Riding with music

[Imlach]

As per the title

Do you ride with music?

If yes, why? If no, why not?

I personally am by the belief that my life needs a score, and I find that I delve into music the deepest when I'm doing stuff. Or drinking. But drinking is doing stuff right?

One of my favourite things is night riding with some atmospheric music, nothing beats the dark woods with some grim distortion or eerily beautiful ambient soundtracks.

And if I feel a need to give my all, I may channel some strength through old school hardcore punk.

Something for every occasion.

Obviously I try to balance volume and so on dependent on where I'm cycling, to ensure awareness on the roads and so forth.

I recently acquired a new set of earphones with a neckband, by 1more, very happy with it. Good sound and build quality.

So, do you ride with your ear holes stuffed full of good tunes? What's your audio kit? Any particular favourites for the roads and trails? Do you find that music helps push yourself harder?

 

[rwm1962]

I tried a few years ago & felt to isolated from my surrounding to feel comfortable. End of last year I discovered Shokz Openrun Pro bone conduction head phones - good fit around back of head & loop over the ears & the 'buds' sit in front of the ears - the sound is transmitted through your skull into the inner ear. Sound is pretty damn good although not as good as quality over/in the ear set-up but great for the bike & you can still hear cars, greeting from folk on the trail etc as your ears aren't covered. They're a bit spendy by my standards but I got staff discount at the outdoor shop I work part-time at.


Certainly helps push me along! I did get a Strava PB on a hill segment to Kings of Leon Sex on Fire!

 

[longun]

Yup but not always. Usually old school techno, rave, rap or metal.......or all. If I'm in the peaks or a bike park I dont though, it's good to hear the bike rattling more than usual haha

 

[grantoury]

I prefer listening to the sounds around me, birds, wind, the woosh from the tyres etc. I find it therapeutic. Travel and music do go together though, I like music on the train. Yesterday went to the museum and listened to Warpaint on the way. Beautifully athmospheric.

 

[mamadirt]

I too use bone conduction earphones as I have a perforation on one side. Always ride and walk with music (usually metal ) while in the UK but funnily enough not the other side of the pond (I spend 6 months of the year Stateside) - when I'm in the mountains I feel the need to soak up all the sights and sounds like a sponge

 

[tintin40]

i go to the countryside to get away from noise. It makes very angry when people ride round with music playing. Buy headphones we don't want to hear it. Did ride with music until one day i got home and took my headphones off and all i could hear was bells ringing. Luckily they went away. Now i love the countryside sights and sounds of birds, breeze through the trees etc. mountain bikers walking up hill and riding past them with ease.

 

[mk one]

I always liked the idea of listening to music whilst doing things, though like others have said, i like to engage all my senses in my activities so i find it too distracting.

 

[markoc]

I'll likely polarise with my view - I'd rather be able to hear what is around me, and I'd rather any cyclists around me were doing the same. This being either the sounds of the countryside etc if offroad, or the noise of things that could squash or injure me if on road.

I can understand if you're offroad and miles from anywhere; the music must give a good lift. However my personal view of headphones worn when on the road is that it is the cycling version of natural selection.

 

[novocaine]

No. Because.

 

[Mickeyspinn]

Me?
No...
And yes!
Never ever earphones or headphones...that's gonna get you in a sticky wicket one day...you will end up focused on the tunes....and not hear that lorry shuffling gears getting irate then giving you a large dose of airhorn which funnily enough you will hear !
I rarely listen to tunes during the day never in busy places cos it's rude ......but at night...love it....being in a little puddle of dynamo light and a bubble of sound bombing round country lanes is a really nice place to be
This is my little friend....belts it out! Can give 8 hours battery life which is pretty handy....just wish it had a port to charge from!