Hi all-

Looking for a perfect solution for listening to music while riding, and racing. I know some people don’t like the idea of music on the trail, and do respect that.
Looking for something that’s loud enough for me to hear and enjoy the music, quiet enough that I don’t disturb other trail users, and also allows me to hear other people on the trail (especially in a race/enduro environment).

I’ve tried the following:

1) In-ear headphones – best sound quality, but don’t let me hear other trail users

2) External speaker (like the X-Minis http://sg.store.xm-i.com/ ) – have them in external pocket of my camelbak, but seem to need to be turned up too loud for me to be able to hear over trail noise. Maybe I should play around with shifting the location, somehow attaching to front chest straps.

3) Tunebug – seemed like the perfect solution, but doesn’t seem to work well with XC helmets.

I searched the forum, only came up with this conversation which focused on headphones. Anyone come up with the perfect solution, that doesn’t require me to resort to something like this?

http://www.treehugger.com/pimped-bike.jpg

–Kristan

1) In-ear headphones – best sound quality, but don’t let me hear other trail users

Just have one ear in?

2) External speaker (like the X-Minis http://sg.store.xm-i.com/ ) – have them in external pocket of my camelbak, but seem to need to be turned up too loud for me to be able to hear over trail noise. Maybe I should play around with shifting the location, somehow attaching to front chest straps.

dear god how annoying would that be. I hope you dont ride trails round me.

Gotta agree with Stoner… The thought of hearing music coming out of a crappy tinny sounding speaker??

Nooooo…

Almost as bad as the chavs on the street listening to some sh1te on their mobile phone.

Headphones all the way.

Even if you just use 1.

iPhone in ear. Best sound quality. Who needs to hear the rest on the trail?

+1 for using 1 in earphone

In-ear phones but keep the volume down low?!!
I gave up on listening to music whilst riding the bike as it distracted me from what’s going on around me.
Wish the same applied for the twa* that almost caused me to crash yesterday, when he was more concerned about choosing the next track, than watching where he was going 👿

These work quite well at letting other sounds in…
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-MDR-AS30G-Active-Series-Headphones/dp/B00165YVSK/ref=sr_1_44?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1304846006&sr=1-44

Uesless for the train as they annoy everyone, but might be good for what you want?

got a pisspot with built in speakers. 8)

when riding solo i always have music on but due to the earphones i have i can have it hooked over my ear but not in my ear blocking surrounding sounds fully recomend them and they work well with helmet straps.
http://www.philips.co.uk/c/headphones/shs3200_00/prd/

music whilst riding off road …….the mind boggles.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=23625

music whilst riding off road …….the mind boggles.

+1 on that

Oakley Thumps

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/gadgets/product/review-mad-catz-airdrives-fit-interactive-stereo-earphones-11-44716

music whilst riding off road …….the mind boggles.

Really? I’m pretty sure there are some far stranger concepts about…

I’ve got a Mace branded piss pot just like that o’neal. totaly crap tinny crap sound while it worked (not that long) bugger all venting.

I sometimes use sennheiser PMX70s turned down quite low to sort of backgroud music level. quite good about as good as tunes on a bike can be whilst being able to hear your surroundings.

iPhone in ear. Best sound quality.

lol