Yes! How else can I enjoy myself during those 5 hour rides. In any case, I can turn off the noise canceling so I can just hear approaching cars. I am also very aware of my surroundings. Aside from that, it might be a bit more unsafe, but much more enjoyable.
I listen to podcasts, but use Trekz Bone Conduction Headphones. This allows me to still hear traffic and in busy areas I can stop the sound at the press of a button.
When my wife and I got into cycling, she would wear a pair of in-ear headphones during her solo rides. I was worried she may not have full situational awareness so I got bone conduction headphones for the both of us (aftershockz). They work great because you can listen to your favorite tunes while also remaining aware of the surroundings.
My ears are a good way to judge where traffic is coming from, how close they are, whether it's safe to go through intersections, change lanes etc. I've only tried wearing headphones on a bike once and it immediately turned me from a confident rider who enjoys going fast and overtaking cars, to somebody who feels in danger and out of my element, having to double check everything in order to be safe enough. Saying that listening to music on headphones is no less safe only makes sense for me if people are not checking for traffic anyway and leave it up to car drivers to see them and not hit them. Which might be totally ok in countries with acceptable bicycle infrastructure, but here? I don't know how people do it and it leads me to think it's more like they are oblivious to danger than coping with it better than I do.
@@mecoollearoyd Obvious trolling, but, equally obviously: Being deaf is not the same as hearing and suddenly not using it the way you are almost subconsciously used to relying on it. Regardless, we should focus on building safe bicycle infrastructure and ending car-centric planning, which would make everyone's daily life far more humane besides hugely safer for cycling. In the meantime, both for them and for the common good, the more people cycle, the better and I would never advocate for any group to refrain from doing so, but it doesn't make sense that people would willingly give up some good safety practices like using their hearing to its full potential. Similarly, I may not understand how some people never look behind, either cause their body is not flexible/familiar to cycling enough, or because they cannot do it and keep going in a relatively straight line, yet they act like it doesn't matter and rely on others not to hit them. But it would be cheap to claim that I'm trying to say that anyone with mild balance/myoskeletal problems should be banned from cycling.
@@pinky6863 Nice. When I tried with headphones, I had the music low enough to still hear noises but still it messed with my sense of direction and proximity. When your hearing can tell you pretty accurately if a car is 3 or 7 or 10 or 15 meters behind you, I feel like I would be wasting what has kept me safe countless times in this car-centric jungle where I live. I mainly stick to whistling jazz solos, to the dismay of fellow riders.
@@PinkAsAPistol I don't believe its trolling at all. Even with 100% hearing efficiency not hearing a car that is behind you doesn't mean that its not there and that belief can kill you. Always check behind before you do anything and after that clearly signal your intent.
Make sense -- and the opposite might make sense too -- if you trust your ears so much that it boosts your confidence, that might the exact time you miss something quiet but dangerous; or multiple sounds that cancel each out, etc. Whereas forcing you brain/body to confirm everything 2-3x with your eyes might be ultimately safer. visual confirmation - even 2-3x times becomes both second nature and ultra quick once it's a habit.
As many have already mentioned, I’m on team bone conduction headphones. Keep my ears open for potential dangers while listening to the music that helps me to destress or pump me up depending on my mood. ❤
100% of the time. Used to use a single Beats Pro earbud in the right ear (so I could hear cars with the left ear - US/Europe). Then I got my first pair of Aftershokz bone conduction earphones about 18mos ago and it was a total game-changer. I can now listen to music or audiobooks while still being able to hear traffic, chain rub or any other warning signs. Highly recommend them!
I am lucky enough to live in an area of the country where I can cycle for hours without having to go through any towns, only tiny villages. I always listen to music when riding alone but only have my left earphone in, so the side not facing traffic
Ey nice seeing more and more people going to conduction headphones, use them as well… how good is the radar though? Does it show on e.g. a wahoo bolt unit? Thanks if you know sth
@@rafaelpalm4028 I use the radar and I get notified a car or cars are behind about 100 meters back. They show up at dots on the side of my headunit screen. I feel significantly more comfortable since I have it now. As to how it pairs with Wahoo I am not sure. I use Garmin.
As a runner - don't judge me - I used to listen to music but I would never do it whilst riding my bike. Not being fully aware of my surroundings, especially in busy areas is a big no.
Regarding headphones, I love music so much that I never need headphones. I always have background music playing in my mind. Whenever I am riding my bike on quiet roads, I can hear my music as clearly as if I were wearing earbuds. It’s a wonderful thing to be gifted with.
