Xoundly

Riding two-up usually means shouting over the wind, or buying an intercom unit for each helmet.

Xoundly turns the two phones and the Bluetooth earbuds you already own into an intercom for rider and backride. Open it on both phones, share a 6 character code, and you are talking. There is no account to create.

What it does today:

• Hands-free talk. The rider's mic stays on, so there is nothing to press while moving.

• Music that lowers itself. When either of you speaks the song dips, and it comes back when you stop.

• One song on both phones. Paste a YouTube link or a playlist and both phones play it in step.

• Karaoke. One of you sings with echo while the other listens, then you swap.

• Nothing is recorded. Voices pass through and are gone.

It runs in the phone's browser (Safari or Chrome) and is free while in beta. You can hear the music-lowering demo on the site without starting a ride.

Honest limits of the browser version: both phones need mobile data, and Xoundly has to stay on screen, so it suits the backride's phone best. The iPhone and Android app I am building next keeps the conversation going behind Waze and on a locked screen. There is a test group sign-up on the site.

Set it up while parked. The rider should not touch the phone while moving.

I built this for my own two-up rides. Tell me what breaks on yours.

P.S App coming soon