Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - What do you listen to when you ride?

Now, I know some will post that they never listen to music when they ride citing safety concerns and spoiling the zen of riding.....so for those folks if you could listen or wanted to listen to music while you were on your steed what would it be? For the rest of us whats in your Ipod? I have a huge mix. AC/DC, Nickelback, Creed, PCD, Fergie, Billy Joel, Elton John, alotta Hip-Hop and gansta rap.

I don't usually listen to anything, but now that I'm getting into spending more time (4+ hours at a time) in the saddle, I'm considering a single earphone on my non-traffic side.
If I go that route, then my player will be loaded with cheesy 80s hair metal: Queensryche, Poison, Cinderella, Ratt, Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi (before he decided he was a country singer) etc. Maybe some wailing speed metal thrown in for fun: Judas Priest's "Painkiller", and Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast".

Like you warned, listening to music ruins your safety and the zen of the ride. I listen to my tires and my chainring mostly. Sometimes I listen to passing cars, or for the "oh SH#T", of bikers with earphones on as they realize they are about to narrowly avoid accident with either car or me. If you are riding in the city, do everyone a favor and leave the earphones in your bag.

I listen to the wind in my ears, birds singing, the rustle of leaves, water babbling down a lazy brook, you know, all the things you don't hear in a car.

Its like they say, silence is golden and duct tape is silver.

I listen to my heart beat, the wind going around me ears and through my helmet. I listen for idiot drivers, so I can find an easy exit if needed. I listen to the quietness of being alone on a road and can hear my tires on the roadway.

Reverend Horton Heat, Patsy Cline, Metallica, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Anthrax, Command Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen, Bucket Head, Funkadelic, The Police, Stevie Ray Vaughn, etc.

I ride with my earphones VERY lightly inserted. I have NO trouble hearing traffic a good distance behind me. I also ride with a rear view mirror.

Joe

The wind, the birds, the cars coming up behind me that I wouldn't hear if I were dumb enough to wear headphones....
Man, you only have two senses to keep you safe on the bike, and vision only works in the direction you're looking. Why would you disable the other one?

I sing four-part harmony with the voices in my head.

Apparantly because I AM dumb enough. I have yet to have a car or another cyclist sneak up on me. I don't have a problem with it. If you do then by all means don't do it.

Depends on what I'm doing. My commute is so short (1.5 mi one way) that I don't listen to anything. Close to half of my rides are with a friend and again, I don't listen to anything (she's not as strong a cyclist so there isn't much chatting on the rides.) If I'm riding by myself on a long ride (more than an hour) I listen to podcasts in my right ear. Gives me a chance to catch up with them and they're quiet enough (talking not music) for me to hear what's going on in the world.

The wind, the birds, the cars coming up behind me that I wouldn't hear if I were dumb enough to wear headphones....
Man, you only have two senses to keep you safe on the bike, and vision only works in the direction you're looking. Why would you disable the other one?

That's why I use a mirror and if you don't blast music to the point it makes your ears bleed you can easily hear cars behind you, it's not like they're ninjas or something sneaking up to take you unaware.

Like so many have and will state… I don’t listen to music when I ride, because of the safety aspect of it, but besides that I ride most of the time with my wife, and she would find it quite rude if I didn’t talk to her as we rode. She may even smack me in the head, just as an attention getter don’t you know…:eek:

But if I did listen to music it would be Classical for the most part, with probably some Heavy Metal mixed in as well. I have to admit it would be nice to ride down a greenway in the fall listening to some beautiful Bach…or Vivaldi, Mozart, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Liszt… and so on.

If I were to listen to music while riding, I would have to say..................................everything but rap. I have a very different taste in music. Bluegrass, blues, jazz, classical, hard rock, classic rock, etc.....

My wife has the same thing, and sometimes I make some CD's for long trips and she is usually happy with my selections. But these are for motorcycle and car trips. On the bicycle she gets to talk, and I get to listen. :-)

I'm another who listens to wind, birds, trees, tires, chain, river and fellow riders. On the trainer, though, I enjoy listening to jazz. Somehow the traditional west coast sound seems to go well with peddling.

Car horns, curses, squealing rubber, loud engines. I laugh at every, "there's this creak" thread cause I'd never be able to hear one if there was one!

Depends, if I'm riding van supported, music is pumping out of the roof speakers, and then it's 100BPM metal or techno. Anything to keep the beat going and my head out of the pain past mile 120 or so......

