How do you carry your phone?

[OldGoatMTB]

I've been using an old iPhone SE but I'm pulling the trigger on a new 12 pro. Problem with the newer iPhones is their camera is suspended within magnets and vibration kills them. So my handlebar QuadLock is a no go and it needs to be suspended on my body.

I'm torn between an arm strap and some sort of soft waist bag. I run BLevo for my rides and like fast access for the photos I love to snap so buried in my backpack isn't a preferred option. Maybe there's some sort of little pack I can attach to my back pack shoulder strap?

Thoughts?

I just put mine in my jersey pocket, or sometimes my jacket pocket when I wear one.

 

[Andym123]

I've been using an old iPhone SE but I'm pulling the trigger on a new 12 pro. Problem with the newer iPhones is their camera is suspended within magnets and vibration kills them. So my handlebar QuadLock is a no go and it needs to be suspended on my body.

I'm torn between an arm strap and some sort of soft waist bag. I run BLevo for my rides and like fast access for the photos I love to snap so buried in my backpack isn't a preferred option. Maybe there's some sort of little pack I can attach to my back pack shoulder strap?

Thoughts?

Bumbag

 

[Jamze]

I just wear one of my road biking tops, they are quite tight fitting and have 3 pockets on the lower back, perfect for phone and a key.
It took me a while to figure this out, I first tried nukeproofs bib shorts with the pocket at the back, but they don't make them big enough for me and it felt like they were going to cut me in 2 after about an hour. then I tried a long sleeve road cycling jersey and found it was perfect. might look a bit odd to some but it's functional!

Same. Phone in those pockets in the Summer. Outside chest pocket on an Endura softshell jacket in the Winter. The phone is officially water-resistant I think, so it gets a bit damp and steamed up but not had a problem.

 

[conbocha]

Yo uso un soporte barato pero muy efectivo, como se puede comprobar en el vídeo...

 

[Mcharza]

Yo uso un soporte barato pero muy efectivo, como se puede comprobar en el vídeo...

I hope your phone is shockproof. I hope the same for the components ?

 

[Cavey76]

I’ve used several recent iPhone models mounted to bars of road and MTB via a Quadlock mount. Cameras have remained fine. Not sure there is an issue. My new iPhone 12 will also go in the bars via same method.

Likewise - Had an XSMax on a Quadlock, my 12 Std has now done a couple of hundred miles of fairly intense offroad on a quadlock. Is there really an issue to concern yourself with?

I like the iphone screen so i can follow Trailfinders or stop for a quick snap if the scenery is nice.

 

[Supratad]

I have an iPhone X in a Toppeak case on their stem mount. Mostly with Blevo running but sometimes the OS app if I'm riding new ground.
Its been fine, but then I'm not "sending" unless its the occasional text to my wife.

 

[Jamze]

I think the OP's concern was about the sensor-shift image stabilisation that you only get on the 12 Pro, and if it's more fragile. Can't find anything conclusive online - a few mentions of cameras with this but nothing concrete...

 

[lumpy]

SOLVED: Will shaking damage the image stabilization? - iPhone 11 Pro

I also ride a motorcycle, and am on my 3rd iphone 11 pro. Can confirm, 100%, that the vibration from motorcycles/mountain-biking will destroy something in the camera that will make it constantly blurry and make all kinds of crazy noises if you hold the phone to your ear. I have my own...

www.ifixit.com

 

[steverup]

I got one of these for $12 on amazon. Works great for quick access to your phone or whatever else you might need in a hurry.

 

[StuE]

Camelbak chase bike vests are a good alternative to bumbags, pocket on the left shoulder strap for phone and the come in a couple of sizes and they do one with a back protector

Review | Forget the bum bag - the Camelbak Chase Bike Vest is a hydration pack for minimalists

The Camelbak Chase Vest has been purpose built for the minimalist mountain biker that still needs to carry essential tools and spares.

singletrackworld.com

 

[Unicycle_DG]

carry my iPhone 12 Pro Max in a running buddy. RunningBuddy.com

 

[leftside]

carry my iPhone 12 Pro Max in a running buddy. RunningBuddy.com

You've got it already? I ordered one last week. Hence coming on here and seeing if people take it mountain biking, and how to safely store it. I'm thinking something like this and stored in the backpack. I have something similar for the existing iPhone 8+, but the camera lens is much bigger on the 12 Pro Max and it still looks too exposed (pun intended) here:

Edit: ok this will do it. Thanks for mentioning Running Buddy. iPhone inside that hard case from Amazon, then case and iPhone into this. Then into the backpack Will also work for skiing and snowboarding. Absolutely dumping on the mountains around here right now.

