One Bike / One Speaker

RTB One Bike One Speaker JBL 615

The simplest way to get people dancing with Pedal Power. The output of 1 efficient generator goes right into a customized JBL loudspeaker.

With a compatible mixer (in use here and as shown in video in upper right) you can get multiple musicians amplified with no additional power.

pedal powered stage
Bike Party demo: A single pedaler on an elevated platform cranks out clean wattage into El Arbol, a powerful audio system available for local events.
RTB One Bike One Speaker
Our smallest and most approachable Pedal Powered Stage offering, but by no means wimpy, the One Bike / One Speaker system comes with everything you need to address a crowd with Pedal Power, or get some dancing going at your event.

Pedal Power Your Own Speech!

 

– Perfect for public speaking events like a town hall meeting, green event, or press conference. Also a huge hit at a large outdoor environmental day like a tree planting or park cleanup.

– Includes a high quality Pro Sound speaker designed for large outdoor events. Capable of sending music out to a large area.

– Easy setup. Only two connections you need to make to fully set up One Bike / One Speaker. Can take as little as 1 minute.

– A microphone or MP3 player can plug straight in to this speaker with no mixer! No complex controls, just a single volume knob. System can also be upgraded to include a 2, 4, or 6 channel mixer also powered by the bike.

– Everything you need can be carried / towed on one bike, meaning you can further reduce the carbon footprint of your event by biking there.

– Includes everything you need: one of our exclusive, highly efficient Modified JBL PRX loudspeakers, a complete generator or generator wheel, handlebar Pedalometer, and Pedal Power cable. The bike plugs directly into the speaker! (You supply all the audio gear.)

– Can also power a second speaker for stereo sound. Second speaker is a ‘slave’ to the primary speaker.

– Easy/Moderate exertion level. You’ll have enough breath to give a speech while you pedal. For dance music, the effort level goes up a little.

– System includes a small Ultracapacitor that holds up to 3 minutes worth of audio power.

– Recommended crowd size: Up to 500 for speech and up to 200 people for dance music.

Pedalometer
Above: The included 3-level Pedalometer shows you how hard to pedal. If the blue lights are on, there will be a 1-3 minute buffer before audio cuts.
See the complete setup process in the product video (also linked in the upper right of this page.)
At Rock The Bike’s largest Pedal Powered concerts, there are over 20 people pedaling and the crowd size is around 1000-2000. With a 1 Bike / 1 Speaker system, you can have 1 person pedaling and up to 500 listening to speech or 200 dancing to music. How’s that possible? The explanation is two-fold. For one, there is no AC power provided; all the power goes directly into the speaker. In other words, there’s nowhere to plug in devices that normally go into the wall. You can still have a small band play live music through a compatible mixer, or plug an MP3 player directly into the speaker. The second reason is that audio power scales exponentially. To reach a crowd of 1000 people, you may need 10 times as much power as to reach a crowd of 100-200. With a single pedaler and an efficient loudspeaker like the one included in this system, you can create danceable music for 100, 200, or even more to enjoy.
One Bike / One Speaker
Above: The Blue Whale in use as a One Bike / One Speaker rig as SHAKE YOUR PEACE! trio performs at a party in an indoor / outdoor space. Below you can get a sense of the crowd size possible with the One Bike / One Speaker rig.

 

One Bike / One Speaker event
The view from outside.
portable bike powered speakers
Prototype! Wilson cranks out the tunes on Halloween night street party in San Francisco, while Masha discovers a new dancing platform. Everything you need to Pedal Power music is transportable on one bike. You don’t even have to unstrap it!

Rentable: yes
Status: Made to Order, Build time is 4 weeks.

Cost: $3,025 and up depending on speaker, generator options.

  • Maker Faire May 20th-22nd

    Maker Faire 2016 is happening May 20th – 22nd at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. Join us and spread the word with our Facebook invite HERE: 

    P1180077

    Maker Faire 2015

    Rock The Bike is pleased to announce it’s umpteenth year involved in creating Pedal Powered Music offerings for multiple days at the Maker Faire of San Mateo. This event has grown to be one of the largest Maker Faires in the country, boasting ten’s of thousands of participants per day, and new technology and inspirations to make your mind bend. Rock The Bike has been a huge part of creating and inspiring innovation at the Maker’s Faire and Bay Area, through pedal powered concerts that make us think of where our power is coming from, and how we might want to use our time and energy more efficiently as an individual or community. So let’s get to it! Here is the line-up and details of the Bike ride down to Maker’s Faire 2016:
    (more…)

  • What can I power with the Off the Wall generator?

    Finally, we have a bike generator that allows customers to simply plug in regular devices with no intermediate box or circuit. You pedal, the device turns on. Direct, immediate, simple. But not all devices are compatible.  The Off the Wall Generator will only power devices that have a switching power supply. How do I tell if [...]

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    When ordering new wheel covers OR an Icycleta Ice Cream Bike Attachment it’s important for us to know what style wheel you have. Not sure how to tell? Let us help you find out. “What wheel cover style is compatible with my wheel?” Ordering new wheel covers?  We need to know which wheel you have so [...]

  • What kind of vehicle should I use to transport the Pro frame?