The wind, the birds, the cars coming up behind me that I wouldn't hear if I were dumb enough to wear headphones....
Man, you only have two senses to keep you safe on the bike, and vision only works in the direction you're looking. Why would you disable the other one?

Everytime you hear a car coming from behind you jump into the ditch?

I think the biggest thing for me is safety. I don't ride on bike trails, as we don't have any, so all of my riding is on the street or the highway with semi's, pickups, cars, motorcycles, all being driven or ridden by anyone from 14 year olds with school permits to 98 year olds that can't even see me or hear me when they don't stop at stop signs or yield signs. I am trying hard to staying focused on my bicycle ride, with the goal of finishing in the time I want without getting hit or pushed off the road by someone and getting hurt. If I was able to ride bicycle trails, I could probably do it without worry to listen to music.

To each his/her own. Do as you wish and have fun doing it. I still have my fun, don't think, just because I am safety first, that I don't have any fun.

Presently, my Ipod is loaded with 43 of Steely Dan finest, the Yes live album Yessongs and Monty Python's The Final Ripoff.

Presently, my Ipod is loaded with 43 of Steely Dan finest, the Yes live album Yessongs and Monty Python's The Final Ripoff.

All great stuff! At one point I had all of Rick Wakeman's solo albums but when I was stationed in Turkey my wife decided that we didn't need vinyl anymore! Try to find some of that stuff on CD. I do have to say that I would swap "The Final Ripoff" for "Contractual Obligation." The Sound of John Denver being Strangled is priceless!

Joe

Love Rick Wakeman. Saw him in concert once post Yes and it was awesome. Check Ebay for Wakeman CD's. I had Contractual Obligation, but it came up missing as I think my kids took it somewhere and lost it. You can never listen to the Spam or Parrot routine too many times.

The wind, the birds, the cars coming up behind me that I wouldn't hear if I were dumb enough to wear headphones....
Man, you only have two senses to keep you safe on the bike, and vision only works in the direction you're looking. Why would you disable the other one?


+111111111111111111........I've been on organized rides before when rear tire starts to go flat right before a fast downhill. Only thing that saves me i shear the wHiss-whiss-whiss-whiss-whiss of the air coming out of the tire. I know people who have gone out of control and crashed cause they didn't pay attention to the noise. Happened once on our tandem. I was able to stop right as the bike started sway almost uncontrollably. I can't imagine telling my wife, "sorry your legs are broken, but a good song was playing when I should have been listening!".

So pretty much the only thing I listen to is the guy next to me saying 'sorry' after I've just stiff armed the guy drifting into me after calling out 'onyer left' 3 times before attempting to pass him!:mad:

Lots of Elvis Costello with a smattering of The Clash while on the trainer only.

I use the time to listen to books on tape. I recently finished the NY Times Pocket MBA series and a book on working with and managing knowledge workers. This morning on the way in I listened to the entirety of Sun Tzu's The Art of War.

I am one that refers to listen to the sounds of traffic and nature while outside riding. Listening to music while riding is sortof like talking on a cell phone while driving!

If however, I am "spinning" I listen to alot of different stuff - everything from show tunes to christian, alternative, rock, reggae, pop etc.

Funny story about someone using an iPod while riding: A group of us were out mountain biking. This one guy was using his iPod and we tried to get him to stop. Oh well he wouldn't. While descending down a particularly steep trail, the lead called out "Go left! Hole on right!" I was 6 back and heard her. The iPod guy was 2 back, didn't hear her 'cause his music was cranked up, hit the hole and lunched off the cliff into cactus. I'm sorry couldn't stop laughing although I know it hurt. I don't care if you think you are listening with one "good" ear, you are still distracted.

I find that I can get into the headphones thing when I am riding dirt. it helps me to not tense up so much. For some reason classical seems to work best for me when I am riding dirt. I dont usually listen to anything when I ride road.

I will throw all of the "know it alls" for a loop.

I listen to talk radio when I ride my bike. I think (but cannot prove it) that I can hear traffic and my bike BETTER than I can without the earbud. The earbud seems to cancel out the windnoise making the actual noises more noticeable.

Keep in mind that I listen to the volume on a low level and I can hear two fingers rubbing together near my head. That is a trick to see if someones hearing is damaged after a shot to the head.

