Road Cycling - Headphones

Here's the deal...headphones make you so uncooridinated. On a long ride, sure they may be nice, but in reality, they just distract you and are also unsafe. Take me for example. I was a headphone freak. Pumping the volume and blocking out everything else. Whenever a car would pass me, I'de swerve like crazy because I didn't hear it coming and it startled me. This alone can get you into trouble. Now, with people these days, the driving quality of people is steadily decreasing...going over the white line, honking at you, almost hitting you, ect...If you can't hear a car coming and they are not a good driver, you could be in big trouble.

Riding is supposed to be to get away and not to listen to music and make that your main focus. Another thing music does is block out your bike. If you get a flat, you're not going to hear it and you're gonna be screwed. Same with shifting problems and anything else that can go wrong on a bike. By wearing headphones, you will notice the horrible after it happens making you a gonner.

A lot of bikers like to talk. You pass or someone passes you, they are going to want to talk. You have to repeadly say what and then you finally get the headphones off and can then talk. Let's backtrack...headphones off....this involves taking your hands off the handlebars...and when your going down a hill on a main road at 35mph, this is not a good idea (personal experience by the way).

I am proud to say that i have not worn headphones in a week and will continue to ride this way. It is safer, smarter, and makes you more coordinated while riding. Make the right choice and leave the headphones behind.

-Matt

smart move.

-mark

Great survival move. It's very worthwhile paying full attention to your surroundings and your machine when on a bike, and not just in traffic. I've seen some close calls and a nasty spill on shared paths thanks to inattentive riding.

good,.....you just earned 10 points...

Not only is this about me, but is educating other riders to realize the risks of headphones.

Probably going to get blasted for this one but oh well here goes anyhow..... Guns & Roses, Iron Maiden and etc. blasting from a cd walkman make me want to ride hard and ride forever. Actually it seems like the ride motion becomes part of the music. I scan my area constantly and use a sun glass mirror. Would never do it with a ride partner or in a group ride. Ive never had a problem. Seems like so many here are so conservitive and gloomy about ridding? What's wrong with taking some chances once and a while anyhow? or a risk here and there where luck has to be on your side. Rode between two cars the other day that were sitting right next to each other to talk on a side street. Was ridding at about 25mph and they were so close together I wasn't sure if my bars were going to fit for sure till I went between them. Wow what a thrill that was! it was great. Life is all about choices. If I rode around them it would just be same old same old. Maybe I'm just F'* up, but I don't think so. :-)

Been wearing them for 20 years with no problem. I just don't wear them where traffic is an issue. Yea, I know, bring on the flames and the scolding.....Tell me about how you like to hear the birds, etc. Well, all I hear when I ride is wind. Lot's of wind. (unless I have a 20 mph tailwind) And I am not a top class rider! Sure, tell me about how I am going to get hit by a car. Well I have. Three times, and not once when I was wearing headphones.............

Been wearing them for 20 years with no problem. I just don't wear them where traffic is an issue. Yea, I know, bring on the flames and the scolding.....Tell me about how you like to hear the birds, etc. Well, all I hear when I ride is wind. Lot's of wind. (unless I have a 20 mph tailwind) And I am not a top class rider! Sure, tell me about how I am going to get hit by a car. Well I have. Three times, and not once when I was wearing headphones.............

Good to hear I'm not the only "nut" case here. try out the C/D walkman Sony came out with, the Sony Psyc, it will play for 50 hours on two AA's no skip and has a remote! 50 bucks, can't beat it... Hey and if the wind gets loud just hit the (+) sign on volume for the remote and keep jammin! Some of the guys here are starting to sound like a bunch of old women, or someone's mommie.

Good to hear I'm not the only "nut" case here. try out the C/D walkman Sony came out with, the Sony Psyc, it will play for 50 hours on two AA's no skip and has a remote! 50 bucks, cant beat it... Hey and if the wind is loud just crank up the volume on the remote and keep jammin! LOL

Yeah, get the flame-thrower out, I agree. I hate riding without them. It takes a lot to drown out traffic noise, but if I feel as though I'm in a particularly dangerous area, I turn the walkman off for a few minutes.

I could write a thesis on riding with headphones. I've actually figured out a way of cramming a pair of 'traditional style' Sony headphones under my helmet; the larger speaker (~one inch) blocks out much more wind. When using the smaller, 'bud' type, or ear hugger type phones, all you hear is "WHOOOSSSSHHH" from the wind.

In heavy NYC traffic, you'd be lucky if you can hear yourself think, I've never had problems with headphones. You're surrounded by cars going in 3 different directions, your sense of hearing's about as good as a screen door in a submarine.
When I'm riding fast, the wind's blowing so hard I can't hear cars anyway, I rely more on sight and the occasional glance back.
At night when I ride fast, I run a blinker on the streets so if I see lights reflecting off signs or parked cars, I know there's a car behind me.
If I see pedestrians moving in a certain way or reflections off parked cars at intersections, off building windows, etc, I know there's a car coming. After a while you learn to use your other senses.
The only time when I refuse to use headphones is when I'm riding slow enough to hear myself.