Headphones for Cycling

[surfymark]

A while back I had some Sony EX90's which were really good. They broke but not after several years of hard use!

So I went onto eBay and bought some top of the range Sony EX700's. They turned out to be fake (I thought they would be for the £7 I paid for them but I was broke at the time!) but have been very good really. Until I started cycling to work every day. Now they fall out of my ears all the time while riding.

What do people use that are like these (I am talking in-ear isolating earphones)?

A few years ago I had some Shure e5c's I think they were. I found them pretty uncomfortable both the part in the ear and the lead over the top of the ear.

So I am leaning towards the (real) Sony E700's as I know I fine the in-ear part comfy and the lead goes down. However all the reviews are telling me that the Shure E530's are better.

What are people's thoughts?

Many thanks
Mark

[surfymark]

Interesting point of view. I ride for around 40 minutes a day, most of it on dull cycle tracks with nothing to look at. I share my commute with probably around a hundred or so other cyclists. I am yet to see a single one that is not wearing headphones.

Surely it is no different really to having a car stereo? How many people don't use their car stereos when driving?

I am pretty aware of what is around me in just the same way as when driving. I can't see it makes any difference except gives me some added motivation. My wife runs a lot and has found she cannot run without headphones on as she needs that extra motivation.

M

[surfymark]

Hmm. According to the Road Casualties Online site only 117 people on non-motorised vehicles died in 2008 as opposed to 1,849 people in cars.

Of course as a percentage, it is still more people on bikes but certainly not huge numbers. As I said, I rarely see anyone cycling not wearing headphones.

Anyway, back to the subject in hand....

M

[surfymark]

Soovy said:

I think that anyone who wears headphones when cycling is an ingorant selfish bellend.

That's what I think.

Edited by Soovy on Thursday 15th July 09:38

I don't actually remember asking for people's opinion on whether or not I should wear earphones while travelling on well marked cycle paths and off-road.

Is there any chance we could get back to the question I asked please. Moderators any chance that you could clean up the thread please in case other people searching might like to know the answer!

M

[surfymark]

Which headphones guys....

[surfymark]

Don't you start Garlick! :-)

I personally would not dare ride at all in London. What with all those huge trucks and bendy buses!

However in my sleepy village, there are not too many people around at 6:30am when I ride to the station! I must see a dozen cars (and very few pedestrians) in the whole 40 minute ride!

I can't see how headphones will affect awareness of your surroundings. If I am not wearing headphones then I get bored and my mind starts to wander so I am probably less aware than when I am wearing headphones.

I was taught to always be aware whether in a car or on a bike. I always look over my shoulder every few minutes in much the same way as I look in the rear view mirror of my car every few minutes. I look over my shoulder before I make any manoeuvres. I am not a particularly fast cyclist and am on cycle paths for over 80% of my journey.

I simply can't see how a cyclists can knock down a pedestrian at all unless either the cyclist is doing something illegal (i.e. riding on the pavement or running a red light) or the pedestrian steps out in front of a cyclist which is not the cyclist's fault whether or not they are wearing headphones.

M

[surfymark]

bigandclever said:

surfymark said:

I was taught to always be aware whether in a car or on a bike. I always look over my shoulder every few minutes in much the same way as I look in the rear view mirror of my car every few minutes.
M

You mean seconds, right?

Yeah true. I just do it automatically so don't really think about how often but thinking about it now it is more like every 4 or 5 seconds I guess.

M

[surfymark]

shalmaneser said:

I'm using Seinheiser CX 400 II at the moment, CX 300s previously and they're brilliant. Be careful though, there are a LOT of fakes out there, so best to buy from a reputable dealer (Richer Sounds for example).

Thanks for this. Sennheisers seem to be a recurring theme here. The 400s look particularly good as they seem to come with a cable winder and a cable clip which would be useful I think.

I had a budget up to £150 so these are a long way below. I did look at the 870s and 880s but they don't look like they would be that much better considering the extra price. The 880s can be bought with ear hooks but I haven't got on with the hooks in the past so maybe I will just go for the 400s.

cheers
Mark

[surfymark]

Mr Will said:

NitroNick said:

Mr Will said:

I can still hear what is going on around me, which is vitally important (for obvious reasons!)

What are the obvious reasons?
If you ride cautiously and stay out of the way of vehicles, indicate when appropriate to do so and look around you frequently to see where the traffic is then I dont understand why it is so important to be able to hear when cycling.

I cycled once with my ear-plug type in and hated it, too many idiots around here to stay out of the way of them all of the time and being able to hear what they are up to behind me is extremely useful (but then I am cycling in SW London, not the sleepy countryside)

But I don't find that I need to use my ears particularly if I use my eyes enough. If someone is really revving behind me then I can still hear it over my music even with in-ear phones in. If not then they simply pass and it is really down to them to give me enough room. When driving I always give cyclists plenty of room in much the same way as I would give motorcycles plenty of room or even cars when I am overtaking them.

in-ear phones don't cut off the sound completely.

