Camera damage in handlebar-mounted phones?

[Jeremy McCreary]

Over the last 4 years, I've had the telephoto cameras in 3 different Samsung Galaxy Note20 phones lose their normally sharp focus. (The first 2 were replaced for other reasons.)

All three have logged many hundreds of miles on my ebike handlebars — mostly on QuadLock out-front mounts like the one shown. That exposure includes a good bit of rough hardpack and cobble. No other pertinent phone issues.

Recently read that this is a known problem with high-end phone cameras mounted on MOTORCYCLE handlebars. The culprit: High-frequency vibrations coming from internal combustion MOTORCYCLE engines.

Apple has acknowledged damage of this kind to the image stabilization and auto-focus mechanisms in certain iPhone cameras mounted on MOTORCYCLES. In response, QuadLock has introduced a vibration dampener for its MOTORCYCLE phone mounts.

QuadLock says that the dampener is NOT needed for phones on BICYCLE bars because the damaging high-frequency vibrations don't occur in bicycles. However, they also said that it's compatible with their PRO out-front bicycle mount.

About to purchase a new Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra phone. I really like my phone on my bars and really don't want a computer there instead. But also don't want to trash yet another high-end phone camera.

Q. Anyone have direct experience with this problem on a BICYCLE?

@Stefan Mikes , I know a Wahoo or Garmin computer on the bars would circumvent this problem, but that's not what I'm asking here.

 

[CanNik]

Simple answer don't mount phones on a bike.

IF you need to then use foam between the mount and handlebars, such as amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CPPL34G7?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1

Wrapped losesly(ish) round the bar before mounting clamp

 

[Stefan Mikes]

@Stefan Mikes , I know a Wahoo or Garmin computer on the bars would circumvent this problem, but that's not what I'm asking here.

I have the right to remain silent

Q. Anyone have direct experience with this problem on a BICYCLE?

Three damaged smartphones on a Quadlock mean a lot of a direct experience My S21U lost the focus because I used it on the bars.

Why not continue using your S20 just instead of a GPS bike computer but use your S25 for anything else, like photography?

 

[Chargeride]

You would think, given the plethora of movement detectors in phones, that you could set it in a protection mode where excessive vibration either warns you or electronically locks the lenses in a safe mode.
It seems on investigation that the vibration affects the microscopic gyros and magnets used for focusing and optical image stabilisation.
Gopros dont have either, so seem far less affected.

 

[stompandgo]

My phone rides in my jersey, so I don't have experience with your mount, but I've owned an S25+ since release. It's a great phone with great camera lenses. The Ultra is even better. I'd do whatever I could to protect it if it was on the bars.

It looks like one of their motorcycle handlebar mounts with the vibration adapter could work on your bike. You might have to play with the shims and the securing bolt length, but I bet that would work.

 

[Base]

mount the vibration damper on your outfront?

Might not be compatible with your current holder... although I cannot see exactly how yours is assembeld.

 

[stompandgo]

From what I could see, the bike mounts don't have that serrated base that is needed for the damper. OP might know.

 

[6zfshdb]

I can't say I've ever damaged a cell phone on my bars, since I always carry mine in a pocket, but I have trashed a couple of automotive GPS devices. You are correct about the culprit being the high frequency vibration.

When I installed a Redshift ShockStop stem, the problem disappeared.

ShockStop Suspension Stem for Gravel, Road and Mountain Bikes

The minimal design of the ShockStop Stem blends seamlessly with the aesthetic of modern bikes, while reducing fatigue and strain. Along with the ShockStop Suspension Seatpost, this system works together to suspend the rider and smooth out rough terrain on the bike you already own, making your...

redshiftsports.com

The trick is to install a single light (yellow) elastomer.
It does make the bars feel a little "spongy", which serious MTB riders might find annoying, but I like the fact that it also eases my wrist discomfort.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I can't say I've ever damaged a cell phone on my bars, since I always carry mine in a pocket, but I have trashed a couple of automotive GPS devices. You are correct about the culprit being the high frequency vibration.

