New Bosch SmartphoneGrip – Smart smartphone mount for Bosch ebikes in testing

Use your smartphone as an eBike display

With the new SmartphoneGrip, Bosch provides an intelligent smartphone mount for all owners of the Bosch Smart System equipped bikes.  With this, you can convert your smartphone into an ebike display.  What else can a new ascent do without competition?  We placed it to take a look at to discover it.

_{Bosch SmartphoneGrip |  Price € 49.90 |  Weight 60 g |  Manufacturer’s Website}

With the new Bosch SmartphoneGrip, it replaces your smartphone display and offers easy navigation.  However, the € 49.90 smartphone is exclusively compatible with Bosch’s new smart system.  If your Bosch bike does not have a Kiox 300 display, you will need to reset the bracket. 

If you already have a Kiox 300 display on your bike, mounting the SmartphoneGrip is not easy: remove the Kiox 300 display and attach the SmartphoneGrip to the same bracket.  In some eBooks, the bracket needs to be tilted upwards.  SmartphoneGrip requires more space than the Kiox 300 display and only allows you to mount your smartphone horizontally.

Connect your eBike to the virtual world:

SmartphoneGrip has a completely strong spring-loaded clamping mechanism.  According to Bosch, it can accommodate 67 to 88mm wide and 123 to 175mm smartphones.  It includes our 12-year-old Samsung Galaxy 1 mobile phone with every modern smartphone and 4 ″ display,

Clamps use soft rubber with recesses in the middle so that they do not accidentally push any buttons on the side of your phone. Once in place, your phone will live the same, even though Bosch will most effectively permit drops of up to fifteen cm with the phone’s grip.  There aren’t any jumps. 

However, we have no problems with the phone slipping while riding on the trails – but we don’t make any claims here, so if you destroy your smartphone you can’t hold us liable. 

You can easily remove your phone from the handlebar with a smartphone grip and store it in your backpack if you are dealing with rough terrain and don’t want to risk damaging your smartphone.  Depending on the intended use, you can switch back and forth between the Kiox 300 display for quick post-work trial rides and the SmartphoneGrip for longer, more leisure trips. 

On the other hand, if you are looking for a more permanent solution, you can lock the smartphonegrip’s bracket with the pin so that it is not quickly removed from the handlebars.

SmartphoneGrip is predicated at the equal interface because of the Kiox 300.  Switching among presentations isn’t easy.

SmartphoneGrip not only uses the same interface as the Kiox 300 display, but also uses the same power connections.  As a result, Bosch was able to integrate inductive charging into the smartphone grip, generating a charging current of 1.5 amps at 5 volts. 

If you pay attention during school physics, you’ll know that this corresponds to a 7.5 watts charging output.  Some of these are transmitted as heat in the induction pad.  Inductive charging works best when the distance between the smartphone and the mount is as small as possible and the smartphone does not cover the extra protection case.  When the display is very bright and you are using the navigation mode, SmartphoneGrip will slowly charge your smartphone. 

If you’re expecting a 120-watt high-speed charger that allows you to charge an almost empty smartphone with enough power to last all day during a short ride, you’ll be disappointed.  If the smartphone is currently charging, the window will pop up in the eBike Flow app and the diode on the left side of the mount will glow yellow.  If your smartphone is not compatible with inductive charging, you can use a micro USB-A cable.  With the cable, the charging power is 5 watts.

The small pin confirms that the smartphone is locked to the grip bracket.

If you are using a cable to charge your smartphone, the diode glows blue.  Green means your smartphone is fully charged and if it is flashing in red, there is a bug.  For example, it indicates that the metallic object is interfering with the induction or that the smartphone grip is working hot and needs to be cooled.  However, we have not yet encountered any of these scenarios.

The soft rubber clamps and spring-loaded mechanism ensure the most secure fit.  Thanks to the mid recesses, it does not intentionally push any side buttons.

Weak flood focus!

Smartphones can charge smartphones via a USB cable or induction.  However, the charging output is only 5 watts, and the full charge takes longer than some steep alpine mounts.

Bosch  App

Along with SmartphoneGrip Mount, Bosch has updated the eBike Flow app and introduced the Ride Screen, which enables seamless user experience between smartphone, ebike and rider.  Ride screen also works without smartphone grip. 

If your smartphone is attached to the handlebar and paired with a Bosch LED remote, you can switch back and forth between standard data screens via a map view or remote for navigation.  The navigation function works fine, but the scope of this review does not allow us to go into detail here.  Overall, we were very disappointed when using the Ride Screen with the Bosch LED Remote. 

For the previous generation of Bosch motors, the Bosch smartphone hub and COBI.  The COBI.Bike app has more functions that allow you to track fitness and control your music and answer calls.  In the eBike Flow app, on the other hand, you can actually toggle between two screens.  We are looking forward to adding additional functions during the smart system lifecycle.

The ride screen does not allow you to make any adjustment options, and when using it with the Bosch LED Remote, you are limited to switching between two views.  There is still plenty of room for additional work here.

Smart Functions

The small LED on the left edge serves as an indicator.  Yellow means your smartphone is currently charging.

Bosch SmartphoneGrip offers a secure fit and convenient on-the-move charging functionality to your smartphone.  Thanks to the quick and easy installation, it is very flexible, allowing you to switch between the Kiox 300 display and SmartphoneGrip in the blink of an eye. 

The current software functions of the Bosch eBike Flow app and Ride Screen mode are very limited, though there is nothing to complain about for the rest of the system.

SmartphoneGrip and eBike Lock

Enabling the eBike Lock function through the eBike Flow app lets you use your smartphone as a digital key.  Since motor support can only be enabled with your smartphone and Bluetooth connection, your eBike has no attraction to thieves.

Very easy to operate.

Attach SmartphoneGrip to the handlebar, add your smartphone and open the eBike Flow app.  Done!  While charging your smartphone with SmartphoneGrip, the eBike Flow app shows you the speed of your ride and your eBike battery charge level and safely navigates you to your destination.  With the LED Remote, you control the display on your screen – with your hands securely on your thumb and handlebar.  So you are completely networked and focused on the road.

sources: Bosch