 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Hi
been looking for earphones for my sportives rides which I do solo for children's charitys.
Thought a bit of music mite help on the journey.
not so long ago I spotted one's that fit outside in front of the ear so you can still here the outside world.
Pretty sure the rules for most sportives will say 'no earphones'. I ride with earphones in when riding to/from work but only on the traffic free cycle path, I wouldn't do it riding with 100's of other people.
Not sure the fact that you do them for charity is of any relevance?
Why do you want to impair your hearing?
Just get on with it, if you can't manage without music for 100km then sing. It's not that far.
Just get on with it, if you can't manage without music for 100km then sing. It's not that far.
What about the other 40miles tho? 😉
Sennheiser fan here, great sound, and can still be aware of what's going on..
I ride with headphones all the time on the road,I would never,ever use them in a group,ever.
Oakley Thumps or some cheap chinese copies.?
I'm not a fan of any sort of added distraction when riding but these may be worth a look:
[url= http://www.aftershokz.co.uk/product-p/as500.htm ]Aftershokz Bluez 2[/url]
They transmit sound through the jawbone so it means you have nothing covering your ears.
What about the other 40miles tho?
Realise you were doing fine without the music.
I used to ride with the standard Sony in-ear headphones, although 95% of the time I would only have the left earphone in so I could still hear what was happening on the road.
For a while at least I wouldn't have considered riding without, the right tune on the right road in the right gear was an unbeatable combination.
I got fed up with the faff after a while though, and was developing an alarming 'fluttering' sensation in my left eardrum, probably due to the excessive volume required to overcome the wind noise... 😳
Actually, are you riding solo in a Sportive, or do you mean you're riding solo centuries (i.e. not 'official' sportives?).
Gary M
I just thought I would mention the rides are for charity that's all!! No need to pick me up on it.
Anyway found some, they obviously make them for some reason and I have seen plenty of solo riders out and about of a Sunday wearing headphones. So these will do. If anyone has tried them Ide like to know your thoughts on them?
Don't be frightened folkes, what difference does it make if you can here traffic approaching from behind! What do you do differently? None!!
I am confused, do you mean you enter a sportive and ride it solo ?
If you do then please don't wear earphones, it's bad form as you won't be able to hear other riders, marshalls etc. etc.
Just deal with the silence, that's one of the nice things about riding solo..........
[i]I have seen plenty of solo riders out and about of a Sunday wearing headphones. So these will do.?...Don't be frightened folkes, what difference does it make if you can here traffic approaching from behind! What do you do differently? None!! [/i]
er you said it was for using when doing sportives, not when out for a sunday solo ride. Thats two completely different situations.
what difference does it make if you can here traffic approaching from behind! What do you do differently? None!!
Didn't read this first time, this is laughable, you are obviously very green............
Don't be frightened folkes, what difference does it make if you can here traffic approaching from behind! What do you do differently? None!!
Wow... this is possibly one of the stupidest things I've seen typed in a while.
It makes a huge difference. If you've never heard a car downshift to overtake when you can see through a right hand bend that there is a car coming towards you that they won't make.. then you will be quite surprised when you get creamed. As opposed to having a fighting chance to brake in time, or find a nice verge. Well.. good luck.
I have some aftershokz - M3's and quite like them.
They don't impair your hearing and I often listen to podcasts while out by myself. I find that my brain tunes out the music/podcast when I hear something I need to be aware of.
I probably use it on 50% of my solo rides as I also enjoy the madness in my head.
They do need charging up so on a long ride I'm not sure of the battery life.
or you could just as easily get wiped out by someone not downshifting and just quietly running straight into the back of you.It makes a huge difference. If you've never heard a car downshift to overtake
Just use normal headphone set at a level where you can hear those downshift overtakers. But I wouldn't bother at all in a sportive, even if it isn't against their rules.
DaveRambo - Member
I have some aftershokz - M3's and quite like them.They don't impair your hearing and I often listen to podcasts while out by myself. I find that my brain tunes out the music/podcast when I hear something I need to be aware of.
I probably use it on 50% of my solo rides as I also enjoy the madness in my head.They do need charging up so on a long ride I'm not sure of the battery life.
You all reading this?
Thanks DaveRambo
Troll.
You all reading this?Thanks DaveRambo
Yes, and laughing at the same time.
