Music & Cycling: Am I crazy?

[tatormc]

The article in Bicycling made note that the state of Oklahoma bans head tunes altogether which I agree with. I'm a person who loves music and listens to it all the time but the combination of me and headphones on a bike is not a good thing.

[Saxa82]

I listen to my iPod on all my rides except when I ride with someone else. I was a little skittish at first but I bought myself a 20$ bar end mirror that is hands down the BEST safety investment I have made (besides my helmet of course). I don't have to keep looking back for cars, I can see then way behind me before I need to make a left turn, and so on. I never though I would ever need a mirror and after riding 20 years I finally have one and simply cannot ride without now. When I bought my new bike this summer the first few rides were without a mirror and I felt a bit nervous. Putting the mirror on was the first upgrade I made. I urge you if you listen to music to get some kind of mirror- either bar end or helmet.

[MomOnBike]

My thoughts on the whole headphones thing:

As usual, it depends. In traffic situations, you need all your attention focused on the situation. Traffic, BTW, can include everything from Boston streets to a crowded bike path. I wouldn't feel safe listening to tunes there.

In less congested situations, it might be OK, especially if you are using the music to set a tempo for your spin, although a metronome on your bars could work just as well.

In any case, leaving the traffic side ear uncovered is probably a good idea.

I'd use headphones in certain situations. DH and I have been discussing having 2-way radios on in town so we don't have to scream at each other. (Car back! Pothole! Glass!) These would also be handy on a tour, since we don't always ride at the same pace. (Stopping for a picture. Car back.) I could argue that they are a safety device, as we are both watching out for each other.

I've also thought that on tour through long stretches, say the sandhills of Nebraska, a recorded book would enhance the experience. Preferably a book that has something to do with the area you are touring. That could be just nice.

[juvel01]

Well, I'm on the "its ok if you only have one ear covered" side. I have an iPaq with a wireless BlueTooth headset that I wear to listen to music or (egad) talk on the phone. I can say that I have never had an issue not hearing anything. In fact, the way the earpiece sits on my ear I have less wind noise with no sound coming through it. I havent been pulled over yet. I find that I ride better with music and I'm trying to put together a selection where the bpm will dictate my cadence.

[bluerider]

I ride alone all the time on average for 2 hours per ride and understand how tunes can make the ride so much enjoyable. That being said, I NEVER NEVER NEVER ride with headphones. I have an iPod Shuffle and could listen easily with it tucked in my jersey but cannot do it for sake of my SAFETY. No matter how low you turn your volume it’s a distraction. I understand the motivation of music because I cannot run without. I am guilty of doing it when I run at night which is quite dangerous. That being said I would never ride with tunes. You need all your senses alert when riding with cars.

[mtnmunch]

While I am new to riding again. When I rode as a kid, I had a handle bar mounted radio, it was big, but it did the job.

I don't ride on roads, so my 0.02 are only from riding on trails. If I'm not feeling very motivated, I put my headphones in one ear and put some techno on, which usually gets me moving and not so down about the hill I'm climbing up.

With regards to riding on the road. Cars have stereos, and turned up loud enough, which many people do, the driver can not hear a car beeping, a cop coming up or anything else for that matter. With newer cars, sound proofing is done so well you don't hear any road noise.

So you have people behind the wheel of 1000lb vehicles who can't hear any better than someone with headphones on a bike.

With most open ear headphones, I don't think in one ear is going to kill someone. I think eye sight would be far more important than hearing.

Are they going to ban someone who is deaf from riding a bike?

jm2c

Forgot to add...motorcyclists...I don't understand how they can hear anything, or hear for that matter when they get off. It's deafening to me.

[Jo-n-NY]

I guess because this thread keeps getting pulled up to the top I will also add my 2 cents. I do ride listening to music with just one ear (IRiver which I do not recommend, not a good choice if you ask me) plugged. It is legal to ride that way according to the NYS cycling road rules. But to be honest, I consentrate so much on what I am doing there are many times I must tune it out. I get to a song and think of one that was suppose to play before it and oops guess I missed it. So I enjoy it on the peaceful part of my ride and automatically tune it out in traffic areas.

What I cannot do is talk on my cell (using the ear piece) and drive at the same time. If someone calls I either ignore it and wait until I can pull over or talk real fast and say I will call back or if someone is in the car, I have them get it.

~ JoAnn

[PinkRacer]

I like to wear one ear in. I have an iPod but I just got this new toy and love it for my daily commute ride. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=3756869 it is so tiny and light!

I agree also tune out the music in high traffic areas, The music helps me concentrate on my pace.

What really gets me the most are the people cycling along while speaking on their cell phone (no ear bug etc... ) I usually have mine on me but have never answered it while riding...

[jjcac1]

I was questioning the whole music thing as a new rider. I plan on doing a lot of back roads training and love to listen to music. It really helps the time fly. I too felt it wasn't safe to wear both headphones, and don't really thing headphones are all that comfy w/ glasses.

