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Quad Lock iPhone Bike Kit

9
£44.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Great everyday case that is light, practical and secure
Weight: 
66g
Contact: 
www.madison.co.uk

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I've been using the Quad Lock case on my iPhone for about a month now and I have to say from the off that I love it.

Mounting your phone on your bike seems a really obvious thing to do. With my phone mounted on my bike I can plan my route in advance and use it as a sat-nav. I can record my progress, heart rate and cadence and review it when I get back. I can also take photos of the scenery. I can even make telephone calls.

If I am going to be carrying my phone with me in case of emergency, why not use it to its full potential rather than buying a dedicated device? Well that was my logic anyway and the cost of a case to try out that idea was much less than the cost of a Garmin so I was in the market for a suitable bike mount for my phone.

We have Kickstarter to thank for getting the The Quad Lock system to market. Back in 2011 Quad Lock was one of the first products brought to market through the crowd funding site.

The Quad Lock system comprises a case for your phone and a variety of mounting options for different situations (bike, car, armband etc). The mounting mechanism is the 'Quad Lock' which is common across all phones and mounts. The idea is that once you have the case for your phone you can then mount it to your bike and then to your car etc. If you then change your phone then just buy a new case and you can carry on using your mounts.

When I first picked up the Quad Lock I was a bit sceptical. The mount doesn't completely seal the phone from the elements like other cases such as the BioLogic. The case has holes which potentially allow water ingress at the mounting point and the camera. If you are looking for a case to completely seal your phone in, this isn't it.

The Bike Kit does come with a 'Poncho', a clear outer case which envelops the phone and the standard case and protects the front of the phone from rain showers. If however the weather got really nasty, even with the Poncho on, I personally would be nervous that my phone wouldn't be fully protected. Once the Poncho is on and covering the front of the phone it is still usable. The screen is less sensitive and it takes a bit more of an effort to click the "home" button and pinch to zoom but it does work.

The mount is insanely quick to fit to the bike, with a choice of removable O-rings or zip-ties. Being impatient I went for the O-rings and the mount was fitted to the handlebars in less than a minute. On the bike, the mount feels really secure.

Fitting the case to the mount is genius, really simple. Four lugs on the mount slot into the back of the case, You give the case a quarter turn and it locks phone to the mount. Less than five seconds and you're ready to go. To release the phone you push down on the blue sleeve round the mount and reverse the quarter turn. After two minutes of practice, you can do the whole movement with one hand.

The best feature of the Quad Lock system is the case; it's a really great every day case. It's slim, has a slightly rubbery feel which makes it feel secure in your hands and I've found no reason to take it off the phone in the last month. I also accidentally drop tested the case from about one meter onto a stone floor and the case fully protected the phone, no cracked screen - phew!

They say the best camera is the one you have with you, and I think the same is true of phone mounts. The Quad Lock case is the case which you can use every day, this means you're far more likely to have it with you and use it regularly. It's not the solution for all weathers but as a bit of a fair weather cyclist it's perfect for me.

I really liked the Quad Lock bike mount and would happily recommend it.

Verdict

Great everyday case that is light, practical and secure

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Quad Lock iPhone Bike Kit

Size tested: iPhone 5/5s

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

"The Quad Lock Bike Mount Kit for the iPhone 5/5s is the lightest and strongest iPhone Bike Mount on the market."

"The composite construction provides great impact protection while still being pocketable. Its slim design and access to all buttons and posts mean you can use it as your everyday case."

"Whether you're browsing trail maps, navigating via GPS, or listening to music on the go, Quad Lock is the ultimate mounting solution"

I'm not sure whether or not its the strongest iPhone mounting solution or the ultimate mounting solution but as a system which holds your phone securely on your bike whilst being quick and easy to get on and off the Quad Lock is a great product that I liked a lot.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

The case has a composite construction a hard plastic mounting core wrapped in a softer more rubberised outer. It comes with an optional rain "Poncho" for protecting the phone and screen in showers. The clever Quad Lock (four lugs) quarter turn locking mechanism does what it says it does and quickly locks to phone case securely to the mount.

The mounting system once you've bought into it can be extended to be used in the car and on an arm band for running.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Clever construction results in a great everyday phone cover.

The Quad Lock system has had a lot of thought put into it and it product feels like a quality item.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Really easy to fit to your bike, very quick to mount your phone the bike.

