Biking to a Different Beat photo gallery
"Mohan Samaroo, 19, is part of a mostly teenage crew in Richmond Hill, Queens, who lavish their time and money on bicycles outfitted with elaborate stereo systems.
Turning bicycles into rolling outdoor sound systems is a popular hobby in the home countries of these riders who are of Guyanese and Trinidadian background.
Car batteries power these mobile stereos, tricked out with amplifiers, bass woofers, and speakers. Some bikes, like this one, even have DVD screens for viewing while riding.
Extra braces rest on training wheels to support the heavy system and an extra rider who can stand on back.
Usually, the riders crank heavy Caribbean beats out of their stereos.
Mr. Samaroo's sturdy Mongoose supports a system with four 12-inch speakers that can handle the 5,000 watts. He's co-owner of a business called Legal Intentionz that mounts steroes on bikes.
The group rides in packs just west of the Van Wyck Expressway in Richmond Hill, each taking turns playing his sound system. When they're not cruising the streets, the riders tinker with their bikes in a garage.
Many riders finance their hobby by installing car stereos and doing other such handiwork.
The motocross bicycle of Stephen Sonnylal, 17, bears a 200-pound system with a 50-CD changer. It has 3,000 watts of power and cost $800. "People say, 'It's the next best thing to having a system in a car.' But it's better because you don't even have to roll down the
windows," said Nick Ragbir, 18.
nytimes
Think I'll stick to an iPod.
"Mohan Samaroo, 19, is part of a mostly teenage crew in Richmond Hill, Queens, who lavish their time and money on bicycles outfitted with elaborate stereo systems.
Turning bicycles into rolling outdoor sound systems is a popular hobby in the home countries of these riders who are of Guyanese and Trinidadian background.
Car batteries power these mobile stereos, tricked out with amplifiers, bass woofers, and speakers. Some bikes, like this one, even have DVD screens for viewing while riding.
Extra braces rest on training wheels to support the heavy system and an extra rider who can stand on back.
Usually, the riders crank heavy Caribbean beats out of their stereos.
Mr. Samaroo's sturdy Mongoose supports a system with four 12-inch speakers that can handle the 5,000 watts. He's co-owner of a business called Legal Intentionz that mounts steroes on bikes.
The group rides in packs just west of the Van Wyck Expressway in Richmond Hill, each taking turns playing his sound system. When they're not cruising the streets, the riders tinker with their bikes in a garage.
Many riders finance their hobby by installing car stereos and doing other such handiwork.
The motocross bicycle of Stephen Sonnylal, 17, bears a 200-pound system with a 50-CD changer. It has 3,000 watts of power and cost $800. "People say, 'It's the next best thing to having a system in a car.' But it's better because you don't even have to roll down the
windows," said Nick Ragbir, 18.
nytimes
Think I'll stick to an iPod.
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