Though I thoroughly enjoy my music and am not at all timid about sharing the road, I have never mixed music with riding. Simply seemed too dangerous and unnerving. While a veritable plethora of options for relatively safe listening are out there, this Kickstarter seems straightforward and inexpensive by comparison. AudioPLUX speakers mount on your helmet, near your ears and provide music while allowing for ambient traffic noise and the potential for conversation. A good, old-fashioned earphone plug connects to your music source and you’re rolling. And jamming. Hear more after the break…
Canadian entrepreneur Lou Tortola’s motivation for creating the AudioPLUX speakers matched with my experience: the desire to sometimes listen to music (especially on some longer rides), but the hesitancy to do so on safety grounds. But what separates entrepreneurs from mere mortals is the annotated cocktail napkin sketch:
And so the AudioPLUX was born and subsequently Kickstarted. Intentionally eschewing fancy features such as Bluetooth keeps simplicity high and cost low. The goal was an inexpensive earbud replacement and not a more expensive accessory with a separate battery to charge. The speakers attach to any helmet using 3M Dual Lock fasteners and feature an in-line volume control. The anticipated retail price is $16 to $20 CAD and the first Kickstarter run is available to $20 CAD backers.
Perceived sonic quality–like music tastes–can be subjective, so the AudioPLUX are a candidate for a future test and review. If you’re like me and interested in incorporating music with riding -while remaining safe and aware of surroundings- but unsure of how much you may enjoy it, the AudioPLUX are an inexpensive option to try.
