Should you listen to music while riding a bike? I tested headphones and speakers while riding
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- A viewer emailed recently with a question I had long pondered but never actioned: Is listening to music on a bike a good thing? If so, how? I have never worn headphones while riding, always assuming that it was terribly unsafe to plug your ears while riding city streets, so I had no answer. So in this video, I set out to answer the question.
0:00 Introduction
0:51 Will I get arrested?
1:30 What does the Shifter community do? Also: check out the conversation here: bit.ly/3Ec7Q0z
2:14 Earbuds
3:06 One earbud
3:30 Bone-conduction headphones. I tested Aftershokz Titanium: amzn.to/3e9Tofa
5:03 Bluetooth speaker-enabled helmet. I tested the Sena X1S Bluetooth Cycling Helmet (thanks for the test model Sena!): www.sena.com/product/x1s
6:30 Bluetooth speaker. I tested the JBL CLip 4 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker: amzn.to/3pcMLPm
8:01 Conclusion
#cycling #bike #commuting
To support this channel, please subscribe, share this video and check out the links below.
• Buy my book Frostbike: The Joy, Pain and Numbness of Winter Cycling: amzn.to/3lxJiHT
• Here's the winter bike I'm riding these days: bit.ly/2PhqUqF
• Epidemic Sound for music. It's great for my CZcams needs: bit.ly/3v2Bl05
#cycling #bikecommuting #bikes
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Music in a car with closed windows also prevents you from hearing a lot of stuff. Bike bells, for example.
to be fair bike bells are mainly for pedestrians not really for motorists
Just driving with the windows rolled up, *without* turning on the radio, interferes with hearing more than cycling with music on earbuds does.
cars have mirrors to see behind you
Why my bike has a small but freakishly loud electric horn on it, for warning cars, I use the bell for pedestrians and other cyclists.
And I listen to my music on "Treks Titanium" bone-conduction headphones so my ears are still open, like what he shows in the video!
@@biggibbs4678 Cars NEED mirrors so drivers can see behind them. Cyclists can just turn their heads.
Frankly I find this whole "debate" ridiculous. One, cars come standard with high-def sound systems (and sound insulation) and no one is talking about that as a risk factor. Two, are we saying that it's dangerous for deaf people to ride bikes? Just like helmets, this is a "debate" about blaming victims for being killed by cars. In-ear headphones *protect* my ears from traffic noise, and music makes gliding along on my bike a joy. Also I can call my family while commuting, just like "normal" people get to do with their cars.
As a person with hearing loss myself I had never thought of it this way, good points!
I think there can be a discussion about personal safety among cyclists though. Do I think having to wear hi-vis is ridiculous and people who expect it are victim blaming arseholes? Yes. Do I wear hi-vis and use a shitload of lights? Also yes.
As my father always said, it's great that there was a walking man, but when the car doesn't stop you're going to be in the right, but also dead.
So do I think you should or shouldn't wear earbuds? I think it's up to you. Does it reduce your personal safety? Most likely, yes. If that's a risk you're willing to take, then go for it in my mind. Same goes for helmets. Or life jackets while on a boat.
Yup yup yup
@@PSNDonutDude Word, dude.
@@PSNDonutDude I just think the effort would be better-placed in organizing to make streets safer for bikes. Direct action, tactical urbanism, etc. Telling people on bikes to sacrifice basic quality of life stuff for safety reasons is not a solution. It's just mitigating a deadly system.
Here’s my take, for those who care:
One of the things I love about driving my car is being able to listen to music and podcasts, something I want on my bike ride.
What I do is ride with one AirPod in with the open ear facing traffic. If I’m on a path or slow street I’ll listen to music, on a busy road with bike gutters I keep it in but with no music.
Having one in always lets me use hands free. Call, text, and if something happens make an emergency call without having to get out my phone if it isn’t nearby.
Do with that what you will.
This is good advice. Thanks for sharing.
I don't recall where I read it, but I did see something that compared the level of sound heard from the street when listening to music in a car and while riding a bike. The conclusion was that there was no noticeable difference.
I stuck a 12 watt speaker on my bicycle and usually play that at nearly full volume. No need to wear earplugs.
Exactly what I was about to comment, always keep an open ear to traffic. My assessment of danger level if I lose focus dictates whether I have both in, one, or none at all.
One unexpected disadvantage to earbuds is that you can't hear if there's something wrong with the bike (like a creaking noise), so you might neglect to fix it.
@@langhamp8912 oh ur that guy🤣 love to see them, but you need to put on some correct tunes cuz the whole block is hearing you
I used to commute by bike several years ago, and the largest part of the 15 km were secure bikepaths. I really enjoyed listening to podcasts and especially audiobooks, it really helped me get motivated getting on my bike. Then, the usage of any kind of headphone while cycling was banned in France. The PR of the law was totally BS, arguing that it was in order to stop car drivers from using their phone. It was the only time I wrote to my deputy, who voted for that law. I argued that it was discriminatory against cyclists, because for example, cars do have radios, and they are not required to run with their windows open in order to hear the other cars... And despite the PR, the usage of a phone while driving was not banned, you just needed a Bluetooth system. The hypocrisy was even greater, because motorcycle drivers could continue to have speakers, if they were integrated in their helmet.
Maybe you can use similar helmet or sneak in some bone-conducting headphones.
Or just stick a 20 watt speaker on your bicycle.
or just do nothing and keep using your headphones... i mean, really, the chances of you being pulled over just because you have headphones on is 0%. the police have way more important things to do than bother with bicyclists with headphones in.
hey Etienne, I live in France as well. I would use earplug if I were on dedicated bike lanes, just being extra careful when changing direction.
But personnaly I cycle with Aeroshokz headphones when I am on the road. They are quite practical and allows me to listen for cars. They already scare me often enough, so I wouldn't even think of using earplug.
Funny enough, I often see drivers using their phones while passing me...