My question.. does anyone know if there is any kind of "headphone" type device that you could wear around your neck or helmet that would just play music around your head? I know that a couple of ladies have rigged earphones onto their helmet?? Could you maybe explain this? Would this concept even work?

Thanks so much...

[Duck on Wheels]

I vaguely recall seeing ads for an expensive toy some years back that, claim was, transmitted hifi sound via your collarbone -- lay around your neck and rested on the collarbone in front. Probably kinda heavy. And if it's no longer available that's prob'ly cuz it didn't work all that well.

I've been thinking on this problem since spending all winter doing spin classes to be in some approximation of shape for a ride in March. The music in spin class really helps keep your cadence -- and humor -- up. I've also gone out and bought some of the music our spin instructor plays. I play it on the mp3 while walking (e.g. 6 miles to work). Definitely gets me going faster, but it's also a bit distracting. I'll miss it on the bike, but I don't dare use it. Not even in one ear. At bike speeds I need to have all my attention on the road, the riders around me, the traffic coming up from behind, cross streets, gravel, potholes, remembering to call out warnings, use hand signals ... At walking speeds I can have some attention to spare, but not on a bike.

Too bad tho'. The drums at the start of Paul Simon: Rhythm of the Saints have me imagining the stop-and-go start of a ride with lots of bikes around, lots of enthusiasm and intermittently space to use it. Next piece has an instrument that sounds like a bike-spoke harp: I imagine finding my rhythm, smooth, open road, not too slow but relaxed enough to do the distance. The cadence picks up, slows down song by song. A few pieces later come some wake-up horns just when the music has you in a bit of a trance, or the spin class has you worn down to one. I can envisage a whole ride to that music, or Carmina Burana, or my brother's new blues album Rude Notes Galore, or sailiing along with the most bewinged movements of my favourite violin concertos (Mendelssohn and Sibelius) ... but I don't dare actually have any of it along.

[sydney_b]

When I ride alone, I always bring my iPod. I keep the volume low enough where I can hear what's going on around me. I don't ever ride with headphones with others though, so I can hear communications etc. So you're not the only rule breaker I know in some states it's actually illegal to ride with headphones, but I don't think I've ever heard of anyone getting pulled over.

I'm with you Betagirl. iPod when alone and nothing when with others. I find the earbuds don't interfere with traffic noise very much and have had no problems so far.

[Trek420]

on rides I prefer the sounds of the great outdoors which is traffic and noise on my commute or birds and chirping on longer rides.

I'm aware of some hearing loss so I don't dare dampen my senses any further with even one ear bud.

Warning: want music on your ride? You'll want to pass me. I sing on hills, and badly too I might add

I can't promise Mendelssohn or Sibelius, usually disco or R&B anything with a good beat that sticks in my mind and yours too if you're nearby

[Pedal Wench]

JJ,
I'm not sure if I posted this earlier - sorry if I did.

When I'm on the road, I don't use anything, but I do on the bike path. I have a pair of headphones with a solid band, not the earbud type. I use one side only, but I don't put it in my ear - I just position it 'near' my ear and turn up the level. No, I can't hear every nuance and detail of the music. It's almost just a reminder of what the song is that's playing. I just started to use it to help with training and doing intervals. One song fast, one song recover.

I was questioning the whole music thing as a new rider. I plan on doing a lot of back roads training and love to listen to music. It really helps the time fly. I too felt it wasn't safe to wear both headphones, and don't really thing headphones are all that comfy w/ glasses.

My question.. does anyone know if there is any kind of "headphone" type device that you could wear around your neck or helmet that would just play music around your head? I know that a couple of ladies have rigged earphones onto their helmet?? Could you maybe explain this? Would this concept even work?

Thanks so much...

[LauraPaura]

I listen to music when I ride on bikeroads (don't know what they're called, the special paths made just for riding and walking) but not in the city. I think it's easier to keep up a good pace with some music (I listen to dance/trance music..). I listen to music all the time anyway and I always have my nice small MP3 player with me. I also ALWAYS carry an extra battery with me just in case

Even if I didin't listen to music I would keep those things in my ears because they block the wind very effectively.

I don't think it's illegal here in Finland to listen to these while driving anything.. Not sure though.

[Duck on Wheels]

JJ,
I'm not sure if I posted this earlier - sorry if I did.

When I'm on the road, I don't use anything, but I do on the bike path. I have a pair of headphones with a solid band, not the earbud type. I use one side only, but I don't put it in my ear - I just position it 'near' my ear and turn up the level. No, I can't hear every nuance and detail of the music. It's almost just a reminder of what the song is that's playing. I just started to use it to help with training and doing intervals. One song fast, one song recover.

Now that I can see might work. It would take some tweeking to find a headphone that will sit off-kilter neither disturbing nor disturbed by helmet. Also, when on a quiet path I might rather hear the birds (bike path near my Mom's place goes through a meadow with lots of redwing blackbirds all competing for territory -- maybe not what the other blackbirds like to hear, but music to MY ears ). But for some settings and as musical motivation during a workout ... yeah. I can see the off-ear headphone system working. I'll keep it in mind.