almost exclusively mountain bikjing these days and don't wear jerseys, but favor tech tees instead. For road riding I am more inclined to wear actual jerseys and carry the phone in a jersey pocket.

venturi95

I know the evidence is officially "no proven links to cancer", but why on earth would you keep a little radio transmitter pressed up against your body? I believe that when you sign your life away on a phone contract you understand that the phone will be kept at least an inch from your body (I am repeating hearsay). Phone in jersey pocket = phone is turned off.
I had a cheap phone mount that lost hold of the phone and put a chip in the screen. Lesson learned and reinforced each and every time I looked at my phone (you're a cheap bastard and not very smart). Get something functional here, you're talking about your most precious possession on earth, your phone.
If you crash hard enough to eject a phone from a Quadlock, the condition of your phone will be the last of your worries. Gravel and road riding, I use a Quadlock with the ringer and vibrate turned off. Mountain biking, phone is off and in the hydration pack.

rsbob 

The exception that proves (disproves?) the rule! You are like a cat with 9 lives.

kcjc

Exactly. I was rear ended and plow under by a Toyota Sienna minivan. The drive tried to flee with me under the front carriage but a car in front didn't let it out of a roundabout. After it stopped, the best I could do was to crawl out of the van and to the shoulder. She tried to flee by backing out of the roundabout but was trapped another car. The bike was still under the van and the driver didn't come out of it until the police showed up some 30 minutes later. No damage to the phone but my wallet had some stretch marks and rips in the zip-lock bag. I always have the back of my phone to my back and the wallet on top of the glass. One of the bystander helped and used my phone to inform my wife of the accident. I didn't see the bike until a week later when I was able to walk without much pain (huge road rash on my behind, think a baboon's but).

venturi95

Odds of this happening are like winning the lottery. You are so lucky to be alive. I hope this driver is in prison for a good long time. I'm still keeping the phone on the Quadlock and my fingers crossed that this never happens to me.

Eric F 

I don't want my phone on my handlebars because of vulnerability in a crash, and the size of it would be bothersome (to me, YMMV). I keep my phone in my left rear jersey pocket because I like easy access to it for taking pictures during my rides. If it was in a zippered pouch in my pocket, or in a bag on by bike, I wouldn't make the effort to get it out for pics. Quick access is important to me. Here's a pic from last night's ride...


That said, I did have a crash where my phone came out of my jersey pocket, and I didn't realize it until some time later when I wanted to take a pic. Thankfully, I was able to relocate my crash spot, and found my phone nearby, undamaged.

EDIT: canklecat 's post below reminded me...Not long ago, I got into an incident on the road with a car, and having my phone available quickly to snap a couple of pics before the car drove away was helpful.

BobsPoprad

Top tube bag or if cold enough for a jacket, in the pocket. In a Ziploc bag (rain and sweat protection).

IcySwan1 

The phone is in a Waterfield cycling wallet in the middle jersey pocket unless I am carrying a thermal vest or rain gear in the middle pocket. Then generally in the left jersey pocket.

Mike

rsbob 

Thanks Paul. I just set this up and luckily my wife agreed to accept a notification. Some days she might decline. 😊

canklecat

Phone, ID and keys stay on my person, always. I've been hit by cars more than once and know it's easy to get separated from our bike, especially if we're unconscious.

Last time I was hit by a car, five years ago, my right shoulder was broken and dislocated. But -- purely coincidental -- I keep my phone in my left rear jersey pocket or, with baggy shorts, left rear pocket or left front cargo pocket. Just a habit, probably due in part to having better flexibility in my left shoulder. The impact knocked the wind out of me but as soon as I was able I got up, grabbed my phone with my left hand and began snapping photos, basically just making a quarter-turn and doing a 360, to document the scene. Coincidentally two photos were of the driver who hit me. Didn't help my legal case because she lied about running the light and the cop who happened to be at the intersection didn't take any independent witness statements to verify my assertion that I had the green light and the pedestrian walk signal, so there was no valid reason for the driver to have turned left across my path. But I got the photos because the phone was readily accessible.

Since then I always run video on every ride. Usually front and rear but recently my rear camera quit working properly. Not bad for four years and hundreds of hours of operation in all kinds of weather. I'd get another like it but Drift discontinued the Ghost X HD camera, which had been the best bargain in a simple documentary video camera. Unlike GoPros, etc., it's not intended to be an action camera. Drift cameras come with 5 and 8 hour batteries.

I tend to overstuff my jersey pockets with stuff that could go in a seat bag or easily accessible frame bag. I don't really need to keep my asthma inhaler, minimalist first aid kit, etc, in my jersey pocket, but that's where I usually put that stuff.

essiemyra

I keep my phone in the trunk bag on the rear rack of my bike. I use ride with gps as a way to track my ride but I typically don't look at my phone while riding. Though more recently I have as I've been using my phone for pictures along the ride. And about 3 weeks ago while I was out playing cribbage, I got a call and ignored it. I got another call about 3 minutes later and it was my daughter telling me she needed a ride as she had been rear-ended in a car accident. So lately I have been paying more attention to phone calls, I can usually hear the phone ring while it is in the trunk bag behind me. I will stop the bike at a safe place and call back if it is either of my kids.

davester

I always carry my iPhone in my rear jersey pocket. No plastic bag needed since every iPhone since the iPhone 8 has been waterproof. I always have it in a case that has a lanyard attachment and I have a lanyard that goes around my neck. That way if I pull it out while moving, either to take a photo or glance at the map, there is much less worry about dropping it. Also, if I were to crash and it came out of my pocket at least it would be attached to me.

mackgoo

I don't take my phone.

50PlusCycling

I’ve used a Topeak ridecase phone holder for several years now. I like it so much that I put mounts on all of my bikes. It includes a great protective case, is easily attached and removed, and will not fall off.

rsbob 

So, if you are hit by a car and end up in a deep ditch with a broken pelvis or leg, cannot move and no one can see you, how will you communicate with the outside world? Or is that an unrealistic scenario?

staehpj1

I think back and not all that many years ago carrying a phone wasn't an option. In my 60 some years of riding I have never been in a situation where having a phone with me was life or death. Much of my riding and other outdoor activity has been off road where there wouldn't have been a signal any way. So relying on a phone other than maybe a sat phone would have been a bad idea if I really thought I had a life or death need for one. I have considered a Garmin InReach or similar, but have never made the purchase mostly due to my distain for the monthly fees.

On the other hand... I don't see much or any downside to having a phone along. Having it as a camera, navigation device, or fitness data collection device would each individually be justification for me. Pairing it with my garmin watch enhabces some of the phone's uses as well. The biggest reason I carry mine... it gives my wife some, perhaps false, sense of security .

I-Like-To-Bike

People who consider that a realistic scenario to fear, should protect themselves and never venture out of the range of cell phone coverage. Perhaps an audio warning app can be installed on their phone to warn them that they are entering the forbidden "dangerous zone" of no cell phone coverage, just like an electronic fence keeps a pet dog from venturing beyond the master's property line.

Another solution for those who fear being crippled and out of touch would be to never ride alone.

staehpj1

Interestingly enough, the times and places where an event where you might be in one of those scenarios is where there is the greatest chance of a nonexistent signal. Still as I have said I don't see much reason not to take a phone along on most rides.

Iride01 

Who said anything about fear?

Going by your logic, those that carry tubes, pumps and tools to fix other roadside emergencies must have a lot of fear.