Product Review: Scosche boomBOTTLE

Scosche introduced the boomBOTTLE last year at Interbike and it caught my attention right away.  It's a rugged IPX4 Splashproof/Weatherproof Bluetooth connectivity speaker designed to fit in a water bottle cage or cupholder.  I liked the idea of the boomBOTTLE so much that I included it as one of the 20 products in my 4-part series of posts Interbike 2013 Cool Bike Gear.

Image Credit: Scosche Industries

First of all, let me go over some of the features of the boomBOTTLE.  As mentioned above, this speaker has IPX4 Splashproof/Weatherproof construction meaning it can withstand splashing water from any direction.  It's lightweight at less than 1 pound and has a shock absorbing non-slip exterior with dust and debris protective screens around the speakers.  Bluetooth connectivity gives it a wireless range of up to 33 feet and it has a 3.5mm auxiliary input for non-Bluetooth devices.  The dual 40mm drivers and passive subwoofer omni-directional speakers deliver sound 360°.  Control music playback with the multi-function button to pause, play and skip tracks.  Phone calls can be taken while riding using it as a speakerphone.  A long lasting Lithium polymer rechargeable battery provides up to 10 hours of use.

I enjoy listening to podcasts and music while I ride but the use of earbuds can interfere with me hearing approaching vehicles or passing cyclists.  The boomBOTTLE would be a safer alternative that would let me still hear the sounds around me while listening in on my favorite podcast.

I ride a lot of gravel roads so sand, dirt and mud do end up all over me and my bike on rainy days and wet conditions.  This I thought would be a good test of the boomBOTTLE's splashproof/weatherproof IPX4 rating.  Rides in the rain and on wet roads did not affect the performance of the boomBOTTLE and it continued to deliver a rich quality sound.  The slip-resistant outer coating and screens over the speakers protected it from the the water and debris flung at it from my wheels.

After these wet rides the boomBOTTLE was good and dirty and in need of a cleaning.  This was easy, I lightly rinsed it off under the faucet to remove all of the road muck it had picked up on the ride.  A quick wipe down with a dry towel and it was like new again.

The boomBOTTLE fit nice and snug in my water bottle cage and stayed put even on washboard gravel and bumpy "No Motorized Vehicles" doubletrack.  The battery life was exceptional giving me 10+ hours of playback on a single charge.  Using it 1 to 2 hours a day, a charge seemed to last the whole week.  When the battery status reached 25% a voice prompt stated "Battery Level 25%" letting me know it would soon need a recharge.  To protect the battery when the charge is too low it would beep three times, the power down tone would sound and it would shut down.  To conserve battery it would automatically shut down after 10 minutes when there was no longer a Bluetooth signal input.  Charging the battery does take some time, usually around 3 hours, but the long battery life definitely makes up for that.  The charging status LED let me know if it was charging (red) or had reached a full charge (blue) and was ready for use.

Pairing my phone with the boomBOTTLE for the first time was very easy and I was able to do so without reading the instructions.  Once paired, when turned on connection is almost immediate and a voice prompt will state "Power On" and "Connected".  The large buttons and placement of them made it easy to adjust the volume or pause and skip a track while riding.  When turning up the volume on the boomBOTTLE it would beep once when maximum volume was reached.  During windy conditions or when riding fast (16+ mph), maximum volume was needed to hear the audio over the wind noise and was sometimes hard to hear.  To overcome this, I recommend using a product like Wind-Blox to reduce the wind noise and give a better listening experience.  Don't get me wrong, the boomBottle is loud and has good bass with rich sound but wind noise across the ears can sometimes be even louder.  Another way to direct the sound from the omni-directional speakers to better hear the audio is to place the boomBOTTLE in a bottle cage on the down tube like pictured in the photo above.  This will better point the sound toward the rider than placement in a cage on the seat tube.

Integrated Music Controls (Multi-function button)

The multi-function button (MFB) located between the up/down volume buttons has many useful controls of the paired device.  A single tap of the MFB will play or pause an audio track, while a double tap will track forward and a triple tap will track backward.  To answer a phone call and use the boomBOTTLE as a speakerphone, tap the MFB once and do the same to hang up a call.  For phones that have voice control function, hold the MFB for two seconds and release and this will access the phone's voice control feature.  These integrated music controls work nicely when riding because they allow leaving the phone in a pocket and give the ability to control it with the touch of a button.

