Road Cycling - What do you listen to when you ride?

What is your favorite music/song to listen to when you ride. (When riding in conditions conducive to safe riding of course)

Enigma - Metamorphosis is at the top of my list for a good heart pounding ride.

What is your favorite music/song to listen to when you ride. (When riding in conditions conducive to safe riding of course)

Enigma - Metamorphosis is at the top of my list for a good heart pounding ride.


The birds, the bees and the sycamore trees!

No headphones for me, but then I don't ride much in traffic, but if I rode in traffic, I would not want any earphones!

I love "getting back to nature."

The birds, the bees and the sycamore trees!

No headphones for me, but then I don't ride much in traffic, but if I rode in traffic, I would not want any earphones!

I love "getting back to nature."

Some traffic noises until I hit the country roads and then it's nature for me too. By the way, it's illegal in this state to wear headphones over both ears as you're cycling.

Safety issues aside, absolutely no headphones/earphones for this rider....

George

The silence that is present when my bike is happy and just have that as an audio backround to let me know if notice sounds of something bothering her.
When out in the country its nature all the way,,,,,,,,,,,,, and in general I beware of the sound of pick-um-up-truck driving "people" . grrrrrr,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I always enjoy a nice loud, bass filled collection of rap courtesy of the cars at the stoplights. I would never ride using headphones honestly, not so much as a safety issue, I just prefer hearing my gears changing, tires popping up rocks, etc.

That lovely sound of tire meeting pavement and the air whoshing around your head.

The voices in my head.

Mostly, the wind in my ears!! :D

The wind beneath my ears.

The strange hum of Aluminium. Used to be NPR, in one ear only of course.

tbick..........Geez....you're 0 for 10 so far....

I like the Moody Blues or ELO or any classic rock. Most of my riding is in the country. I don't use headphones nor earphones. I have speakers mounted on the handlebars.

I value my life to much to wear headphones.

Generally some really annoying song, that keeps running through my mind in an unending loop.

i don't ride with headphones very often anymore, but i used to use them every night on my way home. at it was usually the world inferno friendship society. they're like if a punk band and a circus orchestra got together and had babies, and then the babies were crazy. or it was pinhead gunpowder.

the last time i wore headphones i was listening to metallica...i think the album was master of puppets. and then pantera...that was really late at night though, and there were NO cars around.

but usually i just listen to what's going on around me.

I listen to the bike, my environment and when I jump off after a long ride, rice krispy SNAP>CRACKLE>POP coming from my ankles.

Umm..riding offroad with ONE earplug would be o.k.

i forgot to say that i keep the headphones off of my ears on my temples, or just in front of my ears...off the ears so i can still hear (most of) what's going on in traffic, and close enough so i can still hear (some of) the music. but i don't do that often, and i don't reccommend it in traffic.

The whistles and admiring comments coming from the hot babes I pass on the road.

Waiting for everyone who knows me to stop laughing hysterically, I remain

That little old jersey collector

Me

Um, the wind howling past my ears. Also, as spring comes, soon I'll be listening for rattle snakes and cyotes.

Sometimes I sing...I love the look on people's face when they are out by their mailbox in the middle of nowhere, and I blow by rapping snoop dog or dr. dre...or belting out U2...

Sometimes I sing...I love the look on people's face when they are out by their mailbox in the middle of nowhere, and I blow by rapping snoop dog or dr. dre...or belting out U2...


My wife has a beautiful voice.

In the 1999 Ride the Rockies, we were taking turns riding while the other person sagged (I did MOST of the riding, though), and she was riding up the Dolores River approaching Rico on her very heavy Specialized Mtn Bike. Everyone was passing her, which was okay, as she was singing "America the Beautiful" at her loudest range. People laughed and thanked her, and someone told her "Tell your husband to get you a better bike!"

Aluminium.
British?

This thread surprised me as I thought I would be one of the few who doesn't listen to music when he rides. Actually when I think about it though, most of the cyclist I meet don't have earphones, only the dumb joggers who you could set off an atomic bomb behind and they wouldn't notice, but then give you a dirty look for cruising past and startling them. I have absolutely no desire for music when I ride, I love hearing, seeing, and smelling everything else going on around me.

Isnt' this great....the passion each holds about the nature of cycling is clear when you consider the source of whether or not you "should" is very evident in most of these messages. That is why this is such a great endeavor that only the rider with true experience will understand.

tbick..........Geez....you're 0 for 10 so far....


Didn't know it was supposed to be a contest!

I don't really go with the headphones while riding either, I like to hear the wind, the bike, and my girlfriend telling me to get my butt up that last hill ;)

Nothing here either. I like to hear the tone of my voice as I am telling my boyfriend to get his butt up that last hill. ;)

Last year on one of our treks we heard a lot of cows & chickens (after all, we are in OhIo), if that counts? OH! We heard the crackle of lightning and the boom of thunder too..the rainy day was awful on us, but awesome eye candy. :D

Cars, wind, birds, bike noises, other cyclists, trains, and the songs playing in my head.

