Accessory Mount

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Biker Blunt
Posts: 9
Joined: 18 Apr 2021, 12:41pm

Accessory Mount

Post by Biker Blunt »

Hi, I am new to the world of trikes and have just bought an Ice VTX. Early days but great fun so far.
I am looking for a mount for my iPhone so that I can use it for navigation etc. Can anyone recommend a mount please. Most of the companies I’ve found seem to be in the U.S. Ice do a mount but they say it’s not suitable for large head units.
Thanks
Jdsk
Posts: 24478
Joined: 5 Mar 2019, 5:42pm

Re: Accessory Mount

Post by Jdsk »

There's a fair bit in the archives, including:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=139231&p=1507490

Do you want the 'phone to live in a protective bag or out in the open?

Jonathan
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[XAP]Bob
Posts: 19793
Joined: 26 Sep 2008, 4:12pm

Re: Accessory Mount

Post by [XAP]Bob »

I use quad lock mounts - and I switch the phone into the case for each ride.
When I commuted I just used to leave it in that case, but it's slightly bulkier (and warmer) than it needs to be, so I don't any more.

I have used their mounts to various points on the frame, but currently use their arm mount most of all. I actually use it as a leg mount when using my wheelchair, but that wouldn't work on a trike.

The question is whether you want to look at it repeatedly during the ride, or whether you can look at it only when you are unsure, or if you just listen to it's navigation through earphones of some sort.

If you only need to look occasionally then an arm mount is fine, I can glance at mine, or I can undock it whilst still driving with my left hand, and hold it in my right. Obviously I tend to only do that on easy sections.
I can (and have, on several occasions) answer the phone with it still on my arm and hold a conversation that way - but that's where hearing aids come in handy, the audio is piped directly to my ears.
Last edited by [XAP]Bob on 13 May 2021, 5:16pm, edited 1 time in total.
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belgiangoth
Posts: 1657
Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 4:10pm

Re: Accessory Mount

Post by belgiangoth »

I still live with the technology of maps and tend to find that I only need to check them from time to time. I don't have a smartphone but I'm not sure how long the battery life will last, nor whether I would want to risk it out in the open for extended periods of time while riding. If I were using it as a satnav it could live in a pocket and talk to me from there and I could take it out to map check on occasion (as, if I'm checking my map I'm probably stopping too).
If I had a baby elephant, I would put it on a recumbent trike so that it would become invisible.
Psamathe
Posts: 17616
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Accessory Mount

Post by Psamathe »

I think there are two aspects to mounting technology (at least on my ICE Sprint X Tour): finding some suitable "bar" to fix stuff to (where on a DF you'd be fixing to a handlebar) and then how to attach something to that bar.

When I got my ICE I added additional horizontal bars that clamp to the steering (used for mirrors at the ends but have space for computers) but they are not cheap but they work but the bar is positioned such that your hand would partially obscure the phone/GPS and I ended up mounting my GPS on one of those "forward" mounts but virtually vertical to raise it above the bar/my hand.

Mounting a rear light I DIY'd a bar using tube and Cateye clamps but I suspect such an arrangement would not be well suited to phone/GPS/Computers.

I have bar-end shifters and the Terra Cycle "Bar End Shifter Micro Mount" look a good idea but probably not long enough for a phone. Plus shipping Terra Cycle stuff to the UK seems very expensive. Icletta (https://www.icletta.com/en/index.en.html) in Germany stock some of the Terra Cycle product range and shipping still not cheap but better than from US if they have mounts (plus they will special order items they don't stock but they'd add it to one of their routine orders so longer timescales).

Ian
Biker Blunt
Posts: 9
Joined: 18 Apr 2021, 12:41pm

Re: Accessory Mount

Post by Biker Blunt »

Thanks everyone
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