Hey Etienne, also a bike user in France like you. I drive with Aftershokz on my bike to go to work, on roads and bike lanes. I have never been pulled over due to my headphones ; I was actually not aware that it was illegal. Given that my ears are not covered, it could be that the Aftershokz are actually very inconspicuous, hidden by the glasses I wear as well as the helmet. It helps with motivation to have some music going... As G C says, I can see plenty of car drivers holding their phone in their hand, which is really quite a lot more dangerous.
Would like to see a sequel where he test open ear headphones or noise-cancelling headphones with an ambient sound feature.
Check out the video starting at 3:30 when I test open-ear bone-conducting headphones.
@@Shifter_Cycling I was thinking about Audiophile open-eared headphones like the DT 990
I imagine a something like the AirPods Pro or any other earbuds with a pass through, transparency, ambient mode would be good to test.
I use Bose Soundwear. They're amazing for cycling. They sit on your shoulders so you're still able to hear everything around you. Also, they don't impede with helmet and glasses.
I recently went on a ride with the koss ksc75 which are really convenient for headphone quality sound, letting some outside sound accessable, and I could still wear a helmet ontop due to its design. If you can get over it's looks, then it is a great option, they also have a wireless version if that's what you need too.
I ride a motorcycle and wear earplugs every time I do so. I can still hear emergency vehicles and tyre roar from cars despite my full face helmet, engine and 30dB of noise reducing foam plugs. I think the main difference is you can get away from hazards much more quickly on a motorbike and you also have mirrors which make rear observations a lot easier.
I don't think wearing earphones is anywhere near as much of a hazard as people think it is when cycling. If you consider that wind noise and car tyres alone can hit 100dB (ear damaging levels of noise) it's probably worth thinking about wearing earbuds for protection reasons alone. If you have a podcast on at reasonably low volume you aren't going to eliminate noise from other vehicles but you will give yourself a bit more protection from the damage they can cause at a distance. I think there's also a gap in the market for cycling specific hearing protection, you can get filtered earplugs that only block out loud noises at certain pitches and I think that kind of thing could work very well.
This is part of the reason I do.
also most if not almost all the danger on a bicle isnt not hearing something me getting rammed off the road by a car merging in too early does not change if i can hear
i wouldnt but if i was dumb enough to get hit by a car because i rode out without looking both ways that wouldnt change cause i could hear it
emergency vehicles YOU WILL HEAR no matter how loud your tunes are
a car horn isnt going to sound off to give you a freindly warning of some danger it goes off when its far too late
My cousin was about to lose his spine because he would ride the bike with headphones and a car with bad brakes crashed into him. Somehow both of them got sued after police found out all the details.
He now hates bikes.
I agree with Tom's final sentiment, getting on my bike feels like I am getting away a bit, just being with myself. Also, I simply love the sound of my tires. It is such a calming sound. Wouldn't want to give that up.
Yeh but music speaker would be useful for being noticed
But my carbon frame screaks
On good pavement sound of tyres is nothing more than audibly loss of energy. For me the less of any bike related noise the better, slicks included.
@@Dolritto Or if they're MTB tyres riding on pavement, the sound of tread hitting the pavement.
@@uncrunch398 So exactly what I already said.
I cycle with headphones on all the time, especially when it's colder and they double up as earwarmers. I cycle mostly on seperate lanes. I get your point though, it's also nice to cycle without anything just to have a bit of piece and quiet.
I have also cycled with a speaker, but that was on vacation with a group. I would never do that when I'm cycling just on my own.
"This is what's known to some people as a bike helmet," made me laugh harder than I should have.
I used earbuds for voice navigating, on tours I didn't know, but never felt safe on my day to day riding listening to music. I have a bone conducting headset for something like 2 years now (I think the same ones you tested actually) and they're great! Now I'm always listening to music on my way to work and also use them for navigation. But as with all things (and as you more or less said) it's a compromise as most things in life are. Audio Quality isn't as good as with actual headphones and you can't go too loud, but it works for me and I feel very safe and have fun on my rides with music. So I'm very happy with that option. :-)
Good stuff. Thanks for sharing.
Disconnecting, relaxing and listening to the outside world can feel very good. However sometimes there s a lot of noise that you dont really want to listen to (for example traffic). Sometimes you can get bored - an interesting youtube video sometimes feels better than listening to your own thoughts. But the best reason to listen to music/other stuff while riding bicycle is the free energy boost that high adrenaline music (like heavy metal or rock or whatever) gives you. If you re tired, you re on your return journey or you re going too slow and want to go as fast as when you first left home: music can be an efficient way to boost adrenaline so much it s like 5 cups of coffee. So should you listen to music while on your bicycle? I say yes.
Use to ride full headphones. I’ve had an opposite arc. I have grown more and more concerned with safety as I’ve seen accidents happen. I use a speaker or one ear headphone, but still love the experience of riding a bike with music. I can appreciate the meditative experience of a pure bike, but think biking with music is a joy not to be missed.
My cousin was about to lose his spine because he would ride the bike with headphones and a car with bad brakes crashed into him. Somehow both of them got sued after police found out all the details.
He now hates bikes.
Bone conduction is my favorite too. I usually ride either in a downtown environment or on lakefront trails in my city, and I value the ability to hear things around me without being disruptive to people who are trying to enjoy nature
Does wind affect them at all? Or downhill? I don’t ride with anything for safety reasons but have considered this.
@@RenM908 First of all, I have a pair of Shokz openrun headphones and I've also used the Samsung bud live and the Sony WH-H900N.
From my experience, wind does affect your ability to hear whatever your listening to, but bone conduction seems to work the best for me while cycling when its windy.
In the past I've tried the buds but even a bit of wind while cycling seemed to make it impossible for me to hear any music.
In comparison, the openrun works pretty well for cycling while still being able to hear what's around you. Sometimes the wind does hinder your ability to hear, but overall it works more than fine. Due to the way bone conduction works, bass is not really precent, so don't expect high quality audio, but hopefully it can be "good enough" for you if you are considering getting a pair.
