Question about earplugs and freeway riding

Message

Ken · #31 Unread post by **Ken** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 8:15 am

I was pondering asking which helmet would best eliminate wind noise at highway speeds; but based on the responses to this post, I'd say ear plugs would be the better choice now. I know what you mean about the fatigue. I just took a 200 mile road trip and had a major headache when I got back home. I blame it on all that wind noise. I wore a helmet over my ears but not a full face one.

M109R · #32 Unread post by **M109R** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 1:25 pm

Get a full face helmet...very well may save your face/life someday.

Many posts from those that have wrecked glad they had a full face on.

Ride Safe

CajunBass · Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:53 am

Count me as one who has damaged hearing from wind noise.

Not from bikes, but from bass boats. At least with a bike you have a helmet on, but most of the time in a bass boat, it's just the wind over your ears. Don't forget the V-6 ourboard directly behind you, which have been measured at 90 db WOT. Years of that has left me unable to hear certain sounds.

I wear ear plugs when I ride my scooter. I can't say I remember them every time but I'm working on it. I now keep them in my helmet.

Sat Apr 07, 2007 5:58 am

For those people who find earplugs uncomfortable because maybe they are too big or go too far into the ear canal causing irritation or discomfort, you could try children's ear plugs.

I bought some from one of the big pharmacies. They work quite well and they form to your ear and don't go into the ear canal.

They are soft mouldable silicone and can be reused until dirty or no longer pliable.

MicheleZ · #35 Unread post by **MicheleZ** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 6:20 am

Ear plugs every ride. I can still hear the engine fine. Wind noise is extremely tiring and it doesn't take much speed to create irritating wind noise.

bmgibben · #36 Unread post by **bmgibben** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 8:40 am

I was thinking about this recently, and my friend has a pair of plugs for when he goes shooting. He has a pair that are attatched via a cord. this would probably make them easier to remove and keep track of.

my question is, when wearing a full-face, is it possible to remove one/both and put them back in without removing the helmet? In case someone you are riding with is trying to talk to you? or is it too much work?

Fathertork · Sat Apr 07, 2007 3:31 pm

I don't go to work on windy days. Its not worth taking a chance of ear damage.

Sat Apr 07, 2007 3:54 pm

bmgibben wrote:I was thinking about this recently, and my friend has a pair of plugs for when he goes shooting. He has a pair that are attatched via a cord. this would probably make them easier to remove and keep track of.

my question is, when wearing a full-face, is it possible to remove one/both and put them back in without removing the helmet? In case someone you are riding with is trying to talk to you? or is it too much work?

I have the kind with the cord as well, but the earplugs stick out a bit. Under the full face helmet you need yur earplugs to lay flat and not protrude from your ear.

I can't imagine trying to take out an earplug and putting it back in while the helmet is still on.

anarchy · #39 Unread post by **anarchy** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:45 am

bmgibben wrote:my question is, when wearing a full-face, is it possible to remove one/both and put them back in without removing the helmet? In case someone you are riding with is trying to talk to you? or is it too much work?

if your helmet is fitted properly, you won't be able to remove them/put them back in without removing your helmet.

TorontoBoy · Sat Apr 14, 2007 5:23 am

I wear ear plugs for every ride. You can hear everything around you but at a lower volume. Wind noise is tiring and wrecks my ride. I can also concentrate more on traffic and am more attentive. I find riding is more visual than aural anyway. If you're going into a danger zone it's better to see it first rather than hear it.

I also wear ear plugs when working with any kind of machinery (saws, grinders, compressed air equipment, etc) because hearing degredation is cumulative. If it's really loud I wear ear plugs AND external ear muffs together. There are no warning signs of hearing loss because there is very little pain and thus no direct feedback. I worked at some rock concerts, wore ear plugs and still had minor ear pain afterwards. I also wear ear plugs on long distance buses and planes because I find I arrive less tired. Maybe it has to do with reducing low frequency noise, though I'm not sure.

It's become a habit that I will continue. Here in Toronto we have so much noise pollution on the roads anyway. It's better to damp down the overall volume but still be able to hear everything.