Toadmeister

Anyone recommend a simple radio for bike touring? Something lightweight but still having enough volume to hear over my wheels rolling and the wind?

Let’s get 2 things out of the way:
1) NOT an mp3 or streaming device that requires Digital files, cellular or internet.
2) No going on about safety (Ability to hear danger) or Peaceful silence. I know.

When I was a kid I used to listen to a Walkman radio while biking. Now much older As I get into longer riding and touring, I appreciate the simplicity of simple radio that is low power and low tech, Saving my phones battery for emergencies and needed communication or navigation. Bonus, radio gives me local news and weather where I’m riding.

Thanks in advance.

thumpism 

I'd take one for listening in camp.

raybo

No. I'm an mp3/audiobooks kind of guy.

saddlesores

why not take your own small instrument and make your own music?

nothing like the haunting strains of a melodeon deep in the woods after midnight as you micturate.

staehpj1

To answer the question in the title, no I have not. If I did I'd use ear buds that fit in a way that allowed me to hear the world around me. I don't mean to start the war over them, but I have found that I can hear approaching traffic quite well with mine in. I don't ride with them much, but have at times. I have run quite a few thousand trail miles with them and could hear MTBs approaching from behind, could keep track of where my dog was by sound, and could even hear the birds singing if I didn't crank up the music too loud.

If you go with ear buds try the model that you find comfortable and see if they block the ambient sound too much, you want to be able to hear approaching traffic. I have not found mine to be any worse than listening to a radio with a speaker. All that may depend on the model. your anatomy, and the fit and again don't crank up the volume too high.

I will add that I suspect that you may find a lack of much in the way of decent programing in many areas. I know that driving across the US a few times the pickings can be slim with poor reception and worse programming a lot of the time. At least at bicycle speed the stations would fade out more slowly.

I have listened to music now and sometimes often audio books. Most of the time on the bike I don't, but there were times especially long days on empty roads in Kansas or west Texas where some music or a book was nice.

djb

From switching around radio stations while driving, which I still do sometimes on highway drives, I have to say that while it's ok, I am so glad that podcasts were invented and that one can choose what and when you want to listen to something. So much well made stuff out there.
I'm just an old fart so I don't organize music playlists.

so nope to your question, one more thing that I don't want to pack and add to my crap.

pdlamb

I might take one to check the weather forecast if I were touring in tornado or hurricane season, or perhaps fire season out west. But since I can get that on my cell phone, a radio would be more weight and bulk in an already overloaded pannier.

BobG

Some cheap flip phones include a radio. Small and light, use it just for your radio and save your other phone for emergencies. You may need to use earbuds or headphones though and yes, one more charger to bring. Here's mine. It works fine ...


$19 Alcatel flip phone ^

edit- The Alcatel is indeed an over-the-air radio. It does not use any streaming/cellular data. The earbud cord is the antenna.

Altair 4

I have an old Radio Shack transistor radio that I've taken with me on tours. To be honest, it's got crappy sound and reception isn't that great, but it helps me to fall asleep at night. Some places I've stayed don't have wifi and internet connections were extremely spotty on the trail. Haven't used it while actually riding, but it would be loud enough.

I found a photo of it on flea-bay where it is described as "vintage":

One of the things I've discovered is that local radio ain't what it used to be as far as programming and news. Seems like a lot of stations just subscribe to syndicated programming and network news.

KC8QVO

This is a little different twist to the "radio" question. I have a handheld ham radio that has wideband receive, including the FM broadcast band. I have only used it a couple times but it does work (Yaesu VX-6r)

As for weather - I prefer to get weather info from NOAA on the 162MHz band, not "local forecasts" from a news outlet on FM that combines content with music and talk shows. To the 162MHz point - back quite some years ago I caught on to a radio that was going to hit the market from Elecraft - their KX3 model (still produced). At the time I was using a Yaesu FT-857D for my portable/backpacking radio. The KX3 was a much more compact and light package for the HF bands. That alone was worthy of getting - it was no "compromise" radio that you can build and put in an Altoids can, it was a full-blown, full-feature HF rig with DSP and an optional tuner. To add to it - one of the planned options was an extra 2 meter band module. This would increase the rig's capacity to the 144-148MHz band. Most 2m capable radios have wideband receive that does cover the NOAA weather band - at 162MHz. However, when I inquired about receiving NOAA weather on the 2m option module - at the time early on (pre-market stage) they said the bandwidth of the module was narrow enough that performance that high up wouldn't be worth it. That having been said - since getting it and installing it (several years ago) I did find that it receives the NOAA weather band just fine. It is good enough for me for 2m work that if I am on a trip in an area where I don't need regular 2m/70cm FM comms (meaning transmitting myself, say, to another guy with a handheld out fetching water/resources in the mountains) then I can forego a handheld entirely and the KX3 will cover everything in one box that I would need/want. If it didn't receive NOAA on 162MHz I'd have another radio (handheld) with me to cover that purpose. However, in practice, I have always had a handheld with me, regardless. When I am backpacking I'm with others so it only makes sense as we generally don't have solid cell service. When cycling near home I am usually on the local repeaters and a conventional handheld is easy to have all the details programmed in. The KX3 is good for basic VFO-only (no memory channels, there is no lock on the VFO = you'd have to keep pulling up the memory every time you bump the knob) use, so for simple tuning simplex/broadcast frequencies it gets the job one, just not what I'd want for comms use myself, if that makes any sense.