XXL

The XXL Buddy Pouch™ Zip Close is a lightweight, belt-free magnetic travel pouch with RFID scanning protection.

www.therunningbuddy.com

 

[StuR]

Always on a chest strap , its easy to access but out of the way too
Screen facing my body to try and avoid smashing the screen
I use a Leatt WP hydration pack for most of my rides and it has a zipped , almost waterproof , pocket on the left chest strap See pics 1 & 2
(it survived a total immersion when I went headfirst into a two foot deep muddy puddle , much to my Mates amusement)
My phone is a snug fit at 70mm x 143mm but it will work

When I use a bigger pack, I use a Caseflex pouch I got off ebay for about £4
loads of colour options and several sizes which will accommodate large phones as well
See pic 3
It has no attachment points , I found that most pouches attachment points were top to bottom and didn't work for me
So I bought some 25mm velcro for about £2 on Ebay and sowed 2 straps left to right, which enabled me to fit it to any strap in about 30 seconds
If you look closely at pic 4 , you can see it attached to the right strap on an Osprey hydration pack

 

[lumpy]

Always on a chest strap , its easy to access but out of the way too
Screen facing my body to try and avoid smashing the screen
I use a Leatt WP hydration pack for most of my rides and it has a zipped , almost waterproof , pocket on the left chest strap See pics 1 & 2
(it survived a total immersion when I went headfirst into a two foot deep muddy puddle , much to my Mates amusement)
My phone is a snug fit at 70mm x 143mm but it will work

When I use a bigger pack, I use a Caseflex pouch I got off ebay for about £4
loads of colour options and several sizes which will accommodate large phones as well
See pic 3
It has no attachment points , I found that most pouches attachment points were top to bottom and didn't work for me
So I bought some 25mm velcro for about £2 on Ebay and sowed 2 straps left to right, which enabled me to fit it to any strap in about 30 seconds
If you look closely at pic 4 , you can see it attached to the right strap on an Osprey hydration pack

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Very clever! I ended up getting a pouch for my shoulder strap too and carry the phone there

 

[7869hodgy]

30% off Quad Lock at the moment.

 

[carlbiker]

I'm in your shoes too, I'm using an iphone 7 but fancy the improve picture quality of the 12 pro for sure....I actually did buy an 11 pro from Music magpie but it was scratched too badly so sent it back (£589).

On the trail though, even though that iphone 12 pro would be great I very much doubt I'd take it, it would be pretty daft really unless your very risk averse but even then shit happens; you wouldn't get much sympathy for breaking a 1k phone mountain biking!

I bought an apple 6 watch, sent that back as it was a delicate little toy that would shatter the second it got any interaction with anything other than mud and the battery is a joke. The garmin edge Ive tried, its like using a gps on a spectrum, beep beep beep.....collision detection was nice though I think, a tesla collision avoidance system would be nicer! , doesn't take photos also! Thats left me with my iphone 7 for better apps on nav/trails and takes a picture; but the battery sucks, the new 12 is worse than the 11 and is 25% less than standard android phones even.

Not sure how you feel but what if you bought a bike specific phone and run a cheap contract on it? There loads of great android (I know im swearing) devices with superior battery and cameras for half the price of iphones (Maybe not as great as the iphone 12, but certainly close!).

For quick access you could stick on your bars (inside a shock case) like so https://amzn.to/3662Bls (maybe get one that tightens with an allen key) then you can just twist off and shoot. If it breaks great, its way cheaper to replace!

There is an alternative to this too, you could buy a gopro hero 9 which is on a black friday deal until end of this month I think Black Friday HERO9 Black Camera Deals & Bundles | GoPro with this you wouldnt need to snap anything as you could just save a frame out of the video you produce; set to 4k the stills can be quality! It also does have a snap mode, you could mount on your chest, chin, helmet top/side or handle bars.....the ultra wide will catch way more than you expect so no worries about missing any of the surroundings.

My current setup is Garmin 6 fenix pro solar (£370 refurb) + iphone 7 (£100) + gopro hero 9 (£329)....tbh its working alright, I've not used the iphone for photos since using the gopro 9. I would advise a shell on the watch though.

