The Fidlock Vacuum Turn Base for GPS Mounts offers a highly secure and convenient solution for mounting your smartphone on your bike. By using magnets paired with the grip of a vacuum seal, this mount provides rock-solid stability without requiring a proprietary phone case, making it an excellent option for any cyclist looking to use their phone on the bike.
Design and operation
The system comprises two elements: the Vacuum Uni Phone Patch – a low-profile, adhering magnet sticker that attaches to the back of your existing phone or case – and the Vacuum Turn Base, which is compatible with any existing Garmin quarter-turn mount.
This universal approach is a major plus. It’s nice not to need a special case and the sticker is very low profile, creating no major day-to-day hardship.
In use, the mounting action is fantastic. You simply place your phone near the mount, the magnets instantly help it find its home, and then the suction cup forms an incredibly strong vacuum seal.
To remove the phone, you press down on a ring that’s part of the base to remove the suction and it’s then just magnetism holding the two parts together.
Crucially, the system is designed not to interfere with technology such as NFC, ensuring features like tap-to-pay remain functional. That said, a large magnet does mean you won’t be able to charge wirelessly.
Stability and ride quality
Security is where the Fidlock Vacuum truly shines. It is incredibly stable on the road, remaining reassuringly firm even over rough UK roads. The design includes a level of bump absorption built-in, which helps to protect your phone from vibrations.
The magnetic and vacuum combination ensures that your phone stays exactly where you put it, which is essential for navigation or performance tracking. You can also easily rotate the phone through 360 degrees once it’s attached’ – whether you want landscape, portrait, or something ‘off on the wonk’ – to achieve your desired viewing angle.
Ecosystem and value
The primary curiosity of this setup is that it requires a Garmin, Wahoo or Sigma-compatible mount already installed on your bike, or you’ll need to purchase one separately. While this might seem odd, it’s also a significant upside: if you frequently swap between a dedicated cycling head unit (like a Garmin) and your phone, the Fidlock Vacuum allows you to use one single mount for both devices.
The base and patch pairing comes in just shy of £40 (£24.99 for the base and £14.99 for the phone patch). This might feel expensive for a system that doesn’t include the out-front mount itself. However, when compared to a similar stick-on approach with a dedicated out-front mount from competitors like Quad Lock, which can run you just shy of £50, the Fidlock offers a premium experience at a slightly lower entry cost (provided you already own a compatible Garmin mount).
Fidlock also offers a full ecosystem of compatible mounts for the car, desk, and other locations, making the initial investment more worthwhile if you value a consistent mounting solution across different activities.
One of the latest offerings from Quad Lock is their stem cap mount, this replaces a spacer above your stem, it requires a special case for your phone, and the mount alone is £30. Jack thought it worked really well though, and said it functioned well, but it isn’t totally universal.
A different approach is the Lezyne smart vice mount, which bands on to your bars and clamps your phone, using a screw on the side. Mike said it worked very well and held his phone well, but rattled without a phone. It comes in at £31, and doesn’t need anything special on your phone or case, but it isn’t quite as streamlined an approach.
Conclusion
I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the Vacuum mount from Fidlock. It’s rock solid, totally reassuring on the road, and the universal patch is a brilliant feature for those who don’t want a permanent, bulky case. If you are looking for a highly secure, convenient, and visually clean way to mount your phone, and you already own (or don’t mind purchasing) a quarter turn-compatible base, this should be a very strong option for you.
Verdict
Well made, easy to use phone mount
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Fidlock Vacuum Turn Base for GPS Mount
Size tested: One Size
Tell us what the product is for and who it’s aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?
Fidlock says: “In addition to the magnetic suction cup with operating lever, the Vacuum turn base consists of a connecting element that enables connection to all common bayonet mounts for bike computers from Garmin, Wahoo and Sigma. Thus, the smartphone is easily and quickly attached and thus the perfect navigator for on the go.
“In addition to the two alternative positioning options for smartphones on the bike – aheadcap and handlebar – the turn base was also developed with the needs of riders who already have a bayonet mount installed and do not want an additional mount on their handlebars. With this “adapter”, the Vacuum smartphone mount can be combined with the existing bayonet mount.
“The Vacuum phone mount uses a unique combination of a suction cup element and magnets to securely attach phones to different application areas.”
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
For installation to the bike’s Garmin, Wahoo and Sigma bayonet mounting
One-handed attachment and detachment of the smartphone
Smartphone can be rotated 360° when attached
No interference with electronics
Fits all Vacuum smartphone cases
A well made and reassuring product.
It works really well, so long as you follow the instructions.
It’s well made, so longevity should not be a problem.
It adds some weight to your set up, but nothing serious.
There are cheaper and more expensive options out there, but this feels polished.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well. I’ve been thoroughly impressed and its done exactly what I wanted.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
It’s so quick and easy to chuck on or off.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
It would be nice if wireless charging still worked.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It’s a little more than the Lezyne option, but a bit less than a Quad Lock.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? If I had shorter commutes
Would you recommend the product to a friend? If they want their phone on the bike, then yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
A well made, well thought out option for those who want their phone on the bike with them.
About the tester
Age: 25 Height: 174 Weight: 78
I usually ride: Storck Aerfast My best bike is:
I’ve been riding for: 10-20 years I ride: Every day I would class myself as: Expert
I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, commuting, touring, club rides, fixed/singlespeed, mtb,
2 thoughts on “Fidlock Vacuum Turn Base for GPS Mount”
Does the magnet affect the
Does the magnet affect the phone’s navigation? I had a case that used a magnet to hold the cover closed and the phone couldn’t show direction correctly when in the case.
I haven’t found that to be the case for me personally, but it might well be a phone by phone thing.