Peak Design Motorcycle Smartphone Mounts Reviewed

Smartphones are now an essential part of our lives—even on motorcycles. Navigation, music, or quick photos are hard to imagine without them. However, when it comes to securely mounting your device on the handlebars, two big names have dominated the market for years: SP Connect and Quadlock Moto. In between, countless no-name brands offer simpler mounts and attachment systems at a low price. Now, Peak Design enters the fray, aiming to give these established giants a run for their money. We've tested their system over thousands of kilometers during the 2025 season to evaluate its performance.

What exactly is Peak Design? The company originated in 2011 from a Kickstarter campaign. Founder Peter Dearing, a civil engineer at the time, took a sabbatical and set off on a world tour—with a motorcycle and camera in tow. He faced a practical problem: where and how to store the camera so it's quickly accessible during a short stop? The solution was simple yet ingenious: a clip that allows the camera to hang directly on the backpack strap. This idea led to Peak Design's first successful Kickstarter campaign, kicking off a brand now recognized for ingenious tech solutions.

In the following years, the product range expanded to include camera bags, backpacks, and later, complete accessory systems for photographers. During the COVID era, smartphone mounts were introduced for the first time. Starting in 2022, Peak Design developed their own motorcycle mounts, with a complete redesign following in 2024. Now, in 2025, the brand enters the next phase with renewed confidence. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, with production taking place in Asia.

While SP Connect and Quadlock rely on mechanical twist-lock mechanisms, Peak Design takes a completely different approach. There's no traditional twisting mechanism and less fuss when securing your device. Instead, the system employs a patented magnetic hook technology.

Magnets inside the smartphone case automatically position it on the mount, where two small metal hooks secure it. Pressing one of the side buttons retracts the hooks, releasing the phone. This process can be completed with one hand, left or right.

In everyday use, the system proves intuitive and practical. The magnetic guidance ensures the smartphone virtually locks itself in place, eliminating the tedious search for the right locking position common with other systems. Removing it is equally simple—a single button press frees the device. For those who often wear gloves or use their camera or phone during quick stops, such a straightforward one-handed operation is invaluable.

A small residual risk remains: if the smartphone is placed very carelessly, the magnets may hold it without the hooks locking in place. This so-called "false positive"—an apparent locking—though rare, can happen. This issue has also occurred with other manufacturers, such as the Quadlock system. With Peak Design, there is at least an audible metallic click when the lock actually engages. If this sound is absent, a quick pull test will immediately reveal whether the smartphone is truly secured.

When I first held the system in my hands, I was honestly skeptical. The small hooks and the thin metal ring initially seemed almost fragile compared to the hefty twist-locks of SP Connect or Quadlock. Can it really hold up when riding over cobblestones, through twisty roads, or even off-road? However, appearances can be deceiving. The central ring of Peak Design is made from zirconium, a lightweight yet extremely durable metal used in aerospace technology and dentistry.

The ultimate stress test for the Peak Design mechanism took place at the Touratech Active Adventure Event. On my Yamaha Ténéré, the system had to prove its mettle. Trails, quarries, motocross tracks—no problem at all. The smartphone remained rock-solid, even without a twist-lock mechanism. Even fairly hard knocks couldn't unsettle the mount.

A perennial issue with motorcycle phone mounts is vibration. iPhones, in particular, are sensitive—their optical image stabilizers can be damaged by constant handlebar vibrations. That's why all manufacturers offer their own vibration dampeners. Peak Design addresses this problem with a rubber layer on the front of the mount to absorb minor vibrations, while the main work is done by six rubber cylinders inside that dampen the vibrations.

I personally traveled nearly 4,000 kilometers with my Samsung S23 Ultra on the Peak Design mount, and my colleague Amelie covered another 1,000 kilometers with her iPhone—the image stabilizers on both remained intact.

Unlike the other two premium manufacturers, Peak Design focuses less on a purely pragmatic case with a plastic finish, aiming instead to make the smartphone casing more appealing. They offer a wider range of colors, and the subtle fabric finish looks more sophisticated than the black rubber cases from SP Connect or Quadlock. Thanks to the slimmer mounting mechanism, they are only 3 millimeters thick, making them significantly sleeker than the competition (6–7 mm) and better suited for wireless charging. The Peak Design Wireless Charger delivers up to 32 watts of power, while other systems max out at 15 watts.

