Bicycles

Cricket Speaker lets tune-blasting mountain bikers face the music

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The Cricket Speaker is priced at US$39
Cricket Speaker
The Cricket Speaker is priced at US$39
Cricket Speaker
The Cricket comes with a custom stem cap, a removable water-resistant skirt, and a cover that can be put on the steerer tube when the speaker isn't in place
Cricket Speaker

Some mountain bikers enjoy listening to music via a Bluetooth speaker while they ride, but others … well, they just hate the racket. The stem-mounted Cricket Speaker is designed to serve as a compromise, by keeping the sound near the rider's head.

Although Bluetooth bicycle speakers take a number of forms, mountain bikers often go for less obtrusive ones that sit in the bottle cage or hang from their hydration pack. In both cases, the volume has to be set kind of loud in order for the music to be heard over various riding-related noises.

The idea behind the Cricket is that because it's close to the rider's head – plus it's facing up towards their face – they'll be able to hear the music without turning it up as loud.

Additionally, should they not wish to incur the wrath of other trail users whom they're approaching, they can pause the music simply by reaching over and pushing down on the speaker. Another push resumes playback.

The Cricket comes with a custom stem cap, a removable water-resistant skirt, and a cover that can be put on the steerer tube when the speaker isn't in place
Cricket Speaker

Like the StemCAPtain clock/compass and CoreCap cyclometer before it, the Cricket is mounted in place of the bike's existing handlebar stem cap, via a system-specific cap of its own. In that location, it doesn't take up bar space that could be used by lights, bells or other devices. That said, plans call for an optional handlebar mount to be offered for users who wish to go that route – perhaps those who are already running a StemCAPtain?

According to its designers, one USB charge of the Cricket's 350-mAh lithium battery should be good for over three hours of playback, depending on the volume selected. Speaking of which, the 2-watt speaker's output is described as being "louder than most cell phones, but quieter than a large mobile speaker."

Thanks to a removable rubber skirt around the bottom, the whole thing is IPX5 water-resistant, meaning it can withstand a sustained, low-pressure jet spray. It's compatible with all bikes that have a standard-diameter (1 1/8-inch) steerer tube.

The Cricket Speaker is available now, priced at US$39.

Source: Cricket Speaker via Peak Berm Express

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3 comments
Trylon
Silliness. What's the point of being out among nature if you don't want to hear the sounds of nature?
Claudio
@Trylon I use wireless headphones (small in-ear ones) when I'm alone and doing normal travels on my MTB (not those in the mountains), with low volume set. I like listening to music as background sometimes, I really don't see the silliness in it
John Strube
THere are 2 products that allow bikers to listen to music without disturbing the stillness to others. Earshots has a great product that fits on each ear, but allows outside noise to come in. Another is Trex Titanium... Both excellent products, with no blast to the world silliness...