Where do you put smart/android phone when cycling?

Bobbinogs

One of the biggest problems I have with smartphones is that even the best of them suffer with battery life. Whenever I pick up a smartphone in my house (whether it is my wife's iPhone or my Galaxy) then the battery never shows anywhere near max... and can then drain away in front of your eyes particularly if you happen to want to use the things to phone someone.

Whenever I am tempted to take a smartphone out for a ride it seems the first thing I think about when picking one up is regretting that I didn't start charging it up a couple of hours earlier whereas my PAYG phone is charged once a month (or less) and then switched off between rides. Whenever I switch it back on it is pretty much 100% and can be used for calls for days on end if I so wished, which means I have no worries about being able to use it for several emergency calls in succession whilst out on a ride, if ever that was needed.

Sutton_Rider

Do you realy need to be phoneable 100% of the time? Get a PAYG sim put it in the old phone (for emergencies) and leave the brick at home.

bigmat

I have a Vodafone Smart Ultra 6 which fits in a pocket but it is a bit big - I think I will start using a smaller spare phone that I have for riding as I seldom use it for anything too technical when I'm out (calls, texts, a bit of mapping...)

ForumNewbie

Sutton Rider wrote:

Do you realy need to be phoneable 100% of the time? Get a PAYG sim put it in the old phone (for emergencies) and leave the brick at home.

No, I certainly don't need to be contactable all of the time - only for emergencies so I may continue with the small PAYG phone. I just thought it might be a good idea to have a phone with a camera with me when cycling so I could take nice photos on some rides, and it would also be useful if I was involved in an accident to be able to take photos.

slowbike

Ok - we seemed to have moved on from where to place your phone (jersey pocket - nothing has ever fallen out) to why take a smart phone ...

Battery life may be an issue - but one advantage(or disadvantage if you look at it that way) is for the other half to be able to track your smart phone - just so the beer is poured at the right time, the massage table all set up, kids put in front of a movie to shut them up and all the housework completed by the time I get back .... ok - so none of that is true, except the tracking bit .. she is able to see how I'm going - and more importantly, if I'm not going (likewise I do the same to her when she's out riding alone).
I suppose we have a huge advantage of not having to cover anything up with our whereabouts ... but I suppose you could just use the feature for rides.

ForumNewbie

Slowbike wrote:

Ok - we seemed to have moved on from where to place your phone (jersey pocket - nothing has ever fallen out) to why take a smart phone ...

Battery life may be an issue - but one advantage(or disadvantage if you look at it that way) is for the other half to be able to track your smart phone - just so the beer is poured at the right time, the massage table all set up, kids put in front of a movie to shut them up and all the housework completed by the time I get back .... ok - so none of that is true, except the tracking bit .. she is able to see how I'm going - and more importantly, if I'm not going (likewise I do the same to her when she's out riding alone).
I suppose we have a huge advantage of not having to cover anything up with our whereabouts ... but I suppose you could just use the feature for rides.

Interesting point that I hadn't thought of. As you say could be an advantage or disadvantage, depending on which way you look at it

singleton

_Jon_ wrote:

Get a pay as you go SIM card and put £5 credit on it. Put that SIM in your old phone.

When you go for a ride, take your old phone with you and divert/forward all calls on your new phone to it.

That's what I do.

That's what I do too.
I leave the smartphone at home and take an old Nokia incase of emergency.

mrb123

Another advantage for having the smartphone rather than a cheap one for cycling is the GPS and mapping facilities. Very useful to be able to pull phone out and check location when trying a new route. Of course, some people have flash Garmins with mapping that do the same job.

To answer the original question, I carry my Galaxy S5 in one of those waterproof Aquapac cases in my jersey pocket.

homers_double

Good lord people, how would you put a photo of your bike alongside your strava ride or make a contribution to the "your bike in scenic locations" thread without a smartphone?

Back on topic, ziploc sandwich bag in my back pocket.

drlodge

And a smart phone also allows me to take photos and upload them to Instagram so they show against my Strava ride. I have an app called "Life360" on it too, so the OH knows where I am (can tell when I'm going to be back or where I've been stranded).

drlodge

homers double wrote:

Good lord people, how would you put a photo of your bike alongside your strava ride or make a contribution to the "your bike in scenic locations" thread without a smartphone?

Haha, just saw this after I posted :oops:

darkhairedlord

In a used fruit & veg bag in my right hand pocket. Left hand pocket is for unconsumed food, centre for gilet or jacket, right for wrappers, phone, money (also in a fruit and veg bag). I occasionally use the bottom edge of my short for keeping my ferry ticket while traversing the harbour entrance.