Converted to Earplugs

forceten · 07-23-2007, 2:04 AM

I just rode about 500 miles today (longest trip ever in one day I made.)

Since I knew I was gonna be on such a long ride I picked up ear plugs. I rode about 100 miles with them in. Took a break and tried another 50 with them out.

Seems at first they were bothering me while in place. So was almost nice without them in, but the wind noise without them was much more noticeable.

After the 50 I pulled off for some gas and put them back in. At high speeds they work great for wind noise. Did help me concentrate more on the road.

But I think for local rides (20 or 30 miles and no highway) I won't use em. Just if I'm gonna be on the highway for any length of time they are great. But local roads and riding at lower speeds I like without them in.

Mine came with a carrying case so i strapped it in the trunk of my bike. This way if I'm ever riding further then planned they are with me.

tikki50 · 07-23-2007, 10:08 AM

Yep welcome to the club, When I ride without mine after an hour or so I start getting a really bad headache.

vin · 08-11-2007, 2:02 PM

I work on F16 & F15 fighter aircraft. I always wear dual hearing protection (ear plugs and headset) when I am around running engines. It works. When I am around running equipment, I wear ear plugs. It works as well. When I forget to wear the ear plugs around the equipment, I become fatigued and my ears ring for two days afterward. Riding is a whole other story though. If I wear ear plugs I can barely hear my music (chatterbox / MP3), and it makes it harder to hear a voice coming through my speakers. If I do not wear the ear plugs I can hear everything fine. I seem to suffer no added fatigue (8-10 hr rides), but my ears do ring for a few hours after the ride. I have no trouble sleeping or relaxing after the ride. I used to ride helmetless and its a huge amount louder without a helmet. Maybe wearing a full face helmet seems so much quieter to me that its no prob... maybe a little too much old school in me?!?!?

07Repsol · 08-11-2007, 2:29 PM

The silence would bore me to death. I've got my Bluetooth Ipod connected up to Bluetooth Chatterbox and couldn't function without tunes blasting in my ears. For me the music enhances the riding experience.

vitzaa · 08-14-2007, 7:05 PM

the sound of my cam driven twin is music to my ears!

Parks · 10-29-2007, 2:54 AM

Why do so many people have to listen to the iPod? What is wrong with just enjoying the ride? As for earplugs or an ipod, the plugs will reduce the ambient sound and allow you to concentrate on riding, while the ipod is just replacing one sound with another.

I have ridden with people who listen to iPods and can say I don't care to do it. Their mind is on the music and when a song comes on they don't like then they are reaching for it in the jacket or belt to change it. Not too safe.

There is a name for the iPod riders, SQUID!!! Now go hit up the hooters bike night and show off your two inch chicken strips.

Smitty · 12-20-2007, 11:19 PM

This was my 61st year of riding. At first I was like most of you with no noise/wind protection, but once I started to race with bikes with straight pipes to megaphones I use to put toilet paper into my ears.

Some yrs later I found out about the various forms of ear plugs, but that was also because or the use of a circular saw, hand power saw, the chain saws & other heavy equipment plus shooting of where in most cases it was proper ear muffs & not wear a set of costly electronic ones.

At a fabrication plant we were handed ear plugs so I switched to an older pair of retired h/gun muffs for I was doing all the decking & that requires a lot of work with a 10" blade.

Obviously by this time I was wearing ear plugs all the time. I was one of the oldest blokes at this frbrication plant & my ears were tested. The chap doing the testing & know the indoor h/gun shooting I did plus racing m/cs was flabbergasted as my hearing at 40+ yrs of age was above all the other workers be they in late teens or early 20s.

If I loose a set, then no sweat for I have several more still in unused containers in all of my m/c jackets. Besides they are to be tossed away after a bit of use.

So by his advise I also wore my old shooting muffs when doing my lawn.

Once an RCMP Constable pointed out the reason I did not hear her, behind me, was becuase of the ear plugs. I told her to check with more senior Constables for ear plugs were more like having the window down or up. She stopped me again some weeks later & apologized saying she did not realize & had even tried a set out when she rode pillon on her husband's bike & not both of them wore ear plugs.

As for loosing a set I am not in a sweat for in every jacket are several new ones in new pkgs. Besides every so often they are to be tossed away. Basically if you read some of them it is use that day & then discard them.

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parks

Why do so many people have to listen to the iPod? What is wrong with just enjoying the ride? As for earplugs or an ipod, the plugs will reduce the ambient sound and allow you to concentrate on riding, while the ipod is just replacing one sound with another.

I have ridden with people who listen to iPods and can say I don't care to do it. Their mind is on the music and when a song comes on they don't like then they are reaching for it in the jacket or belt to change it. Not too safe.

