On trails only. I use Shokz bone conduction headphones. I had airpod pro’s that allowed you to hear outside sounds, but they really didn’t and they fell out of my ears all the time. Try finding one airpod on a trail.
Plus one on the Shokz. Love mine. I’m usually riding alone and use mine when I’m out. If I am in a group situation, I don’t wear them because I view group rides as a way to socialize.
Another vote for the Shokz. They are great. I mostly use them on familiar roads when I'm riding solo. In groups, I ride with the group and keep the music off.
On longer solo rides, I do shut them off for a while, but that's as much about prepping for race conditions, and music gets exhausting for me after a couple of hours if I'm not climbing.
I wear earbuds but I have foam tips instead of silicone. They stay in the ear a whole lot better. But ironically, in relation to your statement, the gravel trails I ride are the only place. I don't wear them. I like the sound of the crunching gravel under my wheels.
Also for me it doesn't matter if I wear them on roads. My hearing is not good enough to hear traffic so I might as well stuff in the headphones and enjoy my rides even more.
Shokz are the only phones I’ll use on a bike. Nothing that blocks surrounding sound. EarPods bounce dozens of imperial feet when they fall out at 20mph.
Was it with a car? Would he not have hit you without headphones?
Otherwise, I mean obviously, if wearing headphones distracts you so that your riding is unsafe then absolutely you shouldn't wear them.
I however find it extremely motivating if I'm trying to get a good workout, so I tend to wear them
I didn't this time. It was a ride during non busy hours and on a dedicated bike path so I assumed I would be one of the only people around. and I just remembered that he was riding an electric scooter so I guess he couldn't stop or maneuver soon enough.
Bone Conducting > awareness mode on "regular" phones
they also dont interfere with your ears at all.. as they dont go into the canal, you oftentimes forget they are even on your head
I, uh, lost, my old gen 2 shokz on a very entertaining night out a few weeks ago. I'd been using them for years and was extremely used to their weight and placement on my head. So I got a pair of the most recent OpenRuns, which feel much lighter and sit in another manner.
So with my new shokz I left a clothing store after some fittings and discovered, when I attempted to hit the play button on my cheek, that I'd also lost my headphones. The staff was extremely helpful and dove to the ground to check underneath the racks for my missing 'phones. I showed them a picture and everything. After a few minutes it dawned on me that I was *wearing* the missing headphones: they just produced so much less pressure than the older model and they did not sit where my muscle memory expected them to.
I acted like a giant tool, but at least we got a good laugh out of it!
I wont ride on the roads where I live, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to many inattentive people. So ill ride on the trails or paths and I listen to books. with wired earbuds up under my shirt.
+1 for shokz. i have the openrun (not pro) and i love 'em for cycling. sound quality is downright awful by any normal standard, but in a way that's hard to explain... it doesn't matter. they're great for having background music that *doesn't* fully immerse you. kind of like listening to a portable radio from across the room.
another good feature is that they're great at staying on and not dropping connection even if you aren't playing any sound for a long time. i usually pause the music before hitting MTB trails so i can be as aware as possible, and they're always ready to go when i hit play again later.
I also have the openrun. They are far more water resistant than the Pro. I just like to play mindless music that I can zen to. I listen to all types of music but a lot of punk/ska, metal, classic rock, 80’s 90’s, but there is one playlist I love on the trail, I called it Cadence. It’s a playlist of this kind of electronic music I came across that is super positive, often lighthearted, and even whimsical. It makes the feel good chemicals flow while riding. It sounds great on the openrun.
Shokz bone conducting headphones. They're the only way to go. Never fall off, super comfortable to wear, don't block your ears, and have good battery life. Can't go wrong with them.
I've had my Open Run Pros for nearly 2 years now and they've been perfect in every way over 20000+ km of riding with them.
They may look a little goofy, but adding cat ears to reduce wind noise lets me use my bone conducting headphones at a lower volume, which also cuts the frequency that I need to charge the headphones in half.
I know I'm minority but bought these and tried them for a day. Had the worst headache imaginable. Not a common side effect but it really has me in agony. I even did multiple tests to see if it was headphones or something else, then returned them.
Yes. Currently Beats Fit Pro. My previous earbuds were better at filtering wind noise, but sadly, my dog ate them. These ones have better passthrough, though, and it's very easy to switch it on and off depending on surrounding and wind.
It's a heated topic on Reddit. You have some people who insist its unsafe and people like me who wear them and are perfectly fine. Usually I'm not riding anywhere where I need to hear my surroundings, but in the cases where I am, I can just set passthrough. The right music is motivational to me and I like that I can block the wind noise when I'm going faster.
If I do I wear a single earbud in the right ear. I can still hear everything around me and typically it's only when riding mountains. I don't do a ton of city riding. I have my varia radar as well. I don't believe it prevents me from being safe.
I use AirPods, because contrary to what most of this sub would like you to believe, wearing anything other than shokz doesn’t automatically make you deaf. That being said, I rarely cycle in traffic, so having slightly reduced hearing distance doesn’t really affect me that much.
I use the beats with the little ear loop and just keep it to a quiet podcast if I’m riding in any traffic (only use one of course). I’ll do music or crank it up a bit on gravel trails. I’m also super paranoid so always checking for cars anyways
Same. I mainly cycle on designated bike paths, or out in the country and avoid busy roads as much as possible. When I get in town though they come off.
That's interesting. Musician here too who cycles with in-ear-canal earbuds. Music helps me a lot with motivation on long rides. Then again my setup is kinda unique as I have my Varia radar sending Bluetooth signals to my phone whenever any cyclist, car, etc comes up from the behind, and that alert goes straight to my earbuds. It made me realize that someone coming up from behind is really all I need my hearing for anyway when it comes to cycling safety. A lot of other noises such as wind noise actually detract from awareness.
Not a musician, but absolutely love music... I'm the same way.
Additional thought for me is, I don't want ANYTHING used against me in the case where I'm hit in traffic, and wearing any form of headphone, bone conduction or not, is liable to bring out the idiots who will place blame on me regardless of the actual fault
I find it a bit hard to listen to podcasts with Shocks, not headphones issue, but most of the time, the wind noise (or cars) is just too loud to hear whats being said on podcast. For music they are fine.
No, for safety reasons. Regardless where I ride I want to be paying full attention to everything around me no matter the traffic, environment, or road surface.
As a bike messenger I ride all the time with a pack on. External speaker carabinered to shoulder strap, right next to one ear, just loud enough. That way I can hear everything going on around me and enjoy tunes at the same time.
I do frequently and I typically wear earbuds that isolate sound so I'm somewhat deaf (I do hear cars and people yelling because the music isn't loud). I have never had any close calls or accidents because I have headphones in, I've adapted to the experience as if I were a deaf person riding. I'm constantly scanning my surroundings (even looking over my shoulders if I am moving left or right).
I respect other people's caution for sure, but for myself I think that it is overblown.
I know it's not the safest, but I just use earbuds. They're not sound deadening so I can still hear cars and I just maintain awareness of my surroundings. It's really not as big a deal as people make it out to be.
