Music on your bike

[Roaster]

Please tell us why it is good/bad to listen to music while you cycle.

I have been pondering this for a while.

 

Personally, I have never tried it.  IMO earphones can be a safety hazard if you can't hear oncoming traffic etc. and on the mountain bike trails who needs music! 

[Viskop]

I find it nice listining to music while cycling alone.No music when racing or on group rides.

 

 

[MintSauce]

.....and on the mountain bike trails who needs music! 

 

Suppose it depends on how much you enjoy music. How big a part is it of your life?

 

If I had my way I'd have a soundtrack playing to my entire life!

 

I love music and having some good tunes to listen to adds another dimension to the ride for me personally.

 

First ride I went on afer getting my ipod was a solo nightride, hitting some lovely singletrack in the pitchblack of night with some live Dave Matthews Band to keep me company....kind of 'forgot' about the music as I focused on the trail until I got to '#41' on 'Live In Chicago' and a huge cheesy grin spread itself accross my face.....LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!

 

 

 

[Vleuelmoer]

Depends on how loud you have it...

It can take the "dullness" out of slogrides, and you can actually plan your music to pace you up hills, intervals or breakaways (a bit more fun than watching speed, cadence and HR).

It is a-social though, especially on group rides where you should have conversation to make up for the quietness.  Wearing it during funrides is actually quite dangerous - they should ban them there.  There were tons of guys in the Argus wearing earphones and I wonder how they were planning to react to people trying to shout warnings...

 

[Mark C]

I agree.

 

Listening to music does add another dimention to riding and makes a nice change of riding routine.

 

There's sooo much good music out there that I sometimes I think I could ride forever.

 

Absolutely love Ants Marching and All Along The Watchtower from the DMB Live at Red Rocks album.

[MichaelH]

I use those Slipstreamz thingies. Worth their weight in gold! The earphones slip into them and not in your ear. The result is that you still hear the ambient noises (even better than without them, since they take away the wind noise) and you hear the music clearly and, as a bonus, they take the chill factor on your ears out of the equation. Highly recommended! Bought mine for 50 bucks at the 94.7 expo. 

[Bateleur1]

Not quite sure why you guys say it is dangerous.

 

I always cycle with my MP3 player whether I am cycling in traffic (on a daily basis), on a training ride, group ride, or fun rides/races.  I can still hear what is going on around me.  Can hear cars well enough.  And when I am having a conversation with someone, I just flip the earpeace out, have my chat and later when finished I will just put the piece back in the ear.

 

As I said, why do you guys say it is dangerous?

[Vleuelmoer]

Some people have their music so loud that even I can hear it when I get near to them.

 

At a very loud volume there is no way you can hear things around you happen, or focus on traffic noises - that makes it "dangerous".

 

Not everybody likes training their eardrums (i.e. listen to LOUD music), but for those who do, I would regard it as dangerous - also for people who do not have road experience and go around riding unthinking; I think we've all realised that you need some "street smarts" in order to survive out there, and dulling one of your five senses might not be the wisest thing to do if you're just starting at the sport, so I advise my friends who are just starting out to hold off the MP3's for a while - and to start wearing a helmet and put flashing lights on the bike!

 

In my experience most of the time, ppl who wear earphones in the bunch at funrides usually stuff around and don't indicate, don't hear what's going on, and guys end up having to think for them.

[dirtrider]

Interesting . My I-Pod is blaring out Twisted sister and Judas Priest when I race and although I am hard of hearing I always hear somebody when they ask for track behind me . I can not imagine doing a road race without music , these races are so boring as is !!

[Vleuelmoer]

Maybe it's different for us on the road?

The things I say is what I've experienced; I may be wrong.  Maybe some other people have different experiences, but more than half of the people that have needed a spanking due to doing silly things have been people wearing earphones in the bunch.  It also took me a while to adjust to the music - now it's fine but looking back I realise that it impaired my response time a bit.

With time you do compensate for "restricted" hearing by being more observant (I have experienced that too) - but it might be a bit much for an inexperienced rider.

If your kids were to ask you for an MP3 player so they could cycle around with it on their way to school - would you get them one?  (OK well, maybe I'm NOT making my point by asking this supposedly rhetorical question!)

 

[Mark C]

I think that it helps if you are experienced and can ride in a straight line. Listening to music (loudly ) makes you more aware to ride a decent line, look around and signal correctly.

If some idiot motorist is going to drive into you, there's not much you can do about it, even if you weren't listening to music.

 

I don't listen to music in group rides or races because there's a lot more verbal communcation which I'd rather hear!

[Bateleur1]

What is actually the problem then ... the music or stupidity?

Vleuelmoer, those guys you saw at the Argus quite simply can't ride a bike and I don't think the music was the cause of that.

[Vleuelmoer]

Well that's settled then

I would still advise people new to the sport to wear them with caution though...

[amdretard]

I ride with music and i leave one ear piece off and i can hear both worlds

[Dicky DQ]

  Wearing it during funrides is actually quite dangerous - they should ban them there.  There were tons of guys in the Argus wearing earphones and I wonder how they were planning to react to people trying to shout warnings...

 

 

Why would you want to hear warnings if you are looking ahead all is well. Ppl usually use hand signals anyway.

 

If you are worried about the dude behind you, dont be. As long as you keep a constant predictable like all is well.

 

PS I have tried the things, but the wind nois is too much. Is it suposed to still be a problem? the wind noise I mean

[casspir]

I use an iPod with those "clip around the ear" earphones.  They do not sit very tight and thus allowing other sounds as well.  Very cheap as well. 

These earphones have an in-line volume adjuster.  I don't have to adjust the iPod, I set the iPod to maximum volume and control the actual volume with the in-line adjuster.  This setup allows me to put the iPod in a back pocket and out of the way. 

 

Regards

 

casspir