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Oxford CLIQR Out-Front Handlebar Mount

7
£29.99

VERDICT:

7
10
A bit on the chunky side but offers a secure mount for your smartphone regardless of terrain
Secure mounting
Easy to fit
A big, chunky unit
Weight: 
61g

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Following on from the stem-mounted CLIQR, I've also been testing Oxford's CLIQR Out-Front Handlebar Mount. It's simple to use and very secure, although it is quite a chunky unit compared to some on the market.

In the box you'll find the out-front mount, two silicone inserts for wrapping around your handlebar – to suit 25.4mm or 31.8mm diameters – and two adaptors to attach to your phone or whichever device you are going to be using.

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The mount itself is made from glass-filled nylon and it feels robust, probably a little over engineered for a road bike but for gravel use or mountain biking then it'll certainly take some abuse.

It's quite wide at the hinged clamp area at 17mm, so you might need to double check you've got enough room if you have an aero bar where the tops aren't completely round.

At 75mm (centre to centre) the mount doesn't stick out a massive amount, but cleverly Oxford has designed it so that the device-clamping area sits higher than the other parts of the mount, so no matter how big your phone or device, there should be clearance all around so it doesn't clash with the stem or handlebar.

Oxford says it's compatible with most phones, phone cases, GPS devices and compact action cameras. I tested it with my phone.

> Buyer’s Guide: 27 of the best smartphone cycling apps

To use the mount you first need to stick one of the adaptors to the back of your phone or, if you don't want an adaptor stuck directly to the back of it full time, use a case. The adaptor uses 3M's VHB adhesive tape, and it has a very strong bond. Once attached to the phone it isn't going to budge without a lot of force. It stayed in position even on some rough gravel rides.

Oxford CLIQR Cycle Handlebar outfront mount - device adaptors.jpg

The four-way attachment means you can have your phone landscape or portrait on your handlebar to suit the data you want to show. Locating the phone into the mount is a simple push fit, with a little tab locking over the adaptor and keeping it securely in place. To remove the phone, it is just a matter of pushing in the button to release the tab.

I found the Oxford a pretty decent option. The mount is secure enough that it barely moves when you are touching buttons or the screen, though a bit of flex does mean the screen vibrates a little when riding over rough terrain, which can make your phone difficult to read – especially if you are zoomed quite far out on a map, for instance.

Value

When it comes to value, the £29.99 price isn't that extreme for an out-front mount, although you are usually looking at one that has been CNC machined out of aluminium alloy like the Vel CNC Straight bar mount (£32) rather than moulded from nylon.

The similarly designed Quad Lock Out Front Mount is also made from glass filled nylon, though, and that will set you back £29.95. With that you can also get adaptors to allow you to attach a GoPro or similar camera underneath. Mike tested one back in 2015 and liked it so much he gave it five stars.

Alternatively, if you're not set on an out-front design, you could save a fiver and go for the stem-mounted CLIQR – which I found handled the rough slightly better too, in terms of being able to read the screen.

> Buyer’s Guide: 15 of the best cycling GPS units

Overall, the Oxford mount works well, and I would have complete confidence riding around with an expensive smartphone attached (if I had one!) regardless of the terrain. It's not the most elegant design on the market but it does the job without breaking the bank.

Verdict

A bit on the chunky side but offers a secure mount for your smartphone regardless of terrain

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Oxford CLIQR Out-Front Handlebar Mount

Size tested: 25.4-31.8 mm handlebars

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?

Oxford says, "Tough but lightweight mounting system provides an optimal viewing position for your device."

It is a very robust and secure mounting system for your phone.

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

Oxford lists:

Quick and easy to install, with all fittings included

Compatible with most phones, phone cases, GPS devices and compact action cameras

Device adaptor uses top quality 3M adhesive

Dual locking mechanism with failsafe system

Fits 31.8mm and 25.4mm stem / bar

Device can rotate between landscape and portrait views

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
8/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight (if applicable)
 
7/10
Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

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

It clamps the phone securely.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Very secure mounting.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Some vibration on rough roads can make it difficult to read your screen.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

One of its direct competitors is the Quad Lock mount, and they are pretty much the same price.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

A simple to use yet very secure mounting system that enables you to fit any size phone to your handlebar. It's not the most refined product out there but it does the job.

Overall rating: 7/10

About the tester

Age: 41  Height: 180cm  Weight: 76kg

I usually ride: This month's test bike  My best bike is: B'Twin Ultra CF draped in the latest bling test components

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: time trialling, commuting, club rides, sportives, fixed/singlespeed,

As part of the tech team here at F-At Digital, senior product reviewer Stu spends the majority of his time writing in-depth reviews for road.cc, off-road.cc and ebiketips using the knowledge gained from testing over 1,500 pieces of kit (plus 100's of bikes) since starting out as a freelancer back in 2009. After first throwing his leg over a race bike back in 2000, Stu's ridden more than 170,000 miles on road, time-trial, track, and gravel bikes, and while he's put his racing days behind him, he still likes to smash the pedals rather than take things easy. With a background in design and engineering, he has an obsession with how things are developed and manufactured, has a borderline fetish for handbuilt metal frames and finds a rim braked road bike very aesthetically pleasing!

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