OK...IPOD Anyone?

[mtflycaster]

I never ride with a Walkman or IPOD or the like, but wonder how many among us do? I think it would be great to ride with an IPOD, but perhaps a bit daring.

Just wondering after seeing one of the Jerk's postings in another thread.

Anyone?

[mtflycaster]

Oops -

I see that there was a discussion about this last Summer. But IPODs are getting more and more prevalent...so maybe an updated polling of the group?

[William]

Nada.

I like to hear what's going on around me. Cars coming up behind, my bike, nature, the Staffordshire Terrier who likes to hit you from behind after you pass his driveway. :eek:

Now, maybe if I could get a local teen to follow behind me with his hazards on and cranking his 347.5 decible Pioneer Super Tuner with massive sub-woofer that's rattling all the chrome parts on his old Chevy Vega....I might consider it. :rolleyes:

William

[Kevin]

Never. NY traffic too dangerous.

Kevin

[Rich_W]

I agree, too dangerous. A buddy of mine has a new nokia phone that also has a radio tuner and 128 megs for mp3s... so he rides with the bluetooth thing on one ear... looks silly. Not to mention, sooner or later... thats thing's gonna fall off, just to be run over by the rest of the bunch.

I complain that my helmet makes so much wind noise, and that alone makes it harder to hear traffic. Anyone else agree with that?

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . but I’ve been wondering about experimenting with a single earphone rigged with a Radio Shack stereo-mono adapter rigged to my right ear, with the left ear open to hear traffic noise. There’s enough country roads around here that if I go out of town, traffic is not that big a factor.

But I think it’s also technically illegal around here to drive with headphones on. Not sure if that would apply to bicycles or not.

BBDave

[Too Tall]

For a a couple yr.s I was using a min-disk player with one earphone in not playing esp. loud. A fools paradise man. It is very dangerous thing to do if ride with cars. I quit.

[Ray]

Too dangerous - I occasionally don't hear a car coming up behind me WITHOUT headphones - I sure don't want to tempt the odds that much further. I also ride in some really pretty country and like to hear the sounds, or lack of 'em, out there unimpeded by music. I need music to block out the unpleasant distractions of everyday life at work and at home and in the car. Riding a bike is an escape and I don't want anything messing with the rhythm I get into on my own, just by riding.

Now on a trainer or rollers - that's a different story. On the rare occasion I ride any sort of bicycle indoors, I almost always ride with music on.

-Ray

[Bruce K]

Never with music. Too distracting.

I tried the one ear phone with an FRS radio when doing long rides with my kid in case we ever got separated/he got dropped but that just became annoying and looked dumb besides. We decided it was just easier to converse alot more as we rode to keep in touch with each other.

BK

[Lost Weekend]

I bring my I-pod along sometimes when I'm ridding alone and in the boonies with out much traffic.I keep the volume down and don't seem to have a problem hearing outside noise. It sure seems to help get me amped for big climbs.Alot of times I just prefer silence though.

[victoryfactory]

Personally, I don't get listening to music while riding. Even if it was safe.
I don't even listen while driving.
BE HERE NOW (Remember Baba Ram Das)
Off Topic:
And how about those cell phones? These people have no peace in their
lives. How can you go through your day constantly talking to your friends and family? "OK, I'm getting out of the car.... OK now I'm approaching the
entrance to Walmart.... I'm entering the store..... Oh they have a sale
on buggywhips... Can you believe what aunt Gertrude said about cousin Al
at the wedding?..... AHHHHHHHHGH!

What did these idiots do 5 years ago? Go around with a pocket full of quarters?