As a cyclist, wind noise is usually present and loud enough to make it harder to hear cars at a distance. The ear plugs block that soda bottle effect, thus helping you. Just don't pump up the volume too much. Would we prefer they carry ghetto blasters?
Listening to music or something else only with earphones, that do not lock out other sounds. Racing on the road is also a no go, I once nearly run over such an idiot with the car, despite keeping enough distance during passing. But this lunatic changed the line by 1,5-2 meters (out of the designated cycling lane) right in front of me. Thank god the lane was wide enough and no other car on the oncoming lane, so I could avoid an accident
I listen to music but would never wear head/earphones in a million years! I put a JBL Flip 5 speaker in my bottle cage(fits perfectly) and listen to it via that. It's dual purpose because I get my motivational tunes, all the peripheral traffic sounds plus when I'm riding urban or on a canal path it means those in the vicinity hear me from 20 metres away, no need for shouts of 'Excuse me' or bells that irritate some pedestrians/walkers. Earphones is just an accident waiting to happen, especially whilst town/city riding.
I never listen to music and don't like when others do. I have had on multiple occasions people (cyclists and pedestrians) swerve in front of me as I am passing them because they couldn't hear me yelling at them that I am about to pass them. In the one instance it was either run into a fence or go over the handle bars to avoid hitting the person. I chose over the handle bars and the person never even noticed.
Bone conduction headphones are popular among my riding friends; as you can imagine, they don't inhibit your regular hearing at all (unless your music is too loud your brain is just distracted). Also, unless you have a posh road bike, I reckon you should totally take them off road if you want to XD
They may not inhibit hearing per se, but they still mask noises just a bit, along with providing a distraction. I contend that one does not perceive a car coming until it's closer to you (even bone conduction phones) than if you were listening to nothing at all.
I do listen to podcasts while I ride, but I've gone through a bit of a journey with it. When I started listening, I used an old set of bluetooth earbuds, and only in my right ear (opposite side of of passing traffic in the US), but even just using one earbud severely hindered my ability to hear other road users, and I didn't like how often I was surprised by passing vehicles. So I looked into bone conduction headphones and bought a set, and they are perfect for riding. Their sound quality isn't great for music, but they work well for spoken word, and because they leave your ear open, they are way less disruptive of my listening for other road users, so I almost never get surprised by passing vehicles anymore. If you must listen while you ride, I highly recommend bone-conduction headphones.
Noise cancelling headphones have a mic in them used in the noise cancelling. As a result many have a mode where they add the environmental sounds to the music.
Re listeining to music while cycling, I use ear-pods that have a "transparency" feature which makes it possible to listen to my music or Google Map voice direction AND hear the traffic too. Many over ear head phones cancels out the surrounding sound. As long as the cyclist makes sure that they can hear the traffic etc., all should be fine!
I used to always wear noise canceling AirPods but thinking they might be unsafe, I switched recently to Shokz bone conduction headphones and I really like them. Took getting used to the noises around me but I’m happy with it.
Bone conduction headphones are great. I can listen to music, podcasts, audiobooks etc., and still hear everything around me. One great feature is that I can easily click them off and on, so if I need extra attention going through a town (or want to enjoy the quiet of the countryside where I live) I simply click them off. Long solo rides go really well with a good audiobook 😎
I have rarely used in ear headphones riding, but I did use a single Bluetooth communication headset ( 1 side) which left 1 ear "open" to hear what's around. I recently received a set of shokz bone conduction and have started using them. Very cool!!
Transparency mode on newer noise canceling headphones is a super nice feature. On a closed track I can turn on noise canceling and ride, and then turn on transparency when I’m on a road and need to listen for traffic.
So I do listen to music when riding alone, if my route is out on quiet farm roads with very little traffic, usually Motown and similar uptempo / feel good songs, but when riding with other cyclists it's all about the conversation out on the road. Second clip point - a came across a snake on the road just last Friday, a water moccasin that lunged at me when I passed it by. Not the firs time it happened. A few years ago I was something waving in the road about 1/4 mile ahead like a ribbon or similar object. As I got closer I realized it was a large water moccasin that was reared up about a foot high. As I passed on the opposite lane of the road, it sharply struck at me and was about 1 to 2 feet from getting my right leg. These swamp snakes are no joke.
Hi from Philippines, I always use earbuds when doing a solo training. Making music as my companion, you just need to be alert all the time while your buds are on.
I used Bose Tempo sunglasses - no in-ear pieces. Traffic, if its here, overwhelms it and I can hear everything else around me. They're a joy on longer solo-rides. And where I live, there are a hell of a lot of dedicated cycle lanes, so why not? Not much threat from traffic.
