Another earphone user, they’re never that loud that i can’t hear any cars but it’d make no odds anyway as i was out for 20miles on the road bike on thursday and i met less than 10 cars, a definite + for staying in the arse end of nowhere in Galloway.

If i stayed anywhere south of the border i doubt i would ride wi earphones though as you’ve got far too many folk down your way, interesting fact – in one square mile of the city of london you have a population density of 2400 per km2, in 2481 square miles of Dumfries & Galloway we have 21 per km2. Stay down south peeps, there ain’t nothing for you up here.

Yay. But if you have to ask…

Right so for tomorrow’s ride its a no, if anyone spots a me riding a BMC around Chew Magna and back in Bristol say hello so I have something to listen to!

Are people really lacking in attention that badly that they need everything in their lives to be soundtracked?

Speak up, i can’t hear you?…..I’ve got earphones in………..

I use a pair. I also use a wide angle mirror on the top tube or the flat of the bars so I can always scan behind me on country roads up here.I’m talking around 1 car every 5 miles to give you an idea. I’m not sure how I managed to ride without music years ago (on longer road rides) as its so freekin boring.

I’m not sure how I managed to ride without music years ago (on longer road rides) as its so freekin boring.

taking friends?

Yes, but only in built up areas where I’m expecting traffic. I keep it pretty low so I can still pick up on different engine pitches and work out when I need to brace!

I wouldn’t do it on quieter roads or lanes, element of surprise and all that…

ive done it before with one in the left ear but to be honest i founf it more hassle than it was worth

stufive speaks the truth!

– Another cable to worry about getting snagged somewhere, or detaching on a descent.
– They’ll get ruined if it rains.
– If you get in an accident then people could claim it was a mitigating factor. So check your insurance as well.

Does anyone find life so boring that they need to listen to music? Ever thought that living might not be for you?

edlong – Member
Nay

Personal choice, I have no problem with those that choose to, I feel safer not doing.

BUT it is, like helmets, a bit of ammunition for the drivertrolls isn’t it? Cyclists:

a) all jump red lights
b) don’t wear helmets (and that is irresponsible)
c) aren’t aware of what’s around them cos they’re using headphones
d) don’t pay road tax…

Also the local newspapers, you know how someone can be crushed to death under a 20 tonne wagon and the local rag will report that “the rider was not wearing a helmet” as though that makes it their fault they’re dead. Headphones for that effect as well.

+1

I’ve ridden with music in the past but TBH it doesn’t really add much to the experience. An iPod is just another thing to faff… I’d rather hear my surroundings.

Went for a lovely road ride yesterday for a couple hours. 2 good podcasts from Click and I was set. Really enjoyed it and learnt some interesting things about robots. Will need to do it more often.

Funnily enough, I stopped at a set of lights and a police officer on his bike tapped me on the shoulder. We had a nice chat about ridings. Turns out he’s a roadie so we had a chat about riding. He never mentioned my headphones. Nice chap.

I’m always looking over my shoulder when I make a maneuver anyway so I don’t see why it should effect anything. I can hear car engines over the podcast anyway.

In many years of riding on busy roads I have once had a car pass by so close that it clipped my bars and you know what, it didn’t sound any different to the thousands of other cars that didn’t hit me. In fact I struggle to think what useful information my ears are really giving me on a bike. I certainly wouldn’t go out without a hat on when it was cold just because I was worried that it might reduce my hearing. Nor would I refuse to ride on windy days and wind noise seriously reduces my ability to hear my surroundings. So I can’t get too worked up if anybody wants to ride with headphones in.

Upto you, the “headphones = deathwish” lot are funny and drivertrolls don’t need ammo they’ll just make shit up if you cover all the legalities and driver dictated “rules”. As roverpig I’ve had bimblers nearly kill me, also had wind noise completely drown my hearing and not heard cars approaching. Wear em if you want just make sure you are concentrating enough on what you are doing, if I’m not listening to music I can still end up a bit zoned out, just thinking about stuff (dont think I could manage to listen and take in audiobooks/podcasts while riding but each to their own)

There’s not many road rides round here that are a laugh a minute so I generally do take some tunes, low volume. That said I didn’t wear headphones commuting on the road, conditions just seemed to get worse and worse so I wanted every tiny bit of advantage (even the highly dubious ones) I could get, current commute which is mainly offroad I do.

Yay for night rides on your own. I don’t think it affects your safety in a meaningful way, you see car headlights just the same. Noise is a mixed bag, sure you might not hear that chav in a Nova revving up behind you until a second or two later but do you really want/need to? Do you stop and pull over every time you hear a car coming up behind? I don’t, on country lanes (usual night time training route) I ride on the road where I would if there’s a car or not. You don’t hear the werewolves either which is better for the nerves.
Personally I wouldn’t use them for commuting in traffic or whilst riding with others.

Always on the road for me, not off road. That said I also don’t bother in London, there’s people to talk to, and I don’t want to give fodder to the car driver who will inevitably knock me off at some point.

The hand wringing on this is daft, this:

Or rather, there are risks but not ones you can mitigate by not wearing headphones.

sums it up nicely IMO. I don’t feel any more or less safe with headphones. The reduced wind noise means I tend to hear ‘phantom cars’ less than when I’m not wearing headphones, and I also was entirely unable to tell the difference between the engine note of the car that clipped my bars.

In fact, the vehicles which bother me most are motorbikes you can hear coming (above headphones) for ages before they streak past, generally leaving plenty of space. Cars that come far too close tend to sound like every other!