Riding to music...

[Beerman]

Newbie question: as a cyclist I think riding with earphones in and listening to music is...frankly, bloody stupid. What do you think about music and riding? Is It different to cycling? Why?

Beerman

[rodekyll]

Some folks like it.  I think it's a distraction.

[Zoom Zoom]

I have speakers in my helmet. They don't totally obscure other sounds. Of course they would drown out quieter sounds. Anyway, for long runs down the highway, I enjoy music. Always have, regardless of what I am driving/riding.

As for a difference, one might argue that on a motorcycle you're moving along at the same speed as those around you. Maybe less likely for some vehicle to sneak up behind if you're not paying attention, I don't know. On fun sections of road where I prefer to concentrate more on the ride, accelerating, braking, turning, etc; I tend to mute the music. In heavy traffic situations, I tend to also mute the music. Lets say a little common sense goes a long way.

Do you listen to music when you drive your car? If yes, then under which circumstances do you turn off or mute it? If you have your windows up and the music playing, can you hear any better than me inside my helmet? Just food for thought.

John Henry 

[rodekyll]

I'm completely deaf in my right ear and don't listen much with the other one.  So when I'm driving I can't hear much more than the wind going by the window.  That makes conversing with a passenger or listening to the radio a tedious and frustrating exercise.  As a passenger I get homicidal when the driver turns the stereo volume to 11, throws away the knob, and then tries to chat me up.  As a bike rider I feel I need to stay as aware of my bike and my surroundings as possible.  Extraneous noise doesn't help that goal.

[pebra]

Newbie question: as a cyclist I think riding with earphones in and listening to music is...frankly, bloody stupid. What do you think about music and riding? Is It different to cycling? Why?

Beerman

Do you think it's stupid of me to use earplugs when riding, to protect what's left of my hearing ability?
Just wondering.

[ITSec]

A couple of thoughts...

Well-designed earplugs (whether custom fitted or expanding foam industrial types) will allow some sound through, particularly mid and low range. This allows you to be safe whether operating industrial equipment or a motorcycle. These plugs mostly cut the damaging level of upper frequencies, usually by around 30-35db.

While I would encourage a new motorcyclist to ride without music, I see it as personal choice once you're skilled enough to know what to listen for. For me, the best means is to use custom-fitted earplugs (not earbuds) to save my hearing, and helmet-mounted speakers (Sena SMH-10 Bluetooth system). Even with the plugs in and the music on, I usually notice sirens and horns before the cagers in their closed-window cars. Am I reducing my ability to hear and respond to hazards? Possibly - but after decades of riding with earplugs (at least outside the city) and more than a dozen years of riding with music, I've yet to find myself in a bad situation because I didn't hear something.

[stevet]

At least in MN, it has been illegal to operate any vehicle with ear speakers of any kind at both ears, the exception being the operator of a fire truck traveling with lights and sirens.  Safety ear plugs are permitted.

Before I discovered that 10 years ago, I tried speaker ear plugs of a few types and found all not to my liking for a variety of reasons.  What I find most pleasing is a good ear plug to knock down wind noise, and no music.  I've never had a bike with a radio system and bike mounted speakers, but this idea does not appeal to me either.  I like riding without any electronic communication link to the rest of the world.  It's my way of disconnecting from the rest of society.  And I find it more peaceful and relaxing.

Steve.

[Groover]

No music for me when riding. It takes me away from the road and I don't like that. I wear ear plugs, but I haven't lately with the helmet equipped with a sena smh-10. I use that to communicate with my passenger. That helps, instead of shouting and pointing. I'll probably start wearing the ear plugs again as my helmet makes a lot of wind noise. I usually cut my earplugs in half to allow more sound through, but still take the edge off the wind noise. If I ever find where I put my custom musicians ear plugs, I'll use those but I recall still preferring the regular foam ones.

[Arizona Wayne]

There is no way I have or will ever ride with music.  I hardly even drive with music.  Has something to do with getting older.  Right now I find quietness at the top of my priorities.  Wind noise on a bike is OK as that is  the price of riding and blocking out everything else in life I want to ignore.   Riding a MC is an escape mechanism for me from normal reality.  Has been my whole adult life.

