cycling earphones for solo 100 mile sportive

Hi
been looking for earphones for my sportives rides which I do solo for children’s charitys.

Thought a bit of music mite help on the journey.
not so long ago I spotted one’s that fit outside in front of the ear so you can still here the outside world.

Pretty sure the rules for most sportives will say ‘no earphones’. I ride with earphones in when riding to/from work but only on the traffic free cycle path, I wouldn’t do it riding with 100’s of other people.

Not sure the fact that you do them for charity is of any relevance?

Why do you want to impair your hearing?

Just get on with it, if you can’t manage without music for 100km then sing. It’s not that far.

Just get on with it, if you can’t manage without music for 100km then sing. It’s not that far.

What about the other 40miles tho? 😉

Sennheiser fan here, great sound, and can still be aware of what’s going on..

I ride with headphones all the time on the road,I would never,ever use them in a group,ever.

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Oakley Thumps or some cheap chinese copies.?

I’m not a fan of any sort of added distraction when riding but these may be worth a look:

Aftershokz Bluez 2

They transmit sound through the jawbone so it means you have nothing covering your ears.

What about the other 40miles tho?

Realise you were doing fine without the music.

I used to ride with the standard Sony in-ear headphones, although 95% of the time I would only have the left earphone in so I could still hear what was happening on the road.

For a while at least I wouldn’t have considered riding without, the right tune on the right road in the right gear was an unbeatable combination.

I got fed up with the faff after a while though, and was developing an alarming ‘fluttering’ sensation in my left eardrum, probably due to the excessive volume required to overcome the wind noise… 😳

Actually, are you riding solo in a Sportive, or do you mean you’re riding solo centuries (i.e. not ‘official’ sportives?).

Gary M
I just thought I would mention the rides are for charity that’s all!! No need to pick me up on it.

Anyway found some, they obviously make them for some reason and I have seen plenty of solo riders out and about of a Sunday wearing headphones. So these will do. If anyone has tried them Ide like to know your thoughts on them?

Don’t be frightened folkes, what difference does it make if you can here traffic approaching from behind! What do you do differently? None!!

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/aftershokz/bluez-2-ec067342?country=GB&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKEAjw876oBRCYr86w6KGfpkgSJAACIidw5VMlMLEtSZ7AjWRcP1WyVI7PdQa8SGEtA1ZpIjhhrBoCGZ7w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

http://road.cc/content/review/124592-aftershokz-bluez-2-wireless-bone-conduction-headphones

I am confused, do you mean you enter a sportive and ride it solo ?

If you do then please don’t wear earphones, it’s bad form as you won’t be able to hear other riders, marshalls etc. etc.

Just deal with the silence, that’s one of the nice things about riding solo……….

I have seen plenty of solo riders out and about of a Sunday wearing headphones. So these will do.?…Don’t be frightened folkes, what difference does it make if you can here traffic approaching from behind! What do you do differently? None!!

er you said it was for using when doing sportives, not when out for a sunday solo ride. Thats two completely different situations.

what difference does it make if you can here traffic approaching from behind! What do you do differently? None!!

Didn’t read this first time, this is laughable, you are obviously very green…………

Don’t be frightened folkes, what difference does it make if you can here traffic approaching from behind! What do you do differently? None!!

Wow… this is possibly one of the stupidest things I’ve seen typed in a while.

It makes a huge difference. If you’ve never heard a car downshift to overtake when you can see through a right hand bend that there is a car coming towards you that they won’t make.. then you will be quite surprised when you get creamed. As opposed to having a fighting chance to brake in time, or find a nice verge. Well.. good luck.

I have some aftershokz – M3’s and quite like them.

They don’t impair your hearing and I often listen to podcasts while out by myself. I find that my brain tunes out the music/podcast when I hear something I need to be aware of.
I probably use it on 50% of my solo rides as I also enjoy the madness in my head.

They do need charging up so on a long ride I’m not sure of the battery life.

It makes a huge difference. If you’ve never heard a car downshift to overtake

or you could just as easily get wiped out by someone not downshifting and just quietly running straight into the back of you.

Just use normal headphone set at a level where you can hear those downshift overtakers. But I wouldn’t bother at all in a sportive, even if it isn’t against their rules.

DaveRambo – Member
I have some aftershokz – M3’s and quite like them.

They don’t impair your hearing and I often listen to podcasts while out by myself. I find that my brain tunes out the music/podcast when I hear something I need to be aware of.
I probably use it on 50% of my solo rides as I also enjoy the madness in my head.

They do need charging up so on a long ride I’m not sure of the battery life.

You all reading this?

Thanks DaveRambo

Troll.

You all reading this?

Thanks DaveRambo

Yes, and laughing at the same time.

Each to their own and all that but if I happen across you in a sportive twiddling away with earphones in then expect to get a jab in the ribs rather than a polite shout if I need to get past you…..

In fact just put my mind at rest, you don’t ride in the north do you ?

Each to their own and all that but if I happen across you in a sportive twiddling away with earphones in then expect to get a jab in the ribs rather than a polite shout if I need to

Is that considered a punishment pass?

It’s considered a he won’t hear me pass unless he has retrained his brain like the other chap….it will be a polite jab in good nature 😉

@tragically1969 – you aren’t able to simply ride around someone, without having to yell/jab/assault? It’s not that difficult to overtake another cyclist while simply ignoring them – happens to me all the time from miserable roadies!

