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Headphones in your helmet: Good idea or Bad

27K views 103 replies 80 participants last post by  Tobacco Road 
#1 ·
This is something I've though about for a while. Ive read about other people that have special helmets that allow the use of bluetooth headsets to fit in over their ears, allowing them to listen to music while riding.

Would this be considered a safe practice? :confused:
 
#62 ·
I don't feel comfortable enough to listen to music while riding. Could be because I still consider myself a new rider. Could just be that I'm paranoid about everything and try to err on the side of caution.

Plus, unless I had earbuds and some loud volume, I wouldn't hear the music too well over my short pipes.

However, my dad, who's in his mid-50s, rides with an Ipod, and is considering adding a stereo to his bike. For whatever it's worth, I've told him I wish he wouldn't. Too many idiot drivers out there, especially in Omaha.

Oh, and I find that when I'm driving a car, the louder and faster the music is, the more aggressive I tend to drive - so I don't really do that anymore, either.
 
#65 ·
Maybe try some calmer music? Just a thought. Beauty of the smart phones you can create play lists. I have a 3 hour play list with good but calm music.

However, I can totally relate, I use to work with a guy that would listen to what I called "angry Metal" (dont know its real name), I would come home after working with this guy so pissed off my wife didn't know what to do with me. I was working for my brother in law in his tile business as I got laid off from my job, it was a hold over job. He would put me with his lead guy on large commercial jobs, so the music was loud and in my face. Fortunately I only worked with him for a short time.
 
#70 · (Edited)
There have been campaigns about pedestrians listening to music and getting hit by buses/trains as a result. It may sound cruel but they probably should have paid more attention. You need to when riding a motorbike.

I would say listening to music on a bike is comparable to listening to music in a car.

If it bothers you then don't do it, but there is no need to ruin it for everyone else. Obviously you need to be able to hear if people are beeping or emergency vehicles are nearby so a sensible volume always helps.
 
#71 ·
I think it's illegal here in Czech Rep., so it sorts it out. Listening to music in car is different, because you're shielded from the outside noise in a different fashion than in the helmet, where you get lots of wind noise. The law here says you're not allowed to operate portable devices or cell phones while driving, but I always listen to music while riding my bicycle, so it shouldn't be much of an issue on a motorbike.
 
#73 ·
Between wind noise, engine noise and how quiet cars are nowdays; I wouldnt think that earbuds/headphones would effect safety all that much.
I personally dont listen to music when I ride. For me, riding time is when I unplug from any and all electronic devices (unless I get lost and then I pull out my phone for the GPS). In this instance, I like to quote the words of Enzo Ferrari when asked why in the old days his cars never came from the factory with a radio: "the engine provides the music".
 
#74 ·
Debut, you need to ride at highway speeds. On My Vision, basically a touring bike, I have decent radio reception at 55 MPH but at 65 or 70 MPH the radio is almost useless from the speakers. When I bring the sound into my helmet it is clear and still does not interfere with me hearing horns and sirens.
 
#77 ·
I bought some flat helmet speakers that mount with velcro to the ear cut outs in my 3/4 HJC helmet. They have an extension cord that has volume control, very handy. I love them! I can still hear my bike noise, traffic, sirens, and my husband if we speak up. I can hear all that stuff much easier with these headphones in my helmet than I can in my car with the radio on. I can adjust the volume as needed too. On the interstate some songs are impossible to hear, most I can hear as background sound. I would like it a little bit louder on the interstate, but it only really gets too hard to hear over 80 mph and we don't normally travel that fast. My husband has a set in his helmet too.
 
#79 ·
Earbuds with everything from John Mayer, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Joe Bonamassa to Frank Zappa, Oingo Boingo, Bowie, U2, Nirvana , Train, Mozart, Beethoven--- whatever--- on the freeway, especially between Tucumcari and Fort Smith. Watch the volume--- it doesn't help your hearing to blow your eardrums with music any more than with road noise. On roads with curves, or in traffic, I use ear plugs. The spongy ones still let you hear things around you, and are pretty comfortable.
 
