Road Cycling: ipod while riding?

I used to ride with an IPod but I stopped. Don't get me wrong it's great motivation when I'm listening to Marley, however, I had a couple mishaps with cars and now i want to hear them coming earlier. Also, I feel it takes away from hearing the wind ripping and the enjoyment of the ride. But you know, there is no problem with the volume on low and a little music to hear.You could also try one ear with a headphone!?

                                                                 One Love,

                                                                          Sean

We do long intense rides where traffic is at 55-75mph.  No, I am not going to listen to tunes.  Just too dangerous.

after being runover on my bike and going through a taxi windscreen (which bloody hurt) i would suggest the more you can see and hear the less chance you have of getting squashed.

its not worth it

you do not want to experiance the same as me

Whats it matter how loud you have your music. If their going to hit you their going to hit you. It will be from behind so if they cannot avoid you then its not going to make a difference wheather you hear em coming or not. Music doesn't cause the problems lorry and car drivers do. I use ipod classic with armband. I'm able to control track selection volume and cable management. Its great. Cyclist's need music. and sunshine. Enjoy your rides......

i listen to music or talk radio almost always when i ride and am able to hear all cars perfectly, just use one cheep earphone, and you'll be perfectly safe, but always where a helmet, ALWAYS, be safe, love riding, love life

-Ben

Regardless of wether you use any sort of walkman or not, imagine what its going to be like with everyone going around with those sub 30mph silent electric cars and modern tires that are designed to not loose as much energy through sound and heat!

I have just order this speaker for the ipod which allows you to ride with your ipod and without the need for headphones. http://store.apple.com/us/product/TN914LL/A?fnode=home/shop_ipod/ipod_accessories/speakers&mco=MTYwMTM

The reviews are very promising and having being hit once on my bike I think it is safer than headphones.

I listen to my music a lot while riding but I use this speaker called an ibike. I picked it up from Target. It uses the head phone jack to plug in your ipod. The iHome 2go wouldn't work for me since I have a shuffle. The ibike will mount onto your handle  bars for most bikes.

    I never where head phones unless I am riding to school in the mornings but never on the way home since it is busier with more cars. Also, when you are in groups it is just rude to listen to your music and completely ignore the other bikers. head phones are really dangerous when riding on the road so I should probably stop. 

I don't use my mp3 player simply out of respect for drivers.  I know a lot of them don't like me being there, so instead of being all smug I let them know that I'm giving traffic my full attention.  Seeing a cyclist with headphones makes me think he/she isn't aware of what's going on around them.

Music is a huge part of my life, but sometimes you just need to listen to the world aroudnyou.

Wow. All these sticklers for the law! And I bet you never roll a stop sign on a ride. Come on...

I use my iPhone while I ride. I keep the volume low enough that I can just hear it when I am at my typical speed. I stick one ear bud in my right ear and leave the other out. That way I can hear traffic from the back and the front depending on how I scan around with my head. When I signal drivers by looking back over my shoulder, I also can hear perfectly well. I feel as safe as I can be on skinny tires, a thin layer of spandex, gloves, glasses and a helmet between me and the hard road and speeding cars.

I train much better with music. Especially when I listen to music that has the same tempo as the heart rate I am targeting. And if it helps keep me in the saddle longer and more effectively, it is helping keep me healthy and happy.

The iPhone has the added advantage of being a phone for emergencies and now I can run Distance on it and upload my training to MapMyRide.com. I find that I spend less time checking the bike computer and that is probably a safety bonus.

I admit that there is a little more risk listening to music while I ride, but I consider it proportionately such a small risk above what I am already doing that it isn't worth stressing over.

"The road goes on forever and the party never ends..." - Robert Earl Keen

TimmyH:In line with ipedal...what's the justification particularly for the "it is illegal to wear headphones and listen to music while operating a vehicle" position? Surely it's not because you can't hear whats going on outside the vehicle....what do deaf people do for goodness sake?