When I installed a Redshift ShockStop stem, the problem disappeared.

View attachment 201607

ShockStop Suspension Stem for Gravel, Road and Mountain Bikes

The minimal design of the ShockStop Stem blends seamlessly with the aesthetic of modern bikes, while reducing fatigue and strain. Along with the ShockStop Suspension Seatpost, this system works together to suspend the rider and smooth out rough terrain on the bike you already own, making your...

redshiftsports.com

The trick is to install a single light (yellow) elastomer.
It does make the bars feel a little "spongy", which serious MTB riders might find annoying, but I like the fact that it also eases my wrist discomfort.

He has a Future Shock, probably even better than the ShockStop

 

[6zfshdb]

He has a Future Shock, probably even better than the ShockStop

The only real shock I got was "sticker shock" from the pricetag.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

From what I could see, the bike mounts don't have that serrated base that is needed for the damper. OP might know.

Yes, doesn't fit on the regular out-front, but as I mentioned, it does fit on the out-front PRO, which I have on my other ebike.

 

[stompandgo]

Looks like you have your solution, then.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Three damaged smartphones on a Quadlock mean a lot of a direct experience My S21U lost the focus because I used it on the bars.

I'm an evidence-based guy. Given that correlation ≠ causation, what's your evidence that your camera issue was really caused by being on a BICYCLE bar?

QuadLock did a lot of testing to identify and specifically target the damaging frequencies with their dampener. Their site has a pretty compelling discussion and video of all that.

That puts them in a position to say with some confidence that those frequencies DO NOT occur on BICYCLES. And they specifically say that the dampener isn't needed on bicycles.

It also implies that the dampener might not do much for the frequencies that DO occur on BICYCLES.

Hard to know what to act on here.

Why not continue using your S20 just instead of a GPS bike computer but use your S25 for anything else, like photography?

Definitely worth a try if I can keep the Note20 (not S20) without losing a big trade-in discount. Some of the Specialized app's functionality depends on internet access, which I generally wouldn't have on the road then. But that might still be OK for my purposes.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

My phone rides in my jersey, so I don't have experience with your mount, but I've owned an S25+ since release. It's a great phone with great camera lenses. The Ultra is even better. I'd do whatever I could to protect it if it was on the bars.

It looks like one of their motorcycle handlebar mounts with the vibration adapter could work on your bike. You might have to play with the shims and the securing bolt length, but I bet that would work.

Thanks. See my last post.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

mount the vibration damper on your outfront?

View attachment 201605

Might not be compatible with your current holder... although I cannot see exactly how yours is assembeld.

Thanks. See my next to last post.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Looks like you have your solution, then.

Not exactly.

 

[DaveMatthews]

So far so good for me. Have had 3 or so different phones on my bars of two different bikes over 7 years.
That being said, I have front suspension forks, and I'd say the phone is on the bars around 50/50 or 60/40 of the time. Otherwise it's in my shirt pocket.

 

[stompandgo]

Not exactly.

You have an option worth trying, then.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Just a technical note: Vibration engineering is very tricky stuff. A dampener that helps in one frequency band can easily have no effect or even make things worse in another.

So, throwing a dampener tuned for damaging MOTORCYCLE engine frequencies (as the QuadLock dampener was) on a BICYCLE doesn't guarantee the desired phone protection.

In fact, QuadLock says the dampener's of no real benefit on a BICYCLE. As they put it elsewhere, "It's not for bumps in the road." And to my mind, bumps are the only real concern on a BICYCLE — even an ebike.

https://support.quadlockcase.com/hc/en-us/articles/6880418823311-Vibration-Dampener

Conclusion: The dampener won't be part of my solution.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I'm an evidence-based guy. Given that correlation ≠ causation, what's your evidence that your camera issue was really caused by being on a BICYCLE bar?

No hard evidence except...

A photo from S21 U that spent a lot of time on the bars...

And a photo from S24 U that was always transported in my pocket on the rides

I was thinking you could invest in an inexpensive smartphone with a prepaid SIM card but then thought The Solution That Mustn't Be Mentioned would cost money, too