We’ve received a lot of questions about the mount that is used in the videos and screenshots of our iOS app, so we thought we’d take a moment to show it in more detail. The truth is, it’s a homemade mount that came out of frustration of not wanting to have multiple mounting brackets on our handlebars.

Like most cyclists, we already have some type of mounting solution on our handlebars or stem for our cycling computer, but there weren’t any simple phone cases that would allow us to use this mount for our phones. So we decided to make our own, and while we have been toying with the idea of mass producing them, we decided that we would just show you how we made the cases so that you could build them as well!

Below is a list of items you will need and a step-by-step guide of what to do. Before getting into this, please note that we are only making a case with the male half of the mounting interface. In the case of this walkthrough, the mount that is currently on the bike is for a Garmin cycling computer, so we are just creating the male portion of it.

In addition, it is important to understand that these mounts are simple and not designed for outdoor use, so with that in mind, we do not encourage you to use them except for when you are on the trainer. Also, please remember that this is a homemade mount and your smartphone is expensive. This is probably where we would have a voice over guy read through a disclaimer at an incredible rate of speed, but seriously, we are not responsible for your phone breaking as a result of using this mounting solution or for any injury sustained while making the mount 🙂

Okay, with all of that out of the way, let’s look at what you need to make the mount.

List of Items

  1. Phone Case (This is the one that we used in the walkthrough, but any hard and flat case of your choosing will work)
  2. Male Mount (This is the one that we used in the walkthrough since we are mounting to a Garmin mount, but use a male portion of whatever mounting interface you already have on your handlebars)
  3. High-Bond Adhesive (This is the adhesive that we used in the walkthrough. It is extremely strong stuff and we don’t recommend anything less)
  4. Dremel or hot knife (We use a Dremel for relative ease, but any type of hot knife can work as well)
  5. Heavy Grit Sandpaper (If you have a Dremel, then this part is taken care of as well)

Got everything you need? Good! Let’s get started.

  1. On the opposing side of the male mount (Item 2), sand off the two tabs that you can see in the following picture so that the surface is flat and rough. Using a Dremel (Item 4) makes this as simple as it gets, but if not, use your hot knife (Item 4) to remove any protrusions and sand the surface so that it is consistently rough with heavy grit sandpaper (Item 5). Make sure you have cleaned the surface of the male mount (Item 2) of any debris or shavings before moving on.

  2. Place the male mount (Item 2) onto the back of your phone case (Item 1(, situate it appropriately and mark the outline of the male mount (Item 2) with a pencil, pen, or very lightly with a razor blade. In our case, the female portion of the mount that we already have on installed on our bike for our cycling computer extends forward from the bike, just in front of the stem. Taking this into account, we are placing the male mount (Item 2) towards the lower portion of our phone case (Item 1) in order to have adequate clearance between the phone and the stem.
    step5
  3. Using a Dremel or sandpaper (Items 4 and 5), rough up the surface of the phone case (Item 1) within the indicated area from step 2. No need to go overboard here; just make the surface consistently rough. Make sure you have cleaned the surface of the phone case (Item 1) of any debris or shavings before moving on.
    step6
  4. Prepare your adhesive (Item 3). In this case our adhesive was a two-part solution that needs to be mixed together. We did this by dispensing both parts of the adhesive onto a plate and then mixing them with a toothpick.
  5. Apply a small amount of adhesive (Item 3) to the sanded portion of the phone case (Item 1). Apply just enough so that when it is spread out, it is only slightly more than a thin film.
    step7

  6. Apply the male mount (Item 2) to the area of the phone case (Item 1) that has been prepared with the adhesive. Ensure that the mount is attached properly so that your phone will be mounted straight and true when on the bike.
    step8
  7. Let the newly modified phone case (Item 1) sit overnight or for at least 6 hours. Make sure you follow the curing instructions for the adhesive you have used.

There you go! Now you have a way to mount your phone to your bars for your TrainerRoad workouts that is clean, simple and uses the mount you already have on your handlebars.

This type of solution can work for any type of phone case that has a hard and flat surface with a stiff structure. If you are using a different mounting interface than in this walkthrough, try to find the male portion of your mounting interface and prepare it in the same way as this walkthrough indicates.

For more answers to your cycling training questions, listen to our podcast Ask a Cycling Coach — the only podcast dedicated to making you a faster cyclist. New episodes are released weekly.


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Jonathan Lee

Jonathan Lee is a Level II USA certified cycling coach and the host of the Ask a Cycling Coach podcast. His background in the sport of motocross has translated into a passion for cycling, mountain biking and all things training. If you have a training question, submit your question for Jonathan to answer on the next episode of TrainerRoad’s podcast.