Music while bicycling

smokersteve · Mar 2, 2022

duriel said:
U have a set of those? I would be interested in their evaluation in comparision to wearing headphones in your living room.
Do they get the highs & lows?
Do they let you hear the music over the wind/cars, or are is it music in the background experience?

I bought the Aftershokz Air headphones and returned them. They were not for me. Virtually no sound and what noise they did make sounded like crap. But I also prefer over the ear Bose or Beats headphones

velodog · Mar 2, 2022

Lombard said:
^^^This. Riding with headphones in traffic is just asking for trouble. And even on quiet roads where there is no traffic, I'd rather be listening to sounds of nature.

IMO, headphones are for bus rides.

Wearing headphones in any public setting strikes me as foolish. There are too many preying on the week, and cutting one of ones senses off from ones surroundings is just inviting them in.

A thief coming up from behind is every bit as dangerous as a distracted driver..

shrubs · Mar 2, 2022

I need my sense of hearing along with vision for….everything while biking. I use a wearable speaker to help me hear Varia alerts-no music or phone alerts while biking or running.

nOOky · Mar 2, 2022

If you are going to listen to music then choose an option that at least gives you some ability to retain hearing around you. I use Aftershokz, the newest ones whatever they are called, the Aeroplex maybe? I mainly listen to audiobooks myself, and I ride on country roads not busy city traffic. I hate speakers, mainly because they are small and they suck, and I don't want to hear someone else's crappy choices in music if I'm near them so I suspect others would think that about me

Camilo · Mar 4, 2022

Dinosaur said:
I just read that it's legal to ride a bike in the UK wearing headphones covering both ears. Not that it is safe. Most states in the USA prohibit covering both ears.

I disagree that it's "not safe" if you were making that point. I also question that you say "most states in the USA prohibit covering both ears". Do you have actual evidence of that? I've never hesitated to use two ear buds - at fairly low volume, low enough so that wind and road noise above about 15 MPH drowns out the music I'm listening to. Definitely about the same as what it would do to traffic noise approaching from the rear. But just my opinion having ridden with music in my ears for 30+ years.

Dinosaur · Mar 7, 2022

Camilo said:
I disagree that it's "not safe" if you were making that point. I also question that you say "most states in the USA prohibit covering both ears". Do you have actual evidence of that? I've never hesitated to use two ear buds - at fairly low volume, low enough so that wind and road noise above about 15 MPH drowns out the music I'm listening to. Definitely about the same as what it would do to traffic noise approaching from the rear. But just my opinion having ridden with music in my ears for 30+ years.

I have already responded to this. Scroll up to page 1. I admitted I misspoke. If you like wearing earphones , well and good. They are not for me.

Peace

Camilo · Mar 9, 2022

Dinosaur said:
Yeah, I misspoke. There are only a few states that prohibit covering BOTH ears while riding a bike on a public roadway. I don't know where I got that info from. I'm partially deaf in my left ear. Mostly because of my career as a CHP Officer and working on the freeways. Also four years in the USMC, we did not wear ear protection back in the early 60's. Also no ear protection until the mid 80's in the CHP. I depend a lot on my ears when riding. I ride mostly back county roads. Narrow lanes, often no shoulders. I depend a lot on my hearing. I can usually hear something coming up behind me before I see it in my dork eyeglass mirror.

This is an honest question. Have you ever been able to or had to take action to preserve your safety based on hearing something coming from behind? Or does it just make you more vigilant in staying on a predictable course? I ask because, while I do often ride with two ear buds and have done so for many years, I don't have the volume any louder than wind noise is at about 15-20mph. I honestly don't think hearing something from behind can tell me if it's a dangerous situation. I slavishly keep to a predictable line, ride predictably in all aspects, obey traffic laws and don't do anything stupid .... and have over 40 years of road riding to help me not be stupid predict and avoid dicey situations. I don't think I could make anything of noises from behind that would help me prevent being run over from behind. Now, from the side or in front, I don't think hearing is that important. Visual vigilance is.

