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01Match the setup to your ride
The best phone accessories for cycling depend on where you ride and for how long. A city commuter wants the screen visible at every light. A trail rider wants the phone to survive the ride, and barely needs to look at it.
| Ride | Mount | Rain plan | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|
| City commute (under an hour) | Handlebar clamp or stem mount | Waterproof bag mount on wet days | Usually none needed |
| Road ride (2 to 5 hours) | Stem or out-front mount, low profile | Phone in a waterproof bag, or pocket it | Small power bank in a jersey pocket |
| Touring or all-day gravel | Top tube bag with phone window | The bag is the rain plan | 10,000 to 20,000 mAh in the bag |
| Mountain bike trails | Usually no bar mount; pack or frame bag | Pack or zip pocket | Only if you're out for hours |
If you use a dedicated bike computer for navigation, the phone becomes a backup. Pocket it and skip the mount. If the phone is your navigation, it needs to be on the bars or the top tube where you can see it without looking down for long.
02Bike phone mounts: clamp, stem or bag
Handlebar clamp
- Fits most bars and most phone sizes
- Quick to fit and swap between bikes
- Phone is exposed to rain and grit
Stem or ring mount
- Sits centered, close to your line of sight
- Low profile, less twisting force on the clamp
- Check it clears your cables and bell
Top tube bag with window
- Covers the phone from rain
- Holds a power bank, keys and cable
- Bulkier, and the window can glare in sun
Clamp mounts grip the phone's edges, so check the side buttons aren't pressed by the arms. Thick rugged cases can also be too wide for some cradles. Our handlebar vs stem mount comparison goes deeper on placement, and how to choose a bike phone mount covers fit and bar diameters.
Handlebar clamps, a stem-style ring mount and a combo mount with a light and power bank.
Apple warns that strong vibration from high-power motorcycle engines can damage iPhone camera stabilization, and recommends a vibration-dampening mount on mopeds and scooters. Pedal bikes aren't named, but rough gravel still rattles a phone. If your camera starts buzzing or blurring, see camera shaking after vibration.
03Rain, sweat and grit
A modern phone with an IP68 rating can handle rain. The trouble is everything around it: wet screens register phantom taps, water sits in the charging port and stops you plugging in, and road spray coats the screen in grit that scratches when you wipe it.
+Why a waterproof bag mount works
- Screen stays dry, so touch works properly
- No grit grinding into the glass
- Room for a cable to a power bank inside the bag
- Works on phones with no water rating at all
–What to watch for
- Touch through plastic film is less precise
- Face ID can struggle through the window; use your passcode
- Sun glare on the window at certain angles
- Phones run warmer in a sealed bag on hot days
Got caught out with a clamp mount? Get the phone into a pocket, and don't charge it until the port is dry. If you see a liquid warning, unplug and let it dry out rather than forcing it.
Bags with a touch-through window, for wet commutes and long days out.
04Battery for long rides
Turn-by-turn navigation with the screen on is one of the hardest things you can ask of a phone battery. Add ride tracking, music and a weak signal in the hills, and a phone that lasts all day on your desk can be in the red by lunch.
- Short rides: start at 100% and you won't need anything extra.
- Half-day rides: a 5,000 mAh bank in a jersey pocket gives most phones a big top-up.
- All-day or multi-day: 10,000 to 20,000 mAh in a frame or top tube bag, with a short cable.
- Save power on the move: download offline maps before you leave, drop screen brightness, and turn the screen off between turns if your app gives voice directions.
Keep the cable short and tidy. A long loop flapping near the front wheel is a hazard. Not sure which size to carry? 10,000 vs 20,000 mAh lays out the trade-off.
05Fit your mount so it doesn't slip
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Pick the spot with the bike on the ground
Sit on the bike in your normal position. The phone should be readable with a glance down, not a head tilt, and clear of your brake and shifter cables.
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Use the shims
Most clamps come with rubber shims for thinner bars. A clamp that's tight on bare metal can still rotate under a bump.
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Tighten evenly
Snug the bolts in turns, side to side. Don't crank one side hard. Carbon bars need a gentle hand; check your bar maker's advice.
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Shake test before you roll
With the phone in, grab the mount and twist. Then lift the front wheel and drop it a few inches. Nothing should move or rattle.
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Add a backup strap
A wrist strap or lanyard looped to the bar gives a dropped phone somewhere to hang instead of hitting the road.
06Pre-ride phone checklist
Medical ID lives in the Health app on iPhone. On Android, look for Emergency information or Safety and emergency in Settings. It takes two minutes and lets someone help you if you can't open the phone yourself. If you also run, see our phone accessories for runners.
Questions people ask
Is it safe to put my phone on my bike handlebars?
Yes, with a mount that fits your bar and passes a shake test. Glance at it, don't read it while riding, and set your route before you leave. On rough trails, a pocket or bag is safer for the phone than the bars.
Can bike vibration damage my iPhone camera?
Apple's warning is about high-power motorcycle engines, and it recommends a vibration-dampening mount on mopeds and scooters. Pedal bikes aren't named. On very rough terrain, carrying the phone in a bag reduces the shaking it takes.
Can I use my phone in the rain on a bike?
Water-resistant phones survive rain, but wet screens misread touches and wet ports shouldn't be charged. A waterproof bag mount with a touch window keeps the screen dry so you can still use navigation.
What size power bank do I need for cycling?
For a half-day ride, 5,000 mAh is usually plenty. For all-day rides or touring, carry 10,000 to 20,000 mAh in a frame or top tube bag so it isn't bouncing in a jersey pocket.
Where should I mount my phone on a road bike?
On the stem or just in front of it. That keeps the phone centered, close to your line of sight and out of the way of your hands on the hoods and drops.