Bone conduction earbuds sound horrible
@@lamplight1636 The cheap pairs do, but then again so do cheap earbuds. As long as you're willing to shell out some cash and get a good pair, audio quality is fine. Bass is a bit weak, but that's a limitation of the technology.
I go with the one earbud option, plus pass-through audio. I've gone on a long distance trip like that. There are certain situations where I turn the music/podcast off for maximum concentration though.
Just discovered Shifter. Thank you so much. The videos are perfect: well-made, fun, and informative.
I went through a very similar arc. Went for years of a mind that open ears maximized immersion in the experience, enjoyment, and safety and may have been caught saying (or at least thinking) that earphones in traffic is a death wish. Then I tried it...
Mileage is going to vary tremendously based on how your audio solution fits and seals out outside noise and your listening volume. It can be anywhere from a hard mute to most of the outside noise gets in. I would feel very unsafe if I couldn't hear traffic noises while IN traffic but my earbuds don't seal that tight and enough gets in to hear approaching car tire noise, distant sirens, etc. Of course listening volume is a big factor too.
These days I mostly ride with the buds in and agree with the conclusion that there is some marginal safety loss but mixed in with everything else like how attentive the rider is, the quality of the infrastructure, etc... impact on the safety bottom line might be non-zero but also very small.
Also, open speakers are just obnoxious.
Agreed with everything u said except the last statement. Open speakers may be obnoxious to everyone but the rider - & that’s what count to me. Also sounds from open speakers aren’t any worse than constant car noise - so I’ll opt to hear someone else’s music on a bike path than listen to traffic noise
@@bicycles-as-far-as-im-aliv5725 So breaking the law is good?
Breaking the law is good?
@@martinkent333 what law? I can't seem to find anything in Alberta that says no open speakers while riding a bike
@@JuanesYEG Earphones are illegal on a bike, Cupcake.
Great video! My verdict is most definitely ‘yes’ because riding while listening to my favorite tunes enhances the experience for me. The major qualifier here is that it must be done safely, and I have been riding with my AfterShockz for years now. Here in NYC it is illegal to ride with both ears covered, so the headphones and dual ear buds option are not available. I have tried riding with a Bluetooth speaker and would have to agree with the “feeling obnoxious” misgiving. When the battery runs out during my ride and I have no choice but to ride without music I am reminded of the calm and peace of riding with just the sound of my surroundings and my bike traversing the road, but I do miss hearing my favorite tunes. Sometimes the right song paired with a great stretch of the ride is a feeling that just can’t be beat. I have my music on random shuffle so it feels great when a tune I haven’t heard in a while pops up during my ride.
Makes sense, too much traffic.
There's a phenomenon I've noticed in that wearing earbuds in noisy situations actually helps focus on the sounds that matter. I'm neurodivergent, so that probably factors in, but there have been many times at restaurants, bars, and events when I can't tell what someone is saying until I put in my earbuds. The music doesn't have to on either.
Music can help me focus too
I feel this too, and use airpods without music quite frequently.
What a fantastic channel you have. Tom! Just started biking recently and discovered it the other day. Your no-nonsense approach to biking and matter-of-fact presentation style blew me away. Really nice!
We cyclists in India are having a torrid time biking since the infrastructure really and truly sucks. We have been having more than our fair share of fatalities on the road but some of us pedal on valiantly because we love it so much and it is truly the need of the hour. I, for one, have done away with my car and use my wife's on the rare occasion that I have no option.
Anyways. thanks for this channel. Gives me hope that things can be better and that there are more mad bike heads like me out there.
Take care & all the very best
I jumped to the conclusion part and the man had such a strong sense of reason that I had the urge to watch it from beggining.
Here in the Philippines, I use a Bluedio neck speaker. It's basically just a Bluetooth speaker that you can wear around your neck and plays music loud enough so it's close to your ears. Other people can't hear the music but you can and you can also still hear your surroundings. It also doesn't interfere with your bike vlogging so no copyright strikes on your footage while you play music.
I thought the Bluetooth thing was kind of weird until I saw somebody using it. It was an urban commuting environment and the volume wasn’t very high. It was very similar to a car driver listening to the radio at a normal level with the windows down.
Urban its fine. Feels weird for forests tho
Glad to see others also looking for music solution on bike :)
Thanks for doing tests, if I see this a few years earlier then I don't need to lose ear buds and BT speakers
Anyway, after testing with different solutions, ear bud does make it feel that much more danger, especially at quiet road you don't expect much traffic
After ruling out ear bud, speakers is the way to go but it is a bit annoying
How you position and mount it on a bike is key
The best place to mount speaker I found is on handle bar, this shall avoid sound distortion, also you do not need to turn volume right up to just able to hear from it
Then how to mount the speaker is another annoyance, of course you can mount with cable tie, but that might scratch your bike paint job
and at the end, I see to use a very thin cloth, wrap around your tiny speaker like a candy
then tie it on your handle bar is the easiest way to do the mounting and so far sever me well
Of course best practice might be to ride with only one or no headphones, but don't forget a few things:
1. Deaf and hard of hearing people do exist
2. Apple earbuds do no noise cancelling, meaning you can still hear your surroundings very well
3. Cars drive around in soundproof tanks, usually playing music as well.
Cars can also be really loud if they are going fast
1. Sure, and this impacts their safety, too, but they have no choice, unlike most other people. Also, they're more used to living without hearing and to noticing smallest hints with their eyes.
2. Technically, you're correct. However, background noise from the earbuds and partially blocking your ears do their job in preventing you from hearing outside noise. Just like when someone tries talking to you while you're showering and cleaning your ears at the same time.
3. The problem is that they are indeed tanks to cyclists. As long as they're driving below 50 km/h there's (almost) no way the driver gets injured. The same is not true at all for cyclists. We have to be extremely aware of our environment to not get in the way of cars.
Your points seem less like arguments, and more like logical fallacies to me.
