Jonahhobbes

Ive suffered from tinnitus for years and avoided using any earphones as I thought it would worsen my condition. However after seeing an audiologist who stated that the ear needs to hear stuff Ive started listening to my ipod with earphones/buds. I live in a well windy region and I noticed the wind whilst cycling, (on a cycle track), was louder than having my ipod cranked up to full.

I mentioned it to my audiologist she did not take the issue seriously at all. "You're not riding a motorcycle so it's not an issue" sort of thing.

I'm thinking that it possibly is an issue and wonder if anyone else here has tried to protect their hearing?

I mean it's windy all the time here and if it's louder than the high volume of an ipod it can't be good can it?

Dunbar

I wondered the same thing as it was very windy last weekend when I rode. I too have had mild tinnitus since my teenage years and have been very careful with my hearing since. They say that most people have slightly reduced high frequency hearing in the left ear from driving with the window down. But normal bike speeds are slow enough that I can't see it being an issue. Fortunately for me I don't live in a windy area.

sudo bike

If you're concerned, you can usually find nicer earplugs that block only a certain amount of noise, which should still be okay for hearing emergency vehicles, etc. I believe they also have newer (expensive) electronic earplugs which can be set to tune out noise up to a certain db (I don't know if these are suitable, but here's an example). Fresno doesn't get super windy, but I looked into this for awhile. If you don't already, I personally wouldn't be comfortable with my hearing blocked without a mirror (not talking about safety, just comfortability), but that's your call of course.

You may run into legal issues depending on your state, so if that bothers you it's something worth checking out. FYI.

Northwestrider

I've wondered why someone has not developed a small flap the could clip onto a a pair of glasses that project out wards at oh say a 60 degree angle and be approx 3/3 of an inch long. It would definitely reduce wind noise and allow us to hear approaching cars more clearly. ( or your ipod).

The Human Car

https://www.slipstreamz.com/content.asp?subID=9
-or-
https://www.slipstreamz.com/content.asp?subID=8

Camilo

I have a pair of slipstreamz and they do help cut down the roar of wind noise. They're a little "fussy" to fit, but not a big deal.

Northwestrider

The Human Car: Thanks, I have just ordered 6

Standalone 

Treble does more damage to the ear than bass, or so I've read somewhere. As a bass player, I do believe it. It's the cymbals and the crack of the snare to my left that tend to really kill.

When I think of wind noise, it's more of a lower tone-- and I never notice any reduced hearing after even a long fast windy ride in the way that I notice it after a band practice, a concert, or when my 4 year old (who has inherited his opera singer mother's vocal power) is at top volume....

Chris516

Tinnitus courtesy of contending with Mother Nature.....hmmmmm

Neal Schon, the co-founder and Lead Guitarist of the rock band Journey, commented years ago, that he had tinnitus as a result of years of exposure from playing loud music.

So, Tinnitus from wind, would have to be the result of pretty severe and continuous wind gusts.

Wilbur Bud

I find all the solutions very orientation dependent, in that the device needs to be perpendicular to the wind, more or less. However, another key point to me is that the amount of noise drop seems to have a lot to do with how close to your skin the device is positioned, hence the best solution is to have something that stays in contact with your skin. I made my own a few years ago as below out of an old sock and some plumbing insulation. I wanted a soft material like a sock so my skin would not abrade and a closed cell (but soft) foam so it wou'dn't soak up the perspiration and stink-up the place. I do disassmble and wash about once a month. If I ever find someone who knows how to sew, then I'll make a more finished looking piece. Mounted on the inside of the helmet strap, I adjust the strap length to get just enough contact pressure that it's not annoying, however 98+% of my rides are of one-hour duration as a commuter, so I haven't much experience on how it feels during a 6-8 hour all-day ride.

rumrunn6

you get used to it. keep riding

no motor?

Wearing a balaclava in the winter cuts down on the wind noise for me, and wearing ear plugs in the summer does too.