Does anyone on here use an Airzound?

daniel_b

My brother has one, and I bought one before him, but have yet to fit it:

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=20054

115 Decibels maximum, but you can wind it down significantly.

Dan

BentMikey

Yeah, I have one on the recumbent, see here.

It's modified slightly, with a longer airhose, and a 2 litre coke bottle as reservoir in the tailfairing. A loud "OI" works almost as well on the other bike, but it doesn't have quite the same effect on car drivers as the airzound does.

daniel_b

2 litres! Holy cow, that must last some serious amount of time, the standard one must only be around 3-500ml tops - nice job.

Dan

mbukfan

standard bottle is 500ml

I've found that it's very good for some things but it's really useful for getting pedestrainsout of the way. On the road it's much better then a bell. It will also scare dogs which are chasing you

They seem to be a bit picky about which pumps you can use to pump thyem up. I have a lot of difficulty geting mine on and off and sometimes loose a lot of air

BentMikey

I reckon they're bad news to use on pedestrians, serious overkill and very uncool. I try extremely hard not to use mine on them as a result, though once in a while I've failed. With very funny results.

mbukfan

I have used it when drunk chavs have run in front of me and started talking about steeling my bike. That was funny

graham_g

Don't think I'd bother with one - never have much cause and much like the car horn, I suspect I'd never instinctly reach for it. Using it around peds would be pretty awful as those things are bloody loud.

That reminds me; me and two mates were walking accross the Brooklyn bridge in New York (it's a 50/50 ped/cycle lane split) - there were lots of pedestrians but everyone stuck to the right side of the path with the occasional 'overtaking'. Whilst a few people in front were overtaking - literally just going inches into the cycle bit - this arsehole on roller blades blasted an airzound and shouted 'MOVE!'. I only wished it had happened behind me so I could leg the arrogant fuckwit over and drop his airzound in the river.

david2

I've got one but haven't had it fitted on the bike for ages. I found it far to aggressive to be of any use with pedestrians and when I need it to warn a car I am to busy controling the bike to bother trying to use the Air Zound.

Great fun at first but only a fancy toy really.

Jeremy Parker

Daniel B wrote:

My brother has one, and I bought one before him, but have yet to fit it:

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=20054

115 Decibels maximum, but you can wind it down significantly.

Dan

I have one, but don't use it, or keep it on my bike.

It's too loud to to be the thing that you reach for instinctively, so you can only use it for situations that you see building up in advance. That can be satisfying, but is unsporting, really

Instead, my standard procedure is to say "Watch it" as loudly as possible. That's better than swearing at them. The trick is to keep your voice low pitched, and not to rise to an anguished squeak before you have got the whole thing out. That just takes practice

Jeremy Parker

BentMikey

That "controlling the bike" thing is a good point, and it's why I have an AirZound on the recumbent, but not on my fixed wheel. On the 'bent, it's easy to hit the button as well as both brakes and do whatever manoeuvring is required. On the fixed wheel, I can't think of an easy way to be able to do the important stuff as well as hit the AirZound, which would leave it as an instrument of retribution rather than warning.

mbukfan

some people have modified it so that they hold it closer to the hand by using cable ties to hold it onto the break/gear lever attachment point

overmars

I have one but I haven't used it for years. I've got my light battery and water bottle. No room for the zound I'm afraid.