listening to music whilst cycling???

[david1701]

I did some experimenting with just the buds that came with my phone and a normal helmet and I could hear our espace at the same kind of distance on the same kind of terrain (country lane with devon banks). This is a little biased as I was expecting the car but is enough for me to relax about it, I generally leave out the RH bud when on roads too.

 

[Jezston]

Right, looks like no one has been reading my evidence of a sorts, so it is time to dispense with the corrections!

Nice, not had this heated debate for a while and it seems to be bubbling away nicely .

I don't and would never contemplate doing so, and in my opinion anyone who does is an idiot

No offence!

None taken!

But seriously, would you mind addressing the points I made on the first page of this thread which will correct your misinterpretations that:

a. Wearing headphones whilst cycling is bad.
b. I am an idiot.

 

[Jezston]

I don't listen to music when cycling. I also prefer to hear traffic.

I refer the honourable lady to the points I made earlier:

I'm sure that wearing large expensive noise-cancelling headphones or super deep in-ear earbuds may be a bad idea when riding a bike, but the idea that wearing regular headphones or earbuds when riding cuts out an important sense is erroneous.

I wear open backed bluetooth headphones when out riding, and the soft foam cuts out a lot of wind noise.

I would say wearing headphones and listening to music on a ride is to your hearing what wearing sunglasses is to your eyesight.

 

[Jezston]

No to headphones for me too....... Just as when I'm out walking the music blocks traffic noise, I imagine it also would when cycling,

Again, unless you are using £100+ noise cancellation headphones and/or listening to music too loud, they don't.

and I'd rather be able to hear what's going on - ambulance sirens and the like.

You would have to be listening to music damagingly loud to obstruct the sound of an ambulance siren:
http://www.wisegeek....s-a-decibel.htm


(numbers in decibels (a-weighted))
65-70moderate traffic; hair dryer
65-90train
75-80factory (medium)
90heavy traffic; power lawn mower
90-100thunder
100boom box with volume turned high; chain saw
110shouting; symphony concert
115rock concert
120ambulance siren130threshold of pain

I think the comparison to listening to music in a car is slightly wrong - you don't have earphones in in a car, the music is part of the general ambience and you can still pick out other sounds as well as the music, whereas earphones block out all other noise.

Again, unless you are using expensive noise cancellation headphones, or serious sound blocking deep in-ear earbuds - headphones DO NOT block out noise - well, perhaps by a couple of dB, but the insulation around a car will be blocking the exterior sounds by many, many greater factors.


...

Right, that's me all done for now! I look forwards to your acceptance of my points and thanks for the knowledge and elightenment I have given. PM me and I will provide you with my paypal details so voluntary donations can be made

 

[david k]

hi everybody..

anybody use an i pod whilst out on the road? personally listening to music really helps me during my workout.

haven't tried cycling on the road whilst using my ipod, would it be dangerous as you wont hear cars approaching? or how about if i just use 1 ear piece instead of 2??

just curious if anybody else uses an i pod whilst out on the road...

ps.. other mp3 players are available..

thanks

i use my ipod but very low volume, helps keep out wind noise

 

[Arch]

I don't listen to music when cycling. I also prefer to hear traffic.

I have any music fairly quiet. I'm not particuarly aware of it interfering with my ability to hear traffic. I've not tested it scientifically of course, but it seems david1701 has, and supports my feeling.

 

[edindave]

I can't hear a flipping thing on the bike when it's windy... can someone please switch it off?

 

[400bhp]

- headphones DO NOT block out noise - well, perhaps by a couple of dB,

Two examples in the last 4 days:

1: Several walkers on a canal path going in the same direction as me (on a bicycle). I shouted for them to move. One doesn't - the one with the headphones. I had to get within 3 feet of him to hear me.

2. cyclist on a mountain bike and a child seat on the back. He was shifting. I caught up to him and as I pass said something along the lines of "you're giving it some with that on". I got a blank look back. He had earphones in. He took them out. I repeated the words and he understood.

These 2 examples highlight the need to hear sounds from behind. In a car, hearing is less important as you are far less likely to be passed by faster moving vehicles (in the same lane), plus all the other reasons around cars v bikes and relative safety.

 

[david k]

having ridden motorbikes in the past im aware of other users, i always look behind when changing direction or speed, i am very aware, a little bit of sounds makes minimal diffeence i have only used this on mainly cycle tracks. if i did a 50 miles road journey i may not use the ipod, but take into consideration all aspects before making the judgement

 

[rusky]

I had always believed that riding with earphones was realy dangerous until I tried it.

Keep the volume at a sensible level & don't use ear buds & you will only have a very small reduction in hearing. Most of the time I find the wind noise drowns out everything anyway!

 

[Cringles]

I rarely go out, without my ipod. But I only listen to podcast while on the bike. I only have it in my left ear, as traffic passes on the right. It's never loud enough to distract me. I'm someone who always checks over their shoulders every 30 seconds or so. Same when I'm driving and using mirrors.

Nothing better than flying down quiet roads, listening to the Ricky Gervais podcast, & laughing at the madness spewing from Karl Pilkingtons mind.

 

[4F]

a. Wearing headphones whilst cycling is bad.
b. I am an idiot.

Agreed +1

 

[uphillstruggler]

I used to listen to music on my commute although that was only on cycle paths around Milton Keynes.

I don't listen to music whilst out on the road, one for safety, but mainly because I like just riding and the sensory experience I get from being out and about. Although I do enjoy the music during spinning classes though and I find that it helps get through the class so I can understand why people would listen to music on a training ride.

As long as it suits you, that's what counts.

 

[corshamjim]

I find it somehow sad we all seem to need to live in our own little cocoon of electronic noise when there is plenty of sound in nature to enjoy, especially at this time of year. Granted the sound of the peacocks in Corsham is maybe not so pleasant (except perhaps to a pea-hen in the right mood)!

 

[david1701]

I have any music fairly quiet. I'm not particuarly aware of it interfering with my ability to hear traffic. I've not tested it scientifically of course, but it seems david1701 has, and supports my feeling.

I'm not 100% on the testing as I was never in that relaxed/bored phase you can get in on quiet roads as we were testing (and didn't have all day) but I reckon its valid enough, though often I'll pop the other out (I put both in, then the helmet, that way if you take them out the dangle nearby) in an urban area to be on the safe side