Look after your hearing

[Marino]

This has probably been covered in a previous post but for any riders younger than me (most I guess) - protect your ears. If you are not already using earplugs invest in some good ones and start using them asap. I never bothered until about 10 years ago and recently I discovered that I had serious hearing loss in one ear and moderate loss in the other. In order to pass my medical needed for my job I need to use hearing aids. Over £3000 for a set. Apparently this loss is not primarily caused by biking but is caused by a range of things of which my job is the worst offender. (Constant low frequency vibrations). However biking with unprotected ears is a major contributor. Protect your ears!

 

Look like we are in the same business, I am on deck (chief mate), but if u are engineer probably ur hearing was damaged there, or , I remember working on the petrol tankers in the cargo room just on top of the cargo pumps, few years there and ur hearing is affected.

About hearing protection on the motorbike I do agree, but don’t know if can be affected if u have original exhaust and ih u are riding from time to time 1 or 2 hours. Maybe people who are on the bike every day for few hours and got akra os similar without silencers.

But maybe I am wrong, should consult someone who knows more than me/us

Any doctor here?

[Arwen]

The supposed advantage of custom fit over foam is improved noise isolation. Custom fits give isolation of 30db or less, well fitting foam plugs around 40db which is also good but its all in the fit, foam or other mouldable plugs often allow leakage around the plug that customs don’t. They have the advantage of filters allowing you to hear speech (for me only just) and enjoy the engine sound albeit with quite a few decibels knocked off.

If you really want to push the boat out they do Bluetooth customs for muchos moola!

I used mercury customs and found them good, much better than the ones from the hospital which were double the price! They do lots of shows all over the country.

 

 

I agree, I think? I used to use Moldex Spark Plug foam ones, which are SNR 35 dB. My custom fit ones are Ultimate Ear Squidgies SNR 30 . (no filters)

Hearing wise, the Spark plugs performed very well. They cut out pretty much all the wind noise, but I could still hear the rev's and sirens etc. If I was speaking to someone, especially if I still had my helmet on they would have to shout for me to hear them. In general it feels a bit like hearing when underwater. You can tell there is noise, but it is distorted.

The custom fit ones, cut out the same amount of wind noise, but the noise that does get through is much clearer and not distorted. If I am talking to someone they need to speak up a bit, but are not required to shout. Engine noise sounds so much nicer, I can more easily tell car noises around me and they don't heat up like foam ear plugs.

[S-Westerly]

This has probably been covered in a previous post but for any riders younger than me (most I guess) - protect your ears. If you are not already using earplugs invest in some good ones and start using them asap. I never bothered until about 10 years ago and recently I discovered that I had serious hearing loss in one ear and moderate loss in the other. In order to pass my medical needed for my job I need to use hearing aids. Over £3000 for a set. Apparently this loss is not primarily caused by biking but is caused by a range of things of which my job is the worst offender. (Constant low frequency vibrations). However biking with unprotected ears is a major contributor. Protect your ears!

 

Look like we are in the same business, I am on deck (chief mate), but if u are engineer probably ur hearing was damaged there, or , I remember working on the petrol tankers in the cargo room just on top of the cargo pumps, few years there and ur hearing is affected.

About hearing protection on the motorbike I do agree, but don’t know if can be affected if u have original exhaust and ih u are riding from time to time 1 or 2 hours. Maybe people who are on the bike every day for few hours and got akra os similar without silencers.

But maybe I am wrong, should consult someone who knows more than me/us

Any doctor here?

Yes I'm in the same business. Old Man on Suezmax tankers. A few years ago there was a report that the low frequency vibrations on low speed marine diesels which are continuous so long as the M/E is running will negatively affect your hearing regardless of where you are working on the ship. Given my average voyage length berth to berth is 40 days that's a lot of exposure. This is thought to be the prime cause of my hearing loss although it can't be proved. It's also why the MCA are pushing hearing as part of the ENG1 in older seamen.