For what it's worth, the receiver on the KX3 is the best of any radio I have. That goes for all my base station + portable rigs combined. The only other receiver that might be as hot is another Elecraft - K2.

The 2m board has a separate antenna port - it is actually an SMA. I use an SMA to BNC adapter with handheld antennas (the long one in the picture is a telescopic dual band handheld antenna, best performance out of a "handheld" antenna that I have - normally used on the bike, but I'm working on finding something more durable as the telescopic type antennas are fragile). If I have a cable going to an antenna I use a straight SMA plug on the cable, no adapter, although I do like the convenience of BNC's on everything (bayonet twist lock, no screw threads to cross thread).

Tourist in MSN

Several years ago I bought a really small Grundig shortwave radio, also had AM and FM bands, took two AA batteries, had a small speaker plus headphone jack. I bought it so I could listen to BBC when camping away from all radio signals, but soon after I bought it BBC stopped transmitting on shortwave, so it did not serve my purpose. Still have it but I do not listen to any electronics while riding my bike.

phughes

You may want to consider a bluetooth speaker with built in FM radio. I found several on Amazon.

Aushiker

No. If I listen to anything whilst riding it is music. I generally only do that when pushing into headwinds for long periods. Just seems to help with the pain.

staehpj1

I didn't mention it in my first post, but I often just play back music in my mind or even sing while riding. The funny thing is that some of my most vivid memories from touring or maybe anything in life are a combination of a place and the song that was in my head at the time. It is most often accompanied by the scent of the place when it rolls over me. Sometimes it is crazy powerful a few notes in the background that I am not paying attention to and I am suddenly transported to that time and place. Maybe I am just weird.

Sometimes the first three notes of "The Wind Cries Mary" puts me back in a specific moment on the Trans America on the Mississippi levee in 100F heat with the dry corn rustling and I can smell the dry air. It just washes over me so powerfully. BTW, the Jamie Cullum version is the one that triggers it most, even more than the original Hendrix one that was in my head at the time.

Another is a particular section of notes in Ben Sollee's Sweet Marie and the Imperial Valley Dunes from a moment on the Southern Tier. I think it was in my head at the time because there was an ATV rental place called Sweet Marie's and Crazy Larry's or something like that. Funny how the mind works.

When these hit me I get a sense of time and place that is like nothing else I can think of as far as how vivid of a memory they trigger

Papa Tom

I have tried using the radio function on my iPod Shuffle, but it doesn't hold a station for more than a few minutes. I've had the same experience with other mp3 players that have built-in radios.

That said, I have also tried the Radio Shack portable radio mentioned above and several others with similar results. For some reason, here in New York at least, it's very difficult to hold an FM signal on a bicycle.

May I ask why you are averse to an MP3 player? I have one that I use with a small blue tooth speaker on my handlebars and I can't imagine riding (especially all day long) without it. My iPod Shuffle holds several thousand of my all-time favorite songs, so even the horrible moments when I'm struggling up a hill or slogging through my third hour of no scenery at all are like a party.

DeadGrandpa

I'm with you on listening to the radio. I used to tune in the NPR, one ear bud in my right ear and the other ear bud behind my right ear, to allow for ambient sounds. Nowadays I ride with a partner and give up on current events. Life's too short.

Toadmeister

oh I’ve been using mp3s and streaming music for 15+ Years or more now. Just wanted to get back to radio as I like the format and low tech end of it. Was curious what others have tried with radio.

Toadmeister

funny thing, I forgot I have one! Bluetooth speaker of mine has a FM radio. Need to get the antenna and try options out.

phughes

Nice. Hope it works out for you.

djb

totally common, and its amazing how our brains work and how smells or a song can vividly bring back details of a specific experience. I'm sure all of us have had the same experience stae, I know I do.
An aside, this is why music can be so crucial and enjoyable with Alzheimer and dementia patients, how a song will make someone feel happy when they are in distress or angry or confused, and or make someone sing words to a song when they hardly ever speak or that sort of thing.

BobG

In 199? I staffed a two week ACA Cycle Montana tour that concluded at Red Lodge after exiting Yellowstone over Bear Tooth Pass. On the day from Livingston to Gardner I was assigned to one of the waterstop/support/sweep vans. The previous staff driver left his "Waterboys" cassette in the tape player. I played this hypnotic, repetitive melody over and over and over. An Irish love song but it will forever remind me of the roads between Livingston and Gardner! ...

indyfabz

I just rode across PA. Much of my route paralleled I-76. Having driven across the state on that highway, there isn’t much I would want to listen to assuming I could get reception. Almost all bad country and religious rock music.

staehpj1

Having driven coast to coast a few times and well as a lot of driving on other trips of long miles where I sometimes tried to listen to the radio I have to agree. No only can the music selection be poor, but it is pretty limited, interspersed between annoying blabbing and commercials, the reception is spotty and stations fade in and out quickly in rural areas. At least on a bike the fading in and out would be slower, but the other problems would still be pretty annoying.

BikeLite

A small satellite receiver for satellite radio would seem nice, but maybe internet radio has overtaken it. A friend I used to hike with had a small satellite receiver he took in my car on a road trip. He said the early satellite radio companies used to offer them but no longer.

staehpj1

I had not heard of those as a small stand alone device. On one hand that sounds like a good solution with reception everywhere and great variety of programming. On the other most folks carry a smart phone and the sat receiver would be another device to buy, carry, and pay service fees on in addition to it having battery needs. I guess the smartphone killed that market.