kickstart

Unfortunately much of the music that gets played out loud in public is as disgusting as bodily fluid.

The "music" of silence and nature belongs to everyone, but can be taken away by only one.

Hugh Morris

I mean, no one else gets to really LISTEN to my music, unless they make a point of staying on my wheel. People are just getting a doppler effect altered snippet of one song of my choosing (unless we're stopped together). I can see how that would be annoying in a soundscape otherwise comprised of natural sounds. In a city; sorry, you have to deal with a lot more than just me. My footprint isn't a big one in the grand scheme so I opt to allow myself some extra happiness on the road.

I don't think I'm farting in the elevator, is my point.

EDIT: oh, and meant to say I can totally understand not enjoying other people's music. Especially when not even getting a chance to actually listen. But yeah, music choice is subjective and generally I'm not a fan of what other speaker-using cyclists are playing.

Marcus_Ti

Except you can hear the damn things 100s of feet away.

I had a motorcycle with speakers cranked go by me...I was having his "music" inflicted on me until he was at least a 1/4mile down the road....and the damned engine noise another 1/4mile after that, as well as a 1/2 mile preceding him.

mr geeker

I sing to myself when I ride. Sometimes the songs are made up as I go along, other times they are legitimate songs that for what ever reason are stuck in my head. That's the music I listen to. And yes, I occasionally get funny looks from folks who happen upon me while doing so.

DrIsotope

Did another 35 miles this morning, with the Boombot streaming Pandora the whole way. Amazingly, no one died. I mean, what are the odds? There should have been at least one other cyclist killed by the music, and I should have (statistically) been killed by a truck. I will continue to defy the odds. Sally forth, etc, et al.

megalowmatt

It's great you made it out alive but just think of the lives you ruined of those who had the misfortune of hearing your toxic music. And be sure to post your play list so we can criticize it and feel better about ourselves.

Trueblood

hahahahahahha, you're right, given all that, statistically you really shouldn't bother with a helmet. What are the odds?

Daniel4

I just purchased this at The Source (formerly Radio Shack).

https://www.thesource.ca/estore/Produ...roduct=8015478

I tested it at the store to ensure there's no static at my favourite station but it does take 4 AAAA batteries.

The cylindrical shape makes it easy to tie it either to the handlebar or toptube. I can even slip it through the headband of my headlamp on my helmet.

RoderWrench

I fear you didn't learn your lesson. Instead of focusing on how your ears saved you, you should focus on how your lack of a head turn almost got you killed. Relying on your hearing is a terrible way to navigate the streets. Yes, that minivan shouldn't have been there. The fact is, there was a possibility a vehicle could have been there. Therefore a head turn was required to safely make a turn. You were really lucky to hear that faint rustling. Had you been in an area with more ambient noise, I probably wouldn't be replying to your post.

A rider listening to music, with his head on a swivel is much safer than someone riding with tunnel vision.

PaulRivers

That's my opinion as well. I feel safer wearing headphones than not, because my brain sometimes it can rely on my hearing to hear cars behind me, when the only thing that's actually affective is to actually look. Wearing headphones makes my brain realize that I'd better look - which is far far safer than hoping a car passing me is making enough noise to hear it.

You can't rely on your ears for knowing what's behind you, you have to look.

bmthom.gis

^+1 to this right here. I always make the assumption there is a vehicle where it shouldn't be and do a quick look. The only close calls I have had were cars trying to turn left from the other way into me.

I-Like-To-Bike

True, following is a list of ILTB approved Real Deal Music™ for listening to only with a personal device while cycling. I listen to this playlist on my mp3 player when I like a change of pace from audio books. Note that I would find it (or any other kind of music, good or bad) offensive to have to hear it coming from anybody's external speakers/boombox. Noise pollution from boomboxes played in public spaces were a public plague decades ago and still are.