Each to their own and all that but if I happen across you in a sportive twiddling away with earphones in then expect to get a jab in the ribs rather than a polite shout if I need to get past you.....
In fact just put my mind at rest, you don't ride in the north do you ?
Each to their own and all that but if I happen across you in a sportive twiddling away with earphones in then expect to get a jab in the ribs rather than a polite shout if I need to
Is that considered a punishment pass?
It's considered a he won't hear me pass unless he has retrained his brain like the other chap....it will be a polite jab in good nature 😉
@tragically1969 - you aren't able to simply ride around someone, without having to yell/jab/assault? It's not that difficult to overtake another cyclist while simply ignoring them - happens to me all the time from miserable roadies!
Violence solves nothing
Just use normal headphone set at a level where you can hear those downshift overtakers.
I wouldn't do this. In my experience the wind noise created by having normal headphones in means you need the volume turned up and it's much harder to hear traffic /other riders. The bone conducting headphones get around this as there is no wind noise created.
But I wouldn't bother at all in a sportive, even if it isn't against their rules.
In a sportive I'd do this. Find someone of a similar pace and have a chat. If'you don't like them/get on with them/ find out they are tragically1969, then find someone else.
@tragically1969 - you aren't able to simply ride around someone, without having to yell/jab/assault? It's not that difficult to overtake another cyclist while simply ignoring them - happens to me all the time from miserable roadies!
It's not a case of telling them to get out of the way, its a case of letting someone know you would like to pass on their right so please be aware I am doing so, a simple "on your right guys" its a polite way of coming round someone without getting their rear mech in your front wheel or put in the ditch. If they move across when you have been warned of an impending pass then they will get a polite hand on their back to stop them coming over any further
It's group riding, expect verbal commands and physical contact, its a safer way of riding than just moving up on somebody's RHS without them knowing you are there.
I wouldn't recommend earphones personally, but do agree that solo silence can get a bit boring sometimes.
I've often wondered why there isn't a market for those bluetooth speakers for bikes where they attach around the stem/bar area and play upwards towards your face.
It makes a huge difference. If you've never heard a car downshift to overtake when you can see through a right hand bend that there is a car coming towards you that they won't make.. then you will be quite surprised when you get creamed. As opposed to having a fighting chance to brake in time, or find a nice verge. Well.. good luck.
I can't hear traffic without headphones. In fact I can hear it better with headphones as there's less wind noise. What do you in your situation though? If you brake then surely you get hit from behind? If it's a reaction to the car in front the hearing thing is a red herring. How often have you ridden off the side of the road? I've never been 'creamed', nor ridden into a verge in 50,000+ miles of road riding.
Wouldn't wear headphones for a sportive though.
If you want to pass me on a sportive by all means pass me. But please don't shout out out that "man down or man passing" crap. So sad! just overtake no need to let the world know. I will wear earphones and listen to my music and I won't bother a soul. Just pass me if you want and leave me be.
If you want to pass me on a sportive by all means pass me. But please don't shout out out that "man down or man passing" crap. So sad! just overtake no need to let the world know. I will wear earphones and listen to my music and I won't bother a soul. Just pass me if you want and leave me be.
Do yourself a favour and go and read a few articles about cycling etiquette and the sport you have chosen to partake in, other than that see you on the road...........END
read a few articles about cycling etiquette
then expect to get a jab in the ribs rather than a polite shout if I need to
cycling etiquette sounds great. do you do lessons?
#rule 96 - if you're overtaking a fellow cyclist and you see telltale wires coming from their ears don't bother to give them a safe amount of room just assault them as you go past - but in a jovial manner (wouldn't want people to think you're a psychopath nutjob would you?).cycling etiquette sounds great. do you do lessons?
Get with he times
http://road.cc/content/review/124592-aftershokz-bluez-2-wireless-bone-conduction-headphones
/p>
No wires.
I use these for solo mountain biking, I don't need to hear traffic etc I only ride off road:
http://www.westoneaudio.com/index.php/products/adventure-series/adventure-series-alpha.html
I'm also very prone to breaking ear phones, these ones are built to last! I have previously broken pairs from Philips, Bose, Sony and Monster.
I don't need to hear traffic etc I only ride off road:
So what about other people, bikers etc? It's normally only when you get close to stupid ignorant joggers off in their own world that you see the tell tale wires of ignorance.
Plantronics backbeat fit for me.