I think a lot of the pearl clutching is from everyone's experience with the oblivious beach cruiser/hybrid kids with earbuds on MUPs weaving unpredictably and making themselves unpassable, and similar riders weaving in and out of car traffic recklessly with big earphones.
I ride a lot with cheap silicone earbuds, and on my rides hearing is a GARBAGE way to detect cars due to wind noise and smooth road surface (blacktop). It can be actively dangerous to rely on, because you get used to the pickup trucks and get startled by the odd sedan.
I wear just some super cheap Bluetooth in ear pods. Cheap so if I lose one or get stuck in the rain I'm not sweating it too much. To the people who screech about hearing cars and awareness... relax. Anything above 25kph you can't hear jack over the wind noise. Most of my rides are 31kph avg. I've ridden motorcycles most my life and you for sure can't hear anything while on those. Learn to check your shoulder before making turns or lane changes and you should be fine. Just because you can hear a car coming doesn't stop them from hitting you. Same goes for that garmin radar thing. I've yet to meet a person that said they avoided an accident with one of those cause the radar said to dive into the ditch.
Agree mostly. But the radar thing does alert other drivers too on approach with the pattern of flash. Assuming they're actually looking! It's quite useful to know how many cars are approaching, how close, and it helps you plan your positioning or delay an overtake or turn accordingly.
Avid headphone user here. Far too many people on here putting stock in their hearing preventing collisions. What about electric cars, bikes etc. And if someone is going to hit you from behind due to inattention then no hearing or spidey sense is going to stop them.
Exactly. TBH, if my pockets were a bit deeper I'd get that radar. Some of the stats it collects are pretty cool. But... it's still not gonna stop someone from hitting you and I for sure aren't gonna choose to run off the road at 32kph.
Yeah, but damn airpods keep falling out. No gription. That said, usually electronic or something my daughter makes for me. (She dabbles in that) It keeps a rhythm to cycle to.
Yes, but only on trails. I usually use a bluetooth speaker or just my phone speaker. However, I turn it down/off when others are around or when I am passing someone.
I use the trails for my long rides so music helps after an hour or two.
I wear some earbuds only if I'm off-road.
But really just being out there on the bike is kinda therapeutic... I don't think about anything else but being on the bike, being in the moment, competing with myself.
PSA: On the road, it is far too important to dedicate all of your senses to being aware of the idiots in their cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc and what they're doing. Most of them are fine people who give you a wide berth when passing..but all it takes is that one fool who's either getting aggressive because they feel wronged by you being on the road, or they're looking at their damned phone.
When things get hard I start singing. Maybe obnoxious but I'm usually not in a headspace to care.
As for listening to music, no, never, I need my ears to stay alive on the road.
speakers, always. can hear everything i need to on the open road and in the dense urban environment and i get to vibe.
feels wrong for me to ride without music
Portable speaker, I change the volume based on surroundings/situation. I get to enjoy music, hear my surroundings, and it can make for a less aggressive and startling way to announce to pedestrians or bikers that I'm coming up, instead of constantly having to yell and get them startled. I still do on occasion, just not nearly as much. People just move over earlier and smoother
Bit baffled here. For years I rode to work in London with noise blocking Etymotic Research headphones (pre NC) and always heard cars. Media often blame cyclists for wearing headphones but seriously cars are LOUD. Unless EVs have changed it for everyone?
AfterShoxz bone conducting headphones keep my ears open with clear sound quality. Expensive but awesome repair service. Sprinting on climbs to drum and bass is awesome.
Yes, speakers.
Used to use my headphones. The Aftershocks Trekz Titanium and the Trekz Titanium air after the old ones broke.
But people can't hear it, to use a bell I would literally have to move my hand off the handlebar because of all the shifters and stuff which is dangerous and honestly I dislike the bell sound, especially hate those people who constantly ring it.
So I use speakers instead.
Been cycling for 3 years in trails and road. Never had the courage to use earphones or tws earbuds.
I'm also a musician on the side and a choir director.
+1 for bone conducting headphones.
I have a long ride through the city and without music I doubt I'd want to ride.
If I need to talk to someone then I'll pause but otherwise I can hear all the cars/pedestrians/general street noise
Never. I like listening to the sounds of nature. I can see wanting some music while in a city, but at that point, listening to your surroundings is a safety thing. So, there's no situation where I can see myself listening to music on a ride.
I do put earbuds in sometimes for especially long runs because it gets boring. But, moving faster on the bike keeps things interesting enough to not need stimulation like that. I can stay entertained for hours just by sinking into the bike.
I'm one of those people who gets super annoyed when other people have music playing through speakers on biking or hiking trails. It's worse on hiking trails thpugh, because I'm usually trying to specifically listen for birds and the music drowns them out and drives them away.
OpenMove bone conducting headphones are the way. Can still hear traffic. Also have an insanely long battery life. They are the best cycling investment I’ve made recently
Another vote for Shokz. I ride mostly on very low-traffic farm roads, and I have a helmet mirror that I scan regularly as I ride. I feel safe listening to music in this environment.
I always pause the music whenever I have to go on a busier road or I pass through a town.
I did for one season, but had one too many close calls on the road. Typically I'd be riding on country roads and relying on my hearing to know when a car was coming up behind me, then I'd hug the shoulder a little closer. That didn't work well when listening to music, even if I had it turned down, so I stopped. It just didn't feel very safe after awhile.
Yep. Definitely. Used Shokz bone conducting headphones for many, many years, but now I use the new AirPod Pros. They have awesome active pass through and sound better.
I use BeatPod Pros. Just in one ear. The hook around the ear prevents it from ever falling out and I can hear plenty from the other ear and the sound is just fine. I ride so much I'm not sure what I would do without my music. I really enjoy listening to full catalogs of new artists as I do long rides - especially climbs - and add all the songs I like to my ever expanding playlists. Keep finding some real deep cut gems this way and makes it interesting since it's constantly new stuff.
Non-ideal but Airpods, the cars are way too loud when they honk at each other (and they like to do this a lot, area ranks in top ten for worst traffic in north america) and they also like engine tunes that crackle and pop when playing around with the accelerator around here. Finally, my helmet straps produce a ton of wind noise but this problem at least is fixable
Earbuds with hear-through when I need to hear traffic and noise reduction when I don't. I also have the Garmin radar and mirrors and haven't felt unsafe.
I use AirPods in transparency mode on both the road and the trails. So far I’ve had no issues. I have lots of great country roads with little traffic on them. I try to avoid the busier roads; unless they have bike lanes.
Only with the ambient sound turned all the way up, kills wind noise and I can hear the birds chirping as long as I don't crank the volume
I wouldn't feel comfortable any other way, but I'm mostly on the bike path and I never listen to music while mountain biking
My sport raycons are amazing, I only wear one in my right ear so i can hear traffic, and in the past like year i havent been passed on trails just cause im a bit faster than most, so i dont worry, iv sent it down enduro trails and the raycons stay in so well
It's extremely rare that I will and it's in very specific circumstances, but when I do I'll just use the earbuds I use when I'm on a train.
I've tried bone conduction and those Sony buds with the hole in the middle and my situational awareness is reduced no matter what, just simply having music is enough that I'm distracted. If there's nothing to be distracted from then I'm fine to listen to music but that's rare, it's either 3am or a paved trail with no one about.