VF, Make cell phone calls cost 1.00 each!!! All those free minutes are
the problem

[Too Tall]

V.F. - I am so "there". Skrew these morons who have to be on the bleedin' phone all the time. I've had this ongoing design challenge...how can I devise a paintball sort of device that will splat on someone's car that clearly says "GET OFF THE F'ING PHONE" and does not harm to the car and is throwable by hand. I'd whack the side or back of their car so that they see it when they get home and wonder...OMG maybe I should GET OFF THE F'IN PHONE :rolleyes: Funding available. MD is considering a bill to ban cell phone use entirely for teens. DC now requires handsfree in cars. Sorry I'm a bit off topic, it's about paying attention isn't it?

PS - Clinchers suck.

[victoryfactory]

Paintballs eh? not bad.
I was toying with the idea of a huge LED display mounted on top of my car with a keyboard inside so I could personallize messages to my fellow
drivers.

But I would probably get as distracted as them. Trying to type messages while driving is even worse than gabbing on the phone.

VF

PS: clinchers RULE!

[Idris Icabod]

I always take my IPOD when I ride alone. I figure hearing a car approaching from behind isn't going to stop it hitting me if that is what is destined to happen. I gave up answering my phone whilst riding however, this is because my last fall was caused by trying to retrieve my phone from my backpack whilst commuting home. I bet I looked a right goober, luckily I was in a wide bike lane so wouldn't have gotten run over.

[Bruce K]

I carry my cell phone in case of emergency, mine or anyone elses.

It is generally turned off. I check it at rest stops in case someone is trying to reach me as occassionally work needs my attention on the weekends.

A call from home during a ride would be a true emergency as happened once when my father had a problem and his neighbor in Florida was trying to reach me for medical decisions.

BK

[dirtdigger88]

I looked at an IPod for using on the trainer- I ride mine early in the morning- so I have to watch how loud I turn up the music so I dont wake dirt jr.- I like the ipods but I think the mp3s are still the way to go for a music junkie- the cost difference in downloading music is just too great for me to overlook- Unlimited downloads from napster for $15 a month or near a buck per song for the ipod- do the math out for the 1000 or 10,000 or 100,000 songs that an ipod can hold- just my .02 worth

jason- who is still using a walkman tape player but has no way of making tapes off of my cds- :crap:

[BURCH]

I only use headsets on singletrack (especially at night). I have a little tuner radio that straps to my arm. It is the only time that I listen to K-Rock during my day. Great cycling music.

But...

Never on the road. I think that we are at a disadvantage with clear hearing out there as it is. Let alone to take away one of our best senses.

[zap]

I was thinking about getting a music box with one ear piece last year but never did. Ears come in handy when it comes to survival.

Cell phone. I have to admit I take it with me and keep it on for my mid-week rides. I need to answer calls for the business. Once or twice the phone rang right after I completed a hill sprint. Felt like I was in a biathlon again trying to get the breathing rate down quickly. I do stop on the side of the road most of the time when taking the call :rolleyes:

[Bradford]

My wife and I ride with a Tandem talk intercom systems on our tandem, which is a two way radio that plugs into one ear. We have about 3,000 miles in on the system and I hear cars just as well as when I ride alone. My wife talks to me a lot, and as long as she doesn’t talk when things are really dicey, like in heavy traffic or when going over 35 mph, it works just fine.

In addition, I get bored if I ride more than two or three hours alone. So when I did 115 miles in a day by myself last year, I decided to take a small radio. When I was in high traffic areas I took out the earphones, when I was in medium traffic areas I took out the left earphone, and when I was in low traffic areas I had them both in. I didn’t feel that I lost any awareness on the road, and it made a long day enjoyable. I’m thinking of getting an ipod now for solo rides over 2 or 3 hours where I’m on country roads.

I was always in the camp that felt it is very dangerous, but personal experience has led me to believe that I don’t loose too much of my ability to hear cars. Just keep it at a low volume and take out the earphones when riding with cars.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . here is a story we ran in our paper this morning talking about how listening to one of these things turns so many people into friggin' zombies!

