music

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by thomas_r
I just picked up a new iPod mini for, among other things, when I'm out riding. I have waaaay too much music already, but curious what other folks listen to on rides?

Dude, don't listen to anything except the sound of the tires on the pavement and the obstacles around you (stationnary or otherwise rolling). I can't even count the time when I've left rubber trails behind me due to inattentive cyclists. Also, don't talk on the darn phone, either.

I agree. I constantly turn my head to diminish the wind noise from my helmet to listen for mororized traffic behind me. I may not see the one that gets me but I sure as hell want to hear them if possible. Beside I am to busy trying to breathe to stay conscious to enjoy music. That is for you people that have flat roads.

Funny you should ask, I'm filling up my mp3 player for my workout as we speak!!!

Depends where you're riding. I always used to ride along the Mt Vernon trail in DC, which runs down the patomac and under the flightpath of national airport, so I'd listen to the control tower on my little portible scanner with one earbud in (so I still had one ear free to hear what's going on around me). Just like the pros 😄

If you're in traffic, obviously don't ride with the iPod. If you're not, get some good rhythmic type music. I'd start with Kraftwerk's Tour de France Soundtracks. That CD has already added a quarter mile or so to my average run (too much traffic to bike with it on in Los Angeles) and has the obvious bike theme. Then maybe move on to their Mensch Machine. Other non-dance electronica with great beats also includes Air, FourTet and of course the Beta Band.

I find when I'm weight lifting, I like a lot of high intensity stuff like punk/metal/rap, but when I'm doing something endurancy (like running or cycling) I like more electronica-y stuff and classic rock. More of a consistent beat.

and if I had an iPod, I'd make one playlist of really high intensity stuff for when you're bonking or otherwise in trouble. I'd try something like Pantera's "This Love"

Hey, wait, this is the music chat board isn't it? :p

Be very interested to see what others listen to, AFTER acknowledging that headphones and traffic REALLY don't mix.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by randall0069
Dude, don't listen to anything except the sound of the tires on the pavement and the obstacles around you (stationnary or otherwise rolling). I can't even count the time when I've left rubber trails behind me due to inattentive cyclists. Also, don't talk on the darn phone, either.

I can't agree with you more! Pay attention to what is going on around you, NOT listening to music!

Yep,keep the ears open.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by J Pugh
I can't agree with you more! Pay attention to what is going on around you, NOT listening to music!

Agreed. Only time I listen to the mp3's is on the trainer . . .gotta do something to keep from getting bored with staring at the brown wall, and the little crack that runs down it in a little zig-zag pattern almost like a . . . OK, now you know why I listen to music on the trainer!!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by waterboy420
Agreed. Only time I listen to the mp3's is on the trainer . . .gotta do something to keep from getting bored with staring at the brown wall, and the little crack that runs down it in a little zig-zag pattern almost like a . . . OK, now you know why I listen to music on the trainer!!

Your post made me LOL! I know exactly how you feel. I do the same thing on the trainer. I do have a computerized program to do hills and all that but after about 2 minutes of watching it progress through its cycles - it's back to staring at the hole in the garage wall we have to repair one day, the dust on the pipes on the washer.... Tunes are the only thing that make it bearable.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by J Pugh
Your post made me LOL! I know exactly how you feel. I do the same thing on the trainer. I do have a computerized program to do hills and all that but after about 2 minutes of watching it progress through its cycles - it's back to staring at the hole in the garage wall we have to repair one day, the dust on the pipes on the washer.... Tunes are the only thing that make it bearable.

You should put a TV and VCR in there, then you can watch videos of past TdF's while you grind away in the garage 😄 That'll give you motivation.

Totally agree with keeping your ears open on the road though, and off road it's nicer just to enjoy the surroundings.

when i do long rides, 6-7 hours, i take a cd player with me. i listen to punk rock, i.e. the clash, ramones, fear etc., but lately i've been listening to language cd's. i figure unless i'm doing intervals or sprints, i may as well learn something more. i've already soaked up a begginner course in italian, and i'm looking for an intermediate course that will work

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by amorevelo
but lately i've been listening to language cd's.

Seriously, that's just genius!!!

or listen to books on tape/cd. I don't do it while riding but I do it while working in my shop.

I listen to either an Ipod or a creative Muvo - usually faster paced stuff or lounge (dance) - ministry of sound etc.

I have the volume setting low so I can still hear traffic easily or keep one earbud out.

I love it - also run with music on.

If only you could swim.....!!!!

Cheers

MMAMSTER😎

I totally agree that riding in traffic with headphones is a bad idea.

However....

When I was a very keen racing cylist 'bout 16-17 years ago, training could get a bit tedious, especially on the level 2 stuff (we just called it "getting the miles in" then!). I used to wear headphoes connected to my walkman just to relieve the boredom.

The thing is though, that the day that it broke and I went out without it, I got knocked off by an idiot motorist!

LMAO about it now, but at the time it wasn't funny at all!

Here in Portsmouth UK, the traffic is so (insert your own expletive here) awful nowadays, I wouldn't even consider dulling my second most important cycling sense any more.

Be safe, Be very safe.

I agree with those who said not to listen to music while riding. On the trainer, okay but not on the road! There's nothing worse than a rider that can't hear you when you're trying to get around. Well, except maybe having to listen to them when they're singing horribly along with their favorite song. But at least they won't hear the tractor-trailer rig coming up behind you just before they're flattened...

I ride with a cheap portable radio, but I keep the one ear open, and the volume down so that I can hear what's going on around me. I don't really "LISTEN" actively, but it does provide some background sound that reduces the boredom on a 4,5 - 7 hour training ride. Especially when I train alone. The funny thing is though, even when I'm sitting in the front of a bunch, I'm usually one of the first to identify when we have a car approaching from behind us. Even when I am listening to music. So, where is everyone else's mind?

On the road I use a monaural adapter and only listen in one ear.

Open roads - free mind - no noise - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Plus I also like to know when some [censored] is going to crawl up next to me and try to take me out!

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by randall0069
Dude, don't listen to anything except the sound of the tires on the pavement and the obstacles around you (stationnary or otherwise rolling). I can't even count the time when I've left rubber trails behind me due to inattentive cyclists. Also, don't talk on the darn phone, either.

I agree completely. It is a pain in the a** to try to avoid runners/joggers who are on their damn headphones while running - because they cannot hear you yell that you are approaching. I love to use headphones at the gym but never ever while cycling.

I was thinking about this thread last night whilst riding the "Tour de kitchen" - weather really sucked and I had no time to go out anyway ..

I have decided when riding nothing with wires, cords, batteries, moving parts (aside from the bike) must be attached to me .. I was wearing a heart rate monitor and watch that wouldn't work, a cd that wouldn't behave itself and to be honest it ticked me off and made my workout a right-off - how the hell can a woman concentrate on her ride. My heart rate was irratic as hell, couldn't get into my 'zone' to save my bleeding life .. so how do you dudes/ettes stay calm when your all hooked up to your equipment and how the hell do you keep it all in place?