Search
Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

Cats Ears

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 02-01-13 | 03:20 PM
  #1  
stapfam's Avatar
Thread Starter
Time for a change.
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 19,913
Likes: 7
From: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England

Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.

Cats Ears

Can remember someone having problems with wind noise on the ears.

Shows much time I have on my hands as this popped up on facebook but might help those that have the problem

https://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphoto...04179677_n.png

And looking a bit deeper

https://www.cat-ears.com/
__________________
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.


Spike Milligan
stapfam is offline  
Reply
Old 02-01-13 | 04:33 PM
  #2  
RIRview's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 421
Likes: 0
From: Long Beach, CA

Bikes: Trek Domane 6.2 Project One

They look funky, but if they work....I have tinnitus from years spent playing in rock bands and being in nightclubs. I've noticed that when riding the wind noise will bother my ears on occasion. This product might be worth a try.
RIRview is offline  
Reply
Old 02-02-13 | 07:14 AM
  #3  
missjean's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 600
Likes: 1
From: New Hampshire

Bikes: A slate grey mountain bike & a grey road bike

They look like sideburns.
missjean is offline  
Reply
Old 02-02-13 | 08:08 AM
  #4  
Senior Member
10 Anniversary
 
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 475
Likes: 4
From: Garden State exit 135
I found a product called windstopper headband.Next week I'll go to the bike shop that sells them.It's about an hour away plus the get lost factor.I'll let everyone know the results.I'll include the headband review too!Its the helmet strap, gauge-design that causes the wind roar.One brand can be noisier than another.I have the noisiest.Send me a PM if you like the sound of a train going by at super sonic speed in your ear.i'll steer you to one of these torture helmets.Actually my wife bought it for my birthday,I think she knows more about cycling than she is letting on.
Shamrock is offline  
Reply
Old 02-02-13 | 09:06 AM
  #5  
Senior Member
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,940
Likes: 363
Maybe the hairy ears are why I don't have the wind noise problem, and I don't own the Cat's Ears product Stap showed us, either

Bill
qcpmsame is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 08:45 AM
  #6  
Banned
 
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 1,066
From: Lincoln Ne

Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II

Has anyone tried these things? They look like they might work.
rydabent is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 11:11 AM
  #7  
TromboneAl's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,874
Likes: 0
From: Far, Far Northern California

Bikes: 1997 Specialized M2Pro

Funny, I don't notice wind noise as being a problem.

I often wear these in the winter:



and they don't block sound to any significant degree. They certainly aren't unsafe.

You could make some of those cat ears with some fabric and velcro (*cough* duct tape *duct tape*).
TromboneAl is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 01:31 PM
  #8  
Spoke's Avatar
Team Geritol
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 250
Likes: 0
From: Leander, TX

Bikes: Cannondale R700 USA Ed., & Motobecane Century Team & Motobecane Titanium

I have a hearing loss, and when riding the wind noise makes carrying on a conversation nearly impossible. I heard about Cat-Ears and bought a pair. They do work, at least for me. They cut down on the high frequency wind noise. You can still hear the wind, but it is the mid and lower frequencies. Your mileage may vary.

Ride On!
-Spoke
Spoke is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 01:43 PM
  #9  
Biker395's Avatar
Seat Sniffer
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,906
Likes: 3,046
From: SoCal

Bikes: Serotta Legend Ti; 2006 Schwinn Fastback Pro and 1996 Colnago Decor Super C96; 2003 Univega Alpina 700; 2000 Schwinn Super Sport

That's great to hear. (no pun intended)

The design of using small extending hairs parrots (also no pun intended) the natural design some predatory birds use to fly quietly, and has the potential to be really effective.

Father's day is coming up. Hmmmm.
__________________
Proud parent of a happy inner child ...

Biker395 is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 02:39 PM
  #10  
Boudicca's Avatar
Conquer Cancer rider
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 6,040
Likes: 1
From: Toronto

Bikes: Fun bike, city bike, touring bike, swish new ebike, Bike Friday

I wear hearing aids, which makes wind noise worse, so I do wonder about giving these things a try. But maybe I could just wrap something around the existing straps and there wouldn't be a problem.
__________________
Zero gallons to the mile
Boudicca is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 02:42 PM
  #11  
stapfam's Avatar
Thread Starter
Time for a change.
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 19,913
Likes: 7
From: 6 miles inland from the coast of Sussex, in the South East of England

Bikes: Dale MT2000. Bianchi FS920 Kona Explosif. Giant TCR C. Boreas Ignis. Pinarello Fp Uno.

Originally Posted by Boudicca
I wear hearing aids, which makes wind noise worse, so I do wonder about giving these things a try. But maybe I could just wrap something around the existing straps and there wouldn't be a problem.
On the website they suggest putting something on the helmet straps to show how the noise can be cut down.
__________________
How long was I in the army? Five foot seven.


Spike Milligan
stapfam is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 04:50 PM
  #12  
DGlenday's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,248
Likes: 3
From: Frederick, MD

Bikes: Cannondale, Trek

Originally Posted by missjean
They look like sideburns.
That's so you can channel your inner Bradley Wiggins!

Originally Posted by Spoke
I have a hearing loss, and when riding the wind noise makes carrying on a conversation nearly impossible. I heard about Cat-Ears and bought a pair. They do work, at least for me. They cut down on the high frequency wind noise. You can still hear the wind, but it is the mid and lower frequencies. Your mileage may vary.