On number 3, emergency vehicles have to be so loud because of that too. Funny how the law he was reading out at the start touched on emergency vehicles even though while youre on a bike or walking its like impossible to miss them, headphones or not.
Identify the logical fallacies
"Because others are doing it wrong" isn't a valid reason to do it wrong.
Speaker placement is also very important to how much you hear vs how much others hear. I have the Bose speaker with the handlebar strap and it directs sound right to me.
Same with me. It just sounds better. I fixed my Defender Enjoy S700 on the stem with a bottle holder. I made a video about it.
I've seen most of your content and I really enjoy them. You have improved my bicycle riding experience and helped me overcome some mistakes I had been making. So thank you!
There's one thing I'm really wondering and it is, in a way, eating me up. How do you record yourself while riding? I would also like to record my rides around the city and such. Could you give me and the rest of your viewers some tips on that as well?
As far as I can tell, he's just holding a rod (kinda like a selfie stick) with the camera attached to the end. Video is stabilized either mechanical by a mount or in post production
Tanks for the video.
I've been bike commuting for almost 20 years in paris (very busy city).
I always used earphone on my bike, for several reasons.
First, if you really need sound to keep out of danger, it means you are already dead (you should check everything with your eyes). Of course hearing around you is important, but don't count too much on that.
Then, I always seek out the most open in ear headphone (It has been a struggle, because they are not really common, I use bose soundsport), with the sound at the lowest possible so that I'd still hear what's happening around me. The music, is intelligible, but it's just background music.
Having headphone actually helps me hearing stuff around. As I coast pretty fast (around 40km/h), the sound of wind is pretty deafening. Having headphones helps to dampen that sound.
Sometimes I'd go around with headphone, but without music.
As of today, I stopped using headphones, because I use a full face helmet (as I said, I'm going quite fast), and putting on headphone with it, is a real chore. Not because of safety concerns.
Having a gettho blaster is really douchy though.
Really like your conclusion about keeping your ride simple and disconnecting while you ride.
I use Aftershokz Aeropex headphones, and they're a perfect fit for me - I ride for sport as much as transport and frequently long distances, where some music or a podcast can be nice. Especially when traveling, I don't necessarily know the route very well either. Getting satnav instructions through the headphones takes a lot of stress out of riding through an unfamiliar urban environment, because there's never any doubt as to which way you're supposed to go, freeing up the mind to focus on what's going on around you. Also, with bone conduction headphones as well as Bluetooth helmets, it's easy to pause the audio if needed and you're immediately left with unobstructed ears - which is useful when you can hear people doing silly things behind you and react appropriately before things get too dangerous...
Great video Tom. I don't listen to audio very much in my car, never mind on a bike. I actually prefer solitude and silence. My car and bike being a world unto itself. I find audio distracting, safety compromising, and impolite to others who prefer silence or may not agree with my audio choices. That being said I am intrigued by the bone conducting headphones for the times I use my cell phone and tablet while on buses, trams, trains, in waiting rooms, or just taking a break with other people around. I would get a bluetooth helmet if I join a bike club but just to communicate with other cyclists in my pack or an occasional cell phone call from my bike.
Tbh I don't see the value of calling someone in the same bunch, as write and at 5:41 in the video. Groups are pretty noisy with all the drivetrains and wind noise, so you basically shout most of the time. This would require a high volume which may cause hearing damage. Also the concentration demands of talking while reacting to changes in pace or pot holes for example. If you're in the group and want to talk to some one, wait till the roll brings them to you, or pull out from your spot to talk to them.
Another great video, Tom! I have actually never listened to anything while biking....but I'm also one of those long distance runners who never listened to anything. I guess I just like that quiet time to process. Also, I don't trust my commutes--I feel like it's extremely important for me to be aware. Also very urban area :)
Great Tom, Love your channel😁
For myself, bluetooth speakers built into my helmet. As I keep the volume level relatively low, I can hear more than plenty...even through a modular, full face, helmet while on the e-bike.. Additionally, because I ride primarily at night, my head is on a constant swivel, while also repeatedly checking my mirror, so situational awareness isn't impacted. When it's late enough, and traffic is non-existent, then I might turn up the volume.
I've worn earbuds once. I had to turn to volume way up because of the traffic noise. Scared me.
I had a speaker too but it was probably low quality. Either got static, cutting out or died.
Then I bought a cheap transistor radio from Walmart. That worked the best. No need to ring my bell as I approached pedestrians on the trails.
Thanks to you I learned about and ordered the bone conducting headphones. They are going to improve my safety both on a cycle and on foot.
great question, great video. well played out. really enjoyed this one
my question also would be: with the bluetooth clip on speaker - could this perhaps be a "safety" advantage for bikers? as walkers and possibly smaller cars might hear the music and look up to see a bike.
Since i love listening to music, i always have my phone playing (in that phone case for bikes): just enough to hear it clear, but not on really high volume so that it doesnt distract me from cycling or to not disturb any pedestrians.
The urban environment is extremely loud because cars and motorcycles make it so. And often drivers can and will honk at you because you're on the road they believe you don't have the right to be on. So generally I wear earplugs when bicycling, as loud noises are proven to be almost as harmful to your health as air pollution.
Yep, in ear earbuds with low volume for me. Work like earplugs with the ability to add music/podcast
@@0xsergy unfortunatly earbuds do not work like ear plugs. Earbuds are not hearing protection devices. Though similiar, not the same
@@kellylingus with foam earbuds it may as well be hearing protection, they can get pretty quiet. some of the stock rubber ones let a lot of audio by.
when i say earbuds i specifically mean the type with a rubber bit on the end that go in your ear, aka in ear buds. regular ear buds offer no sound protection.
Great video. I love my bone condition headphones. As you found, amazing for podcasts and not bad for audio. Safer than earbuds. When there is lots of wind they aren’t great, but I suspect not much is when the wind is super loud.
I used to bike around with a Bluetooth speaker and now I just use that time to disconnect just like you! Everything that is in that moment is in that moment, even if it’s just transportation
Wow! My comment made it into a video.
