I usually do a bike trip a year in Europe and my girlfriend has a bike so been thinking of getting some intercoms. Any recommendations? I'm concerned if I will be able to hear piss all over the rumble of the taylormade. Can you use normal in ear headphones instead of the pads you usually get? Thanks
Sena 20s are a great set of Bluetooth headsets, you can make and receive calls, listen to music, good intercom between bikes It has flat speakers supplied which are really good but you can also you third party headphones with them Also you can set them up via an app on your phone to adjust intercom settings, radio station lists, general settings
I've been looking at the Sena 20s but was put off by the mixed reviews online. Apparently problems with the firmware etc, getting a dual set of these would be right up at the top of my budget range so would expect quality with no issues.
I think a lot of the reviews where some time ago. I haven't used mine much but I'm well pleased with it. I use custom earplugs and the supplied flat speakers (although I also have custom earbuds as well).
Pretty sure the French have banned sound emitting earplugs as from July 2015 so only speaker pads allowed.
I got a Scala G9 on one lid and a Sena S20 on another and both work well I would say the Sena has a longer range, but not by much. Scala for me is the better one as it has nicer sound and the radio works way better, the main fault with the Sena is they do not say anywhere in the paperwork that the unit is waterproof and with my mates having issue with theirs I would avoid spending money on another one.
Any issue with waterproofing can be overcome by running a bit of insulating tape along the joint where the unit fits on the helmet. Rain runs down the helmet into the joint.
This is what concerns me, I've come across a fair few negative reviews of the s20 although I must say also very good ones. They aren't cheap, so I don't expect to be taking a gamble. Seems better deals available for Scala, thanks it was one I hadn't looked at yet.
I've been using 'Intaride' comms for years. I do a fair bit of instruction and advanced coaching and rarely have a problem. I've tried the Bluetooth route but the signal drops in and out, plus, the batteries have a limited time span and normally have to be taken off the helmet to charge them. It's transmitting that hammers the battery more so than receiving, so basically you have to keep things brief. The sets I use have been superseded but the newer ones still work well. You get a handset, helmet head set, push to talk, and a harness to connect them. You can get a battery for the radio that runs from the bikes power, but I just have a few batteries in my bum bag. Depending on the type of system you use can affect the transmission/reception. Ideally, an aerial should be vertical. If that can't be achieved, Intaride do an aerial that can be mounted on the bike and then run to the handset. If you give Intaride a call and they are really friendly and discuss your requirements. From there you make choices....Intaride - 01527 908044 Hope that helps...
sena 20s for me ... id rate it 8 out 10 , 10 out of 10 when it works great.. 1 out of 10 when it doesnt.. firmware probs, doesnt like the cold.. randomlly drops out , but just tuen it back on and one button it syncs again.. the radio and coms to other riders are awesome and sounds better then my iphone 6 when i talk to one rider... quality less as more riders added
Weather dependant.... The biggest inhibitor to a radion transmission is water..... On a clear day, I have about a one mile range.
Not too bad then. The amount of times we've got split up on a group ride we could have done with some intercoms!
I've got a sena 20s. Bought it to use on longer rides with mates to stop us from getting split up. Works well but has a million functions most of which I don't use so it took a while to get the hang of, once you figure out the basics you're pretty right. Range is decent although you get static when hooked up to more that on person. I ride with foam ear plugs I get from work and that gets rid of most of the wind noise but you can still hear the bike and music/intercom through the helmet speakers perfectly. Never had any issues with riding in the rain, battery life is good, and haven't had any issues with the software updating or the app.
