Every once in a while you come across a product that just
makes sense, and you wonder why no one thought of it before? That's exactly
the case with the RAM EZ On-Off X Grip Bike Mount.
The product promises to hold your phone or similarly shaped
object as you cruise around on your bicycle with their patented X Grip system.
We here at Real Man Travels like to bike so I purchased one for myself from the
fine folks at RAM Mounting Systems and put it through the ringer.
1. What you get:
The package arrived with:
- 1 X Grip phone mount
- 1 Mount insert
- 2 bar attachments (to suit your bar set up)
- 1 piece of 3M rubber
- 2 black cable ties
- 1 set of instructions
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| X-Grip Mount, cable ties and bar attachments |
2. Look and Feel:
The EZ On/Off mount initially feels solid and durable with its hard plastic casing, strong metal arms that have very little flex, and thick
rubber tips that make contact to your device. If you squeeze the arms and then
let them release on their own, you will see the strength in the spring that is
meant to hold your device in place.
The pieces for mounting to your bike are also built from the
same thick plastic but the method for attaching them to your frame are just generic cable/zip ties. If you plan to move this
mount between a few bikes then you can purchase these zip ties from any
hardware store for dirt cheap.
3. Set Up:
The set up process was very simple. You first attach the 3M
rubber around the bar where you plan to have the mount (this prevents the mount from slipping or sliding). Then you attach the bar clip of your choice to the frame using the two provided cable ties which need to
be pulled tight. I would recommend pulling
the ends with a pair of pliers for that extra click or two your bare hands
can't get.
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| Step 1: Attach the 3M rubber around the bar |
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| Step 2: Set the bar attachments on top of the 3M rubber |
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| Step 3: Pull the zip ties through the slot and tighten then up. Cut off excess zip tie straps. |
Next you will insert the X grip mount by pushing it down and
twisting it slightly. Once you hear the click the mount is in. At this point
you can set the mount to be in portrait or landscape mode when you attach your
phone.
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| Step 4: Attach the mount in either portrait or landscape |
To attach your phone you simply squeeze the spring loaded
"x" arms and then place your phone down and let them open against
your phone. The spring loaded gripping arms will hold your phone snug at this
point. Adjust the phone as necessary, but try to make sure it is as close to
the middle as possible to avoid balance issues.
4. Ease of Use:
After installation this product is a piece of cake to
use. It is always as simple as squeezing the X grip arms and releasing. It is
easy to remove the X grip mount by simply pushing down and twisting it off.
Unfortunately the remaining pieces stay on your bike with
cable ties so moving from one bike to another with one system is not easy. If
you do wish to move the entire mount then you will need to cut the cable ties
and have more handy to reattach it. You may also want some extra 3M rubber as
well.
5. Actual vs. Advertised
I feel confident that this product delivers on its promise.
I have ridden over 200km with this mount and my phone attached to my handle
bars. I have ridden on many different terrains and landscapes including busy
paved city streets and gravel country roads and my phone has been snug and
secure the entire time.
While the mount does hold your phone in place it does come with one minor flaw. After placing a phone into the mount there is a
small swivel of about 15 degrees. This will make for a small annoyance to those
who have light OCD as it will sit just off kilter. You can swivel it back those
few degrees, but after a bump or two it will revert back.
The arms of the spring loaded mount can latch on to most
phones with a 4-5” screen (if you are using a phablet then I’d recommend staying
away from this model). I tried an iPhone 4s, BlackBerry Z10, BlackBerry Q10 and
a HTC One (M8). It can attach with or without your phone case on, just as
advertised.
While the spring arms don’t obstruct the camera lens (which
is great if you want to record your rides), the angle of the mount cannot be
changed without cutting and reattaching cable ties. Therefore filming with this
mount can be a pain. If you are looking for a mount to film with you may want
to check out another one of their products intended for that purpose.
6. Value
I purchased this mount for $28 plus taxes and shipping and
handling. When all was said and done, to have this in my hands, it cost me $45
(CAD). I believe that the mount is worth the $45 (CAD) price tag because you get
a solid phone mount that is universal and doesn’t require any special cases or any
tools to install it.
7. Practicality
The RAM EZ On/Off mount made sense on one of my long haul
rides because I could have my navigation up and running in front of me at all
times. As well as have a tracking app on that would show distance covered,
average speed and more. There was no need to reach into my pocket and stop and
check for these details. For use around town, or for quick bike errands, the
mount has little to no purpose. Without needing navigation or statistics, my
phone just sat on the mount with the screen off the entire time.
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| Phone attached and navigation on |
8. Overall Impressions and Final Scoring
Overall, if you intend to use your phone as your main tool
for navigation, stat tracking or even just as a music player then this mount
will be a great solution. It is sturdy, grips your phone tight and after 200km
of riding it hasn’t once given any indication that the device wasn’t safe.The best part is you don't have to buy another mount when you upgrade your device!
My only complaint is that the mount does rotate just
slightly during rides, but that is more of an OCD issue. Hopefully newer models of this mount will address this issue.
I'd give this product a 4/5 and would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking
to hold their gadgets on their bike.
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| Score: 4 Real Man Beers out of 5 |
You can order this directly from the
manufacturer
here, oryou can try Amazon (that is where I got mine from).
Happy riding!
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