Don’t be surprised if you see stationary bikes attached to speakers at outdoor music festivals or events this summer. The Mobile Music Project (MMP) uses human energy to power sound systems and has become a fixture at local festivals and events. “It converts breakfast, lunch and dinner into beautiful music,” says Allen Beauchamp, maestro of the MMP and bike initiatives coordinator for Trails and Open Space Coalition.
Beauchamp built the system in 2012 alongside Rock the Bike, the California company famous for inventing a bike-powered blender. Beauchamp uses the invention to educate the community about sustainability and to promote a more bicycle-friendly Colorado Springs. The fleet of four bikes and two large speakers can power enough sound for a professional-grade concert. You may have seen it at the What If … Festival or powering karaoke at the MeadowGrass Music Festival’s Kids Zone. He says educating children about sustainability is most inspiring and fun about the project, though he loves adults’ positive responses too. “Once they see that it’s totally off the grid, that the folks pedaling, dancing on their seats and singing along are providing the entire source of energy for the show, they light up,” he says.
