Ipod usage?

[bribas]

The wife got me an Ipod for my birthday to use while biking and exercising, but I think I am going to tell her to take it back. I'd rather hear the environment, or me huffing. Do any of you use one? Pros and cons? TIA

[markhr]

Yes, I own one. No, I will never use it while cycling (static trainer being the only exception) because I want to stay out of the Darwin awards.

http://www.darwinawards.com/

[wrk101]

If you are riding in traffic, it is not a good idea. I don't use one.

[barrysmith]

I wear one and love it.........but I don't wear a helmet either ;-)

[jakereed]

I own an Ipod shuffle, which I love by the way, and NEVER use it when riding my bike.
However, I do enjoy it when out on my long walks, and then only keep one ear bud in so I can still hear and listen to things around me. I like to listen to audio books on mine.

[tomdaniels]

I use a small bike speaker setup. I don't find this distracts me from traffic noise. I don't use headphones now, but in the past, I would put one earbud in and leave the other out.

[SHOwned]

I wear one and love it.........but I don't wear a helmet either ;-)

i own one, but i only use it at the gym. i dont wear a helmet either, but my ride today is making me re-think my decision. i mean, i already look totally goofy wearing lycra...so who gives a ****. its not like i'm gonna be picking up girls on a bicycle. you need a car for that. also, doing 40 downhill w/o a helmet is some scary ish.

[flip18436572]

If I am on the road, I never listen to anything other than the noises around me. Too many ID 10 T's on the road for me to feel comfortable. If I am on my rollers in the basement, I usually watch a DVD movie or listen to music. I know of many like Tom above that will have one in and one out so they can hopefully hear everything around them. I live in a small town, and still don't feel that comfortable. If I was on a bike trail with no traffic, I might use them, but I don't have one near me.

My wife uses one when she works out at the YMCA.

[bautieri]

I have an iPod nano that I admit to using strictly when off road (I know, I've been a naughty boy). Using any type of device which impairs your hearing is a bad idea, you wont be able to hear traffic or faster riders shouting "passing on your left". If you plan to do any riding on the street definatly leave the iPod at home. For further reading I suggest:

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=135937&highlight=ipod

http://bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=388587&highlight=ipod

Bau

[steve2k]

I used my phone (mp3 player) once, and a cyclist passed me on a non-car road. As he cycled past, he said "hello" and it scared the crap out of me because I didn't hear him coming.

As mine is a phone too I have it on me all the time, which is nice as it gave me something to listen to on the 2 mile walk home when my rear skewer disintegrated.

[AirBeagle1]

Some folks now offer a speaker for an iPod that fits into one of the water cages on a bike... anyone had experience with those?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VMWAUU/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=IUBJASAGN0LQ1&colid=C6VP11NXUYFK

[thaetviking]

I use my iPod when I ride. I can usually hear traffic when they are approaching. I have been looking at getting something like this:
http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/speakers/9b1e/

[Scummer]

I used to ride with a walkman back in Germany. In the US I'm already putting my life on the line without using an Ipod. I already don't like my chances of survival as it is, why make it worse?

[stevesurf]

I use an iPod Shuffle and love it on MUPs, with one IEM (in-ear-monitor) in. If I know it will be really desolate with no vehicle crossings, I'll put both in. On the streets, I don't use it. FYI, I use a type of IEM that's open-air, has a loose seal and I keep it at a low volume.

[Tex_Arcana]

Seems like there should be a way to fix this situation. Why haven't they made a headset that fits the speakers behind the ear while leaving them open. Probably not optimal sound but I think it would be workable.

[brotherj]

I'm working on a product that mounts small open air speakers on the helmet behind the ears. It allows your ear to be completely open to the outside sounds and still can broadcast music to your ear canals at a low volume and be clearly heard. My plan is to market this spring at 19.95.

Anyone interested?

[flip18436572]

I'm working on a product that mounts small open air speakers on the helmet behind the ears. It allows your ear to be completely open to the outside sounds and still can broadcast music to your ear canals at a low volume and be clearly heard. My plan is to market this spring at 19.95.

Anyone interested?

I am interested in seeing some pictures of the prototypes and/or the finished product.