I use a bt radio strapped to my frame. Helps others hear me coming in traffic. Not a racer, or even really interested in races for that matter. But ran along side one on accident. It was a quiet ride that inclined a stint on an island. On the far side of the island, only one road, and there was a small triathlon. By the time I realized what was happening, the only option I had was to ride through, in the wrong direction at that. At least I was on a mtb and rode out of the way.
I commute in London and use bone induction headphones which feel like the best of both worlds. the sound is surprisingly passable and you can still hear the traffic.
Yes, I listen to music while riding. About 5 years ago I purchased AfterShokz bone conduction headphones (now called Shokz) and was amazingly surprised. Since these are an open ear device I can listen BUT still hear the ambient sounds such as traffic noise, dogs etc. I highly recommend an open ear device. Additionally, with the Shokz there is no wire to get tangled up with, like with earbuds.
I have been using heatshrink for years, the metal endcaps are stupid! The bonus is that if the heatshrink is installed (ie shrinked) before the final cut of the cable, there is no way the cable will fray (it may happen, if you cut the bare cable).
5:30 “Don’t race on busy roads..!” 11:00 “Also watch our ‘ultimate checkpoint challenge’ around Barcelona…” 😅😂😵💫 Im sure it’s a good watch. But seeing the preview; those pedestrians scrambling to get out of the way? …for a biker wants to get as many pictures as possible?!?! Hope no amateur follow this lead ✌️
Totally agree with Dan on how bad it looks for a club ride group to be going absolutely full tilt, all over the road sprinting for 30 mph signs. I have witnessed this from my own clubs rides and have always said it should not be allowed. I have seen people take huge risks on main roads, pulling out without looking, just to get a jump on other riders. Some of our club riders have actually been hurt in crashes at these mindless sprints for 30 signs. That's all fine in a race as the roads are generally closed or at least marshaled but in normal group runs it's just not appropriate. What does it look like from the perspective of other road users who see this group of cyclists suddenly fan out across the road in a full blown race. We, as cyclists are always giving out about motorists racing and abusing the road, making it more dangerous than it should be. How can we argue with anyone if we are behaving this way ourselves? Leave the racing for the race. That's what I say.
What riders in my area do, but I am so sick of ... "Oh, it's a B ride. Totally conversational and fun. No worries!" Proceeds to absolutely jam the throttle the minute they hit the first climb outside of town. Bye, guys ... been nice and fun conversing with 'ya.
Twice I've witnessed some minor accidents between riders within one month. In both occasions, at least one of the rider is wearing earbuds. I've worn open air, uncupped helmet headphones before that doesn't compromise hearing but you still need to turn the volume down so you can hear anything on the road and even with the music volume turned down, the music still caused some distraction so I stopped listening to music in rides anymore. I ride in busy roads all the time.
I use the wired Sport Bose headphones whilst cycling. These have been specially tuned not to block ambient noises and I can clearly hear car engines as they approach. I've used them for 8 years or so and is the main reason I still use them even though they have now been discontinued.
I actually find that noise cancellation makes me hear traffic better since it cancels mostly white noise. A vehicle would have to be dozens of meters away to be considered white noise.
As a critic of the car-centric world we live in, I am constantly confronted with phrases like "cyclists are the one making streets unsafe and putting themselves in danger when putting headphones in" - even from my own family. I tell you what: Why am I not allowed to listen to music when I weigh 2 tonnes less than a car, when I am at least 30 km/h slower, have no dead angles and can still hear what's going on in the streets through the music? While car drivers can pump up their speakers all the time and are in an enclosed box so that even without music they won't hear anything going on in the street? I think the debate distorts the reality because the real danger on the streets are not cyclists. Nevertheless, don't put yourself in danger, even if you're right about it. Stay safe out there! Edit: after continuing with the video and seeing the results of the study I can confirm them. I am much more stressed in busy areas when exposed to the crushing sounds of passing cars and trucks - anything that reduces this noise and music helps me to stay more calm and ride safer.
Shokz bone-conducting headsets - they leave your ears wide open for outside sound. However, two points: 1) Can a cyclist REALLY respond to an overtaking auto by simply judging the auto's intention from sound? I think not. 2) If your point against headsets is that they prevent the cyclist from hearing the traffic noises, don't hearing-impaired cyclists have as much right to ride as those with hearing?
One thing that gets me is cyclists who go through red lights or mount footpaths nearly hitting pedestrians just to skip the red light… doesn’t look great.
