MP3 Players

[smurfalicious]

I was just wondering if anyone out there rides with an MP3 player and if so, what. I'm looking for something with maybe capacity for 2 hrs of music, smallish, and not so expensive that if it "goes down with the ship" I won't be in tears for weeks, maybe just days. I don't ride roads, so it's not a major safety issue when it comes to hearing big scary trucks coming at me. It's just when I don't have company, I'd like some beats! I'm such a music fiend, it totally motivates me. Okay, and promise you won't tell? I secretly envision myself in my very own Crusty Demons of the Dirt video. Shhhh!!! Sometimes, there's that hill, that the Beastie Boys could get me up, ya know?

[Adventure Girl]

I have a Rio Nitrus. It has a 1.5 gig drive and a battery life of about 16 hours or so. I have used it on some long rides and have never run out of music. It's pretty user friendly and the prices have dropped. I think you can get them for less than $150. It is 3 x 2.4 x .6 and weighs 2.75 ounces.

The feature I like is "play by genre". When you load the music, you can choose between "rock, blues, standards, jazz, etc.". And you can enter your own genre. I have a genre set up called "cycling". Then it only plays the songs that I have loaded just for my biking. Music really motivates and entertains me. It has been a great addition to my cycling enjoyment.

I usually use only one ear bud when I'm riding, and I don't have the music blasting. I do want to be able to hear that big truck coming to run me over.

Oh... and by the way... I do own the Crusty Demons of Dirt video!

[Pedal Wench]

I've been using an iPod, which I love. I also got to review the iPod mini, which is more affordable and just as easy to use - it has a 4GB memory, which is plenty for what you need. I just discovered the coolest thing about it - the large clickwheel that operates volume and is also used to skip to the next song is very easy to feel and operate through your bike jersey. I put the thing in my back jersey pocket with the wheel facing out, and if a song comes up that I'm not in the mood for, I can just reach back and 'click' move to the next song. I love it!

[mfh1399]

I use an mp3 sony which has 80 min. and is very small. I really enjoy music out while riding, but in town i don;t use the player.

[caligurl]

i just bought one yesterday.. specifically for use while riding! but i'm listening to it here at work! lol!

i bought rio carbon.. 5 GB $249.

i debated for the longest time between an ipod (40 GB) and the carbon (the mini wasn't in the running cuz it was bigger and less gig's... only 4.. for the same money.. PLUS the proprietary itunes)

anyways... i've only had it since last night. and i'm pleased as punch with it!.. it's SMALL!!!! LIGHT! so perfect for the jersey pocket.. however i'm gonna "geek" out.. cuz i don't want to wear ear buds.. i bought the creative travel speakers... and i plan to put the speakers and carbon in my little handlebar bag! (told you i was geeking out!!!! lol! that way my ears are still "free" to hear cars.. but i'll have tunes!

reasons i chose the carbon over either ipod:

carbon small and light, 5 GB, hubby has had 2 previous rio mp3 players and never had a problem, does mp3, wma, etc (not proprietary), long battery life (20 hours)

cons for carbon: not too many accessories i... "only" 5 GB (if you are considering, batteries are not replaceable (well.. i assume you can send it in)

ipod 40: it's HUGE compared to the carbon. costs a lot more.. but when you consider the storage.. it's not that bad!

TONS of accessories!

however.. can only use itunes format

it would be bad enough losing/breaking my carbon at 250... but he ipod.. at 400??? EEK!!!! only 12 hours batterly life.

ipod mini.. only 4 gb for same money as carbon.. larger.. poorer batterly life

rio also has several sport models.. up to 256 mb.. and i believe you can add cards to make them hold more songs.. hubby has/had the red one .. S25 i think and used it a LOT but battery life wasn't so great.. (but they are changeable so you can just carry some if you need them on a long ride!)

hope that wasn't TMI!

[Jennifer Gallow]

I have a Nike/Phillips mp3 player and I adore it. 128 mb, wraps on my bicep (or around my belly, it came with strap but that feels too weird!) and all for 99 bucks at Best Buy. Water resistant too ... and so easy to import songs from my Mac.

http://www.nike-philips.com/x_nike_mp3.html

Love it.

[Pedal Wench]

Originally posted by caligurl




ipod 40: it's HUGE compared to the carbon. costs a lot more.. but when you consider the storage.. it's not that bad!

TONS of accessories!

however.. can only use itunes format

Too late for you, but it might help others - the iPod can play MP3 files, not just the proprietary AAC format. Also, for what it's worth, the AAC format is a much better sound quality than MP3, which is a very comparatively old technology. I've loaded MP3 and AAC (iTunes) files into my iPod using both iPod and Real player. The iPod will NOT play WMA (Windows Media Audio) files though (the old Apple vs. Microsoft Windows battle!)

[caligurl]

uhm... not too late... cuz if i had really wanted an ipod... i would have come home with it yesterday... and if i changed my mind.. i have thirty days to return it.. but why would i want to? the ipod is HUGE! twice the size of the carbon.. do you really want to lug that around when you ride????

plus i want to be able to listen to tunes the whole ride... ipod's batter life is atrotious!

i'm sitting her listening to my carbon now through the portable speakers i bought and it sounds just fine.. i'm sure most normal folks can't tell the difference in quality from a 160 wma vs a 198 wma or an mp3 or whatever ipod uses...

besides.... i don't have to have something just cuz it's what everyone has... i have it cuz it's best for me!

plus it sounds like she doesn't even want to spend 250 for a carbon much less 400 for an oversized ipod! so we are probably both giving her more than she wants!

