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View Full Version : The perfect iPod on bike remote?



Badcat
15th August 2005, 15:49
hey all.
apologies to those that don't agree with ipods on bikes - i don't listen to misic on my bike myself, but if i had long trips i would.
i was given one of these last week
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/airclick/index.php
and it seems like the go for bike use.
you could leave the ipod in your jacket and attach the remote to your handlebar. the remote lets you fast forward - rewind - track skip and volume up and down, and the included cradle for the remote makes bar mounting look easy.
i will try it soon - and update this.
regards
ken

SARGE
15th August 2005, 15:57
hey Badcat..
i use a Phillips Key Audio unit 256 mb MP3.. i love it! ( i dont dig the remote thing however.. i think it would take too much concentration away from the bike.. )
just get a good soundtrack and let it roll IMHO (Motorhed and Scenic drive were made for each other...) :Punk:

bugjuice
15th August 2005, 16:09
yeah, I saw the airclick and thought it'd be a good idea for something like that.. not tried it myself, but interested to see what you think of it.. Possibly even catch up and have a go with it.. ;)

Badcat
15th August 2005, 16:21
yeah, I saw the airclick and thought it'd be a good idea for something like that.. not tried it myself, but interested to see what you think of it.. Possibly even catch up and have a go with it.. ;)

sure.
PM me and you can give it a go for a few days.
my new baby arrives on thurs - so i won't be riding the bike much in the near future....
k

Big Dave
15th August 2005, 16:30
Thanks for the link - dig it. I live in my ipod.
I don't need a remote - max volume and a well sorted playlist do me - but there are some other nifty accessories for my mini - the car radio thing looks like a winner.

Lou Girardin
16th August 2005, 10:55
How much and does it affect Ipod battery life?

Badcat
16th August 2005, 11:18
RRP is around $79.
i'm sure it would reduce battery life - but no data as to how much.

k

NhuanH
16th August 2005, 13:28
yeah, I saw the airclick and thought it'd be a good idea for something like that.. not tried it myself, but interested to see what you think of it.. Possibly even catch up and have a go with it.. ;)
ditto the Bugjuicer.
BJ: don't think it's G2 compatible? (is your iPod G2? - /me can't remember). Badcat, if BJ's is G2, can I have a go on my G4??

Badcat
16th August 2005, 13:34
ditto the Bugjuicer.
BJ: don't think it's G2 compatible? (is your iPod G2? - /me can't remember). Badcat, if BJ's is G2, can I have a go on my G4??

sure - i just PMed him - even if his works - you're welcome to try it afterwards

k

T.I.E
16th August 2005, 13:41
dam liking it alot.
hell i want some. need to get hooked up with some sounds for long trips.
how big is it. with gloves on is it easy to press still?

bugjuice
16th August 2005, 13:44
ditto the Bugjuicer.
BJ: don't think it's G2 compatible? (is your iPod G2? - /me can't remember). Badcat, if BJ's is G2, can I have a go on my G4??
yeah, mine is 2ndG, which I forgot about. Hoping to upgrade to the 20gb colour soon, but until then, I'm stuck back in the 2k2s... ;)

skelstar
16th August 2005, 13:57
I have one (wgtn) but didnt use it for riding. I was walking a lot (before getting a bike) and was reluctant to have my poddy in my pocket, so I put the poddy in my bag and used the AirClick. Its bloody brilliant, but you have to be careful with setup as I wasnt and the little tab thingie ended up cracking and now the AirClick unit doesnt work anymore. I think I may have sat on it when it was in my jacket pocket or something.

shadow
16th August 2005, 20:02
http://www.ipodcases.biz
another supplier in chch they use trade me as well.
i got mine last week and find it realy good when coming into some hills and you need something full-on playing. i got the sony head phones (81 i think) that wrap around your ear so they dont come out when you put helmet on. $69.50 - $70.95 for wireless remote

NhuanH
23rd August 2005, 20:21
Summary: Kewl! A true gadget for the iPod generation (albeit Gen3 and up..) :Punk:

