Davidm wrote:
>>
> Anyway, I think I'm in the market for an Air Zound. A couple of questions
> though - do they hold pressure if you don't use them very often, ie if I
> fill it up and then never use it can I actually depend on it to have
> pressure in an emergency, and what are the alternatives for noise making
> when commuting in the city by trike? Oh, and if anyone has leads to buy the
> Zound or an alternative in Perth...
>
> Cheers
> David M
>
>
I have a GTR and mirror mounts on both sides. On the left I have
attached one of those Minoura bidon mounts
(
http://www.phantomcycles.com.au/product.php?productid=607 ) and a cage
to hold the bottle, facing backwards. On the arm of the Mirricycle
mirror I attached the horn of the Airzound, looping the plastic tubing
between the horn and the bottle around the mirror mount. It works. The
other option is to use this bidon mount set up for your normal bidon and
the under seat mount for the Airzound reservoir.
As to pressures if you don't use the horn much then every few months or
so you might just want to top the pressure up to 100psi or so. I have
the older Airzound and this has a Schrader valve under the bottle,
Schraders do leak over time but not that much. And on that issue I
prefer the older Airzounds for reliability. I know of people who have
been through 3 Airzounds or so. One mate tried to chase up spare parts
from Canada but was told that over there the price is so low that they
are treated as a disposable item, no spares. Of course the older version
doesn't have the clear bottle, it has an ugly silver bottle but how
visible it is on the trike is up to you. The newer is a smaller package,
lighter and has a volume control (but that's where the failures occur).
About the same price for either.
I had issues with the horn when I first got it, that it just wouldn't
work. On the back of the horn was a large plate that can be unscrewed,
simply doing this (use multigrips) relieved the pressure inside the
device and you simply tighten the plate back up and pump up the bottle.
If you let the bottle deflate completely and then don't repressurise for
some time you may have to do this ritual again some time.
You can get the older Airzounds by ordering from Greenspeed. If you want
the newer version then I think that Mercer Cycles in Fremantle still has
one or can get more in. Perhaps even Fleet Cycles has one? If not then
there are a few webmerchants who can help, try
http://www.cecilwalker.com.au/category302_1.htm#2763 for instance.
Don't forget to also have a bell. I use the bell first and the Airzound
for close quarters stuff. Some of the coastal cycleways around Freo are
frequented in the early mornings by the old biddies who like to walk
side-by-side, taking up most of the DUP (not legal BTW, pedestrians two
abreasting) and with earplugs in, ignoring most sounds including bike
bells. Weird. But the Airzound works. Like something Monty Python-ish,
no one ever expects the Spanish Inquisition, nor the Airzound. Also
cheaper than buying a deathray and the battery pack for it.
Enjoy triking. If you see me I have occasionally a Mueller front fairing
and from next week a homemade F/G tailbox. I have a dinnerplate for a
big chainring. Bombing down Lesmurdie Hill will be interesting in the
new year. I feel the need for speed.
