Buds in the ears

[Miranda]

I would think the talk show would be more distracting than music. Because if you are actually trying to follow the show chat, you would like to hear every word. As cars pass, you will not. With the songs you already know as your favorites in a playlist, big whoop if you miss it. Thus, I think it's less destracting, to minimal.

I use one ear bud. Right ear. Turned at a volume that I can hear when there is not traffic. But traffic over-rides the noise of the music. On that you need to experiment. Always starting lowering volume with the music of course.

If I'm on part of my route that I know there is more traffic, I take the ear bud out for that section. Country roads for me 90% of my rides.

Plus, I have Sprint-Tech bar end plug mirrors on both sides of my road bike. It's nice to be able to glance down at the bar ends and see traffic too. Without crankin your head so much. At first I didn't have the right side mirror on. But, now I really like it. It's great for "taking the lane" and with ride partners to see both sides at all times.

The point of that being... it helps traffic awareness. Even if you don't use music at all. The bike style police can just call me Fred for that one. I don't care.

Lastly on the music... it's really personal too. Sometimes even day by day. If you have a car zoom by that you DID NOT know was even anywhere near you... due to the music, mental distraction about life's whoas + music, etc... then it's time to ditch something to be safe.

I personally like having my music when I don't have a ride buddy... just be sensible about it.