Using headphones while riding your bike is a bad idea. You need to hear what’s happening around you to stay safe. Better to go with a rugged, waterproof wireless speaker to blast the jams while you pedal the pavement. But where do you put it and how do you secure it? The way we see it, you’ve got two options: Strap any number of available rugged, weatherproof speakers to your handlebars or frame with some MacGyver’d abomination consisting of bungee cords or duct tape, or buy a speaker designed specifically to be mounted to your bike. If the latter sounds more like your style, check out Divoom’s latest effort, the Voombox-Ongo.
The Voombox-Ongo may have an awkward name, but its design is all business. The speaker is super-rugged and splash resistant, so it can take a dive just in case you do. The built-in rechargeable battery is claimed to last 8 hours per charge, though that will vary with how loud you like to play your music while rock hopping. If you get a phone call while riding and actually want to take it, the speaker’s built-in microphone will allow for it.
Available colors include light blue, light green, red, orange and black.
At $70, the little 5.5-inch speaker looks like it could be a bargain. Of course, that will depend on how it sounds. With two 1.5-inch drivers and a sizable passive bass radiator, the speaker certainly looks like it’s got the guts to power your bike ride, but we’ll update this article once we’ve put our ears on it while out in the field … er, mountains.