I do one ear bud with cheap old headphones. Like that, I can still hear a lot. Over 20, I can only hear wind anyway. At stops, I can talk to people no problem.

I use an MP3 player, and downsample my stuff to bit-rates that would make most MP3 savy people freak out; like 46 kbps (sub FM). That is fine for me, and doesn't overwhelm what you got around you. I can cram 2+ hours at 46 kbps on my $90 96MB player.

From there, there I have a varried collection from Buffett to Kid Rock. With some luck, I get the addrenaline songs at the right time.

A favorie band is Five For Fighting. Not to hard, but still pumps you up a bit. Also like the Bare Naked Ladies. Suppose it is all personal preferance. Buena Vista Social Club has some great stuff for riding. Santana, Red Hot Chilli Pepers, ACDC, Ben Harper and Rusted Root are also all regulars on my rides.

Check out this thread. They seem to be more friendly to your question.

http://forums.bicycling.com/bic/thread.jsp?forum=5&thread=68682

Listen to Music? Surely you jest.

The whir of the wheels cutting through the wind, and the little clicking from the cassette when going downhill. Also the sound of a group rolling along at 45kph on smooth bitumen is SWEET!

CHEERS.

Mark

I ride to get away from electronic sound (music or talking) not to bring it with me; and besides there is always the issue of safety, no matter how low the volumn it could interfere with your ability to discern a critical situation that may jeopardize your wellbeing and maybe your life. So I listen for cars and birds and insects.

dont wear them.....i listen to the wind, my bike, and whatever else is there around me as i pedal the trails and roads

Never, ever listen to music when I'm riding out in the street, I just happen not to have a death wish, it's risky as is w/o music.
Corsaire

I have an affliction that affects my use of mechanical devices. I hear things, even the tiniest squeak, creak, rumble or rattle that is not normal. So riding along, I'll be concerned that the chain is rubbing, or the cranks are loose and creaking, or the BB is in need of maintanance.
This was partly caused by owning a set of wheels that had self destructing bearings and partly that I love to have everything working "just right".

So you see, I could never wear headhones. Aside from the safety issue, there might be a problem developing deep, deep in the heart of the bike - and I could not stand not knowing ;)

Cheers,

Ed

So you see, I could never wear headhones. Aside from the safety issue, there might be a problem developing deep, deep in the heart of the bike - and I could not stand not knowing
===================
Yup! ditto here.
Corsaire

What is your favorite music/song to listen to when you ride.


Hmmmm, I don't wear head phones while I ride, but I do hear this:

puff....puff....wheeze....oh jeez not another hill....puff....puff....WHOA stupid potholes!!....puff...puff....hack....wheeze....stupid hills....puff....puff....frig my butt hurts....puff....puff....wheeze....hack....cough....damn why didn't I get a triple....puff....puff....ack! hack! hack! hack! PTOOIE! Damn! swallowed another bee!...puff....puff....hack....thank God the top!!!!

WWWWHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeee!!

The voices in my head.

well could ya tell them to keep it down, their starting to bother me!

*giggles and grins*
kat

Just the usual duet of my legs grumpin bout the lactic acid and my lungs always short of air.

Well now.

When I ride inside on my rollers, which I've been doing since this very evil winter set in, I listen to very loud 80's and 90's metal (and some alternative). Takes me back.

I've been considering getting a single earbud for my right ear (as it's away from traffic) along with one of those arm strap on radios/mp3 players for the very long rides.

I often wondered if they pump music through to the tour riders (when they're not yacking at them) in their ear buds.

Even if it were legal here in Massachusetts to wear headphones on a bike, the very thought of doing it would qualify you for the Darwin Awards. You have heard about Boston drivers, right?

Traffic's not too bad in Williamsburg, so when I want to get pumped, sometimes I listen to Le Shok or Lightning Bolt or something. I also have a 5-hour-long new wave, etc. dance mix that I like. The beat is good, and the euphoria of something like Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now" is awesome.

And now I have to run and hide.

The beautiful sound of tires in contact with the ground and wind passing by...

The wind howling in my ears.

Even if it were legal here in Massachusetts to wear headphones on a bike, the very thought of doing it would qualify you for the Darwin Awards. You have heard about Boston drivers, right?

oh, they're not SO bad...i rode every day for four years in all conditions and all times of the day and i made it out unscathed. my courier friend there wears headphones most of the time and he's alright. and i know of another courier who's been at it for...god i don't know how long, but he's an older guy and i've NEVER seen him without headphones.

i only did it at night a few times, and they didn't cover my ears.

i have phil liggett doing play-by-play as i come up through the peleton.

Cycling is best when used for surcease from the crazy cacophony of civilized life. Listen to the world!


...I like the whirr and ROAR of wheels and rubber on road as I lay the POWER to the PAVEMENT, Baby!!!

I don't use headphones either.

Most of the time I hear my little cousins screaming for me to go slower but every once in awhile its actually quiet.

Cycling is best used for sweet surcease from the cacophony of civilized life.

Listen to the world!


I prefer the whirr of wheels and ROAR of rubber on road, as I lay the POWER TO THE PAVEMENT, BABY!!! :p