REVIEW – We do a lot of stuff on our phones. Even non-gadget folks are nearly joined bio-mechanically to these slabs of glass, silicon, and metal. Due to my habitual enjoyment of biking (I’m not addicted! I can quit any time I want to!), I was really excited when Julie offered the team a motorcycle-quality phone mount for handlebars – The ZS-288 Motorcycle Phone Mount from JoyRoom. I’ve not placed my phone in any holder before, but I thought if it was secure enough, it might be ok. This being rated to 100 mph, I felt it might be secure enough.
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $15.99
Where to buy: Amazon
What is it?
The JoyRoom ZS-288 is a clamp-on, shock-resistant cradle for phones designed to fit a wide range of handlebar diameters.
What’s included?
- Handlebar clamp
- Four-point star holder for phone
Tech specs
1 Click, Auto Lock- 2022 latest motorcycle phone mount features with an upgraded auto lock button. 4 arms will auto-lock your phone with a click, and unlock by pressing both sides. Real one-hand operation. Thanks to the solid structured inner mechanism, the lock button won’t get stuck (tested to withstand 3000+ times press)
Hold Your Phone Like A Vise- Both the clamp and mount are cushioned for protection of the phone and handlebar. Has a high-speed lock switch, so you can double lock your phone when you ride a bumpy road. No worry your phone will vibrate loose when you hit 100mps
Solid Reinforced Ball-Joint- The bicycle phone mount is equipped with an upgraded robust ball part, which is made of military-grade A+ material with high tenacity, effectively solving the problem of snapping off. Good choice for long-term use
360° Adjustable- Thanks to the universal ball design, the bike cell phone holder is all-round adjustable, you can pivot the phone enough to any angle. A silicone pad is also filled into the thread, which can secure the angle from loosing up while you’re riding
Wide Compatibility- The bike phone holder is compatible with handlebars from 0.7” to 1.34”, you can use it on your ATV, scooter, stroller, Peloton, etc. Cellphone from 4.7” to 7”, thickness (with case)≤0.71”, supports iPhone, Samsung, LG, Google Pixel, Motorola One Plus, etc. (Note: iPhone 13 Pro Max with Otterbox case is not compatible)
Design and features
The JoyRoom handlebar mount arrives in two pieces: a mount that attaches to the handlebars, and a phone holder that fits into a ball joint on that mount and is tightened with a screw-tight collar. It’s a pretty typical setup if you’re familiar with mounting things to handlebars. The mount, however, is far more highly engineered than any I have seen before. It is a two-jawed clamp, rather than a strap that circles the whole bar or a ring that is held together with a screw clamp. Here’s a better-than-average clamp for a handlebar light (right) compared to the JoyRoom clamp (left). Add to the fact that it’s more secure and mounts in a third the time, it’s a pretty amazing comparison.
The single turn-screw tightens both jaws in unison, and the padded jaws encircle the handlebars and grip it without having to be locked or screwed into place. The knob on the side of the clamp fits into the socket on the back of the cradle, and the collar is tightened around the wings of the socket, holding the cradle in place.
The cradle itself has four corner cups, which are geared internally to move in or out together. A side release pinch trigger is used to open these cups. There is a center release button that will automatically bring in the cups with a spring action when a device is placed inside the mount and pressed down. A safety lock on the rear of the unit (guarded from rogue branches and accidental finger flips) prevents the corner cups from opening. (That’s the red tab on the back of the mount in the photo above.)
When you’re ready to retrieve your phone, you unlock the safety lock and pinch the side wings. The corner cups release your little slab of glass into your hand and now it’s up to you to protect it.
Inside the corner cups is a red silicone material, which both grips the phone and dampens any vibrations that may emanate from the handlebars.
Assembly, Installation, Setup
- Attach the mount to the handlebar. The knob should be pointed toward the rider.
- Attach the collar loosely over the socket wings.
- Snap the knob into the socket.
- Tighten the collar fully at the desired angle.
Performance
Installation was simple – much simpler than many of the other items I have clamped to handlebars over the past few decades. There was no need for tools, fiddly bits of grippy material to slip inside the ring to make it tight, endlessly spinning a wing clamp around and testing to see if it was the correct size or not. Just open the jaws wide enough to fit over the handlebars, cinch the nice, man-hand-sized turn screw tight, and your mount is on the handlebars. Securely. Snap the socket over the knob and tighten the collar with the holder where you want it.
To open, you pinch the two side wings together, and the spring-loaded mechanism opens all four corners at once, and they lock into place. When you put in your phone, there is a release button that snaps all four corner cups back around your Precious, um, I mean your phone, and it’s locked in place. There’s a safety lock on the back of the holder to prevent anything from opening the mechanism.
I was texting with a friend before going out on a quick ride one day with the JoyRoom mount attached. About halfway into the ride, they texted me back, and I decided to just send a quick video back.
I was quite surprised by the quality of the video – or, rather, the stability of it. Sure, I was riding through a neighborhood and there were few bumps in the roadway, but it gave me an idea. The trails I ride on are mostly paved (maybe a 2-3 inch layer of asphalt), but have been in place in my neighborhood with only minimal repairs for 20-30 years. The tree roots have made some areas quite rippled. I have had things that were cable-tied to my bikes fall off while riding these trails. So, here’s a little video compilation. Don’t pay attention to my rambling. Look at the stability of the video.
Final thoughts
I’ve been using handlebar attachments for bikes since the Kennedy administration. From lights to bells to holders for my spray bottle to fend off the dogs on my paper route, I have attached them in myriad different ways. The JoyRoom was the first I’ve seen with this new two-jaw attachment with the solid stud to pop the socket over. Most have been a wrap-around or two fairly rigid pieces that are screwed together loosely and then tightened up with any number of thin shims of vinyl or rubber or silicone that inevitably slip out and become loose.
What I like about the JOYROOM Motorcycle Phone Mount
- Very fast mounting
- Rock solid anti-shake
- Very secure, yet easily opened mounting bracket
What needs to be improved?
- Nothing! Now, make one for my larger lights!
Price: $15.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by JoyRoom. Joyroom did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
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$50.00 (as of June 1, 2025 17:54 GMT -04:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
