Those of us that have longer commutes, especially in the city, can appreciate how a commute can become repetitive and, at times, somewhat dull. Since headphones are impractical and dangerous for riding in traffic, there are few options left for music. Active Tunes to the rescue.
My commute: Riding through North Orange County, I battle with a lot of busses, semi-trucks, and, of course, the over-lifted monster trucks so traffic noise can be quite loud. Also I ride through a lot of old streets that really should be re-paved. I hit a good deal of potholes and rough roads. I ride a rigid steel Redline 925.
The device: Active Tunes is a small two speaker device designed to hook onto your handlebar, top tube, or whatever cylindrical part of your bike it can fit. Installation is quite easy and take no more than a couple of minutes. The kit comes with two pads to protect your bike from the plastic clamp. The clamp itself has a single screw that connects it. The Active Tunes simply snaps in the holder and you use the black rubber band for security. The device requires three AAA batteries. Also included is a large neoprene pouch to put your MP3 player in and of course a cord to connect the speakers to your player.
I’ve been on about 6 rides with this. You simply switch the speakers off and on and then adjust volume with your player. The sound is amazingly clear but when you really get into heavy traffic it can drown the sound out. If you crank the speakers up too far you can still hear the sound but there is some distortion, especially on songs with heavy bass or loud guitar (My Megadeth song sounded like a snowstorm). All in all the sound is very quality considering the speaker size and you really don’t need to turn it up too loud.
Durability: ***Important: Make sure you use the black band at all times*** This band will ensure you Active Tunes runs as advertised. I lost mine and since have had problems. Firstly, riding over rough terrain without the band caused a jarring that will spit out the speakers. Luckily the cord to the MP3 player stayed attached and I’ve avoided damage to the speakers. Secondly, the jarring can cause the battery spring to compact, preventing the battery from contacting the top cap, causing the speakers to not work. So for your speaker’s sake make sure you use the rubber band!
The opinion: That being said I have actually been extremely happy with my Active Tunes. It really helps my hour long commute fly by. I actually modified mine, with a strap for my player so it lies flat against my top tube. The neoprene carrier was a bit large for my purposes, but others with Ipod type players may find the bag well sized. It so great to be able to hear your favorite riding music and still be able to be safe on the roads.
This device is perfect for commuters. The whole system retails for $29.99 and you can buy the actual speakers by themselves for $15. Pretty dang good bargain. My Active Tunes has performed very well and keeps my commute fun and enjoyable. Do I recommend it? Oh yes. “If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up. It is so choice�. 
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1 response so far ↓
1 mick // Oct 2, 2007 at 3:23 am
glad you like your i-RIDE (product name). You should have dropped us an email (service@active-tunes.com) and we would hav sent you a new safety loop. But it’s not too late so let us know where you want it shipped.
Tip - tighten the mounting bracket just until snug as it says on the directions and the speaker willl stay seated in the bracket even without the safety loop. No need to crank down the retaining screw too tightly.
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