Feel free to call me a idiot if you like but I think thats true.

I listen to the tires on the pavement and the sound of the chain running the gears....I love it and would NOT consider pushing anything into my ear that might keep me from hearing horns or approaching traffic. Our club will not allow such on our rides.

Keep in mind that I listen to the volume on a low level and I can hear two fingers rubbing together near my head. That is a trick to see if someones hearing is damaged after a shot to the head.

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I won't say it isn't true... but I have several good friends who always ride with their music. They use only one earbud and allegedly keep the music very low (which to me means why bother?), anyway I try talking to them and I am totally ignored. I have to yell several times before getting their attention.

It's not so much you can't hear other sounds (although frankly you can't) its the distraction factor. If you are listening to music how do you truly focus on what is happening around you.

I guess I have no issue if someone wants to ride with buds on a trail away from traffic but to me, it so defeats the purpose of being out and enjoying the ride - you miss the bird sounds, or the noise the tire makes going over different surfaces, or talking with other riders, whatever, I guess I do really want my bicycling experience to be "zen-like" and music as much as I love it, is not that for me.

My MTB group has definitely banned the use of music - it is so important to be able to hear "call-outs" and alot of road groups are now calling for bans. It is dangerous!

+111111111111111111........I've been on organized rides before when rear tire starts to go flat right before a fast downhill. Only thing that saves me i shear the wHiss-whiss-whiss-whiss-whiss of the air coming out of the tire. I know people who have gone out of control and crashed cause they didn't pay attention to the noise. Happened once on our tandem. I was able to stop right as the bike started sway almost uncontrollably. I can't imagine telling my wife, "sorry your legs are broken, but a good song was playing when I should have been listening!".

So pretty much the only thing I listen to is the guy next to me saying 'sorry' after I've just stiff armed the guy drifting into me after calling out 'onyer left' 3 times before attempting to pass him!:mad:
So far, only one to offer any concrete reason not to, IMHO.

My opinion is that one should never use them in group rides. Solo...sure, why not? As long as you ride predictably...no problem here.

And a car that is coming up from behind to pass you sounds exactly the same as a car coming up from behind that aims to hit you or side-swipe you. Hearing them will not change your reaction, because you do not know which it is.

I guess without the ear buds I never hear my chain or my tires.....only the wind.

The wind noise drowns everything out. I am car free so I ride my bike every day and quite often.

Its no different than listening to the radio in your car. Can it be distracting? I suppose you could claim that it is. Is life far better because I can listen to rush limbaugh call people feminazi's? I would say so.

He makes me laugh all the time.

Feel free to call me a idiot if you like but I think thats true.

If you read this by itself, it has to be one of the best quotes I have read in a while.:D
Sorry couldn't help myself.

I believe that the earphones could help reduce wind noise... I have ridden with the foam ear plugs before to eliminate wind noise and keep the cold wind out of my ears.

I bought these things called "wind foils" one time that are supposed to stop the turbulance over your ears that cause that wind noise. They worked at times but never really sealed correctly and people made fun of me for wearing them so I stopped. The guy at work who made fun of me the most is a big jackass so I probably should have just kicked him in the balls in hindsight.

Anyway, life would be much better if that wind noise could be blocked somehow and you could actually hear the tires, birds etc. It would be an easy thing to do. Just turn your head sideways or hold your hand in front of your ear.......its not really the speed thats causing that but rather just the way the air is going over your ear.

I've had the first 5 Slayer albums on repeat the last month or so.

I don't like the idea of having anything in my ears when I'm riding. I listen to the tunes in my head which seem to come into mind, depending upon the cadence I'm riding that day. I like the time to turn my thoughts inward. Music would ruin the quiet ride. Shhhhhhhh.

I'm currently listening to the incessant clicking coming from my BB. It's as maddening as Chinese water torture.

I'm currently listening to the incessant clicking coming from my BB. It's as maddening as Chinese water torture.

Dude, it's time to get a new one. I had the same thing for a month and I could take it no longer. I had a crack in mine. It cost me $25 hear silence. :D

My current favorite is "Lincolnshire Posy" by Percy Grainger. Then "One Step Closer" by Jonathan Edwards, "American Roulette" by Danny O'Keefe, "Coming of Age" by Jude Johnstone, "Forget About It" by Alison Krauss, and "Wide Open Spaces" by the Dixie Chicks

If I listened to music on one of those fifty mile country side rides, I'd imagine it would be Daft Punk. I do prefer the sounds of my organs though, so no headphones for me.

