Will magnetic tank bags wipe iPod, mp3 music?

[Radar]

Has this happened to anyone? Have cellphones or any other electrical gear been messed up because of the magnets?

[Nasty]

not me ... I have all sorts in my bag :)

[sinned]

What about EFTPOS and credit cards? I have avoided putting them into the bottom of the tank bag but don't know how much of a risk it is.

[Trudes]

Good question! My hubby keeps telling me not to put my eftpos cards in the tank bag as the magnets will wipe the memory strip thingy, so I don't, but we weren't sure about cell phones and ipods.
I've ridden quite a few Ks with my ipod in my tankbag and so far (touch wood) it hasn't done anything nasty to it.
However, I would be interested in opinions on cell phones and Navmans in the tankbag being effected by the magnets.

[breakaway]

Nope. I think you'd need a pretty strong magnet to affect Hard Disks. I frequently place my laptop on top of my (unshielded) sub and have never lost any data.

Also a lot of the newer MP3 players use flash memory which is different to harddrives, and magnets can not harm them in any way.

[davereid]

Fuck me, don't they teach physics at school anymore. Does anyone thats a beneficiary of modern education actually have even the slightest idea of how anything works ?

[Winter]

no, tankbags magnets wont affect ipods, cell phones, mp3 players, navmans, credit cards, or porno mags*.


*Actually I can't back that up.

[Trudes]

Fuck me, don't they teach physics at school anymore. Does anyone thats a beneficiary of modern education actually have even the slightest idea of how anything works ?

I didn't take physics at school and wasn't very good at science, so can you explain it to me and anyone else who didn't and isn't please.

[Swoop]

Fuck me, don't they teach physics at school anymore. Does anyone thats a beneficiary of modern education actually have even the slightest idea of how anything works ?
Unless it is related to the treaty of waitangi... no.

[Anarkist]

Mythbusters proved it takes a *very* strong magnet to wipe a credit card. Much stronge than any tank bag could ever put out.

Your iPod should be fine. The older ones with the hard drives in them are more at risk than the newer ones using flash memory however I would think that would only be potentially damaging should you be using it whilst it's in the bag.

[Trudes]

So will my 3rd genaration ipod be ok to use while in my tank bag? (I have been and nothing has gone wrong yet, but if you know for certain it would put my mind at ease, cheers)

[Usarka]

Forget the ipod, what's the effect on me nuts?

[Trudes]

Forget the ipod, what's the effect on me nuts?

If you have iron balls it'll help you stay on your bike!

[Anarkist]

So will my 3rd genaration ipod be ok to use while in my tank bag? (I have been and nothing has gone wrong yet, but if you know for certain it would put my mind at ease, cheers)

It will not. They sell magnetic iPod cases in stores which I'm sure they wouldn't if there was change of damaging the device.

Do a search on Google, there's some pages based on it.

[swbarnett]

Mythbusters proved it takes a *very* strong magnet to wipe a credit card. Much stronge than any tank bag could ever put out.
How about a magnetic security card? I used to keep my credit card in my wallet beside one of these until it completely stopped working. I'm only assuming it was the magnet as there was nothing else anywhere near it except leather, cash and other cards.

[swbarnett]

If you have iron balls it'll help you stay on your bike!
Well, blood has a high iron content so I suppose if one had an erection there might be enough iron in the genetal area for this to work.

[AllanB]

I like to cover my helmet in tin-foil - it stops the aliens from sucking out my inner most thoughts - and trust me they are best kept in there.

