I was looking around this site, trying to find information / examples of non-standard (out of the box), phone or GPS cradles and while was able to find here or there, some pictures / examples - I thought it may be good idea to start a new discussion, in which readers will be able to present their projects and share their ideas / direction how to build a cradle that fit their unit. So let me start with my work (I assume it will help if people will use the following template) : Phone / GPS Model: Kyocera DuraForce XD + Protech Case (Great information about this phone in the following discussion : http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/ultra-rugged-kyocera-phones-gps-smartphones-my-guide.1206076/) Material used: Bought few pieces of aluminum parts in Lowes (Deck Connectors) + Ram mount ball (which I disassembled from a Garmin cradle) + Motorcycle Ram mount kit Cost: ~$10 (for the Aluminum parts - I have used for the cradle) Tools: Vise to bend the Aluminum (building the cradle - Could actuality do it in the store :) ) + Drill + Metal saw Difficulty: Easy, As much as I am non technical guy, I worked on it ~ 2 hours, mostly as I didn't planned the work before, just tried to build it on the fly Remarks: Still need to install the charger which I'm planning to do using a Pogo connectors (See the link about this phone - seems that it is not difficult to install the right charging to the connectors on the back of the phone) Pictures: Material - After bending. Kit after finishing the assembly :
so...for those that don't mind heavy duty velcro works fantastic to keep these units put. Simply place a strip or two on the back side of the phone like so (don't have the cradle with me to show strips on it): It makes a huge difference and you barely need anything on the sides to keep it in place.
Made a cross bar for phones/gps to mount to... Then mounted my "Schwinn" phone mount... $12.00 from Wally World. Works great, holds the phone tight. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-...75035&wl11=online&wl12=47369022&wl13=&veh=sem
A couple of brackets ($5) an old handlebar, a hacksaw, some paint and a $6 ebay GPS case: With "Glove Mode" turned on, the touchscreen on the 6" Asus mobile works with gloves through the clear plastic of the case.
I really like the mounts that will flex when I crash. I happened across the page advertising Finn bike mounts, but the shipping wouldn't make it in time for the ride I was taking... then I found this site http://www.dotmana.com/weblog/2014/09/dirt-cheap-diy-smartphone-bike-mount/ and cut an inner tube to their pattern. it worked great, and I made a bunch of the, used them on hundreds of miles if single track, DS rides, and some street. I caved in a few weeks ago and bought another style from amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N...amObsidian&dpPl=1&dpID=41fHry2w3IL&ref=plSrch that I like even better. it uses a belt/latch to secure the mount to the bars, and regular old loops for the phone. this is a lot faster/easier to swap between bikes, and you can leave the phone in the mount for pictures, just undo the belt and go do whatever.
A bit off-topic but in the DIY Spirit, some of the GPSPHONES have external power connections, so you will might want to make some kind of power connector. My casio commando has external power pads on the side I used pogo pins on my casio commando , I got a bag with 100 units from eBay for 1 or 2€ but I got the very small ones 1.3mm I think . So I solder them together in pairs then push them thought a piece of plastic Then solder a blob so the pins won't get pushed back when inserting the phone in the mount. Solder the wires to the pogo pins and cover with heat shrink tubbing The power supply is glued to the back of the mount, so if I need to move it to another bike, i just have to disconnect and unplug one single unit
I was just going to buy a 2nd case for my phone (~$5 on Amazon) then mount it to the bike. Pop the hone out and into the one on the bike when I ride. Easy.
I have an Otterbox case for my iPhone , it came with a belt holster. I cut off the belt clip, and glued a Ram ball to the back [using Goop adhesive] and I can switch it easily between 2 bikes and my truck. been working great for a couple years now.
I picked this up on Amazon and bought several of the elastic straps as extra security. This is well made, bolts to the handle bars and rotates for landscape viewing. There is even a nipple in the allen head screw so you need a special allen head wrench to get it off the bike. This seems quite well thought out and executed.