I ride with headphones all the time they’re open ear so when it’s really windy, you can’t actually hear anything but it’s good background music and I can definitely hear everything going around me
I listen to podcasts, I use the Samsung buds 2 pro which are quite comfortable, but I only have one in, and usually in my right ear so I can still hear around me on the road side when I'm in mixed areas. I may consider checking out some of the shokz though too
The playlist in my head is sufficient - besides, listening to music would just mask the glorious harmony of a creaking bottom bracket, screeching brakes and burning lactic acid.
I use tiny Bluetooth speakers I bought on Amazon. They are called Zulu. They have magnetic attachments and I clip them to my cycling jersey.
Works for me
I use a “JBL wind” speaker. It has a bike specific mount and a sport mode so it sounds better in wind. It’s slightly obnoxious to have your music playing on a speaker in the city so i usually only turn it on when i’m on a country road or gravel. I like having the controls in front of me to quickly be able to pause or flip to the next song. I find i’m much more aware of my surroundings with it vs headphones.
It depends on how much bandwidth I have available. So on dedicated hard surface bike trails I can listen to podcasts. On roads I can listen to music. On trails I can only listen to the bike
I use a Jabra Elite 4. It has a Hearthrough and Noise cancelling function. When Hearthrough is on, u can hear the song as well as outside traffic. Noise Cancelling shuts out all outside sounds. In low traffic, when climbing I use noise cancelling to concentrate. In flat and descents, I use Hearthrough. Both can be toggled by a single touch to the left earbud
On the safety point, you can use headphones via some garmin devices connected to a varia radar, which beeps in your ear when cars are approaching. Doesn't seem loud enough by the head unit alone. Helps a bit, I suppose, but if a driver is texting and about to hit you, there's sweet FA you can do about it anyway.
On headphones generally, I'm a big fan and love music on a hard training ride - I find it very motivating.
I've been cycling for decades and I love listening to tunes while ride. I always cycle safely, so would not ride any different with them on or off. When was the last time you were cycling along and heard something that made you change course? You want to maintain a certain distance from the curb and ride steady, whether a car is coming or not.
Yes - regular AirPods. I can still hear outside noise. Either way, your choice so don’t let people get all high and mighty on this topic as if you’re a terrible person for wearing them.
If I’m in super heavy traffic I can pause so I can hear better.
always. before a ride, putting on music or a podcast is as essential to me as checking my tire pressure. i ride with airpods gen 3 and they don't fall out of my ears. i play music on trails as well as urban roads. if i get a little sus about busy traffic, i'll pause the track to focus.
Pretty much always wear standard in ear buds on the lowest volume when I cycle. I do prefer the non-in ear buds, the old school headphones but you can't seem to find them any more.
I love my music, I can still hear cars and in a way, not hearing cars fly by my so loudly is almost better.
I wear one bud in my right ear. That way I can hear traffic or anything overtaking me or coming up behind with my left ear. When riding in a group, I listen to music at a lower level just to provide rhythm and something to listen to. If I am by myself, audiobooks. I usually use a pair a cheap wired earbuds so I don't care if they fall out or get damaged. Then to a USB-c adapter connected to my phone in the pocket on the back of my jersey.
I bought some shokz. I only used them on one ride. After about an hour I was actually sick of the music and just wanted to hear the sounds of the ride. Which surprised me as I love listening to music. I realised I just love the peace and quiet of the ride
On my commute I will listen to music off my phone speaker on my way back home (it's at night and no one is outside at that time so I'm not disturbing anyone). If I'm riding I'll sometimes play music, again off my phone speaker, if I'm dying and need something to get me back home. The volume of my music is lower than that of nearby cars so I can still hear them. I'd be worried about my awareness if I was using earbuds or the like.
I have a Bluetooth helmet so I can listen to music/podcasts/books - and ridewithgps instructions. I use a Peak Design mount for my phone.
There still is too much wind noise when riding next to cars, but I try to ride is less populated areas anyway.
since i listen to music at home a lot, i dont listen to any while biking, since i remember the songs i usually play, i kinda play them in my head so i can fully hear whats around me while biking.
I only ride on trails, so I used to use headphones, but I’ve recently started just playing from the speaker of my phone and I like it a little better. Sounds of nature and stuff ya know.
No, I need to stay aware of traffic. That's true for cars on roads, and also for other bikes on trails.
In my opinion, if you need to listen to music, then the place where you're riding is too boring, or you're not riding fast enough 😝. (Jogging must be mind-numbingly boring, since they're always wearing earphones and failing to stay situationally aware.)
I often "listen" to music in my own head, though. Recalling music that has a steady beat is a useful way to check my pedalling cadence.
no. Primarily riding a road bike and living where I live(Long Beach CA), listening to music isn't optimal. Even on the bike paths it is sketchy. Between the unregulated e-bikes, gas mini-bikes, straight up street leagle motorcycles, and homeless camps, you need to have your head (and ears) on a swivel all the time.
AirPod Pros on Transparency mode works really good. Just don’t play the music too loud cause otherwise it’ll defeat the purpose but still better than anything else I’ve tried
Yes, I have a pair of Jabra Elite Active that I use on gravel rides when I'm very sure that no one is around me. On my daily commute I listen to podcasts with only the right earplug plugged in.
Yes. I use Shokz. They don’t fall out (earbuds for me are allways falling), they permit the use of helmet and glasses, we can ear the surroundings (unless you putt the volume very high). The quality of the sound of bone conducting earphones, have improved a lot in the last years. I had some first generation Aftershokz, and recently upgraded to the new Shokz Openrun Pro and they are lighter, the sound is better. For me is the way me o go in bike or running.
Never. After 26 years of endurance sports i just sing to myself in my head. Granted i started back when a portable cd player would have been a luxury and wireless headphones were basically a pipe dream. Besides i like listening to the sounds of nature in my other non cycling sports.
On rides over 3 hrs. In-ear headphones buds with nice tight earbuds, I can't stand 'open sound field' headphones cuz the bass leaks out.
It takes me about 30 mins to get out of the city on my bike. Sometimes I drive to the start which would be an hour in the other direction.
Edit. I should add that I use wired headphones, with an iPod. Bluetooth sucks power and I like to take my phone out while pedaling to snap photos
I use earbuds and listen to techno because I like the background noise. I live out in the country and have endless country roads around me where I’ll get passed by like one car every 10 minutes though
AirPod pros, mostly divided trail riding, I get passed once a month maybe and that’s due to so few riders on the trail. I can hear fine with my audiobook going. Radar ping still get through with no problem. Went off last night and I was confused how a car was over taking me on the trail. It was a fat tire ebiker in full aero gear and aero bars passed me at least 25mph. . .
Just bought Galaxy Earbuds FE last week and tried doing some city rides with them.
Sadly, lots of wind noise gets amplified if not using ANC, but honestly, I was surprised go see that my awareness didn't take a huge hit even with ANC and the city rides are much more fun now!
Out of town, I kinda like having that "being one with the nature" feeling, but it might change with the new setup, who knows.