I use these: [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Monster-Beats-by-Dr-Dre-urBeats-In-Ear-Headphones-Earphones-Black-/360896633115?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item54071d991b ]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Monster-Beats-by-Dr-Dre-urBeats-In-Ear-Headphones-Earphones-Black-/360896633115?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item54071d991b[/url]
Great sound quality - and most critically for cycling with - they seal well and don't fall out of your ears eva. No wind noise to speak of.
Never once have I had to suddenly ride off into the verge, in 50,000 miles of riding, either. (Or be poked in the ribs by a passing cyclist psychopath).
I'm not quite sure where all this righteous angst comes from about riding with earphones on. Would we say the same to a deaf person who wanted to ride a bike?
In my eight years of riding motorbikes and mopeds as a courier, I could never hear anything either, 'cause I was wearing a helmet. But I was constantly using my eyes to check what was around me in all directions, something I also do when road riding with headphones on.
Again... who cares if someone is jogging with headphones on? Each to their own. Live and let live. My gawd. Just edge past them, or wait for a space to pass.
The worthy righteousness of this place sometimes is a bit daft.
Again... who cares if someone is jogging with headphones on? Each to their own. Live and let live. My gawd. Just edge past them, or wait for a space to pass.
Because by the time you have had to shout really loudly so that they can actually hear that there is another person who has been trying to get their attention as the meander along in their own world oblivious to everyone else it gets a little tiresome.
Just make sure you can hear a bell, a hello or somebody saying watch out that piano is about to fall on your head.
All joggers wear them! you can Cleary see there iPhone strapped to there arm with wire going to ear.
so if headphones are not for cyclists why would road.cc review a pair??
Just ordinary ones.
I use them for my long off road training rides. Just occasionally a great track coincides with a great piece of track when I'm feeling strong and it gives me a feeling that life really is worth living.
I'm really allergic to sudden shocks so I have to be able to hear background noise - non sealing ordinary headphones work fine but I'd not wear them on the road.
so if headphones are not for cyclists why would road.cc review a pair??
Because they would have been sent some to review, and it makes copy.
On a more practical note, won't those bluetooth ones linked to get in the way of sunglass arms?
All joggers wear them! you can Cleary see there iPhone strapped to there arm with wire going to ear.
so if headphones are not for cyclists why would road.cc review a pair??
Because they're great on the Turbo (and some people wear them on the road too, doesn't mean everyone else has to be happy about the fact)? And if a jogger bumps into another jogger it's a bump, touch wheels with another bike and you're picking gravel out of the road rash and waiting for the broom waggon (with a guy pissed off that you weren't paying attention to what was going on arround you who's also missing some skin and bike is now broken, and all the people who were behind him who got brought down too).
I like my music as much as the nest person, and I do ocasionaly wear headphones on the MTB.
But on a road ride (in a group or not) I'd either be listening out for traffic, or listening out for other riders. Especialy on a sportive where you're going to be riding in a group of hundreds (if not thousands) of other riders, a significant proportion of which won't have a great deal of experience riding in large, close, groups.
It's 100 miles, talk to someone, that's the whole point of a sportive, if you're not being sociable then it's all the usual suffering of a solo ride, combined with the downsides of a big group with the benefits of neither!
"Etiquet" is just a polite way of putting it. "The rules" is poking fun at them. Call it what you want, it boils down to doing all you can to avoid being involved in a crash (and in the rules case, making your bike look 'right' to boot).
Just get ones that fit [i]your[/i] ears! The worst thing is if they keep falling out and you have to fiddle with them while riding.
LolZ at "hearing a car downshift" behind you making any difference to riding! 😆
not just on here tho is it? The rest of joe public seem to get in a tizzy about cyclists and headphones. All a load of bollocks really.The worthy righteousness of this place sometimes is a bit daft.
I've had it myself, walker ahead with stupidly loud headphones, narrow track, no way past, tiresome yeah but we're all out and about enjoying ourselves so no need to get too worked up about it.meander along in their own world oblivious to everyone else it gets a little tiresome.
If it's wide enough to pass and they can't hear or are ignoring you just pass. I don't like potentially "spooking" people but if I've rung my bell a couple of times and tried a loud "good morning" with no response then I just go for it.
