How Do You Listen To Your Music When Cycling?



Susimi said:
Both the having speakers playing and having earphones in while in a group ride sound rude as hell to me, especially the group thing. You're in a group, you likely chose to ride in that group, so isn't it a little rude to be blocking everyone off using earphones?
I had seen some people do that. They are actually missing the point of having a group activity. Those speakers or earphones are creating some barriers that prevent the purpose of the whole activity from happening.
 
I wear earbuds. Oops. I usually have them on the lowest volume and listen to talk radio shows (no loud music). 90% of my rides are on a cycle track that's physically separated from the road, so I don't have to worry much about traffic. I have considered getting a Bluetooth speaker but mainly so I can have music while riding with my SO (we both like to listen to music when we ride but it'd be rude to wear earphones when we ride together).
 
totolik said:
There are cycling apps that may play music (see example below). And you should be using earbuds rather than over-ear muffling headphones to be aware of surrounding environment...

https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/app/micycle-pro-bicycle-rides/id1000481495?mt=8&uo=6&at=1000ljW&ct=CycFrmMCPro
I've never heard of these cycling apps. For the most part, I just use Spotify premium on my phone and create playlist from songs I like. Also, they are earbuds. The Beats Wireless earphones are just earphones with a plastic piece that wraps around your ear.
 
AtlantaSports said:
As much as I love listening to music whenever I am doing something active, I really don't listen to music while I ride. I don't want to risk breaking my phone while riding.
At first, that was a worry for me, since it would easily slip out of my pocket. So I did two things. I purchased an arm band so that my phone would be jiggling around in my pocket and would stay sturdy on my arm. Secondly, I purchased a wireless pair of earphones so that I wouldn't have wires getting caught in the bike gear or on my knees.
 
Froze said:
This is wrong information, everyone that I had to scream and they still didn't hear me even as I got closer and closer yelling were wearing earbuds.
Yeah, if people already don't pay attention then earbuds wold just make it worse. I like to think that I'm aware of my surroundings even with earbuds in my ears, but after reading everything on this thread I think I'm going to stop.
 
sunshiney said:
I never listen to music while I'm cycling.
When I'm commuting I feel super uncomfortable not being able to hear the traffic around me.
I already get anxious riding in traffic so I like to fully concentrate. When mountain biking I'm always with a group and we like to be able to communicate with each other. I'm glad they don't wear headphones either, once I wiped out and somehow ended up pinned under my bike and I had to call for my buddies to come back and help me.
In general I don't think it's the safest option.
I can't blame you. After reading all of these horror stories of bikers not paying attention, I think that I'm going to stop listening to music. That story of your buddy helping you out really makes me rethink of biking alone. I don't know what I would do in a situation like that.
 
evelin said:
I've got one of those fancy pairs of headphones that go over your ears and I have a fun time listening to music while bycicling. Definitely spares me the struggle of carrying wires with me at all times. I sometimes look quite weird with them on my head, but hey... who cares? It's my comfort that matters after all, haha! :)
Yeah, the music definitely helps me get through those times where I'm all out of energy and it's the final stretch. Also, going wireless helps a bunch so you don't have a wire on your all the time that restricts your music.
 
Mr. Beanz said:
No music! I've had my butt saved by being able to hear the hiss of a punctured tire more than once. Once at 30 mph descending a mtn road. I've seen people fall at 5 mph and get hurt. Our usual 17-23 MPH would be very painful. It's nice to hear the warning before the tire reaches the out of control stage. B)
That happened to me yesterday, I was going down a descend at 30+ mph and their were many rough patches. My handlebar started becoming unstable and I heard hissing. Automatically knew I had a flat and slowed/pulled over to the sidewalk to fix it. If I had headphones on, Id probably be in the zone and trying to go even faster than 30, all the while not hearing the hiss. Drifting in traffic at 30mph is a recipe for disaster.
 
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I have an iPhone holder that I attach to my handle bar and use a travel speaker with an mp3 player, and it sits nice and securely in there with the help of rubber bands :p I don't like the idea of wearing earbuds or headphones whilst cycling as I like to hear my surroundings, but having a speaker playing music at a respectable level means I can enjoy my music whilst still hearing traffic, people, etc.
 
Khatib22 said:
That's a very viable alternative to earphones. I personally just really like the bass that the Beats provide. But after seeing this, I might just switch to a Bluetooth speaker.


I was a little confused at what you were talking about. Anyways, regardless of your sexual preferences, how do you listen to your music?
I listen to my music at home or in the car - never on the bike, unless the bike is on the trainer in the garage and I'm doing sub maximal efforts.

When I ride, part of the joy is being away from everything. If I'm riding with someone else then the conversation is nearly always better than someone's choice in music.
 
I'm way too scared to listen to music. I don't want anything reducing my awareness of everything around me. I suppose if I wasn't riding in town, it wouldn't be so bad, but even then, to me being distracted even a little bit is considered a hazard. Even outside town I would need to be alert in case of deer or anything else, like trucks.
 
I think you should you should use headphones to listen to music. You should not use earphones to listen to music while riding your cycle because it can be dangerous. Actually, earphones cancel all the noises coming from outside but headphone gives some partiality.
 
Wireless headphones are a great idea. I personally found pretty uncomfortable and distracting cycling with wired ones. With those, you can pretty much forget about it and focus in your riding. The feel of a cable touching your skin while moving your body vigorously is very irritating. At least for me.
 
G'day,

I couldn't agree more with your stance on the use of earbuds while cycling. It's a safety hazard that can lead to disastrous consequences. I've seen similar incidents here in Sydney, and it's alarming how many cyclists ignore this crucial safety measure.

I'm a fan of the Outdoor Tech Buckshot speaker myself. It's a fantastic piece of tech that allows you to enjoy your music without compromising your safety. The Bluetooth feature is a game-changer, enabling you to answer calls without having to take your phone out of your pocket.

However, I must emphasize the importance of not using it while in traffic. Distracted riding is just as dangerous as distracted driving. Safety should always be our top priority when cycling, and we should never let our gadgets compromise that.

Great choice of gear, and stay safe on the roads! :)
 
Absolutely agree, earbuds while cycling can be dangerous, especially near traffic. A speaker like the Outdoor Tech Buckshot is a smart choice. It's important to stay aware of your surroundings and be able to hear any potential hazards. I'm new to cycling, but I'm passionate about it and committed to safety. I'd love to hear others' thoughts on this topic and any other safety tips they might have. Let's all look out for each other on the road! :)