BBDave
_____________________________

NEW YORK (AP) _ Critics call them "iPod People."Ñ
They ride trains, walk to class and wander malls _ among the
crowd but apart from it thanks to the signature plastic "buds"
jammed in their ears and the thin white wires disappearing into
their jackets.Ñ
Apple's digital music player is massively popular with people on
the go. And as the iPod morphs from hipster accessory to everyday
item, critics worry that the growing number of people tuning out
from the world is diminishing public life.Ñ
"Get on a subway, and you're surrounded by a bunch of Stepford
commuters, all sealed off from each other, staring into mid-space
as if anesthetized by technology. Don't ask, don't tell, don't
overhear, don't observe. Just tune in and tune out," columnist
Andrew Sullivan wrote in the Sunday Times of London.Ñ
Critics claim the growing number of people sealing themselves in
sonic cocoons is making our streets and public spaces less
hospitable. Observers say the phenomenon is particularly noticeable
in the big commuter cities like New York City, Chicago and Los
Angeles, where iPods are part fashion statement, part insulation
from urban hubbub.
Jenn Heettner, for instance, listens to Coldplay and the Flaming
Lips to jazz up her daily commute from Hoboken, N.J. to Manhattan.
"I feel like I'm missing out on that New York experience of
being in it. I feel removed," Heettner said. "But when you make
the same commute every day, it feels OK to be a little removed."
Apple has sold more than 10 million since iPods made their debut
in 2001. The success of the original spawned the iPod mini last
year and the even smaller iPod shuffle this year. Though popular,
the iPod is just the most recognizable in a growing market of
digital music players _ and thus the main target of social critics.
"It's bad in the sense that when we put our iPod on, we send a
signal to everyone around us that we don't have to engage with
them, and the subtext is that they don't matter," said Christine
Rosen, a senior editor of The New Atlantis, a journal about society
and technology.
Rosen, based in Washington, D.C., recalled bumping into an iPod
wearer in the supermarket. There was no "excuse me," no apology.
"He was happily rocking out, getting his coffee," she said.
Some of these social concerns date back to 1979, the year Sony
debuted its Soundabout _ later to be renamed the Walkman. Runners,
rockers and commuters were soon pinching the puffy foam headphones
to their ears, popping in a cassette and enjoying private music
shows on the go.
But the Walkman is like a jitney to the iPod's Ferrari. While
tapes play maybe 90 minutes of music, digital players can carry
days' worth of sound _ Wagner's Ring Cycle; every Beatles song,
spoken novels, whatever. And with playlists and shuffle features,
users have control over what they hear. And it can fit in a shirt
pocket.
Juergen Selk, who wears his iPod daily for his commute from
Brooklyn to Manhattan, said the benefits far outweigh any sensory
eclipse. Not only does he keep up on a range of music from jazz to
opera to cheesy '70s pop, he has recorded hours of Italian lessons
so he can practice phrases softly on the subway.
"I'm part of the urban hubbub," he joked. "I figure I'm not
any weirder than any other guy. I see so many people now with plugs
in their ears."
British academic Michael Bull, dubbed "Professor iPod" for his
research into portable music, said that tight control is a major
attraction of iPods, which he calls "the 21st century's first
cultural icon."
And no, he doesn't fret about iPod zombies.
While iPods _ like cell phones _ can contribute to what
sociologists call "absent presence," Bull sees the devices as
symptoms of a society that puts less value on social spaces, not
the cause. If the guy on the train next to you is enjoying his time
in iPod world, he's benefiting, and what are you losing anyway?
"I think you have to ask how often you speak to the person next
to you on the train anyway," said Bull, a professor at the
University of Sussex. "Historically, people look out the window or
read newspapers."
Even Sullivan, after fretting about people walking down the
street in a bubble, makes an admission.
"Yes, I might as well fess up," he wrote. "I'm one of them."
___
On the Net:
Apple: www.apple.com The New Atlantis: www.thenewatlantis.com Andrew Sullivan blog: www.andrewsullivan.com

[gasman]

Never listen to music on the road but do carry a cell phone for emergencies.I miss hearing enough cars because of helmet noise, listening to music would only make it worse.