[Marino]

This has probably been covered in a previous post but for any riders younger than me (most I guess) - protect your ears. If you are not already using earplugs invest in some good ones and start using them asap. I never bothered until about 10 years ago and recently I discovered that I had serious hearing loss in one ear and moderate loss in the other. In order to pass my medical needed for my job I need to use hearing aids. Over £3000 for a set. Apparently this loss is not primarily caused by biking but is caused by a range of things of which my job is the worst offender. (Constant low frequency vibrations). However biking with unprotected ears is a major contributor. Protect your ears!

 

Look like we are in the same business, I am on deck (chief mate), but if u are engineer probably ur hearing was damaged there, or , I remember working on the petrol tankers in the cargo room just on top of the cargo pumps, few years there and ur hearing is affected.

About hearing protection on the motorbike I do agree, but don’t know if can be affected if u have original exhaust and ih u are riding from time to time 1 or 2 hours. Maybe people who are on the bike every day for few hours and got akra os similar without silencers.

But maybe I am wrong, should consult someone who knows more than me/us

Any doctor here?

Yes I'm in the same business. Old Man on Suezmax tankers. A few years ago there was a report that the low frequency vibrations on low speed marine diesels which are continuous so long as the M/E is running will negatively affect your hearing regardless of where you are working on the ship. Given my average voyage length berth to berth is 40 days that's a lot of exposure. This is thought to be the prime cause of my hearing loss although it can't be proved. It's also why the MCA are pushing hearing as part of the ENG1 in older seamen.

 

As usual they want younger people and get rid of us oldies, I am fortunately on cruisers last 15 years.

So far I just can say my sight is slightly down 19/20 and hearing is same since I was 20.

Who knows for how long.

[Fozzie]

I deliberately wear in ear earphones with buds that fill the canal when riding.

Regular headphones just aren't up to it. I've used foam buds, specially designed ear plugs, and the moulded ones.

A good set of sound cancelling in-ear earphones with the right sized buds just out-perform everything. Can have my music volume on 50-70% with no issues.

[NeilM]

Look like we are in the same business, I am on deck (chief mate), but if u are engineer probably ur hearing was damaged there, or , I remember working on the petrol tankers in the cargo room just on top of the cargo pumps, few years there and ur hearing is affected.

About hearing protection on the motorbike I do agree, but don’t know if can be affected if u have original exhaust and ih u are riding from time to time 1 or 2 hours. Maybe people who are on the bike every day for few hours and got akra os similar without silencers.

But maybe I am wrong, should consult someone who knows more than me/us

Any doctor here?

Yes I'm in the same business. Old Man on Suezmax tankers. A few years ago there was a report that the low frequency vibrations on low speed marine diesels which are continuous so long as the M/E is running will negatively affect your hearing regardless of where you are working on the ship. Given my average voyage length berth to berth is 40 days that's a lot of exposure. This is thought to be the prime cause of my hearing loss although it can't be proved. It's also why the MCA are pushing hearing as part of the ENG1 in older seamen.

 

As usual they want younger people and get rid of us oldies, I am fortunately on cruisers last 15 years.

So far I just can say my sight is slightly down 19/20 and hearing is same since I was 20.

Who knows for how long.

 

I think I've been lucky.

Im in the power industry and have thus far passed the hearing test part of my medical each year.

I have used the foam inserts for the last 10 years or so.

The large over hear traditional muffs before that.

[Hoggs]

Has anyone actually used foam earplugs for a length of time the converted to moulded ones?

A comparison would be great if you can do one!

 

 

[mention]JRH[/mention] probably

[Gin]

I think I've been lucky.

Im in the power industry and have thus far passed the hearing test part of my medical each year.

I have used the foam inserts for the last 10 years or so.

The large over ear traditional muffs before that.

 

God Damned Neil, how are we meant to NOT make jokes with that kind of set up!?