The approved list:
Albert King - Personal Manager
Alicia Keys - Fallin'
Aretha Franklin - (Pride) A Deeper Love
Aretha Franklin - Gentle On My Mind
Aretha Franklin - Groovin'
Aretha Franklin - I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)
Aretha Franklin - i never loved a man
Aretha Franklin - Jimmy Lee
Aretha Franklin - Oh Happy Day
Aretha Franklin - Pitiful
Aretha Franklin - Prove It
Aretha Franklin - Tracks Of My Tears
Aretha Franklin - You Send Me
Bill Withers - Lean On Me
Bill Withers - Lovely Day
Bill Withers - Use Me Up
Bill Withers - Who Is He
Billy Ocean - When The Going Gets Tough
Billy Stewart - I Do Love You_original
Bo Diddley - Mona
Bo Diddley - Who Do You Love
Buddy Guy - First Time I Met The Blues
Buddy Guy - Red House
Buffalo Springfield - For What Its Worth
BusBoys - Boys are Back 48 Hours
BusBoys - New Shoes 48 Hours
Carly Simon - All I Want is You
Carly Simon - Coming Around Again-Itsy Bitsy Spider
Carly Simon - Nobody Does It Better
Carly Simon- The stuff that dreams are made of
Clyde McPhatter - Little Bitty Pretty One
Curtis Mayfield - Pusherman
Cyndi Lauper - True Colors (Junior Vasquez Gay Pride Mix) 1
David Bowie - Changes
David Bowie - Fame
Deborah Cox - Who Do You Love RARE Junior Vasquez DMC remix 1
Edwin Starr - War
Etta James - I'd Rather Go Blind
Four Tops - 7 Rooms Of Gloom
Four Tops - Bernadette
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes - The Love I Lost
Ike & Tina Turner - Come Together
Ike & Tina Turner - River Deep, Mountain High
Ike and Tina Turner - ***** Tonk Woman
Isley Brothers - Love The One You're With
Isley Brothers - Spill The Wine
Jackie Wilson - Higher And Higher
Jackie Wilson - Lonely Teardrops
James Brown - Ain't That A Groove
James Brown - Bewildered 192
james brown - cold sweat
James Brown - Get on Up
James Brown - I Got That Feeling
James Brown - prisoner of love
James Brown - There Was A Time
Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls Of Fire
Jerry Lee Lewis - Wild One
John Lee Hooker & Bonnie Raitt - I'm in The Mood
Kirk Franklin - Gonna Be A Lovely Day
kirk franklin - Hosanna
Kirk Franklin - Revolution
Kirk Franklin & God's Property - Stomp (Remix Featuring Kirk Franklin & Salt).mp
Kirk Franklin feat. Mary J Blige - Lean On Me
Lionel Richie - Night Shift
Lionel Richie - All Night Long-6minutes
Luther Vandross - Love The One You're With
Luther Vandross - Lovely Day extended ver
Luther Vandross - Power Of Love_6min
Luther Vandross & Janet Jackson - Best Thing in My Life are Free
Martha & The Vandellas - Heat Wave
Muddy Waters & Bo Diddley - Who Do You Love
Pointer Sisters - Ill Take You There
Pointer Sisters - Jump (For My Love)
Pointer Sisters - Yes We Can Can
Prince - I Would Die For You
Prince - Let's Go Crazy
Prince - Sign O The Times_albumtrack
Prince - The Max
Quicksilver - Mona
Quicksilver - Who Do You Love
Rod Stewart - Forever Young
Rod Stewart - Street Fighting Man
Rod Stewart - Young hearts be free tonight
Rolling Stones - Can't You Hear Me Knocking_Long
Rolling Stones - Dancing with Mr D
Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter
Rolling Stones - Its All Over Now
Rolling stones - mannish boy
Rufus & Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
Rush - Not Fade Away
Sam and Dave - I Thank You
Sam and Dave - Wrap It Up
Sam And Dave - you dont know what you mean to me
Shanice and Brandy - Missing You
Slim Harpo - Shake Your Hips
Spinners - Games People Play
Spinners - I'll Be Around
Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way (Extended) 1
Them - Baby Please Don't Go
Them - Get Your Kicks On Route 66
Them - Mystic Eyes
Them -One Two Brown Eyes
TINA TURNER - BETTER BE GOOD TO Me
Toby Mac ft. Kirk Franklin - Throw Yo Hands Up
Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
Viva Elvis - Blue Suede Shoes
Viva Elvis - Burning Love
Viva Elvis - King Creole
Viva Elvis - Suspicious Minds
Viva Elvis - Viva Las Vegas
Whitney Houston - How Will I Know Junior Vasquez Mix
Whitney Houston - Its Not right but its ok
Whitney Houston - Love That Man (Peter Rauhofer Retro Remix) 1
Whitney Houston - So Emotional
Whitney Houston - Step By Step
Who - Magic Bus
Who - Baba O'Reilly
Wilson Pickett - Don't Let The Green Grass Fool You

RoderWrench

Carly Simon- Nobody Does it Better??? While your riding??? Oh dear.

Goriot

Night rides, when no one is around, I just put my iPhone in my bike shorts and play some music. Usually can only hear it when slow/stopping anyways.

Nowadays, I ride with the standard iPhone headphones, but only put one ear in (right side). That way I can even chat with people if necessary and its very easy to control volume etc.
I purchased a blue tooth headphone system (Jabra Sport) but it wasn't worth it. It was $100 and its pretty low quality- my music sounds like there are tons of expletives (lots of breaks in the music/pod casts) which is really annoying. Further, the bluetooth is terrible for voice, and no one can hear me while I'm riding- whereas with the standard iPhone headphones, people are always surprised I'm biking.

Yes there are definitely safety issues with having music playing / having an earbud in, but it does make the commute so much better and I still feel I'm paying more attention to the road than a driver doing the same thing.

PatrickGSR94

Trolling huh? Right. I never use headphones or 'buds for biking, running etc. because I want to hear my surroundings. A small bluetooth speaker should not be lumped into the same category, because there is just no way a little speaker is going to drown out wind noise and surrounding traffic when there is nothing actually in or over your ears.

With a BT speaker I can hear the music AND hear my surroundings. In many instances the surroundings drowns out my speaker even at max volume.

Now, having said all that, if I were in a situation with many other cyclists around me, like in a dense, busy urban setting with lots of commuters, I probably would not have music at all. But that's just me. I know people who do use speakers in such settings, and it's really not a big deal.

I did a midnight charity ride back in August along with hundreds of other people, and used my speaker for that ride. Lots of other people on their bikes also had speakers with music playing. Nobody really cared. One dude rode alongside me for a bit, bopping to my music and was like "what are we listening to, dude??" We chatted for a bit and he rolled on past.

alan s 

Here's my playlist:

kickstart

Wow, we have the same playlist.

PatrickGSR94

My playlist consists of Above & Beyond's (UK electronic music DJ and producer trio) 2-hour weekly podcast. That's pretty much it.

rmfnla

Most of the people I see with music on their bikes are the ones who look homeless and have an old boombox taped onto an old beater bike...

chefisaac

Do you ask their play list?

I-Like-To-Bike

Your point is...?

I-Like-To-Bike

Some people may prefer a playlist of obnoxious street noise and cacophony.
To each their own.

Jim from Boston

FYA, my playlist is posted on my profile page 2; about half the songs are before 1950, and only a couple after 1980: Swanee (Al Jolson)…Legs (ZZTop).

alan s 

Some people need a playlist that will drown out negative thoughts.

Daniel4

Listened to live radio on my morning commute. Pretty cool. I like it.