Poll: ?? ? or ? out on the single tracks?

Is it okay to ride with headphones on?

  • 1 The only way is to wear

    Votes: 17 18.1%
  • 2 That’s rude, playa. Listen to ‘dem birds

    Votes: 66 70.2%
  • 3 I like turtles.

    Votes: 11 11.7%

  • Total voters
    94

Agamemnon

New Member
Nov 17, 2019
52
40
Florida
Please take my poll, not pole.
8CB1CD56-DFBC-41F7-8B08-AD1F91E9FB51.jpeg
 

Zimmerframe

MUPPET
Subscriber
Jun 12, 2019
14,028
20,818
Brittany, France
There's too much e-music out on the trails .. what's wrong with a bit of manual music ? No handed manuals with a violin are way cooler than headphones.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
9,021
9,463
Lincolnshire, UK
How are they supposed to know when I'm behind them if they can't hear me! :eek:

Before I get too upset, there are some hearing impaired riders out there. They may not be wearing headphones, but they may as well be. :cry:
And vice versa of course, those wearing headphones are rendering themselves hearing impaired! :(
 

Jdog

Active member
Patreon
Jun 4, 2019
262
334
Surrey, UK
Personally I really enjoy the peacefulness of the surrey hills while mountain biking (until i'm hurtling down a trail yelling yeehaw) so didn't feel the need for headphones

However I bought a pair of Aftershokz bone conduction headphones for if I feel like listening to music and its the best of both worlds, check them out.
 

Shifty

E*POWAH Elite
Aug 29, 2019
249
444
Wiltshire
I always think those big headphones ? make people riding or running look as they say now ‘talented and gifted’ or as they used to be called when I was a kid ‘special’ ??
 

gaba

Active member
Dec 31, 2018
112
129
California
I’ve been using the Bose Soundwear neck speaker. I added a cable to the front of it so it doesn’t fall off when I get rowdy. It’s cold here now so I wear it under my jacket. Sounds awesome and you can feel the music a bit. You can still hear ambient sounds well. It’s very directional so not loud enough to annoy others. I put it on other people and they can’t believe I’ve been listening to music the whole time. It’s a little heavy but stands up to sweat well so far.
 

Kernow

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Founding Member
Jan 18, 2018
1,436
1,149
Cornwall uk
Theres only one Thing worse than getting stuck behind a cyclist with earphones That’s a jogger with earphones , normally only a problem on the road
 

Rahr85

E*POWAH Master
Sep 6, 2020
495
1,058
nottingham
When i'm on my own i often have my bluetooth earphones in, 90% for the music (or radio) and 10% for the ability to receive a call whilst my phone is tucked away in my bag. The volume is easily adjusted so i can still hear what is happening around me and i feel that it helps me keep a good tempo. A quick tap of the side mutes/stops the music if i'm coming up to a crossing or needing to pass others, it's quite rude to not acknowledge others sharing the trail so i'll disable the music/radio for those seconds/minutes as required.

Having it too loud to hear anything around you is a big mistake as it is a danger.
 

Rusty

E*POWAH BOSS
Jul 17, 2019
1,513
1,673
New Zealand
Theres only one Thing worse than getting stuck behind a cyclist with earphones That’s a jogger with earphones , normally only a problem on the road
Sadly I come across them on MTB specific trails - big signs .. No walkers, No Horses, No Dogs. Usually the answer is .... I am a RUNNER not a walker.
Same deal twatwaffle ... I hit you with my 130kg + combined bike & rider weight and you will not be running, walking or doing fuck all else except recuperating in ICU.
 

lokbot

Member
Jan 26, 2021
39
40
Oregon
It's a bit of a grey area. I can go either way. I can really enjoy bombing down a hill to tunes that get me amped up. That being said I rarely wear headphones because I usually forget to bring them out riding. If I do I don't mind queuing up some fire before I descend. I also like bringing a speaker with me when I'm riding at a DH bike park if it's a weekday and there's not many people there. I make sure to turn off my music if I come up to a group of people because I understand not everyone wants to hear music.