As for my balls - they are welcome to suck them.......:whistle:

[MyGSXF]

Been using magnetic tank bags for years & shove all sorts of shit in it.. nothing has ever come to grief... :yes: although there was this one time.... :shifty:

I had my cell phone in the clear map bit up the top.. & it managed to slip out.. jus saw it out the corner of my eye luckily.. but was unable to catch it in time.. & it went bouncing off down the road in several pieces on the Lewis Pass.. :crybaby: only time my tank bag & cellphone have not agreed.. :girlfight:

AND... bugger me.. I took the innards of the phone into a shop.. she put a new battery in it.. & sparked it into life.. :shit: new battery & plastic cover.. just like a new phone, for $50!! :wari:

[hayd3n]

How about a magnetic security card? I used to keep my credit card in my wallet beside one of these until it completely stopped working. I'm only assuming it was the magnet as there was nothing else anywhere near it except leather, cash and other cards.

mythbusters

[swbarnett]

mythbusters
Yeah, could've just been coincidence.

However, I've watched one or two of the Mythbuster episodes and, while a lot of what they do is probably scientifically sound, there were one or two experiments they did that were full of holes. I wouldn't necessarily trust their experimental design skills.

One thing I can say for sure is that 5.5" floppy disks (showing my age I know) don't like being magnetically attached to a metal noticeboard - totally erased it.

[jrandom]

there were one or two experiments they did that were full of holes

Which ones, and how so?

[mikeey01]

no, tankbags magnets wont affect ipods, cell phones, mp3 players, navmans, credit cards, or porno mags*.*Actually I can't back that up.

Mythbusters proved it takes a *very* strong magnet to wipe a credit card. Much stronge than any tank bag could ever put out..
Sorry but your incorrect!

A Magnetic tank bag can wipe a standard magnetic plastic card.. it's got to be close to the magnet though!
As for mp3's etc etc etc, nope you'll find they are shielded enough (or should be), i.e. inside and surrounded by a case / protection so they are not normally affected!

Credit cards, ATM / EFT-POS / bank cards, door entry cards, library cards that contain the dark magnetic strip commonly found on most cards have four tracks of data.
Any magnet source with some strength (a normal magnet, transformer field, speaker/s non shielded etc etc) can wipe or harm one if not all of the four magnetic tracks on a card, normally it's enough to kill it, however the most common is a partial wipe of data so it's un-readable or just contains meaningless characters / rubbish somewhere in the line on the affected track.

SMART cards: The smart chip is not affected by a magnetic field, electrons however do stuff them.

If I was you I wouldn't put any atm, eft-pos or credit card anywhere near a magnetic field.

You'd be okay to put anything in it so long as it was on your bike, but the moment the tank bag is taken off you/or it will close the magnetic flaps and if the card is close enough to them, o bugger!

[swbarnett]

Which ones, and how so?
Unfortunately I don't remember. I just remember thinking that they didn't know much about rigorous experimentation, and neither did my wife and she should know - Masters and past Lecturer in Physics.

A lot of what they do is probably fairly black and white i.e. it either works or it doesn't. But there will be some things that need more detailed investigation before any firm conclusions can be drawn.

[hayd3n]

Sorry but your incorrect!

A Magnetic tank bag can wipe a standard magnetic plastic card.. it's got to be close to the magnet though!
As for mp3's etc etc etc, nope you'll find they are shielded enough, i.e. inside and surrounded by a case / protection so they are not affected by a normal magnetic field!

Credit cards, ATM / EFT-POS / bank cards, door entry cards, library cards that contain the dark magnetic strip commonly found on most cards have four tracks of data.
Any magnet source with some strength (a normal magnet, transformer field, speaker/s non shielded etc etc) can wipe or harm one if not all of the four magnetic tracks on a card, normally it's enough to kill it, however the most common is a partial wipe of data so it's un-readable or just contains meaningless characters / rubbish somewhere in the line on the affected track.

SMART cards: The smart chip is not affected by a magnetic field, electrons however do stuff them.

If I was you I wouldn't put any atm, eft-pos or credit card anywhere near a magnetic field.

You'd be okay to put anything in it so long as it was on your bike, but the moment the tank bag is taken off you/or it will close the magnetic flaps and if the card is close enough to them, o bugger!
mythbusters

[mikeey01]

mythbusters

and your point is?