Not sure about where you're from, but I think if you check in most states, you can't get a driver's license if you're deaf.

And to Chiprako, I have no problem with your position provided that you're treated the same way people that don't wear seatbelts are treated.  If you're in an accident, and you're not wearing your seatbelt, the responsibility for your injuries is on you.  That includes the medical expenses. I could care less if you do things that put you at risk of being injured, just don't expect someone else (including your insurance company) to pick up the tab should you get hurt.

Boy aren't we sanctimonious!

And on the plight of the deaf...so much for America, land of the free.....go check a few states out dude, you'll find more than a few.

I stopped riding with my i-pod because I can't hear it over the traffic or wind noise at any volume less than deafening...hey, ho, shows I'm old...

I haven't been hit by a car, but I should probably add "yet".  There have been near misses, and in most cases I have been travelling at speed (that means down hill in my case!) and I have heared nothing until the car passed too close.

I am unconvinced by most arguments other than the risk of distraction in traffic. I may go back to using it when strength training on steep hills,when the distraction from the pain is beneficial and I can hear the music.

I was thinking about taking the cell phone along, it's a Sony Ericsson with mp3 player, so like nhmtb I get best of both worlds!

I think some people are missing the point about why you need to hear.  It's not just overtaking cars, it's dealing with other conditions.  That piece of gravel or glass in the road.  Do you dodge it outwards, further into the traffic lane, or inwards and risk hitting the (curb/parked car/pedestrian/whatever).  If you hear the overtaking car, you dodge inwards, or maybe even risk rolling over it. 

You also need to hear other sounds.  A bouncing ball could mean something rolling unexpectedly into the road (I've had it happen).  A barking dog is something you need to notice and possibly avoid.  Emergency sirens not only mean you need to pull over (yes, just like a car), but may mean that other traffic will behave unexpectedly as they try to get out of the way.  It may also mean that you need to stop at the light as an ambulance runs the red, crossing in front of you. 

 Being able to hear things around you clearly is one of the few advantages cyclists have over cars, so I'm wondering why anyone would give it up.

Its been a while since i last visited but whats going on? TOEKNEEBULLARD. Worried about curtious drivers? Yeah right. They are always curtious to cyclists aren't they? the way the force you into curbs at junctions. Proffesional lorry drivers who realise that the exit off the roundabout is to tight for both of you but still goes around you hoping that you dont dissappear under their trailers wheels. The drivers who pass you making hand gestures in their rear view mirrors asking you if you would like a coffee [remember the advert with Gareth Hunt in shaking his hand]. Please get real. The iSpeaker? I bet that sounds fantastic with the wind blowing around it.

Concentration levels are affected? Please. Bouncing balls, dogs barking, glass rocks in the road. well if your not observing them WITH YOUR EYES well enough said. If your ear buds are affecting your sight your wearing them wrong.lol. I drive fire engines with flashing lights and two tones wailing. Cars cannot even see them so how they going to spot an earbud at 100 yards?

MOST drivers dont want to share THEIR road with ya. They own it not you. Maybe we should stop them listening to music in their cars maybe they would concentrate more on trying to knock us all off then.

Listen to your music at a level that you can do both. By the sounds of it some of you must have headaches from hell when you get in the levels your listening at. Be sensible. BE safe. When a car shunts you from the rear the driver wont care if you had an ipod/mp3 player on. Unless he steals it before driving off. That would just be the bonus.

I always wear earbuds when I ride. I've stopped at intersections with police officers in the lane with me and they don't seem to care here in WA. If anything, I feel that listening to music makes me more visually aware of my surroundings. I've yet to be hit or even surprised by a passing car.

"...But we have a very effective but very expensive first-response system and who pays for this when you get airlifted to the nearest hospital and spend a couple of days in ICU? "

I don't know where you live, but here the victim and his family eats the cost of an airlift, not the taxpayers.