    Most hatchback style cars can usually fit at least one partially disassembled Pro frame inside. You’ll want to use a car with a large trunk; it’s even better if the back seats fold down to extend the trunk space. A pickup truck can carry 2-4 fully built Pro frames in the bed. Most SUVs can carry a [...]

  • Are there sponsorships and grants available for my Nonprofit?

    Bike Blending in action at Longfellow Elementary’s Spring Carnival Our Nonprofit Discount Program grants awards of 10% off your purchase and 15-20% off the rental of Rock the Bike gear to a limited number of nonprofit or educational applicants per quarter and has a simple application process. Requirements: – Proof of nonprofit status (501c3) – [...]

  • "It's just plain impressive" says Climate Cycle customer

    “It’s just plain impressive that one person can produce that much sound with moderate effort. I hope you’re proud of your work. When our photographer gets us the shots, we’ll be sure to float some good times your way!” -Joey, Climate Cycle

  • Pedal Powered Presentations at Schools

    This photo was snapped [in fall of 2013] at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary school in Vaughan, Ontario, Canada.  That’s the Principal and EcoTeacher riding the bikes in front of the students at the start of the presentation. Later students were invited to pedal to power the presentation. This system (2 bikes and 2 [...]

  • Maker Faire May 20th-22nd

    Maker Faire 2016 is happening May 20th – 22nd at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. Join us and spread the word with our Facebook invite HERE: 

    P1180077

    Maker Faire 2015

    Rock The Bike is pleased to announce it’s umpteenth year involved in creating Pedal Powered Music offerings for multiple days at the Maker Faire of San Mateo. This event has grown to be one of the largest Maker Faires in the country, boasting ten’s of thousands of participants per day, and new technology and inspirations to make your mind bend. Rock The Bike has been a huge part of creating and inspiring innovation at the Maker’s Faire and Bay Area, through pedal powered concerts that make us think of where our power is coming from, and how we might want to use our time and energy more efficiently as an individual or community. So let’s get to it! Here is the line-up and details of the Bike ride down to Maker’s Faire 2016:
    (more…)

  • 1 Bike / 1 Speaker used for 500 activists at 350.org's Global Power Shift summit in Istanbul

    When we heard 350.org was gathering 500 climate justice activists in Istanbul for the Global Power Shift conference in June, we offered to loan them our latest and simplest yet Pedal Power system, “One Bike / One Speaker” .  Since several of the organizers were coming from the Bay Area, we reduced our smallest system to two boxes, both within airline regulations for checked baggage, bringing the shipping cost to 0. We met up with two of the organizers to hand off the two boxes, one at a BART station and one at our shop. 350.org would have to supply a bike in Istanbul and swap the rear wheel for the lightweight generator wheel we provided. We supplied detailed setup info to ensure the system would get good use.  Next: wait for update. 

    Update from Kevin a few days into GPS:  “Hey! Just saying it’s rocking. We did a 500 person plenary outside which was great, and its become a staple for our daily announcements. Next up, the Open Mic…”

    The photos show that this One Bike system was able to amplify music and speech for the entire conference. 

  • Thanks 350.org and Sup. Avalos' office for the opportunity to Pedal Power Bill McKibben

    AP-coverage
     

    When I heard Bill McKibben was going to be in San Francisco to announce a recent success in Supervisor Avalos’s initiative for San Francisco to divest from Oil giants, I jumped at the chance to Pedal Power the speech. Avalos’ office put me in touch with the organizers who were excited to make it happen. 

    On the day of the rally, Nio and I transported two of our Modified JBL Loudspeakers and towed one electric Fender Blender Pro to use as the generator. We used our newest Pedal Powered Stage system for small events, called One Bike / One Speaker, in which the ultracapacitor (storage tank) and protection circuitry are inside one of the speakers. There’s no red customized toolbox as there usually has been in Rock The Bike’s Pedal Power setups. This makes it fast to set up, and easier to transport.

    The first thing Bill did when taking the stage was fist-bump the pedaler. His message on the mic is very inclusive and echoes previous giants of social movements: “We may not beat this challenge, but I so look forward to fighting alongside all of you.

    I love that in the AP’s entire article about divestment, the only mention of bicycling is in the lead photo. Rock The Bike!

    (more…)

  • Pedal Powered Stage Gear

    This is the gear we use at our own Pedal Powered Stage events, including the San Francisco Bicycle Music Festival.

     

    A Pedal Powered Stage is a system that must include ALL of the following:

    The following elements are optional:

    • staging
    • lighting

    Creating a system yourself can be a great team-building experience but has a serious learning curve. Working with Rock The Bike will get you up and running much more quickly and with higher quality components. You’ll be able to put your focus on organizing events much sooner.

    Let our experience work for you. We’ve been Pedal Powering music events since 2007.  This will translate to less frustration and more empowering moments when you use our gear at your events.

    We would be happy to assist you in customizing a quote for your Pedal Powered Stage. Please note that the items in this category are often made to order. Please help us help you by giving us enough time to do our best work.

    If you aren’t sure if you want to purchase or rent, you can check out purchasing prices with the “BUY” button below, or you can contact us for rental quotes HERE, or email info@rockthebike.com