I agree there might be some safety loss, but it's definitely going to be marginal. Most of the dangerous situations I'm in have nothing to do with my hearing and everything to do with inattentive drivers and painted bicycle gutters. If I wanted to maximize safety in my city, I wouldn't be riding a bike in the first place. The risk is unfortunately part of the experience.
I'd be interested to see if there's any consensus from peer reviewed literature in the subject, maybe in a future video.
I’m also using those bone conducting ear pieces and I like it a lot. Let’s me hear my surroundings while listening to music.
One thing about listening to music while riding is that the beats can pretty much pump you up and tempt you to vary your speed while cycling to match the music tempo
Same here, disco is my cycling favourite for helping me increase my speed and the easy controls are good if you need to pause your music quickly.
Well done Tom and I'm with you on disconnecting, it's great to get away from the technology and just interact with the world around 👍
I'm using only one Bluetooth earbud on one ear about 60% volume and the other one is for the traffic. Works pretty well and a relaxing ride even if the hellish traffic and bike infrastructure here in Metro Manila.
Like you said bone conduction works fine (you lose bass but it's ok), i think bone conduction it's the Best option for calls.
I think that a solution for speakers could be some way of microphone modulation so ir could be quiet or louder depending the sorrounding noise.
At last i Will say that music is ok as long as you have already rided on that route before, when i cycle to new places i prefer no music.
"You lose bass but it's OK" 😳😳 Losing bass is NEVER OK, my friend 😊
Small Bluetooth speaker flashlight works well for me. It's not really loud enough to bother anyone else.
I hear what you're saying about being unplugged when riding. For me, commuting in NYC the music helps me stay in a good mentally/emotionally. Otherwise it would feel too much like its me vs the traffic/pedestrians. It's not fun or relaxing to ride in NYC. I'm on high alert. Music calms me.
I wear my JBL clip on my shoulder right by my ear. I cant hear it as well or have to jack up the volume it's clipped to my rack.
Similar here in Seattle. My commute to work is awful, though better than driving or the bus. Not only bad infrastructure but also rage from pedestrians and drivers, and pollution in the mile or so around the port.
Audiobooks are critical for my sanity. I focus on the book and it helps me relax and ignore the BS. And I don't get as upset when the ultra slow rotating bridge opens right before I cross it because I just get to listen to an extra 10 minutes of my book.
I have never ridden with my ear buds in but I have walked and I remember it left me feeling extremely vulnerable and unsafe. I ended up removing one of them just so I could still hear the world around me.
Anyone ever watch Forest Gump and remember that scene towards the end when he's talking to Jenny about when he used to run across the country. How the music kicks in, and he's running past that beautiful mountain reflected in the lake. Everything seems still and calm, peaceful.
Listening to music while biking is almost like that sometimes. I'll sometimes hear a song randomly on the radio at work or randomly not biking, and it'll instantly remind me of those moments where I was cycling during sunrise. To another time when I heard that song while cycling, and it floods my mind with those memories.
There are songs that come on that remind me of cycling trips I had 20 years ago. How the pollen smelled in the air. How the sun lit up the landscape and the trees rustled in the distance.
That's an experience I can't replicate without music. The memory connection. Smells can do it too. But music is a gift.
Most of the time I hear cars before I see them especially at intersections. I have a JBL Go2 speaker on my bike and I listen to music while at the same time I hear everything around me
I understand safety issues, but depending on the mood I love to do some long winter rides jamming out to some music. As long as you are being relatively safe I think it can add to your ride.
Especially on the longer rides I find having music on actually forces me to remain more alert of the environment. Without, I can totally zone out just listening to the sound of the wind passing by and the sound of the tire on the road surface. It's ideal white noise. And although loud vehicles will not ve overheard, e.g. a Tesla or other quiet EV can come as an absolute surprise.
@@docfornix That is why we have found our speakers are superior
I'm with you. I enjoyed this very,very good video. Good riding
Wild to hear that you've never used headphones while riding. I've almost had an audiobook going while I ride and can't imagine taking the miles without something to listen. I do like to stop now and again to take in the sounds ape, but often I'm riding on the street and abhor car noise.
I used to ride a motorcycle to work. Earplugs (or earbuds with music/podcast) are an important protection, even when you're wearing a full face helmet. Not because of loud Harley pipes (I ride a 3 cylinder sport bike), but because of wind noise, which has a cumulative effect of destroying your hearing. Switching over to an ebike, and averaging 20 mph, often doing 30, I realized I needed it even more so, because I no longer had the helmet protecting my hearing. My ears are high frequency wind collectors, and that white noise causes hearing loss. I triked Cat Ears (fuzzy helmet straps) to cut down on air noise, but it has a limited effect. Now I use earbuds with a headband over my ears. The only hearing I miss when commuting is if I stop at an intersection and someone tries to talk to me about my strange (to them) recumbent trike. I smile and nod.
I have never found the sound of approaching traffic from behind to be a helpful safety factor. If you think that you're safer hearing cars bearing down on you hundreds of times per ride, but you have zero agency to do anything about knowing which one is a distracted driver that is actually going to tag you, you're fooling yourself. None of us should be riding with our heads turned to look for the distracted driver, you can't tell one from the other in your tiny rearview mirror, and you literally have no options when it is about to happen. So better to ignore the oncoming din of vehicles bearing down on us vehicular cyclists. You hear sirens, trust me.
I do appreciate class 4 bike lane riders in big bike cities wanting to hear the gentle sounds of bike bells and being very aware of quiet but perceptible sound of another cyclist or pedestrians. If that becomes my world (some day), I'll likely ride with one ear shielded and one open, or try the bone conductors.
I agree on traffic approaching from behind. Humans are not bats. The best cyclists can do is to follow a straight line at constant speed and be predictable.
In the Netherlands I do listen to music while cycling with actual headphones, I'm over sensitive for sounds. Even with music I hear my bike creaking, car doors opening etc, but they appear a bit more on the background. Without music the noises get to much for me which makes me overwhelmed and unable to process it.
