As with the "why wouldn't people want to go fast" thread, you have to realize that not everything is the same to all people.

It's been done

If a little music distracts you to the point that you think you are in danger, by all means turn off the music...on your bike, in your car and in your home. Sue any mall or elevator that plays music for reckless endangerment. :rolleyes:

Discipline, my son, discipline. If you can walk and chew gum you can ride and listen to music.

More lack of discipline. Please remove the mirrors from your car before you kill someone.

I switched to a helmet mirror so that I sweep it side-to-side, letting me see more than a handlebar mirror could.

Yup. I'll Fred it up when I think it helps. That's why I put a cross brake lever on my CAAD8. :thumb:

That's odd, since after 18 years of first riding with a cassette player and now an iPod I have never failed to hear a car. I'd say that's incontrovertible evidence that you don't have the foggiest notion of what you're talking about, eh?

This poll assumes I have an ipod; I do not. Once upon a time, long ago, ipods did not exist, and humans used such gadgets as the Walkman and Discman. I have never used my Discman for walking, running, driving, or cycling.

you CAN hear cars when you are listening to an ipod

just wanted to clear that up....

let me say it again

you CAN hear cars when you are listening to an iPod

Unless you're deaf, like the young woman who put a deposit on an Allez at my LBS a couple weeks ago.

;)

I usually listen while riding.

A couple of times when I was really suffering the music started to bother me so I had to turn it off.

Oh boy, another iPod thread!

I'm curious, of the people who don't like to listen to music when riding, how many just don't generally like to listen to music period.

On the other hand, if you like music and are denying yourself the opportunity to ride with it at least occasionally, you're missing out. Especially with the ease of mp3's. I would have a hard time believing that somebody with a passion for music would go without all the time.

Also, I think some of the anti iPod crowd is clueless to the extent that some of us are aware of our surroundings without our ears. Many of us have learned how to do it in cars with decades of practice and we are comfortable in our surroundings. I really think that many of you without that kind of experience shouldn't be using an iPod.

And since we are talking about music and riding and the inevitable statement that I need all my senses comes up, anybody care to explain how it is that the deaf, dumb and blind boy played such a mean pinball??

Nice memories, I forgot about those I had to show it to my son. Hes 8 and never saw one of those.

I've had iPods since 2001 and the vast majority of songs in my 4000+ song library have playcounts greater than 20. I listen to my iPod every day at work and a fair amount at home as well.

I've NEVER had my iPod on my bike outside. As I said earlier, I started riding pretty seriously before Walkmans were invented so I've developed my appreciation of riding without the need for music. If iPods existed when I started riding, it might be a different story.

-murray

You are missing one of life's great pleasures. The right song on the right ride is fantastic!

btw, a large library in this day and age only means you have a lot of memory. My teenage daughter has more music than me and I've made a career in the field.

FWIW, I've paid for 90% of all my music. I doubt most (younger) people with large libraries can say that.

-murray

Enough people have pointed out the safety risks of using an I-pod while riding. Pass on that. I will just suggest that using one while in a group of cyclists is rude.

That I will not argue. :)

+2

Concur. Sometimes I do leave the earpiece in but the music is always off.

Bought a cyclesound speaker system - music with no headphones. Life is good!

**Cough cough** I pay for my music.... just not most of it. Also I think it's a much bigger trend now to have as many songs as you can. I see a lot of my friends trying to download all these random bands to keep up with my library, which I think is silly cause you should only have music that you enjoy :)

Hell, I'm close to deaf and I can still hear cars coming when I am listening to music. I'm pretty sure the folks that think they can't hear anything have pretty much never tried riding with music, so they are speaking from misguided assumptions rather than experience. But, like them, I may be assuming too much... ;)

+1

in 2008 thats not really something to be proud of

On occasion. When I do, I go all out and wear both sound isolating earphones (NRR of ~28dB).

Actually it isn't rude at all. I generally sing the songs I am listening to and many times the group ride turns into a sing along. It only adds to the ambiance.

Somehow, I get this picture of 500 guys in Spandex, riding to the Pub, singing "99 Bottles of Beer" :roflmao2:

:speedy::speedy::speedy::speedy::speedy::speedy:

Or worse, some Philip Glass... :crash: :roflmao2:

How many other people have found themselves yelling "On your left!" a couple times and the person in front of you doesn't move? Then when you pass them you realize they are listening to their iPod. The rudeness factor to listening to your iPod isn't even the biggest problem. It's a safety issue. In New York I heard that their was a push to have listening devices made illegal to pedestrians because too many people were getting sideswiped by cars or mugged. If you can't hear what is going on around you, it is impossible to be as alert as you need to be no matter how many years of experience you have. If you want to listen to music, stay on your trainer.