[imdying]

Yes, a member here found his 2 week old ipod stuck to his tank bag magnets... that was it... kaput. I dare say it dragged the heads onto the platter and physically knackered it (i.e. it wasn't 'wiped' by the magnet). So yeah, a tank bag can most defnitely write off an ipod. Luckily, even though it was purchased overseas, Apple ponied up a replacement.

[prettybillie]

Fuck me, don't they teach physics at school anymore. Does anyone thats a beneficiary of modern education actually have even the slightest idea of how anything works ?

Obviously no - so are you going to tell us or what?

[samgab]

Just in case you don't fully trust that an ipod will be safe, you can use an iPod Nano, or Shuffle, or Touch; all of which use Solid State memory, which won't be affected even by very strong magnets.
"A magnet powerful enough to disturb the electrons in flash would be powerful enough to suck the iron out of your blood cells..."
-Bill Frank, executive director of the CompactFlash Association.

[MsKABC]

I know of eftpos cards being ruined by being kept in a purse with a magnetic closure. But that is off-topic really, and I have no idea whether mp3s would be affected. The general consensus here seems to be "no".

[sunhuntin]

How about a magnetic security card? I used to keep my credit card in my wallet beside one of these until it completely stopped working. I'm only assuming it was the magnet as there was nothing else anywhere near it except leather, cash and other cards.

i have been told somewhere that placing card strips together can affect them. i dont know how much proof there is to it, but im always careful to keep the strips away from each other.

[MsKABC]

Unfortunately I don't remember. I just remember thinking that they didn't know much about rigorous experimentation, and neither did my wife and she should know - Masters and past Lecturer in Physics.

A lot of what they do is probably fairly black and white i.e. it either works or it doesn't. But there will be some things that need more detailed investigation before any firm conclusions can be drawn.

Yeah, M.Sc here too, and I always have a bit of a giggle about mythbusters - too much drama and not enough scientific method :laugh: Good for getting people (especially kids) interested in science though I guess.

[Winston001]

Sorry but your incorrect!

A Magnetic tank bag can wipe a standard magnetic plastic card.. it's got to be close to the magnet though!
As for mp3's etc etc etc, nope you'll find they are shielded enough, i.e. inside and surrounded by a case / protection so they are not affected by a normal magnetic field!

Credit cards, ATM / EFT-POS / bank cards, door entry cards, library cards that contain the dark magnetic strip commonly found on most cards have four tracks of data.
Any magnet source with some strength (a normal magnet, transformer field, speaker/s non shielded etc etc) can wipe or harm one if not all of the four magnetic tracks on a card, normally it's enough to kill it, however the most common is a partial wipe of data so it's un-readable or just contains meaningless characters / rubbish somewhere in the line on the affected track.

SMART cards: The smart chip is not affected by a magnetic field, electrons however do stuff them.

If I was you I wouldn't put any atm, eft-pos or credit card anywhere near a magnetic field.

You'd be okay to put anything in it so long as it was on your bike, but the moment the tank bag is taken off you/or it will close the magnetic flaps and if the card is close enough to them, o bugger!

Yep. Pretty simple. The black strip on the back of your credit card/EFTPOS card etc is composed of iron particles which are magnetised. The orientation of the particles provides information to a reader. If a magnetic field comes sufficently close to the strip, the particles will adjust their position and produce gibberish when next read.

Same thing with cassette tapes and video tapes.

The saving grace is that most common magnets don't produce sufficently strong magnetic fields to create problems. You'd have to place the card over the magnet but this could happen if your wallet was at the bottom of the bag and the magnets closed up under the bag.

[mister.koz]

mythbusters

They do one-time tests, i am certain that if the tests were done on a regular basis that the cards would have been wiped.

With magnetic media the damage causing part is a changing magnetic field so if something is sliding around a magnetic field it will have a greater effect. I have had credit cards wiped by being put together stripe on stripe.

Interesting fact is that the card writers that the banks use to write pin's to the cards have a magnet in them that is around about the same strength as the ones in my oxford bag.

