mcavana

Just picked up a RIO CALI MP3 / FM tuner. it is 256mb, and purchased at BJ's for $129.99. Ever have a 7 disc cd changer on you morning commute? this thing kicks ***!!! It is very easy to download whatever cd's you have. It fits an average 6 or 7 cd's in its memory, and for a little more money (ranges between $20.00 - 100.00) you can buy a memmory card to hold up to 1gig (about 30 cd's). You can use the fm tuner to tune in whatever morning talk show you listen to. it runs 18 hours off of 1 AAA battery, and comes with a 2 inch wide, quality strap to attach to your arm. it is about the size of a dollar bill folded in half, and without the battery, weighs about as much as a AAA battery. The headphones it came with are very comfortable, and don't get in the way of my helmet at all. I have tried a few different cd players in backpack, and 2 other mp3 players. Even though not the most expensive, this thing by far is the best for biking. it even features a stop watch for those interested in timing their rides. here are a couple of links:
https://www.bytesector.com/data/bs-article.asp?ID=248
https://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/...omi&amount=.25

I do not work for these people, I just like to point out a quality product to my friends when i (rarely) find one! It has taken me a while, and allot of $$$ to find something that would realy work well with my daily biking!

mcavana

when i say illegal, i am talking about how in some states it is illegal to have headphones on when riding a bike

Raiyn

I'd rather have this

larue

I'd rather have an iPod, and do.

operator

Pfft 256Mb for $130 bucks? I got my 128Mb player for $20 including taxes, CAD.

RonH

It's also STUPID!! I'd rather hear the wind, birds, rustling leaves, and that HUGE SUV right behind me.

mcavana

Sissy.

mcavana

What is it exactly??? Does it also have the fm tuner? is it water resistant? does it come with arm strap or something for biking? please give me details!! i still have a receipt for this one if it is that good of a deal!!!!

mcavana

yeah, i was close to getting the ipod, but finally decided just too much money. Plus, i don't think they are water resistant. (I am sure there is a case or something you can get though... more $$$)

John Ridley

I can hear better with my headphones on. My ears stick out a bit, and with nothing over them, all I can hear is a very loud wind roar. With open air headphones, the wind is diverted around my hears, vastly lowering the roar. I listen to NPR (talk) at as low a volume as I can and still hear it above ambient. In informal tests I've run, I can hear cars about another 100 feet SOONER with headphones on and playing NPR than without. I can still hear people talking beside the road, dogs barking inside houses, etc.

Ya Tu Sabes

I would add that in winter, the right kind of headphones serve a dual purpose as earmuffs.

cashtar

I never really understood the whole "hear that huge SUV being me" thing. I mean do you actually change the way you ride based on hearing a car behind you? I can't even imagine stopping or moving off the road every time I heard a car - tons of cars drive by me on my commute and I just keep on riding. I do everything possible to be visible and safe (lights, bright clothes, etc), but there comes a point where I just accept the risk of commuting.

HereNT

You don't have to move off the road every time that you hear a car, but it often helps your flow. I might slow down a little bit and not move around a parked car until the SUV has passed, for instance. Or I might realize that a car is about to make a right hand turn immediatly after they pass me. You have to be aware of your surroundings when you commute, it is how you stay alive.

aiguy

Agree with HereNT. But I compromise to do this -- I ride with one earphone in my side-away-from-traffic.

Sure, I miss the stereo effect (some music is pretty funny with only one channel) but I do want to hear the traffic coming up to cut me off as they turn in front of me.

mtessmer

Has anyone tried small external speakers?

sbhikes

No headphones for me either. Call me crazy, but as a female I'm incredibly uneasy not being able to hear things coming up behind me. Can't walk with headphones, can't do anything with em. Gotta stay alert. You guys have life so easy sometimes.