Do you listen to Music When you ride?

[SamCKayak]

Though I like music, I'm not the kind of person to walk around with an iPod. I think I would like to ride with an iPod (maybe), but I wonder about the cons.

Anyone know of any accidents caused by off-roaders listening to music while riding?

[Michael.Terence]

I would be interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this as well. Other than the obvious things like not being able to hear someone comming up behind you, a vehicle, tire slip etc I can't think of a reason not to ride with my Ipod on my daily work out type rides around the house. Its not something I would do at Fountainhead or other serious trails.

[notrelatedtoted]

With the advent of Mp3 players, I see more and more people on the trails with headphones on. Just about every weekend, I come up on someone who can't hear my approach and warnings because they have their music too loud.

Now, a lot of people say that they keep the volume down so that they can hear what's around them, and I think that's great. But I wonder if it's giving the wrong impression to the general public. People just see that you're wearing headphones, they can't tell what the volume is at. This leads to the perception that it's ok to be on the trail with headphones no matter what the volume. And given the volume of people on the local trails, I think it's a problem.

Just my two cents. I'm generally a "live free" sorta guy, but in my opinion, it's becoming a significant problem.

[drewdane]

Though I like music, I'm not the kind of person to walk around with an iPod. I think I would like to ride with an iPod (maybe), but I wonder about the cons.

Anyone know of any accidents caused by off-roaders listening to music while riding?
Aside from the obvious safety issues, I've never understood the need some people have to insulate themselves from the very activity they've chosen to engage in (not directed specifically at you, Sam).

What's the matter with the light crunch of tread against hardpack, the jingle of the chain as you clean a log, the buzz of the freewheel on a long, fast descent, the crashing of a deer in the underbrush as you cruise by?

[crashmore]

I do it quit often but I normally keep one earbud out when riding so I can hear anyone coming up behind me. I've been using an ipod for about a year or so this way without any incidents.


Though I like music, I'm not the kind of person to walk around with an iPod. I think I would like to ride with an iPod (maybe), but I wonder about the cons.

Anyone know of any accidents caused by off-roaders listening to music while riding?

[cbuki]

been riding for three years with one ipod or another. have found the shuffle best as it is smallest. it has pluses and minues in my view. pluses are just as when running, a little extra juice for your engine. minues are it gets boring being yelled at, and the sublimity of the trails is lost, so i have found you spend a little time with and without. never had a problem safety wise. recommendation is attach to hip, not camelback, and run speaker wire up your back inside jersey.

[martin]

Part of the whole experience with riding is the immersion(?) in the environment that surrounds me - including the sound of my tires rolling on the dirt (or pavement) and the sounds of the forest. Music would simply take away from the experience...

I do love music though and do have an iPod, but I use it when driving (through my stereo) or when taking the metro, traveling, etc. when I really want to mask the environment around me...

[bikerRob]

Aside from the obvious safety issues, I've never understood the need some people have to insulate themselves from the very activity they've chosen to engage in (not directed specifically at you, Sam).

What's the matter with the light crunch of tread against hardpack, the jingle of the chain as you clean a log, the buzz of the freewheel on a long, fast descent, the crashing of a deer in the underbrush as you cruise by?

9/29/05 >> Yep, my sediments entirely...but hey, what ever turns you on. Personally I love the sounds of nature so that's one of the reasons that I ride. That said I have to admit that I wouldn't mind trying out listening to a couple sound tracks while doing some of the nicer down-hills that I know. I think that would be cool. What I'll probably do is down-load some songs onto a CD and take it one day and check it out. When the I-pods come down in price I might buy one but for now...music is music..regardless of the source. Like others have said, listening to music on busy trails could be dangerous to others. I don't think I would ever do this at places like Patapsco, Scheafer, or FH but I can think of other places where I usually never see a soul. As I write I can visualize the watershed down-hill (3 mile forest road ) as it makes it's way down to the bottom of Mountaindale Rd. while listening to AC/DC's , "Back in Black". That would be cool.. :cool:

[liltommy]

I spent alot of time at one of the lamer trails in the area where if it weren't for the music I wouldn't have wanted to ride. Sometimes the amount of cars at the trails head determines if I take the ipod or not. If it looks crowded, I'll leave it behind for safety purposes.

Having the right song come up at the right time sure has boosted the energy level though. Thank God for Van Halen (Old VH, not the new with S.Hagar)

Tommy

[martin]

Poll Time :)

[gaz]

I'm with Drooo on this one. One of the things I like about being on the bike is getting out of the town, and immersed in the sounds of nature.

Having said that though, with the approaching winter, a certain someone will likely be attaching @#$@# sleigh bells to his bike, at which point having headphones on will become something of a bonus! :p :p :p

[saxman]

What's the matter with the light crunch of tread against hardpack, the jingle of the chain as you clean a log, the buzz of the freewheel on a long, fast descent, the crashing of a deer in the underbrush as you cruise by?