As someone mentioned earlier the magnets have less effect on surrounding things when the bag is stuck to the tank, this is because allot of the magnetic field is consumed by the metal tank (thats how it sticks).

ANYTHING that uses magnetic storage like hard disks or mag-stripes can be effected by a magnet and some electronic equipment can be as well, power regulators using FET's or toroids can under or over-cook when they have a magnetic field applied to them. Also good to note that most ipods with hard drives have a metal case around them which should protect them.

I tend to only put my wallet and ipod in the bag once its on the bike.

I guess the problem could be avoided completely by putting a steel plate in the bottom of your bag as it would absorb the magnetic field but there's trade-off's with weight etc.

[Gubb]

mythbusters



Everyone's doing it.

[Mikkel]

With magnetic media the damage causing part is a changing magnetic field so if something is sliding around a magnetic field it will have a greater effect. I have had credit cards wiped by being put together stripe on stripe.

Indeed, it's magnetic fluctuations more than a constant field that is going to mess up magnetic storage.

Bulk erasers - for floppy disk, in a now forgotten era - worked by applying a constantly alternating magnetic field.


I guess the problem could be avoided completely by putting a steel plate in the bottom of your bag as it would absorb the magnetic field but there's trade-off's with weight etc.

Magnetic shielding is a bit more tricky than this. There are certain materials out there which are efficient magnetic shields - mu metal being one - but steel is not one of them.

[mister.koz]

Indeed, it's magnetic fluctuations more than a constant field that is going to mess up magnetic storage.

Bulk erasers - for floppy disk, in a now forgotten era - worked by applying a constantly alternating magnetic field.



Magnetic shielding is a bit more tricky than this. There are certain materials out there which are efficient magnetic shields - mu metal being one - but steel is not one of them.

Mu metal? come on dude, we aren't making an AM radio here. We could get into crazy details with mh per mm^3 but no one really cares.

Steel, tin or aluminium sheet will work as shielding, it will absorb magnetic waves to a nominal amount significantly greater than air.

[Usarka]

They do one-time tests, i am certain that if the tests were done on a regular basis that the cards would have been wiped.


I worked at a place where employees monthly tube cards were getting wiped all the time. The london underground told us it could be our magnetic security cards, we scoffed and did some tests of which no cards were wiped.

However we decided to warn everyone against carrying the two together "just in case", and shortly thereafter the problem mysteriously disappeared.

Wooooooo arthur C clarke...... :sherlock:

[gatch]

Why do y'all need to put cards in your tank bag ?

Surely a card case with the essentials in your pocket would be better (like I do), if you bin and your tank bag parts company with your tank... it could happen.

Also why ride with an music going ? Tried it once, even with comfortable ear phones it was terrible, to block out the wind noise it had to be turned up loud, then I couldn't hear anything but the music..

Kind of like rolling in a car with the music turned right up..

[Mikkel]

Mu metal? come on dude, we aren't making an AM radio here. We could get into crazy details with mh per mm^3 but no one really cares.

Steel, tin or aluminium sheet will work as shielding, it will absorb magnetic waves to a nominal amount significantly greater than air.

Well, I suppose you are right about that - an enclosed container made from those materials would provide some shielding, a flat sheet on the other hand, I'm not so sure.
To me it would just never appear necessary to achieve a low level of magnetic shielding. Either magnetic fields are of importance (e.g. noise in some experimental setups and harddrives) and you implement proper shielding or it is insignificant and you don't bother at all (e.g. mp3 players and credit cards in tankbags with magnetic bases).

As for mH/mm^3 - I don't see how inductance is relevant when considering magnetic storage media. And I really do care. :)

[samgab]

Also why ride with an music going ? Tried it once, even with comfortable ear phones it was terrible, to block out the wind noise it had to be turned up loud, then I couldn't hear anything but the music..

Kind of like rolling in a car with the music turned right up..

