seypat

If you roll with one of these, you can drown out annoying noises that other cyclists make. (like those super annoying beehive rear hubs) Just be sure to have ******bag silk screened on the back of your jersey.

DrIsotope

If I were 10 years old, the Turbospoke would be one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.

nycphotography

Sorry, but the way I use my bicycle is not going to be adjusted just because you feel I should do things the way you think they should be done.

motosonic

Sometimes a Harley will come up behind me and make my ears hurt (and sometimes scare/trigger me). I still wonder how it's legal for a Harley to be so loud you can hear it a mile away, yet my car needs to be whisper quiet. Where's the logic in that?

nycphotography

There is no logic in law enforcement, only politics.

maartendc

If that is your attitude to something that bothers others, I am glad I don't live next door to you.

nycphotography

If your panties stay that far up your ass, I'm even more glad than you are.

DrIsotope

Just finished 27 miles. Number of other cyclists seen: 0. Number of people who were in close enough proximity to me to even hear the speaker: 2. And they were (I'm pretty sure) homeless living in the underbrush near a creekbed.

They did not seem particularly bothered.

indyfabz

I knew this would get good, but not ready to predict a lock until people take it up a notch or two.

maartendc

I'm more glad times infinity +1.

If a bluetooth speaker plays in the woods, and nobody is around to hear it, does it still make a sound?

Seriously though, If you are riding where nobody else is around, nobody cares. People who think it is poor bicycle etiquette to blast a speaker are talking about densely populated areas. It is the same as blasting a speaker in a subway car. Isn;t this just common sense?

Your Liberty To Swing Your Fist Ends Just Where My Nose Begins ...

seypat

Let me see if I can take it to another level.

I prefer to listen to the sounds of the world around me. Plus, it's harder to have those HTFU talks with myself with music blaring in my ear. I can't get "The eye of the Tiger" when Survivor is drowning out my thoughts. While I'm at it, what is up with carbon aero wheels and their annoying whoosh whoosh? Sound like a freaking helicopter coming up on me! I've already mentioned the loud rear hubs. I'm just out minding my own business trying to get some exercise, but these other riders are doing their best to ruin my ride. Make it stop.

OldTryGuy

Tuesday I was on the road at 2:37AM for a 112 mile ride. Yesterday I was on the road at 12:25AM for a 104 mile ride. I had my tunes playing PLENTY LOUD and didn't have one person or animal complain one little bit or BIG bit.

seypat

You can probably put some more speakers in that dual behind the seat bottle holder and get yourself some "surround sound." Crank it up and get that bike shaking!

evan326

Please don't

OldTryGuy

canklecat

On every group ride at least a couple of folks use bike mounted speakers. Only objection I have is when one rider is playing a country or classic rock mix and the other is playing dance or techno. That's just too weird.

No idea which types. They usually aren't loud enough to drown out the ride leader or traffic safety monitors. Even if someone's speaker is loud, it's only while riding immediately next to them. Put 10 feet between us and I can barely hear 'em anymore.



All the good bike mounted speakers I've heard have that characteristic: good thumping bass and presence up close, but audibility drops off very quickly with any distance. Some trick of the EQ.

And no problems hearing ambient sounds or traffic.

Only reason I don't carry one is I need the extra water in the second cage, and I'm trying to minimize weight on the road bike for tackling hilly rural routes.

I wouldn't use any kind of earphones. I've tried 'em on walks and didn't like the effect. I need to hear ambient sounds, including deer rustling just before they jump out of the brush. Doesn't take much to interfere with ambient sounds -- the ear is a clever bit of bio-engineering that works properly only when unobstructed. Anything that messes with that meat-design interferes with quickly detecting directionality, speed, etc.

Bike mounted speakers used by other cyclists don't have that effect on me. I can still pick up on ambient sounds, directions, etc.

indyfabz

When I was in junior high, I and some classmates shook hands with Stallone in Rittenhouse Square while he was scouting locations for Rocky II. He was wearing the black hat and the jacket with the tiger on the back that he later wore in the film. Exciting happening for a teenager.

bonz50

in the long list of things that annoy the crap out of me on a bike, someone having a small BT speaker is so far down the list that it barely registers. personally I doubt I'd even notice it unless I was riding right behind them, on the fly by going the other direction I question whether I'd even know about it. when i'm riding solo I wouldn't mind having a few tunes along during my commute once in a while. refuse to wear ear buds, none are comfy enough for me for more than 10-15 mins

cellery

A few months ago while I was waiting at the start of a very large group ride, this guy rolled up with a super loud bt bottle speaker blasting what sounded like Kenny G dentist's office music.

Generally those speakers don't bug me, but that time it did bugged me.. I mean, I don't need any more reminders that I'm spending my Saturday riding around with a bunch of dentists.

Carbonfiberboy 

I did a 154 mile event ride yesterday with 800 of my closest friends. My wife was directing bike traffic near the finish line. She said there were a few people who disregarded state law and the ride regulations and wore earbuds, but only a few. No rider had speakers audible to others, though they are not banned.

There are always a few people who put their individual preferences above the rights of others. Thankfully, they are a minority, though a dangerous one which I wish were smaller. This minority is always over-represented on forums, blogs, email groups, and comment threads. As a tolerant people, we are perhaps too reluctant to call this out, since we have regard for the rights of others. I've been a ride leader for many years. It's part of the job of peloton boss to call this sort of thing (disregard for the rights or safety of others) out. Everyone except that one person appreciates it.

I have no problem with speakers being used when they cannot be heard by others, since my concern is not with the speakers per se but rather with noise pollution and safety. If a rider cannot hear or respond to my "coming on your left", then I have a problem, nor do I appreciate being forced to listen to someone else's sound equipment, whether on the road or trail or in my home.

OT, at moderate speeds I respond to "on your lefts" with "come ahead" or similar, just to let the rider know that I heard and am aware of their presence.

nycphotography

In your post... I'm unclear on whose individual preferences are being placed above which rights of others.

Do I not have the right to have a radio on my bicycle that can be heard by others, or is it just your individual preference that I don't?

Seems you are the one placing your individual preferences above the rights of others.

Just sayin'

indyfabz

Did you suddenly feel the urge to rinse?

OldTryGuy

My selection starts with ..... ..... all their hits

then..... ...... again their hits

then the ICONIC..... followed by traditional Disney songs then rinse and repeat. Thus the reason for 12AM to 6AM riding with the tunes...... very few are awake.

bonz50

the more I think about this the more I believe that I wouldn't care at all about someone riding along with a BT speaker. it's how they get their groove on while riding, friggin ROCK ON and pedal that bike yo!!! its not like they are packing a sound system like so many kids do in their cars that rattle dishes and shake walls when they drive by. even cranked to max volume you're not going to hear it much more than 50' away. to that I say WGAF?? pedal on rock n roll biker.

Abe_Froman

I agree with this. I have a speaker on my bike, and I use it on all solo rides, either commuting or for my sunday ride. If I do a group ride, I turn it off. To do otherwise is just rude...similar to giving a friend a lift in your car, then just talking on the phone to your girlfriend the whole trip. It's not dangerous...you'd have to have a pretty darn powerful speaker to drown out voices more than a couple feet away. But it's just rude - not everybody wants to listen to your noise, so if people are going to be riding with you, turn it off.