Why is everyone against wearing headphones? If a car was going to hit you, you wouldn't be able to react in time regardless if you hear the squealing tyres or not. Obviously common sense comes into play at certain times, it depends on the route but on a road with a hard shoulder it is fine. imo

Now, I know some will post that they never listen to music when they ride citing safety concerns and spoiling the zen of riding.....so for those folks if you could listen or wanted to listen to music while you were on your steed what would it be? For the rest of us whats in your Ipod? I have a huge mix. AC/DC, Nickelback, Creed, PCD, Fergie, Billy Joel, Elton John, alotta Hip-Hop and gansta rap.

I don't know the hum of the chain, the song of the tires, does it for me. Except when some idiot in one of those obnoxious rice rockets, decides to hold his shift until he hits the red line, and makes enough noise to block out everything save a 767 at take off..... Hey if you need to draw attention to yourself that much, your compensating for a lack somewhere else, I most often fell pity for such guys...... It must be awful to have a ______ that small.......

I don't know the hum of the chain, the song of the tires, does it for me. Except when some idiot in one of those obnoxious rice rockets, decides to hold his shift until he hits the red line, and makes enough noise to block out everything save a 767 at take off..... Hey if you need to draw attention to yourself that much, your compensating for a lack somewhere else, I most often fell pity for such guys...... It must be awful to have a ______ that small.......

You can hear a 767 on take off over a nearby rice rocket? :eek: You must have quieter rice rockets in TO ;) The ones here could smother the sound of a 100 megaton Hydrogen bomb at 3 feet! :eek:

You can hear a 767 on take off over a nearby rice rocket? :eek: You must have quieter rice rockets in TO ;) The ones here could smother the sound of a 100 megaton Hydrogen bomb at 3 feet! :eek:

Well maybe, the newer jets are a lot quieter then some of the older ones, not sure how loud an H bomb is, mind you, the amount of noise you could hear would be short lived.

They are compensating for a lack somewhere, and it's not usually visible. I wonder how many guys would drive loud flashy cars, if it was determined that there was a relationship that showed the louder and flashier the car the smaller the manhood....

It's called the "Inverse Square Law" ;)

2/3 of the time I do group rides on country roads ... no tunes. The other 1/3 of the time I ride by myself on rural, little used "rails to trails" and a bike trail along a rural canal ... perfect for listening to music while riding. Very few people, great scenery, flat and easy gravel surface.

What do I listen to ? Pop/rock from the 1970's ... doesn't get any better than Bachman Turner Overdrive, Steve Miller Band, the Doobie Brothers, and Led Zeplin. I'll also listen to 70's funk ... Bootsie Collins, Funkdelic, and Parliament. Then I'll swing right over to country tunes ... nothing like Junior Brown ... you ain't heard nuthin until you've heard Junior Brown sing "highway patrol".

A super strange variety, I know ... that's what happens when you go to high school in the 70's.

Podcasts. I like them because you can just have one ear bud in, and speaking doesn't decrease your awareness as much as music.

My favorite is JBST (The SmartCast). It's a triathlon podcast. There's also the FredCast (sorry for my lack of links). Cycling (and triathlon) podcasts are great motivation, as well as a diversion.

Part of the reason I ride is to get away from noise. ;)

It's called the "Inverse Square Law" ;)

Sounds kinda inversely square, if you ask me! ;)

I used to have a tape of Pink Floyd "Animals" reserved for Friday-Saturday night cruising in my Pontiac but I think it got me a bit hyper and wasn't good vs. teenagers.

Right now I listen to the bike and myself whooping and occasionally giving somebody a real good verbal Bronx wakeup call to make sure I get through the intersection happy. I'm not out there like a moron in the way and I'm not afraid to make my presence known.

I will have a real Delco stereo and a Discman later.

They are compensating for a lack somewhere, and it's not usually visible.Generally I believe they are compensating for a lack of an additional 4 cylinders and 200 or so cubic inches. :D

http://www.conroecruisers.com/Members_Cars/Pam%20Ray%27s%2068%20GTO.jpg

That's not to say that the people who drive classic muscle cars every day are any better. 9 out of 10 muscle car drivers prefer mullets!