A train ride without headphones makes it so I hear every single conversation people have in the train car I'm in.
With music on its a bit easier to maintain the focus on the task I'm doing.
I've got a drivers license but have a strict no talking policy when I drive and depending where I drive I turn of my music because the car itself dampens the outside sounds by quite a bit already.
That last point is also why I wonder why people always ask about music on a bicycle, when you are in a car there are no questions about it.
If the car dampens sound, just crack the windows
@@blanco7726 how to tell me you haven't read the comment without telling me
@@codex4046 if you cant be bothered you can also just ignore advice you know
@@blanco7726 if you don't bother reading you could also omit ill advice.
I love the ending sentiment.
I knew as soon as my car stopped being useful that I wanted nothing to do with a privilege based transportation method. It somehow took me 2 years to learn that bikes were the way to go. I love this channel and I love that our boy understands the serinty of a bike trip.
100% Agree with you on this one Tom. The feeling of disconnecting from everything while out on a ride, either for transport or leisure, is something I crave everyday. At the same time, the ambient sounds bring me closer to nature and my local environment/community. Something you just can't experience the same when you're locked away in hulking metal box.
It's one of the reasons I prefer a bike over a car.
I use the JBL speaker because I can hear everything around me and people can hear me riding up behind them. I don't have to shout, "On your left", which at times people move to the left or move completely off of the bike path. I have a Surly Pack Rat, which has a front rack, so it's nice to clip the speaker to my rando bag -making it easier to turn the volume up or down. It is a party!! I've experienced people dancing to the music I am playing when waiting for the light to change at an intersection :)
My take as a cyclist in the Netherlands: the reason why I listen to music when riding is because the noise of traffic is not relaxing. In fact many studies show that noise pollution (like the one from traffic) is unhealthy. When wearing something like a bone conduction headphone or any earphone with bulk in front of your ear...it is horrible experience in windy places (like the Netherlands) because the wind noise is more annoying than the traffic noise (even noise cancelling earbuds aren't the solution for the wind yet). The speaker on your bike is just anti social or a-social. Doesn't matter how much I love my Latin music, I would annoy others on the bike paths who don't love it, so that's not an option. I use noise cancelling headphones which are also water resistant (Jabra 85H for example), water resistent because even a mist when it starts raining might damage a non water resistant pair. When in the city center I double tab my headphones to hear my music but to also hear the traffic and people around me, but when in safe cycling paths, it's just me and my music, and no wind or rain stops me. Now, in the Netherlands we have the best cycling infrastructure in the world, and if a car hits a cyclist, even if it's the cyclist fault, the police will blame the car driver. Car drivers are also cyclist most of the time here too and cycling is just part of the culture. The cycling paths are safer and bikers are better trained at using lights, and hand signals on the road. After 5 years here, I never had a bike accident even with music on, because before I turn right or left, I must first signal with my hand and then look back before I turn. So keep all these things in mind. But yes, I love cycling with headphones. EXTRA: the video didn't mentioned this, but with a phone mount, cycling to a place that you don't know it's amazing when wearing headphones because the Google Maps instructions are delivered to your ears and you don't take your eyes off the road and to me, this is also a safety feature. In the Netherlands you can only use your phone on a mount so this is great, otherwise you must stop often to see where you are going and you may become an obstacle to others cycling and plus you will arrive late 😉. Cheers and happy holidays!
Just got my Jabra Elite Active 75t and I love them on the bike. In Ireland it's quite windy too but with the beanie over the headphones it works somehow. A lot of work to be done here for bikes lanes but so far it's been Okay. I try to be as completely aware as possible! I almost got hit on a roundabout not due to music though due to a shitty asshole driver. But yeah roundabouts in Ireland don't help.. they're anti bike friendly
@@themajestysnowbird be careful out there Lana 😊. I am happy that you enjoy the cycling life too...it's better for our economy, health and the environment! Here all Roundabouts have cyclist priority, so drivers are used to stopping but I also think that when cycling with music, we are even more aware than the average cyclist because we think that we have to. This is good specially how little noise other cyclists, electric cars and low speed cars make. Maybe we are more future proofed 😂
+++ for driving instructions while riding and you can have that while listening to music/podcast. The modern phone, knows to silence the latter, give the driving instruction, and then return to the music. It's a fantastic way to get directions, AND if you decide to deviate to a different road, or take a wrong turn, IT SELF CORRECTS and still continues to give you accurate directions. This is a top feature of cell phones and bikes, and my phone stays in my panniers while doing all this via bluetooth, so no visual distraction.
People who don´t love latin music deserve the suffering))
@@sshko101 bit harsh innit
I love listening to music while riding my bike. It's a long and busy commute with noisy bits and quiet bits and having something to listen to while biking just makes it a more enjoyable time. Biking is how I get around. I love doing it, but it's usually not recreational.
I wear bone conduction earphones(open run) and listen to music on the way to work, I find it lifts my mood and also helps cycle faster. The controls are easy so you can pause your music if you need to concentrate more on a particular part of your journey.
I ride with a speaker, I love it as it alerts pedestrians to my presence as well as entertaining me. Less jumpy pedestrians and dog walkers reeling in their dogs as I approach from behind on shared pathways is a huge safety plus for me.
So true! I recently started riding with a speaker as well and definitely agree. I would also like to add that I’m a very socially anxious person and try to take up as little space as possible. Riding with a speaker has helped me get over those fears.
From the opposite perspective. About once a week i come up behind someone riding slowly in the middle of a bike lane. No reaction to a bell. No reaction to "excuse me". I escalate to yelling "get the f to the side" or just squeezing past.
If this happened to you and you are hearing impaired then I half apologize but you still need to be aware of other users. If you're oblivious because of ear buds i do not apologize.
Thank you for the insight
Great video! Thanks a lot
Thanks for watching!
I cycle for commute and have used headphones to listen to music with volume levels low enough to let me hear my surroundings. I certainly would never use noise-cancelling headphones.
