dirtypete

out on the bike is the only time you can get away from everything - why would you want to be up on a mountain road, surrounded by all that plenty - the wind whistling sweet sounds through the lamenting pines, the birds a-flutter, the chipmunks a-funking, the grass hushing as it sways, reminding you of the soft down-like whisps of hair on the nape of the neck of your first love - why, i ask, would you want to render that sullied by the sounds of Basement Jaxx/Van Halen/P Diddy/Britney/Dean Martin? (delete as applicable)

I love my music, but not on the bike, no sir... let me ride, let me listen to the hills, and let me dream of what it might be like to be truly free.

Ryanf

I would not enjoy riding at all if i had a i-pod in my ears.

GP

Gave my nano to my wife and got a Shuffle.

NathanC

I ride with a regular iPod, but since I do most of my riding on dedicated road bike tracks, there is no chance of it beign dangerous.

daredevil

Not a big fan of music eh? It's a shame if you can't at least occasionally enjoy the rush of riding with the perfect tune.

I like it both ways, sometimes with, sometimes not, but if you truly love music, you don't know what you're missing.

s4one

The bike route that I take is made for bikes, no cars.

UmneyDurak

Hey come ride here where you can enjoy constant sound of cars buzzing you, relaxing sounds of road work, angry horns, and random **** shouted by some spoiled rich kids heading to the beach.

As for original question pick up last generation of Ipods. Now that new ones out, you might get a nice on older ones. A bit bulky but fits in to jersey pockets just fine.

umd

It is not necessarily illegal. In California it is only illegal to have headphones/earphones in both ears. I use an iPod Shuffle (clipped to the bottom of my jersey, cable running up my back) with the earphone only in my right ear. I can hear cars just fine, thank you.

HPS

...nothing to add either?


Yup. Like UMD, I have a shuffle but ride with only one bud in. I listen the shuffle in my right ear and to traffic in my left one...toss in a helmet-mounted mirror and its me, Manilow, miles of happy riding.

musician

riding with earbuds in sounds like a good idea.

then when you get run over and killed by a car you didn't hear coming, within a day or two someone will figure out that your unidentified corpse can be identified via the registration of your iPod:

https://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20651697
Dead cyclist identified with the help of iPod

see also: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=341434[
Schoolbus hits and kills cyclist

oh, don't forget to register that iPod, just in case.

HPS

/\ Funny, I thought riders were getting hit by cars even BEFORE i-pods. Are you suggesting that if a cyclist gets hit it must be because the cyclist is distracted?

daredevil

musician doesn't want to listen to music when he rides....hmmm

First off, it's been made clear not everybody rides in traffic. Secondly, if I see it comin' at me, I don't need to hear it. Seems obvious, I know.

Besides, isn't it possible wind might effect your ability to hear? Or any number of other things like maybe a semi going the other way, or construction or...

Camilo

I was wondering when someone could not help doing this. By the way, how do you know it's illegal - do you live in all 50 states or all the other countries represented in BF? Of course the danger factor is just false, but a commonly held misconception, sort of like the idea that helmets are essential for survival on a bike.

To OP: I use an old technology "Sony Network Walkman" which I don't recommend because it is a poor choice for several reasons: proprietary format (ATAC), proprietary memory chips, semi-proprietary batteries ("gumstick") and low capacity. On the other hand, I've used it literally thousands of times and it has withstood countless drops, a lot of body moisture and is very compact and easy to use. I put it in one of my back pockets and let the hearbud cord hang down my back. I use the kind of earbuds that have an ear clip. I have almost all of my CD's on my computer and I just periodically load new music on the chips and listen. Sometimes full albums (the chip holds about 5), sometimes mixes. I find if it's a mix, I can listen to it many times before I get sick of it. I really enjoy listening to music when I ride and ski.

s4one

Would having one bud in on year throw off your coordination? Anyways, I understand how some of you guys say that using mp3 players maybe dangerous.

One of my buddies tracks his motorcycle with his ipod, that guy is crazy.. Going at 150mph+ without being able to hear much.

Ear buds that usually come stock for any mp3 player are not noise isolating types. The user would be able to set the music sound level at 50% or around there and will still be able to hear what is going on around them.

Sometimes when I ride against wind, the wind noise can get pretty loud to my ears. I thought about using earplugs since I do use them on my motorcycle. With the mp3 buds I would be able to cut the noise and enjoy music at a settle noise level.

elgalad

How is this better than getting hit after you hear it coming?

bjke

I would NEVER, it is silly and stupid.

HWS

Another Nano user...

patentcad

Your cluelessness on this topic is only exceeded by your arrogrance. Don't feel bad, you are not alone here on BF. If 100,000+ miles of riding with tunes in my head here in the NY area (we have a little traffic) hasn't resulted in my demise, I don't consider it a particularly hazardous practice. I rode with small cassette players long before the advent of the iPod by the way. The iPod is better.

By the way, the next time a car is about to hit you from behind and you hear it coming, it will scare the living **** out of you. But it will not help you avoid the impact. I can hear cars on the road with my iPod by the way. Not a problem. You might consider actually trying something before you make idiotic pronouncements.

patentcad

But you sound stupid and dangerous. There is balance in the Force.

patentcad

The iPod clips to your jersey or goes in the jersey pocket. The headphones go in your ears. Now report to the principal's office.

gabdy

Ipod nano\shuffle would probably be the best, although overpriced if you ask me(what Apple product isnt?).
You could find many different reasonably priced ones, not that hard. I personally don't use any while I ride. But do enjoy blocking out noise on my rail commute with them.
But I can see how they could be distracting. As long as the volumes not too high as HRH pcad states there shouldn't be a problem with safety.

blacknyc

old school 80's boom box strapped to my back is the way to go

roadwarrior

Like PCad, I have a shuffle. It's about the size of two postage stamps and clips on to my bibs. I ride in extremely rural areas where there is little traffic as there are few homes out in the farm areas.

And I have a neck. It turns left and right so I can periodically look behind and see if there's someone there. But where I ride, I am more concerned about idiot cyclists that feel like they have to ride really fast to catch up to you, then pass you three inches away. These guys also usually are bent over, a half mile up the road throwing up from this big effort.

When I know I am going to be in traffic, I don't wear it or take it off.

roadwarrior

I'm confused about the illegality here. Help me out.

soze

I listen to my iPod on my bike, but with my headphones slung around my neck and turned up all the way so I can still hear cars and whatnot. My rides are so much more pleasant when it's not just me and my wheezing to get up the hills.