Would love to see GCN do a video on listening to music. e.g. bone conducting headphones, in ear headphones, apple AirPods have transparency mode. I'd love to listen to music on longer rides in quieter areas, but haven't yet had the confidence to do so
@@gcn minor tire leak before you go flat, slight chain rub precedes dropped chain, minor chain clatter at the back precedes jumped cog just as you stand up to accelerate, rider behind you overlapping your wheel just before you hook him down by accident, car overtaking you but still not in your line of vision, then he shocks the heck out of you, that tiny stone caught in your brake pad, traffic sounds in general and the keeping-you-safe consciousness they bring
The Rick, Steve and Karl XFM radio shows have to be the best audio ever created. I listen to it at least once a day. Don’t know how you did it riding a bike, I’d end up falling off.
Guilty as charged. Last Saturday I deliberately planed in some gravel sectors in my road ride. „Can‘t be too rough around a golf course“ I thought. How wrong I was. It contained everything from off camber to carrying bits. More cyclocross than gravel worlds.
I bike commuted for years with ear buds, and it as not a big deal. I could still hear traffic just fine. I found that no matter if I ore them or not the drivers were just as bad. I tried various musical options, podcasts, etc and no matter what I did drivers still used their phones, ignored traffic laws, and ignored the safety paint protecting me from them.
Not sure the headphones/no headphones is the right question -- the question is what aversion moves do you regularly do on the bike because of your surroundings (particularly those from behind (can't see)) -- the likely answer might be none, or infrequently. Or asked differently when was the last time you swerved to the outside to just miss getting hit from behind? We all hear cars approaching from rear (even with headphones) -- when/how do you determine it's time to make an aversion move vs letting the car whiz by a few feet away from you? and would headphones change that decision? i ride as far to the right (US) as possible amidst all the gravely bits -- often there's nowhere to avert to even if i did feel the need. I do pull off sometimes if i hear a larger engine noise on a small road -- headphones or not. Garmin radar is a good companion headphones or not -- to nudge you over when needed.
The logic behind not wearing headphones makes sense on the surface, but if a motorist not paying attention approaching from behind is going to hit you, whether you have headphones in or not won't change the outcome will it?
‘06 ish, I used my running arm band to attach my dell mp3 player to my stem, and tucked the ear buds in my helmet (that covered my ears) to list to music. One day I had my first real crash because I was changing songs looked up and was heading for a tree because the path turned sharply. I bailed out. I gave up listening to music afterwards. The last decade or so I run or ride, listening to nothing.
I listen to my pro beats when I ride alone, and I live in Los Angeles, I ride thru busy traffic. I notice no diff. when they are in or out, except when they are in, traffic, although still audible, is noticeably more calm as loud vehicles and motos, buses etc, are reduced to a more calming level and not quite as "oh sh**te" when they ride up on you
I used to work in a grassland park that was known rattlesnake habitat. Rattlesnakes are quite good at feeling the vibration of someone walking by, and will usually shake their rattles to let you know you're getting too close. Rolling bike tires, on the other hand, are not so easy for them to feel. More than a few times I rode by one hiding in the bush, only to have it hiss and rattle when I was just about on top of it. I think everyone in the park heard my reaction whenever it happened.
I wear AirPod Pros in Transparency Mode and feel 100% safe. I hear cars coming from the rear and it reduces wind noise. However a couple times I didn’t check and it was in Noise Canceling Mode. That IS dangerous. Cars back surprised me every time I accidentally had it in that mode. I check every time I go out now.
Earphones or no earphones may be too binary. I ride with one earphone. On the curb side. I can hear all. But have backing music to my ride. I ride mainly on country roads and it is definitely better to hear cars approaching as some pass close and at speed.
I got given a ticket once while riding my bike with headphones. It was a highlight for me to listen to music while going for long rides. I stopped after I got the ticket but I feel like I lost one of the joys of riding a bike. The worse part is that, motorists are constantly creating dangerous situations for other road users (like pedestrians) and it seems like there are no cops around to give them tickets. The simple fact that I feel very unsafe trying to cross a street near my place, how are kids supposed to cross that street? I am constantly having to do emergency stops in my car because other cars are not checking both ways if they can proceed (fyi I don't have a stop so the other driver is 100% at fault). As a cyclist, I rely on cars using their turn signals so that I know I can proceed or not, but then I'm surprised when a car is heading straight for me when they never had their turn signal, it's just plain dangerous.
I use the original Sony Linkbuds when riding, these have a loop shaped driver to allow the ambient noise in. But I've also been reading on how wind noise can be 85 dB at 15mph meaning that we're all damaging our hearing when cycling for long rides. So it's a bit of a dilemma really.
