Just wondering if you guys use earplugs while riding?

If you do, do you use general noise blocking plugs or stereo plugs for ipods to cater for both needs?

Looking at plugs from Earinc, KOSS and Sennheiser and not sure which way to go... Any recommendations?

 

Racing unmuffled bikes over decades has nearly wrecked my hearing, but I do use earplugs on the track and also long road rides now. Apart from anything else, it seems to cut down fatigue.

The ones of silicon that mould to fit exactly are the most comfortable for me.

 

Looks like Aussies & Kiwis only on this thread! LOL

Ki Ki, have a look around for a couple of mobs that do moulded silicone with the earphones built in. AMCN run a couple of ads for them, and I have recenly bought some from a Brisbane mob. Nice and comfy, much better than the foam ones in my ears, and $60 AUD without the earphones. And unlike the foam ones, you can still hear stuff, you are not totally deaf with them in, which I like.

Do you pop up on Ozfirestorm much any more?

Oh, and your bike pic on the top of your post really looks like the rear end of my bike!

Cheers,
Shayne.

 

I always use ear plugs. I rode once without them, and had slight tinnitus for a week.

 

Yep, earplugs for me too (on anything over a 15 minute ride).

cheers

 

Excellent question...I have very sensitive hearing but when I was younger I never imagined riding around with them (but then again I used to do lots of dumb things). The wind noise always annoyed the heck out of me though and I tried just the cheapie foam ones. Now I always ride with them. It took me a couple rides to get used to, the pressure from them almost feeling like they were throwing my balance off ever so slightly or something-wierd, but now I love 'em. All that nasty wind noise is gone, nothing to hear but that killer exhaust note, which still comes through just fine. The end result is a much more enjoyable and less fatiguing ride and I can concentrate better on what I'm doing. Definitely try them if you don't use them already.

 

I use them now on anything longer than about 30 minutes. I agree with the others that it does reduce fatigue after a multi-hour ride the difference is huge with and without them - get the softest materials and they are very comfortable. Actually motorcycle.com just did a huge write up on the most popular brands and comfort etc.

I also use some audio plugs (sure E3 I think) - they sound good, block out wind noise with the sound off and are in the ear so work OK with the helmet on. But they aren't perfect and I still have safety concerns - with music on and these types of ear plugs you can't hear anything - its a compromise on very long rides.

 

Absolutely. I used the cheapo' orange foam ones and toss 'em when they begin to stop sealing well.

IMO, using stereo speakers cranked up to hear music over wind/road/bike noise is truly defeating the purpose. Tinnitus (sp?) will be in your future according to hearing specialists.

 

wha? can't ride without 'em.

 

Sorry to contradict, but actually that is the whole point of using the in-ear plugs for audio. Maybe you aren't familiar with this type of in ear system but they do an excellent job of sealing out road/wind noise (on bike or off) and so you get by with very low volumes. Like I said, you can use them with volume off and they function as very good earplugs. I'm talking about motorcycling use now, but the same applies off bike - you get much better sound since they are isolating and you don't need much volume - in that way they are generally considered as an improvement in preventing hearing loss to standard headphone, though that isn't intuitive.

 

No, I was referring to ear phones. Lot's of folks use those.

Now as to listening to music while riding, I've never understood the need. The bike provides all the entertainment I want!

 

[QUOTE=superbling;35725]
Now as to listening to music while riding, I've never understood the need. The bike provides all the entertainment I want!

Spoken like a true scholar!!

 

I only wear them when touring...

 

I wear 'em on my weekly rides out in the country, but not around town.

People have different shaped ear canals. The earplugs I love, some people find uncomfortable...so you have to experiment & find out what works for you.

Like some others, I can't see needing anymore music than the rumble of the bike's motor... though sometimes i find myself humming a tune.

 

I've never bothered with earplugs. I've abused my ears in so many ways over the years the bike doesn't seem that loud. And I'm lazy. Aaaand I don't care about my hearing that much. Few people have anything I want to hear anyway. I know, I'm stupid.

As for listening to music with earphones? I wouldn't think that'd be a good idea. Maybe it's because I only listen to my music too damn LOUD but I wouldn't want to chance not being able to hear traffic noises, horns, sirens, etc. I've never tried it so I can't speak from experience but I used to listen to music with earbuds in while running heavy machinery and had to stop because I couldn't hear my phone or anything else with the music turned up loud enough to be heard over the machine.

 

I've been riding since the late sixties, lots of loud bikes..but the harm to my hearing and it is total loss in the left ear..which creates peril on that side on the road...the damage has come from two sources..

1: Mainly wind noise..day long roaring in early full face helmets and turbulence of poor windshields
2: Tuning a motocross two stroke and getting a resonance zap in one ear while listening too close to cylinder..

More than loudness.. it is the duration of noise that wrecks hearing..

Do I wear earplugs now..you bet..always..protect what I have left, and fatigue on a long days ride...I have tried/used all kinds.. any good quality that has strong sound blocking ability..

There are all kinds of social hardships from bad hearing, but not hearing some squealing tires or a horn or even my riding partners warning, or a tire beginning to frag..did you get my drift..for safety reasons..wear the damn ear plugs and save your hearing.. your hearing is a vital sense

Ride wise
Dave:-D