For those who listen to music while riding, what are some of your all-time favorite songs for cycling? Here are some of mine.
Western
Queen - Fat Bottomed Girls
Zac Brown Band - Free/Into the Mystic
Van Halen - Can’t Get This Stuff No More
Jackson Browne - Running on Empty
Rush - Subdivisions
Dream Theater - Root of All Evil
Taiwanese
Wu Bai - Yinhe Tekuai (銀河特快)
Zongguanxian (縱貫線) - Wang Ming Zhi Tu (亡命之徒)
Shisan (拾參樂團) - Shenmi Hai (神祕海)
Wu Bai - Hai Siong e To (海上的島)
Zhang Zhenyue - Renshu (認輸)
Zhang Zhenyue - Ziyou (自由)
I’d love to hear what tunes keep you going when you don’t have much left in the tank.
I never use earphones while riding, my ears are my eyes in the back of my head. Far safer to know what’s coming up behind you than to ride in a noise cocoon.
But then you’re not me. Go for it, but don’t hit me as I’m passing please.
I agree with urodacus. To my mind listening to headphones while riding is just plain irresponsible, and far worse than having a few beers while cycling.
Yes and no. If you are using some Beats by Dre or some sound cancelling headphones, then yes, feichang danger. BUT if you are using bog standard ipod earbuds you can still hear a mouse pissing on a cotton ball half a KM away, ie negligible danger.
By that logic, the deaf shouldn’t cycle at all, should they?
Yesterday morning I listened to the new Van Halen album in its entirety as I started my ride. It made me feel great, and I never even came close to being in danger. I’ve been riding my bike and my scooter with headphones for well over a year now, and I’ve never been in an accident. Everywhere I go, I see other people doing the same thing. It may be a risk, but it’s a small risk, and the rewards make it more than worth it.
It depends on how and where you ride, perhaps (and probably on the kind of music and the volume you listen at too). I ride fast and for a long time; zoning out on music would inevitably mean i’d miss the subtle cues that tell me there’s a dickhead about to run me over. Also, i ride with other cyclists, often only inches apart from each other. Earphones in that environment are totally uncool, as your entire spatial awareness of others is built on sound.
I have ridden with deaf riders, and I keep further away from them and they keep further away from others. Deaf riders are in fact banned from professional riding for those exact safety reasons, as they cannot react to sound cues that normal listeners can pick up either subconsciously or overtly.
I also used to ski with earphones on, but as I’ve slowed down over the years i have a couple of times been nearly wiped out by faster guys from behind who did call out to me that they’re passing, and I’ve turned in to their track… That’s bad, and I apologise. i still use earphones when it’s not crowded, but not on a busy day. I also have to pay attention to the possibility of a faster skier dropping down on top of me, turning my head more to check upslope if I’m listening to music (how many cyclists do that?). Not that I’m a slow skier myself, but I’ve mellowed as I’ve got closer to 50.
If you live on a bike, regularly being passed by other vehicles only inches away, then riding with earphones in is stupid. If you’re an occasional rider, on river paths and so on, then go for it: you’re no more of a danger to yourself or others than the majority of incapable idiots out there clogging up the paths anyway.
By that logic, the deaf shouldn’t cycle at all, should they?[/quote]
The newly deaf should not, by no means. Those that have been around a bit, they develop a bit of a sixth sense. And they certainly use the swivel neck, which I have yet to see any headphone wearer do.
Funny, I’ve heard some say pretty much the same thing about riding a scooter while loaded. Everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn’t we?
Good for you. Well over a year? Wow, I must truly bow down before your truly lengthy headphone riding experience.
As urodacus mentioned, it depends where you ride.
I see all manner of imbeciles on my daily commute through a major concrete jungle, without a doubt there are a few headphone wearers amongst them. Nothing like having to steer well clear of those shitty city fools with self-imposed blinders well full on.
But if you ride on paths less travelled, then perhaps point taken.
Tunes that get you going, hey? It’s a worthy topic, but should probably cover all forms of exercise. I’m not a headphone wearing cyclist either. Neither am I one of those infernal dudes who straps loudspeakers to his bike, so everyone can hear what which Taiwanese power ballad they’re currently listening to.
Thinking about why I don’t, it’s just not something I’ve ever felt the need to do. I rarely get bored enough riding a bike that I need additional auditory input. Subconsciously there’s probably a safety side there too although, as others note, safe/unsafe does depend on the type of riding you’re doing.
Lifting weights or gym cardio work though - can’t do that without tunes. Today I was ‘getting going’ to Billy Idol - White Wedding (The Shotgun Mix) .
It were proper miserable here yesterday. So I went for a run along the river bank as dusk came in. Guaranteed to see no-one out there on those sort of days, just you and the blowing rain and the puddles. I love it.
The vis was so poor that although there are 2000m high mountains just half a mile away, you couldn’t see them.
And the raindrops were tiny, it was like being sprayed with a large can of body mist.
Ran to this Darkness Falls - The Void (Oscar Edit). Very appropriate .
I don’t recommend listening to music while riding in traffic or in the mountains, for obvious reasons. However, here’s a song that keeps me going on the riverside path on long lonely stretches:
Nice. I just listened to that the other day while running. I haven’t gotten the balls up yet to listen to tunes while out bicycling. Seems too dangerous to me at this point. That might change though.
Forgot to mention in my original post: another great riding (or driving) song is Rascal Flatts’ version of Life is a Highway. And no, I’m not ashamed to like a song from the movie Cars. Good movie.
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