Garmin ETrex Handle Bar Mount for the Common Man

Here I show you my version of the handlebar mount for the Garmin eTrex GPS handheld unit. The only thing that you really need to buy is a worm drive hose clip from your local harware store (mine cost about Rs.10/-). The wire for the mount can be any stiff length of wire e.g a bicycle spoke.

Tools needed are a plier to bend the wire and a screw to tighten the hose clip. This can be mounted on either a bicycle or motorcycle or maybe even places like a vehicles steering wheel or even a hang glider !!

What makes this so special is it's simplicity and good looks.

Step 1: The Materials

First you need a worm drive hose clip as shown in the picture below. Make sure the diameter of the clip is sufficient for the handle bar you will be mounting it on. Also remember that the wire goes between the clip and the handle bar so the diameter needs to be slightly larger.

Step 2: The Materials 2

Next you need a length of stiff wire. I got mine from a calendar as shown in the picture. A 1 foot length or more of wire should be sufficient to start with. You should be able to use a cycle spoke or whatever is easier to find around the house for the wire. You might want to paint it later to prevent it from rusting.

Step 3: The Tools

You will need a pair of pliers to bend the wire, if you want you can also use a nose plier (the ones with a pointed end) to make the smaller bends.

A screw driver will come in handy to tighten the hose clip and maybe even a file to smoothen out any rough edges at the ends of the wire (you don't want to scratch you eTrex).

Step 4: Bending the Wire

The picture here shows how I bent the wire to wrap around the eTrex. The wire had to be bent in such a was that the eTrex could be easily removed but also grip the unit firmly enough for it not to fall off on rough roads.

A piece of cellophane/scotch tape is double folded (sticky side inward) at the top to prevent the eTrex from sliding as a precaution.

After several uses the wire may get loose (i.e. not grip unit as firmly) but can easily be bent by hand with the eTrex removed to bring it to it's original shape.

To attach the hose clip, unscrew the worm and straighten out the clip a bit. Then wrap it around the handle bar and insert the open end back into the worm and tighten it slightly.

After mounting the eTrex the whole assembly might need to be bent a little to adjust the angle of the eTrex depending on where/how you mount the clip.

Step 5: And Finally

And here is a close up of the finished handle bar mount with the eTrex in place. The pictures were taken with my mobile phone so they are not as clear as I wanted them to be but hopefully you will not have a problem understanding it.

It might be a little tricky at first to insert and remove the eTrex but it just takes some getting used to. My eTrex has a plastic cover (from a water bottle) to prevent any scratches but that is another story.

The steps used here can be used to construct handle bar mounts for other devices (just have to bend the wire differently) e.g mobile phones, multimeters etc.

And last but not the least, remember to keep your eye on the road and not the eTrex, the GPS unit is of no use if you can't get to your destination in one piece !!!