[O]

Do you think it's stupid of me to use earplugs when riding, to protect what's left of my hearing ability?
Just wondering.

Not the same thing as wearing noise producing headphones.

[Beerman]

Do you think it's stupid of me to use earplugs when riding, to protect what's left of my hearing ability?
Just wondering.

That's not what I was saying. My question may not have been phrased well - as a long term road cyclist I think cycling with headphones is just not safe - mainly because when you are cycling, road noise is an important element you use to keep yourself safe. It's obviously different on a motorbike, but you still have the potential for distraction, and I am interested in what bike riders (as opposed to cyclists) think.

For me, I will leave the music at home.

Beerman

[kidsmoke]

  I like riding without any electronic communication link to the rest of the world.  It's my way of disconnecting from the rest of society.  And I find it more peaceful and relaxing.

This.

I love music. All the time at home. Most of the time in the car, particularly when travelling...out for more than a quick errand. I use to run extensively, pre-walkman (yes, I meant walkman) when the notion of personal sound became the norm. I quickly discovered that the act of hearing and thinking about my breathing, my feet hitting the ground, every chirping bird, barking dog, scurrying squirrel, car alarm, distant motor of ____, was unique to that experience, and I didn't want to disconnect from it. Same when I took up cycling. Now that I'm a couple seasons in to riding, thus far I've felt the same. Now I could see that a couple 10 hour days on a slab with the drone of a motor and the western US rolling by could make one wish for the distraction, but I haven't bit on it yet (nor have I put in a 10 hr day on a slab, so I speak from ignorance to a degree). I wear safety plugs to block some of the "noise" and they help me hear the motor, rather than the wind, and other ambient things better.
 
WE're so plugged in all the time, the mental awareness/isolation of riding is the exception to the norm. I like it.

[Scud]

I enjoy music, and I notice that it influences my driving style a bit - I slow down a bit for classical, and I think I own the road when I play heavy metal. I know I am easily distracted by music and I worry that I would ride aggressively with some of music choices. Additionally, motorcycling is one of the few times that I can disconnect and get into a state of flow. Even for long hauls across the Western US, I like to be alone with my thoughts or immersed in the moment.

I also wear ear plugs. The foam kind. I wish I had learned about the detrimental effects of wind noise on hearing a long time ago. I can still hear the motor. I have been thinking about trying some noise-canceling earbuds - but with no music. Anybody happy with a pair of those for use inside a helmet?

[charlie b]

I like listening to music or audio books when I travel, by motorcycle or car.  Yep, bluetooth headset in the helmet hooked up to my phone.  Also handy when I ride with someone else who has a headset.

No, I don't think it takes away from "the experience" or "the feel" of the road.  And, no, I don't listen all the time.  I frequently turn it off just to have a bit of quiet (relative term since the bike is noisy as is the wind noise).

I think it's stupid for anyone to not listen to music :D  :D  :D

Safety?  Have not noticed a difference in my ability to notice things around me.  I can still hear other cars, sirens, etc just fine.

FWIW, brother did long distance bicycle racing and he almost always listens to music when riding.

[toukow]

That's not what I was saying. My question may not have been phrased well - as a long term road cyclist I think cycling with headphones is just not safe - mainly because when you are cycling, road noise is an important element you use to keep yourself safe. It's obviously different on a motorbike, but you still have the potential for distraction, and I am interested in what bike riders (as opposed to cyclists) think.

For me, I will leave the music at home.

Beerman

I've ridden many of thousands of miles with head phones in my helmet and using foam ear plugs. I personally do not find it distracting, and one's mind can wonder off into distant places with or without music. For me riding 8 hours with the constant drone of the wind is not my cup of tea if I can avoid it, but it's obviously a personal choice. I've had significant hearing testing performed for medical reasons (dizziness) and was told I've had no hearing degradation as well. Toukow

[Guzzistajohn]

I tried it for awhile, It's not for me, one of the reasons I get out on my old Guzzis is to get away from all the modern distractions.

[flip]

I listen to music while riding and usually listen to talk radio while driving.