The magnets in the case also allow for plenty of accessories to be attached to the smartphone, such as small cardholders or smartphone tripods. For those needing more protection, the GNAR Case is the way to go. It's more robust and thicker, designed to withstand drops from up to 4.5 meters and protect the charging port with a cover against water and dust.

Whether it's for motorcycles, bicycles, cars, or walls, Peak Design offers a wide variety of mounts for virtually any application, just like the competition. For motorcycles, there are typically mirror, handlebar, and bolt mounts available, and Peak Design is no exception. The first two come with rubber inserts for different diameters, allowing them to be mounted on nearly any bike. Only with very thick handlebars—like those on the BMW R 1300 GS—do you reach the limits of the handlebar clamp, but this is true for other manufacturers as well. One solution from Peak Design for this issue is their tool-free universal mount with a rubber strap and hook, which can be quickly and easily attached to any handlebar.

If mirror mounts are at the lower end and handlebar mounts form the broad middle of the Peak Design mounts, then the charging mount with an integrated vibration dampener and wireless charging capability is the pinnacle. We tested this and the universal mount and found very few issues. The only downside is that the adjustment screw at the rear joint can be awkwardly positioned if the handlebar is cluttered with brake fluid reservoirs and the like. However, the ball joint of the charging mount impresses with maximum flexibility in alignment. The universal mount also allows for practical rotation, and in general, Peak Design mounts offer a very high level of build quality. Perhaps the only real drawback is that Peak Design charges a premium price for this quality.

Peak Design clearly positions itself in the premium segment, even pricing above SP Connect and Quadlock. Standard cases cost around €40, depending on the smartphone model. The robust Gnar Case is priced at about €60. For SP Connect, prices range from €40 to €80 (€80 for an extra robust case variant), while Quadlock prices range from €40 to €45.

When it comes to mounts, the differences between Peak Design and its competitors are even more pronounced, especially with mirror mounts. A hefty €120 is charged for the mirror mount, while the SP Connect equivalent costs only €30 and the Quadlock version €40. However, at the other end of the spectrum, the price gaps aren't as wide. Peak Design's wireless premium mount with vibration dampener costs around €190 but is a complete system. Competitors opt for modular systems, where the charging head and/or vibration dampener are sold separately. This somewhat balances the price difference in practice: SP Connect comes to about €130 (€100 for a vibration-damped charging head + a minimum of €30 for the cheapest mirror mount), and Quadlock to about €143 (€80 for the charging head + €23 for the vibration dampener + a minimum of €40 for the mount) when all modules are combined. Peak Design remains the most expensive system, but it appears more compact, elegant, and better crafted as a complete system—less of a DIY solution, more of a design object.

Perhaps the high prices of Peak Design can be somewhat justified by their commitment to sustainability: According to the company, sustainability is a significant focus. Peak Design regularly publishes an Impact Report, uses recycled materials, and is even Fairtrade-certified—a rarity in this segment. The emphasis is particularly on the sustainability of smartphone cases, as phones and accessories are often replaced every two to three years. Peak Design aims to make this cycle more sustainable—with durable, recycled materials and conscious production.

Peak Design products are available through photography specialty stores as well as motorcycle accessory retailers like Wunderlich. Online, the products can be found in the Peak Design Online Shop and on Amazon. In Austria, shipping costs around €10, but delivery is free for orders over €150—a threshold that's quickly met given the prices.

After years of using SP Connect and Quadlock, and now a season with Peak Design, it is clear that this newcomer can confidently assert itself in the premium segment of smartphone mounts. The locking mechanism is intuitive and practical, the vibration dampener works reliably, and the design is well thought-out down to the last detail. There were few drawbacks, but several unique technical solutions.

Those who are already satisfied with another system don't necessarily need to switch, as SP Connect and Quadlock also offer pragmatic solutions for everyday motorcycle use. However, those looking to equip themselves anew and seeking the best overall package of technology, feel, and pragmatism will find Peak Design to be probably the most elegant smartphone mount for motorcycles currently available.