Shapeheart Smartphone Holder With Magnetic Pouch - The Power Of The Magnet

If magnetic smartphone mounts are rare on bicycles, it is no coincidence, their hold is often not strong enough. The manufacturer Shapeheart intends to prove the contrary with particularly strong magnets.

The Shapeheart smartphone holder for bikes consists of a magnetic base to be fixed on the handlebars or the stem of the bike, associated with a waterproof pouch in which the smartphone slips. Three sizes of pouches are available: M for smartphones up to 14.7 cm in length, XL for those up to 16.5 cm and finally XL + (or XXL) for the longest, up to 17.2 cm.

Smartphone holder

Ergonomics and installation

The Shapeheart phone holder is all about simplicity. It simply consists of a small plastic base, 32 mm wide by 15 mm high, incorporating four small magnets.

A piece of non-slip black silicone on the underside hugs the handlebars or the stem of the bike, while the top side uses that same rubbery material to ensure good grip and a smoother contact with the metal plate integrated on the back of the pouch for smartphone.

For fixing to the handlebars, Shapeheart recommends using the small elastic black silicone strap to ensure the best possible support for its support. It can be used on tubes from 25 mm to 40 mm in diameter. Beyond that, for stems up to 60 mm in diameter, the two elastic rings provided must be used. If the grip of the support seems good at first glance, it can however spoil a little when used on hangers of small diameter. Indeed, the strap is then not very tight and tends to stretch when you want to remove the pouch containing the smartphone.

We would have liked to see Shapeheart offer an alternative mount with quick release or even screws for those who don't need to be able to remove the mount from their bike and instead prefer a fixed and more durable installation. If the manufacturer emphasizes the ease of installation and removal of its support, it is indeed double-edged since it also becomes very easy to steal - like any support held by rubber bands.

Smartphone Maintenance

The Shapeheart support is mainly used with suitable smartphone pouches. In elastic neoprene fabric, they are stiffened by a small plasticized plate integrated into their lining and which integrates the steel disc which is magnetized on the support. The smartphone slips in easily, a flap preventing it from sliding out of the pocket.

It is then sufficient to present the pouch above the support so that it comes to be pressed against it thanks to the strong magnetic power of the magnets it contains. It is even surprising, the power of these magnets being very strong. No risk of the pouch coming off, even when driving on cobblestones or in mountain biking. The flexibility provided by the elastic fixation of the silicone strap is welcome here, because it absorbs some of the vibrations and therefore prevents their transmission to the smartphone. Photo modules, in particular, do not appreciate certain vibration frequencies and could be damaged by a too rigid support - this is however more the case on a motorcycle than on a bicycle because of the vibrations of certain heat engines.

On the flip side of this powerful magnetism, the sleeve can be difficult to remove from the backing. It is not uncommon to see the latter lifted off the handlebars or stem during the operation, which does not really inspire confidence. However, the manufacturer seems confident about the longevity of its support and the silicone strap that keeps it on the handlebars. It would indeed be unfortunate to see the fasteners break and the support drop with the sleeve, the latter not being designed to protect the smartphone from shocks.

The pouch, in fact, can perfectly accommodate a smartphone protected by a shell. We will simply take the larger size. Anyway, the screen remains visible and the touch is preserved thanks to a flexible plastic window. Tactile sensitivity remains good. On the other hand, the reflections are much more present than on the screen of the smartphone itself, for lack of specific treatment. Fairly soft plastic also tends to get scratched easily. We feel that the pouch is designed to be used only during the bike ride and not all day long, unlike smartphone cases like those of Quad Lock and Zéfal. However, removing the smartphone from the sleeve is not very restrictive, it allows us to continue to use our smartphone with our favorite shell or even without a shell, which brings a certain flexibility in use.

We also appreciate the waterproofness of these pouches, reassuring when using a smartphone that does not itself resist splashing water. In rainy weather, the neoprene fabric of the pouch tends to get wet on the surface, but the smartphone does stay dry. Be careful, however, to use the pouch in the right direction, opening upwards, so as not to risk seeing water run off, then stagnate in the flap.