Customer Reviews

Sony ICF-M88B S2 Sports Bicycle Radio with Cycle Computer and Digital AM/FM Tuning

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This radio is almost exactly what I was looking for. Its water resistant design is sleek and reassuring. The speaker is loud enough for normal riding conditions. The backlit LCD and digital tuning are very nice. The bike mount is well designed - it is very simple to quickly detach the radio to take it with you. The FM antenna forms a hard rigid handle on the bottom (not shown in picture) which is nice for carrying.

That said, I have a few complaints. First, the FM reception is pretty poor compared to my car radio (in the same locations). I haven't tried working with the AM band much, so I can't say if it is any better. I would be willing to endure a larger model or more batteries to get better reception.

Second, there's no line-in jack for attaching an mp3 player. This might have been a conscious decision to preserve the water resistant design, but I would have liked to see it just the same. Of course, if you get a radio transmitter for your mp3 player, then you're golden.

Third, $50 is expensive for a portable radio. I would have been willing to forgo the bike computer functions for a less expensive bike mount radio.

Fourth, the wire going to the wheel sensor is kind of short and there's no way to extend it short of splicing the wire.

This is great product. let me start off by saying that. I love the digital tuner, the speedometer and odometer features. The backlight makes me feel as if I am riding on something more expensive at night. My gripe with the product is the sound.
Where is the sound? I gave up my Pyramid bicycle radio because I thought I was getting a "SONY" radio. Just the fact that Sony would make a bicycle radio made me buy one w/o hearing it first.
If you are in a park or a quiet surburban block, it is great. Just do not ride in traffic and expect to hear anything. My older Pyramid in my mind seemed louder. I wish Sony would have done something with the sound. I am seriously thinking it is only my radio and I am willing to listen to another one to see if it is just my particular unit. Headphonejacks would have made this better as I would mount external speakers or something. Other than the low quality sound which I am trying to adapt to, the reception is great, the odometer/speedometer feature is awesome and the backlight makes me feel as I am riding something expensive at night.
Just a hint, when you are configuring the speedometer sensor, a little RTV (Silicone) in my opinion should be used behind it to keep it from sliding out of position on the fork along with tailored tie wrap straps Song provided with the kit. (When you buy it you will understand what I mean)
Do not let the sound factor discourage you, because I have seen the bicycle stuff out there, and this is the top of the pile. It is that they all seem to sound the same. If somone else can show me a compact bicycle radio with bigger sound email me at:
ianshannon97@verizon.net

This is the perfect compliment to my hybridized mountain bike. Something was missing from my jaunts about town, and I was thinking of getting a cycle computer anyway. I tend to ride in the wee small hours of the morning when traffic is not much of an issue. It looks kind of silly on my bar, but I'll live. I've lived with it for a week and can tell you that the computer functions work well, the speaker really is loud enough at any speed I am likely to obtain, say 25 downhill with the wind, and the buttons and dials feel quite secure. The mounting mechanism is top notch.

As much as I enjoy the air and the easy traveling the bike allows, I didn't like missing my favorite radio programs especially in the morning. I wasn't going to wear a headset as it just isn't safe, not to mention illegal. Now this is no longer an issue.

Reception could be better on both AM and FM. FM fade is much more significant than, say, on my car's radio. I can't seem to pull any but the highest of the high-power AMs from adjacent markets. This may not be for you if you don't intend to ride within 20 miles or so of your favorite station's transmitters, which I do.

Frankly, I am infatuated with this little radio. Although a few subtle improvements could be made, especially considering it's a Sony who make really swell mundane radio sets; I recommend it to anyone either addicted to the radio or whose biking jaunts could use a little more entertainment.

I've been cycling on city streets for over a decade, and I always listen to the radio, both AM and FM. Headphones are a bit dangerous when you need to listen carefully for cars or sirens, so I looked far and wide for a radio such as this one. I have been using this radio for about five months now, and it is amazing! The radio reception is better than my sony s2 walkman, the speakers are loud enough so that I can hear the radio in the middle of urban noises and traffic, and the cycle computer is great. I had mine installed at a bike shop, and the gentleman there had no problem with the length of the cable. I'm 5' 10" riding a hybrid bike, so I'm assuming there's enough cable for your average rider.

The cycle computer is very easy to use, it has a wonderful variety of displays, and it's easy to reset. The radio is easy to tune while riding, and wow! the battery life is outstanding. I ride about 20 miles a week, playing the radio the entire time, and after 5 months, the battery still works great.

Anyone looking for a bike radio - this is far and away the best you will find, and one of the few with digital tuning.

If I loose my baby weight by the summer, I'm giving credit to this radio!

This product was exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a digital tuning bike radio that didn't require a headphone and this was literally the only one I could find. I have found all of the other bicycle computer features really helpful, too.

The only complaint I have is that the cord to connect the wheel sensor isn't long enough for a large bike such as mine, so it goes strait from the handlebar to the fork, instead of going down the goose neck to the fork or along the brake cable. It hasn't been a problem in 2 months of weekend riding, however. It doesn't look as 'clean' as I like to have things installed.

This item was purchased as a gift for my wife. It is easily mounted and instructions are pretty straight forward. The odometer, timer, speedo and radio work fantastic. This seems to be a well built unit and my wife enjoys it very much. Saw this item and compared it to others and am totally satisfied. The only thing that had to be done was to cut about 2" off a 1/2 rubber hose and slice it in half to to fit the anemic handle bars. The handle bar clamps were to big and did not tighten enough. The item arrived quickly and in perfect condition.

I have owned this product for over 2 years now and am glad I purchased it. It helps to have music when biking long distances. My biggest concern with this product is that it chews through batteries pretty quickly. My other concern is that the radio stations come in pretty solidly in cities, but not so much when in the country. There is a switch on the bottom of the unit that does boost the signal if you're not right in a city, but it's sometimes not that strong. That said, I'm pretty satisfied with this product overall.

I have used this radio for the last 2 years, mostly in heavy salt environment
beach/marina and plenty of Florida rain... still works the same as new.
The digital tuning great, no drift. digital speedomter/odometer accepts 700
size for calibration and is remarkably accurate.
Quick release is a dream, secure but easy to release.
The sound on this unit is not very good in terms of volume.
It's very clear with new batteries but not loud enough when background noises
are present.
I am constantly adjusting the sensor/magnet alignment(a minor
inconvenience compared to usefullnes of features)
This unit could be alot louder. It could also use some upgrades like
earphone/ext.spkr. jack and ext.antenna option for remote use.
I am writing this review 2 years lateer because i'm actually purchasing another
one!

It is really a shame this product is no longer readily available. It is a first class product for my bike and I also use it as a bathroom radio.

I decided to bike my 3mi commute to work and the only thing I missed about driving was the radio. I listen to news/talk radio (in LA/OC, KFI 640AM) in the mornings and sorely missed hearing the news on the morning ride. Since I'm not stupid enough to wear headphone while biking, this radio was the answer and has great AM reception to boot. It's also great that, like a car, it has odometer & spedometer readings. It also has station presets and is easily removable. Although it's now more expensive than it appears to have been a few years ago, it was well worth the price to liven up a monotonous ride. I'd recommend it for other commuters.