Radios used by pro cycling teams

skinsey
skinsey Posts: 105
edited September 2011 in Road buying advice
Hi - looking to buy at least a couple of PMR-type radios for touring, similar to the ones used by the pro teams. Does anyone know what type/brands they use?

Or perhaps that you've used yourself for similar purposes? Thanks.

Comments

  • spasypaddy
    spasypaddy Posts: 5,180
    you need a couple of short wave 2 way walkie talkie type radios that can take wired headsets with a microphone on them.
  • skinsey
    skinsey Posts: 105
    Got that far cheers, need to get some suggestions now re brands/models now as there seem to be huge price differences.
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    very expensive - and you'd need to take charging units with you. I really cant see the need for them unless you're in a big group and have designated leader and tail end charlie ?
  • izza
    izza Posts: 1,561
    cougie wrote:
    very expensive - and you'd need to take charging units with you. I really cant see the need for them unless you're in a big group and have designated leader and tail end charlie ?

    + 1

    However,

    1) Contact Hot Chillee who run the London to Paris ride. Their team captains all have the radios and head pieces. They might be able to give advice on the research they must have done.

    2) If you have a small group, I thought there were apps that used bluetooth on iphones to talk to each other and thereby avoid foreign call charges
  • JRooke
    JRooke Posts: 243
    They are not that expensive at all, used them in races alot, The Midland models, under £50 for a pair, even less i imagine now, have up to 26 mile radius, very small, can easily be placed in a small plastic sandwhich bag and strapped to your back, i put mine on the back of my heart rate monitor strap, with an ear piece wire and a talk button attached to bib shorts. Not even sure you can buy the actual wakie talkie without the cargers, but you can buy shed loads of batteries which are very simple to change.

    Its not really modern technology so not quite sure why you all think they are expensive, they have battery saving modes also so its not at all a struggle to make it last, they were charged every night, so don't even really know how long they had left, but were 6 hour+ days.
  • boblo
    boblo Posts: 360
    Foe th elove of God, why do you need radios for touring?
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    You'd be surprised how easy it is for people to wander off down a side road esp. if you are in a group and get split up.
    M.Rushton
  • skinsey
    skinsey Posts: 105
    Thanks for the replies - my needs aren't perhaps as simple as I implied in the OP. I'm leading a charity ride from London to Paris in September, and have got a reasonable spread of abilities, shall we say, in the group. I know who the back marker will be, so I'm quite keen to have the lead rider/tail end charlie (ie me/him) with radios, as, with the best will in the world, I just can't see the group staying together through the streets of London and Paris, and don't want to be reliant on mobiles.

    Further recommendations welcome...
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    mrushton wrote:
    You'd be surprised how easy it is for people to wander off down a side road esp. if you are in a group and get split up.

    For the UK at least a mobile phone would do the job.

    But then the group should either stay together or everyone in the group should be capable of navigating.
    More problems but still living....
  • The team support car can pick up any stragglers
    I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles
  • skinsey
    skinsey Posts: 105
    More detail....my group includes someone who only started cycling 3 months ago and someone else who's 17.5 stone (and only 5' 8"). None of the group has ever ridden as part of a group before, and there's precious little navigating experience. We're totally self-supporting - there's no back-up car/minibus etc.

    However, all the group will be equipped with maps and detailed route sheets, and they're sensible blokes. We've had one practice run in the UK, and it was clear that whilst we could manage perfectly well without radios, I as the group's leader would feel more comfortable if I knew that the back marker could speak to me (and me to him) without resorting to stopping and dialling a mobile number.

    So, yes, it's a bit belt-and-braces, but it's part of my plan to ensure that I enjoy the ride without the pressures of leading it impinging too much. Happy to spend a few quid on radios now, as it's likely I'll get plenty more use in the future out of them.
  • ddraver
    ddraver Posts: 26,348
    If you re not spearated by much distance then wouldnt just some ordinary walkie talkies do? I donj't know the details but they re nothing special and not too much money any more...
    We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
    - @ddraver
  • TMR
    TMR Posts: 3,986
    Oh for God's sake, they are only 2 way radios! What's all the moaning for? Perhaps he wants them to look 'Pro' - that's his business.

    It's not like they are complicated bits of technology FFS.
  • boblo
    boblo Posts: 360
    Oooo get the Mad Rapper. Sit on the crease in yer kniks love? :D
  • NervexProf
    NervexProf Posts: 4,202
    These are available for £47 including re-chargeable batteries - range of 6km

    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-Binatone- ... 35b3abcee0

    ( I am not the seller!)
    Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom
  • mfin
    mfin Posts: 6,729
    You see a lot of throat mics used, cos they pick up the voice from the skin vibrations, eliminating the wind, here's some, most have Push to Talk Buttons too, so never need to touch the radio in your back pocket... they have the earpiece too...

    http://www.pmctelecom.co.uk/index.php?keywords=throat&page=0&gclid=CPvghOP9pKoCFQaDDgodmENTWw

    and here's more on eBay
    http://shop.ebay.co.uk/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=throat+mic&_sacat=See-All-Categories
  • Did you find anything in the end? I'm looking to do a similar thing, leading a charity ride and have noticed that even riding right next to each other next to A-road traffic you can't hear didly squat.
    There's a pair of binatone radios on Amazon for less than £20 that claim a range of up to 3km and quite positive reviews
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Binatone-Latitude-Twin-Walkie-Talkie/dp/B000X2BYYQ/ref=sr_1_100?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1315302720&sr=1-100

    I presume you an buy two sets and put them onto the same channel to use all 4 together...?

    [/url]
  • They take regular batteries too which could be a major bonus.
  • 4kicks
    4kicks Posts: 549
    Weve been given these
    http://www.nano-talk.nl/
    Cant find anything on them in English but Ive not looked much!
    but honestly team radios arent what you need for your purposes. Bat life ist great, acousics suck. Get the morotola walkie talkies from Decathlon and be done with.
    Fitter....healthier....more productive.....
  • I think you're right, there's loads out there that are affordable and look quite good. Not seen the decathlon ones, my nearest store is miles away so I very rarely go. What are they and how much?
  • 4kicks
    4kicks Posts: 549
    I meant these
    http://www.decathlon.co.uk/communicatio ... ports.html
    (But they have/had Motorola ones as well
    Fitter....healthier....more productive.....