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What phone mount do the pros use?

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What phone mount do the pros use?

Old 10-05-19, 10:49 AM
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GeeTheCee
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What phone mount do the pros use?

Looking for a neato handlebar mount for my iPhone. The ones I've seen in photos of the pro's in training, hold their phone in front of the handlebars, in line with the handlebars. The only ones that I'm finding that do this are the Quad Lock mounts. Is that what they're using or can you suggest other brands that are similar? I'm not a professional, I just want to look marvelous!
Thanks
Greg

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Old 10-06-19, 05:07 PM
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I’m under the impression the Pro’s are using Garmins, Wahoos, etc.... I.E. dedicated cycling computers, not cell phones.

Article here:


https://road.cc/content/tech-news/25...armin-any-more
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Old 10-07-19, 07:02 AM
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If you want to "look marvelous," don't bolt a phone to your handlebar.
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Old 10-07-19, 07:13 AM
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If you want to look "ironic" and "retro", bolt a rotary phone to your handlebars.
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Old 10-07-19, 07:17 AM
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If your looking for a phone mount the QuadLock is the way to go. Personally I would use a dedicated computer and put the phone in my jersey pocket.
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Old 10-07-19, 08:44 AM
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Originally Posted by jadocs
If your looking for a phone mount the QuadLock is the way to go. Personally I would use a dedicated computer and put the phone in my jersey pocket.
What are some of the primary reasons for that?
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Old 10-07-19, 08:51 AM
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I've tried zillions of phone mounts. I'm pathologically frugal, and that gets me into trouble, buying cheap crap and then eventually getting the good stuff. I finally spent the money on Quad Lock and wish I had done it sooner. I have an Outfront mount on my bike handlebars. I also bought a mount for the dashboards of both of my wife's cars. (She has two, I have none.) I also bought a Quad Lock case for her and one for me. This way, she can quickly and easily mount her phone to her car in the ideal location. She doesn't have a mount on her bike.

I also have a Quad Lock stem mount. I find it's not nearly as good as the Outfront. Definitely get the Outfront if your bike will accept it.
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Old 10-07-19, 09:00 AM
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Originally Posted by one4smoke
What are some of the primary reasons for that?
I used to use my phone and a QuadLock. I even got around the battery life thing by purchasing a Mophie Juicepack Air and stuck a universal QuadLock receiver on the back. My thought process was "what do I need a computer for if my phone can do everything".

After extensive use, it became unreliable. My speed was often off due to weak gps signals. It would also report on occasion completely unrealistic max speeds and got worse the more I used it.

Decided to purchase an Elemnt Bolt with dedicated wireless speed sensor and haven't looked back. The computer gives you way more than your phone could ever do. My phone is exactly that, a phone and ready to use in event of an emergency.
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Old 10-07-19, 09:04 AM
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Originally Posted by one4smoke
What are some of the primary reasons for that?
Well for me a dedicated computer is smaller, better water resistant, better suited for the job. Also I can save the phone battery for emergencies and not have the phone in a rather dangerous location should something happen.

I used to use a iPhone as a bike computer, but if I kept the display on I would be lucky to get 3 hours on it. I often go for rides longer than 3 hours so was also powering it with a usb battery. The touch screen was less than ideal for an interface and the display was easily washed out in bright sun.

Dedicated bike computer easily gets 10+ hours on the battery, the display works great in bright sun. Works with more sensors (ANT+). Smaller so I don't have a huge phone hanging off my handle bars.
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Old 10-07-19, 09:41 AM
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Originally Posted by hagak
Well for me a dedicated computer is smaller, better water resistant, better suited for the job. Also I can save the phone battery for emergencies and not have the phone in a rather dangerous location should something happen.

I used to use a iPhone as a bike computer, but if I kept the display on I would be lucky to get 3 hours on it. I often go for rides longer than 3 hours so was also powering it with a usb battery. The touch screen was less than ideal for an interface and the display was easily washed out in bright sun.

Dedicated bike computer easily gets 10+ hours on the battery, the display works great in bright sun. Works with more sensors (ANT+). Smaller so I don't have a huge phone hanging off my handle bars.
All these things.
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Old 10-07-19, 10:23 AM
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There are pluses and minuses to using a phone, compared with a bike computer. I won't go through my whole decision process here now. I use an external battery with my phone, so I have solved the battery life problem for myself.
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Old 10-07-19, 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by Steve B.
I’m under the impression the Pro’s are using Garmins, Wahoos, etc.... I.E. dedicated cycling computers, not cell phones.

Article here:


https://road.cc/content/tech-news/25...armin-any-more
This article is exactly what I was looking for, thanks.
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Old 10-07-19, 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Lemond1985
If you want to look "ironic" and "retro", bolt a rotary phone to your handlebars.
Ha ha!
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Old 10-07-19, 03:05 PM
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Ok folks, I see a Wahoo or similar in my future. I mean, the Element Bolt goes for $249 whereas a Quadlock "Out Front" mount and case is gonna run me about $95 bucks, so, subtract the price of the Quadlock stuff from the price of the Wahoo ($249) and that like getting the Wahoo for only $154 bucks, right? Now please tell my wife!
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Old 10-07-19, 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by GeeTheCee
Ok folks, I see a Wahoo or similar in my future. I mean, the Element Bolt goes for $249 whereas a Quadlock "Out Front" mount and case is gonna run me about $95 bucks, so, subtract the price of the Quadlock stuff from the price of the Wahoo ($249) and that like getting the Wahoo for only $154 bucks, right? Now please tell my wife!
Also look at the Garmin Edge Explore. Bigger unit, better maps, same price, rock solid unit.
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Old 10-08-19, 10:21 PM
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Originally Posted by one4smoke
What are some of the primary reasons for that?
Any mount can drop something in the perfect storm of wrong circumstances. It's better to drop a rugged device that will survive a fall without much damage than to drop a phone, enough these days can easily cost more than a thousand dollars, and possibly has irreplaceable data on it like photos.