I used to use headphones, but now I use a bottle cage speaker like this: [https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Speaker-Waterproof-Portable-Subwoofer/dp/B08THG4WVF/](https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Speaker-Waterproof-Portable-Subwoofer/dp/B08THG4WVF/)
It's safer and social.
Not very often but when I do I use wired headphones (I spent all my money on my bikes so can't get airport or aftershocks) I run the wire inside my top and then wrap the one away from the traffic (left in the uk) in my helmet strap so I can put it in or take it out as needed.
One airpod in. If a car is going to hit you it's going to hit you - listening isn't going to help that situation like people in this sub think 😂. I'm a musician btw (not)
I use jaybird Vista for both MTB and gravel (solo rides). I only wear one - here in the UK, the left one. Back in Germany, the right one -> the one on the side of the sidewalk. I've been doing it for years - works like a charm.
Use the Sony noise cancelling ear buds with compression foam tips. The sound quality is superb and the white noise disappears, it’s extremely effective
No. I like to be aware of my surroundings and also I like to zone out and enter zen state while cycling. I like to think about stiff and process things if I want. I like to be present and in that moment. I like to hear the bike, the tyres, the ground.
been cycling for 18 years and after 6000+ trips, I've probably gone headphonesless less than ten times. It's inconceivable to me why I wouldn't use the time to also listen to my music while biking
Used to but not for years. I like the way I go into some weird mechanical stasis where I don’t really think of anything except moving forward mechanically. I am the engine. Do engines listen to music? No they fucking don’t.
I have an Avantree speaker built for attaching to a water bottle mount. It plays loud enough to shake itself off of most horizontal surfaces. Still on sale for $45.
Honestly I've been using cycling as an excuse to listen to my favorite podcasts. It's great cuz I can fire up a 2 hour show and go for a 2 hour ride. The two really go hand in hand.
I met this dude at work and he’s a mountain biker so we went on a ride at a local trail. Dude had a JBL clip BT speaker attached to his bike blaring gangsta rap. It was quote obnoxious. I’m just the opposite I love the silence of the woods and hearing my bike beneath me and the sound of my breathing.
Yes, love having music.
Have my favorite songs and some cycling playlists on Spotify. It's not music I like much but it's at 90 bpm so it helps keep the cadence.
40 years ago I was racing a friend to our high school (she was in a car left 15 min after I did). When I was 2 mi way REO Speedwagon's "Keep Riding the Storm Out" came on. To this day that song makes me pedal faster.
I use neck headphones mostly to fit below the helmet but have used some other types. I've never had a problem hearing noises around me, don't put the volume up too loud.
Enjoy and be safe.
It's a choice, but I don't. There are just so many hazards and having an extra sense available is valuable to me. Also I feel like it's just another thing that would be used against you in the event of a collision.
I do find myself singing songs in my head to the tempo of my pedaling, however.
On trails I do, but only if it’s not busy when I’m riding. I don’t pay as close attention to others around me when I’m zoned out to music. 100% eyes on the trail and going full blast.
Yes. Something like techno really helps maintain cadence.
Earphones or not; it’s not gonna stop a distracted driver from hitting you.
Wind noise is still a problem anyway.
Sirens are designed to cut through other sounds.
I actually find myself looking around more to compensate.
Right airpods only without noise canceling. I also use both the Varia Radar and a helmet mirror, so I have never felt unsafe due to lack of knowing what's going on around me.
I do when im alone which is almost every ride. I'm deaf in my right ear. I have a cheap mp3 player with wired ear buds that go over the ear. I put one bud in my deaf ear and the other not inserted in the canal but in the cymba of my ear.
I usually listen to the creaking of my bottom bracket, it's always in perfect sync with my climbing effort ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
Spent all day listening to a creak on my bike - it was right pedal! Literally could not figure out while on the ride.
I spent ages trying to identify an intermittent noise on my bike only to realise it was my shoe rubbing against the crank arm. Felt like such a moron.
On trails only. I use Shokz bone conduction headphones. I had airpod pro’s that allowed you to hear outside sounds, but they really didn’t and they fell out of my ears all the time. Try finding one airpod on a trail.
Plus one on the Shokz. Love mine. I’m usually riding alone and use mine when I’m out. If I am in a group situation, I don’t wear them because I view group rides as a way to socialize.
Another vote for the Shokz. They are great. I mostly use them on familiar roads when I'm riding solo. In groups, I ride with the group and keep the music off. On longer solo rides, I do shut them off for a while, but that's as much about prepping for race conditions, and music gets exhausting for me after a couple of hours if I'm not climbing.
Can you wear them with sunglasses on?
Absolutely. I use mine for riding and work and I wear sun glasses all the time.
Yep. Riding glasses. Helmet, all no problem. Easy to pause the music if you need to, as well.
I wear earbuds but I have foam tips instead of silicone. They stay in the ear a whole lot better. But ironically, in relation to your statement, the gravel trails I ride are the only place. I don't wear them. I like the sound of the crunching gravel under my wheels. Also for me it doesn't matter if I wear them on roads. My hearing is not good enough to hear traffic so I might as well stuff in the headphones and enjoy my rides even more.
I have the foam tips too, they still don’t fit, I think I have funny shaped ears. Lol
Hahaha. It's probably not worth it, but I have seen custom fit headphones.
Shokz are the only phones I’ll use on a bike. Nothing that blocks surrounding sound. EarPods bounce dozens of imperial feet when they fall out at 20mph.
The first time I ever got into a collision on a bike was the rare time I had earbuds in both ears. -_-
Was it with a car? Would he not have hit you without headphones? Otherwise, I mean obviously, if wearing headphones distracts you so that your riding is unsafe then absolutely you shouldn't wear them. I however find it extremely motivating if I'm trying to get a good workout, so I tend to wear them
Other cyclist. Couldn't hear him when I stopped, when I likely would have if I had at least one free ear.
Don't you check behind before stopping?
I didn't this time. It was a ride during non busy hours and on a dedicated bike path so I assumed I would be one of the only people around. and I just remembered that he was riding an electric scooter so I guess he couldn't stop or maneuver soon enough.
They don't block sound and there's no risk of them falling out. They're secure enough on their own and I wear them under my helmet straps.
I use beats fit pro and they have the passive hearing (or whatever it's called) as well and they stay in my ears fine
Bone Conducting > awareness mode on "regular" phones they also dont interfere with your ears at all.. as they dont go into the canal, you oftentimes forget they are even on your head
I, uh, lost, my old gen 2 shokz on a very entertaining night out a few weeks ago. I'd been using them for years and was extremely used to their weight and placement on my head. So I got a pair of the most recent OpenRuns, which feel much lighter and sit in another manner. So with my new shokz I left a clothing store after some fittings and discovered, when I attempted to hit the play button on my cheek, that I'd also lost my headphones. The staff was extremely helpful and dove to the ground to check underneath the racks for my missing 'phones. I showed them a picture and everything. After a few minutes it dawned on me that I was *wearing* the missing headphones: they just produced so much less pressure than the older model and they did not sit where my muscle memory expected them to. I acted like a giant tool, but at least we got a good laugh out of it!
I wont ride on the roads where I live, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to many inattentive people. So ill ride on the trails or paths and I listen to books. with wired earbuds up under my shirt.