#81 ·
Distraction

For me it is a distraction.
The goal is to ride all your life, and have zero accidents on the public highways.
How is everyone doing?

Naturally I will change my tune if I crash next week.
Have had a few crashes at the track, and hundreds in the dirt.

Unkle Crusty
 
#83 ·
Hi all! My first post here! I do ride & listen to music. It probably a bad habit but it adds another layer of enjoyment to the ride. I use Jaybird Bluebuds X bluetooth earbuds. They block out a lot of the wind noise, they have an inline mic/switch that allows me to adjust volume/skip songs with the touch of a button. Of course the mic is useless going down the road with an open face helmet but if stopped at a light or something I can have Siri read my texts or make a call without touching my iPhone. Now if I ride without tunes (rarely) I feel like something is missing. Really enjoying the forum so far!
 
#84 ·
I have serious hearing problems and currently use a half helmet so that my hearing aids aren't being pushed into my head. I am in the process of being approved for Cochlear hearing implant surgery. The hearing device is twice as big as a behind the ear hearing aid and I will also have a magnet under my skin above the ear that holds the sending device to the side of my head, its a little large than a quarter. Wearing all this **** under a helmet is going to be a problem and require some custom work. I'm going to try a 3/4 helmet after the surgery, I want better protection for my head and very expensive hearing devices. All the 3/4 helmets I have tried so far haven't worked well with hearing aids.
 
#85 ·
Personally I think it's a bad idea. I say that because there is plenty of dangerous situations out on the street just waiting to happen to a bike rider. I find that listening to music may keep me from hearing things I need to hear such as horns, or screeching tires or?? I'm sure others claim they can hear all that still but I feel safer that way.
 
#87 ·
I have always wore ear buds inside my helmets whether it's on dirt or road. I have always been a music lover and having it there in my head has actually made me more attentive in many situations. I am an avid skier and snowboarder and have also always used headphones in my ski helmet and I am more focused on my surroundings with the tunes there. I say to each his/her own but for me it's tunes in my ear at a level that is equally safe for hearing ambient sounds.
 
#88 ·
I've ridden with J&M headsets since '99. I listen to mostly SiriusXM news and talk stations at medium-low volume, just to have the company of something in my ears while long-distance travelling.
I also occasionally have the cb on trucker channel. It will break into the sat radio when something's being aired close to where I am.
I very seldom have the urge to crank music at high volume on the bike. At home is another story.
 
#90 ·
I love listening to music when I ride but if I really want to hear the tunes I have to wear ear buds. I've always wore a full face helmet on previous bikes but since switching to a cruiser I wear a half helmet. I have a nice loud Bluetooth speaker but I listen to death metal alot and as not to traumatize the general public and actually hear the music over my Dyna I either wear earbuds or forego the music all together.
 
#91 ·
I don't like listening to music when I ride. Call me paranoid but I want to hear everything around me, however I use musician's ear plugs. They cut the db's down but retain the clarity and high end. I use them mostly for jamming with my music buddies but so far they're great in cutting down the dual Jardine cans on my bike.
 
#92 ·
I ride with music on. I can still hear horns, sirens etc. So I have no problem with it and do it always.
Me too. I do a lot of long distance multi state rides and cant imagine not having Bluetooth. My bike has satellite am/fm stereo, plus I can hear voice instructions from my GPS. I can also Bluetooth to my phone. It makes those long distance interstate rides much nicer.
 
#94 ·
I like the idea of headphones, but as a long time, long distance road bicyclist, I think having your ears open and ready is a must. For me, speaking only from my experience without judgment on anyone else, having over 25 years, averaging over 6,000 miles on my road bicycle per year, I've only been in one accident and it was completely a driver running a stop sign and t-boning me. I've kept myself safe, in part by keeping my hearing open.
 
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