GPS mounts for Bikes

[+sheddiestarr]

Hi

 

We've recently started going our as a family to geocache on our mountain bikes. Great for doing series or caches grouped near each other. We use a garmin etrex to get us close rather than getting the smart phone out and draining it's battery. However, riding and holding the device across some of the terrain that we need to, is turning me into an extreme bike rider but not through choice! I have looked around the usual places, halfords, argos and ebay, but cannot find a suitable mount/bracket. Loads for the phones but nowt for the bulkier Garmin!

 

I can make some adjustments to a bottle holder by the looks of it, but would prefer a bespoke method. Any suggestions?

 

Cheers

 

Mark

[+Maple Leaf]

i've just done a quick Google and come up with quite a few different places - including Amazon, Maplin, Ebay and some cycle shops. Google results here

 

Also, advertised on UKGeocachers site

Edited July 8, 2011 by Maple Leaf

[+mpilchfamily]

Might i suggest a device upgrade.

 

I recently purchased a Garmin Dakota 10 Hike and Bike Pack. It comes with a Bike/ATV bar mount and the city nav maps. Another great benefit of the unit is its color, touch screen, and support paperless caching. So all the cache info that comes with your PQ will be available on the unit such as cache descriptions, hints and logs.

 

If you look around you may be able to find it cheaper. I spent about a month on ebay till i was finally able to get one for about $150. I got lucky and hit on one that people didn't see or didn't like the sellers low number of purchases/sales.

http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-2-6-Inch-Touchscreen-Handheld-Navigator/dp/B002G1YPIY

[+d-dixon]

I use an Etrex H on my bike and can thoroughly recommend the Garmin bike mount:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00004VX15/

It's a two-part solution - a bike mount clip that fits to the handlebars, and a replacement back cover for the GPSr itself, incorporating a quick-release mount for attachment. I've not had any problems with it.

I use a smart-phone while out walking, but for cycling the Etrex comes into its own - rugged, good battery life, and perfectly good for getting you to the cache area.

For £12 for the mount, you can't go wrong!

 

David

[+FOX 661L]

I use a Garmin Vista on my bike... the Garmin mount works superbly, bought mine on ebay for under £14 inc postage

[+sheddiestarr]

great advice cheers all

[+The QCs]

I have a Garmin bike mount that I bought specifically to put on the buggy; it hasn't made it onto the buggy or the bike yet, but the intention is there!

It looks good and I'm sure I'd recommend it!

[+look4box]

I use an Etrex H on my bike and can thoroughly recommend the Garmin bike mount:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00004VX15/

It's a two-part solution - a bike mount clip that fits to the handlebars, and a replacement back cover for the GPSr itself, incorporating a quick-release mount for attachment. I've not had any problems with it.

I use a smart-phone while out walking, but for cycling the Etrex comes into its own - rugged, good battery life, and perfectly good for getting you to the cache area.

For £12 for the mount, you can't go wrong!

 

David

Good to hear that you find the bike mount useful

 

I've been painfully cycling one handed recently - so will definately look at getting the mount. My only issue, is that sometimes i drop the bike to do the last bit if cache is in the woods, so wondered how easy it is to unclip the extrex whilst out and about and then reattach after finding/logging the cache?

[+Misty and Minou]

I recently purchased a Garmin Dakota 10 Hike and Bike Pack. It comes with a Bike/ATV bar mount and the city nav maps. Another great benefit of the unit is its color, touch screen, and support paperless caching. So all the cache info that comes with your PQ will be available on the unit such as cache descriptions, hints and logs.

 

A word of warning about the Dakota bike mount as I discovered while cycling home the other night, if you're not careful and hit a bump the unit can bounce out of the cradle. This happened to me at speed the other day, luckily the GPS bounced away from traffic.

[+mpilchfamily]

Thanks for the heads up! Haven't put the mount on my bike yet.

[+FOX 661L]

 

Good to hear that you find the bike mount useful

 

I've been painfully cycling one handed recently - so will definately look at getting the mount. My only issue, is that sometimes i drop the bike to do the last bit if cache is in the woods, so wondered how easy it is to unclip the extrex whilst out and about and then reattach after finding/logging the cache?

 

It is very easy as it has a clip arrangement that locks positively into the mount, but is easily released (one handedly) as necessary

[+TheJudgeFamily]

 

A word of warning about the Dakota bike mount as I discovered while cycling home the other night, if you're not careful and hit a bump the unit can bounce out of the cradle. This happened to me at speed the other day, luckily the GPS bounced away from traffic.

 

I just wrap the lanyard around the handlebars before clipping it on, it's never jumped off yet but i do like the extra bit of security!

[+Primitive Person]

Getting GPS mounts for older models seems rather tricky. I've come across lots of websites still advertising GPS mounts for the Geko 201, but none of them actually have them in stock. Problem is, I now use my phone for most of my caching, so I'm reluctant to fork out for a new GPS, given that I only use it occasionally.

 

That said, there ain't no way I'm going to mount my phone on my bike as I don't consider it anywhere near robust enough.

 

I've got around the problem by using a handlebar-mounted, box-shaped storage bag thingy that clips on and off pretty easily. It's got a transparent pocket in the top that my GPS can live in quite happily, and as long as the bag isn't too full of heavy things, I can angle it upwards so it's at a comfortable viewing angle.

 

Lee

[team tisri]

Getting GPS mounts for older models seems rather tricky. I've come across lots of websites still advertising GPS mounts for the Geko 201, but none of them actually have them in stock. Problem is, I now use my phone for most of my caching, so I'm reluctant to fork out for a new GPS, given that I only use it occasionally.

 

That said, there ain't no way I'm going to mount my phone on my bike as I don't consider it anywhere near robust enough.

 

I've got around the problem by using a handlebar-mounted, box-shaped storage bag thingy that clips on and off pretty easily. It's got a transparent pocket in the top that my GPS can live in quite happily, and as long as the bag isn't too full of heavy things, I can angle it upwards so it's at a comfortable viewing angle.

 

Lee

 

Depending on what your phone is you may find a RAM mount that fits it. From what I can see they tend to be like a frame around the device so it clicks into place and is then contained such that it can't fall out.

 

They seem to have generally very good reviews, although a few people have reported problems. It's odd that most people seem to find them fine but every once in a while someone says that they only ever cycle on the road but still broke two mounts in as many weeks.

[+Gackt]

Think I have mentioned before, Velcro is my friend. Mine is a very cheap setup. Homemade mount using Velcro as the 'keeping device attached to mount' solution, with a Velcro strap just for extra protection from a fall or major bump:

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v733/TTblood666/DSC01586.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v733/TTblood666/DSC01587.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v733/TTblood666/DSC01588.jpg

 

It has stood up well on a few long rides, not budging at all, but at the same time can be pulled from the mount quickly too.