rick458

What does everyone do to ease wind noise?
I'm slow, 14-17 mph split speeds, and the wind noise is loud enough to mask
cars coming up behind me.
I do wear a Spec MTB helment, would a more aero helment like a Giro air attack
be quieter.
Cat Ears get a mixed review.
there has to be something that works.

hueyhoolihan

what's the trash talk about Cat Ears? just curious....

anyway, i use a thin fleece headband under whatever i'm wearing on my head. above a certain temp, i just live with the noise. but i don't like it.

rick458

I asked for reviews last month, and got as many negative did not work reviews as positive does work reviews.
I truly cant afford to lose hearing as an audiogram is part of my yearly physical, e.g. if I lose too much more hearing I can be removed from the unit.

rick458

I may try cotton balls this morning, wind is 20 mph, should be a fair test.

Fiery

I've never experienced wind noise loud enough to make me worried about my hearing, and my ears are quite sensitive to loud noise. I wonder whan influences how much noise the wind will make for someone. I guess it can't hurt to try a quick section with the helmet off, to see how much it shapes the sound.

rick458

The main thing that bothers me is not hearing cars until they are very close.
It is also loud enough that I can barely hear the Map My ride in my right earpiece (left stays out for ambient sounds)

Fred Smedley

Take-A-Look Compact Cyclist Mirror

chaadster

I've had Slipstreamz Spoilers on one helmet for several years, and would say they work at reducing wind noise. It's not night/day different, but is noticeable and appreciable. They also have a full cover product, which I've not used.

Slipstreamz - Products - The Spoiler

To the helmet question, yes, an aero type helmet will almost certainly reduce wind noise, too.

FLvector

I don't think another helmet would do much to reduce the wind noise since its the straps that are creating the deflection. Maybe try putting your sunglasses over the helmet straps to keep them pressed closer to your head and out of the wind. You could try any type of earplug or earbuds without the music, but it will cut down your ability to hear traffic along with cutting the wind noise. The wind noise has never bothered me enough to buy any of the products mentioned.

10 Wheels

Try a mirror...

RNAV

I, too, am in a career field that requires yearly passing audiograms -- I'm assuming you're in aviation. Based on that assumption, I'll throw out some things for your consideration. If my assumption is wrong, then some of my comments may not be applicable to you.

1. I've been road cycling longer than I've been in the military. My hearing has shown no loss (it's actually improved) during my time in. So based on my sample size of one (plus numerous other buddies who are roadies and still flying), road cycling isn't likely to cause you permanent hearing loss.

2. Permanent hearing loss is caused by prolonged exposure to sounds in excess of 85dB. A car passing you at 50 mph makes about 75dB, while the ambient wind noise of you riding 15 mph is around 70 dB. So the car passing you isn't going to cause permanent hearing loss, and unless you're dropping the hammer at 400 watts and maintaining in excess of 30mph for hours on end, the ambient wind noise you're experiencing isn't loud enough to cause permanent damage.

3. Even if you did experience some hearing loss from road cycling (which you won't -- and it'd be much more likely that any hearing loss you experience will be related to your occupational specialty), you're not going to instantly get kicked from the unit. You'll get a medical waiver, and get some adaptive equipment issued to you, such as a noise-canceling Bose headset.

4. Try experimenting with different head positions. I know that, for me, when I'm in the drops, I experience less ambient wind noise than when I'm on the hoods. Perhaps you could find a slightly different head position that improves things for you.

5. The noise you're experiencing could be excessive due to your helmet choice Consider going by your LBS and test-riding some different road helmets to see if that improves things for you.

6. Having an earbud in is straight up going to reduce your ability to hear cars coming up from behind you. You're blocking off one of your two input sources. Perhaps speakerphone might be a better option? You could always try it and see if you can hear cars better.

7. While riding, I'll periodically rotate my head slightly (like you're shaking your head "no") because while it puts one ear into the wind, it takes the other ear out of the wind and makes it easier to hear what's going on behind you. With electric cars becoming more common, I've increased the frequency that I'll take a look behind me . . . those Prius cars are effin stealthy, and they'll surprise the crap out of you, so I just look back more often. A picture's worth a thousand words.

I hope some of that is helpful.

spdracr39

I had a cheap Bell helmet when I started and it would really growl at speed. I couldn't hear anything. I moved up to a Specialized model and it is relatively quiet.

dalava

That mirror on the glove thing is cool

bbattle

Various headbands pulled down over your ears.

A local rider likes her Cat Ears.

I once left my headband at home on a cold day and used toilet paper in my ears to prevent earache. That cut some of the noise down.

Try to listen to Yanni and not so much Slayer and Gwar.

10 Wheels

Used a Sun glasses lens from Dollar Tree.

dalava

How do you get it to stick onto the glove?

10 Wheels

Super Glue Gel...or what ever you may have.

Dave Cutter

+1 Although [I am] no expert... I completely agree.

Cyclists will experience various health problems/conditions as everyone else in the general population. It can be a natural mistake to blame normal aging conditions, career, or other behavioral events on cycling. And whereas cycling does have many health/injury risks it would be a shame to blame cycling for non-cycling related problems.

Or... by the natural process of aging... particularly in some individuals (more notability than others). Single event damage can also promote early hearing loss as well. Even some medicines cause hearing loss.

coasting 

10 wheels is one of my fave posters. great pics.

rpenmanparker 

Wind noise is an anomaly of some helmets. Others not so much. You should check out what a helmet change would do for you. Also could be the way you are setting it up.

mcours2006

I only notice the wind noise whenever I have my ears covered, either with a balaclava or a headband which covers the ears. Helmet without anything covering the ear I don't have trouble hearing the cars.

popeye

I found the Catlike Mixino quiet compared to other high end helmets. Wind noise is really a drag.

newbie101

Try etymotic er 20's. They offer a mild attenuation (reduction), up to 20 dBA. Not very expensive, at around $15 online. Great for other noisy situations, too.

I've measured wind noise with a sound meter while riding. Max reading was 87 dBA, with ambient noise generally around 70 dBA.

RNAV

Neat! Do you happen to know what speed correlated with your max reading? Just curious.

newbie101

Hearing loss is not attributable to aging. It is due to environmental causes (ie loud noise) and toxicity of medication.