No Time Toulouse said:
If you want to ride while listening to music, do it on your Peleton in your basement. Riding in traffic with headphones is the quickest way of winning a Darwin Award that I can think of.....

Ah, the Darwin Award insults begin. So original! I could say that anyone who thinks listening to music while riding is inherently dangerous is clueless, but I won't because I don't need to resort to insults to express a simple difference of opinion.

velodog said:
Wearing headphones in any public setting strikes me as foolish. There are too many preying on the week, and cutting one of ones senses off from ones surroundings is just inviting them in.

A thief coming up from behind is every bit as dangerous as a distracted driver..

I'm sure this reflects your experience and judgment based on your experiences where you live, and visit. I live in a place that is highly unlikely to be exposed to street crime so it's not even a concern for me. The roads and trails I ride on, and the sidewalks and paths I walk on I feel, are perfectly safe to listen to music, podcasts, whatever. Would I do it on a busy street or urban sidewalk in which I'm not familiar? Probably not.

Dinosaur said:
I have already responded to this. Scroll up to page 1. I admitted I misspoke. If you like wearing earphones , well and good. They are not for me.

Peace

Sorry, I missed that. I appreciate your comment about it simply being not for you. I understand that people assess danger differently than me, so be it.

duriel · Mar 9, 2022

This is the thing, .... can you hear a car about ready to hit you? Does it sound different than a car that misses you by 3"? Does it sound different than a car that misses you by 3' or 7'?
The answer is NO! Hearing a car does not tell you anything other than there is a car, if you hear tires screching, it is too late.
If it makes you feel like you are more in control without music, fine, but it really doesn't help.

shrubs · Mar 9, 2022

Quoting myself…
I need my sense of hearing along with vision for….everything while biking. I use a wearable speaker to help me hear Varia alerts-no music or phone alerts while biking or running.
Quoting Duriel
This is the thing, .... can you hear a car about ready to hit you? Does it sound different than a car that misses you by 3"? Does it sound different than a car that misses you by 3' or 7'?
The answer is NO! Hearing a car does tell you anything other than there is a car, if you hear tires screching, it is too late.

Now my very own words:
Hear dogs that have bad intent close to me. Hear a bike noise that I need to rectify. If someone is into listening to music…that’s their preference-might be more capable than me.

See and hear a vehicle that is safely going to pass me yet get themselves into a collision (thinking 2 lane road) with a vehicle or another bicyclist, a runner, a walker? Good to know.

Get hit from behind. That’s always a chance for all of us on the road. Hopefully I can hear the screeching tires...just like lyrics in the Pearl Jam cover of the old 60s song.

tlg · Mar 9, 2022

Camilo said:
This is an honest question. Have you ever been able to or had to take action to preserve your safety based on hearing something coming from behind?

I've wondered this too. By the time you can hear a car, how do you determine if it's about to splat you on the road? Clip you with their mirror? Buzz you with inches to spare? Or pass you with 3ft clearance?

Gregory Taylor · Mar 9, 2022

tlg said:
I've wondered this too. By the time you can hear a car, how do you determine if it's about to splat you on the road? Clip you with their mirror? Buzz you with inches to spare? Or pass you with 3ft clearance?

For me, the important thing about being able to hear a car coming up from behind isn't whether I am about to get hit. Rather, it gives me a "heads up" that, if the situation warrants, I might consider a shift to the right (if I can). The roads that I ride in the suburbs of DC are pretty busy, and the most common situation where I like to be able to hear traffic behind me is a two lane road, a +35mph limit, no shoulder, and a continuing stream of oncoming traffic in the other lane (this basically describes Northern Virginia). I don't like to get surprised by a car trying to pass me who, in turn, gets surprised by oncoming traffic. If traffic is light I will hold my line and claim my place on the road. (I still like knowing if some is going to pass). If the road is busy I generally try to work with the car behind me and give them more room to pass or signal them to hold up and wait until it is clear to go around me.

duriel · Mar 9, 2022

If the roads is busy, how do you differientiate from traffic going the other way?
I'm glad I live somewhere where I can decide what roads to ride on, stay off busy roads.