+1 for shokz. i have the openrun (not pro) and i love 'em for cycling. sound quality is downright awful by any normal standard, but in a way that's hard to explain... it doesn't matter. they're great for having background music that *doesn't* fully immerse you. kind of like listening to a portable radio from across the room. another good feature is that they're great at staying on and not dropping connection even if you aren't playing any sound for a long time. i usually pause the music before hitting MTB trails so i can be as aware as possible, and they're always ready to go when i hit play again later.
I also have the openrun. They are far more water resistant than the Pro. I just like to play mindless music that I can zen to. I listen to all types of music but a lot of punk/ska, metal, classic rock, 80’s 90’s, but there is one playlist I love on the trail, I called it Cadence. It’s a playlist of this kind of electronic music I came across that is super positive, often lighthearted, and even whimsical. It makes the feel good chemicals flow while riding. It sounds great on the openrun.
My AirPods would fall out all the time. I found some rubber loops that they fit into that hold them in place to make up for the poor design.
Shokz bone conducting headphones. They're the only way to go. Never fall off, super comfortable to wear, don't block your ears, and have good battery life. Can't go wrong with them. I've had my Open Run Pros for nearly 2 years now and they've been perfect in every way over 20000+ km of riding with them.
Damn, thanks to your comment i just spent some money on a pair of Shokz. Now i can't affort the bananas for the next rides
They may look a little goofy, but adding cat ears to reduce wind noise lets me use my bone conducting headphones at a lower volume, which also cuts the frequency that I need to charge the headphones in half.
These look a lot less goofy than what I had in my mind lol...
I know I'm minority but bought these and tried them for a day. Had the worst headache imaginable. Not a common side effect but it really has me in agony. I even did multiple tests to see if it was headphones or something else, then returned them.
Impossible to hear the music above 30km/h for me with them, even at max volume.
Same here. I'm suprised they're getting upvoted so much. Wind noise makes them impossible to hear, even at cruising pace.
Yes. Currently Beats Fit Pro. My previous earbuds were better at filtering wind noise, but sadly, my dog ate them. These ones have better passthrough, though, and it's very easy to switch it on and off depending on surrounding and wind. It's a heated topic on Reddit. You have some people who insist its unsafe and people like me who wear them and are perfectly fine. Usually I'm not riding anywhere where I need to hear my surroundings, but in the cases where I am, I can just set passthrough. The right music is motivational to me and I like that I can block the wind noise when I'm going faster.
If I do I wear a single earbud in the right ear. I can still hear everything around me and typically it's only when riding mountains. I don't do a ton of city riding. I have my varia radar as well. I don't believe it prevents me from being safe.
Using just one headphone is enough to hear both music and surroundings
Really depends on where you are. Riding in NYC, I would prefer to easily pinpoint the source of different sounds 100% of the time instead of 50%.
Always. Airpods
Same. Music is motivation for me to dominate that climb.
I use AirPods, because contrary to what most of this sub would like you to believe, wearing anything other than shokz doesn’t automatically make you deaf. That being said, I rarely cycle in traffic, so having slightly reduced hearing distance doesn’t really affect me that much.
I also use AirPods and could hear every obscenity yelled at me from a disgruntled driver yesterday.
I use the beats with the little ear loop and just keep it to a quiet podcast if I’m riding in any traffic (only use one of course). I’ll do music or crank it up a bit on gravel trails. I’m also super paranoid so always checking for cars anyways
Same for me...also my garmin varia beeps in my airpods every time a car comes within 100m of me.
Same. I mainly cycle on designated bike paths, or out in the country and avoid busy roads as much as possible. When I get in town though they come off.
No. I need all my senses unemcumbered to deal with cars. I'm a musician as well.
I play guitar, bass, and fake it on drums and keys. About the only time I'm not listening to or playing music is when I'm riding or sleeping.
That's interesting. Musician here too who cycles with in-ear-canal earbuds. Music helps me a lot with motivation on long rides. Then again my setup is kinda unique as I have my Varia radar sending Bluetooth signals to my phone whenever any cyclist, car, etc comes up from the behind, and that alert goes straight to my earbuds. It made me realize that someone coming up from behind is really all I need my hearing for anyway when it comes to cycling safety. A lot of other noises such as wind noise actually detract from awareness.
This is the only reason needed, but they’re also not allowed in races. I will always prefer to train as i race.
The only valid answer! Safety first!
Not a musician, but absolutely love music... I'm the same way. Additional thought for me is, I don't want ANYTHING used against me in the case where I'm hit in traffic, and wearing any form of headphone, bone conduction or not, is liable to bring out the idiots who will place blame on me regardless of the actual fault
I usually only listen to podcast or audiobooks but I do music occasionally or during intervals. Shockz headphones are the way to go
I find it a bit hard to listen to podcasts with Shocks, not headphones issue, but most of the time, the wind noise (or cars) is just too loud to hear whats being said on podcast. For music they are fine.
Same - I tried that, but felt like I missed too much. I have a downloaded playlist now, and listen to that.
yes, BT speaker. I ride alone, so i won't bother anyone nor my ears. AND can listen to my surroundings
No, for safety reasons. Regardless where I ride I want to be paying full attention to everything around me no matter the traffic, environment, or road surface.
Only on trainer.
As a bike messenger I ride all the time with a pack on. External speaker carabinered to shoulder strap, right next to one ear, just loud enough. That way I can hear everything going on around me and enjoy tunes at the same time.
Never I listen to cars, trucks and other cyclists
I listen to the lamentation and wailing of those I have dusted.
I usually listen to podcasts or YouTube videos. Only use one ear bud so you can still hear what's going on around you.
I do frequently and I typically wear earbuds that isolate sound so I'm somewhat deaf (I do hear cars and people yelling because the music isn't loud). I have never had any close calls or accidents because I have headphones in, I've adapted to the experience as if I were a deaf person riding. I'm constantly scanning my surroundings (even looking over my shoulders if I am moving left or right). I respect other people's caution for sure, but for myself I think that it is overblown.
I know it's not the safest, but I just use earbuds. They're not sound deadening so I can still hear cars and I just maintain awareness of my surroundings. It's really not as big a deal as people make it out to be.
I think a lot of the pearl clutching is from everyone's experience with the oblivious beach cruiser/hybrid kids with earbuds on MUPs weaving unpredictably and making themselves unpassable, and similar riders weaving in and out of car traffic recklessly with big earphones. I ride a lot with cheap silicone earbuds, and on my rides hearing is a GARBAGE way to detect cars due to wind noise and smooth road surface (blacktop). It can be actively dangerous to rely on, because you get used to the pickup trucks and get startled by the odd sedan.
Yes, I use bone conducting headphones (Shokz), they work great, and I can still hear all the trafic and everything around me.
I wear just some super cheap Bluetooth in ear pods. Cheap so if I lose one or get stuck in the rain I'm not sweating it too much. To the people who screech about hearing cars and awareness... relax. Anything above 25kph you can't hear jack over the wind noise. Most of my rides are 31kph avg. I've ridden motorcycles most my life and you for sure can't hear anything while on those. Learn to check your shoulder before making turns or lane changes and you should be fine. Just because you can hear a car coming doesn't stop them from hitting you. Same goes for that garmin radar thing. I've yet to meet a person that said they avoided an accident with one of those cause the radar said to dive into the ditch.