[kingoffleece]

Horses for courses.  6 hours to get to the good spots on the slab-earbuds in.  Around town, day rides, spirted riding in the twisties-nope.

Being able to hear the GPS without taking eyes off the road is a big plus.

[PJPR01]

Here are another 3 pages of opinions on the same topic from just a little while ago - Enjoy!!

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=81686.0

[unclepete]

The machine , road , and wind make music for me .
I wear earplugs because the wind plays too loud .

[Jerryd]

Newbie question: as a cyclist I think riding with earphones in and listening to music is...frankly, bloody stupid. What do you think about music and riding? Is It different to cycling? Why?

Beerman

I'm not sure why you would ask if you feel its stupid? Are you trying to be convinced otherwise?

Frankly, I enjoy music while riding.

[MGPilot]

I use a Sena with ear buds. I think it helps protect my hearing & enhances safety.

It lets me hear audible directions from the TomTom while allowing me to watch the road & traffic. In an emergency, I can make a call. Could use it as an intercom (but haven't so far). Tried music a couple of times but found that I prefer the engine/exhaust/etc. over music. Yet, if I had hours of highway travel facing me, after a while, music or a podcast might be a good thing.

[Beerman]

I'm not sure why you would ask if you feel its stupid? Are you trying to be convinced otherwise?

Frankly, I enjoy music while riding.

Jerryd - I'm a much more experienced road cyclist than biker: I have a strong view that music is not compatible with cycling, and trying to find out whether members think there is a difference between cycling and riding a motorbike - or not?

Clearly there are mixed views - but many Guzzi riders seem to think that there is not a huge difference and that music is a 'no'; others - like you - think differently. That's interesting.

Beerman

[oldbike54]

not sure I've yet got this across, though I'm trying hard: is there a difference between cycling and riding a motorbike or not???

 Besides the obvious  Not sure we are understanding the question .

 Dusty

[rodekyll]

Sorry -- didn't know you meant PEDAL cycling.  Unless you specify non-motored, in a motorcycle forum there's gonna be confusion.

That said, my comment above changes.  I'd say on a PEDAL bike a rider who's deliberately degrading his awareness of his surroundings is the functional definition of "dumbass".

I was headed through the twisties the other day, about 5 miles out the road, when I spied a bicycle headed my way.  The guy was all over the road.  At first I thought he was just goofing.  Then I thought he was switchbacking up the grade.  Then I got concerned that he was all slumped over the handlebar and thought he was having a crisis.  Then I noticed the earbud cords hanging like orthodox side curls from his ears.  And that's when I noticed he was furiously texting as he wove rhythmically in and out of my lane.  He was so completely oblivious to his surroundings that he never even looked up as I passed him.  I should have given him 135dB of airhorn just to wake him up.  It's hard to find sympathy when someone like that gets squashed.

[PJPR01]

It has everything to do with the volume of the music you are listening to...neither for road biking, unicycling, skateboarding, walking or motorcycling should the music be so loud as to drown out the sounds of the road so you can hear other vehicles, pretty obvious I would think rule of thumb...you need to be aware of your surroundings...

[jetmechmarty]

In Georgia, ear buds or helmet speakers are legal for communication devices only.  It is illegal to listen to music in the helmet.  Whether or not it's enforced, I haven't a clue.   

[rocker59]

Ear Plugs?  Yes.

Music?  No.

I tried music on a trip to Chicago about 14 years ago.  Sound quality sucked.  With wind and the helmet speakers, it was just too much noise.  If I'm going to listen to music that makes my ears ring, I'm going to enjoy it somewhere other than while riding.

Oh, and on fun roads I find it distracting.  So, I gave up music and intercoms a dozen years ago...

[oldbike54]

 So do these states that have laws against listening to music inside of a helmet have any laws regarding 500 W stereos blasting over open pipes . That is very distracting to everyone else 

 Dusty

[kirby1923]

After close to 1 million miles on the road with a single tract vehicle.... anything that distracts you from the road is not wise.

The quality sucks anyway.

Even in my Healey the radio is useless and I love music.

Leave it to your den and the great sound system and pay attention to your ride, it will save your life.