this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2023
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I just got my new (used) bike, and I'm also a big music nerd and love to listen to music when I'm traveling. Do you personally listen to music while you're cycling, and in your opinion is it safe?

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Nope, I can't risk not being fully aware of my surroundings.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

My thoughts exactly. I rode a bike for years; commuting to work, groceries, errands, appointments. I rode to everything. No idea how many times being fully aware of my surroundings saved my skin, it probably happened multiple times a day.

There's a good reason listening to music while biking is illegal many places; they just had to look at the numbers, and it was glaringly obvious that it ups the danger to an unacceptable level. DO NOT DO IT! Your favorite tune will still play just fine when you get home, safely.

And, as for the people suggesting an external bluetooth speaker, think long and hard about becoming that special guy.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

In Quebec, it's illegal to have even a single earpod while riding a bike. So unless someone builds speakers into the helmet, I won't listen to music while biking.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

I don't listen to anything while riding my bike. Since I'm going faster and am going with car traffic, I like to be as aware as possible. If I was riding somewhere away from cars, the calculation might be a little different.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Congrats on the new bike, hope you have a great time riding it.

As for the question, no I don't listen to music. I generally ride in two very different environments, either very busy roads or quiet country roads/trails. I'd love to drown out the noise on the busy roads but with the craziness that goes on there, I find my hearing a valuable sense to have and wouldn't feel safe blocking that out. On the quiet country roads and trails where it's peaceful and the birds are chirping away, I'd rather be taking in whats around me fully anyway :)

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Congrats on new bike day! What color is it??

For the music, I've never done it. Not with headphone, earbuds, or a speaker. Usually I ride in places where I might encounter other people or motor vehicles so being able to react to that is important to me.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yep ! Got some open run from shokz and my commute include 10 km cycling path removed from car trafic where I rarely see anyone, so some high beat music is good to keep the pace.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

How do you like the bone conduction? I've never actually tried a pair.

[–] snota 3 points 1 year ago

In addition to the other commenter I agree on the podcast thing but it heavily depends on where you are cycling and how hard it is. If you are in heavy traffic, it's a bust. But if you are in a fairly quite road it's fine.

It's also worth noting that the audio quality is not brilliant but it's good enough of you are an average music listener.

I basically never take mine off, I wear them at work and even wear them in bed so I don't disturb my wife.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I like it very much. I like listening to podcast but bone conduction + riding on a bike is not a good mix to really focus on a good podcast. It is good for listening to music with a certain "beat", like when you exercice or are on a long road. Not really good for more nuance quiet music.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Good to know! Thanks for the info, it sounds like they’re not for me

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Bone conduction is great! I use them to ride at a low volume. I can hear it if there is no traffic noise or big wind.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Never - i want the hear the sound of the nature on one hand and the risks of cars etc on the other.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sometimes, using bone conduction earphones.

Honeslty, I love the sounds of nature, so I don't listen to music nearly as much on my bike as I would on an escooter.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Used to work with a big cyclist, he always used bone conduction headphones as it still gives you full hearing. Bought a pair myself for skiing (Aftershokz Air - stupid name but great piece of kit!)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, full hearing, which is why they work so well while cycling. I even wear them while watching TV and I can still hear the ticking of a clock from the next room 😂

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I use them for everything, they're my only headphones!

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

No, never. I sing sometimes or whistle.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Nope, much too easy to get lost in a good jam and get en a very real jam.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Sometimes, but only on very quiet roads.

I find spoken word works a lot better, because I can find a volume where I can still hear the road. With music, I can hear either the music or the road but not both.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

No, never. I sing sometimes or whistle.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I will or typically podcasts, I ride with an airpod in my right ear only (pedestrian side) so I still have awareness around me.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Depends. If im commuting and have bike on dedicated bike path and the road, then absolutely not.