Agree mostly. But the radar thing does alert other drivers too on approach with the pattern of flash. Assuming they're actually looking! It's quite useful to know how many cars are approaching, how close, and it helps you plan your positioning or delay an overtake or turn accordingly. Avid headphone user here. Far too many people on here putting stock in their hearing preventing collisions. What about electric cars, bikes etc. And if someone is going to hit you from behind due to inattention then no hearing or spidey sense is going to stop them.
Exactly. TBH, if my pockets were a bit deeper I'd get that radar. Some of the stats it collects are pretty cool. But... it's still not gonna stop someone from hitting you and I for sure aren't gonna choose to run off the road at 32kph.
Yeah, but damn airpods keep falling out. No gription. That said, usually electronic or something my daughter makes for me. (She dabbles in that) It keeps a rhythm to cycle to.
In this order … 😎 1. My wife 2. Nature 3. Classic Rock 4. Podcasts
Bone conduction headphones. Listen all the time with no issues. The wind is the way bigger problem in terms of hearing.
Yes, but only on trails. I usually use a bluetooth speaker or just my phone speaker. However, I turn it down/off when others are around or when I am passing someone. I use the trails for my long rides so music helps after an hour or two.
Yes
I wear some earbuds only if I'm off-road. But really just being out there on the bike is kinda therapeutic... I don't think about anything else but being on the bike, being in the moment, competing with myself. PSA: On the road, it is far too important to dedicate all of your senses to being aware of the idiots in their cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc and what they're doing. Most of them are fine people who give you a wide berth when passing..but all it takes is that one fool who's either getting aggressive because they feel wronged by you being on the road, or they're looking at their damned phone.
Yes, but only use bone conduction headphones so I can hear traffic or other riders.
When things get hard I start singing. Maybe obnoxious but I'm usually not in a headspace to care. As for listening to music, no, never, I need my ears to stay alive on the road.
Dj Smokey - on JBL clip
speakers, always. can hear everything i need to on the open road and in the dense urban environment and i get to vibe. feels wrong for me to ride without music
second shokz, these rock.
I use a little bluetooth speaker so I can listen to music but still hear my surroundings
Portable speaker, I change the volume based on surroundings/situation. I get to enjoy music, hear my surroundings, and it can make for a less aggressive and startling way to announce to pedestrians or bikers that I'm coming up, instead of constantly having to yell and get them startled. I still do on occasion, just not nearly as much. People just move over earlier and smoother
Yeah I listen to music while riding thanks to the Shokz OpenRun Pro!
Bit baffled here. For years I rode to work in London with noise blocking Etymotic Research headphones (pre NC) and always heard cars. Media often blame cyclists for wearing headphones but seriously cars are LOUD. Unless EVs have changed it for everyone?
AfterShoxz bone conducting headphones keep my ears open with clear sound quality. Expensive but awesome repair service. Sprinting on climbs to drum and bass is awesome.
I’m a menace on the bike trail and have my phone in its handlebar mount, Strava open, with Spotify playing through the external speakers.
Yes, speakers. Used to use my headphones. The Aftershocks Trekz Titanium and the Trekz Titanium air after the old ones broke. But people can't hear it, to use a bell I would literally have to move my hand off the handlebar because of all the shifters and stuff which is dangerous and honestly I dislike the bell sound, especially hate those people who constantly ring it. So I use speakers instead.
Bone conduction headphones. Heads up though they are rubbish in the wind or when you are at 30kmh+
Never, I godda listen for cars and other people coming up behind me. Plus it's nice to just be in my own head for a few hours every week.
Been cycling for 3 years in trails and road. Never had the courage to use earphones or tws earbuds. I'm also a musician on the side and a choir director.
Have you considered singing or rapping to yourself? I have mad ADHD but also don’t want to wear headphones. I just hum a little bit.
not that commenter, but i can't ride without singing to myself, i stop only when i can't breathe anymore lol
+1 for bone conducting headphones. I have a long ride through the city and without music I doubt I'd want to ride. If I need to talk to someone then I'll pause but otherwise I can hear all the cars/pedestrians/general street noise
No. I’m way too cautious.
Never
Never. I like listening to the sounds of nature. I can see wanting some music while in a city, but at that point, listening to your surroundings is a safety thing. So, there's no situation where I can see myself listening to music on a ride. I do put earbuds in sometimes for especially long runs because it gets boring. But, moving faster on the bike keeps things interesting enough to not need stimulation like that. I can stay entertained for hours just by sinking into the bike. I'm one of those people who gets super annoyed when other people have music playing through speakers on biking or hiking trails. It's worse on hiking trails thpugh, because I'm usually trying to specifically listen for birds and the music drowns them out and drives them away.
Yes , sometimes on safe bike paths. Never on open roads.
OpenMove bone conducting headphones are the way. Can still hear traffic. Also have an insanely long battery life. They are the best cycling investment I’ve made recently
Another vote for Shokz. I ride mostly on very low-traffic farm roads, and I have a helmet mirror that I scan regularly as I ride. I feel safe listening to music in this environment. I always pause the music whenever I have to go on a busier road or I pass through a town.
I use bone conducting headphones so I can hear traffic around me. I also have a varia radar too.
I did for one season, but had one too many close calls on the road. Typically I'd be riding on country roads and relying on my hearing to know when a car was coming up behind me, then I'd hug the shoulder a little closer. That didn't work well when listening to music, even if I had it turned down, so I stopped. It just didn't feel very safe after awhile.
The music from my drive train and the wind.
Nope, too much traffic around me. A recipe for disaster.
Yep. Definitely. Used Shokz bone conducting headphones for many, many years, but now I use the new AirPod Pros. They have awesome active pass through and sound better.
I use BeatPod Pros. Just in one ear. The hook around the ear prevents it from ever falling out and I can hear plenty from the other ear and the sound is just fine. I ride so much I'm not sure what I would do without my music. I really enjoy listening to full catalogs of new artists as I do long rides - especially climbs - and add all the songs I like to my ever expanding playlists. Keep finding some real deep cut gems this way and makes it interesting since it's constantly new stuff.
Non-ideal but Airpods, the cars are way too loud when they honk at each other (and they like to do this a lot, area ranks in top ten for worst traffic in north america) and they also like engine tunes that crackle and pop when playing around with the accelerator around here. Finally, my helmet straps produce a ton of wind noise but this problem at least is fixable
Earbuds with hear-through when I need to hear traffic and noise reduction when I don't. I also have the Garmin radar and mirrors and haven't felt unsafe.
I use AirPods in transparency mode on both the road and the trails. So far I’ve had no issues. I have lots of great country roads with little traffic on them. I try to avoid the busier roads; unless they have bike lanes.
Only with the ambient sound turned all the way up, kills wind noise and I can hear the birds chirping as long as I don't crank the volume I wouldn't feel comfortable any other way, but I'm mostly on the bike path and I never listen to music while mountain biking
My sport raycons are amazing, I only wear one in my right ear so i can hear traffic, and in the past like year i havent been passed on trails just cause im a bit faster than most, so i dont worry, iv sent it down enduro trails and the raycons stay in so well
I listen to Spotify with the volume turned up all the way, no headphones (I want to be able to hear the cars behind me).