[unixpro]

I ride with my MP3 player with a built-in FM radio in all the time. I commute through some very dense areas, so I'm in traffic a lot. The key here, just like it is in a car, is not setting the volume to a level that blocks out everything else. You guys are aware that those things have volume controls now, aren't you? I can hear cars coming up, hold conversations with people, hear sirens, all that stuff. All while listening to the gentle tones of smooth jazz.

[dirtbikedude]

Seems like there should be a way to fix this situation. Why haven't they made a headset that fits the speakers behind the ear while leaving them open. Probably not optimal sound but I think it would be workable.

Oakley makes glasses with an MP3 players, bluetooth compatible etc in the temple and the earbuds are adjustable so you can have them outside the ear and still hear the music and your surroundings provided you do not have the volume at "10", they are pricey though.

Oakley Electronics (http://oakley.com/electronics)

As for listening while riding, depends on my mood. Road or trail, race or fun ride but location dictates the volume I set the music to.

DBD:beer:

[WonderMonkey]

I'll wear mine on the bike path but only behind my ears. I don't have the stock ear buds but the wrap behind the head kind. When I have it back there I can faintly hear it but can still hear if someone talks, etc. On the road I'd never wear it.

[linux_author]

I'll wear mine on the bike path but only behind my ears. I don't have the stock ear buds but the wrap behind the head kind. When I have it back there I can faintly hear it but can still hear if someone talks, etc. On the road I'd never wear it.

+1

- i enjoy listening to FM radio or .ogg format songs on my player (iAudio G3) while on my bike, but would never use it on the road...

- but then again, here's the perennial argument: Should deaf persons be restricted from riding bicycles?

[jimisnowhere]

I use foam clip-on Sony headphones. They allow sound in and are often drown out by riding fast or into a head wind. I look over my shoulder more often now, but that seems like a mental thing. I won't use it in heavy traffic, Boston or heavy snow (the silence is nice).

[X-LinkedRider]

Well, I use my phone as my MP3 player. I have two sets of earphones, one in stereo and one mono. If I am going to be on the open road with cars, I will usually use the mono ear piece, or just drop my left earbud from my stereo. I would say, having the music is nice when you're out there with no one around. Can just kind of get lost in your own tunes and ride forever. But, I wouldn't recommend having them up too loud.

[DanteB]

Check the use of headphones in your state. In California it is illegal to have headphones of any kind in/on both ears. A friend of mine got a $270 ticket from the police for having her Ipod in both ears while cycling.

[kwirk]

I used to use one when riding on a dedicated bike path by my house, but I didn't like how I had to turn the volume way up to compensate for wind noise, now I don't really bother with it.

[v1k1ng1001]

I only use it when I'm out in the country away from traffic. Most of the time I don't like music while I'm riding though.

[ban guzzi]

I own a Nano. I ride with a nano. I also do the majority of my riding on a MUP (commuting) at 0430 or 630pm.

I am NOT a good example since I also rode my Gixxers in the hills around here with my music.

Its all a risk, just depends how safe you feel, riding style and how much your willing to gamble on 'hearing' that car or truck blowing a light/sign.

I don't worry about being taken out from a rear end accident. Hard to avoid those in most traffic situations if your street riding.


Flame away....:p

[WonderMonkey]

+1

- i enjoy listening to FM radio or .ogg format songs on my player (iAudio G3) while on my bike, but would never use it on the road...

- but then again, here's the perennial argument: Should deaf persons be restricted from riding bicycles?

Sure, good argument. Elderly driving is sometimes equal to a drunk person, and on and on. Good to debate, no real answer that society accepts as a whole.

[JosephPaul86]

I had an ipod and Zune at one time. I decided to go for a small, compact unit and got a Sansa clip. Its 1GB and has a display unlike the shuffle. I use it only when on back roads(lots of country here), but when in traffic i take out the ear buds.

I personally find it helps me push myself with some music vs hearing engine noise.

[WonderMonkey]

Has anybody ever used http://www.djsteveboy.com/podrunner.html for their rides? It is some nice club type music which drives you at certain beats per minute, which equate to spin rate and so on. If you are looking to get a workout I'd recommend looking into it. I don't care for that type of music but when I was running it really helped. My stride would get in sync and they would just go by themselves. There are different beats per minute to match what you are wanting to do.

Go ahead, take a gander.

[jaxgtr]

I use one at night, but the volume is low enough for me to hear crickets and traffic. I don't use during the day rides when traffic is heavier.