[i]meander along in their own world oblivious to everyone else it gets a little tiresome.[/i]
If you did that on the road, you'd probably be dead... Or one of those bicycle riding people that just get away with riding like buffoons, whether they have headphones or not.
attach around the stem/bar area and play upwards towards your face.POSTED 1 DAY AGO # REPORT-POST
njee20 - Member
It makes a huge difference. If you've never heard a car downshift to overtake when you can see through a right hand bend that there is a car coming towards you that they won't make.. then you will be quite surprised when you get creamed. As opposed to having a fighting chance to brake in time, or find a nice verge. Well.. good luck.
I can't hear traffic without headphones. In fact I can hear it better with headphones as there's less wind noise. What do you in your situation though? If you brake then surely you get hit from behind? If it's a reaction to the car in front the hearing thing is a red herring. How often have you ridden off the side of the road? I've never been 'creamed', nor ridden into a verge in 50,000+ miles of road riding.
Have you never ridden down a road, heard a car approaching from behind and motioned for them to slow down because there's a car coming through the narrow bend towards you (or whatever), then waved to thank them for their patience? I'm surprised if you haven't done this - most drivers appreciate the communication. Maybe I'm unusual in doing this?
Loving the "I can't hear traffic without headphones" btw. 😆
@idlejohn No you're not unusual - I do it regularly
Every road user will benefit from fewer distractions: whether that's drivers on their (hands free) phones; cyclists using headphones or pedestrians with their Facebook updates.
Shure ear buds for me, can remember the model, but they're all good.
Very secure, sound awesome, and can't hear a thing from the outside world!
IMO You don't need to hear anything to ride, motorcyclists have been doing it forever (ear plugs), and deaf people aren't banned from cycling.
Each to their own though, whatever makes you happy. 🙂
Each to their own though, whatever makes you happy.
I'm just happy with maximum awareness of my surroundings. My brain can cope without music for many hours, turns out I'm just special 😉
I had a set of the bluetooth aftershokz.
Really liked them for running and for wearing about the house. Quite strange to be having a conversation, but still have music. Even more so when you put your fingers in your ears and the music carries on, but clearer!
But, out on the road bike I couldn't get over the amount of wind noise. Meant I had to have them at full whack, which meant when I slowed down it was too loud. It's an excellent idea and I liked not having wires, but I ended up sending them back...
The mountain bike was better as the average speeds were lower.
I've now gone back to a single left ear bud on a low to moderate volume so I can hear what's around me.
I like music as much as the next man but when cycling , road or MTB I actually really enjoy the silence or the sounds of nature that you hear , It's something I find really relaxing . Also some of my best thinking is done while cycling . Each to their own I guess but earphones must mean you are not as aware of your surroundings and have more chance of having an accident I would have thought .
This thread needs to differentiate between riding on your own and using headphones and riding in a bunch. Completely differnt scenario IMHO.
Riding solo but in a sportive. what problem would it cause?
Ant77 what a great idea!
I ride to see, feel, smell and hear on a bike. Are you that uncomfortable with your own company OP?
Why do I want some waubbling on in my ears when I could experience the countryside fully?
Madness.
[i]I ride to see, feel, smell and hear on a bike. Are you that uncomfortable with your own company OP?
Why do I want some waubbling on in my ears when I could experience the countryside fully?
Madness.[/i]
I listen to music on the traffic free bits of my commute, I don't get much opportunity to listen to music so the 90 minutes a day I get to do it when riding is great. I can still think when I listen to music and I really do like my own company.
When I get on the road I turn the music off though, I just don't like the distraction but each to their own.
I would never consider using earphones in a sportive though, it's just rude.
All joggers wear them! you can Cleary see there iPhone strapped to there arm with wire going to ear.
so if headphones are not for cyclists why would road.cc review a pair??
With your level of understanding of both running and cycling, you should really think of taking up triathlons. For charity obviously.
Why don't you just listen to the voices in your head??? 😯
It's what I do............
Riding solo but in a sportive. what problem would it cause?
Have you ever actualy ridden a sportive, there will be litteraly hundreds if not thousands of riders arround you, passing you, being passed. Talk to them, in amongst the Mamils there are some right characters, last (and only) one I did I spent most of the route with a guy in his late 70's on some retro Italian exotica doing it in the full waistocat, necktie and trousers he'd had his tailor remove the crotch seam from for cycling! Looked like he was off to the shops circa 1890 not off for 100miles of hills!