What I want to emphasize is that you should never use a bluetooth speaker. I frequently walk around the parks and communities of where I live and I absolutely despise it when a cyclist (or anyone else) is blasting music from a bluetooth speaker. It always ends up being abrupt and distracting. I know I am not the only one who feels the same way.
*I don't mind buskers or other musicians. I know that may seem contradictory but they add to the liveliness of the city in a positive way.
I use a small Bluetooth speaker flashlight, it's not really loud enough to bother anyone else. It's just loud enough for me to hear it, and if someone else does hear it, they'll just be able to make it out.
In general, no. Riding in an urban environment, hearing is important to safety; especially in places with poor bike safety. I think if you are out riding recreationally, it could be okay. For me, I use recreational riding as a time to disconnect and listen to the world around me.
On another note, I cannot stand runners or walkers with headphone/earbuds in because they don't pay attention to what is around them. I have almost hit runners/walkers because of this. They can't here my freehub, my bell, or my voice so I can't get their attention to pass or to warn them.
Agreed, largely. I have no real problem with runners/walkers using headphones as long as they do the obvious thing which is to take a line and stick to it. What boils my p1ss is the unpredictable meandering. If you're gonna deprive yourself of your aural faculties, at least walk in a straight line.
Just got the JBL Flip 4, and it seems to fit perfectly in my bottle cage. Looking forward to using it to allay the deudgery of some of my less pleasant 30+ min commute trips
Laurie Anderson had an art piece called the soundtable. She had grooves in the table where people could slide their elbows into and cup their ears, underneath were sound conductors in the wood. The wood conducted music into the elbows, and the elbows conducted the music upf the forearms, into the hands and into the ears.
I always use bone conduction headphones when I ride. Helps stop the stress from engines and cars behind, but I can still hear key things. Besides, I generally just use my eyes when I’m cycling, so I don’t think music is really a risk factor to seriously consider.
Yep, what I say is, if you need your ears on the road, it means you are already dead (use your eyes, for everything, always).
You are either an Alert rider or you’re not. I feel it also matters where you are riding. Bike paths and protected bike lanes are generally pretty safe areas to ride in. Also if you ride with a large group at slow speed. I would maybe not recommend it in traffic but I will generally have one ear bud in and one out if I feel I need to be extra alert for example amongst fast moving traffic.
I find that just like when at the gym/working out, I'm able to push myself harder and go further while listening to music. I use earbuds, but I might take my headphones out one day; I never even thought to do that. I used speakers in the past, and it's nice, but unlike the majority it seems, I actually enjoy having my ears "plugged".
Awesome topic and great video. I've used the AfterShokz Aeropex bone conducting headphones for close to 2 years and love them. I don't like blasting people around me with music, but maybe the world does need to hear more reggaeton? 🤔😂
Yes. No headphones/earbuds though. Impairs your situational awareness by cutting off potentially all ambient noises (i.e. traffic, passersbyers, pedestrians, etc.) Playing music on a speaker/phone not only allows you to listen to music but it also gives notice to others that you are in the nearby vicinity to help prevent collisions.
I agree with all of this, but I worry about playing music that may annoy others. Keeping the volume at a reasonable level is probably a good solution.
Prevents collisions with what? pedestrians? Cars?
Loud brakes save lives
I personally don’t think it is that bad unless you are really cranking them. You can still hear wayyyy more than what you can over the roar of a motorcycle engine or even glass windows of a vehicle IMO.
Also with speakers you pass by so quickly I don’t think it’s much of a problem, if someone gets annoyed from a few seconds of music I think they may have other issues. Vehicle noise is way louder and more annoying to me than pleasant music! I think once you put in perspective all the much more annoying sounds out on the road, a little music from a phone or speaker isn’t bad at all! I think people forget how much worse straight pipes, huge subs l, and other vehicle sounds are, and just because speakers on a bike are not something they hear as often they some how think it’s instantly super egregious and fail to think of all the much worse sounds on the road. The average car engine is louder and much more annoying than so music to me at least!
@@whazzat8015maybe more relevant to being on a bike path or sidewalk but if you have music playing while on said route, pedestrians tend to take notice of you more so than usual.
@@jeremymurillo1760 And always in the most appreciative of ways
Nice survey. As one who's worn headphones regularly on a bike for decades, I do think it is reasonably safe IF you take the right attitude. #1 don't play it too loudly. If you're getting surprised by things around you, it is WAY too loud. Go for minimum volume to hear the content. #2 pay extra attention and use whatever other tools you can to keep situational awareness. For example, a rearview mirror or radar #3 I think that voice content like podcasts is better than music for safe consumption. IMO, music tends to fill up the acoustic 'space' more than people talking.
The AirPod’s pro transparency mode is perfect for this-you Can still hear around you AND listen to music or a podcast
I use the Senas (the ones that you add to an existing helmet). They work great and still leave your ears open to hear the world around you. They have the added advantage that you can hear your phone notifications (which helped me a lot when I was on a lunch bike ride and the office had an emergency issue with a server, so I heard the email go off and was able to stop and check it).
I like biking around with one earbud on a low volume. I can hear both my surroundings and have podcasts running in the background.
The bone wearing thingie, is incredible, i really need to get one
In Los Angeles I used to have a $5 radio tied with zipties onto the handlebar and that made my commutes so much better! But I only felt like doing that because there were extremely few other cyclists, and because it sometimes looked like everyone there dresses or behaves kind of wackily so it wouldn't stand out too much (it didn't). Once I moved to Washington DC and then Barcelona with so many other cyclists around, I went back to silent commutes. On the one hand, I feel too self-conscious. On the other hand, I don't want to inconvenience the other riders, who did not choose to listen to the same music. I do not use headphones because of the safety issue (even when walking they make me too absent-minded sometimes). For Critical Mass and for group rides, my father has a trailer where he carries huge loudspeakers, and that makes it so much fun. Thanks for this video!
