At first glance, this little doodad seems like a straight-to-SkyMall throwaway gadget. But I think the Bikeman is actually quite a handy device. First, it’s got a light on the front, so your handlebars aren’t going to look like some sort of sensor array with all the junk on ‘em. Second, it’s easily removable, so you can take it with you if you’re parking in the rain or somewhere shady. Third, it’s a good replacement for a regular mp3 player, since headphones block out very important noises like cars coming up, sirens, and so on.
Unfortunately, it does look pretty nerdy.
At only 2.3W, you’re not going to be blown out of the stirrups by this thing, but the speaker is directional so you’re getting the full force, such as it is. It’ll run for 10 hours of play time (more, I assume, if you just use the light) and mercifully can be charged via USB while you’re filling up its 2GB of internal memory with songs.
At $130 it’s a bit of an expensive toy, but if you really like to listen while you ride and don’t want to endanger your life by wearing headphones.
[via Technabob]
To bad it’s illegal to listen to music with headphones in California:
Wearing of Headsets or Earplugs
27400. A person operating a motor vehicle or bicycle may not wear a headset covering, or earplugs in, both ears. This prohibition does not apply to any of the following:
(a) A person operating authorized emergency vehicles, as defined in Section 165.
(b) A person engaged in the operation of either special construction equipment or equipment for use in the maintenance of any highway.
(c) A person engaged in the operation of refuse collection equipment who is wearing a safety headset or safety earplugs.
(d) A person wearing personal hearing protectors in the form of earplugs or molds that are specifically designed to attenuate injurious noise levels. The plugs or molds shall be designed in a manner so as to not inhibit the wearer’s ability to hear a siren or horn from an emergency vehicle or a horn from another motor vehicle.
(e) A person using a prosthetic device that aids the hard of hearing.
Amended Sec. 45, Ch. 594, Stats. 2003. Effective January 1, 2004.
Source(s): http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc27400.htm
I meant “Too bad… “
…thats the point of the thing. It uses a directional speak so you DON’T have to wear headphones. So you really meant, “AWESOME because…”
Jim
In my spazzy haste I missed the part about the directional speaker. My bad.
California law only prohibits wearing headphones in BOTH ears, you can still get away with listening in one ear. Which is preferable anyway, so you can hear traffic, etc with the other.
The Bikeman is an awesome gadget! I want one for my commute, it’s a shame that my handlebars are too thick to support it :(
Ah, that’s probably something you can figure out.
We’ve launched a bike mp3 player too. View it here:
http://www.idlemall.com/item/491909221.html
Thanks.