Despite the temptation, vibrations risks and mtb activity isn't the best match for the 12 pro.....I've spent £800 and at least 2 of those devices are built for things like mtb, the phone is just there for phone calls or trail detail from trailforks which the fenix cant give me at times

 

[carlbiker]

A phone five OS versions behind and slower than a 5S.....

I think its what matters in reality.....here this £51 (!) phone he quoted has things like more CPU power than his current Iphone XS but scores less on photography which is his main thing....maybe something like this is the better buy its £209, 10,000 mAH, decent camera, its shell its rugged out the box, no case required.....

 

[carlbiker]

Always on a chest strap , its easy to access but out of the way too
Screen facing my body to try and avoid smashing the screen
I use a Leatt WP hydration pack for most of my rides and it has a zipped , almost waterproof , pocket on the left chest strap See pics 1 & 2
(it survived a total immersion when I went headfirst into a two foot deep muddy puddle , much to my Mates amusement)
My phone is a snug fit at 70mm x 143mm but it will work

When I use a bigger pack, I use a Caseflex pouch I got off ebay for about £4
loads of colour options and several sizes which will accommodate large phones as well
See pic 3
It has no attachment points , I found that most pouches attachment points were top to bottom and didn't work for me
So I bought some 25mm velcro for about £2 on Ebay and sowed 2 straps left to right, which enabled me to fit it to any strap in about 30 seconds
If you look closely at pic 4 , you can see it attached to the right strap on an Osprey hydration pack

View attachment 45430

View attachment 45431

View attachment 45432

View attachment 45433

Thats neat, I've never sowed a thing in my life, time to get a new skill!

 

[Zimmerframe]

Phone case with roof mounted semi automatic haribo dispenser :

 

[faberle]

I use this USWE pocket. works well on pack shoulder strap or hip belt.

 

[Kingerz]

In a backpack usually or in a long pocket in my Underarmor leggings if I am often checking routes.

 

[highpeakrider]

You could always add a quad lock vibration damper.

Quad Lock 360 Accessory - Vibration Dampener

The Quad Lock® 360 Vibration Dampener protects smartphone camera's image stabilisation from harmful vibrations wherever you use your 360 solution. The Quad Lock Vibration Dampener reduces over 90% of high frequency vibrations produced by motorcycles.

www.quadlockcase.co.uk

 

[Sander23]

I use sp connect. It's just briljant, small mount on the bike and exelenr case. Have been using it for couple thousand km's and haven't come off

 

[eMullet]

In my pocket.

 

[MountainBoy]

I carry my phone in portrait mode. But, don't worry, I'm not "one of those", I always rotate it to landscape mode before taking video! But I'm from one of the generations where the wrist joint is still capable of rotating a phone from portrait to landscape so I really feel for those who come from generations who have lost the ability to rotate their wrists. So sad.

 

[Stihldog]

I think I’m “that guy”.

I carry my phone in portrait mode. But, don't worry, I'm not "one of those", …

Even though I wear an iwatch I usually ride with the iPhone in my chest pocket when possible. I try to capture those special moments but I usually fumble the phone. Thought about the Pez dispenser iPhone case…

…but I would go through those pretty quick and energy bars last longer.
Anyways, if I have to, I carry the phone in the hip-pac and practice a fast removal technique.

 

[RipGroove]

When on my motorbike with full leather race suit on I wear a motorcycle leg holster which is perfect for easy access to phone/wallet/keys etc. Could be handy for MTB use, especially if you find a nice small one. Just Google "Motorcycle leg bag" or something, you can get some pretty small ones. Mine has a waist strap and a leg strap so feels super secure and is very light so doesn't flap around or anything.

But currently when I'm on my emtb I wear a Kriega Hydro 3 pack which holds drinking water, is sturdy, waterproof, fairly light and has enough space in for phone/wallet/keys/pump/multitool/spare tube/tyre levers and a couple snacks but also at the same time feels small and light and again has multiple straps so doesn't flap around.

 

[skinipenem]

In my backpack for pedaling. In the chest of my armor jacket for dh.

Would be nice to have it more handy like a bike mount, but concerned about crashing it and shekels handlebar space when riding with child on Mac ride.

 

[Defmech]

I used to use something like this. ProTactic Phone Pouch

This was iPhone 4 era. Worked great.