One Bicycle,
preferably a racer / mountain bike with curved handlebars.
One car
radio OR One car equalizer / amplifier and one Walkman (Personal Stereo.)
One 12V
2Ah battery OR 8 AA batteries and holder.
2 or more
speakers, depending on bicycle design.
Supply of
Sticky Tape and Fencing Wire
Terminal
blocks recommended for connecting wires
One fuse
for safety - inline with Battery.
A rear luggage
holder for non-mountain / racer bikes.
The choice of radio and speakers if important. My personal recommendation is that you opt for a walkman-based system coupled to a car equaliser / amplifier; as the walkman generally provides superior sound quality to a car stereo and can be removed with ease to reduce the risk of leaving your bike unattended. (The system will not play without one.) However, an ordinary car stereo is also fine, but may be a little bulky near the thighs while riding. Note also that a walkman can drive speakers directly, but quietly in the event of a flat amp / system battery.
Note: Most CD players will not function well on a bicycle - however if you can clip one to your pocket, you may want to include extra cable to facilitate connection to the stereo.
Figure out
where you plan to situate your speakers, amplifier and battery. Remember
that the bike must still be roadworthy after this modification. These are
the suggested locations:
| Mountain / Racing Bike | Standard / BMX bike | |
| Speakers | Mounted on the lower set of handle bars, unless used for riding in the squat position. | Mounted on the rear luggage compartment. |
| Amp / Car Radio | Mounted sideways just below the seat so that it can be supported on 2 sides for greater security. | |
| Walkman (If used) | Mounted in the V at the front of the bike, just before the handle bars. | |
| Battery | If sufficient clearance, underneath the luggage rack. If not, then in the V underneath the bicycle seat. | |
 |
Determine
if you can fit the speakers in a safe location. In the example shown, the
speakers have been mounted on the lower handlebars using fencing wire. This
is quite a stable way of mounting the speakers, but it is recomended that
you provide a loop of wire to the top to prevent excess stress which may
warp the handlebars over time. This will also reduce any rattle during riding.
Mount them now, as they are the most critical part of your system. |
 |
Set
up your battery very carefully - it is recommended you place a fuse within
10 cms of the connecting terminals, as a battery of this capacity can easily
create a fire if short circuited. Budget builders can simply solder
an ordinary fuse of about 5A rating inline - otherwise you can purchase in
line fuse holders. Operation without a fuse is not recommended. (see image
left.) |
 |
If you
are planning on making your battery rechargeable or you plan to fit
extra accesories such as a spotlight, etc, it is a good idea to install a
terminal block in a convenient corner from which you can connect other cables.
An old fashined Headphone socket is recommended to be attached to the battery
and mounted underneat the rear of your seat - this can be used for
recharging, and if you forget to unplug the charger before riding off will
prevent breakage, as the plug will escape with ease. |
|
Now
add your stereo. Don't secure it finally yet as you may need to do some
troubleshooting first. Attach your speaker and power cables to their
relevant locations on your stereo, and verify that it works. Car radio users
may want to add an antenna for radio reception - this part is for you
to figure out, but don't use the frame of the bike as it will now be carrying
the negative side of your battery and will either damage your radio or simply
give you no radio signal. Be generous with your wiring near handlebars to
allow for turning and possible replacement if the wire fails after too much
bending. Also, if you are using a walkman based system like the one shown
(which often provides better tonal control - more bass and treble, etc) ensure
you have sufficient cable to reach where you plan to mount the walkman. |
Walkman
users: Your walkman is an excellent sound source, and is usually quite capable
of driving an off-the-shelf car equaliser. (Techos - you can locate any damping
resistors inside the equaliser / amplifier and remove them to increase battery
life and volume for the walkman.) A walkman driven system is particularly
recommended for environments where your bike is going to be left unattended
for a period of time, as thieves will generally not be able to get your system
to work without one; as you can take the walkman with you.
 |
To mount
your walkman, I recommend the usage of shade cloth and fencing wire to create
a pouch for it. You can use a standard stapler to make a
suitable-sized pouch which you can then mount on your bicycle with
fencing wire. Note how I have added a securing bar to lock the walkman in
place and prevent it from falling out of the bag during rough riding. You
may need to figure out a different system for your bike. If is a good idea
to have your volume control accessible while riding - but its location varies
from walkman to walkman, and you will need to alter your design accordingly. |
Now test
the system to ensure you are happy with it, and secure the stereo and wires
accordingly. Remember if you engage in off-road riding there will be alot
of vibration and excess force - secure your equipment accordingly. Be sure
to secure it well. Sticky tape (Packing variety) is fine, but will
need to be replaced every 2 months in hot weather.
Find a familiar and safe area to test-drive your bike. Ensure you are carrying a roll of packing tape for the first few days to fix any bugs that turn up. Some walkman may sound a little funny when going over bumps - you may want to invest in a anti-rolling walkman if this is a problem.