Try a pair of noise isolating earphones. I've got a pair of Shure earphones, they block out as much external noise as the best quality ear plugs (-30--37dB noise attenuation vs -29dB for standard foam ear plugs). So then you have the music on quietly, and you hear it crystal clear. No wind noise, motor noise, car horns, screeching brakes, crunching metal...

[mister.koz]

Why do y'all need to put cards in your tank bag ?

Surely a card case with the essentials in your pocket would be better (like I do), if you bin and your tank bag parts company with your tank... it could happen.

Also why ride with an music going ? Tried it once, even with comfortable ear phones it was terrible, to block out the wind noise it had to be turned up loud, then I couldn't hear anything but the music..

Kind of like rolling in a car with the music turned right up..

Good point with the cards.

A guy on here has earplugs that have earphones in them, reckons the earplugs cut out almost all the wind noise so the music doesn't have to be loud :D plugs 4 lugs? sells them.


Well, I suppose you are right about that - an enclosed container made from those materials would provide some shielding, a flat sheet on the other hand, I'm not so sure.
To me it would just never appear necessary to achieve a low level of magnetic shielding. Either magnetic fields are of importance (e.g. noise in some experimental setups and harddrives) and you implement proper shielding or it is insignificant and you don't bother at all (e.g. mp3 players and credit cards in tankbags with magnetic bases).

As for mH/mm^3 - I don't see how inductance is relevant when considering magnetic storage media. And I really do care. :)

Its relevant because the effectiveness of radio shielding is calculable from the inductance of the shield material per cubic area.

[samgab]

http://store.shure.com/store/shure/en_US/DisplayProductDetailsPage/productID.105460100

Sound is A-

Freakin'-

Mazing!

[sunhuntin]

Why do y'all need to put cards in your tank bag ?

Surely a card case with the essentials in your pocket would be better (like I do), if you bin and your tank bag parts company with your tank... it could happen.

Also why ride with an music going ? Tried it once, even with comfortable ear phones it was terrible, to block out the wind noise it had to be turned up loud, then I couldn't hear anything but the music..

Kind of like rolling in a car with the music turned right up..

i put my wallet in the tank bag [strap on... didnt trust the magnets to stay on at high speeds] cos if its in my pants, it digs in, in my jacket i cant get it out without basically undressing, lol. in the tank bag, its a case of take it and my topbox keys out and dump the lot in my helmet.

i ride with music too... need some decent 'phones though. i find certain music relaxes me and makes the ride more enjoyable.

[motorbyclist]

your ipods etc should all be shielded

that said, a strong enough magnet may still damage them

as a general rule, keep cards away from strong magnets. if you leave your wallet on top of your fridge that's fine, but i wouldn't pin it to the door

and remember there are other fields at play too: some may notice that large electric motors (like a starter motor) and even the HT lead/coils can cause enough interference by electromagnetic fields to effect some devices... not to worry though your tank should shield your tank bag from the motor:bleh:



Nope. I think you'd need a pretty strong magnet to affect Hard Disks. I frequently place my laptop on top of my (unshielded) sub and have never lost any data.

Also a lot of the newer MP3 players use flash memory which is different to harddrives, and magnets can not harm them in any way.

you will find your laptop HDD is sheilded

if an electro/magnetic field induces a current you can say bye-bye to flash memory


How about a magnetic security card? I used to keep my credit card in my wallet beside one of these until it completely stopped working. I'm only assuming it was the magnet as there was nothing else anywhere near it except leather, cash and other cards.

i have had my eftpos card next to my security card for 24 months with no ill effect


I've watched one or two of the Mythbuster episodes and, while a lot of what they do is probably scientifically sound, there were one or two experiments they did that were full of holes.

most if not all of them are full of holes and poor reasoning. it's very frustrating to watch. explosions make it all better though:shifty:

often though the answer is so obvious that we can forgive them

[quickbuck]

... didnt trust the magnets to stay on at high speeds

Come on now.... How fast do you intend to go on the virago?