I'm not sure how far I'd trust it when the weather gets really wet but as a great everyday case I think I'd get a lot of use out of it.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10

I used the case every day for a month and I've no concerns about any aspects of its durability.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
9/10

It was the lightest mounting system that I tested.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10

Over the last month I've been carrying the Quad Lock case round with me on the train and in my pocket. Even without the mounting option it makes a great iPhone case.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Not the cheapest option on the market but once you've bought into it you can extending its use by just purchasing the car mounts and arm band mount if you need to.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

It's a fine, practical everyday case which fits really quickly and securely to your bike.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

I loved the fact that as an everyday case I found myself using it all the time and never found a reason to take it off the phone. That meant it got used on far more occasions that it otherwise would have.

The mounting system worked really well locking the phone to the bike, it was as fast as the RokForm to fit and felt a more secure connection.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

I disliked very little about the product. The Poncho makes the phone a little less sensitive and therefore a bit harder to use and it would be great if they can make it a little more weather proof, but as an everyday case I can forgive all that.

Did you enjoy using the product? The Quad Lock really grew on me and I now find myself using it everyday.

Would you consider buying the product? Without hesitation, yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

It wouldn't be my choice on a really wet day but it would get used for everything else because I'd have it with me.

A great case which I think I would also buy a car mount for too.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 39  Height: 6 foot  Weight: 85 Kg

I usually ride: Orbea Aqua  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Under 5 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, sportives, general fitness riding, Not really

 

Add new comment

7 comments

Avatar
andyp | 9 years ago
0 likes

'Mounting your phone on your bike seems a really obvious thing to do.'

No, it really doesn't. Taking a phone on a ride doesn't seem an obvious thing to do either.

Avatar
KiwiMike replied to andyp | 9 years ago
0 likes
andyp wrote:

'Mounting your phone on your bike seems a really obvious thing to do.'

No, it really doesn't. Taking a phone on a ride doesn't seem an obvious thing to do either.

If you are riding unfamiliar roads, therefore need to navigate at every intersection and don't want to carry 15 topomaps, cover your bike in Audax-style notes or buy a £400 Garmin, then yes, it is obvious.

And being contactable by loved ones / able to contact them in the event of a crash/breakdown/illness? that too seems obvious.

I accept that some people don't want to do these things. That doesn't remove the obviousness of already having a phone capable of navigation/communication, and spending a relatively small sum to mount it securely on your bike to deliver a large improvement over the alternatives.

Avatar
harrybav replied to andyp | 9 years ago
0 likes
andyp wrote:

Taking a phone on a ride doesn't seem an obvious thing to do either.

I agreed to meet my pal halfway en-route on a whole day ride and around meeting time had to keep stopping to read and reply to where-are-you-now texts. Over and over, for half an hour.
Ping. Stop. Gloves off. Phone from pannier. Reply. Phone in pannier. Gloves on. Set off.
Ping. Stop, gloves off etc...

I bought a Topeak Drybag (£14) the next day.

Avatar
byke.com.au | 9 years ago
0 likes

I had the reviewed case on my iPhone 5, and liked it so much that when I got my new iPhone 6 I kept using my old phone for a week until the QuadLock iPhone 6 case was available.

The 6 case has all the benefits discussed above, but with a sealed back (other than the camera hole) and a poncho which also covers the top quarter of the back of the phone entirely (including the camera section). I would be confident riding in rain with the 6 case and poncho, which I wasn't with the 5, but to be honest I don't ride in the rain if I can help it, so don't carry the poncho with me. If I get caught out I throw my phone in a zip lock bag in my jersey pocket.

Avatar
KiwiMike | 9 years ago
0 likes

I can confirm that in heavy or persistent rain the Poncho does not keep your phone dry. Water eventually drops down and around the sides, then wicks under the poncho and onto your phone. It is perfectly fine for a light rain or the odd splash you can wipe off though.

For proper waterproofness they recommend the Lifeproof Fré or Nüde cases with the universal stick-on mount.

The review is spot on. The mount is solid enough to pick my bike up by holding the phone. I've lived with the case on my iPhone 5 for 6 months now. No reason to remove it.

Genius kit, great company to deal with. You will not be disappointed.

Avatar
backflipbedlem | 9 years ago
0 likes

I was fortunate to win a Galaxy S5 Quad lock mount in a shwag grab comp, and been really impressed by it! Would defo recommend!!
S5 doesn't even need the poncho, as the phone is waterproof!

Avatar
seanaldo | 9 years ago
0 likes

Given Yorkshire weather I'm not sure I could trust a not fully waterproof solution. I love my phone but water is not its friend!

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