Breaker breaker, what's your twenty?

August 27, 2011 12:45 PM

Are there wireless radios and microphones appropriate for bicyclists to communicate with each other??

I've been trying to figure out how two or more cyclists could talk to each other while riding. The radios could be walkie-talkies or Family Radio Service units or whatever, but I'm having a harder time figuring out the microphone. I really wouldn't want a headset mic on my face while riding, and I wouln't want anything that takes the hands off the bars (like the secret service mic-up-the-sleeve). There's also wind noise to consider, and the whole thing has to be as small and light as possible.

I think a throat contact mic, with an earbud for listening would be best, but they seem to be a product of the security and SWAT inductries and prohibitively expensive.

I know professional racing teams use radio communication with their race director cars, so if anybody knows what they use that might be interesting.

posted by werkzeuger to sports, hobbies, & recreation (6 answers total)

Motorola used to make a whole line of these for bike couriers. The mike clipped to your collar and you could press the transmit button by cocking your head.
posted by Mr. Yuck at 12:57 PM on August 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Go to Amazon.com and search walkie talkie headsets.
posted by JohnE at 1:33 PM on August 27, 2011

There are companies that make systems like this for motorcycles. They have mics that you have to mount someplace, but they are designed to work around wind noise.

I know that a company called Chatterbox makes several different ones. I have used this system for bike to bike communication and it worked great under 80 km/h. Unfortunately, it still has the microphone you want to avoid. However it uses a talk to transmit system so you don't have to press any buttons or move your head or anything like that.
posted by keeo at 7:21 PM on August 27, 2011

Oops. I think it was actually this one.
posted by keeo at 7:22 PM on August 27, 2011

Look for VOX (Voice Operated Xransmit?) FRS/GMRS radios...
posted by HLD at 9:50 PM on August 27, 2011

A search for "throat mic" turns up this for less than 30 USD.

Thanks HLD, I don't know why I never checked Amazon before.
posted by werkzeuger at 9:57 AM on August 28, 2011