Bluetooth speaker

[jwrushman]

Over the past 8 years, I've been using the Buckshot 2.0 speaker from Outdoor Technology. They've worked well for me when bicycling, but seemed to die after 4 to 5 years - no longer charge, no longer maintain a charge.  Maybe that's the expected life for an inexpensive speaker, but I'm wondering if there's something that might work better.

Requirements:
   Waterproof
   Bluetooth
   Rechargeable
   $30 or less

On uninteresting rides around home, I use it for listening to Pandora. When touring, I use it for turn by turn directions from Ride with GPS.  My Android phones speaker is just not adequate if there's much road noise / wind noise.

Recommendations?

[canalligators]

I used the voice commands from RideWithGPS this summer, and i had problems with wind noise and vehicle noise.  I was looking for a single ear bud while enroute, but gave up looking in small towns.  If I couldn’t hear it, I’d just stop and view the map.  Wouldn’t you also have trouble hearing the directions from a speaker? I probably would, because I don’t take my hearing aids on tour.

It sounds like your bluetooth speakers’ batteries are aging out, which wouldn’t surprise me at all.  If you’re handy, you might be able to open the speaker and replace the batteries.  Or ask a handy friend to do it for you.

[jwrushman]

I ended up replacing it with the same speaker. I guess I shouldn't expect more than 5 years for an inexpensive speaker.

Except for in the noisiest conditions, the speaker has been adequate in terms of volume. In addition to directions, I have RideWithGPS. give me an alert every mile, just to make sure the phone hasn't fallen asleep.

[ray b]

Agree - the life expectancy of a rechargeable battery has gotten better, but 5 years is pretty good. If expensive, a replacement battery is the way to go, if it can be done without disrupting the electrical shielding for the speaker. In the case of your $30 speaker, I'd recycle the old one and buy the new technology; the cost of procurement and installation of a replacement battery is too high.

This thread is a reminder that wind noise from cycling can take a toll on our hearing.
I recall that wind noise at 15 MPH is good for 85 decibels (dBA) - pretty loud and sufficient to cause damage.

As a musician, I've been sensitive to the noise issue. Since the 70s, I have routinely sported ear plugs while training. In my dotage, as I try to avoid eventual need for hearing aids, I've added noise cancelling headphones with microphone ($25) for downhills, headwinds (which always seem to be more prevalent than downhills), and the rare phone call or need for a tune to keep the cadence up.

I'll note that a lot of the fellows with whom I ride motorcycles prefer custom fitted, noise cancelling ear plugs, but I always found the sweat on a bicycle to limit my comfort with this rather expensive soluton.

(And like a lot of us, I just can't keep those expensive little earbuds in my ears if I start to grimace on an uphill - no matter how well they are fitted while relaxed. Right - nice thing about a speaker attached to the bike - it's not going anywhere.)

That's not to say I don't occasionally carry a high quality speaker for some mood at day's end. I simply recommend one consider whether they want to add to road and wind noise while riding.

(And before the safety police jump in, consider that with a 30 dBA reduction in noise, I still have plenty of room to distinguish between a Jeep and a Chevy coming from behind - which I confirm with my large-ish helmet mirror - now a must for detection of smaller EVs.)

Ride on.

[helderwieling]

I don't think you can do better than JBL. On seasonal sales, you can get a waterproof one for under $30.

[canalligators]

Altec Lansing also makes reliable products with pretty good sound, at moderate price.

[Alessa3322]

For those members who wear hearing aids, does your device support Bluetooth? Or do you use Bluetooth and hearings separately?
I'm in search of new hearing devices. Having looked through the listenclear complaints here, I didn't find any info about Bluetooth there, unfortunately, so I have doubts about my choice. What brand is better to choose?

[rwinot25]

I wear new hearing aids. I don't wear them when riding. The wind noise and interference caused by the closeness of the helmet makes them annoying.

My hearing aids are blue tooth capable. I was told when I chose this brand that I would have issues with compatibility with my cell phone. I turned the pairing off because of the poor quality. I use them only as hearing aids. All manufacturers list compatibility on their websites.

[misterflask]

<<wind noise at 15 MPH is good for 85 decibels>>
Had not thought about this, but seems plausible. 

I recommend cat ears: www.cat-ears.com 
They are little fuzzy things that wrap around your helmet straps where the fuzz breaks up the wind noise ahead of your ears.  Their argument is that this is the reason that owls have feathery legs and pigeons don't, and your cat has hairy ears and you don't.

I can attest that they really work, and in the nebulous, subjective world of sound assessment, I would say they knock the wind noise down by half.  I bought a new helmet once and forgot to move them over.  The first downhill I hit, the wind noise had me wondering 'what is Wrong with this helmet?'   

Also recommend bone conduction headphones.  They don't obstruct your ears and are pretty comfortable.  There's a headphone law in Georgia, which they probably put you on the wrong side of, but you can easily hear traffic sounds.