The screen is the #1 consumer of phone battery. GPS might be #2 if it's run constantly. A lot of people want their phone available and ready for the things they bought it to do.

Computers meant for cycling do a better job of it, like specialist doctors are better at specific types of medical problems.

You can get around a lot of this by buying a second phone, an expensive mount (that usually comes free with a bike specific computer), a specialized plastic bag to keep it in, apps to handle your needs, a spare battery, etc. By that point though, a basic bike computer isn't so expensive by comparison.
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Old 10-09-19, 08:18 PM
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I didn't see overheating as a reason to NOT use a phone. I've had my phone shut off when it got too hot, and out front on a handlebar tracking GPS and running a cycling app on a 90F day with hot pavement is going to heat it up.

Elemnt Bolt is what I got and highly recommended.
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Old 10-09-19, 11:14 PM
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Overheating ... there was frost on all the cars this morning. Night time lows in the teens F at Harts Pass. ⛄
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Old 10-09-19, 11:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Lemond1985
If you want to look "ironic" and "retro", bolt a rotary phone to your handlebars.
This past summer on the US 36 Bike Path, I saw a guy with one of these strapped to his handlebars.
I assume he just needed to transport it, and was not trying to be ironic.
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Old 10-10-19, 05:55 AM
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Yes, but did he take any calls on it during the ride, or check his voice mail?
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Old 10-10-19, 07:42 AM
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I am using 2 different phone mounts on my bikes.

On my gravel bike I use a Rokform mount. It's best used with the case with built in connector. It also uses magnets and the phone isnt going anywhere. I dont have a picture of the phone mounted on the bike but here is the mount on the handlebars -
Rokform Mount

On my road bike I have been using the F3 cycling mount. This uses 4 magnets built into a platform. It's a little chunky but the out front style of this mount makes it easier to see the screen and I am not sweating all over it. While the magnets on this are super strong, it's not as secure as the Rokform mount and the phone can pop-off if you hit a curb or railroad track and don't have it secured with the included tether.




Regardless of the naysayers, I have been running this phone only setup for well over a year now and have had no issues. Most rides I go on are from 1.5 - 3hours. When I rode with the guys on the weekends it's closer to 4-5 hours and my longer rides this year have been 10-12 hours.

Never ran out of battery starting from a full charge.
Phone is waterproof and touch screen works in the rain.
Works in bright daylight.
Speeds are 100% correct (Uses both GPS and Wheel sensor)
I get dual sided power and speed/cadence, heart rate data from sensors which all stay connected
Will work with all Ant+ and Bluetooth devices

I think the only things I wish I had that some of the higher end Garmin devices have are the Hill Profiles for unknown rides (ridewithgps works for this) and the radar function on the new tail light garmin has.

Other than that I get all the data that I got on any other head unit. Plus it all fits on one screen and I dont have to click through screens to see specific data.

And I get the full functionality of the phone while I am riding. If I was competing then I would totally go with a smaller head unit but for the riding I do this works perfect.

Another thing to mention is that just about every other ride I do with the guys at least one of them has their garmin or head unit lock up or they have to restart it or something similar. Not saying this is with all bike computers but it does happen often enough to be memorable. I think the only issue I have had with my phone is forgetting to start recording the ride (And my phone will beep at me if I forget to press statt)

When I ride I run Strava in the background and Urban Bike computer on top in passive mode. Works great.

I also have a separate case for each mount so I just swap cases when I ride. Works for me and allows me to use my one phone for either bike. UBC also has separate profiles that you can setup for each bike. This includes weights, wheel size, circumference, wheel weights, cargo weights... etc.

Its pretty robust and you can also setup the metrics/display for each bike so the display for that ride shows the data you need. An example for me is that I ride my road bike in a landscape orientation and gravel bike in portrait orientation and depending on the profile I pull up the screen orientation changes.

Last edited by Wilmingtech; 10-10-19 at 08:03 AM.
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Old 10-10-19, 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Wilmingtech
Never ran out of battery starting from a full charge.
Phone is waterproof and touch screen works in the rain.
Works in bright daylight.
What phone are you useing? It sounds like what I'm looking for.
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Old 10-10-19, 01:30 PM
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Originally Posted by mibike
What phone are you useing? It sounds like what I'm looking for.
I have a NOTE 8.
You can get them refurb or open box for around 300.00 Sprint has them brand new for 549.00

I am sure you can find one cheaper through other channels.

This is my main cell phone that I carry with me and use all the time. I went this way because I often get calls/texts/emails for work as well as texts and calls from family when I am out riding and got tired of having to pull out my phone all the time to see what was going on. It's nice to have a heads up on my rides and determine if I need to stop and take the call or to text or email someone back or if I can just deal with it later.

I know there are those who would never bring their phone on a bike ride but if I waited until I had time for myself to go on a ride I would never get to go for a ride.
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Old 10-10-19, 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Shimagnolo
This past summer on the US 36 Bike Path, I saw a guy with one of these strapped to his handlebars.
I assume he just needed to transport it, and was not trying to be ironic.
That guy has a really big nose!
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Old 10-11-19, 09:17 PM
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Wednesday, I saw a man walking along the roadside talking on a phone. His phone seemed to be tethered to his belt. Hmm, is that in case he drops it? Then I saw it was a cable, and he was talking on an old style handset similar to this.

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