Tandem Cycling - Communications Equipment - What do you use?

I posted this in the general discussion area (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=578010), and was told I should ask those who tandem ride. Do any of you use radio headsets to talk to each other? If so what are they and what is available that I might not be aware of. I looked at some throat mics, and thought about using some walkie talkie style radios with either Vox or Push to talk.

Vocal cords and ears.

See this thread:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=547497

Don't use any device.
Have seen folks using a device called TandemTalk.

Vocal cords and ears.

Ditto. No need to make this complicated.

I googled Tandem talk also and found you can no longer get them. Now, it's tandemCom. I'd like to know some opinions as well. I checked the other thread and didn't get much from it except that many don't care for them. BUT, I see a lot of people using them so....

Dan,
I would definitely recommend the interphone. The audio quality is great and there is no wind noise. You do have to buy two behind-the-ear audio headsets and hack them up and the electronics velcro'ed to the helmet looks a bit geek, but for us it is so much easier to communicate. My high frequency hearing isn't great and it's much worse on the left so I was constantly turning my head to hear my stoker.

Alternate - find a male or female stoker with a really deep voice.

I would definitely recommend the interphone. The audio quality is great and there is no wind noise. You do have to buy two behind-the-ear audio headsets and hack them up and the electronics velcro'ed to the helmet looks a bit geek ....

Actually, I think we look a bit like Borg! "We are Borg. Resistance is futile!" (Guess you have to be a Star Trek fan!)

Anyway Dan, here's a review I wrote on most of available units on the market, plus a "how to" on making your own neckbands for the Interphone system, (with pics).

http://billnmaggi.tandemrides.com/2008/07/13/blueant_interphone/

Hope it helps.

Just turn your head and scream, "pedal harder Woman!!!

-1. Not going there. Bad captain!

Just turn your head and scream, "pedal harder Woman!!!

Let us know how that works out for you. :D

Bump.

Tinymite and I rode the Door County Century a couple of weeks ago. We rode the metric century. We used our new BlueAnt Interphone headsets for the first time. We really liked them.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=440741&highlight=interphone

+1 on the Interphone. We're getting at least 6 hours of "on time" with ours. Yes, it's Borg-like, but we find that it increases togetherness quotient. Only downside - between rechargable taillight batteries, two GPS and the Interphone I've got way too much electronics to think about when getting ready.

I suggested to my stoker that I should maybe spring for some communications device, as quite often we're in traffic, and I'll say something, and she'll shout back, "I can't hear you!" But she thinks it's all a waste of money, and would create more unforeseen problems than the one hearing problem it would solve.

However, there is one application of wireless units I think would be useful, and that is when you're at a large rest stop on an organized ride. The two of you can then wander about and then let the other know that you want to get going without having to go searching for them.

At any rate, if you do purchase a communication system, I think the first requirement is that it needs to be wireless. Who needs to be tethered together on the bike?

Luis

The Interphone with its long range (>450 ft) also works well on singles. My wife prefers that I ride in front 'cause whe tends to work harder. I lost my mirror a few days ago and complained yesterday that I wouldn't know how far back she is; bingo, problem solved by Interphone. She said (and I'm paraphrasing) "If I don't like what you are doing you'll be the first to know".

Rest Stops: yeah, 450 ft. covers a lot of ground including Portapotty detours. Sometimes more than you want to know.

The Interphone with its long range (>450 ft) also works well on singles .... 450 ft. covers a lot of ground

We use ours on our singles, too. Makes for a much safer ride on road or trail. No need to ride side-by-side to hold a conversation.

We tend to draft each other anyway, but for those that don't, if your riding partner falls too far back, you start to hear a bit of static. Clues you in. (For some reason the slower rider always hates to ask the leader to ease off the pace!)

Also a big help when I'm watching the bike and the convenience store is out of fruit punch Gatorade! Instead of having to run back and forth, Maggi just reads me a list of what they do have from right in front of the display case! Handy!

http://aaronendre.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/megaphone-girl.jpg


:D



.

+1. Ideal stoker equipment properly manufactured of CF and titanium, of course.

On our Screamer tandem, we have no trouble communicating with each other, unaided.
So we don't really need electronics on our tandem.

I used to ride single bikes with an older gentleman who has some hearing problems. That was a royal pain, because I had to repeat *everything*. We stopped riding together.

Often in group rides, when the group splits, we will use cell phones to reconnect. I ride with a bluetooth earpiece, and find it both effective and comfortable. I usually have a voice recognition tag for someone else in the group, and can dial using the earpiece, just by speaking the person's name.

Some manufacturers now make BT earpieces which will connect to each other like a walkie talkie, but BT Class 1 is the most powerful, and is only good for about 100 yds, unobstructed.

I have a pair of older Motorola FRS handhelds, good for about 2 miles, and recently got one throat mic setup for. Various throat mics and ear inserts are available for paintball players. This will work between bikes in rural areas with crappy cell coverage.