Bike speakers

[Bigbee]

Ive seen a nifty mp3 player that attaches to the bike handle bars.The sound is supposed to be pretty good.Are these street legal?They would seem safer to me than seeing the many riders with Ipod ear pieces in totally oblivious to other road noises and users.

 

[themutiny]

Pretty sure they would be street legal, as evidenceed by the speaker systems on goldwings, electra glides et al.

However, whilst they may sound OK at low speeds, at anything above 10mph I doubt they would be audible, leastways not with any clarity.

Do you have a link?

Nick

 

[Bigbee]

Pretty sure they would be street legal, as evidenceed by the speaker systems on goldwings, electra glides et al.

However, whilst they may sound OK at low speeds, at anything above 10mph I doubt they would be audible, leastways not with any clarity.

Do you have a link?

Nick

hmm

Hope jazz and classical sounds better



YouTube - Tommyca, Portable MP3/Radio Bicycle Sound steering system

 

[flecc]

They really need more amplification and are best when working within a curved screen to contain and reflect the sound towards the rider as often is the case on Honda Goldwings and the like. With those the screen bounces the headwind over the rider and the sound field is operating within a fairly static air zone and suffers little distortion. Of course this isn't practical on an e-bike, the wind drag of a screen would wreck the performance.
.

 

[BertYardbrush]

I've got a device that will turn any smooth flat surface into a speaker. It has a suction pad that attaches and transmits the vibrations to the window or wherever you choose to place it. It's a toy really. You could fit a flat plate into the frame of the bike and have a sub-woofer booming out between your legs. Can you imagine if every bike was blaring music, boy racer style, what a cacophany the streets would become.

If you must ride to music, please use headphones.

 

[themutiny]

I may be challenged mechanically, but have earned a lucrative second income for many years as a sound engineer for live bands. I think it pretty certain that you would be immensely disappointed with these.

this line from a web site sums it up

'High quality 2" speakers delivery rich sound' (sic)

Apart from the poor grammar, this is obviously an oxymoron

or this

'now you can enjoy high quality music with sound steering technology while riding for fun, sports or even when commuting to work'

What the hell is 'sound steering technology'

What is interesting, is that they quote no meaningful figures on the output. I was expecting the usual output in the misleading 'pmpo' rather than RMS, but they don't even quote that. About as much use as the proverbial chocolate teapot.

 

[themutiny]

..... actually they do quote a power rating on some sites

4.5w RMS per channel. Unfortunately they don't say whether this is peak or continuous, so it's fairly meaningless.

By comparison a bottom end motorbike system will be pushing out 50w RMS per channel continuous - and that's before you factor in the benefit of a fairing.

 

[bode]

There was this interesting outfit at the Tour de Presteigne (it was pretty loud!):

P.S. I was a sound recording engineer too for many years, but I prefer the sounds of nature when I am riding...

 

[Tiberius]

There was this interesting outfit at the Tour de Presteigne (it was pretty loud!):

That's Andy Grayland, one of the Tour organisers. He posted a couple of pics here http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/electric-bicycles/4009-getting-ready-tour-de-presteigne.html?highlight=afterburner - post #4

I think that bike was also instrumental (sorry) in the winning dance entry.

Nick

 

[themutiny]

P.S. I was a sound recording engineer too for many years, but I prefer the sounds of nature when I am riding...

I couldn't agree more.....

 

[HarryB]

..... actually they do quote a power rating on some sites

4.5w RMS per channel. Unfortunately they don't say whether this is peak or continuous, so it's fairly meaningless.

By comparison a bottom end motorbike system will be pushing out 50w RMS per channel continuous - and that's before you factor in the benefit of a fairing.

RMS power should represent the continuous power so I pretty pleased when manufacturers quote figures in RMS terms. In the end you are limited by the power of the batteries and 4.5w RMS is not going to do much without very efficient speakers.

 

[Tim]

Can you imagine if every bike was blaring music, boy racer style, what a cacophany the streets would become.

That would actually be great. The UK is becoming a little too much like a retirement village after curfew lately.

 

[flecc]

That would actually be great. The UK is becoming a little too much like a retirement village after curfew lately.

I would have hated that as much when I was young as I would now, Music is very personal and I don't want to be forced to listen to others preferences. Personally I'd ban all mobile music systems, yes, in-car entertainment as well.
.

 

[bode]

Music is very personal and I don't want to be forced to listen to others preferences. Personally I'd ban all mobile music systems, yes, in-car entertainment as well.

In-car is all right so long as it does remain in-car! If you can't hear it outside the closed car windows, that's fine with me. It's the ones you can hear coming from half a mile away above the noise of all the traffic that get on my t*ts.

 

[themutiny]

RMS power should represent the continuous power so I pretty pleased when manufacturers quote figures in RMS terms. In the end you are limited by the power of the batteries and 4.5w RMS is not going to do much without very efficient speakers.

Sorry, I meant the handling power of the speakers, not the amp output..

 

[BertYardbrush]

In-car is all right so long as it does remain in-car! If you can't hear it outside the closed car windows, that's fine with me. It's the ones you can hear coming from half a mile away above the noise of all the traffic that get on my t*ts.

Problem is - it never does remain in the car. I live next to a main road and the duff duff duff from some prat with windows wide open is an all too often occurrence. I'm not too keen on whistlers either - nothing interrupts your train of though quite like a siffleur arbitrarily meandering through his repertoire.

 

[flecc]

In-car is all right so long as it does remain in-car! If you can't hear it outside the closed car windows, that's fine with me. It's the ones you can hear coming from half a mile away above the noise of all the traffic that get on my t*ts.

OK, I'll reluctantly allow in car sound systems on these conditions:

1) The sound system cuts out as soon as a window starts to open, this function checked as part of the annual MOT.

2) The car has an external sensor which limits volume to just below the point where it's detectable outside the car.

3) No sound systems in open vehicles.

4) Death penalty by public execution for infringements.
.

 

[Patrick]

4) Death penalty by public execution for infringements.

I take it the firing squad would use silencers

 

[flecc]

I take it the firing squad would use silencers

No, a guillotine with well greased runners should be silent enough, and the cut off heads could be put on posts at roadsides outside upper schools and colleges as warnings.
.

 

[bode]

I'm not too keen on whistlers either - nothing interrupts your train of though quite like a siffleur arbitrarily meandering through his repertoire.

I whistle a lot, but only round the house. I'd be embarrassed to do it in public, and certainly not on a bike (that goes for quite a few activities, come to think of it).