Earbuds in while road riding - yay or nay?

[Haakon]

We love a good controversy around here!

I tried this once, found it scary. But it seems some people are not at defensive in their riding and are happy to trust that no one will hit them.

Any ride on the road with music and not die yet? And can explain to my why it’s not scary as hell?

 

[Zaf]

Removed by user

 

[moorey]

Watch out for vindictive tradies.

 

[nzhumpy]

I tried it years ago - maybe 10 or so - when I wasn't as cleverer as I is now...I persevered with it for about 4-5 weeks but it just scared the shit out of me, it was more stressful struggling to hear the approaching cars rather than enjoy the tunes, I couldn't get my head around it. This was commuting around Inner Sydney though so some of the streets I was on are narrow as.

With EVs becoming more mainstream most traffic will be near enough to silent anyways.

 

[Plankosaurus]

I did this every time till I decided road wasn't for me a few years back. Too boring without it, just couldn't sit through a couple of hours of listening to my own wheezing. I only had one earbud in the left ear though, still felt like I needed to at least be able to somewhat hear the abuse being hurled at me. They took the time to open their window and yell incoherently at me, would be rude not to at least attempt to decipher what they're saying.

Don't listen to music while on the MTB though, just isn't right. I never get bored, and the sound of tyres on dirt is thoroughly satisfying.

Sent from my G8441 using Tapatalk

 

[Haakon]

If your death comes from behind, you're unlikely to hear it approaching. Might as well just lean into it a little and go out to some good music and not think about it.

Im usually down with fatalism, but I think I’d like the chance to duck and weave even if it’s a slim one...

And when its traffic free and straight, I enjoy the peace and zen of it all. It’s meditation and music would be an imposition.

 

[Chriso_29er]

Nay

 

[LPG]

It goes against all rules of road riding but fuck road riding culture anyway. when I've commuted or been on road bike tours I've used a mirror mounted on the helmet. You can actually see what is going on behind you, see if there is another car behind the one you are hearing and know how much gap people are giving. You can actually watch traffic behind you and time to slow and accelerate into gaps to get around parked cars in your lane or pretend to be drifting into the middle of the lane to force someone to give you space before you steer back to the side. Get used to this and you feel very unsafe without it whether you have music on or not.

All other road vehicles legally to have to have mirrors. It doesn't make sense that the slowest ones of all shouldn't have them.

Only issue is you wont have anyone join you at the table at the cafe when you go for coffee and cake after the ride. Make sure you put the mirror on your helmet so the 15g doesn't go on the bike and effect your weight weenie ways.

 

[mas2]

I'm all for it. Boring otherwise.

 

[Haakon]

I'm all for it. Boring otherwise.

That's interesting and something that would not have occurred to me. Cant say I've even been bored on a bike - if its not actively exciting, its a chance to chill.

 

[Calvin27]

I tried it an scared the crap out of me. Headphones on a bicycle is fine, dig your own grave, but I see a lot of muppets with them in cars!

 

[Haakon]

I tried it an scared the crap out of me. Headphones on a bicycle is fine, dig your own grave, but I see a lot of muppets with them in cars!

The car one is odd. Why not just plug the phone into the car stereo?

 

[Ultra Lord]

The car one is odd. Why not just plug the phone into the car stereo?

Shit stereo.

 

[Haakon]

Shit stereo.

There is that. Although I’ve seen people using Apple earbuds in new and high end cars where the earbuds had to be a serious downgrade. I assume gen y just accustomed to being plugged into the matrix...

 

[Jim Junkie]

Aftershokz for me. I stick to bikeways for 80% of the 20km or so commute. The other 20% I just make sure the volume is down low enough that I can hear background noise & cars.

 

[stirk]

Forget the cars the most dangerous aspect of using headphones is not hearing the warning click click of the swooping magpie.

 

[droenn]

I used to listen to podcasts on the commute - mostly on bike tracks. The stock apple earphones were ok for this because they can't isolate very well so you can still hear things. But now I prefer just to not have anything and just enjoy some silence for 45 mins.

 

[Cardy George]

We love a good controversy around here!

I tried this once, found it scary. But it seems some people are not at defensive in their riding and are happy to trust that no one will hit them.

Any ride on the road with music and not die yet? And can explain to my why it’s not scary as hell?

I commute with them, and have done for years, even when living in Adelaide. You have to have a swivel neck, and be very confident in Riding Big, i.e. take the lane, deliberately be in the way etc. I don't use them in any kind of bike park scenario, or when there's a chance of a dirt bike coming at me head on.

On top of that, the roads here are boring as fuck. Straight, flat, nothing inspiring at all. I listen to podcasts in the mornings because it's dark, I need something to keep me awake.

And Like @Zaf says, if a B-Double is gonna mow me down, I don't wanna hear it coming.

 

[Mr Crudley]

Riding is non technology time for me. No music or other distractions. I don't want it harass myself with music and other gizmo's. Bad and dull photos are my riding speciality only.

I can see why it could be boring for some people but I find a longish road ride without interruptions a bit Zen like.

 

[mas2]

Aftershokz for me. I stick to bikeways for 80% of the 20km or so commute. The other 20% I just make sure the volume is down low enough that I can hear background noise & cars.

I looked at getting these a year ago for mountain biking. They any good? Do you get much peripheral sound?