Riding with plugs in

[TheRamJam]

Hi

Just wanted to get some peoples opinions on this.

I ride my cycling bike with headphones on all the time, unless am with a group of people on a trail.

When I get my bike, rather than use ear plugs I intend to listen to my MP3 player. Is this legal/illegal? and how many people either recommend it or not?

Thanks

[missyburd]

Tis very much your own decision. A lot of people like to be able to hear their bike, not just for pleasure purposes but as a safety thing too, gives you the chance to hear if something sounds wrong. Stuff like police sirens and the like can generally be heard over whatever music you're playing, the trick is to not have it on too loud :rolleyes:

Not illegal though AFAIK, tis just like having CDs on in the car!

[SoulKiss]

I do it all the time - but usually at a volume that when sat next to another biker at traffic lights with both engines running I can have a conversation with them.

Volume DOES go up on hitting a motorway tho

[Sally]

I used to, but in roder to hear my music properly over the noise, i had to have it up quite loud..
I have experienced hearing problems from playing my ipod too loud, i hear a constant ringing and people seem to speak quiter, and i seem to speak louder.. Only 17 :(
Now, i just use ear plugs..
Tis not good..
very boring, especially on long dualer/motorway stretches..

[Gene genie]

I used to, but in roder to hear my music properly over the noise, i had to have it up quite loud..
I have experienced hearing problems from playing my ipod too loud, i hear a constant ringing and people seem to speak quiter, and i seem to speak louder.. Only 17 :(
Now, i just use ear plugs..
Tis not good..
very boring, especially on long dualer/motorway stretches..
very very wise advice. i've had hearing probs for a while now. noisy workshop floors, loud music, clubs.
i never go out on the bike now without ear plugs in an attempt to keep what i've got left.
the wind noise in particular on the motorway is unbearable without plugs.
heed these warnings people!!!!!!!!!

[madness]

very very wise advice. i've had hearing probs for a while now. noisy workshop floors, loud music, clubs.
i never go out on the bike now without ear plugs in an attempt to keep what i've got left.
the wind noise in particular on the motorway is unbearable without plugs.
heed these warnings people!!!!!!!!!

+1

[Giggsy]

What did you say can't hear you!:rolleyes:

[joshmac]

What did you say can't hear you!:rolleyes:
Ba dum tsh!

Oh dear :lol:

[Giggsy]

Couldn't help it sorry. :oops:

[Gene genie]

you can laugh people.
what might not seem important when your young could well turn your life upside down when your a little older.
i've just read that and it makes me sound retired and pensioned off.:D

[philbut]

yep, I have tinitus too (the ringing thing) from loud clubs mainly, but the bike can't help either. I always use ear plugs, but have recently bought an autocom so I can listen to music through the ear plugs - the speakers fit under your helmet lining and still sound good even with ear plugs in - they block out the most harmful frequencies whilst leaving you free to hear the important stuff like sirens and speech.

[wyrdness]

+1

+ another 1

I didn't use earplugs for years and now have hearing problems. I always use earplugs now, but it's a bit too late.

[Mogs]

I used to, but in roder to hear my music properly over the noise, i had to have it up quite loud..
I have experienced hearing problems from playing my ipod too loud, i hear a constant ringing and people seem to speak quiter, and i seem to speak louder.. Only 17 :(
Now, i just use ear plugs..
Tis not good..
very boring, especially on long dualer/motorway stretches..

Another vote for the dont campaign, I've hearing damage too.

[matt_rehm_hext]

I have serious tinnitus and hearing damage. I'm 21 and it's because of working in live sound being around 100+dB for ages, and from practicing in bands since I was 11 without hearing protection till I was about 17.

I always ride with 39dB SNR plugs in. Even then it's still the wind noise that is bad.

Earsoft FX are the ones that have the most noise reduction (39dB SNR) and they are good.

Wish I could turn back time. I'm actually terrified of what its going to be like in 20 years time.