I do also enjoy listening to a podcasts during a long climb.
 

iXi

E*POWAH Master
Feb 17, 2019
427
326
Brisbane
Always wear Bluetooth headphones, the in ear variety. Makes riding more enjoyable for me, really don't want to hear the whine of the motor. Never block anyone's path as always looking around me and 90% are analogue riders so I'm passing them they aren't passing me.
 

lokbot

Member
Jan 26, 2021
39
40
Oregon
Sadly I come across them on MTB specific trails - big signs .. No walkers, No Horses, No Dogs. Usually the answer is .... I am a RUNNER not a walker.
Same deal twatwaffle ... I hit you with my 130kg + combined bike & rider weight and you will not be running, walking or doing fuck all else except recuperating in ICU.
If I see a hiker or runner on a downhill only MTB trail I usually have a friendly chat with them and let them know that for their safety they shouldn't be on the trail. I'm concerned that if I'm cooking down a trail and come around a corner I might not have time to react and we could both be seriously injured. I'll point them to the closest hiker friendly trail and wish them luck. I've never had anyone complain about it. Usually they apologize and say thanks for being kind to them.
 

Pdoz

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Feb 16, 2019
1,112
1,206
Maffra Victoria Australia
Theres only one Thing worse than getting stuck behind a cyclist with earphones That’s a jogger with earphones , normally only a problem on the road

Ever tried getting stuck behind someone NOT wearing earphones whilst they ride ? Do you have any idea how bad their music sounds?
 

KeithR

Well-known member
Jul 1, 2020
679
611
Blyth, Northumberland
Sadly I come across them on MTB specific trails - big signs .. No walkers, No Horses, No Dogs. Usually the answer is .... I am a RUNNER not a walker.

I hit you with my 130kg + combined bike & rider weight and you will not be running, walking or doing fuck all else except recuperating in ICU.
Ooh - I'd like to be in the courtroom for that case...
 

lokbot

Member
Jan 26, 2021
39
40
Oregon
IMO Music on a trail is distracting and unsafe for all trail users. Whether riding, hiking or running.
Well it's a fact that riding, hiking, or running are unsafe. You could crash, there a wild animals like mountain lions, you could even accidentally step in a bear trap!!!! I don't let that keep me from doing any of my favorite hobbies though.
 
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Shinn

Well-known member
Nov 8, 2020
375
277
Decorah, IA USA
Well it's a fact that riding, hiking, or running are unsafe. You could crash, there a wild animals like mountain lions, you could even accidentally step in a bear trap!!!! I don't let that keep me from doing any of my favorite hobbies though.
I've almost hit numerous people with head phones on. After 20 years of climbing rock and ice fear has never kept me at home either. Riding up a fire road or similar with headphones on is one thing, but in general on a trail - especially a multi use trail one should refrain and be more conscious of what's going on around them. For everyone's safety. I have a helmet on and a 40# bike they're more likely to get hurt than I am.

I'm thinking of others more than my own safety.
 

KeithR

Well-known member
Jul 1, 2020
679
611
Blyth, Northumberland
Well it's a fact that riding, hiking, or running are unsafe. You could crash
So potentially making it more unsafe by not paying full attention to what's going on around us, is good?
there a wild animals like mountain lions, you could even accidentally step in a bear trap!!!!
You'd be amazed just how much of the world doesn't have to worry about stuff like that.

We don't have much in the way of shotgun-carrying hillbillies telling us that we've sure got a purdy mouth and that they're going to make us squeal like a piggy, either.
I don't let that keep me from doing any of my favorite hobbies though.
No idea where you're going with that: not listening to music has the exact opposite effect to stopping me from enjoying riding...
 

Varaxis

Member
Founding Member
Feb 5, 2018
145
89
California, USA
The speed of sound = loud wind noise.

The speed of low-speed bicycling = the sound of your bike needing maintenance, your heavy breathing, and the sound of bumps being lazily ridden over, which amplifies your oof reaction to it.

I wear one earbud, with the other clipped off. I listen to mellow music at 5-10% volume (1-2 clicks from muted), which some of my friends refer to as "sleepy" music. It's enough to give me the kind of "background sound" that I desire, which arguably can increase focus and productivity. I'm the type that always rides in zone 3 and 4, if left to my own pacing, so I need something to calm me back down to zone 2.
 
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