On the bike or around the house, this compact Bluetooth speaker delivers rich, clear and loud sound whether listening to music or spoken audio podcasts.  Using it is much safer than headphones or earbuds when riding my bike because I can still hear things around me like cars, pedestrians and other cyclists.  The battery life is great and the unit's construction is durable and water resistant for rides in any weather on the road or singletrack.  I would definitely recommend the boomBOTTLE to anyone that likes to listen to music or podcasts while riding their bike.  

The Scosche boomBOTTLE retails for $129.99 and is available in a variety of colors from Scosche, Amazon and many other online retailers.

*Note:  The Scosche boomBOTTLE was paired with a Samsung Galaxy S4 via Bluetooth the duration of testing for this review.

Disclosure:  Scosche Industries provided the review sample for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

Pedal Hub Podcast Keeps Listeners Updated on Growing Twin Cities Bike Community

Pedal Hub is a weekly podcast brought to you by Minnesota Public Radio and is hosted by owner of One On One Bicycle Studio Gene Oberpriller, Amber Dallman from St. Paul Women on Bikes and 30 Days of Biking founder Patrick Stephenson.  These 30 minute episodes cover a number of cycling topics, what's going on with cycling in the Twin Cities and include guest cycling enthusiasts providing interesting discussions.

Image Credit: Banjo Brothers

Pedal Hub started back in August and continues to gain new listeners with each new episode.  This podcast is for all cyclists, beginner or experienced and is full of useful information and insight into cycling in the Twin Cities.  Visit the Pedal Hub page on the MPR News website for new and past episodes.  Subscribe to Pedal Hub on iTunes or the RSS Podcast Feed.  Stay updated on Pedal Hub by following on Twitter.

Outdoor Tech Buckshot: Big Sound, Small Package

When I came across the Outdoor Tech booth at Interbike, a new product  called the Buckshot caught my eye and I had to take a closer look.  The Buckshot is a compact, rugged, water-resistant Bluetooth speaker that can be mounted to your handlebars or any other similar profile.

It wirelessly connects to your phone or other Bluetooth-enabled device and has a range of 33'.  Outdoor Tech states that it meets the IPX5 Dust and Waterproof Standard making it splash resistant and able to take on those rides in the rain.  If it becomes dirty, simply rinse it off.  The rubberized coating and shock-resistant properties of this little speaker protect it from drops, bumps and the occasional mishap.  The Buckshot is powered by a USB-rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery that provides up to 9 hours of music or talk time.  With a built in microphone, it allows hands-free calling on your ride.

Out of the box, the Buckshot comes with a USB recharging cable, handlebar mount accessory and easy to follow User Guide.  The instructions made it simple to power up, pair my phone and quickly learn how to handle calls and music functions.  After a 3 hour charge, it was ready to join me on a ride.

At first I was skeptical of it's sound and volume performance until I took it out on a long gravel road ride.  Riding gravel is much noisier than riding on a paved surface, so I thought this would be a good way to see if the Buckshot would be loud enough to be heard.  After just a short time riding I was pleasantly surprised.  Even with the sound of crushing gravel beneath my tires, I could still hear my favorite podcasts and music loud and clear.  Music played on the Buckshot had crisp treble without sounding "tinny" and supplied a decent amount of bass for such a small speaker.

Battery life on a single charge with the volume up about ¾ of the way (to compensate for the noisy gravel) was enough to keep me listening on a couple of 3½ rides and for about an hour off the bike around the house.  After this, about 15 minutes into a third ride the battery went dead and was in need of a charge.  In my opinion, it lived up the the manufacturer's battery life claim.

Taking calls on the Buckshot was easy and the person on the other end of the line came through loud and clear.  I didn't have to shout to be heard, either.  It allowed me to carry on a conversation while keeping my hands on the bars.

The silicone mounting accessory could be better.  Rough roads/terrain caused the Buckshot to slip until it pointed upward (usually stops at this position) requiring frequent repositioning to get the sound aimed more towards me.  While riding on smooth paved surfaces, the mount held more securely.  Other than sliding slightly into the upward position, it didn't bounce around or move horizontally.

In conclusion, I like the portability, size and convenience of the Buckshot.  It provides nice sound at a volume that can be heard even on windy days or gravel roads.  I prefer using the Buckshot to earbuds for the simple fact that it allows me to hear approaching cars and be more aware of my surroundings.