[rustolium]

Oakley Thump - works great. The actual lenses aren't bad either.

I used to use an iPOD (works great too). I do carry a cell, only for emergencies or rest stops. I cannot imagine talking on the phone while riding. I am a busy business owner so being accessible is important just not while I am moving.

As to music listeners and zombies being in the same thought. Give me a break. Music pumps me up and adds spice to life. It's one of your senses directly tied to emotions for Pete's sake. If a person is a zombie, it's not because they listen to music.

Volume is easily kept at a safe enough level for exernal noises.

[dehoopta]

Now something I might have some knowledge about. First of all, I LOVE to listen to music, but don't want to be crushed like a bug. When on the trainer or on the bike path (sans autos) I like a little tuneage. I turn it down low. (I recently tried it skiiing and LOVED it).

My vote is for the new iPod Shuffle. 512MB $99 or 1Gig for $149. It functions as a jump drive too. Weighs less than a pack of gum (and just as small). Has a great case that is water resistant and it is less prone to injury (solid state, no moving parts). As for iTunes Music Store, the songs I buy are mine. I can burn discs, store them, etc. Napster, stop paying the fee, the songs are no longer yours. Want to burn them? $.99 per song. So if I do the math, I'll take iTMS.

http://www.apple.com/ipodshuffle/

[jerk]

the jerk only uses an ipod when he's riding alone. but then again no one ever called the jerk responsible when it comes to riding his bike. he also doesn't wear a helmet, disobeys road rules and is brone towards verbal outburts at people in cars doing stupid things. but he can ride in a straight line at least....
jerk

[molly22]

if i'm alone, or expecting whomever i'm riding with to be dependently undependable (hello jen), i wear music. i like it. in fact, sometimes it's preferable.

[Ares]

Whenever I ride alone, I usually always use my minidisc with just one earpiece. I can always hear cars passing by me.

[george]

The only sweet music that I love to hear is the sound of my Serotta Cour d' Acier moving between 20 and 25 mph on smooth pavment... :) gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

[William]

The only sweet music that I love to hear is the sound of my Serotta Cour d' Acier moving between 20 and 25 mph on smooth pavment... gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg

~Music to my ears~ :cool:

William

[cycleman_21]

I love riding ,I love music,I just can't mix them.
Riding clears my head,music fills me with emotions,
I would litterally dance and shake on the bike;and
not even care :D :no:.Besides with a clear head,the music
is already there.


RC

[BumbleBeeDave]

<<The only sweet music that I love to hear is the sound of my Serotta Cour d' Acier moving between 20 and 25 mph on smooth pavment... gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg gggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg>>

You might want to get that looked at. Sounds like SOMETHING is wrong, though I’m not sure exactly what.

BBDave

[Kevan]

Music has its time and place, but for me, it doesn't belong either on a road bike or a sailboat under way. Sometimes the subtleties of the wind and the visual experiences on the road, or water, should be respected for what they are, without the addition of a soundtrack. If you’re getting bored out there then you are not paying enough attention. :cool:

[Andreu]

I think riding a bike with a headphones is probably OK just.
But training on a bike with these things is a very very bad idea....I have witnessed one non-fatal cycle accident (not sure if the headphone was a deciding factor) but it is something I just would never ever do even if I am riding enjoying the views or training.
A

[davids]

Music on the road or in the woods? No f'in way! As far as road riding, it just seems way to dangerous to me. Music will hide the sounds of other vehicles around me (bad) and potentially distract me from the business at hand (bad). And whether I'm on the road or a trail, one of the big attractions of cycling for me is the feeling of moving rapidly through the landscape. Cutting the ambient sounds out of the mix would be a big detraction.

Music on the trainer? Essential! I have worn the pads of my headphones into floppy rags. I couldn't stand 5 minutes on the trainer without music.