The Best Portable Speaker On The Trail

There are tons of new portable speakers coming out on the market for our iPhones, Androids, and Mp3 players. Lately the quality is getting better and better as well as more affordable. I know most iPhone users will stick with their garden of accessories (anything with an "I" in front of it) and not stray too far away. Well there are some pretty good speakers out on the market today with Bluetooth connectivity, rechargeable batteries and they will come in all shapes and sizes. What is the best speaker for out on the trail? What is the loudest? What batteries last the longest? Well, I have not tried all of them but I have been through a few and also have heard a couple in action from friends comparing speakers. I will talk about some different portable speakers and what may be the best application for listening to some tunes out on the trail. I will start with the best value and go from there.

X-Mini II Capsule

X-Mini II
In my opinion for the price the X-Mini II is a great value. This little ball can throw out some serious sound for around 20 bucks. A 40mm driver, rechargeable batteries and able to chain up multiple speakers makes this a great buy. It's rated an 11 hour run time but I would say 7-8 hours on full volume. As most portable speakers this will require some custom installation (it's worth it) to get this to mount somewhere on your mountain bike. This would be a great speaker for a XC or trail riding unless you can come up with a tank proof mounting setup then I would say all mountain riding as well maybe some light DH?

Goal 0

Goal 0 Portable Speaker

My Green Goal 0

Now my personal favorite is the Goal 0 portable speaker box. This is one loud durable portable speaker setup and can be picked up for around $25 - $35 dollars. It's covered with a rugged weather-resistant material. The material  surrounding this wooden speaker box holds 2 full range speakers. The Goal 0 has a zippered opening to store your phone or music player and to protect it against any damage. This also has a convenient cinch-able shock cord for strapping it down to your bars, frame, or gear bag. Me personally I like to keep my goal zero in my hydration packs cinch-able pocket. This as well is rechargeable and can chain multiple speakers to it. It has USB charging and rated 11 hours of playback on full volume. This is the all-around performer in my opinion. How loud is it? Well... it got the cops called to my apartment because the neighbors complained of loud music blasting from my patio. Yup...I showed the officers where the music was coming from and they laughed...then made me turn it down. These speakers Rock! Goal 0 also makes a fold-able solar panel that recharges all your USB gadgets and a car charger port so you will never be without tunes on the trail.

Cycling Sport Speaker (MB-S100)

Cycling Sport Speaker (MB-S100)

Now there are tons more I have not mentioned as I have not had a chance to use them but one that caught my eye that reminds me of the Ihome type water bottle speaker is the Cycling Sport Speaker (MB-S100) yes this is the only name I have found this by. I do not even think you can get this retail yet in the US as I only see it coming from China wholesale sites, but I want to check it out. The Cycling Sport speaker is in the shape of a water bottle and comes is a few various colors to accent your bike style. I don't recommend this setup for an aggressive rider unless you can tie or strap down the bottle to the cage then it should be good to go for some heavier trails. This water bottle of course has a rechargeable battery (charged via USB). It is able to function with phones, mp3 players, microSD cards, and yes FM radio. The speaker looks big, it can be held in a water bottle cage, and has a carry bag. I have not heard this speaker yet but the reviews I have read are all saying this can produce some clean sound from MP3 and WMA files. Like I said earlier I have not found anyone selling this speaker yet. I am very interested in hearing what this speaker can do as well as how long the battery will last and how clear the FM radio comes in. It will sell for around 50 bucks but I hope this can out blast the competition as they are not the first to come out with a water bottle shaped speaker. I do think a first by incorporating a FM radio.

I'm sure there are some portable speakers I should have mentioned but for what I have seen and used these two speakers stand out very nicely among the rest for mountain biking. Obviously there are a few ways to get tunes on the trail; ear buds, headphones, and portable speakers. I prefer speakers for safety reasons and the fact that your riding buddy (or buddies) get to jam out to the same tunes while still aware of outside noises and dangers. Besides how cool is it to be charging down the mountain with some Slayer blasting out in the trails. Awesome! I wonder when the Cycling Sport Speaker will be available for the US?

Feel free to leave a comment and let us know how your listen to your tunes on the trail.

Buying Your First Bike on a Budget.

While buying your first bike is fun and exciting, it is also something you need to do research on and know what you're getting into. If you are just getting into the sport it would be good to go to your local bike shop and test ride some bikes. You need to know your size and what type of bike will best suit your needs. Getting the correct size bike is one of the most important aspects of buying a bike. Below are some tips on buying your first bike.

1. What type of bike?
You need to know what type of bike will fit the conditions your going to ride through. Kind of simple if I generalize it. If you're planning only to ride on pavement a road bike is for you. If you like the road bike feel but will do light off-roading a cycle cross bike is right up your path. All dirt but like distance, there are several cross country bikes from hardtail to full suspension to choose from. Like tearing up mountains and dropping gaps, a full suspension bike with 4 inches of travel and up will take you there.

2. How do I know the correct size?

Image courtesy of Specialized

It's all about the fit! If the bike is too big or too small it will take all the joy out of biking for you. I could also make this whole posting about sizing but I will give the best generalization I can. For most riders, the first step in getting the right size bike is to stand over the frame with both feet flat on the ground. A properly-sized road bike frame will give at least an inch or two clearance between the top tube of the frame and your crotch. Not too much, not too little. A mountain bike should have more space - maybe the width of your hand across your fingers. If you are still uneasy about sizing up your own bike, run by your local bike shop and get fitted for the correct size bike. It is also nice because you can test out a couple of bikes and get a good "feel" for what type of bike you're going to be getting. On women's bikes that do not have the high top tube going between the seat and the handlebars, you can skip this step.


3.How Much, Where, and When?
Assuming you have your type of bike picked out. You know the exact size frame you need and what you're comfortable with because you got to test ride a similar bike in your correct size. You will now be ready to purchase the correct size bike. Where do I buy it, how much do I spend? I would first set a budget on how much you can comfortably spend on a new bike. You will also need a budget for your cycling accessories, (helmet, seat bag, tubes, pump, or patch kit), so include this as well. So now you can look at new, used, online, or a local bike shop. Most expensive will be a bike shop but you will hopefully get customer service, the correct size, and free small tunings and repair for life in some cases. If you know your exact fit and size and you also know the exact bike your heart is set on, online will most likely be your best way to get the best deal. There is so little difference from brand to brand at similar prices until you are well over $1000 that the bike hardly matters. You are mainly going to be shopping for bike components if spending under $1000. Shopping for used bikes will definitely save you the most money in the long run but is the hardest to shop for if you're a beginner. You do not want to buy a frame that has been crashed or blemished. Buying used is best done with an experienced rider as they have knowledge of old or new components, faulty parts, and can help judge if this is the best fit for you and not a money pit.

As this is very general and I can go into tons of detail in every aspect, this is a good rule of thumb when purchasing your first bike.

Good luck on your purchase and happy riding!