I agree. To me it's like the bike is "talking" to me. There are noises that the bike makes that you learn to recognize and that become part of the experience. When the noises start to change their pitch, or a new noise develops, that usually means something is about to go amiss.

[pepelkod]

Maybe I should post an MP3 of bike sounds. Tires crunching leaves, heavy breathing frighten yells "LOG!" etc. That way you can listen to the sounds of biking on your MP3 player while biking.

[vinny]

For starters I wouldn't use the regular Ipod as it has a mini disk drive which can and will skip when bounced around. So I would recommend an MP3 player or the Apple shuffle.

I've been using the shuffle (got one for free) and I like riding with it. I put the volume just loud enough for me to hear. I can hear the wind, my chain, my squeeky brakes, the sound of me hitting the dirt as I endo, and can even have a conversation at a normal tone of voice if needed.

Listening to music helps me forget about the stresses of the world. The same goes for mountain biking. Put the two together and I'm completely in my own happy little world :)

[dmofot]

I voted for sometimes as I don't usually ride with the ipod, but sometimes you feel like a nut and sometimes you don't. I used to be in the field of "I like to hear my bike and you guys are just dumbass' for needing music"...then I was given one for my bday and I jumped over to the hypocrite side of the field. In other words, don't feed me that crap about listening to music covers up nature and the sounds your bike makes, unless you've tried it and it found it to be true...for yourself and only you that is. I enjoy riding and I enjoy music and sometimes I like to enjoy both of them at the same time...

I've found that when I do actually use the ipod (maybe a couple of times a month) it's a very enjoyable experience. I only keep the right ear bud in and it only masks the sound of the wind flowing by that one ear. I can hear the wind in my left ear, traffic coming/going in both ears, my cranks/chain/drivetrain spinning around, my tires on the road/dirt...you name it I've never had a problem hearing it. That's me though and you will differ, so do what's best for you. If you know (not think) you can't hear with an ear bud and music playing, then don't.

And to the poster about not using an ipod, only a shuffle or some other non hard drive based mp3 player - don't take this in a negative or against you way, but I think that's crap. It might have been the case a few years ago or even with a CD player, but these things are built for jarring activities. I've had mine since July, so my experience is obviously thin, but I've never had a single skip and damnit if I haven't tried! From long rock gardens to a head on fight with a tree to doing drops, never a skip. I think you would actually be more likely to skip the thing jogging, but even with my crap bouncy running style it's never skipped.

Since I'm on a roll, one more thing - just because someone is wearing earphones doesn't mean you shouldn't at least say your passing on a path. When I actually wear mine and I actually ride something like the W&OD or Mt. Vernon, I'm careful to hide the cords, otherwise people will buzz you without a word...f'ers.

DT

PS. The ipod is definitely a step up from the boombox I used to strap onto my rear rack riding around the neighborhood as a kid...

[shallquist]

Since I'm on a roll, one more thing - just because someone is wearing earphones doesn't mean you shouldn't at least say your passing on a path. When I actually wear mine and I actually ride something like the W&OD or Mt. Vernon, I'm careful to hide the cords, otherwise people will buzz you without a word...f'ers.



Crap! Even when I'm not riding with ear phones on the W&OD most people pass with out any warning of any type! My philosophy is to ride faster than them so that I'm doing all the passing.

[bunky]

CONS:

(1) if you use ear buds that seal out air you really can't hear anything aroun you and I tend to think it messes with your balance a bit. If you use other headphones the wind gets it there and it soudns like crap and you end up compensating by hiking up the volume, and are deaf by the end of your ride.

(2) If you can't hear-- see #1 above-- not only can you not hear other riders, but you also can't hear your bike. I used my MP3 player at Wakefield and was having a hell of a time. I looked down and saw that I has a larg stick jammed in between my rear wheel-chainstays-rear derrailleur. I only noticed this after some guy rode by and pointed at it while shaking his head. Yea- I felt like a total kook.

(3) Lack o' Zen: You can't get into a groove and just find that mtb Zen. I find myself very agitated instead of "in the zone" or "in tune" after riding for a while.

(4) If you are with other people, it's antisocial. If you are alone, it could be dangerous to allow somebody to sneak up on you in the woods and you don't know they are there.

PROS:

(1) Trail Rage: It can add a whole new dimension to a trail you have done a hundred times. With Public Enemy blasting Fight the Power, yeah, one tends to let the genie out of the bottle.

[armcalmtb]

Maybe I should post an MP3 of bike sounds. Tires crunching leaves, heavy breathing frighten yells "LOG!" etc. That way you can listen to the sounds of biking on your MP3 player while biking.


if you do ... please post them, i would love the chainslap as my ring tone.