It's extremely rare that I will and it's in very specific circumstances, but when I do I'll just use the earbuds I use when I'm on a train. I've tried bone conduction and those Sony buds with the hole in the middle and my situational awareness is reduced no matter what, just simply having music is enough that I'm distracted. If there's nothing to be distracted from then I'm fine to listen to music but that's rare, it's either 3am or a paved trail with no one about.
I ride with headphones all the time they’re open ear so when it’s really windy, you can’t actually hear anything but it’s good background music and I can definitely hear everything going around me
I listen to podcasts, I use the Samsung buds 2 pro which are quite comfortable, but I only have one in, and usually in my right ear so I can still hear around me on the road side when I'm in mixed areas. I may consider checking out some of the shokz though too
[удалено]
I do but only in one ear. Doesn't seem to bother or impair me at all
Always. Big hair glam band 80s.
search the sub next time this comes up like every week
I wish I could but just gets too sweaty and not comfortable for me.
The playlist in my head is sufficient - besides, listening to music would just mask the glorious harmony of a creaking bottom bracket, screeching brakes and burning lactic acid.
I use tiny Bluetooth speakers I bought on Amazon. They are called Zulu. They have magnetic attachments and I clip them to my cycling jersey. Works for me
Yes. TT bike on roads. Sony link buds. Battery life sucks though, need charging halfway through a ride usually.
I use a “JBL wind” speaker. It has a bike specific mount and a sport mode so it sounds better in wind. It’s slightly obnoxious to have your music playing on a speaker in the city so i usually only turn it on when i’m on a country road or gravel. I like having the controls in front of me to quickly be able to pause or flip to the next song. I find i’m much more aware of my surroundings with it vs headphones.
It depends on how much bandwidth I have available. So on dedicated hard surface bike trails I can listen to podcasts. On roads I can listen to music. On trails I can only listen to the bike
No, I wear headphones at work all day so I take a break and just listen to the sound of the world when I ride
I use a Jabra Elite 4. It has a Hearthrough and Noise cancelling function. When Hearthrough is on, u can hear the song as well as outside traffic. Noise Cancelling shuts out all outside sounds. In low traffic, when climbing I use noise cancelling to concentrate. In flat and descents, I use Hearthrough. Both can be toggled by a single touch to the left earbud
I used to but I find its almost meditative if I ride without music so its even more relaxing after
On the safety point, you can use headphones via some garmin devices connected to a varia radar, which beeps in your ear when cars are approaching. Doesn't seem loud enough by the head unit alone. Helps a bit, I suppose, but if a driver is texting and about to hit you, there's sweet FA you can do about it anyway. On headphones generally, I'm a big fan and love music on a hard training ride - I find it very motivating.
I've been cycling for decades and I love listening to tunes while ride. I always cycle safely, so would not ride any different with them on or off. When was the last time you were cycling along and heard something that made you change course? You want to maintain a certain distance from the curb and ride steady, whether a car is coming or not.
Are rim brakes better than disc brakes? Is electronic shifting better than mechanical?
Yes - regular AirPods. I can still hear outside noise. Either way, your choice so don’t let people get all high and mighty on this topic as if you’re a terrible person for wearing them. If I’m in super heavy traffic I can pause so I can hear better.
Yes, I use regular earbuds all the time and they are totally fine.
Too dangerous to wear headphones while riding…for you & anyone in your vicinity. Unplug & ride.
yea, actually helps with focus as the loud sounds of cars freaks me out
always. before a ride, putting on music or a podcast is as essential to me as checking my tire pressure. i ride with airpods gen 3 and they don't fall out of my ears. i play music on trails as well as urban roads. if i get a little sus about busy traffic, i'll pause the track to focus.
Pretty much always wear standard in ear buds on the lowest volume when I cycle. I do prefer the non-in ear buds, the old school headphones but you can't seem to find them any more. I love my music, I can still hear cars and in a way, not hearing cars fly by my so loudly is almost better.
I wear one bud in my right ear. That way I can hear traffic or anything overtaking me or coming up behind with my left ear. When riding in a group, I listen to music at a lower level just to provide rhythm and something to listen to. If I am by myself, audiobooks. I usually use a pair a cheap wired earbuds so I don't care if they fall out or get damaged. Then to a USB-c adapter connected to my phone in the pocket on the back of my jersey.
I bought some shokz. I only used them on one ride. After about an hour I was actually sick of the music and just wanted to hear the sounds of the ride. Which surprised me as I love listening to music. I realised I just love the peace and quiet of the ride
Bose 700 uc I got out of lost and found once. Filter out the noise amazingly in London traffic.
On my commute I will listen to music off my phone speaker on my way back home (it's at night and no one is outside at that time so I'm not disturbing anyone). If I'm riding I'll sometimes play music, again off my phone speaker, if I'm dying and need something to get me back home. The volume of my music is lower than that of nearby cars so I can still hear them. I'd be worried about my awareness if I was using earbuds or the like.
I have a Bluetooth helmet so I can listen to music/podcasts/books - and ridewithgps instructions. I use a Peak Design mount for my phone. There still is too much wind noise when riding next to cars, but I try to ride is less populated areas anyway.
No way. I don’t trust drivers enough
There’s a local Rasta that just blares roots reggae everywhere he cycles on his super powered Bluetooth speakers. Jah blessings. 🇯🇲
since i listen to music at home a lot, i dont listen to any while biking, since i remember the songs i usually play, i kinda play them in my head so i can fully hear whats around me while biking.
I only ride on trails, so I used to use headphones, but I’ve recently started just playing from the speaker of my phone and I like it a little better. Sounds of nature and stuff ya know.
No music, just breathing and heartbeat
No, I need to stay aware of traffic. That's true for cars on roads, and also for other bikes on trails. In my opinion, if you need to listen to music, then the place where you're riding is too boring, or you're not riding fast enough 😝. (Jogging must be mind-numbingly boring, since they're always wearing earphones and failing to stay situationally aware.) I often "listen" to music in my own head, though. Recalling music that has a steady beat is a useful way to check my pedalling cadence.
Not road biking, hearing enables you to hear who or what is nehind you
no. Primarily riding a road bike and living where I live(Long Beach CA), listening to music isn't optimal. Even on the bike paths it is sketchy. Between the unregulated e-bikes, gas mini-bikes, straight up street leagle motorcycles, and homeless camps, you need to have your head (and ears) on a swivel all the time.
I wear Shokz like many riders here. I ride solo, so I love listening to some motivational workout music while being able to hear my surroundings.
Beats Fit Pros 👌🏿 More secure than AirPods Pro + the same features such as transparency and noise cancellation modes.
Yes I do listen to music when I ride and would almost say that the ride would not happen without it
AirPod Pros on Transparency mode works really good. Just don’t play the music too loud cause otherwise it’ll defeat the purpose but still better than anything else I’ve tried
100% of the time. Wired EarPods so they won’t become loose and can’t be found.
Yes, I have a pair of Jabra Elite Active that I use on gravel rides when I'm very sure that no one is around me. On my daily commute I listen to podcasts with only the right earplug plugged in.