I'm lucky enough to live next door to an outdoor velodrome and i always wear headphones when I'm riding on there but I would never ever consider wearing them on the road. One of the things I like about riding is being in the countryside and I love hearing the environment around me. Additionally, you can usually hear when some idiot in a BMW is about to pass you at speed. Last thing I need is for a close pass on a bend to be a surprise.
I used headphones until I hit a quad bike that pulled out in front of me on a quiet country lane. Without my headphones I would have heard it and been more ready. I was doing about 20mph, wrecked the bike & beat me up. Quad rider tried to blame my headphones but I wouldn't have been able to hear it in a car or on a motorbike anyway, his insurance paid out. Haven't worn headphones cycling since. Absolutely support personal choice though.
I ride with one headphone in, my right ear, so I have a clear audio of the road on my left where the cars and other cyclists are passing. Also, the thing I hate the most about my fellow cyclists is totally ignoring traffic laws. I know stop signs should be yields in the US, and pedestrians can be annoying to slow down for, but just follow the rules. I see so many blow right through stop signs and occasionally streetlights, without slowing down, and also ignoring crosswalks with pedestrians trying to cross. It just makes us all look like knuckleheads as Chris Horner would say.
I wear AirPods Pro in transparency mode. I can hear the outside world just as clear as if I didn't have them in at all, and I don't need music to be blaring in my head, just enough to hear it is good enough for me. I'm certainly more aware than when I'm in a car that has the windows up and music playing.
I love music on the bike but so long as I can hear dogs barking/running towards me and so long as I can hear group calling out things. Adjust volume accordingly. If in a bike path, no music for me and paused for conversations/taking a break at convenience store/food etc
2:34 For safety reasons I don’t recommend headphones. Need to be aware of your surroundings. Other road users, animals, pedestrians and potential criminals may be nearby. I think a mini speaker may be more practical.
Open Run headphones, music, radio, low ish volume, no issues as can still hear traffic etc. Wonderful invention. Would never use headphones otherwise, for safety and also too uncomfortable.
Arnie's pothole had been there for 3 weeks, if nobody knew it was an access trench it can't have been signed very well. Headphones make no difference to safety unless it's an emergency vehicle, everything else is pretty much on top of you before you really hear it anyway
@Conner Just take a 3/4s full small peanut butter & top off the rest w/ honey the stir. It'll fit in a bike water bottle cage & should get you the 160 gm an hour for several 5 hour rides.
AirPods Pro - awareness mode, perfect for audiobooks, and Sony SBuds for music. I do this for years, i doubt i have more than 2 rides per year without headphones…
I live in a rural area, but I never listen to music while riding. I want to hear the jingling dog tags of an approaching pooch who thinks I'm "Meals on Wheels", a deer rustling the underbrush before it springs out on to the road, or an approaching mouth-breathing moron in a pickup truck who just HAS to pass me before immediately cutting back in front of me before the stop sign - which he often rolls through anyway.
I quite love using my AirPods in ambient sound mode. Lets all the world's noises in which keeps me feeling safe, and it feels like you're riding through a concert of your choosing!
Thanks guys. Shame you didn't get on the podium at Amstel Dan. I think you'd have taken Kwiato. I personally never have earphones outdoors as I think it's unsafe. Plenty of nutters out there.
I wear an earbud in the left ear, it's actually nicer to block the loud noise spike of the trucks passing. I can still hear them so I know where they are.
Are headphones dangerous? I use 'em and can hear traffic, with one exception, all these confounded EVs creeping up on me. I heard some time ago that all new EVs were supposed to have a sound maker of some sort active up to 20mph so that pedestrians don't step out in front of them (can hear them coming) but that hasn't happened. Racing on the road? About 20 years ago I was out on my bike alone and I caught up a mixed age bunch riding together. I went passed at my own speed unconcerned but was very ammused when 2 or 3 of them tagged on as though in a raced, followed for about 4 miles until i stopped and they split their group all over the hill. In some competition is more important than the group. Very friendly and inclusive those individuals.
WE use blue tooth portable speakers here in the MO Valley instead of earbuds. They also make skull conducting headphones tha don't fill the ear canal with a plug so one can hear traffic. My personal stupid thing was to buy clip cycling shoes and pedals. the BMX style are much safer in case one has to avoid traffic of come off the bike quickly.
I listen to music while I ride all the time but would never wear headphones while riding. I have my phone in a top tube bag and it plays from there. I can hear the music and I can hear all vehicles approaching from behind. It also has the advantage of letting pedestrians or other cyclists know that I am approaching or passing without having to have a godawful loud freewheel.