My tank bag has been tested to over 220 km/hr.
There is naff all wind trying to blow it off, and there is also stuff all acceleration forces at that speed either.

If the worst was to happen, then it would slide back into my lap.

It actually sits on my NS1 at 100k, and that has a plastic lid (that looks like a tank).

Now, why do I need to put my wallet in there?
Well, so the gate guard can see my ID I put it in the window.
Well away from the magnets.
Also, this prevents my backside getting pressure on one side when riding.

As an aside, office workers should take their wallets out of their back pockets and put them in a draw. This prevents a crooked back.

[gatch]

Try a pair of noise isolating earphones. I've got a pair of Shure earphones, they block out as much external noise as the best quality ear plugs (-30--37dB noise attenuation vs -29dB for standard foam ear plugs). So then you have the music on quietly, and you hear it crystal clear. No wind noise, motor noise, car horns, screeching brakes, crunching metal...

you don't want to hear if someone is leaning on their horn and you are involved somehow ? especially if it leads to screeching brakes or worse..

lol on my bike it was key to listen to the motor, the rattle was a good indicator of how hard it was working..

[samgab]

you don't want to hear if someone is leaning on their horn and you are involved somehow ? especially if it leads to screeching brakes or worse..

lol on my bike it was key to listen to the motor, the rattle was a good indicator of how hard it was working..

Yeah, that car horns etc part was a bit of a lame joke on my part.

But really, the VTR is the 2002 version without a rev counter, and I seriously can't hear the engine at all. The only gauge I have to go on as to the revs is the vibration I feel through the footpegs and handlebars.
You get the hang of it.
I don't think my bike goes wailing down the road to the sound of tortured engine... Well, if it does it doesn't bother me cos I can't hear it :)

[gatch]

Yeah, that car horns etc part was a bit of a lame joke on my part.

But really, the VTR is the 2002 version without a rev counter, and I seriously can't hear the engine at all. The only gauge I have to go on as to the revs is the vibration I feel through the footpegs and handlebars.
You get the hang of it.
I don't think my bike goes wailing down the road to the sound of tortured engine... Well, if it does it doesn't bother me cos I can't hear it :)

Yeah I know how it is, most of the time you can get away without looking at the speedo, maybe once to confirm what you estimated..

As for not hearing it, you should get onto that, it may be your commuter and only a 250, but the little twins sound pretty good when you open the pipes up a little.

[motorbyclist]

Come on now.... How fast do you intend to go on the virago?
Also, this prevents my backside getting pressure on one side when riding.

As an aside, office workers should take their wallets out of their back pockets and put them in a draw. This prevents a crooked back.

is your jacket not equipped with pockets?


Well, if it does it doesn't bother me cos I can't hear it :)

nor does that rattle coming from the top end, clunking from the bottom end, creaking from the chassis and squealing from the steel-on-steel brakes:laugh:

[BM-GS]

Best practice os probably to keep anything with hard discs inside away from magnets, ditto credit cards, etc. It may not... but it might. And that would be a PITA whatever, I think. If it's unavoidable, fair enouh.

Keeping 2 cards stripe-to-stripe could also wipe them. A former colleague used to work for Alpine making car stereos, back in the good old days of cassette tapes. They had a special tape for measuring the performance of the tape player, with precise frequencies on and special left/right balance bits, etc, but they could only use it 3 times before it got shagged by stretching until the tones were way of frequency and the l/r got smudged and leaky, and he could measure the bleeding of sound between layers of tape on the reels if he left the tape long enough. True, not audiophile bollocks. A good thing ears hear the relative frequencies of notes (unless you're a pitch-perfect type).

As mentioned prevously in this thread, if the magnetic strips move relative to each other, the interaction of fields is greater (erasing is quicker).

Me, I have a Baglux bag cos the magnetic-erasing problem goes away, and so does the magnetic weight (and that's real).