If im going for a ride along a bike path or through woods, fields and other non-city-street environments, then yes, I might pop in my earbuds

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Absolutely. I try not to listen to music while I am on roads or around traffic, but as soon as I get on bike trails, I put my earbuds in and start going. Getting the wind in my face with a bike ride and listening to my favorite music is like therapy for me. It's definitely important to have situational awareness, though, and I tend to stick to familiar trails for my rides.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I think it is dangerous, although I like music as well. The only thing I would consider are bone conducting headphones that leaves your ears open and don't block the outside world.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I do, but I only put one side in most of the time unless I know I won’t cross a street for a while or be otherwise near traffic. My Bluetooth earphones are connected so it’s easy to just pull one or both out and have them dangle.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I do the same having the roadside ear free.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes I do and yes it's safe - the key is to use the correct headphones. I have a pair I love, they're some type of Plantronics backbeat. They clip to your ear, and they use a sort of downward facing directional plastic that sits comfortably in your ear buy doesn't press into it much. The reason these are great is because you can hear everything going on around you. They don't block sound. If someone needs to get your attention, or is honking, or a firetruck ks going by - all of that is still audible, and disruptive to what you're listening to, and that's the point. That's not to say your music is quiet by any means, just that external sound is allowed in as well.

I recommend something along those lines. If you remind me tomorrow (6/20) I'll look up the exact pair I have. Very important - NO EAR BUDS OR PODS! The kind of headphones that shove a butd in your ear or rely on your ear canal to hold them in place block too much sound. You can absolutely wear them but if you're worried about safety, I strongly advise that you do not.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Koss KSC-75 are similar earhook open-back headphones. Cheap and decent sound quality, wouldn't feel bad if they fell off and got destroyed on a ride.

That said I'd rather keep my ears open because I don't trust people inside colossal rolling metal cages.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't have any issues personally, the ones I use let me hear the world around me just fine. Having my ears completely open isn't gonna prevent someone from not seeing me, running a stop sign, or swerving into the bike lane. If I'm gonna get run over, I may as well have a soundtrack. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Hah that's a positive attitude. Now I gotta create a "songs to get run over to" playlist

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I listen to music or podcasts while cycling to/from work everyday, but at low enough volumes that I can easily hear traffic around/behind me. I would not recommend it if you've just started cycling, but if you're comfortable enough on a bike in city traffic it should be okay. Just make sure you're always constantly aware of what's happening around you.

And wear a helmet, at the very least.

[–] 0jcis 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I do. I’m fine, but I don’t turn up the volume so much, that I can’t hear surroundings. I can recommend using those earphones, that hang from the ear, not thise with rubber tips, that go inside your ear canal. Try it out and see how you feel riding with music yourself!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I didn't until I got really comfortable on my bike. I wanted to know my routes well and how the traffic flows. We need to pay attention to traffic first, and groove bike dance second.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I do mtb trails. It's hit and miss. Sometimes I don't listen to music. Sometimes I'll have one earbud in with the volume fairly low. I never use two earbuds. I've never had an issue, but my biggest concern is being able to hear animals and stuff.

[–] relative_iterator 1 points 1 year ago

I listen to music and podcasts. I’m on paved cycling/running paths so there isn’t a safety concern. If you’re riding around cars it probably depends on how busy it is.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I've been wanting to print out a phone holder so I can have my phone playing music, but I don't know how tangible that is; if my phone is loud enough to hear while riding my bike, but I wouldn't like to listen to music with headphones or whatever, I'd want to hear if someone's braking hard behind me or something.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I use listen to music on both my road and mountain these days I can't seem too anymore.

Road, I could on a dedicated bike path where I was just cruising.

For mountain, I wouldn't be able to anymore. Being able to hear the bike across rocks and dirty really provides another level of control.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I used to. I'm also a music nerd and when I started commuting, I'd wear my headphones with the volume low to offset the stress of traffic and stuff and just make the journey more enjoyable. But after a few years, I enjoy the sounds of the city and nature around me now.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I use Shokz bone conduction headphones, which allows me to hear music and background noises.

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