Best way to capture ideas whilst cycling

[rangi500]

Hello,

I cycle to work and back, so spend about an hour cycling each day. Whilst cycling I'm always thinking of ideas and things to do. I'm yet to find an effective way of capturing whilst cycling. I got a little dictaphone off eBay but it requires quite a bit of looking at to get working, so it's not ideal.

Are there any cyclists here who have the sort of problem? I'd love to hear how you've tackled it.

Any advice much appreciated!

Rangi

[ellobogrande]

When I drive I carry a small MP3 flayer/flash drive combo with voice recorder function attached to a lanyard around my neck. You can do the same on a bike. It's important to find one with a record button that you can engage easily; you don't want to try to scroll through menus to start recording while you're driving or cycling.

[Roger]

Further to the voice recorder idea, there's a number of models now that are voice-activated, which I think would make everything easy and safe.

I'm currently in the process of looking into buying one; I'll let everyone know how that ends up working out.


Cheers,
Roger

[kelstarrising]

If you do a search on bicycle, you will see other posts about this from the past few years. Like this one on Connect:
http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9854

It's funny, this question consistently comes up about every 6 months or so, with people suggesting phone recorders, small notepads, handlebar notepads, etc.

[mmurray]

Further to the voice recorder idea, there's a number of models now that are voice-activated, which I think would make everything easy and safe.

I'm currently in the process of looking into buying one; I'll let everyone know how that ends up working out.


Cheers,
Roger

What happens when someone cuts you off in a car and you curse them? Does that get saved :D

Michael

[mmurray]

What about something like this

http://imesart.com/products.php?pid=1

for an iPhone. I think you would be able to record using the mike on the earbuds and keep the iPhone in a pocket. Not sure how this one loads up the memos. Email would be simplest but I think this has the typical iPhone webdev server system.

Do the stand alone voice recorders come with microphone / earbuds ?

Michael

[rangi500]

When I drive I carry a small MP3 flayer/flash drive combo with voice recorder function attached to a lanyard around my neck. You can do the same on a bike. It's important to find one with a record button that you can engage easily; you don't want to try to scroll through menus to start recording while you're driving or cycling.

Hi ellobogrande, would you recommend your voice recorder then? What model is it? I got one off eBay which was advertised as a "one button recorder", but in reality you have to switch it on my holding down a button, wait 5 seconds for it to come on, check the screen to make sure it's on, press the record button once, look at the screen to make sure it's recording, speak, then press the record button again to stop recording!

What I'd really like is a recorder I could hang around my neck with a big, easy to feel, "push in" button. When the button is pushed in, the device would be recording. When letting go of the button, the recording would stop. Actually, it would be amazing if when you let go of the button, it stopped recording then emailed you a transcript of what you'd said!

[rangi500]

What about something like this

http://imesart.com/products.php?pid=1

for an iPhone. I think you would be able to record using the mike on the earbuds and keep the iPhone in a pocket. Not sure how this one loads up the memos. Email would be simplest but I think this has the typical iPhone webdev server system.

Do the stand alone voice recorders come with microphone / earbuds ?

Michael

I love the iPhone but touch-screen devices in general aren't great for using without looking, especially as getting to any app usually requires 4 gestures:

1. Wake up (pressing the round button in below the screen)
2. Unlock (sweep finger across screen)
3. Go to home page (press round button - usually necessary, as by default you see the last app you were using)
4. Click on the app you're trying to get to and wait for it to load

(then there's usually a few clicks within your app to do the desired thing)

It might work well if it was voice activated though, as then I could set it up on standby at the start of my ride and use the standard headphones with mic to record. However it looks like it's not voice activated sadly.

Also, I usually listen to audiobooks (in one ear) whilst cycling, so the app would need to work well with the iPod app running at the same time.

For anything voice-activated, I think it would take a while to build up my trust in the system, to be completely confident that simply talking would definitely set off the recording.

[matsuru]

For windows mobile PDA/Phone, there is an application call "Audio Note touch". You can set the application to start recording and set the voice level to higher level. That way, the application will start record when it detects the set voice level. Once it detects the lower level voice, it will stop recording. And start again when it detects higher voice level.

Maybe i wasnt clear enough on the explaination above but i believe googling will bring you more info. :)

hope this helps.

--------------------
update:
here it is http://vitotechnology.com/vito-audionotes.html

[TesTeq]

For windows mobile PDA/Phone, there is an application call "Audio Note touch". You can set the application to start recording and set the voice level to higher level. That way, the application will start record when it detects the set voice level. Once it detects the lower level voice, it will stop recording. And start again when it detects higher voice level.

I do not believe in reliability of voice-activated recording on a bicycle. There's too much noise around. I would prefer voice recorder with a big "record" button.

[matsuru]

I do not believe in reliability of voice-activated recording on a bicycle. There's too much noise around. I would prefer voice recorder with a big "record" button.

I understand what you are saying. Frankly, I do not use the function myself.

I suggested this method because it might be useful to rangi500. So he has an option to try it out for himself to see if it fits him. :)

[mkofide]

Blue tooth headset linked to your mobile phone with a direct call to a voice mail service. You can dial from the headset itself without needing to negotiate your handset

[alsa]

I have a few tools available to me while I am cycling including both the iPhone and iPod Touch (and soon an iPad in my bookbag) to voice-record anything random into my Inbox.

But I prefer the following workflow

1. I actually stop, pull out my iPod and open Things and jot it down into Inbox with little care for typing accuracy. (Things is my age-proven GTD tool of choice).

