Having a phone mounted on a bike is a must-have distraction tool for indoor biking. Watching videos on YouTube and Netflix movies have transformed my indoor biking into entertainment with suffering. Social media breaks, checking notifications, and sending texts are much easier to do when the phone is right in front of you.

While riding on Zwift, the phone also becomes an extension of the game. I use Zwift Companion App to keep an eye on my heart rate while giving "ride-ons" and chatting with other Zwifters.

Here is my current phone set up on an indoor triathlon bike:

The set up didn't come easy. I've been experimenting for the last four years with different off the shelves phone mounts. Some worked better than others, but all had either bulky cases or overbuilt clamps. After all, they were designed to protect the phone outdoors.

I wanted a simpler, minimal solution to mount a phone. The solution that would allow reusing Garmin mounts already installed on the bike.

Here is my solution:

Phone Adapter + Magnetic Mount

1. Garmin mount gets to be reused for a phone.

2. The phone only needs to have a thin metal plate attached to it.

3. The magnet is strong enough to keep the phone in place at different angles.

4. Multiple phones can use the same mount. 

First, you'll need a phone adapter. I'm using a $12.99 KOM Cycling Phone Adapter:

Garmin Phone AdapterBy utilizing the same quarter turn system as the Garmin Edge series, the Universal Phone Adapter allows you to mount your smartphone to any Garmin Edge mount making a garmin cell phone mount. This creates a simple and affordable way for you to attach your smartphone to your bike's handlebar.komcycling.com

KOM Cycling makes phone adapters for Garmin and Wahoo. I bought a cheaper mount on Amazon, which worked, but wasn't as secure as one from KOM.

Second, you'll need a magnetic mount. I'm using a $14.99 Scosche MagiMount Surface:

MagicMount™ SurfaceMagnetic Mount for Mobile Deviceswww.scosche.com

Scosche makes many Magic Mounts for all kinds of tasks. The one you need is MagicMount Surface. I've used many of their other mounts at home and in the car. Once you go with magnetic mounts, you start seeing so many other applications for them.

These are the two parts of the phone mounting puzzle - Magnetic Mount and a Phone Adapter.

The phone adapter and the magnet mount have adhesive backings:

Remove the protective film and carefully sandwich them on top of each other. The adhesive is incredibly strong, so you only get one shot.

Scosche MagicMount Surface comes with two thin metal plates. I recommend using the larger plate for stronger magnetic connection and flexibility of placing the phone at different angles.

Mount the plate on the outside or inside of the case. You can also directly attach it to the phone.

Test the adhesion and the magnetic connection.

The magnetic sandwich mount at least doubles the thickness of the phone, making it sit higher on the Garmin mount.

The magnetic sandwich mount can easily be moved from bike to bike. Here it is mounted on a road bike:

Magnetic attachment allows the phone to be mounted at any angle. Here is a phone in portrait orientation:

The same phone turned to landscape orientation.

Extra magnetic mounts always come in handy for placing a phone on the table for charging.

Keep on watching videos, while phone is charging.

I'm hoping that manufacturers like KOM Cycling or Scosche will stumble upon this idea. As much as I like my magnetic sandwich mounts, I'd love to buy it as a single product.