Speakers on an ebike - any thoughts?

[pn_day]

Hi all,
I'm not a fan of wearing headphones while cycling as I quite like to hear what is coming when going slowly, and be able to turn my head to hear what is coming when going faster.

However, now that the bike is going OK I'm beginning to wonder about adding more gadgets (!)

Has anyone put powered speakers on their bike? If so what experience have you had of hearing them? My thoughts are that wind noise above about 12 mph is significant, so I'm actually wondering if it is not even worth doing. I tend to pedal along at about 15-17 mph on the flat, so would like to hear audiobooks at this speed without it blaring out.

Most I've seen are designed for motorbike use, and would seem to work when they are sheltered and sound can reflect off a fairing/wind deflector, but I'm not sure of their efficacy otherwise.

Thanks in hope,
Phil

 

[jackhandy]

I've had mixed results:
Best for satnav directions was a bluetooth earpiece, but that blew out of my ear'ole on a fast downhill.
I now put my phone in the top pocket of my backpack, so it's just behind my head & that's ok upto about 12 mph, then wind noise obliterates it.
Keep meaning to try my little powered spherical veho speaker in the same place...

 

[JohnCade]

There was a bloke near where I lived who had a sound system on his BMW bike. But he used to play it loud so was clearly a twat.

 

[tillson]

Has anyone put powered speakers on their bike? If so what experience have you had of hearing them?

I think one forum member tried this and reported that he couldn't hear anything because the voices inside his head were louder than the speaker output.

Two men, armed with a large butterfly net, arrived at his house in an anonymous white panel van and took him away. The last I heard, he was getting better and it's hoped that he will be well enough to remove the speakers early next year.

 

[Geebee]

I have eyed these off, cheap, movement alarm, mp3 and fm radio.
Designed for motor bike use.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/390683517316?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[flecc]

Please don't, it's bad enough with the noise sometimes blaring out from cars and the very occasional motorbike so equipped.

It's claimed to be music, but how electronically generated loud thuds constitute music is not explained.
.

 

[pn_day]

Thanks all for the input. About the only thing I miss when cycling is the ability to catch up with podcasts, listen to Radio 4 and the like.
Maybe I'll have to continue just listening to the voices in my head

 

[flecc]

Radio 4 podcasts? Go ahead, I'm happy with that!

 

[Jimod]

Maybe I'll have to continue just listening to the voices in my head

I never listen to the voices in my head. If I did, a couple of people would be in trouble.

 

[martin@onbike]

I have one of these, they're brilliant and quite loud, but i've never tested it on my bike yet as I 'm not keen on distractions when cycling....

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/141218868387?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108

Mine is an earlier version in Silver, so hopefully they are still the same...

 

[Alan Quay]

Why not just use one side of a set of eaphones?

 

[axolotl]

Thanks all for the input. About the only thing I miss when cycling is the ability to catch up with podcasts, listen to Radio 4 and the like.

I know exactly where you're coming from. And I'm not comfortable with wearing headphones either. I know people do it, but I'd rather be aware of the traffic that's about to pass me.

Thinking about it, I wonder if it would be possible to build some very small speakers into the helmet. They wouldn't need to be anything like as powerful as speakers mounted to the handlebars or frame, and they'd still allow you to hear what's going on around you.

 

[pdarnett]

I have one of these on my handlebars, works a treat for navigation and calls. And loud enough to hear over traffic.

 

[Gringo]

I'm not condoning your desires because I think it's mad, but I do think you have the right to be mad if you want to .
You could try some motorcycle helmet speakers in your lid, if you don't wear a helmet you could graft them into a baseball cap somehow.
Cheap enough to have a go
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=motorcycle+helmet+speakers&_sacat=0&_from=R40

 

[drsolly]

I have a Velleman steam-engine sound generator.

http://www.quasarelectronics.co.uk/Item/velleman-mk134-steam-engine-sound-generator-kit

I like to use it when I'm biking along a disused railway. I don't know what people think when they hear a steam locomotive coming up behind them.