Product stuff:
RF works well. Anecdotally tested up to about 10 metres, through 2 walls. Try doing that with Line-of-sight dependent Infra-red based remotes, a la Bose Soundock and Altec Lansing IM3 speaker systems :no:
The portability and freedom of no wires rocks as well, as compared to the official Apple wired remote. And you aren't forced to buy another damn pair of Apple Earbuds to hide away in a drawer.
Looks-wise it is well designed (all about style dah-ling!) and in typical Griffin fashion, goes really well with the iPod. There is another flavour of receiver to suit iPod minis, and finally a USB dongle to control iTunes etc on your computer! All off the same remote.
The clip and included mounting bracket are well thought out. Two lengths of velcro are included in the pack for flexibility towards what you want to wrap them around.
You can use the remote while keeping the main iPod controls locked on Hold. This means you won't get random track skips/pauses/volume change as the iPod jangles round your bag or pocket. There is also a Hold on the remote. Holding down Play/Pause turns off the iPod, just like the main iPod control.
There is a "pairing" facility so you and your fellow iPod nerd don't end up changing each other's tunes.
I did notice anecdotally however, that of course there was higher battery usage with the RF receiver. No scientific testing, but maybe 20-30% quicker battery drain? Maybe.

On boik application:
Check out the pics for how it ended up being mounted. Works well on 636C1 yoke eh?
The velcro is stickier than a fly to shit. Haven't had the chance to test it at *ahem* higher speeds, but even the spartan protection of the C1 screen was enough to keep the mounted doohicky sitting nice and stable on my daily commute. Also not had the opportunity to test how well protected from rain that mounting location is.
The buttons work OK for my size Medium glubs. Mebbe Andre the Giant and relations not need apply? Dunno. Found the Play/Pause and volume controls the most useful, say if you're stopped and waiting for riding buddies to catch and they need to tell you about "how they got their knee down back there" yadah yadah. The Skip Track function did not get much use because of my Shupa Smarty Playlist :woohoo:

Off boik applications:
Damn bastid contraption further encourages this sedantary modern lifestyle.
*Fat ass on couch, iPod in dock connected to stereo, could change tracks.
*Phaffing in kitchen, fattening ass, stereo blaring from lounge, can skip tracks.
*Fat ass in bed, iPod in dock, can even turn the damn thing off from bed!
*Wanna reduce fat ass on pedally, iPod in riding jersey, can mount remote on the stem. Phew, some redemption.

Pros: RF performance, functionality, mounting options included, flexibility. Put simply, fit for purpose.
Cons: encourages fat ass behaviour, battery drain, have to give it back :bye: - do I HAVE to, Badcat? :cry: I'll prolly end up getting one myself though...

Yet another example of what makes the iPod product offering compelling: the excellent plethora of 3rd party accessories.

As they say, a pic is worth a thousand words, so here's 5000:

bugjuice
23rd August 2005, 22:22
nicely done there.. must really really really save up for toys I can't afford..

Smorg
24th August 2005, 16:33
I'd have to be carefull as to what i put on the playlists if it was anything to hardout i'd stack it straight away...........maybe a lazy sunday volume might do the trick

Big Dave
25th August 2005, 20:18
So I went to the Griffin site - saw that Magnum Mac are stockists and went and had a shopping frenzy.
I bought the itrip - http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/itrip_mini/
Results so far are not as good as hoped for in the car, but excellent around the house. The Merc's radio aerial is concealed somewhere and a quick scout didn't spot a way to get the unit closer - but it pumps on the home stereo.

I also got the ear jam ear plug extensions
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/earjams/
Excellent! They give bass. They take the standard phones to a better quality sound than the Sonys that most of us like. They would not be as good for - on bike as the sonys because they protrude from your lug hole further and would be uncomfortable is a helmet - but otherwise a good $26.

I got a dock (apple) that has an out socket so it's hard wired to the office stereo now. (rather than though the phones jack as it was before)

And a rubber case for inside the jacket pocket on rides.

Good stuff thanks for the link again badcat - cost me 2 hundy but i'm well pleased.

Lou Girardin
26th August 2005, 08:39
If I'd known you could have had our Itrip cheap, never mind.

Big Dave
26th August 2005, 11:12
If I'd known you could have had our Itrip cheap, never mind.

Good old 20-20 hindsight eh.
They aren't that expensive anyway.

bugjuice
26th August 2005, 11:20
the earjams make a huge diff.. I quite like the iPod earphones, and to buy some of the higher spec ones cost way more than I'm willing to shell out on 2 tiny speakers. The earjams jam in my head pretty well, and I can still make out music fairly well at well over 100kph. And the sound quality just jumps up. Bass is stronger, highs are clearer, the sound doesn't have to be no where near as high as before.. best $25 I spent for a while..