Musical Bikes
12-23-05, 01:53 PM
#1
flaneur
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Musical Bikes
Riding home last night, I spotted a folding chair being thrown out. I stopped and picked it up, putting it inside my messenger bag, upside down, legs up. Began riding over the bridge.
The legs of the chair were hollow metal pipes, and the rubber ends had come off most of them, so if I began pedaling fast enough, the wind blowing over the pipes began to make flute noises. There was one pitch for about 5-10 miles an hour, a second, higher, overtone-like pitch for 10-15 miles an hour, and a third for 15 and up. If I controlled my speed very carefully, or by turning into or away from the headwind, I could kind of control the combination of pitches.
It was the most lovely ride home ever.
I'm thinking of mounting some pipes on my helmet, so I can hear this stuff all the time.
Who else has got a bicycle that doubles as a musical instrument?
The legs of the chair were hollow metal pipes, and the rubber ends had come off most of them, so if I began pedaling fast enough, the wind blowing over the pipes began to make flute noises. There was one pitch for about 5-10 miles an hour, a second, higher, overtone-like pitch for 10-15 miles an hour, and a third for 15 and up. If I controlled my speed very carefully, or by turning into or away from the headwind, I could kind of control the combination of pitches.
It was the most lovely ride home ever.
I'm thinking of mounting some pipes on my helmet, so I can hear this stuff all the time.
Who else has got a bicycle that doubles as a musical instrument?
12-23-05, 01:56 PM
#2
summer vacation since '85
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****ing hilarious! were you shrooming?
12-23-05, 02:36 PM
#5
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I had a similar experience recently when I slung my new frame over my shoulder and rode down to the LBS to have the headset installed. I could hear the seat tube whistling the whole way down. It sounded liike those flexible tubes I used to swing around my head when I was a kid.
12-23-05, 03:31 PM
#6
Electrical Hazard
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I tightened all my spokes to the right pitch, then clamped a metal strip to my chainstay so that my bike plays chariots of fire when I ride.
12-23-05, 04:41 PM
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmoni...es_%28music%29
It's all physics! and yes, i am a nerd.
It's all physics! and yes, i am a nerd.
12-23-05, 06:21 PM
#10
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I tape baseball cards so you get a snare drum effect.
12-23-05, 07:55 PM
#11
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the brake drillings on my handlebars make a nice flutey noise when the wind blows thru 'em.
12-23-05, 09:31 PM
#12
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Boots is the jam. And a dancin' fool I might add. Unfortunately those damned cowboy shots had me puking my eyes out all the rest of the day.
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12-24-05, 01:30 PM
#13
flaneur
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Originally Posted by lyledriver
I tightened all my spokes to the right pitch, then clamped a metal strip to my chainstay so that my bike plays chariots of fire when I ride.
12-24-05, 01:37 PM
#14
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awesome thread! i have been inspired to google.
This table shows musical pitches corresponding to optimum spoke tension. .
This table shows musical pitches corresponding to optimum spoke tension. .
12-24-05, 01:47 PM
#15
flaneur
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doesn't the pitch of a spoke have more to do with tension than length?
12-24-05, 01:49 PM
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sorry, yes. should have linked to the article..
https://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/tension.htm
https://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/tension.htm
12-24-05, 08:04 PM
#17
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I'm waiting for windchime earrings.
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