M

[surfymark]

Mr Will said:

surfymark said:

Mr Will said:

NitroNick said:

Mr Will said:

I can still hear what is going on around me, which is vitally important (for obvious reasons!)

What are the obvious reasons?
If you ride cautiously and stay out of the way of vehicles, indicate when appropriate to do so and look around you frequently to see where the traffic is then I dont understand why it is so important to be able to hear when cycling.

I cycled once with my ear-plug type in and hated it, too many idiots around here to stay out of the way of them all of the time and being able to hear what they are up to behind me is extremely useful (but then I am cycling in SW London, not the sleepy countryside)

But I don't find that I need to use my ears particularly if I use my eyes enough. If someone is really revving behind me then I can still hear it over my music even with in-ear phones in. If not then they simply pass and it is really down to them to give me enough room. When driving I always give cyclists plenty of room in much the same way as I would give motorcycles plenty of room or even cars when I am overtaking them.

in-ear phones don't cut off the sound completely.

M

Just in case there is confusion here, I'm saying get this type:


not this type:


The latter sort are designed to cut out external noise, which I don't see as an advantage when cycling.

Ok but the problem with the ones you are suggesting is that they fall out of my ears all the time. I spend so much time putting them back in that I am paying less attention to the road.

Thanks for the advice though. Now if you could get phones that are secure like the second ones but are not as isolating, that would be an excellent compromise.

M

[surfymark]

Ambulance came past me last night. I heard it well before it reached me and had plenty of time to pull up and stand on the pavement while it went past (was doing about 20mph at the time and it was pretty typical that it was one of the only pieces of actual road I travel on).

This through my current Sony isolating headphones with a spot of Armen Van Buren playing.

M

[surfymark]

So I am a little torn now. I do get that cycling and not being able to hear at all is dangerous on the road. I want to hear music but I don't want to buy a nice set of earphones and not be able to use them when on long road bike rides.

I came across this: http://www.tunebug.com/tunebug-shake.php

Has anyone heard of this before?

cheers
Mark

[surfymark]

markoc said:

Uriel said:

Do all the naysayers also object to motorcyclists riding about the roads wearing earplugs specifically to block out noise?

Not quite the same is it though. As a cyclist I'm reliant on background noise etc to inform me of my own safety. Now I'm no motorcyclist but I wouldn't have thought they have the same consideration given the noise their own machine is making

Not sure I get you. So motorcyclists don't need to be able to hear what is going on around them? As they are (usually) going a lot faster than bikes and can cause far more damage, I would have thought they would need to hear more wouldn't they? Or are you now saying that you don't need to be able hear on the road?

markoc said:

- plus they have mirrors, which the majority of push bikes do not sport when leaving the factory.

Now this is a good point and I am considering mirrors. The only reason I haven't got them already is that I already look over my shoulder every few seconds and don't really see that mirrors will add much other than distract me further.

markoc said:

My recomendation for the OP - the biggest fixed headphone cans you can find, preferably glow in the dark with red flashing lights on to earmark to anyone around you that they need to be twice as aware of you as you won't have a chuffing clue what is behind you.

I guess you haven't read the rest of the thread. I can hear enough to hear a siren or a loudly revved car just not a Prius (which I should have picked up by looking over my shoulder). I also always look over my shoulder before manoeuvring.

markoc said:

You can be binned for cycling without due care and attention as well as driving, and I'd wager that wearing headphones puts you squarely in this box.

Don't get this at all. Surely any music or even talking in a car would mean that you were driving without due care and attention? What about changing gear etc etc.

M

[surfymark]

walm said:

Uriel said:

Do all the naysayers also object to motorcyclists riding about the roads wearing earplugs specifically to block out noise?

The reason it is FAR more important for cyclists to hear is because other vehicles tend to overtake cyclists all the time.

In a motorcycle you are rarely overtaken.

What is behind you matters A LOT as a cyclist.
Not so much for a motorcyclist.

Also as above, motorcyclists can often see behind them using mirrors. Cyclists mostly can't.

OK but if you are going along in a straight line, not making any sudden movements etc and constantly checking then it is no different to any other vehicle. Any vehicle might be overtaken at any moment. You must always know what is behind you. You cannot rely on what you can hear. What if an electric car was behind you. If you are relying solely on what you can hear you would not know.

I say better to get used to looking over your shoulder or looking in a mirror than relying on your hearing and getting caught out that one time in a hundred. I have been overtaken many times by completely silent bikes going much faster than me. Didn't bother me because I could see them coming.

M