Helmets and wind noise

[Walleye]

Any out there strike you as quieter than others? my cheapo Bell is loud, and I wouldn't mind something that lets me hear cars a-comin' up from behind. Thanks in advance.

[pj7]

Walleye... hrm, I love fishing walleye. :D
I have had 5 helmets in my lifetime and have not noticed a difference in any of them as far as the noise level. But then they have all been cheap Bell(tm) helmets from K-Mart.

[bragi]

I've biked both with and without (gasp) helmets, and, to be honest, I can't tell the difference. My guess is that it's not the helmet, it's the, you know, air whipping past your ears.

[Carusoswi]

It is definitely the wind against your ears. I cover mine with some specially shaped headphones that I selected because their shape minimizes the noise wind make when it hits them (I also play music through those). They greatly reduce the wind noise, I enjoy the music, keep the volume low, and can hear approaching cars better with the phones than without. I also use a rear view mirror.

On really windy days, I doubt there is much you can do to overcome the wind's effect in covering up the sound of approaching traffic. Depending upon your direction of travel in relation to the wind, it can render approaching traffic virtually inaudible.

Caruso

[cyclezealot]

I like the sound of air whisteling about my ears. as long as I can hear the traffic noise. My helmets are well vented; still, I think just riding with or without helmets/ the wind is noisy , period.

[Brian Ratliff]

I'd imagine that the ones with the "inmolded shell" are a bit quieter as the shell won't vibrate in the wind, but I have no emperical evidence to back that up. Honestly, the one helmet which is loud (I have two) is the cheaper one, but the noise comes from the strap buckle next to my ear. It sits at a weird angle and whistles when I am going too fast.

[slowandsteady]

I never noticed the helmet making any noise. I wear a Hind coolmax type headband that covers my ears and it greatly reduces wind noise. I hear better by covering my ears.

Here it is.

http://image.bizrate.com/resize?sq=160&uid=467620469&mid=23

[lyledriver]

Out of the three helmets I own, the 'Pro-Tec Classic' is the quietest as far as wind noise goes.
I think it has something to do with the hard edge coming down to the tops of my ears.

[SingingSabre]

I've not noticed any difference with wind noise from helmets.

Once I started riding with headphones, the wind noise died...and I could hear traffic just as well (if not better!) over the music. YMMV.

[CommuterRun]

The wind in my helmets often sounds like a car approaching from the rear. The only reason I wear one anymore is for my helmet light on my morning commute to work. Other than that I wear a ballcap and don't get the ghost car wind noise.

[Walleye]

yep, what I figured. I did do a couple of runs without the helmet to see what my bald pate sounded like (besides hollow)- no difference. Might try a headband. Thanks.

[scottmorrison99]

haven't noticed a difference with or without a helmet, unless it is a fullface helmet. That does make a difference in regards to wind noise.