Listening to music while riding

[GiorgioG]

HI guys and girls, how are you?

Just wondering, do you listen to music, or audiobooks while raiding?

Is it something distracting or that blend well during a ride?

I'm asking because I'm interested to purchase a BTH headset for my helmet, mainly because I want to listen to the TomTom directions, but then, I'm a bit afraid, I will start to make phone call, listen to music, and my favourite audiobooks.

What is your experience?

Have a great evening

Giorgio

[Stu]

Done all except audiobooks!

No issues here

Some will say its distracting but I bet they listen to the radio in the car

[Guest]

Personally don't. I just like the insular peace of wind noise when riding.

[fastbob]

Been asked this a few times . I can't even walk in a straight line while listening to music . So no , definitely not . As for audiobooks , that sounds stupidly dangerous to me .

[Tiggie]

I have found certain music is not safe for me personally to ride/drive to

Meatloaf for one

[geofferz]

No problem here

[Mississippi Bullfrog]

For me, if I need to be entertained whilst riding a motorcycle then there's no point riding in the first place.

Plus my usual taste in music would not be conducive to safe riding or road awareness.

There something about the total engagement with the bike and the road that seems sacrilegious to intrude upon.

[Guest Richzx6r]

For me, if I need to be entertained whilst riding a motorcycle then there's no point riding in the first place.

Plus my usual taste in music would not be conducive to safe riding or road awareness.

There something about the total engagement with the bike and the road that seems sacrilegious to intrude upon.

 

If I'm on a long journey on the bike then abit of music never goes amiss but if I'm local then generally not

[learningtofly]

Not for me - I find myself in a place whilst riding that music would just... spoil.

[S-Westerly]

Gave up listening to stories when I was about 5 when I learned to read myself and I read a lot. As to music while riding it's not really my thing. As I wear ear plugs anyway I'd not hear much and if I had the volume cranked up that much my already fragile hearing would be well shot in short order.

[manxie49]

Listen to music on long rides, especially boring trips down the M6, never had a problem, links to my mobile and Tom tom.

[Breezin]

I'm a recent convert, sort of.

A while back (see other thread) I bought an ultra-cheapo headset that works brilliantly with the phone apps. Tried it for music on a mountain twisty and I lasted only a couple of minutes, as it completely freaked me out.

But a couple of weeks back I had to do a few hours of motorway in the dark. I was messing with the controls on a layby and accidentally turned the music on. I am now a Billy Eilish fan, as she kept me not so much entertained as awake! I've tried it since and found that quiet music -- i.e. not Bat Out of Hell -- on not too loud works well, but only a very relaxed ride.

Most of the time, though, I wouldn't bother.

[Guest]

For me, if I need to be entertained whilst riding a motorcycle then there's no point riding in the first place.

Plus my usual taste in music would not be conducive to safe riding or road awareness.

There something about the total engagement with the bike and the road that seems sacrilegious to intrude upon.

 

What MB said.....plus I need to HEAR what's going on around me!

[fastbob]

Does anyone make their own music by singing when they ride their bike ? I have been known to do so . At the moment I seem to be fixated on Silver Train by the Stones .

[fastbob]

Related topic . Next time you're bored on the motorway , try doing simple mental arithmetic at 70 mph . I've tried and found myself to be utterly incapable of doing it . What this indicates to me is that the whole point of riding a bike is to give certain areas of the brain a day off while focusing exclusively on the moment that you're in . The only serious crash that I've had was caused by a combination of fatigue and the last thing I remember which was thinking ahead to where I was going to camp . I shouldn't have been thinking , I should have been doing . Apologies if this doesn't make a lot of sense but I've had a particularly grim day at the office.

[NeilM]

Listen to music via in ear earphones all the time.

Spotify daily mix.

[onesea]

quiet music -- i.e. not Bat Out of Hell -- on not too loud works well, but only a very relaxed ride.

I am music all the time, I find that I actually ride quicker with relaxed music I get into flow and don't notice speedo

Shania Twain is one i am listening to...

[learningtofly]

Related topic . Next time you're bored on the motorway , try doing simple mental arithmetic at 70 mph . I've tried and found myself to be utterly incapable of doing it . What this indicates to me is that the whole point of riding a bike is to give certain areas of the brain a day off while focusing exclusively on the moment that you're in . The only serious crash that I've had was caused by a combination of fatigue and the last thing I remember which was thinking ahead to where I was going to camp . I shouldn't have been thinking , I should have been doing . Apologies if this doesn't make a lot of sense but I've had a particularly grim day at the office.

 

Actually it makes perfect sense, Bob

[fastbob]

Favourite riding tunes ? Even if you don't use ear speakers , what's playing in your head ?

[S-Westerly]

Does anyone make their own music by singing when they ride their bike ? I have been known to do so . At the moment I seem to be fixated on Silver Train by the Stones .

 

I do. I'm a lousy singer, can't carry a tune in a paper bag but I like singing to myself. Best place to do it is on the bike as nobody else can be traumatized by it. Also sing in the car if I'm by myself. Once inadvertently broke into song when my grandsons were with me. The abuse I received was cruel.

[geofferz]

Favourite riding tunes ? Even if you don't use ear speakers , what's playing in your head ?

 

The doors riders on the storm

[Pbassred]

Related topic . Next time you're bored on the motorway , try doing simple mental arithmetic at 70 mph . I've tried and found myself to be utterly incapable of doing it . What this indicates to me is that the whole point of riding a bike is to give certain areas of the brain a day off while focusing exclusively on the moment that you're in . The only serious crash that I've had was caused by a combination of fatigue and the last thing I remember which was thinking ahead to where I was going to camp . I shouldn't have been thinking , I should have been doing . Apologies if this doesn't make a lot of sense but I've had a particularly grim day at the office.

I listen to Brazilian music. Since Its in Portuguese and I don't understand Portuguese it doesn't engage the logic part of the brain. I just let it wash over me. Actually I find that it stops me getting bored and trying to end the ride early - Speeding.

[curlylegend]

Related topic . Next time you're bored on the motorway , try doing simple mental arithmetic at 70 mph . I've tried and found myself to be utterly incapable of doing it . What this indicates to me is that the whole point of riding a bike is to give certain areas of the brain a day off while focusing exclusively on the moment that you're in . The only serious crash that I've had was caused by a combination of fatigue and the last thing I remember which was thinking ahead to where I was going to camp . I shouldn't have been thinking , I should have been doing . Apologies if this doesn't make a lot of sense but I've had a particularly grim day at the office.

 

I kind of know what you mean. A long time ago I used to be a member of a rather esoteric cycling club who organised very long distance rides, 400km, 600 km, 1200km etc. This meant cycling through the night a lot, frequently short of sleep. As the club was an off-shoot of a French club the distances were all in Kilometres so in UK you had to convert road sign distances to stay on track of your navigation.... no sat nav then ! At night, when I was feeling a bit sleepy, I would do some mental distance conversions and found this kept me sharp enough to cycle. But by cycling buddy was the exact opposite. When he got sleepy, even trying to hold a conversation was too much for his concentration and when he stopped replying to you you knew he was tired so you didn't talk to him, just let him ride.

[Mawsley]

Sometimes.

Sometimes I fancy the silence being ruined by the exhaust, sometimes I fancy a singsong at the top of my voice.

[Breezin]

Favourite riding tunes ? Even if you don't use ear speakers , what's playing in your head ?

 

The doors riders on the storm

 

Willie Nelson, On the Road Again.

Really!