[skyrider]

he probably wouldn't hear you with all that gear anyway

[JRH]

[mention]Stu[/mention]

I wore foam plugs then I went for custom made. Had them with removable speakers. The speakers were fine for the sound but the wires wer3 so thin they broke. Had a new serpent FOC. These lasted about 12 months!

They were fine to wear and were good at taking out the wind noise.

Then I changed my helmet. New helmet has recess over the ears for intercom speakers. But there is a bit of pressure at the top of the ears.

Now when I wear the custom made, when the helmet is removed as the recess goes over the ears the ear plugs are pulled out as the helmet comes off, this is not comfortable.

Also after an hour or so of riding, as I wear glasses, there is pressure where the outer edge of the custom made press on the glasses go over the top of the ear.

It’s k if I wear contacts, but that is an other story.

Hope that makes sense, it does to me.

Up shot is I tend to wear foam plugs now most of the time.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Sounds like your customs weren’t cut down low enough, some of them (I had a pair) stick out from the ear canal too far.

[JRH]

I may be tempted to trim them down.

But they were fine with my last helmet.

[Stu]

Thanks [mention]JRH[/mention]

I think I may stick to foam plugs! they work for me! although not for the missus she has tiny ears!

[SometimesSansEngine]

Interesting what you say about glasses [mention]JRH[/mention], never had this problem and I have both rimless glasses with quite thin arms and full frames with quite chunky arms.

[S-Westerly]

Interesting what you say about glasses @JRH, never had this problem and I have both rimless glasses with quite thin arms and full frames with quite chunky arms.

 

I think it's all down to the fact everyone is different - different head shapes, different ear canals and different helmets just for starters. Eg. I can't use any kind of in-ear head phones as the shape of my ear canals means they just call out. Some folks can actually exercise in them

[Six30]

There was a young man from Devizes

Who's ears were two different sizes

One was small and did nothing at all

The other was massive and won loads of prizes.

I'll get me coat ....

[SometimesSansEngine]

Yes I'm the same with in ear headphones.

My Shark helmet is meant to be specific for glasses wearers, but since it's the only helmet I've ever owned I can't say 100% that it definitely makes a difference

[elizabethf]

Always have some plugs in my jacket pocket. My commute is mainly 10 mins of filtering and traffic lights so not too bad but if I go anywhere Im going over about 40mph I pop them in!

[elizabethf]

Having had multiple ops on my ears leaving them badly scarred inside I do take my ears seriously, so I appreciate this thread!

[BIKERDAD]

Wow I didn't know so many ppl had problem with there hearing.. I too have problems with my ears .As they put that down to me being thick not listening to my teachers then they worked out I was dyslexic and deaf from birth not 100% deaf i have a good and bad ear also tinnitus as said on here the hearing tests was the same noises you had to listing for WHAT DICKHEAD THOUGHT THAT ONE UP. lest test them with the same noises they hear 24/7 they should all pass ..

I can't use hearing aids as its the small hairs in my ears that picks up the noise and turns it in to words that I can understand.

So if I use hearing aids I have to turn them up so high so I understand the words if I take the aids out I hear better . So I just have to wait till my ears get that bad I need to use the hearing aids .

My life line is an adapter for the TV you fit it to the TV then you put in head phones and you can turn the TV up to you hear it and the volume on the TV can be to suit every one else in the house . Even turn the TV volume off and just use the head phones .

Yet I use these headphones but can't us hearing aids ?? ..

[SometimesSansEngine]

Have you ever tried bone conducting headphones [mention]BIKERDAD[/mention]? They may allow you to hear things like the TV without having closed headphones on, so you can still interact with everyone else

(Unless you don't want to that is )

[Smithers]

I bought a new pack of these on Saturday;

Once you get used to them they're brilliant. Washable (probably about 3 times max), cheap, and they make my NC sound great.

Good thread by the way.