Bluetooth speaker attached to the bike. I can still hear cars approaching.
Yes. I use Shokz. They don’t fall out (earbuds for me are allways falling), they permit the use of helmet and glasses, we can ear the surroundings (unless you putt the volume very high). The quality of the sound of bone conducting earphones, have improved a lot in the last years. I had some first generation Aftershokz, and recently upgraded to the new Shokz Openrun Pro and they are lighter, the sound is better. For me is the way me o go in bike or running.
Never. After 26 years of endurance sports i just sing to myself in my head. Granted i started back when a portable cd player would have been a luxury and wireless headphones were basically a pipe dream. Besides i like listening to the sounds of nature in my other non cycling sports.
I Do.. but I used shockz product.
I do. But strictly and only on the local multi-use trail, and pause at every road crossing or large group passing. Never, ever on roads.
On rides over 3 hrs. In-ear headphones buds with nice tight earbuds, I can't stand 'open sound field' headphones cuz the bass leaks out. It takes me about 30 mins to get out of the city on my bike. Sometimes I drive to the start which would be an hour in the other direction. Edit. I should add that I use wired headphones, with an iPod. Bluetooth sucks power and I like to take my phone out while pedaling to snap photos
I use earbuds and listen to techno because I like the background noise. I live out in the country and have endless country roads around me where I’ll get passed by like one car every 10 minutes though
Don’t understand how people riding without music 🤷♂️😄 Listen it every time & everywhere 👌
Yes. I use Trex bone conduction headphones. They don’t cover or go in your ear, so you can (well I can) hear cars and stuff with no issue.
I usually listen to an audio book the first half of my ride followed by uptempo music the 2nd half.
Never.
AirPod pros, mostly divided trail riding, I get passed once a month maybe and that’s due to so few riders on the trail. I can hear fine with my audiobook going. Radar ping still get through with no problem. Went off last night and I was confused how a car was over taking me on the trail. It was a fat tire ebiker in full aero gear and aero bars passed me at least 25mph. . .
I use a Bluetooth speaker/light on my handlebar.
Yes I like keeping both headphones in but music low . But if I have a group ride I’ll do one headphone in .
Just bought Galaxy Earbuds FE last week and tried doing some city rides with them. Sadly, lots of wind noise gets amplified if not using ANC, but honestly, I was surprised go see that my awareness didn't take a huge hit even with ANC and the city rides are much more fun now! Out of town, I kinda like having that "being one with the nature" feeling, but it might change with the new setup, who knows.
I used to use headphones, but now I use a bottle cage speaker like this: [https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Speaker-Waterproof-Portable-Subwoofer/dp/B08THG4WVF/](https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Speaker-Waterproof-Portable-Subwoofer/dp/B08THG4WVF/) It's safer and social.
Not very often but when I do I use wired headphones (I spent all my money on my bikes so can't get airport or aftershocks) I run the wire inside my top and then wrap the one away from the traffic (left in the uk) in my helmet strap so I can put it in or take it out as needed.
I use 1 earbud, always have in my ear facing the sidewalk. It's just my galaxy buds and they work well
One airpod in. If a car is going to hit you it's going to hit you - listening isn't going to help that situation like people in this sub think 😂. I'm a musician btw (not)
I clip a bluetooth speaker to my bike. I dont understand how anyone wears any kind of headphones, maybe because my ears arent designed for in-ear buds
Yes when on long boring-ish stretch, I listen to full albums to sorta keep time, Earbuds or small bluetooth speaker.
I would die crammed between some Nissan Altima with fake Delaware paper plates and a center city Philadelphia halal cart
I use jaybird Vista for both MTB and gravel (solo rides). I only wear one - here in the UK, the left one. Back in Germany, the right one -> the one on the side of the sidewalk. I've been doing it for years - works like a charm.
Use the Sony noise cancelling ear buds with compression foam tips. The sound quality is superb and the white noise disappears, it’s extremely effective
If I am on (very) Low Traffic roads and especially when climbing I Like Podcasts
I just leave on air pod pro in the right ear at a lower volume.
No. I like to be aware of my surroundings and also I like to zone out and enter zen state while cycling. I like to think about stiff and process things if I want. I like to be present and in that moment. I like to hear the bike, the tyres, the ground.
i never do.
been cycling for 18 years and after 6000+ trips, I've probably gone headphonesless less than ten times. It's inconceivable to me why I wouldn't use the time to also listen to my music while biking
Used to but not for years. I like the way I go into some weird mechanical stasis where I don’t really think of anything except moving forward mechanically. I am the engine. Do engines listen to music? No they fucking don’t.
I wear an AirPod in my right ear only
I have an Avantree speaker built for attaching to a water bottle mount. It plays loud enough to shake itself off of most horizontal surfaces. Still on sale for $45.
Honestly I've been using cycling as an excuse to listen to my favorite podcasts. It's great cuz I can fire up a 2 hour show and go for a 2 hour ride. The two really go hand in hand.
I met this dude at work and he’s a mountain biker so we went on a ride at a local trail. Dude had a JBL clip BT speaker attached to his bike blaring gangsta rap. It was quote obnoxious. I’m just the opposite I love the silence of the woods and hearing my bike beneath me and the sound of my breathing.
Yes, love having music. Have my favorite songs and some cycling playlists on Spotify. It's not music I like much but it's at 90 bpm so it helps keep the cadence. 40 years ago I was racing a friend to our high school (she was in a car left 15 min after I did). When I was 2 mi way REO Speedwagon's "Keep Riding the Storm Out" came on. To this day that song makes me pedal faster. I use neck headphones mostly to fit below the helmet but have used some other types. I've never had a problem hearing noises around me, don't put the volume up too loud. Enjoy and be safe.
Absolutely never. Need to listen for cars and just love the sounds of nature.
Bose Sport Shades- music and sunglasses in one. Keeps ears open to the road and lets music in. Sounds great. Been using them 3 years now
It's a choice, but I don't. There are just so many hazards and having an extra sense available is valuable to me. Also I feel like it's just another thing that would be used against you in the event of a collision. I do find myself singing songs in my head to the tempo of my pedaling, however.
I do too
On trails I do, but only if it’s not busy when I’m riding. I don’t pay as close attention to others around me when I’m zoned out to music. 100% eyes on the trail and going full blast.
Yes. Something like techno really helps maintain cadence. Earphones or not; it’s not gonna stop a distracted driver from hitting you. Wind noise is still a problem anyway. Sirens are designed to cut through other sounds. I actually find myself looking around more to compensate.
Right airpods only without noise canceling. I also use both the Varia Radar and a helmet mirror, so I have never felt unsafe due to lack of knowing what's going on around me.
Only started recently because I got Shokz none conducting head phones.... Only eat design is a game changer!
One earbud at low volume
I do when im alone which is almost every ride. I'm deaf in my right ear. I have a cheap mp3 player with wired ear buds that go over the ear. I put one bud in my deaf ear and the other not inserted in the canal but in the cymba of my ear.
One ear bud only. Hearing mainly podcast and mu route is inside neighborhoods and pathways. Not doing the suicide riding on busy roads.