[JosephPaul86]

Has anybody ever used http://www.djsteveboy.com/podrunner.html for their rides? It is some nice club type music which drives you at certain beats per minute, which equate to spin rate and so on. If you are looking to get a workout I'd recommend looking into it. I don't care for that type of music but when I was running it really helped. My stride would get in sync and they would just go by themselves. There are different beats per minute to match what you are wanting to do.

Go ahead, take a gander.

Just downloaded it, pretty neat and makes me want to get back out on the bike even though i JUST got off it.

[bigtruck]

I own a Nano. I ride with a nano.
:p

+1 Cannot ride without it,

But I do keep the volume down when I am in dense traffic

[Dr_Robert]

I've got a Shuffle. The headphone cord drives me nuts when I'm at the gym (it restricts my movement too much - yes, I know that sounds insane, but it's true). I tried it for running, but I found my pace changing every time the song changed, so I scrapped that idea. Then I tried it on the bike, but the headphones generate so much wind noise at any sort of speed that I gave up on that idea too.

I like it for walking though, and for air travel.

-DR

[ringdangdoo]

i use one. Turned down low. I don't try and analyze lyrics or listen to books on tape. However the rhythm of certain music seems to really help especially on climbs. For what ever reason reggae seems to be the best.

For what ever reason people think that you have to blast your ear drums out when you use an ipod but you really don't. At a low volume it works like the music in a grocery store.

[evblazer]

Some folks now offer a speaker for an iPod that fits into one of the water cages on a bike... anyone had experience with those?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VMWAUU/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=IUBJASAGN0LQ1&colid=C6VP11NXUYFK

Everyone around you can probably hear them better then you can and well sometimes I like to keep my music to myself. Rock Lobster just gets weird looks sometimes.
If you hear wind noise alot because of either your head/ear/glasses/helmet or combination of those you may not be able to hear it at all at speed and if you do it'll be way to loud when going slow or not loud enough when going fast. From track to track on mine I had to constantly change the volume.

I rode with slipstreamz for a while http://www.slipstreamz.com/content.asp?subID=8 which hold an earbud in front of your year in a spoiler to reduce wind noise so you can actually hear surrounding noise better. They were very nice while they lasted. I think they are meant to only really go on once and stay one that helmet or maybe switched a few times only. I kept pulling them on and off for riding alone vs riding with my spouse I wrecked em.

[chipper75]

I have a video iPod and love it when I am on a stationary or using a treadmill, but not for cycling out in the real world. I want to hear the world around me and the cars coming up on my left. I have never gotten board cycling in the real world like I do if I am on a stationary in some gym.

[JohnKScott]

I love my Nano. Use it every day in some fashion. However, never on the bike. I like to be aware of my surroundings while on the road and if I'm on the trainer I just crank up my studio monitors and jam :D.

Though if I start jogging again this spring I will probably use it for that (especially since I have the Nike+ hook up). Love me some tunes when I'm jogging. Although some days I still rather hear the early morning noises. Especially the birds in the spring.

[awc380]

Oh man I ALWAYS ride with my iPod on here in the city.
No problems...

[City_Smasher]

I listen to my Ipod while cycling. City streets, or trails.

[gcottay]

I enjoy riding too much to want music while riding. I enjoy music too much to want riding to distract me from the sounds.

[trackmaster b]

I ride everywhere with my ipod. Ive rigged up a small ipod speaker to the back of my camelpak close to the top (got to love zip ties). I then ran a cord from the chest strap where my shuffle clips to the speaker. I have no trouble hear everything around me and the music at the same time. Easy to change songs, volume, carry on a conversation with whoever Im riding with. Never had a problem with this setup. I can post pics if interested.

[KingTermite]

Yes, I own one. No, I will never use it while cycling (static trainer being the only exception) because I want to stay out of the Darwin awards.

http://www.darwinawards.com/

+10000000000000000000000000

Just about every time I've had any "almost nasty incidents" on the trail it was because the other person was wearing headphones and not listening to environment. There are those that claim they can stay as alert with them, but I think they are fooling themselves.

[Wogsterca]

+10000000000000000000000000

Just about every time I've had any "almost nasty incidents" on the trail it was because the other person was wearing headphones and not listening to environment. There are those that claim they can stay as alert with them, but I think they are fooling themselves.