Violence solves nothing

Just use normal headphone set at a level where you can hear those downshift overtakers.

I wouldn’t do this. In my experience the wind noise created by having normal headphones in means you need the volume turned up and it’s much harder to hear traffic /other riders. The bone conducting headphones get around this as there is no wind noise created.

But I wouldn’t bother at all in a sportive, even if it isn’t against their rules.

In a sportive I’d do this. Find someone of a similar pace and have a chat. If’you don’t like them/get on with them/ find out they are tragically1969, then find someone else.

@tragically1969 – you aren’t able to simply ride around someone, without having to yell/jab/assault? It’s not that difficult to overtake another cyclist while simply ignoring them – happens to me all the time from miserable roadies!

It’s not a case of telling them to get out of the way, its a case of letting someone know you would like to pass on their right so please be aware I am doing so, a simple “on your right guys” its a polite way of coming round someone without getting their rear mech in your front wheel or put in the ditch. If they move across when you have been warned of an impending pass then they will get a polite hand on their back to stop them coming over any further

It’s group riding, expect verbal commands and physical contact, its a safer way of riding than just moving up on somebody’s RHS without them knowing you are there.

I wouldn’t recommend earphones personally, but do agree that solo silence can get a bit boring sometimes.

I’ve often wondered why there isn’t a market for those bluetooth speakers for bikes where they attach around the stem/bar area and play upwards towards your face.

It makes a huge difference. If you’ve never heard a car downshift to overtake when you can see through a right hand bend that there is a car coming towards you that they won’t make.. then you will be quite surprised when you get creamed. As opposed to having a fighting chance to brake in time, or find a nice verge. Well.. good luck.

I can’t hear traffic without headphones. In fact I can hear it better with headphones as there’s less wind noise. What do you in your situation though? If you brake then surely you get hit from behind? If it’s a reaction to the car in front the hearing thing is a red herring. How often have you ridden off the side of the road? I’ve never been ‘creamed’, nor ridden into a verge in 50,000+ miles of road riding.

Wouldn’t wear headphones for a sportive though.

If you want to pass me on a sportive by all means pass me. But please don’t shout out out that “man down or man passing” crap. So sad! just overtake no need to let the world know. I will wear earphones and listen to my music and I won’t bother a soul. Just pass me if you want and leave me be.

If you want to pass me on a sportive by all means pass me. But please don’t shout out out that “man down or man passing” crap. So sad! just overtake no need to let the world know. I will wear earphones and listen to my music and I won’t bother a soul. Just pass me if you want and leave me be.

Do yourself a favour and go and read a few articles about cycling etiquette and the sport you have chosen to partake in, other than that see you on the road………..END

read a few articles about cycling etiquette

then expect to get a jab in the ribs rather than a polite shout if I need to

cycling etiquette sounds great. do you do lessons?

cycling etiquette sounds great. do you do lessons?

#rule 96 – if you’re overtaking a fellow cyclist and you see telltale wires coming from their ears don’t bother to give them a safe amount of room just assault them as you go past – but in a jovial manner (wouldn’t want people to think you’re a psychopath nutjob would you?).

Get with he times

http://road.cc/content/review/124592-aftershokz-bluez-2-wireless-bone-conduction-headphones

No wires.

I use these for solo mountain biking, I don’t need to hear traffic etc I only ride off road:

http://www.westoneaudio.com/index.php/products/adventure-series/adventure-series-alpha.html

I’m also very prone to breaking ear phones, these ones are built to last! I have previously broken pairs from Philips, Bose, Sony and Monster.

I don’t need to hear traffic etc I only ride off road:

So what about other people, bikers etc? It’s normally only when you get close to stupid ignorant joggers off in their own world that you see the tell tale wires of ignorance.

Plantronics backbeat fit for me.

I use these: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Monster-Beats-by-Dr-Dre-urBeats-In-Ear-Headphones-Earphones-Black-/360896633115?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item54071d991b

Great sound quality – and most critically for cycling with – they seal well and don’t fall out of your ears eva. No wind noise to speak of.

Never once have I had to suddenly ride off into the verge, in 50,000 miles of riding, either. (Or be poked in the ribs by a passing cyclist psychopath).

I’m not quite sure where all this righteous angst comes from about riding with earphones on. Would we say the same to a deaf person who wanted to ride a bike?

In my eight years of riding motorbikes and mopeds as a courier, I could never hear anything either, ’cause I was wearing a helmet. But I was constantly using my eyes to check what was around me in all directions, something I also do when road riding with headphones on.

Again… who cares if someone is jogging with headphones on? Each to their own. Live and let live. My gawd. Just edge past them, or wait for a space to pass.

The worthy righteousness of this place sometimes is a bit daft.

Again… who cares if someone is jogging with headphones on? Each to their own. Live and let live. My gawd. Just edge past them, or wait for a space to pass.

Because by the time you have had to shout really loudly so that they can actually hear that there is another person who has been trying to get their attention as the meander along in their own world oblivious to everyone else it gets a little tiresome.

Just make sure you can hear a bell, a hello or somebody saying watch out that piano is about to fall on your head.