Launching the new sonic Buzz bike

I had the pleasure of launching this lovely thing at the Herbert Art Gallery & Museum in Coventry the other weekend, working with Kaffe and the BRI and Nick of Imagineer Technologies. Having spent a week earlier in the year with Kaf and Nick in the cov lab developing this into it's earlier stages of prototype, and following many discussions in the BRI London lab in earlier years about making sonic cycling more accessible to people of all ages and abilities - it was amazing to meet the final product and then help lots of enthusiastic people have a go on it. 

The Buzz Bike is quite an experience to ride and to be ridden in - the whole cargo box vibrates the music to you through transducers set along it's sides, in accompaniment to the speakers flank the edges of the box playing audible sound. Even the rider's seat vibrates thanks to the butt shaker below it. Plus the unique steering and smooth riding make it a joy to cycle. Kaf had composed a piece for the launch that used organ samples and field recordings, based from her recent work On golden hares, a sonic bike opera that's on now in Germany, and it made for the most dreamy rides. 

Ultimately this sonic Buzz Bike is being made for a big sonic bike opera opening in Coventry in 2021, set along an exciting new canal side cycle path opening then. Part two of the weird and wonderful bicycle creations commissioned by Imagineer Productions for this will be a sonic 'Pal' / 'companion' bike, brilliantly described by Kaf as possibly the most dangerous BRI idea yet.... but if it works, this side-by-side tandem, with GPD located sound compositions is going to be something else. 

Full details on the sonic Buzz Bike are on the BRI website.