The Buckshot can be purchased from Outdoor Tech or Amazon for $49.95.

Disclosure:  Outdoor Tech provided the review sample for this article, but offered no other form of compensation for this review.

Interbike 2013 Cool Bike Gear-Part 4

After five days in Las Vegas for Interbike, I have seen anything and everything bike related.  There was so much to see that it took all three days at the show and both days at the Outdoor Demo to take it all in.  I felt like a kid in a candy store and there were many things that caught my eye.  This is the final installment of four posts highlighting some of the cool new products at Interbike 2013 that are now available, available soon or are coming to a bike shop near you.

Abus Bordo 5700

From Abus comes a new lock in their uGrip Bordo line, the Bordo 5700.  It has 5mm steel bar link construction that folds up into a small package and can be mounted to a bike frame with non-slip velcro straps or using the bottle cage bolt holes.  The premium cylinder safeguards against picking and the lock can be snapped shut without having to turn the key unlike previous models.  It comes in a variety of colors (black, pink, lime, blue and orange) and has a secure rating of 7 on Abus' own security scale of 1-15 (higher is more secure).  The Bordo 5700 folding lock has an MSRP of $69.99 and will be available at your local bike shop in Spring 2014.

 45NRTH Fasterkatt

45NRTH introduces a second boot to follow up the huge success of the Wölvhammer.  The Fasterkatt is designed to keep your feet warm and dry in cold, wet or muddy conditions in the 25° to 45° range.  With a waterproof breathable membrane and water resistant zipper, there is no more need for shoe covers with the Fasterkatt.  It is SPD compatible, has a sealed cleat pocket and a Hypergrip micro-glass outsole for extra traction on slippery surfaces.  The insole is made of waffled foam, wool felt and reflective aluminum to to keep your feet warm.      

The Fasterkatt comes in mens standard widths from size 38 to 50 (no size 49) and will begin shipping to authorized retailers the week of October 21st.  MSRP $225.

Scosche BoomBOTTLE

Scosche introduced its new rugged weatherproof Bluetooth speaker, the BoomBOTTLE at Interbike this year.  It is designed to fit in a water bottle cage or cupholder so you can take your music with you on your bike rides.  It has an omni-directional speaker cone that includes 2-40mm drivers and passive subwoofer to deliver rich sound.  The Lithium polymer rechargeable battery will provide up to 10 hours of continuous music playback on a single charge.  Integrated music controls allow the user to play, pause or forward tracks and adjust the volume.  With a built-in microphone, turn your smarthpone into a speakerphone and take calls without getting off the bike.  Wireless, it has a 33 foot range or can be used with non-Bluetooth devices with its built in auxiliary jack.  Color choices for the BoomBOTTLE include grey, blue, yellow, green, pink and are now available for $129.99 from the Scosche website.

Lightweights Power Reflectors

Lightweights Power Reflectors are powerful, high visibility reflectors made from 3M Scotchlite™ that can be applied to just about anything.  The reflective properties of this product are amazing and they can be seen from very long distances.  Stick them on clothing, bikes, helmets or backpacks to greatly increase being seen at night.  They come in many varieties including dots, tape, flex tape, shaft wrap, for clothing & gear and for wheels.  There is a multitude of color choices in many of the varieties to match or accent whatever they are being applied to.  I like the stealth appearance of the black tape that I applied to match the foam vents on the back of my helmet.  You don't even notice it in the daylight, but at night they reflect a very bright diffused light appearing larger than the applied piece.  Lightweights Power Reflectors can be purchased at Lightweights.org or from select retailers.

Giro Feature & Feather Helmets

I had a chance to demo one of the new helmets from Giro at the Outdoor Demo at Bootleg Canyon in 100° temps.  The Feature is a low profile enduro-style helmet designed for long-travel trail riding.  I was surprised at how lightweight and comfortable it was.  After a while I hardly noticed I was even wearing a helmet.  It has twelve vents with internal channeling to draw heat up and out of the helmet and kept me cool in the desert heat.  It comes with an adjustable moto-style visor and dial adjustment on the back of the helmet for a perfect fit. There are seven color choices to choose from.  

The Feather is part of the Women's Series Collection and has the same styling of the Feature helmet in a Womens-specific design.   It also comes with an adjustable moto-style visor and dial adjustment on the back of the helmet in five color styles.

Both helmets retail for $75 and are available direct from the Giro website or look for them at your local bike shop.