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Holidays at home are - not always wanted - in vogue.
For many, one of the best ways to explore the near and far is a tour or even a trip by bike.
The smartphone usually serves as a guide - for example with apps like Komoot or Google Maps.
But no one wants to fumble their phone out of their pocket at every fork in the road.
When it is securely attached to the handlebars, you have a clear view of the landscape and the route - and you can also see on the display when the boss is trying to call you on vacation.
We've tried five mounts and explain which ones you can trust.
The products at a glance
FYLINA mobile phone holder bike (22 euros)
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by turning a gear wheel, the smartphone is firmly clamped in the holder at all four corners.
This model is also attached to the handlebars with a flexible clamp bracket.
HASAGEI bicycle mobile phone holder (EUR 17.98)
- there is a diamond-shaped button in the middle of the holding surface.
If the smartphone is pressed on it, the clamping device closes automatically.
The mobile phone can be freed by squeezing the two protruding pins on the side.
IceFox mobile phone holder bicycle (10.99 euros)
- most of the parts of the cheapest model in the test are made of plastic.
This mount is particularly light, but possibly a little less durable than the other test candidates.
Impact Pro Mount 360° (EUR 24.95)
- a little force is required here when installing and inserting and removing the mobile phone - this mount is also particularly stable.
ZeaLife Sport bicycle mobile phone holder (13.99 euros)
- the smartphone is only held by two spring holders and four rubber bands.
Especially with large cell phones, taking them in and out can be a bit tedious.
This is how we tested
Flexibility
- How small or big can a mobile phone be to be securely and conveniently attached to the holder?
Attachment
- How well and without wobbling can the bracket be attached to handlebars with different diameters?
Does the cell phone stay in place even on a bumpy ride, or does it lose its position?
Handling -
How easy or difficult is it to attach the mobile phone to the holder?
How easy or complicated is the mount to attach to the handlebars?
processing
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Do the devices make a robust impression?
Or is it to be feared that they will no longer hold their smartphone securely after just a few tours?
FYLINA mobile phone holder bike
The diameter of the handlebar tube, to which the clamping device can be attached, can be up to 3.5 centimetres.
The bracket grips the handlebars like pliers and is fixed in place by a locking lever.
It has to be tightened with a little force so that the smartphone doesn't sag on bumpy terrain.
The advantage: the entire bracket can be removed relatively easily from the handlebars.
Three cushions of different thicknesses are included for smartphones of different thicknesses, which are glued to the basic holder.
Plastic grippers hold the phone in place at the four corners.
They are adjusted to the respective size (5.5 x 11.6 centimeters to 8.9 x 18 centimeters) by turning a gear wheel.
A lever on the back allows you to release the lock and quickly remove the phone from the holder.
One shortcoming of the Fylina mount: the headphone jack on many phones is covered by the corner mounts made of plastic.
The front panel can be turned to both portrait and landscape format and, thanks to notches, also holds securely in some intermediate positions.
However, sideways tilting is not possible.
HASAGEI mobile phone holder bicycle
A smartphone can measure a maximum of 8.8 x 18.9 centimeters if it is to be attached to this holder. The lower limit is 6.1 x 12.6 centimeters. The holder is too big for an iPhone 4.
The attachment for the handlebars looks a bit filigree - a screw with a knurled wheel still ensures a good hold on handlebars with a maximum diameter of 2.8 centimeters. However, you should be careful when screwing it on, as the nut holding this screw can easily be lost. In some product reviews you can read that the clamping mechanism explained in the short description tends to be defective - in the test, however, it worked perfectly: One press on the diamond-shaped switch in the middle, and the four brackets snap together and securely hold the cell phone. A ball head with another knurled screw allows you to adjust the position exactly to your own ideas.
Here, too, the headphone connection can be covered on some smartphones.
Control elements on the long sides are easy to reach.
The mount isn't the sturdiest in the test, but it held the smartphone securely with the fasteners tightened.
IceFox mobile phone holder bike
The basic construction of this model is similar to that of Hasegei - but without the snap mechanism.
To insert a mobile phone, the locking switch on the back must be pushed into the appropriate position and the four claws must be pulled apart with a little force.
This is not immediately apparent and requires some skill.
If you stick a pad of the right thickness to the holder, the smartphone will be held securely in it.
A ball head allows flexible positioning of the phone.
If you are traveling on bumpy roads, you have to tighten the screw connection very firmly so that the position is held.
Here, too, the retaining claws cover the headphone jack on some phones.
Once the bracket is installed on the handlebars (maximum diameter: 3.5 centimeters), it can only be removed again with a little effort - the thread of the fastening screw is quite long.
All in all a practical product, but of all the test candidates it appears to be the most delicate.
Impact Pro Mount 360°
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Sometimes conventional solutions are quite competitive: Here the smartphone is clamped in a metal holder - similar to a vise - and fixed there with a screw.
The device can be up to 10.5 centimeters wide - but the additional protection provided by the rubber mount is then no longer possible.
It's too small for that - and it doesn't move to the side.
If the cell phone has control buttons on the sides, you have to be careful not to pinch them.
And you shouldn't tighten the screw too tightly, so that the smartphone isn't bent by the tension.
Both the round bracket around the handlebars (maximum diameter: three centimeters) and the base plate of the bracket are made of metal.
The Impact model makes a particularly robust impression.
However, the fixation for the ball head that connects the two elements is made of plastic.
It has to be tightened with a lot of force to ensure that the smartphone does not slip out of position even on bumpy tracks.
ZeaLife Sport bike phone holder
Similar to the Fylina model, the bracket is attached to the handlebars with a pliers-like mechanism.
Unlike there, however, the fixation here is only via a screw without additional clamping.
If the screw isn't tightened completely, the bracket can drop down on a bumpy ride and, in the worst case, even come loose - it didn't get that far in the test.
Two side brackets clamp the cell phone (maximum width: 13 centimeters) using springs.
Rubber bands that can be pulled over the corners of the cell phone provide additional security.
In order for this to work, its diagonal must not be larger than 16 centimeters.
The front panel can be rotated and locked in 16 positions.
However, its lateral angle cannot be changed - depending on the structure of the handlebars, the display is not optimally visible.
The neon design of the plastic fixations is a matter of taste.
But it could reduce the risk of accidentally leaving your valuable smartphone on the parked bike.
Conclusion
Anyone who has ever taken a bike tour in a strange environment with a navigation app but without a suitable holder will know how tedious it can be.
Stop again and again, fumble your phone out of your pocket, unlock it, realize that you've already driven two intersections too far...
With each of the tested mounts - provided they fit the handlebars and smartphone and were attached with the necessary care - it is much more fun.
The Impact Pro Mount 360 is particularly durable and robust.
Anyone who mainly rides in the city will appreciate the models from Fylina and ZeaLife, as they can be completely removed from the handlebars relatively easily.