Turbospoke, Spokey dokey’s and motorbike noises
Children love to make noise – fact. Now if that noise can be attached to their bike so that it sounds like a motorbike then it’s happy days. Some parents may be able to remember back to when they were a child. Life was innocent and carefree, with your only concerns being (a) how many spokey dokeys you could get onto your wheel, (b) whether your motorbike noise (made from a peg and piece of cardboard) was loud enough, and (c) whether there’d be something to eat when you got in.
Skip forward to 2013 and revel in the advances of technology that have brought us the modern equivalent of the spokey dokey – the Turbospoke Bicycle Exhaust System
Now not only can your bike sound like a motorbike, but it can also resemble one due to a rather funky exhaust styled in a similar fashion to a motorbikes, that attaches to your child’s bike.
Even better, it comes supplied with a pack of stickers to highlight the fact that it makes loud sounds. Plus you can emblazon it with the fire sticker if you so wish (we have that one on).
Fitting the Turbospoke is very simple, with a clamp that attaches to the frame of the child’s bike and into which slots both the exhaust section and the important card that generates the noise.
How does it work?
Inside the box are a selection of three plastic ‘Motocards’, similar in size to a credit card and each designed or tuned to make a different level of sound. You take a card, push it into the slot in the clamp and use the securing strap to stop it moving or falling out. Just like the traditional spokey dokey, the end of the card catches the spokes of the wheel and the vibration makes a sound. As the exhaust is hollow, it apparently amplifies the sound.
Turbospoke – on the road
Let’s make this very clear – if you are a shrinking violet, or not fond of people turning around to look at you then perhaps you need to use one of the thinner/quieter cards when out on the road. Use of the thicker card will result in dogs running for cover and cats covering their ears as it is extremely loud BUT superb fun. The boys absolutely loved it, and when doing the school run the shrieks, shouts of ‘wow, look at the exhaust on N’s bike’ made their day. However, as N was riding the tagalong for the school run it meant I too was part of this noisy escapade, so a few strange looks were cast in my direction.
The cards and the role they play
The Turbospoke is supplied with three cards, that provide different volumes of sound, and your chosen fitment will correlate with the thickness of your skin.
You can also run the Turbospoke without a card in place, which if you use the bike or tagalong on a daily basis can be a sensible option if the noise gets too much.
Turbospoke Review: The overall verdict
A definite winner for the budding Valentino Rossi of the family that is sure to create enjoyment for your child when zipping around, as well as for their friends when they spot it and want to get in on the act. Probably best fitted to their own bike!
The Turbospoke is available to buy online at Amazon or at some local bike shops (click here to find your nearest)
The Turbospoke bicycle exhaust was provided to Cycle Sprog for review.
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