Would anyone recommend headphones while riding ... or is it suicide?
11-29-04, 04:31 PM
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Would anyone recommend headphones while riding ... or is it suicide?
I just got a new MP3 player ... wondering if anyone has an opinion on this ... which I'm sure plenty of people do.
11-29-04, 04:36 PM
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Suicide! But I see a ton of people doing it (in NYC no less).
I tried it once but all I could hear was the wind buzzing against the headphones, and the headphone wires were getting in my way, so I stopped.
I tried it once but all I could hear was the wind buzzing against the headphones, and the headphone wires were getting in my way, so I stopped.
11-29-04, 04:40 PM
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Sometimes I have trouble hearing cars without headphones on, and it's a pretty scary feeling to just notice a car when it's about 5 feet away from you. I can't imagine a whole ride like that, especially if you live in an area with lots of traffic (which I don't).
Drivers are bad enough when you can hear them, so why make it worse?
Drivers are bad enough when you can hear them, so why make it worse?
11-29-04, 04:42 PM
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Suicide... riding a bike is about paying attention... radios and bike do not mix...
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Just your average club rider... :)
Just your average club rider... :)
11-29-04, 04:48 PM
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I use my CD player on the bike paths only, I figure if it's okay for the running/inline crowd it's okay for me.
I never and I repeat NEVER ride the roads with one, I've had way to many "encounters" to ever feel comfortable.
'Rasher
I never and I repeat NEVER ride the roads with one, I've had way to many "encounters" to ever feel comfortable.
'Rasher
11-29-04, 05:08 PM
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I'd say check the state/provincial laws...i've heard its illegal where i live(but i havn't checked up on it yet)
11-29-04, 05:27 PM
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there are only a few places where i would do this. one is inside my house on the indoor trainer. another is along a closed loop at an off hour. any place where there is a mingling of cars, rollerbladers, and other pedestrians i wouldn't recommend. some noises are really subtle (such as another biker coming up behind you) that you wouldn't be able to pick up on.
11-29-04, 05:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Underhill
I just got a new MP3 player ... wondering if anyone has an opinion on this ... which I'm sure plenty of people do.
Good luck.
Last edited by Steelrider; 11-30-04 at 02:32 AM.
11-29-04, 05:45 PM
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Headphones = (same as) No Helmet = Major catastrophe just waiting to happen ...
11-29-04, 05:51 PM
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I use my iPod only if I'm riding on the bike trail. If I need to go on the road for a short bit, I'll pull out the ear buds. I put it in one of my back jersey pockets and run the wires under my jersey so they don't flap around or get in my way.
11-29-04, 05:55 PM
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i used to ride with a player, then moved to a single ear solution. this worked ok, but, as i got faster, wind noise became loud enough to make it just silly (i had to crank up the stereo way too much). for the last year, i've just left the players at home. like the other posters have pointed out -- not realizing that a car was on the way is a quick way to make a good ride bad.
now that i have a 3 month old son, i really treasure the peace and quiet that i get from a good ride. in fact, i wish that i could find some way to cancel out the wind noise, now
so, put me in on the 'no headphones' side.
now that i have a 3 month old son, i really treasure the peace and quiet that i get from a good ride. in fact, i wish that i could find some way to cancel out the wind noise, now
so, put me in on the 'no headphones' side.
11-29-04, 06:13 PM
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I used to ride with headphones all the time. As long as you dont' have the volume up too high it shouldn't be too much of a problem. Depends a lot on your hearing, the type of headphones and where you ride. I stopped because the constant input was distracting from the meditation/relaxation aspect I love so much when riding.
As an alternative, I saw a bike speaker setup at my LBS the other day. It was bar-end mounted speakers that connected to a combined amplifier/battery that went in a water bottle holder. MP3 player not included. Seemed kind of expensive and probably not-good-sounding to me, but if you can't ride without music it'd be safer and more legal than headphones.
As an alternative, I saw a bike speaker setup at my LBS the other day. It was bar-end mounted speakers that connected to a combined amplifier/battery that went in a water bottle holder. MP3 player not included. Seemed kind of expensive and probably not-good-sounding to me, but if you can't ride without music it'd be safer and more legal than headphones.
11-29-04, 06:15 PM
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It is against the law in Quebec to operate a bicycle, or to rollerblade on city property while wearing head phones of any type.
I remember riding on a path and overtaking two women on roller blades and as I got close I called out "left" and then just as I was even with them one of them veered to her left and to keep her from getting into my cranks, I gave her a stiff arm which knocked her on her keester.
She was wearing head phones and never heardme.
I remember riding on a path and overtaking two women on roller blades and as I got close I called out "left" and then just as I was even with them one of them veered to her left and to keep her from getting into my cranks, I gave her a stiff arm which knocked her on her keester.
She was wearing head phones and never heardme.
11-29-04, 06:26 PM
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"...I gave her a stiff arm which knocked her on her keester..."
I've always wanted an excuse to do that!
I've always wanted an excuse to do that!
11-29-04, 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by DXchulo
"...I gave her a stiff arm which knocked her on her keester..."
I've always wanted an excuse to do that!
I've always wanted an excuse to do that!
11-29-04, 06:46 PM
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If she was about to run into him wouldn't that be self-defense? She was about to assault him.
As far as wearing headphones on the trails, I think that's also a bad idea. There are more morons on the trails than there are on the roads!
As far as wearing headphones on the trails, I think that's also a bad idea. There are more morons on the trails than there are on the roads!
11-29-04, 07:23 PM
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I like the snicking sound the chain makes
loose and clean after soaking
fresh white lightning
in the rollers
100 psi, the tire hiss
just brushes the road
listen to your lungs
fill them thruogh your nose
(so thats what all that nose hair is for)
feel the bearings
spinning in the warm grease
the power in your legs
smell the exhaust
the dryers in the subdivsion
deep fryers at burger king
loose and clean after soaking
fresh white lightning
in the rollers
100 psi, the tire hiss
just brushes the road
listen to your lungs
fill them thruogh your nose
(so thats what all that nose hair is for)
feel the bearings
spinning in the warm grease
the power in your legs
smell the exhaust
the dryers in the subdivsion
deep fryers at burger king