Ride On!
-Spoke
I also have hearing loss (military, and rock bands), and hate it when the group is chit-chatting at 20mph, and all I can hear is wind noise. Thanks for the endorsement. At $15, there isn't much to lose - so I'll order a pair and try them.

Originally Posted by Biker395
The design of using small extending hairs parrots (also no pun intended) the natural design some predatory birds use to fly quietly, and has the potential to be really effective.
That was my first thought, too, when I started reading the thread. Owls, in particular, have tiny hairs on the leading edge of their wings which makes their flight 100% silent. Same principal.
DGlenday is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 04:55 PM
  #13  
DGlenday's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,248
Likes: 3
From: Frederick, MD

Bikes: Cannondale, Trek

Ordered.

Report-back later...
DGlenday is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 06:04 PM
  #14  
TromboneAl's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,874
Likes: 0
From: Far, Far Northern California

Bikes: 1997 Specialized M2Pro

Originally Posted by TromboneAl
Funny, I don't notice wind noise as being a problem.
I take this back. Riding down a hill today at 28 MPH, I noticed the wind noise was loud enough to mostly mask out the sound of an approaching car.
TromboneAl is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 06:14 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
10 Anniversary
 
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 475
Likes: 4
From: Garden State exit 135
Please have pictures so we may properly evaluate the look. I am interested in the product.i had an uptick at work 75 hrs last week.S0 I could not get to the shop that sold wind stopper head band.Its on the list and I will report when i get over there.
Shamrock is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 06:34 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
10 Anniversary
 
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 475
Likes: 4
From: Garden State exit 135
Originally Posted by TromboneAl
I take this back. Riding down a hill today at 28 MPH, I noticed the wind noise was loud enough to mostly mask out the sound of an approaching car.
There is a misconception about wind noise.its not the wind noise, its the wind noise when you need to move over into traffic to avoid a pothole.thats what I'm talking about.At another site I frequent the youngsters think i can't take the wind noise.thats not it,its moving into the left lane and not being able to hear an up coming vehicle.thank God for you guys.i know you get it
Shamrock is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 09:46 PM
  #17  
campngolf's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 193
Likes: 4
From: NorCal

Bikes: 70's Raleigh Sports, '12 Specialized Secteur

I love my Cat-Ears. They make the wind noise much more tolerable and help keep my ears warmer. But I'm in NorCal so if I ride in the low 40's, that cold for me.
campngolf is offline  
Reply
Old 02-11-13 | 11:15 PM
  #18  
El Segundo's Avatar
Full Member
 
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 319
Likes: 7
From: Decatur, Alabama USA

Bikes: '07 Specialized Roubaix Comp, '88 Trek 400T, '88 Diamondback Ascent EX, '56 Raleigh Superbe, '73/60 Raleigh Sports

If you grow a full bushy beard will that serve the same purpose?
El Segundo is offline  
Reply
Old 02-12-13 | 11:29 AM
  #19  
CatEars's Avatar
Newbie
 
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Boulder, CO

Bikes: Look, Trek

Cat-Ears were road tested by James Huang of BikeRadar.com. Here is a link to his article...

https://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/a...st-look-35984/
CatEars is offline  
Reply
Old 02-12-13 | 11:39 AM
  #20  
Biker395's Avatar
Seat Sniffer
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,906
Likes: 3,046
From: SoCal

Bikes: Serotta Legend Ti; 2006 Schwinn Fastback Pro and 1996 Colnago Decor Super C96; 2003 Univega Alpina 700; 2000 Schwinn Super Sport

"we got more than our fair share of Elvis Presley jokes during our own test sessions"
__________________
Proud parent of a happy inner child ...

Biker395 is offline  
Reply
Old 02-12-13 | 11:43 AM
  #21  
CatEars's Avatar
Newbie
 
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Boulder, CO

Bikes: Look, Trek

Originally Posted by Biker395
"we got more than our fair share of Elvis Presley jokes during our own test sessions"
And comments we've seen have evolved from Elvis to Wiggins...we'll take that
CatEars is offline  
Reply
Old 02-12-13 | 12:10 PM
  #22  
Biker395's Avatar
Seat Sniffer
Titanium Club Membership
15 Anniversary
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,906
Likes: 3,046
From: SoCal

Bikes: Serotta Legend Ti; 2006 Schwinn Fastback Pro and 1996 Colnago Decor Super C96; 2003 Univega Alpina 700; 2000 Schwinn Super Sport

Lol.

Being able to hear is a significant safety issue, and I think they're a great idea. I'm the guy who wrote you to make sure you had it patented, BTW.

Good job.
__________________
Proud parent of a happy inner child ...

Biker395 is offline  
Reply
Old 08-24-13 | 01:45 PM
  #23  
akohekohe's Avatar
The Professor
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 899
Likes: 7
From: Center Sandwich, New Hampshire

Bikes: Alex Moulton Double Pylon, Surly Big Dummy, Alex Moulton GT, AZUB TiFly

Haven't been on Bike Forums for a while but every time I do I end up buying something new.
akohekohe is offline  
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Jon T
General Cycling Discussion
17
07-24-19 08:26 PM
vinuneuro
Road Cycling
10
03-18-16 03:12 PM
Obstinate
Commuting
43
05-29-14 02:20 PM
qwert566
Adaptive Cycling: Handcycles, Amputee Adaptation, Visual Impairment, and Other Needs
8
04-10-14 03:22 PM
Jonahhobbes
Advocacy & Safety
11
05-07-11 10:12 AM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.