The real issue with those players, is that people play them way too loud, if you set the volume low, you can hear most of the outside noise, I wear them on the bus, and can still hear the automated stop announcements (when it's working). However I have heard the sound coming from one of these players from the other side of the bus, so what that persons hearing must be assaulted with, is something else. Heard a lady this morning, with her kid, I was on the other side of the bus, and could hear the ipod, she wanted to share with the kid, who wasn't interested, I can see why, probably make the kids brain bleed at those levels.

I will not wear one riding, but have walking, and do on the bus (to lessen the pain of people who think the entire bus must hear their side of a cell phone call, you feel like going up to them, and screaming in their face "I DON'T !@#$%^& WANT TO HEAR YOUR !@#$%^& CELL PHONE CALL"), the music player turns it into a background noise most of the time.

[BigBlueToe]

I have an MP3 player - a Sandisk Sansa 8gb plus microSD slot. I listen to it on local rides about 90% of the time, unless I've got a reason to listen to my bike - like I thought I heard a creaking from the bottom bracket. On tour I listen to it about 50% of the time. When I'm riding for hours day after day it gets tedious after awhile. I like to listen to it sometimes, but a lot of the time I'm not in the mood.

I chose a flash drive mp3 player instead of a hard drive. 8gb is really plenty of space, and when you add in a few 1gb microSD cards (which weigh next to nothing) it's more than enough. I think the flash drive is much less likely to malfunction, and the battery life is better. My Sansa also has a voice recorder which I use to dictate my journal - much more convenient than writing when I'm pooped after a long day's ride - and an FM radio. The reception of the radio is lousy, but I've had a few campsites where I enjoyed listening to NPR.

I wouldn't listen to an MP3 player while riding unless I had a rearview mirror which I checked often. I also wouldn't consider it if I was a new rider. As a veteran rider with a mirror, I'm willing to take the risk, even though I know it's a little bit dangerous. To me it adds to the enjoyment of a long ride. The miles drift by without me thinking about them when I'm lost in some good music.

[Richard_Rides]

I listen to music on my iPhone and take calls if they come in. Riding without music is very tedious. The dangers of listening to music while riding have been exaggerated beyond belief. The average roadie equates riding a bicycle to piloting the space shuttle, using their razor sharp wits to cheat death. But if deaf people can survive riding their bikes, I think listening to some music is just fine.

[Richard_Rides]

Has anybody ever used http://www.djsteveboy.com/podrunner.html for their rides?

Go ahead, take a gander.

Yeah! Been listening for about 6 months. Each is about 60 minutes, I'm an old school classic rock/metal fan and never thought I would like this type of music, but each set is delivered at a certain fixed pace and I find myself really enjoying it. If you pedal at half the rate you're right in the groove. Today I listened to one that was 160 BPM which I do at 80 RPM and it syncs up just like a movie. :-)

[socalrider]

I use an Ipod shuffle with Nike behind the neck earphones.. I usually ride with one ear headphones only. I find that some of the new earbuds that goes into your ear, cut all noise out that can make riding much more dangerous.. Honestly I pay close attention to the road and am more concerned with drivers text messaging or on there cell phones. I was almost hit last week while in a turn lane, because the woman making a left turn was texting while driving and did not see me till the last minute and had to swerve.

[stevesurf]

I use an Ipod shuffle with Nike behind the neck earphones.. I usually ride with one ear headphones only. I find that some of the new earbuds that goes into your ear, cut all noise out that can make riding much more dangerous.. Honestly I pay close attention to the road and am more concerned with drivers text messaging or on there cell phones. I was almost hit last week while in a turn lane, because the woman making a left turn was texting while driving and did not see me till the last minute and had to swerve.

Right on the money - they are a far bigger threat and the use of open-air phones at low volume and one earpiece, I find absolutely acceptable. Here's a couple:

B&O A8 (earpiece is on swing arm)
http://a248.e.akamai.net/7/248/2041/1398/store.apple.com/Catalog/US/Images/tb634lla_125.jpg

Sony MDR-Q68LW (on-ear type)
http://www.sonystyle.com/wcsstore/SonyStyleStorefrontAssetStore/img/195x128/MDRQ68LW.jpg

[The Historian]

I enjoy riding too much to want music while riding. I enjoy music too much to want riding to distract me from the sounds.

+1.