There is a name for the iPod riders, SQUID!!! Now go hit up the hooters bike night and show off your two inch chicken strips.

thats quite a few people your calling squid there. i thought the squid was the guy who had to point out that he doesn't have chicken strips. which any

can get rid of if they really want to (it's all in another thread). so i take it you graduated from your chicken strips. good job. nobody cares SQUID!!!

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 12:57 AM

oh and there are headphones with all different levels of outside noise cancellation. some are as effective as any wax ear plug. yes they do kindof replace some noise with other noise. but it is much better noise for the most part. and enjoying music while we ride doesn't make anybody a squid you craphead.

ghbzorro · 12-21-2007, 2:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atreyu

I just listen to my ipod when I ride

Is this much different than the old lady talking on her cell while doing her nails?

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 2:22 AM

yes because are hands are free and we are not engaged in conversation. just listening. the music doesn't need you to talk back or even listen to it. it does not seem to distract me or make me any less aware of my surroundings. then again im not an old lady

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 2:25 AM

i didn't know there were so many headphone haters. dont be hatin

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 2:27 AM

try it. you might like it. it does enhance my riding experience quite a bit. i almost never ride without tunes. gotta have em. and i ride just fine with em.

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 5:04 AM

bike jackets are made with the mp3 pocket these days. if yours is empty, you're missing out

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 5:11 AM

on the other hand i understand an rc51 with pipes might be enough to listen to on it's own. but the singing 4 cylinder blends perfectly with some fast electronica like prodigy or heavy metal

ghbzorro · 12-21-2007, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleJesse954

try it. you might like it. it does enhance my riding experience quite a bit. i almost never ride without tunes. gotta have em. and i ride just fine with em.

I am already convinced I would like it. Unfortunately, I am also convinced that it would affect my concentration in a negative way. A small lack of attention can have a surprisingly major impact, especially at times requiring quick decision making. For 99.99% of the time it is OK to ride on autopilot. Then something happens when you need 100% of your mental resources, and things turn sour if you don't have 100% of your attention available.
I was very surprised when I read that during some tests they found no difference in the number errors made (missing highway exits) when people used handsfree or normal cell phones while driving. Even listening to the radio has a significant effect. To me, that means I will have to stay away from iPods while riding.

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 5:49 PM

because they are engaged in conversation. the only way music or radio seems to bother me is if vehicle is quiet and i cant hear exhaust note for shifting. not a problem on the bike. once again. it's in the jackets. it's legal. and i would say it only affects some people. maybe if you get into the music too much. but i can actually tune it out if need be. if im in busy traffic with idiots all around i probably dont even hear the music in my ear. but once im in a more relaxed environment i can still be alert while hearing my favorite tunes a little bit. as long as i can hear my engine too. and i dont have to talk to anybody. that is a huge distraction for me.

UncleJesse954 · 12-21-2007, 5:59 PM

when you are talking to somebody they expect you to listen. and to prepare a response. the music is there if you want it. i have no trouble tuning it out if need be

Bigtoe · 02-14-2008, 12:04 PM

I just bought a set of custom made ear plugs at the Chicago IMS. I told her to leave them in when she took them out to cure. I cant wait to ride and not be so damned exhausted when getting to my destination. I want to hear again.

954Regret · 02-19-2008, 3:58 AM

Or you could get the best of both worlds and pony up for a set of Shure's
I've got a set similar to this one. It's actually allowed me to turn the volume down on my PSP (no IPOD yet)

and still provide the comfort and noise cancellation of the standard foamy earplugs I used regularly, even on the shorty rides.

Good Technical jargon for some of the reasoning behind having the sound isolation check out:
Shure - Sound Isolating Technology

Especially pertinant is the last paragraph:
"Why is isolation important?
Sound isolation makes it possible to hear greater detail at a lower volume than is possible with earbuds or most headphones intended for portable use. Lower-volume listening means less fatigue over extended periods and is safer than trying to overcome background noise by turning up the volume. This makes sound isolating earphones the ideal choice for commuting, travel, exercise, study, or work - any activity where you desire portable, hi-fidelity sound."

~ Ian

Repsol392 · 02-19-2008, 2:44 PM

I don't do earplugs... headphones for music. Riding gets boring on long rides without them.

schnogg · 08-11-2008, 4:20 PM

I wear ear plugs when I ride in the countryside or on freeways. These earplugs are known as JVC marshmallow earphones. If I hit play on my ipod, music comes out of them too. Either way, I have reduced hearing loss, distrations, and fatigue. In this configuration, I can still hear anything that I might need to hear such as approaching traffic, tires, horns, talking, etc. This results in more concentration on the road and the experience as a whole. I find that I am less worn out at the end of the day.