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I currently own an iPhone SE, and have to purchase a new one soon, and costs aside I always preferred touch ID for unlocking the iPhone while on the go, it's one-fewer eye contacts with the phone for unlocking it. To me, face ID seems harder to achieve while mountain biking, so I kept avoiding the models using it.

So my question it to people who mainly do mountain biking, and use iPhones with face ID, how does the face ID unlock performs in comparison with the touch ID one?

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  • Do you mount it on the bars or hold it?
    – Chris H
    Commented Jun 22 at 10:45
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    I usually carry it in my pocket, @ChrisH.
    – Cristik
    Commented Jun 22 at 10:53
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    Mine (Android) is normally on the bars and unlocked for navigation; I can use pattern unlock on wide empty tracks. If I specifically want to take a photo while moving, I stop, get the phone ready, and start again. So a bit too different to offer much help
    – Chris H
    Commented Jun 22 at 10:56
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    IMO Same rules apply to cycling as driving. Mounted phones only. Holding a phone in your hand and trying to operate it while cycling is dangerous. Both on and off the road. Get a proper mount for your phone or pull over and stop. Even with a proper mount try to limit what you are doing. Don't try to responds to texts while riding. A few simple swipes to change between maps and stats are fine, but be careful.
    – Kibbee
    Commented Jun 22 at 11:56
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    If you can look at phone screen without crashing, you are not mountain biking. (Apart from when stopped waiting for your breath or mates to catch up) :)
    – mattnz
    Commented Jun 23 at 6:29

2 Answers 2

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Don't. If you need to use a phone, stop riding briefly for your own safety, and the safety of others around you.

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  • While I do appreciate your advice, as it is on the "preventive driving" direction, I must mention that I never ever use my phone when I feel it's unsafe to. My question was for the situations where it's safe to use it, for example when I'm doing a steep climbing, want to take a photo to a beautiful landscape, and don't want to loose momentum.
    – Cristik
    Commented Jun 22 at 10:21
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    @Cristik I think it's a matter of forming habits. If your habit is that it's ok to use a phone while cycling when (you think) it's safe to do so, you're at a higher risk of trouble. If the habit is not to use a phone, you know you're safe in that respect.
    – pateksan
    Commented Jun 22 at 20:41
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    Plenty of car drivers "never ever use my phone when I feel it's unsafe to." ...and find out how they feel and how physics work is very different.
    – mattnz
    Commented Jun 23 at 0:06
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Personally, Face ID is the only thing that works--I wear gloves when riding, and so I'd have to stop and remove a glove if I wanted to use Touch ID. It's very easy to use Face ID on the move. Just hold the phone up and glance at it for a split second.

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    You should still stop and stand to handle the phone.
    – Willeke ♦
    Commented Jun 23 at 10:27

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