[melissam]

I have two MP3 Players: an iPod (15GB) and a Rio S50. I bought the Rio about a year and a half ago, and I won the iPod in a raffle. Here's my take:

1. The iPod sounds better than the Rio. I played the same mp3 file with the same headphones on the iPod and the Rio, and the sound quality on the iPod was better.

2. The battery life on the iPod is pretty bad -- about 3-4 hours. I get about 20 hours on the Rio before I recharge it. If I run out of battery on the Rio, I can use any AA battery.

3. I hear that a user cannot replace the battery on the iPod.

4. The iPod plays AAC and mp3 files. The Rio plays mp3 and wma files.

5. Windows users need to buy a usb cable for the iPod, unless their machine is equipped with a firewire card.

6. The iPod does not come with a cover, and the pretty stainless steel outside scratches easily. The Rio came with a cover, and it seems pretty indestructible.

7. I have about 1000 tunes on my iPod, and it takes about 3GB of space. I have 128mb internal memory on my Rio as well as a 256mb card. I can get about 100 songs on the Rio with this setup.

I like both players. I use the iPod at work to listen to tunes -- it has the majority of my music collection on it, so I don't have to shuffle songs back and forth.

I use the Rio at the gym. If I drop it and it breaks, I can replace it for under $50 on eBay. It's also a lot smaller than the iPod. I put my 100 songs in random mode and find that I don't need to transfer songs from the PC that often.

If I had to choose which to buy, I'd probably still go with the Rio. It's not as "hip" as the iPod, but it's a great value for the money.

-- Melissa

[Pedal Wench]

Originally posted by caligurl
uhm... not too late... cuz if i had really wanted an ipod... i would have come home with it yesterday... and if i changed my mind.. i have thirty days to return it.. but why would i want to? the ipod is HUGE! twice the size of the carbon.. do you really want to lug that around when you ride????

plus i want to be able to listen to tunes the whole ride... ipod's batter life is atrotious!

i'm sitting her listening to my carbon now through the portable speakers i bought and it sounds just fine.. i'm sure most normal folks can't tell the difference in quality from a 160 wma vs a 198 wma or an mp3 or whatever ipod uses...

besides.... i don't have to have something just cuz it's what everyone has... i have it cuz it's best for me!

plus it sounds like she doesn't even want to spend 250 for a carbon much less 400 for an oversized ipod! so we are probably both giving her more than she wants!

Yikes! It sounds like I might have offended you with my opinions. That was certainly not my intention. I was just expressing my personal preference, and correcting the AAC/MP3 information.
For what it's worth, my usual ride is about 3.5 or 4 hours - 55-60 miles, and that only runs the battery about halfway down. When you need more, there is an external battery pack available that runs on AA batteries for up to 20 more hours.
I don't mind the size - it fits in all of my jersey pockets, and I'm riding for fitness - carrying a few extra ounces is only going to make me a stronger rider Seriously, the size makes it much easier to use while I'm riding, especially when I'm wearing full gloves - you just touch the large clickwheel, through my jersey to advance tracks or adjust the volume.

Sound quality is a personal choice. For me, it's my job, my career, pastime, how I make a living, etc. Kinda important on my list. But, truthfully, I don't think that I'm abnormal!

Again, I didn't mean to upset you! Please, I was just voicing my opinion too! Relax... it's all about the music.

[moonfroggy]

i can't aford to get one, i know that my bf has a rio and he really likes it, it's also a pretty old one but it has worked for like 4 years no prob, if i ever have money for a music player i want one that plays oggs wich are not proprietary and one of the best formats as far as music quality goes, i know some of the newer ones play oggs, and all the music on my computer is in ogg format, i guess one reason i don't want a player is that i don't feel like converting my music files to other formats, tho i know a lot of newer players are starting to use the ogg format

[spazzdog]

I have considered getting a player (name that technology) for yrs, but I'm such a rule follower and players on a road bike are just a bad idea... plus I can't stand the sound quality on a single earbud.

"spoiled by surround sound"
Spazzdog

[Trek420]

agree on the safety thing, I have a slight hearing loss, can't afford to hear less on the road. off road I prefer the peace and quiet and sounds of nature to KC and the Sunshine Band.

Besides, I sing (very very badly) on hills and any hard sections so who needs mp3 ;-)

However did anyone see on the tech section of OLN during the tour they featured Oakley sunglasses with a built in MP3 player? Technogeek lust.

[syklnsoph]

whoooo, yea Trek...
i saw the Oakleys, and thought.....uummmm Christmas present? checked on the price and they are only about $250-300.
i found a sports watch that is also an fm radio player. only keep one bud in tho...the other listens to traffic. and i too sing very badly on the hills. and my speed varies with the type of song playing.
soph

[Trek420]

we need the oakley's that can be switched to either ear or both, make it wireless compatible and sync to the HRM and/or computer. Your cadence goes down...Oakley's change to a faster song, cadence too high (can it ever be?) or downhill, flat changes to a slower song. Also make it with pre-programed workouts from Spynergy.

we don't want much, do we, girrrls?