Update: after seeing this video more than once I succumbed and bought a tiny bluetooth speaker. My commute is so much better now!
I love riding with podcasts or music. That being said I ride exclusively for recreation and very rarely for commuting. So if I'm doing laps or on the open road I like having my Aftershockz for podcasts and music.
For group rides, I don't really bother since it makes it harder to chat.
When rural touring I enjoyed a shower radio that let me tune to local stations and have both ears unobstructed. In city I decided in only a few minutes that budding both ears is a bad idea. When I use my wireless "wired together with a mic in the wire" version to phone or be entertained I keep the mic end in my ear and drape the other speaker into my shirt collar so that if it falls... it dangles. Using an ear bud every day or for a long time led to ear hole pimples. Waterless hand cleaner wiping and wet willies helps.
I've been eyeing the Aftershokz as a way to talk with my partner a lot easier on rides. If you do a video on the Bluetooth helmets, I'd be interested in a comparison with the Aftershokz too.
Love your channel
Great video, would love a video on Priority Continuum Onyx cable management. I hate how many cables are in front of my headlight
I ride my bike with music (earbuds) every time I’m commenting 2-4 times a day. I think if anything is keeps me more aware, or stays sharp. As long as someone is checking left and right, over my shoulder and behind me: signaling and etcc, so I won’t blast my earbuds and ofc don’t use noise cancelling either, but you can still hear cars and people walking/talking. Over all I do recommend listening to music it’s really enhances the experience. I will say you do need too, be aware of your surroundings, and need to always be checking railroad crossing before you cross, looking left and right, checking your shoulder, etccc.
The confidence to answer calls, listen to direction from google maps, answer texting etcc, is really a game changer. Especially as someone who commutes everyday and is often late, having maps on is really nice.
I do think listening to music or a podcast while biking is not for everyone and that’s just how it is
I use noise canceling headphones on my commute (in semi-passthrough mode - mostly for wind reduction though, not safety). LOVE listening to music and audiobooks on my commute. One of my favorite parts of my day.
I agree, it feels a bit less safe. Especially when in a bike lane, or the actual lane - cars sometimes seem to suddenly be right next to you. Fortunately I have access to a lot of bike paths. They feel quite safe, even with music.
I also use speakers for music in my motorcycle helmet - similar effect, though cars don't usually pass me (I don't speed, I just accelerate faster from a stop, and lane filter at lights). To me, it's worth it. Probably quite comparable to a car with windows open, but music playing.
Over the years, nothing (bright clothes, lights, helmet, cross walks, sidewalks, school zones) has made me feel safe around cars. Not while walking, biking, motorcycling, or even driving. I have a strong habit of always acting invisible. If you actually act like you're invisible, you give very few opportunities for another driver's mistake to involve you (definitely not completely avoidable, unfortunately)
I got myself a pair of Aftershokz so I could listen to music while working in a warehouse while still hearing all my surroundings, and I made the connection not too long ago that I could wear them while biking, and I've been really enjoying them.
I used to bike around with earbud on the "pave side" ear for my 1hr commute bike to uni. I'd have my revision play in the morning, then on the way home maybe some podcasts.
I only use BT speakers when riding on sleepy roads at night (moderate volume). Seems like a much better (as in less startling) option for alerting other cyclists compared to the bell. Plus, it's hard to get spooked at night when you're playing disco house music :)
New to the channel and I'm starting to realize what this guy's taste in cycling is like. Simple one-speed bike, minimal clutter, every day clothing. Not even music in his ears! God I wish I lived where he lived, it sounds like paradise for cycling... Where I'm from it's borderline misery unless very early in the morning when there's 0 traffic.
I have thousands of miles using the Aftershock bone conduction and also use them as an EDC item for work, play...whatever. While I do wear them all the time I also don't listen to them constantly while riding, but I find on commutes or when doing hard climbs it gives me just that extra boost. Knock on wood never had so much as a close call while listening but keeping your head on a bit more of a swivel is key if riding in traffic areas even without headphones of any kind.
thanks very helpful video
Thanks for being openminded about earbuds. I'm Autistic and can't handle the wind and street noise without some kind of noise. I use Surefire EP-3s with a speaker instead of earbuds but might make the switch. I was just afraid of being hassled and a lot of times cashiers get upset when I wear earbuds in the store. I have dog ears. I can ABSOLUTELY still hear you.
I never pegged you as a Motörhead fan. Rock on bro!
Who doesn't like Motörhead, really?
I like to use headphones while cycling in the city because as a woman in a south american country catcalling is an everyday thing, so listening to music with moderate volume helps me to 'drown' whistles and other unpleasents sounds while being able to hear cars, emergency vehicles and other cyclists approach. It is true that you have to be more cautious about your surroundings, but for me it helps me to concentrate more and have a better experience overall
Very glad it is a personal choice in Alberta. I have and wear sport earbuds during my rides - yes, audio down low for awareness, but more importantly, I feel they can be a serve a safety purpose - if I was to crash or have to call in an emergency, I can easily use the headphones to call. No fiddling for my phone in my pack.
I listen through google's pixel buds line. I really like their first gen model (now discontinued) for how much sound they allow in. I know sound isolation is 'good' for headphones, but I feel quite aware with those in, and I don't have trouble hearing my environment even with a podcast going. The second gen pixel buds I don't feel as comfortable with. They block my ears a lot more and without a connecting wire I'm much more nervous about one falling out and getting lost. So, I think it depends on the style of headphones.
I have done it sometimes in the past but always on routes I was alreeady extremely familiar with, usually from my home to the train station.
I use a bluetooth boombox with a very easy bike attachment called the Buckshot Speaker; they're much cheaper than the JBL. It's a joy to use; though I try not to have it on when riding on nature paths. They're about forty bucks, drop resistant, and actually tend to make cars pay more attention to me. The speaker lets me pay better attention to my surroundings and not have to worry about anything falling off my head.
I had never heard of the bone conducting headphones I'll have to get some and try it out for jogging during 5ks