When I first started riding (4ish ~ 5ish months ago) I HAD to listen to my Ipod. Than I realized that I was going pretty slow back than... so now I avoid using my Ipod, although on occasion I give in to the temptation (only one earphone in my non-traffic ear to avoid dying).

However I still see riders listen to their Ipods 24/7.

Do you listen to your Ipod, why or why not?

I do not like riding with an iPod because you cannot hear cars. I do not want to get killed or spend the rest of my life crippled. Road cycling is a wonderful experience and great exercise. With drivers on their cell phones, texting, or just plain not paying attention, cycling on roads is dangerous. I want to use all my senses for self preservation.

i use one of these.

When I'm listening to my iPhone, I go farther, when I don't, I go faster. Sometimes I pull out my ear buds and just listen to my bike, get into the moment. Other times being stuck in the saddle, miles from home is boring so it's great to have music.

I listen to podcasts like: Skeptoid, Podrunner, Econ Talk, Tom Leykis...

Unless it's a serious training ride, I definitely bring it.

Everyone always talks about hearing traffic, but pretty much all I can hear is wind in my ears. I would guess that I don't hear the cars until they're about 10 feet behind me. Maybe I have Dumbo ears. But I only ride back roads, where on a busy day I'll see 3-4 cars on a 50 mile ride.

I use a Nano every ride, rail-trail or road, rain or shine.

The notion that you can hear a car bearing down on you from behind and take some evasive action to "save your life" is the height of absurdity. People perpetuate that story, not because it's true, but because it gives them a much needed opportunity to feel superior to others by chastising them for their "recklessness".

I only started riding about 4 months ago, I'm slow. I listen to mine to keep me motivated. I do however use a mirror to watch for cars behind me. The roads I ride (all 20 miles of them) have very little traffic.

I can't hear cars well enough no matter what I have in my ears. In traffic, the noise of the car(s) that just passed me mask any sounds of the cars coming up behind me. If I'm near a bus or a truck, I can't hear anything else.

If I'm going to cross lanes, I need to do it with enough space that I'm not going to startle a vehicle coming up behind me (because, as I'm sure you're all aware, not every driver is even looking out their windshield). That means that I need several seconds' worth of space, which translates to thirty yards or more depending on the speed of traffic. There's no way in hell I'm going to be able to hear far enough behind me with wind noise and other noises flooding my ears.

So, IMNSHO, the sense of hearing while riding in traffic is about as useless as it is to a deaf person. Listening to music can't make it worse. Riding in traffic, then, requires me to do just two things -- get visual confirmation of every hazard, and NOT ride like a dumbass.

I don't really think a lot of people don't listen to it so they can "hear cars" just that they aren't as distracted.

No. They think they can hear cars, which is a nice illusion until they try to get around a bus and get creamed by a Prius.

Don't go outside, you may not die. If you do cycle outside, never ever push yourself hard. Working hard can make you sweat and the sweat will go into your eyes and you will be BLIND! I heard some people work so hard they fatigue themselves to the point where they aren't 100% aware of their situation due to fatigue. Riding for longer than 2 hours will make this happen, especially at speeds over 10mph. Sometimes people ride bikes where they don't sit upright. How stupid, do these people want to DIE??! I always ride my comfort bike at 8mph on a trainer inside my house because I want to live.

No, hes got it right. I cant enjoy music and focus on training/ staying safe. If you dont really concentrate on music then you are just listening, but youre not listening.... If that makes any sense to you

I won't actually admit to racing with an ipod. That never happened.

I've got really good ears... so I can hear cars a long way away. Is it an excuse not to ride carefully and look around me? No.

Also, I love listening to the whirring of the tires and gears.

So, no, I don't ever listen to music on a ride.

Thats not music?

I have nothing to "focus" on while "training" (in quotes because I don't race). I don't need to hear the numbers on the computer. What am I going to listen to -- sweat? Heavy breathing? That's fine while having sex, but this is a bike. I start to get bored out there, so I sometimes bring my iPod.

The funny thing is, I usually listen to podcasts because music that's a different tempo from my cadence starts to throw me off.

I tried riding without today, beginning to think my 105rpm target cadence and my music just don't get a long...much easier to maintain rhythm without it.

Techno/Rob Zombie are great for sprints, but leave them at home on the longer rides.

Just did a solo century with mine today. I didn't die.

Gotta call BS on this one. I can definitely hear most cars behind me and I DO move closer to the edge of the road since I tend to drift to the middle of the lane on occasion. That said, if a car is completely oblivious to my being on the road, I'd likely get hit whether I heard them or not.

OTOH, I started riding before Walkmans were invented (let alone iPods) so I've never felt the need for music on my rides; I get plenty of joy simply being on my bike without the need for listening to artificial noise.

-murray

How can you listen to sweat?

That's a pretty dangerous habit.

Are harleys, cars with their own music blaring, loud exhausts from "race" cars and general tire noise from cars considered part of the cycling experience? Certainly they are not artificial noise. I do not wear an iPod when I mountain bike, only when I road bike. I admit riding in nature is awesome. No need for music but anytime I'm on the street, I don't actually need to hear kids calling me **** or teenage girls whistling at me or any vehicle.

Perhaps the traffic here is different than where you ride. I'm not riding in the middle of the lane, just that I take extra care when a car is approaching (which only happens a couple dozen times per hour on my routes).

Forgot to mention that I hate being surprised by cars coming by me; I'd much rather know that they are there before they pass.

-murray

Exactly.