First look: iHome bike speaker for iPods

By Gary Boulanger, US editor | Friday, Nov 6, 2009 5.12pm

The universal proliferation of Apple iPod mp3 players has spawned thousands of portable listening devices, among them the bicycle-friendly US$59 iHome iH85B canister-style iPod speaker with a handlebar-mounted wireless remote control.

The iH85B is waterproof, and sits snuggly in a custom water bottle cage mounted on the down tube. The speaker is built into the top of the unit. A slight twist of the top, midway down, separates the unit to allow the user to dock the iPod.

The polycarbonate speaker weighs 1lb 10oz with four AA batteries and an iPod enclosed, while the disk-shaped remote control (which includes two CR2032 batteries) and bar mount weigh 1.9oz.

A wireless remote mounts to the handlebar and weighs a mere 1.9oz.: a wireless remote mounts to the handlebar and weighs a mere 1.9oz.

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The manufacturer says the iH85B speaker is not compatible with the smaller iPod Shuffle, nor are iPod Touch or iPhones recommended for use. All other iPods and Nanos are compatible, and a modified dock is included.

The unit is 9.4in long x 3.2in in diameter, and comes with a padded carrying case with shoulder strap. An AC plug-in adaptor to keep the iPod fully charged within the unit is also included.

We received our test sample the same day we uploaded our favourite Muse songs, so our riding buddies will be subjected to them for days as we test the speaker. For more information, visit www.ihomeaudio.com.

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User Comments

There are 38 comments on this post

Showing 1 - 30 of 38 comments

  • Just what we have been missing, now I cant wait to be passed by some chav whilst at the lights who thinks we all need to listen to the latest rap album whilst he almost plows down some pedestrians

  • Since when do chavs listen to rap?

  • Dear god - someone designed this! Why? Who needs it? When would you use it?

  • Oh dear!

  • It`s bad enough that people wear i bleedin pods on a bike, that thing is an abomination.

  • GAANSARI! Wicked...

  • Cant wait to blast some rap music while on one wheel going through a red light

  • Why must designers assume I want to either inflict my music on someone else or have someone else's music inflicted on me.

    Dicks.

    About the only use for something like that would be to have some it as a horn for honking back at cars.

  • ...we can only pray that the pimped rides of the chavs don't have bottle cage attachments...

  • I've seen versions of this from iHome in TJ Maxx and Marshalls (discount stores, for those not in the U.S.) for as little as $25.00, but I don't think they had the remote.

  • What a big fat ugly useless pile of gash.

  • i just popped in to my local chain store and was surprised to find this: www.wicler.com . its got radio, bluetooth handsfree, a horn / bell function, a light and 1 gb mp3... its a lot smaller than this thing so it mounts directly on the handlebars. point taken about inflicting music on others but if you are somewhere where you won't bother others then why not? i was suprised because i'd previously searched on the internet and come up with nothing better than the above and i live in spain which is hardly a country that embraces cycling (other than the tours).

  • Great !

    I can listen to Wogans podcast on the way to work now.

  • What a stupid idea

  • its about time someone invented a cage mount toaster or coffee machine.

  • I wonder if it's loud enough to serve as a horn...

  • Guys!

    You made me laugh!!!!

  • iPuke

  • MY PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED!!!! ;-)

  • I gotta get one and play a loop of honk if your horny,or ride of the valkyries as i scalp someone,oh the possibilities from this much needed piece of equipment.

  • I was counting the ways I hate this product. But I ran out of fingers.

  • If you want to listen to music while riding, then this is safer than using headphones.

  • If any of my mates bring this on a ride and play 'Lady in Red' or 'I feel wonderful tonight', I will kill them.

    ;-)

  • I have a Radio with light and a Horn lying around in the House for Years now that you Clip onto the Handlebars. It is Clumpy looking and was forever falling off and bits started falling off it. The Light Lense cover a Plastic catch has broken on it and a Nipple that covers the on off Switch is worn away.

    I eventually got fed up using it as it was so awkward ,but it was not half as big as this I Pod Thingy. It was OK on long Trips down the Country on Lonely Roads where it would not annoy anybody or if you were at the Beach. But traveling around the City it would just Annoy People as well as myself. It is just Dead Weight,big and awkward once the Batteries wear out.

  • For me the purpose of cycling is to enjoy 'incidental noise' bird song, even traffic noise, wind noise and so on - this device is pointless - if I wish to listen to music I do so via headphones (though not regularly) and take my chances with traffic.

    M

  • Excellent piece of kit! I can blast out tunes in the hills like I'm in a dvd. This is what's always been missing from mountain biking, I watch all the mtb dvd's and they have a great sound track. Then when I'm out by myself nothing, so bring it on!

  • I'll buy two&enjoy stereo. Here comes the sun de..da..da..da......!

  • Worst thing anyone could ask for...i like the sound of silence when out riding not some twat choice of music. Please please dont mass produce this!!

    Pile of crap

  • wtf?

  • Dare I say... I like it.

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