PBL450 · Mar 9, 2022

Gregory Taylor said:
For me, the important thing about being able to hear a car coming up from behind isn't whether I am about to get hit. Rather, it gives me a "heads up" that, if the situation warrants, I might consider a shift to the right (if I can). The roads that I ride in the suburbs of DC are pretty busy, and the most common situation where I like to be able to hear traffic behind me is a two lane road, a +35mph limit, no shoulder, and a continuing stream of oncoming traffic in the other lane (this basically describes Northern Virginia). I don't like to get surprised by a car trying to pass me who, in turn, gets surprised by oncoming traffic. If traffic is light I will hold my line and claim my place on the road. (I still like knowing if some is going to pass). If the road is busy I generally try to work with the car behind me and give them more room to pass or signal them to hold up and wait until it is clear to go around me.

This exactly. Well said.

I had a few instances when hearing was an important safety asset. Not really for cars though, dogs mostly.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalki

shrubs · Mar 9, 2022

Gregory Taylor above has an excellent post. I don’t both with signaling a vehicle to pass, just the normal traffic signals riders should make.

Why? I suspect drivers are weak on seeing/interpreting a signal form a bike rider. We would like to think this is goofy statement but…..

This is how I perceive drivers see us. Had to post this oldie pic one more time

velodog · Mar 9, 2022

shrubs said:
This is how I perceive drivers see us. Had to post this oldie pic one more time

View attachment 483376

This is probably mostly true. and I don't know if I should laugh or cry.

Lombard · Mar 9, 2022

shrubs said:
This is how I perceive drivers see us. Had to post this oldie pic one more time

View attachment 483376

Wrong. This is actually how motorists see (or don't see) us:

shrubs · Mar 9, 2022

True that!🚵‍♀️

Mapei · Mar 9, 2022

duriel said:
If the roads is busy, how do you differientiate from traffic going the other way?
I'm glad I live somewhere where I can decide what roads to ride on, stay off busy roads.

I've always assumed that my 360 degree hearing capabilities were common to all of us with normal hearing. I've personally never had trouble differentiating between something coming from behind or from the opposite direction. Of course, it the car aiming to hit you is an electric one, that's another matter...

PBL450 · Mar 10, 2022

Mapei said:
I've always assumed that my 360 degree hearing capabilities were common to all of us with normal hearing. I've personally never had trouble differentiating between something coming from behind or from the opposite direction. Of course, it the car aiming to hit you is an electric one, that's another matter...

We have a ton of Tesla’s around me. On very smooth roads they do sneak up until the wind displacement is loud enough to hear. On crappy roads they are equally as loud. When I hear nothing I’ll do a quick look and use the road however I want. I’ll move back over to be “car friendly” if they come up behind me. The only time I can’t tell a cars direction is when they are passing by in both lanes.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Gregory Taylor · Mar 10, 2022

duriel said:
If the roads is busy, how do you differientiate from traffic going the other way?
I'm glad I live somewhere where I can decide what roads to ride on, stay off busy roads.

I'll echo Mapei - I've not had a issue differentiating between the sound of a car behind me and a car behind me. And I have no clue as to the biomechanical reason for why that is - I can understand why you ask.

One thing that I do notice that I do when I hear/sense a car behind me is that I will turn my head slightly to the left to confirm that I hear something behind me - my left ear is now pointing more directly toward where the source of the sound appears to be coming from. Maybe that is it. I suspect, however, that there is some process in the brain that allows us to process the input from our ears and figure out that a sound is behind us or in front of us fairly accurately at first blush without any of my head-tilting nonsense. In Darwinian terms it could be pretty rough on humans if they could not depend on their hearing to determine whether they were being stalked from behind or from the front by a sabre-toothed tiger or a member of a rival cave clan....

Music while bicycling

smokersteve

velodog

shrubs

nOOky

Camilo

Dinosaur

Camilo

duriel

shrubs

tlg

Gregory Taylor

duriel

PBL450

shrubs

velodog

Lombard

shrubs

Mapei

PBL450

Gregory Taylor

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