Helmets with speakers (opinions on the dangers of listening to music while cycling)

if someone hits you and you're in a car, you'll be fine. not true on a bike.

i do listen to my ipod sometimes but it is definately more dangerous. i tend to look over my shoulders a lot more when i am..

Its true - you tend look a lot more.

It's a good idea not to rely on your hearing to guess what's coming up behind you. Usually you can hear the beautiful strains of a diesel engine as it overtakes you, although one of those electric vans flew past me the other day and I could hardly hear it.

I approve of listening to music whilst cycling but then I fully expect that one day I won't reach my destination.

+1

You should ALWAYS look before you make a move in traffic, so I don't really think there's anything wrong with listening to music. What do you do when you hear a car approaching from behind, anyway? Swerve in the road or continue to ride in a straight line?

The only caveat is that with a home-brew bike or an older frame, you might want to hear the noises that are coming from the machine beneath you. I dispensed with the iPod because it drowned out a funny clicking sound from my chain before it snapped. That was a narrow escape.

Also, when you finally decide to emerge from your musical bubble, traffic noises seem really scary and loud. It takes a while to get used to the roar of cars passing you.

1 headphone in the left ear does me just fine. i can hear whats going on in the traffic and can't hear the torrent of abuse i get from the peds as i buzz past them. the music is more just a background noise to keep me alert. if i want to listen to music i will go and sit in a room and listen to it as it was recorded. or go to a gig.

I am profoundly deaf, I can assure you it's the least of your concern if you're a bit more aware than usual.

even I listen to music while on the bike, I don't listen to the road, I just watch the road.

i listen to music so i can't hear abuse from pissed off motorists who i cut up cos i didn't hear them coming...it makes perfect sense.

listening to music whilst riding a fixed gear bicycle contraption in london makes no sense
its dangerous enough with all 5 senses, why the hell would you limit yourself with even less?

i know its silly, but i use the ear plug headphones and am quite particular about sound so i love blocking out all other sounds and listening to my music......maybe i should get one of those creative things.

Riding with earphones on the road is dumb - i even see idiots on scooters riding with earphones, if you saw one of them i am pretty sure we would see a thread on here saying "cant believe what i saw today blah blah blah . . "

Off road fine by me, and if you ride em on road thats your choice and i'm not going to stop you, but its as bad if not worse than a car driver using a mobile in my book. Riding with a portable speaker is the way to go if you really need tunes.

I have a Bern Baker which i use for snowboarding, its a great bit of kit, and you can remove the liner in about 2 secs -speaker kit is shite though as are 99% of the ones that come with helmets, and venting aint great. Bizarrely the only time i bother wear a helmet boarding is if i am going to be spending any time on apiste, as the risk of an idiot crashing into you is pretty high these days, whereas i never wear it off piste or in the park where i spend most of my time. There is a similar debate in the wintersports world about listening to music - me i turn it off on a crowded piste and have it on the rest of the time.

A better vented helmet similar to the Bern is the Red Mutiny - it has hidden vents that can be opened and closed - i have one as well, though i prefer the fit of the bern, but thats just beacause it fits me bonce better:

listening to music whilst riding a fixed gear bicycle contraption in london makes no sense
its dangerous enough with all 5 senses, why the hell would you limit yourself with even less?

No it's not dangerous.

No it's not dangerous.

ooooooh

mate what? I only have 4 sense, with one of them isn't exactly great, I can't tell the difference between a bird tweet and the squeal of a double decker bus.

so yes, it's not dangerous.

mate what? I only have 4 sense, with one of them isn't exactly great, I can't tell the difference between a bird tweet and the squeal of a double decker bus.

so yes, it's not dangerous.

then you probably wouldn't listen to music then eh?

I do listen to music, I have hearing aids, even thought I do have hearing aids, I still don't understand people well, let alone recognising sound.

well i don't really want to get into any personal issues, and although you may be well adjusted or accustomed to not having adequate hearing of surrounding traffic etc. many people are not, and because of that they are more likely to cause harm to themselves and/or anyone traveling around them, alright?

I'm sure that you're opinion is quite controversial, as listening to music whilst riding comparable to drivers talking on their mobiles -which is now illegal- so don't expect me just to accept

No it's not dangerous.

I mean, come on

comparable to talking on the mobiles? I don't know that's far too different, you're engaging with the phone, while the music you're simply listening to it.

really all it take is that if you want to listen to music, just be a bit more aware than usual while riding, as like riding brakeless tend to force you to be more aware of what will happen in the road than with a brake.

and I'm not trying to argue otherwise, all I'm saying is that it does require more attentive riding, which some people seem to be incapable of doing

and with the music thing, people have different relationships with music, so you can't really say that

and with the music thing, people have different relationships with music, so you can't really say that

like norweigan black metal and britney spear-loving teenager?

... yup

i think listening to music is fine if you obey the road rules....such as red lights, ped crossings, give way junctions etc....... i guess its your own personal decision, depends on you as a person....i agree with edscoble with the fact that with a phone you have to listen so that you can reply and its interactive....where as music isn't and you can set the volume level yourself so that you can also hear close cars etc.

I ride with my portable DVD player, listening to my mp3 and playing PSP.
Yeah !!!!

OH YEAH and i talk on the phone at the same time.

I use my sense of taste regularly while riding.

I wouldn't dream of listening to music while riding - it's more important to be aware of your surroundings. Plus, when away from the traffic you get to hear the wildlife...

I wouldn't dream of listening to music while riding - it's more important to be aware of your surroundings. Plus, when away from the traffic you get to hear the wildlife...

I agree....madness...sure,fine on Brighton seafront,but in London....No way..

I wouldn't dream of listening to music while riding - it's more important to be aware of your surroundings. Plus, when away from the traffic you get to hear the wildlife...

+1 Bill Oddie