Cycling and headphones

[Tootyred]

I won't use those in ear headphones...never have....my hearing means too much to me....(they are the quickest route to deafness imho, along with motorcycling without earplugs), so that makes a "no" from me.

I could carry a " Brixton suitcase " on the rack, although it seems excessive and a tad out of keeping for radio 4 listening.

 

[BOBU]

Have used a music player while riding since the 'Walkman' days but I don't use bud type earphones, it's always been the on-ear speaker type, at the moment it's Polk sports neckband as I always wear a helmet, in the 1980's it used to be:

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I find music motivational on shorter rides, I can feel myself naturally pick up my pace when the right track pop's up random. For long tours it's absolutely essential, 7+ hours on the bike is too long without some outside stimulus/distraction. I almost always hear cars even with music on, I've never had any issue with riding in the open country. If I was riding city/urban environments I wouldn't dispute your view and probably wouldn't use headphones/music.

 

[905]

I've been using headphones for (runs out of fingers & toes to count) a long time. Never had a problem – even in the thick of London. Especially in the thick of London. One underappreciated benefit of music is it drowns out abuse.

does the purist ethos of cycling rather preclude distractions?

I get my purity from riding singlespeed.

 

[greencat]

Use earphones all of the time to listen to podcasts. Have no problem hearing what’s going on around me.

 

[ThePrivateer]

I listen to podcasts while riding my bikes as well. And even use in ears.

I have been riding in traffic for more than 35 years and never had an issue. Most noise I get from the headphones is wind noise.

Oh and this is where different models make a big difference. The best ones really fit inside your ear canal and do not have any sharp edges or ventilation holes that create turbulences. I miss the old Creative Labs/ Sennheiser ones that have been discontinued. Amazon brand Blukar makes some ok ones that are available at the moment

 

[905]

(Part II)
No offence to the OP, and credit for admitting grumpiness, but this is the usual scolding tone. My personal recalibration happens to involve "augmenting" with, among others, Dylan.

Whenever this subject comes up I hear "enjoy the silence". As if! There's never silence. At the very least you can hear your own breathing, which while reassuring, can get on one's nerves after a while. I have enough silence in my life working from home.

I agree that it should cause a distraction: it's very counterintuitive that it doesn't. In fact I feel that it makes me more alert, looking around more than I might normally. YMMV, of course. Following along with an interesting podcast probably wouldn't work as well for me…

 

[The History Man]

(Part II)
No offence to the OP, and credit for admitting grumpiness, but this is the usual scolding tone. My personal recalibration happens to involve "augmenting" with, among others, Dylan.

Whenever this subject comes up I hear "enjoy the silence". As if! There's never silence. At the very least you can hear your own breathing, which while reassuring, can get on one's nerves after a while. I have enough silence in my life working from home.

I agree that it should cause a distraction: it's very counterintuitive that it doesn't. In fact I feel that it makes me more alert, looking around more than I might normally. YMMV, of course. Following along with an interesting podcast probably wouldn't work as well for me…

Reading this post. You might see blood on the tracks if you have your headphones too loud.

Joker man?



I listen to bbc sounds desert island discs archive on my way home as I have a 50 minute drive and occasionally miss an exit as I’m absorbed. Is it my age or a factor especially on a bicycle for the deep of listening?

 

[905]

Joker man?

Dude's got a lot of bread to cast after selling his catalog.

You might see blood on the tracks if you have your headphones too loud.

Some songs need to be loud. They don't sound right otherwise.

More seriously, I think of Roger Daltrey mercilessly pounding his eardrums into uselessness; next time I ride by his house (we're nearly neighbours) I'll turn the music down in sympathy.

 

[Culloo]

A MUST! Tunes and biking,
ABSOLUTELY. From old school ac/dc to new EDM music..

 

[greencat]

(Part II)
No offence to the OP, and credit for admitting grumpiness, but this is the usual scolding tone. My personal recalibration happens to involve "augmenting" with, among others, Dylan.

Whenever this subject comes up I hear "enjoy the silence". As if! There's never silence. At the very least you can hear your own breathing, which while reassuring, can get on one's nerves after a while. I have enough silence in my life working from home.

I agree that it should cause a distraction: it's very counterintuitive that it doesn't. In fact I feel that it makes me more alert, looking around more than I might normally. YMMV, of course. Following along with an interesting podcast probably wouldn't work as well for me…

If car drivers can drive perfectly well listening to the radio, then I think I can manage to cycle with a podcast on.