What are your opinions on using headphones and listening to music while riding. I have never done it but I just got my iPod so know I have the ability to. Never thought about it until now.

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i never do it, i use my ears too much to keep track of what's going on around me.

Go ahead. As long as you don't mind "50 cent" being followed by the trumpets of angels!

imho: If you're on a perfectly-functioning bike alone on the track or on rollers in your home, by all means listen to your ipod; but for real riding, the ears are usually the first indication of mechanical difficulties, cars approaching from the rear, and other riding dangers. Devoting part of your brain to listening also pulls your attention away from riding.

I wouldn't. I don't. It's not safe IMO.

pun intended?

if you really want to i'd suggest turning the volume all the way down so that you can't hear the music when you're moving but you can hear it when you're stopped. pretty pointless but like i said if you really really want to use your headphones while riding. i do it sometimes because it's nice to have some music playing when i'm waiting for a red light. but i have the volume so low that i can pretty much hear everything around me.

I do it all the time. Mind you I live in Holland so I guess my situation doesn't mean much to most others here.

It does get a bit freaky when you get Ministry followed by Vivalidi though

I also do it all the time. Mind you I live in NYC so I guess my situation is a little different. I'm surrounded by traffic literally all the time. Sound doesn't mean much.

I don't wear them unless I'm riding at Eagle Creek Park or some other well insulated from traffic place. Motorists aren't paying attention to people on bikes (unless they are also cyclists). They only care about what can hurt them, not the other way around.

See the other thread in Road CYcling.

I see people doing this, and they are mainly the most oblivious looking cyclists around. One failed to stop at a 4 way stop sign this morning and nearly ran into me on my bike. I haven't tried wearing headphones while riding, but if it makes me this clueless, I don't wanna.

Its already been said, but it deserves to be repeated. Hearing is really important while biking. You can hear if something on your bike isn't working before it stops working so much you crash, and it helps you keep track of cars around you, or at least the other cyclists screaming "on your left" as they try to pass you. Plus, music is distracting and you must remember, even if you haven't been in a crash yet, most likely you will and you should do everything you can to prolong that. A human body doesn't ride the pavement as well as a bike.

Be safe.

Although, truth be told, if I am on an untrafficked route I know well, I sometimes pop a single ear bud of my iPod in one ear. But a lot of what I love about being on a bike is the escape from everything and the way it clears my head. Plus, how do yo know who to give the finger to if you can't hear them swearing at you?

Also, it is illegal in some states.

I have posted elsewhere regarding the irresponsibility, recklessness and sheer stupidity of removing one of the two senses most required when riding. And to illustrate the point, just last Tuesday, a cyclist came out of a parking lot, didn't look to see if anyone was on the road and slowly wandered his bike right in front of mine as I was zipping along. He couldn't hear me call out and he couldn't hear my horn, forcing me to brake hard to avoid smashing into the back of him. I could not pass him with cars on my immediate left. As I passed him I let him know just how close he came to a serious incident. He was completely taken aback, unaware of the situation he had just put me (and possible others) in.

illegal most states.
i've done it on MUT's and it's a bit weird, still miss my music on long rides. Nothing beats cresting a hill with Mozart.
so...
Put your Ipod on a camelback, route the earbud on the straps next to your ears. They're not loud enough to obscure road noise and you can still hear cars coming. For extra volume you might have to get creative and bungie some tiny speakers there. I've found that the hook behind the ear earphones clip nicely to straps and are just loud enough.

i listen to mine

Or you could get one of these backpacks... It's more expensive than your idea though but has a better looking advertisement.

FP Sounds backpack with built in flat speakers in the straps. Errr... scantily clad model not included.

Depends upon your situation. I listen low enough that I can still hear my bike and the traffic. And I ride on a dedicated bike path, so not much problem with cars coming up behind me. It's like talking on your cell phone while driving - some people can pull it off, some can't (and no, I don't always think it's the other guy. I've had many conversations that I cut short because I needed to focus on my driving).

I wouldnt do it because I would focus to much on the music, and I bet my form woould go all sloppy and if someone is trying to beep at me I will be in such a trance that I will smile and wave

I rode today for the first time with an ipod.
it was sunrise, very few cars on the road.
Any other time of the day, in traffic or at nite, I'm probably not capable of riding safely. But that's me. It was great- I had a sweet rhythm going.

Sign your driver's license for organ donation. It saves lives.

This is like saying you can't ride a bike if you're deaf. Deaf people can ride just fine. You learn to compensate. Mirrors, of course, and just stay on top of the game. I don't wear mine if I'm in strange territory or on a new route. But for my daily commute, I find it helps keep the cadence with a good beat. I also like to sing out loud while I'm riding, and get really serious about breathing. I ride a recumbent and I have a very laid back attitude about riding. I'm not into speed or racing, or even being efficient. I love to ride and I love music. I can walk and chew gum at the same time, too!

done. thanks for the reminder.
On the national bone marrow registry too.
10 gal blood donor.
buy girl scout cookies but don't eat them.

Hmm, this advertisement implies that if I wear the backpack hot chicks would talk to me. I'm so ordering one.
I wear earbuds when I ride. I could say I turn the volume down, and once I hit hills there are almost no cars, but then that sounds too much like making excuses. So I will just say, I like listening to music while clmbing another damn hill.
Yeah, yeah I put that I'm an organ donour on my driving licence, and stuff like that.