Knowing where to put everything while biking can be tricky–especially your phone. Put it in your jersey pocket and it might fall out. Stick it in a hydration pack or seat bag and you can’t see your Strava stats.
Enter the bike mount. A bicycle phone mount allows you to keep your cell phone visible and safe. You can track your GPS location, listen to music, or be ready for that call that’s supposed to be coming through.
We’ve done the testing and rounded up the 5 best bike phone mounts currently on the market. You’ll notice that we’ve tried to include several different styles of mounts as well as several different price points. Read through or skip straight to our comparison chart to find the right mount for your phone.
Quad Lock Bike Kit
You have a sleek bike and a sleek look and don’t want a phone mount getting in the way of that. The Quad Lock is the most stylish of the bike mounts we tested. It has a slim profile and doesn’t look bulky on your bike.
As well as the Quad Lock looks, we did have some issues with its functionality. It is a bit tricky to install, and if you want to switch it between bikes as I did, you have to buy a second mount. And that second mount isn’t cheap–$40.
Once you have the mount installed, taking the phone on and off the mount is easy and quick. So you can take a picture or answer that important call.
There are a couple of versions to best suit your needs. I tested the iPhone kit that comes with a case an a waterproof cover. (The waterproof cover did a good job of keeping the phone dry, but not such a great job of touchscreen sensitivity). There is also a universal mount that can be used with any kind of phone. The one important thing to note with the universal mount is that you have to install an adhesive plastic piece to your existing case or phone so you have to be okay with it sort of disfiguring it.
Price: Price not available (Last updated: 2023-03-20 at 06:29 – More Info)
Rokform Pro Lite Kit
The Rokform cases have long been favorites of my riding partners, and I now understand why. It’s basically everything you need in a bike phone mount: SECURE, easy to install, easy to flip, and waterproof. The case itself is super durable. I dropped my phone a couple times (cause I’m a klutz) while it was in the case, and my phone had no damage.
That said, the durability does mean that this mount is a bit bulkier than some of the others reviewed here. Still, it’s worth the peace of mind, in my opinion.
The kit comes in several different versions to work for different phone brands.
Price: $69.99 (Last updated: 2023-03-20 at 06:29 – More Info)
Morpheus Labs M4S
This was our favorite bike phone mount for mountain biking. It fit easily on my handlebars and didn’t shake loose even in tough terrain. It also has an optional waterproof cover you can add for $10, which was nice to have when that occasional afternoon thunderstorm hit.
The mount uses a (strong) magnet and is easy to install on your bars, sans tools. The only bummer is that the Morpheus only works with iPhones, so if you have an Android you’re out of luck.
Price: Price not available (Last updated: 2023-03-20 at 06:29 – More Info)
Ailun Silicone Strap
A bicycling addiction is expensive. That’s why we like the Ailun Silicone Strap — it’s not spendy by any means. For under 10 bucks, this little gizmo gets the job done. It works with any size phone, is lightweight, and it doesn’t require any tools. Swap it between bikes with ease.
In testing, we did wonder about the durability of the strap. How long will it last? But really, at this price, you can afford to replace it when it dies.
The only thing we found slightly obnoxious was the inability to “spin” it from landscape to portrait mode and vice versa once on the bike. But again, for the price, we were willing to deal with it.
Price: Price not available (Last updated: 2023-03-20 at 06:29 – More Info)
VUP Silicone Mount
Here’s another mount that won’t break the bank. It fits most phones, doesn’t require you to install a special case, and will even rotate (unlike the Ailun). The one thing that we did find is that it takes a bit of time to finagle the phone out of the case, but that wasn’t a deal breaker. It’s not waterproof, but it will fit a phone inside a waterproof case.
The only riding we wouldn’t recommend the VUP for is mountain biking and frequent gravel grinding. The mount did have a tendency to shake loose on uneven terrain.
Price: (Last updated: – More Info)
Comparison Chart: Bike Phone Mounts
Use this comparison chart to compare prices, find a mount that’s compatible with your brand of phone, and learn of any Prop-65 warnings (more on that below).
| Mount | Mounting Mechanism | Phone Compatibility | Prop-65 Warning? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quad Lock Bike Kit (iPhone 6/6S)* | Straps or Zip Ties | iPhone 6 iPhone 6S | No |
| Quad Lock Kit (iPhone X) * | Straps or Zip Ties | iPhone X | No |
| Quad Lock Kit (Samsung Galaxy)* | Straps or Zip Ties | Samsung Galaxy S5 | No |
| Rokform ProLite (iPhone 6/6S)* | Screw | iPhone 6 iPhone 6S | Yes |
| Rokform ProLite (iPhone 5/5S) * | Screw | iPhone 5 iPhone 5S | Yes |
| Rokform ProLite ( iPhone X)* | Screw | iPhone X | Yes |
| Rokform ProLite (Galaxy Note 8)* | Screw | Galaxy Note 8 | Yes |
| Rokform ProLite (Google Pixel)* | Screw | Google Pixel | Yes |
| Rokform ProLite (iPhone 7 / 8)* | Screw | iPhone 7/8 | Yes |
| Rokform ProLite (Galaxy S8)* | Screw | Galaxy S8 | Yes |
| Morpheus Labs M4S* | Screw | All iPhone models | Yes |
| Ailun Silicone Strap* | Strap | Universal | No |
| VUP Silicone Mount* | Strap | Universal | No |
Things to Think About When Choosing a Bicycle Phone Mount
Prop-65 Warning
In my research, I noticed that several of the mounts come with a Prop-65 warning: “This product may expose you to chemicals including (Cadmium, Phthalates, Bisphenol), which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and/or cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.” It seems that this warning comes on all the mounts with a magnet and not on the silicone-style mounts. In any case, you might want to think twice about using some of these cases if you are child-bearing age. We’ve noted the cases with Prop-65 warnings in our comparison chart.
Mounts that Require Use of a Case
There are two basic styles of bicycle phone mounts: those that require use of a special case and those that don’t. The case mounts are sturdier, more durable, and work better for use on rough services. If you don’t already have a case for your phone, they are nice too. You don’t need to make that extra purchase.
On the other hand, if you already have a case for your phone, one you really like, the case mounts are a bit of a pain. I didn’t like having to take my phone out of its existing case and putting it in the mount case each time I wanted to go for a ride.
Rubber/Silicone Straps
Another thing to think about is whether the mount makes use of straps. On each of the cases that we tested with straps, the durability was somewhat questionable. At some point, they are probably going to break. Of course, you can always improvise with some zip ties and Gorilla tape, but do you want to have to?
Lock Mounts
While the mounts that lock to your handlebars, like the Morpheus, are definitely more durable and sturdy than the easy-on-easy-off strap mounts, they can be a pain if you want to switch between bikes frequently.