Could you hook up a couple of those old headlight generators to your wheels and power your rig en route? Play some great slap bass as you bomb down hills!
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Biking to the Gig - Can it be Done?
- Thread starter unbasslichkeit
- Start date
at this threadi've done the biking-to-a-gig thing a bit, but seriously - bass only! not amp or head. to be fair i haven't tried a trailer as suggested earlier...
anyway nothing wrong with riding along with your gig bag flapping in the wind. i just think anything more, even a 1x10, is tempting the run-me-over gods...
i've done the biking-to-a-gig thing a bit, but seriously - bass only! not amp or head. to be fair i haven't tried a trailer as suggested earlier...
anyway nothing wrong with riding along with your gig bag flapping in the wind. i just think anything more, even a 1x10, is tempting the run-me-over gods...
it can get kinda scary when you're cruising downhill and a light turns yellow at a major intersection and the roads wet with a 100lb load
Rode the new bike to work yesterday for the first time. Got buzzed by a lot of cars on the hill going up to the school, so I had to hop off and walk it as the shoulder wasn't the greatest. Going home some ****** in a red pickup took a swerve at me and I had to bail. Unfortunately I didn't get his license plate. That experience alone would make me not want to ride with the bass, sadly enough I was considering doing just that for praise team practice last night until the ride home from teaching.
A friend of mine used to load in and out with a car on 3-5 night gigs (he had a Mesa Bass 400 head and a 4x10 cab) and the rest of the time he rode to and from the club with his 2 Steinberger XL-2's on his back. He got stopped by the police on numerous occasions--they thought he was carrying rifles (I suppose it DOES look a little strange-- some guy on a bicycle with two suspicious looking cases on his back at 4am).
I've only ever done the bus/metro (subway) thing with all my gear. Fender Bassman 20, Ibanez RB850 in a hard shell case, pedal board (with 4 pedals and tuner), gig bag loaded with all the necessary gear, and to top it all off, my guitar stand. I did that ONCE. Never again.
I've only ever done the bus/metro (subway) thing with all my gear. Fender Bassman 20, Ibanez RB850 in a hard shell case, pedal board (with 4 pedals and tuner), gig bag loaded with all the necessary gear, and to top it all off, my guitar stand. I did that ONCE. Never again.
I love biking, but I've never tried it for a gig.
However, a local drummer, Link Removed, told me that he rode with his DRUM KIT to gigs for a while! Granted, it was really stripped down from what he told me (kick, snare, and a cymbal I think), but still, that's some real bulk.
He stopped because it was getting really hairy with all the city drivers. Keep in mind that this is in Boston proper and the surrounding Greater Boston area...legendary for confusing street layouts, constant repair and construction..not to mention the polite, patient and competent average driver
If I were to do it, I would certainly install a rear bike rack, and strap the cab on that way.
However, a local drummer, Link Removed, told me that he rode with his DRUM KIT to gigs for a while! Granted, it was really stripped down from what he told me (kick, snare, and a cymbal I think), but still, that's some real bulk.
He stopped because it was getting really hairy with all the city drivers. Keep in mind that this is in Boston proper and the surrounding Greater Boston area...legendary for confusing street layouts, constant repair and construction..not to mention the polite, patient and competent average driver
If I were to do it, I would certainly install a rear bike rack, and strap the cab on that way.
Arlo Guthrie has bad experiences to share on this subject...
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=g266Uwp6ZnI
I present to you:
the Canadian navy
and the Canadian army
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Heck isn't that actually Canadian MARPAT as well? Nice. At least its quieter then a tank...
Since you're going to get plugged straight into a board, I'd just use a DI box.
I often did without an amp.
Now that I use that amp; [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I could. It weight 27 pounds , 350 watts , fits on my backpack and in my bikes' luggage. Next gig I have in town ( Montreal ) I'll try it.
Now that I use that amp; [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I could. It weight 27 pounds , 350 watts , fits on my backpack and in my bikes' luggage. Next gig I have in town ( Montreal ) I'll try it.
I live in Manhattan and many of the gigs i get supply back line bass amps...so i actually ride to gigs most of the time with my bass in a gig bag on my back.
Have a few situations where i need to bring the bass and also an amp head. For those I have a little Crate Powerblock (which does an amazingly good job for such a little fella) or a Markbass LMII. I have well cushioned soft cases for both heads and I can strap either one to the back wheel rack. No problem!
I have been looking at the Phil Jones Briefcase and the Crate Limo TX50 that runs on batteries for some outdoor acoustic stuff but I don't know if I could carry either one on the bike. So far, if I gotta bring speakers, it's taxi or subway time.
Have a few situations where i need to bring the bass and also an amp head. For those I have a little Crate Powerblock (which does an amazingly good job for such a little fella) or a Markbass LMII. I have well cushioned soft cases for both heads and I can strap either one to the back wheel rack. No problem!
I have been looking at the Phil Jones Briefcase and the Crate Limo TX50 that runs on batteries for some outdoor acoustic stuff but I don't know if I could carry either one on the bike. So far, if I gotta bring speakers, it's taxi or subway time.
Safety- yours and everyone else's (read: other cars, and pedestrians)
Rain- I hope it doesn't rain immediately before or immediately after your gig.
It's cool to be environmentally conscious, or health-oriented. However, trying to bike to a gig is just asking for trouble. Even trying to gig with your transport as a motorcycle isn't the most safe thing in the world. A hospital stay or lawsuit will sure pay for LOTS of cab rides... All it takes is ONE mistake.
Think hard about this.
Rain- I hope it doesn't rain immediately before or immediately after your gig.
It's cool to be environmentally conscious, or health-oriented. However, trying to bike to a gig is just asking for trouble. Even trying to gig with your transport as a motorcycle isn't the most safe thing in the world. A hospital stay or lawsuit will sure pay for LOTS of cab rides... All it takes is ONE mistake.
Think hard about this.
When I was an undergrad I used to bicycle in to school with my gig bag on my back all the time. But I never had to bring an amp!
Wrong word choice- I mean to say that I think it's acceptable and fine. Right, "cool" it isn't: I'd pick a 69 Z-28 Camaro over an environmentally conscious Prius any day, but I don't own one of those. Nor can I afford one. Autombiles- one hobby which is generally more expensive than music. It figures. And I'm a car guy. Ok, back to the topic at hand...
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Am I the only person who actually thinks that's pretty effing AWESOME?
