Music while riding?
 

Hello All,

I am new to the site and to riding. Got a Trek 1500 on Father's Day and love it, both the riding and the bike. I've been learning a lot about this sport and questions come up that I think might be too silly to ask, like why are all the cycling socks longer/higher than I expected them to be? And is it OK to pull the visor off of a "Mtn Bike Helmet" and go road biking with it? Is there an advantage to wearing a "Road Bike" helmet over another "type" of helmet. I assume not that much, maybe style points.

I could go on, but my question now is related to listening to music while you ride. I assume this is common practice? Or is common place if your riding alone, groups I would see a problem. Might be a road safety issue. Do other riders consider it rude to listen to music while riding?

I was hoping to hear where some of you stood on the subject. Either way, love the site and I appreicate the feedback.

Here we go again...

XLII - I know you are new, but this question has been asked and debated many times on this forum. May I suggest you use the search function on the site to read up on the debate. Thanks.

For everyone else, it's a Friday and do we really need to debate this again???

I'm sorry if this is an old subject. Like I said I'm new to the site. Thanks for the "search" idea. I think I know where you stand on the matter.

Couldn't you just not reply to the post and read some of the ones that interest you, rather than "Here we go again" and "need to debate this again???"

I would like to hear from someone.

Later

In most states, including Georgia, bicycles are considered vehicles. It's illegal to wear headphones on both ears while operating a vehicle.

If I'm riding with a group, I don't wear anything. If I'm heading out alone, I have a pair of headphones with a thin, solid headband that I hang around my neck. I put the volume up just enough to have an idea of what song is playing, but certainly not loud enough to mask any external noise - either conversations or traffic.

Welcome to biking -- when you get a chance, head over to www.bikesbl.org for some local group rides and chats.

If I didn't reply you wouldn't know about the search or the fact that this has been debated many, many, many times already.

Ride safe...

I wear a Bell Fusion helmet that has a removable visor. I prefer it with the visor on, makes it look more aerodynamic and does help with the sun when it's lower in the sky.

If you are on a mut fine. But on the road thats a death wish. I personally wont ride with someone with a set of earphones on

ohh brother, there we go again..
be ready for this!
Ill make it short and sweet and get out of here before all hell breaks loose.
no, it isnt common practice as sound will impair your capacity to hear traffic and that will endanger you or others on the road.
Some use music, some dont, some have it on low, some have it blasting.
Some wear helmets, some dont
Some are more concious of what thier actions can do to themselves or others, some dont give a crap.
get the facts on what the reality is on your desicion to listen to music.
If Im all alone and Im away from traffic I will at times listen to something but on VERY low!
I cant efford to get hit...

Bravo brother. I wouldn't wear headphones unless your entire ride has nice large shoulders, or is on a dedicated path. As far as the visor/no visor thing goes just wear what you like. I ride both road and mountain and don't see the sense in having two helmets for one sport. My helmet has a visor. Unless you are unduly concerned with style, just ride. That's what its all about anyway.

you are absolutly right! I meant more of here we go again in a sense that i thought you'd get your head chopped off by bringing this :) but regardless, you're right. there is a better way to approach this.:)

My “hear we go again” was not also intended to be snarky. If you visit BF enough, one of these "music" debates start and then all hell breaks loose. That’s all, just a warning about what is about to start.

Honestly, please check out the many debates on this subject with the search function and you will see what I mean.

1. You need socks that protect your ankles from bike parts.

2. The difference between a road helmet and a mtb helmet is how the vents are cast. Road helmets are designed for ventilation at speed. MTB helmets have vents that are turned "upward" so that branches and other things don't get caught in them. I personally ride a road helmet all the time.

You can thank Lance Armstrong for that. He carried the flag for that particular 'fashion'. FWIW you can still find nike socks that don't try and immitate basketball socks from the 70s, you just need to look a little.

Yep.

What other "type" of helmet were you thinking of? Not one of these?
http://www.olive-drab.com/images/hel..._101st_375.jpg

:looks into file cabinet: :retrieves stock answer # 379:

by myself, on a quiet roads - no problem

with a group - never

Always the case

There is nothing wrong with music, listen on my friend, you'll enjoy it...don't listen to the bike safety freaks on here there a bunch of Freds

Go to the LBS and look at the Bell Alchera and the Influx.

Influx is sold as a "MTB" helmet and comes with a removable visor.

Alchera is sold as a "road" helmet and does not come with a visor.

Other than that, they are identical.

+1, use your eyes and mirror always. Enjoy the ride! heavy metal all the way...........

hey HWS...nice avatar. just saw the movie and it's awesome.

Music takes my mind off what I'm doing. I like it while I run and sometimes when I bike so I can take my mind off the pain and keep going. Plus it can pump you up, which is good.

I wouldn't ride with music unless I was sure that there was going to be no traffic. You need to be able to hear cars coming up behind you, especially on those lonely country roads out in the middle of nowhere. I guess I just know too many people that have recently been hit by cars.

I have had too many experiences with with people on bikes, dare I say "non-bikers" in the city or going across bridges that cannot hear jack. It gets annoying when you are trying to announce a pass or some sort of communication and they are totally deaf.

What I do is ride with a cheapy pair of around the ear headphones to which I remove the left earphone-just chop it off. Two things;I can listen to tunes and vibe into the sound of cars approaching on my left, and secondly I believe it lets other cyclists and drivers know that I am not zoned out...

I usually just sing at the top of my lungs the entire time that I am riding.

First off, my brother is 100% deaf and has never had a car related accident on his bike, furthermore there are no statistics to prove that deaf people have more crashes then hearing people. Secondly I am hearing and have not heard(without headphones) cars come up on me until right behind or beside me. So I am + 1 on riding with music, but only on solo rides, I enjoy talking to people on group rides.

My 2 cents.

Why do you need to hear a car coming up behind you? What do you different everytime you hear a car coming?

I just love this type of argument. I have seen plenty of blind people that walk safely across city streets. But I wouldn't want to try and cross the same streets with my eyes closed.

The way I figure it is that I will use all the tools given to me to keep me safe while riding. Eyes, ears and brains. If someone else chooses not to use one or two of those tools then there is not much I can do about it. I can only hope that a person like this does not create any problems for me or others.

Most times I can hear cars behind me for a pretty good distance and I have poor hearing. In fact the sound is a cue to check my mirror which I really need to learn to do more often sound or not.