Advocacy & Safety - Music using speakers?

Most of my rides are 30 miles or more and I'm getting ready for the annual, two-day 180 mile trip. This year, I'd like to make use of my new iPod and take the music along, but I'm not a fan of earphones while riding (at least not in both ears at the same time).

Has anyone found a pair of lightweight speakers to put on their bike? I'm switching to a LWB recumbent this year, so it shouldn't be a problem finding a place to hook them up.

I'm interested to see what's been done.

Thanks,

KJL

I think you would have trouble overcoming wind and road noise.

I never tried this, but it might be worth a try to mount some small speakers into your helmet. Try it with an old helmet and tell us how it works.

I have a handle-bar mounted bicycle radio from Radio Shack. It works "O.K." If it is noisy, then you can barely hear the radio.

Of course, motorcycles have panel mounted speakers, so it must be possible to rig up something. Maybe you could consult with a motorcycle shop. One thing I can tell you is that battery boosted speakers work MUCH better than speakers simply run off of the player.

Originally posted by mike
I never tried this, but it might be worth a try to mount some small speakers into your helmet.
Oftentimes I have heard music playing, only to turn and see it is coming from a set of earphones!

If earphones can do this, it must be possible to remove the little speaker-thingies and attach them to the helmet somewhere near enough the ears to hear the music without blocking out other noises. Perhaps mounting them in front of the ears, rather than behind or above them, would be most effective, in a similar way that police sirens are louder as they approach, but diminish quickly after passing. It has something to do with a "bunching up" of the forward-travelling sound waves in front of the moving noisemaker. It also accounts for the "sonic boom" effect. (This has a scientific name that escapes me, though I believe Velocipedio may remember it. ;) )

OH YES! I remember: the "Doppler effect."

(Mike, I AM serious!)

Hi, this was the closest thread I could find to a topic I am interested in.

Does anyone have recommendations for mounted radios? I am, basically, a talk radio addict, and it would be great to have an all-weather, non-headphones radio mounted on my bike for the daily 25-minute commute (mostly bike lane).

Particularly crucial are 1: good reception and 2: hearability (loud).

Here are some of the possibilities that turn up on a search:

A Froogle search for bicycle mounted radios (http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=bicycle+FM+radio)

Any models that anyone can recommend/not recommend?

This can be done, there are small speakers with amps built right in you can find them at Raido Shack and other stores. I plan on doing the same thing with My Screamer. But I will use rechageable battureys for the speakers and cd player, I will rechage one set as we ride using the SON dino hub on the front of the bike.

Here is the kind of thing they have on ebay for bike radios:

I hope this link works (http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?cgiurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Fws%2F&MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&query=radio&categoryid=&ht=1&category4=7295&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&BasicSearch=&from=R2&catref=C3)

...the question with getting stuff from radio shack would be (1) all weather? and (2) can it be mounted on the bike? Presumably you've solved these problems...

Rain, rain go away....

When it rains I just put the speakers in the bags. Mounting the speakers can be done many ways. On a bent you can use velco to mount them to the back of the seat.

I have also bought speakers in dollor stores, so if a pair gets ruined in the rain its not a big deal. If you want water proof look for a pair with plastic cones, then open the speaker with the amp inside and cover it with epoxy, or hot glue.

Extreame bike sound

http://www.weid.org/Trips%20&%20Outdoors/Bicycle/Bike%20Sound%20System/Bike-sound.htm

Bring on the FLAMES:D

I have a Sony digital portable radio that is made for jogers etc. It straps on your arm and run the speeker wire inside your shirt. The speekers sorta hang in your ear canal and don't block out outside noise, like autos sneeking up on you, unless you turn them extremly loud. I can cary on a normal conversation with them on and have never had an auto sneek up on me while using them and I don't think they distract from my riding. They even block some of the cold air from entering your ear in the winter.:D

Try this
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16511&highlight=bike+radio

This looks to be the ultimate page:

http://www.mikebentley.com/bike/radios.htm

I think I'm going to try out the Emerson Bicycle Radio even though it's pretty big, it's only $15 +shipping at the Emerson website -- ironically it bid for 22+shipping on ebay, and others have starting bids up near $30.

I'll let you know what I think when I get it.

oplo

If you want to build something, this site has Piezo speakers and others that might fit the bill
https://www.sciplus.com/search.cfm?terms=speakers&searchby=name