[Baph]

I bought some ear plugs that had earphones built in. They cut out the noise you don't want to hear pretty well (though not perfectly) and allow you to listen to music.

My riding style depends on my mood, and listening to music greatly enhances mood one way or the other.

If I'm angry/upset, frankly, I need the keys taking off me. I try not to ride in that kind of mood any more.

A couple of times I've ridden whilst listening to classical music, and you just get going with the flow. Before you know it, you're travelling at speeds they'd quite happily revoke your licence for on an empty road. Only you're diving in & out of traffic filtering hard!

I've also come off my bike in the past, and at least in part I put it down to not being able to hear the engine note to tell which gear I was in at the time.

So I usually don't ride to music now.

[STRAMASHER]

For me there are enough crazy drivers out there without disadvantaging myself by other distractions like listening to music through headphones.

A big part of bikes for me is how they sound anyway. SV standard, is a bit like a sewing machine so you may want to get a pipe to play your own music. Does not even need to be baffle-out illegal either to make a drastic improvement.

When doing fast stuff I would not be without earplugs. Good for the ears but also makes you less fatigued.

:)

[Sally]

I just buy the 20pence pairs from the local gunsmith..
Seems to work, better than nothing..
I seem to push them in too far, probily doing more harm than good..

Still, am 17, got that bloody ringing, and can hear(no pun intended) my hearing getting worse..

Dont even use my ipod at all now, nevermind on the bike..

[flymo]

I use plugs on the track, it cuts down most of the wind noise and actually lets me hear more important detail.

I can clearly hear a bike behind me in a race for example which is useful. Personally I find the orange spongy ones to be the best.

[Sally]

I use the yellow spongy/foam ones..
Forver losing them, so 20pence per pair isnt really a disaster..

[MattCollins]

Plugs? Hearing protection yes, iPod no, although I do have a pair of tiny speakers mounted in my helmet for comms and the occasional bit of music.

As much as I like the sound of a good pipe, I really appreciate the low noise levels of the stocker at the end of a long day droning down a highway.

Cheers

[sinbad]

I didn't realise just how loud riding can be until I tried some earplugs just to see what it was like.
I can't stand riding without them now, even around town I find it annoying. I can still hear the engine/exhaust, and other traffic, but that nasty white noise is just blocked out. Like I said, you don't realise how much of that there is pummelling you until it's gone.

I've never wished to listen to music whilst riding, but if I did I would have to buy the proper plugs for it.

[pawl]

music and moods!

riding?

personaly i would leave the music, for the owd jam jar.

[Dicky Ticker]

When I was lad we didn't even need helmets never mind ear plugs,real rockers.

TBO I find helmets vary so much and windshield shape can make a vast difference to noise levels.

[AmigaNut]

I still find problems with noise even using plugs, last year each time i did about 100 miles in a day i seem to find the tinnitus was worse although it does subside a bit eventually.
I can still hear wind noise with the plugs but it's a hell of a lot quieter using them. I wonder whether the increased noise is physcological as the wind noise i can hear is nowhere near as bad as without.

You can not damage your ears by pushing the soft ones in too far, unless you can't get them out.

Is is not about time Arai etc made a quiet helmet, i mean all those £500 sqiuds they get for RX7's must leave something for research and they have had llong enough to find out how to make a silent helmet. :rolleyes:

[maviczap]

+ another 1

I didn't use earplugs for years and now have hearing problems. I always use earplugs now, but it's a bit too late.

++ another 1

Too many years riding without earplugs and working in noisey ships engine rooms has done my right side.

Once you've lost it, you wish you could get it back, hearing aids ain't funny.

Had some custom moulded ones made at the NEC (well the impressions were taken there) These are well comfy, better than the sqidgy foam ones I use at work.

£58 is money well spent, reusable and washable. I can have new ones made from the impressions that were taken, plus I can have ones made with headphones inbuilt.

People will pay £400 for a helmet, but nothing on earplugs. What price your hearing?