How can I build a rolling sound system for Critical Mass? And on the cheap too!

I've picked up a funky adult trike that could carry a nice sound system. I've a nice car CD player but not a wire to or from it. I day dream about an old car battery, a few speakers, and a fun music filled ride! How do I make it happen, and with only a little $$$ spent along the way? Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Ken Gray on February 4, 2010 at 10:26pm

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 4, 2010 at 10:31pm

You don't say!

(sorry, couldn't resist)

Ken Gray said:

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 4, 2010 at 10:33pm

Good timing Ken--
If you can make it to the swap/expo on Saturday Alex and Todd will be giving a presentation on this very topic:

2:15 PM: D-I-Y Bicycle Sound Systems!
Alex Wilson, West Town Bikes & Ciclo Urbano
Todd Allen, electro-geek, Break the Gridlock
Tunes on a bike? It's easier than you think. See, touch and listen to two sound systems. Learn how to select, connect and mount the basic components: sound source, power source, amplifier and speakers.

http://www.thechainlink.org/events/bike-winter-swapexpo

Permalink Reply by Ken Gray on February 4, 2010 at 10:41pm

Thanks! That sound great. Sorry about the dead space. I was trying to add a picture of the trike. Messed up somewhere, no pic.

H3N3 said:

Good timing Ken--
If you can make it to the swap/expo on Saturday Alex and Todd will be giving a presentation on this very topic:

2:15 PM: D-I-Y Bicycle Sound Systems!
Alex Wilson, West Town Bikes & Ciclo Urbano
Todd Allen, electro-geek, Break the Gridlock
Tunes on a bike? It's easier than you think. See, touch and listen to two sound systems. Learn how to select, connect and mount the basic components: sound source, power source, amplifier and speakers.

http://www.thechainlink.org/events/bike-winter-swapexpo

Permalink Reply by cutifly on February 4, 2010 at 10:45pm

What is a little $$$$$ mean ? $10 or $1000 cause it is all relative. I mean you can Jack a car battery, steal some speakers and a power amp from the same car too. An old Stereo Amp from the thrift store, Some Battery Pc Speakers, etc .... It's really not complicated, fitting on a bike is, fitting on a trailer is not. When is someone gonna offer real compensation for things or at least try and trade it out with time or something worth equal. You might get lucky and someone will hook you up, just try to make it worth their while.

Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on February 4, 2010 at 10:59pm

Boom box would be easiest. Wooden box or plastic cooler can work. Inside you would have the battery, music source, and wiring. Cut holes in the side and mount the speakers.

Wiring. You will have to figure out the wiring harness. search google with the model number, you should find a wiring diagram. You will need to find 5, 6, 9 or 10 wires. Positive power source, Ground wire (or attach ground wire to screw on the player).

2 or 4 pairs of speaker wires. Left, right or left front, right front, left rear, right rear. These are A/C at low volts and music frequency (20-20,000 Hz). However, one way will produce a louder bass, this is the correct connection. If you hook up just a left speaker, you need to connect it to both left front and left rear, with the same loudness orientation.

Often, you will have another connection for power while the key is off to maintain user settings and to run the clock. You will not need to connect this wire.

Please post the make and model number if you need more assistance.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 5, 2010 at 1:18am

Sorry, Mike, I can't make head or tail out of this.
Ken, would be happy to help you build one as well after the Expo is out of the way.
I may have everything you need to build it-- definitely batteries and speakers.

Mike Schwab said:

Boom box would be easiest. Wooden box or plastic cooler can work. Inside you would have the battery, music source, and wiring. Cut holes in the side and mount the speakers.

Wiring. You will have to figure out the wiring harness. search google with the model number, you should find a wiring diagram. You will need to find 5, 6, 9 or 10 wires. Positive power source, Ground wire (or attach ground wire to screw on the player).

2 or 4 pairs of speaker wires. Left, right or left front, right front, left rear, right rear. These are A/C at low volts and music frequency (20-20,000 Hz). However, one way will produce a louder bass, this is the correct connection. If you hook up just a left speaker, you need to connect it to both left front and left rear, with the same loudness orientation.

Often, you will have another connection for power while the key is off to maintain user settings and to run the clock. You will not need to connect this wire.

Please post the make and model number if you need more assistance.

Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on February 5, 2010 at 9:03am

At the Halloween Mass, the guy with the sound system was pulled over by bike cops and told to turn it down...way down. I wish cops would do that to thrumbing and thumping cars.

Good luck.

Permalink Reply by Ken Gray on February 5, 2010 at 5:31pm

Thanks for all the info. I am going to go to the bike swap tomorrow. H3N3 and others, you might hear from me when I need HELP. Thanks for the offer! And if I pull this off myself, well then you'll "hear" me at a Critical Mass soon.

Mark Kenseth said:

At the Halloween Mass, the guy with the sound system was pulled over by bike cops and told to turn it down...way down. I wish cops would do that to thrumbing and thumping cars.

Good luck.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on February 5, 2010 at 5:39pm

Actually, let me rephrase that-- I have a lot of stuff around I bought specifically to add music to CM and similar rides that's not being used-- it would make me happy if I could pass it along to you rather than having you spend any money on this.

Permalink Reply by alvin mitchell on February 5, 2010 at 10:16pm

First dump the cd player.Buy a small mp3 player it wont skip when you hit bumps then go to swaparama on 39 or 40 on the south ashland ave..Buy a small car amplifier 20 or 30 bucks.Then you buy a cord with a stereo headphone plug on one end and and rca jacks on the other.Connect your well charged car battery to your amplifier and your speakers to your amp plug the mp3 plyer into the amplifier and you got music.I did my sysytem with nice computer speakers that had a good sub-woofer.My system is on youtube.Look up bike stereo system.its the black Spaulding leaning agaisnt the a brick wall.the Handle bars are the first thing that your going to see in the video.Let me know what you think of it.

How can I build a rolling sound system for Critical Mass? And on the cheap too!

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