2. If it's raining and I can't do that I try to think of an associating fact that would help me remember my idea as soon as I get to a shelter.

If you have done this routine a number of times, it becomes second-nature (like putting your shoes on when you go out, etc.)

[rangi500]

I actually stop, pull out my iPod and open Things and jot it down into Inbox with little care for typing accuracy. (Things is my age-proven GTD tool of choice).

The only problem I have with this approach is that the more ideas you have, the more disrupted your journey is. Your ability to capture ideas is inversely tied to your ability to get where you're going on your bike. Ideally your cycling goal and your idea-capturing goal would be completely independent, so you wouldn't have to sacrifice one to achieve the other.

However, this is still one of the best (and safest!) methods I know for capturing whilst cycling.

[alsa]

Strangely, during riding I don't get any ideas. I get them everywhere else though. I must say I listen to podcasts when I am on my bike but they aren't GTD related (otherwise, I wouldn't stop writing). :)

[ellobogrande]

Hi ellobogrande, would you recommend your voice recorder then? What model is it? I got one off eBay which was advertised as a "one button recorder", but in reality you have to switch it on my holding down a button, wait 5 seconds for it to come on, check the screen to make sure it's on, press the record button once, look at the screen to make sure it's recording, speak, then press the record button again to stop recording!

What I'd really like is a recorder I could hang around my neck with a big, easy to feel, "push in" button. When the button is pushed in, the device would be recording. When letting go of the button, the recording would stop. Actually, it would be amazing if when you let go of the button, it stopped recording then emailed you a transcript of what you'd said!

I was using a Trio MP3 combo flash drive/mp3 player/voice recorder, but not only is it not *quite* what I had hoped for it's also beginning to fail. I've got a project open to replace it with something else. I'll let you know what I settle upon when I find one.

[hth]

The only problem I have with this approach is that the more ideas you have, the more disrupted your journey is. Your ability to capture ideas is inversely tied to your ability to get where you're going on your bike. Ideally your cycling goal and your idea-capturing goal would be completely independent, so you wouldn't have to sacrifice one to achieve the other.

However, this is still one of the best (and safest!) methods I know for capturing whilst cycling.

I also prefer to write my ideas down (currently in a classic notebook). This helps me especially while commuting. On the way to the office I get into working mood. On the way home I calm down. The stop to write down helps to complete the idea and close the open loops.

Yours
Alexander

[ellobogrande]

I was using a Trio MP3 combo flash drive/mp3 player/voice recorder, but not only is it not *quite* what I had hoped for it's also beginning to fail. I've got a project open to replace it with something else. I'll let you know what I settle upon when I find one.

I settled upon Sony IC Recorder model ICD-BX700, available at TigerDirect for $30. I did a search for voice recorders sorted by price and this was the first voice recorder (not a USB drive/mp3 player/voice recorder combo) that showed up. Unlike the combo devices this recorder has a record button on it (you don't want to scroll through menus while driving or cycling to find the record function) and is more versatile than the combo devices. For example, you can set the microphone sensitivity to record dictations up close or record a meeting in a conference room.

The only downside to this model is the lack of USB support. You can't download the recordings to a computer. That was not a critical feature for me. Sony makes a similar voice recorder that does have USB support; it just costs more than I wanted to pay.

[kayesmith]

I love cycling to. When i do it U reflect on things that is currently happening to me right now and I have enough time to reflect on things I need to accomplish for the day.

________________________
shisha tobacco (http://thehookahmonster.com)

[rangi500]

I recently got a dictaphone I can hang around my neck. It has buttons which I can feel with my fingers (if I take my gloves off), so I'm hoping to learn to use it without having to look at it. Then when I get home or to my desk at work, I can quickly listen to any notes I took along the way.

This is the one I got - Olympus WS-100
http://bit.ly/dictaphone_jpg

It's early days so far but I think this could be the best way I've found so far... I'll let you know how it goes.

[ellobogrande]

I settled upon Sony IC Recorder model ICD-BX700, available at TigerDirect for $30. I did a search for voice recorders sorted by price and this was the first voice recorder (not a USB drive/mp3 player/voice recorder combo) that showed up. Unlike the combo devices this recorder has a record button on it (you don't want to scroll through menus while driving or cycling to find the record function) and is more versatile than the combo devices. For example, you can set the microphone sensitivity to record dictations up close or record a meeting in a conference room.

The only downside to this model is the lack of USB support. You can't download the recordings to a computer. That was not a critical feature for me. Sony makes a similar voice recorder that does have USB support; it just costs more than I wanted to pay.

One other nice feature of this voice recorder that I discovered is the ability to set the microphone sensitivity. If I set it to high I don't have to hold the recorder to my lips to get a clear recording. I can leave it dangling from my neck and not have to hold it in my hand while recording.

[enjonze]

I find that reviewing my calendar for the next few days before I set out cycling (like you, I have and hour-plus ride each day) gets my brain thinking about things. When I get to work or home, I just do a mind sweep. I cannot imagine interrupting the flow of the ride to record or write something down, and I have been amazed by the connections my brain makes while “only” concentrating on the ride. Also, I do not know your route or traffic conditions, but if I was starting and stopping constantly to write things down or fiddling with a tape recorder, I would soon become an annoyance to fellow cyclists and drivers, and possibly a danger to them and myself. The semi-meditative state induced by my rides lead me to many great new ideas, and I do not believe I have missed any of them.