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CyFi: Bike/mobile speaker review

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CyFi: Bike/mobile speaker review

Old 11-07-08, 10:09 PM
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CyFi: Bike/mobile speaker review

when i drove, i loved listening to my music. When i walked or used metro, I loved listening to music. Now that I bike everywhere, ive been desperately missing my music addiction. Ive tried the headphones route i know many of you use, but really didnt like being insulated from the world and after being surprised by a couple cars passing me, decided i needed to find another solution. Thats when I stumbled across the CyFi : https://mycyfi.com/

It seemed to solve all of my problems, wireless bluetooth capability (or if you would like, you can choose the ipod version) so i could sync it with my blackberry for playing music, bike mount with quick release, waterproof and made for being outdoors. I promptly bought one. The Cyfi seems to be pretty new based on their website and the dirge of online reviews discussing the product. Still i took the plunge. I should also mention the unit comes in three colors: red, black and silver. Note that this only changes the center curve/stripe, as the buttons and speakers stay black. I chose the black model as I didnt want the speaker to stand out too much on its own. its made from a glossy material that seems to be a magnet for fingerprints, but honestly, im riding bike, so i cant imagine that this will ever be a concern for me.

Just received it in the mail today.


as you can see it includes the cyfi unit itself which is shaped sort of shell like, two mounting brackets, one for larger and one for smaller posts, a docking station and charging cord.

the unit itself has a very solid feel too it, the buttons on the cyfi itsself are made of a very thick rubber that seems like it would be quite water resistant.

After two hours of charging, my unit was ready to go, I mounted it to my bike and took off. It paired flawlessly with my phone and within seconds was piping my tunes through. The first thing i notice was how loud this thing is. You can control the volume both on your mp3 player and on the cyfi itself.. With everything at full blast it was way to loud considering how close it was to my face. half volume seemed to work best. sound quality wasnt bad either. I was listening to hip-hop and although it lacks bass, for a unit of its size, there isnt any distortion and it is much better than the speaker on my phone i was using before. Controlling track, pause and volume from the device was great too. Once i set up my playlist on my phone i could put it in my backpack and leave it there. The cyfi unit took vare of everything else. I could even use it to make and answer calls on my phone using the phone button on the Cyfi. Honestly i havent tried to use this yet, and i suspect it would be hard for someone to hear you with all the wind anyway. I tested the voice dialing ability, and as long as i enunciated loudly and clearly, it seemed to work, but i doubt Id want to talk that loudly and clearly for whole conversations.

the button are laid out well enough. The next and previous track buttons pull double duty as volume controls. A quick touch works for volume, while holding longer changes the track. Im very happy with the unit. Cyfi claims that the unit's battery will last for 6 hours before needing another charge. Ive yet to test this, but will update later on as i continue the unit. I will also report back once ive used it through a rainstorm.

One thing i love about the unit is that it comes off the bike easily and i can see myself using it for many other activities and social events.




Last edited by GeneticFlea; 11-07-08 at 10:14 PM.
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Old 11-10-08, 02:33 AM
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Thanks so much for posting your review, particularly about volume and sound quality. I will take the plunge now!
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Old 12-21-08, 12:22 AM
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any updates please from either of you? i'd like to hear more about it and see more pics.

what about the mounting bracket? does it work ok?

hows the bass? im hoping its not weak and tinny sounding like most portable speakers.
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Old 12-22-08, 10:10 AM
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i dont have the ability to take more pics right now, but i can respond more on its use. Ive had it for about a month and a half now and use it daily. For the most part its loud enough, except perhaps with tractor trailers barreling by or with some soft classical music. The bass is nothing to right home about, but ive found its not noticeably tinny like you would mostly expect from small cheap portable speakers. Its definitely a step up from most protable speakers, but still cant compete with decent computer speakers, but the versaility certainly makes it worthwhile in my experience.
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Old 11-17-09, 02:23 PM
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Thinking about getting one of these...

Is anyone familiar with the ih85bx?
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Old 11-07-11, 06:09 PM
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Audible Rush Bicycle Speaker System for iPhone, MP and Other Smartphones

Audible Rush www.audiblerush.com has launched a stereo speaker system for bicycles that hides inside a handlebar bag. Sound quality is the best I've heard on a bicycle. It holds any smartphone or MP3 player behind a touch capable clear protective film and has room to store your wallet, keys, shirt, book, Etc. The bag attaches to the bike with a quick-release mount so you can carry the music system and your valuables when you stop for lunch. The product is called the Jam-Pac from Audible Rush.
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Old 11-08-11, 08:53 PM
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I've been using the Horn Bike for a few weeks and have been pretty happy with it. $30 and doesn't take up a lot of room. Plenty of volume - kind of amazing, really!
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