Raketmensch

This has been discussed in other forums, but I thought it might be interesting to ask the question here among our, ahem, age group...

What kind of music, if any, do you like to listen to while riding?

Personally, I never use headphones when riding on the road. It's both an aesthetic issue and a safety one for me. I like to hear the sounds of nature and of my bike on the road. I also like to hear the sounds of any large metal objects that might happen to be bearing down on me.

On a trainer, though, it's another matter. Riding to music is, for me, an essential part of the trainer experience. In fact, it's part of the workout for me. I like to spin at something between 80 and 90 RPM, so I try to use songs that have tempos of 160-180 beats per minute... pretty up-tempo stuff! It really helps me to keep my pedal cadence where I want it.

My current trainer workout playlist is mostly a mix of U2, Bruce Springsteen, Rolling Stones, and Midnight Oil.

Does anybody else like to ride to music, either indoors or out? And if so, what works for you?

stapfam

Favourite at my gym is Queen and Abba. Seems to give the right cadence for the machines. Doesn't make any difference to most though as a rhythm gets going to the music, and if you look at the other users, they are at different tempos to the same music.

Lion Steve

I would imagine that a lot of us over 50's bunch listen to classic rock. Myself, lately, on the stationary bike, it's been the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Mellencamp, and U2. I would never listen while riding outside.

DnvrFox

Like you, I listen to nature while riding outside.

On my trainer, I use Spinerval DVD's for my workout, and supplement that with talk radio and/or TV shows. I have remotes for all within easy reach.

On the stationary bicycle at the gym, I read a book - makes the time go real fast!

I might give music a try, however. I have really gotten into singing lately, doing several solos and joining a couple of singing groups. My wife and I are currently practicing for a duet we will be singing in church in March. Music is another GREAT release/activity, in addition to bicycling and weight lifting.

Hey, I hope to get some time to just "sit" someday. Not yet, though.

Good topic.

RonH

Since my shoulder doc has forced me to ride the trainer until ~March 1 (crossed fingers), I usually watch a movie or old Tour DVDs. When I want to listen to music it's a mix of 80s.

scottogo

Neil Larsen "Jungle Fever" or "High Gear" jazz/rock fusion

Thrifty1

Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and some of the fifties classics/oldies.

Dogbait

I don't ride a trainer but if I did I would listen to the same playlist I use at the gym.

1. Stevie Ray Vaughn
2. Jimi Hendrix
3. Santana
4. The Allman Brothers
5. ZZ Top
6. Jeff Beck
7. Blind Faith

Dogbait

Oh yeah; and Joe Walsh

Garfield Cat

I bought a MP3 player a couple of years back but now I hardly use it. Its a safety issue and also a hearing loss issue. Current thought is that the human ear can be damaged with constant high decibel sound going in the earphones for extended periods of time.

But I will occassionally ride the Santa Ana river trail (no cars for 70 miles round trip). Oldies include, Bee Gees, Tower of Power, Sly & Family Stone, Cornelius Bros. & Sister Rose, War, El Chicano, Santana's Samba Pa Ti, Archie Bell & Drells, Rascals, Smokey Robinson's Mickey's Monkey and If You Can Want, IZ singing Over the Rainbow,Ray Parker Jr. singing Jack & Jill, Brenton Wood, Spinners, O Jay's, Stevie Wonder, Tommy James, Blondie, Archies, Lovin Spoonful, Doobie Bros, Steppenwolf, Strawberry Alarm Clock,Turtles, Brothers Johnson, Carl Carlton, Cliff Nobles, Dramatics, Gloria Estefan, Hues Corp, Jay & Techniques, Major Lance, Martha & Vandellas, Hugh Masekela, Van McCoy, Harold, Melvin & Bluenotes, Stephanie Mills, Billy Preston, Vicki Sue Robinson, Rose Royce, Donna Summer, Brenton Wood, Young Holt Unlimited, Malo, GQ, Tiera,.....to name a few.

Digital Gee

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but if you wouldn't mind, could I have details on this trail? Where does it start/stop? I might drive up there and ride it some weekend. Thanks!

Garfield Cat

If you have a Thomas Guide of Orange County, you can trace the trail quite easily. The Santa Ana river was improved by the Army Corps of Engineers as a flood channel to handle the big rain storms. So now it has that long bike path used by cyclists, joggers, walkers, skaters, etc.

It starts at the mouth of the river where it empties out in the Pacific Ocean at the southern border of Newport Beach where it meets Huntington Beach. The river trail is asphalt and goes north as far as the Green River Golf Course in Corona which is Riverside County. The actual round trip distance is about 58 miles so to add the additional 12 miles, you start at the Huntington Beach Pier where PCH intersects with Main Street.

When you finish the ride, you'll be at the hub of activity for the beach area with plenty of restaurants, etc. YOu want to start early in the morning to avoid the strong winds on your return trip back to PCH.

jppe

Gary-sounds like the perfect route for you for a metric century+. Be sure and take your camera(s) so all of us can enjoy the experience.

Music to ride by for me is any "classic rock" from the 60's & 70's.

capejohn

I burn my own cd's taking favorites songs from cds or downloads.
Artist like the following are cut on my latest CD.
Jamie Culllum
Mark Knopfler
Shawn Mullins
The Wallflowers
Rodney Crowell
Ozomatli
KT Tunstall
David Gray

JASON R. TOMSIC

I'm not 50 yet and I don't listen to music when I ride, but I do "hear" songs in my head while "spinning." "Beyond" by the Moody Blues comes to mind, as does "Fill Me With Your Light" by Clem Snide. Maybe it's not my place (yet,) but it works for me.

bkaapcke

Pinetop Perkins; piano blues. Simply the best, folks.

Old Hammer Boy

That's easy, The Eagles.

Digital Gee

I LOVE PINETOP!!!

cheeseflavor

Yep! Any good rolling, rollicking blues or boogie. Rocking blues is good too, like someone mentioned SRV or Jimi. Funk is great also - James Brown being the best example, though there others like Tower of Power.

For weight lifting, that's a whole other artist list

Steve

Artkansas 

Midnight Oil, great choice. I don't have a trainer, but I lost a bike while watching them perform at the LA Street Scene. What a concert. The LAPD calvary charged through the crowd towards the stage in the chorus of "The Power and the Passion".

The bike was a Pegasus, a dutch bike, with the longest fork trail and most relaxed frame angles you ever saw. You couldn't get the front end more than 3" off the ground. I really miss that bike.

Artkansas 

I've been listening to Internet Radio a bit lately. Mostly Beirut Nights Radio which says it's the best of Eurodance, Trance, Mediterranean, French, Lebanese, Greek, Italian, Armenian and Arabic music.

Very interesting, hypnotic and the pace is fast enough to keep you spinning.

stapfam

Hate to say it, but my taste in music is not the best around for Exercise. Not much classical around for constant fast tempo that I want, and Most of the Blues that I hear, I want to listen to and not ruin by getting all sweaty. Only one thing for it, Get out on the trails and listen to nature.

Mind you- Any one got any "Leadbelly they can download to me as I have just got an interest in resurrecting the 12 string guitar after a 30 year lay off.

Thrifty1

Some/most of Mozart can influence a good workout.

Gary

bkaapcke

Why all this discussion? I already told you;IT'S PINETOP PERKINS. Available at amazon, so get with it y'all.

I-Like-To-Bike

Yep I've got lots of Leadbelly. You can get it from the same place I did. LimeWire or Kazaa Lite.

I-Like-To-Bike

Pinetop is available at the same place that Leadbelly can be found.