Ear plugs or no ear plugs that is the question?

Do you use ear plugs to prevent hearing damage.

  • Yes I wear them all the time

    Votes: 201 54.0%
  • No never used them..

    Votes: 132 35.5%
  • Pardon......

    Votes: 39 10.5%

  • Total voters
    372

Nelly

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I never used them before a while back, until I found one day after a long day in the saddle. My ears were ringing. I now use them even on short trips. So who uses and who doesn't?
 
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jfreakman

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I actually add to the noise by listening to music on trips. gotta love that rush of taking a curve perfectly while listening to your favorite song.

maybe one day I'll invest in a set of noise-reduction earbuds, and that will help.
 

VEGASRIDER

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I never wear ear plugs just because I believe the plugs are a hazard in itself. I ride in Las Vegas where there is a lot of traffic. I believe that being able to hear is another line of defence, and by reducing the noise level, might prevent you from hearing a suttle screach of tires, or hearing another vehicle that has encroached into your blind spot. The old saying, look and listen. Kind of like wearing a sun visor at night, even though it will cut the glare of oncoming headlights, it reduces your visibiltiy. My advise is that maybe you don't have the right helmet. Every helmet is different as far as the amount of noise it shields. Some helmets are quieter than others.

Vegasrider
 

fz6xlr8r

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After years of having my guitar amp volume knob cranked on "Shake the pictures off the wall" and working in construction with various types of loud equipment(Drills, small engines, blowers, supervisors, etc, etc....) my hearing sucks. Now this isn't a bad thing all the time. I have a legitimate excuse when my wife tells me to do something I don't want to do I can say " I'm sorry Honey, I didn't hear you say that." And when I get old and have to have hearing aids I can simply "Turn people off" like my grandfather use to do.

As far as wearing ear plugs while riding, I never have but I don't think they would cause any problems for me if I chose to do so.(Seeing how I can't hear so well anyway, right?) The experiences I've had with noise and ear plugs tend to go like this. Everything sounds really muffled when I first put them in but then my hearing adjusts and I can hear everything clearly, just not so loud. I don't see any danger in wearing ear plugs when riding, I just choose not to.
 
W

wrightme43

I promise if you try them, you will realise they are not a danger and are a help.
You will have more available mental capacity for the ride, be more rested, more calm, and still hear everything you heard before. Nothing you need to hear will be hidden. Try it and I promise you will like it. Get GOOD ones though, not cheap crap.
 

besier

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60 miles or 60 miles per hour is what the hardcore riders at work go by when it comes to ear plugs. It is true, you can still hear pretty much everything around you, even buddy beside you driving in your blind spot. I found that it really reduces the wind noise, and now I can even hear the engine on my bike going down the highway. It takes your mind off of the noise the wind is creating... But I'm not discounting the fact that it could be the helmet, but I have had a few middle of the line lids and all pretty much make the same amount of noise just a different pitch, and spending $1k on a quiet lid or a few bucks on ear plugs makes the decision easy.

(Off topic - wrightme43, love the quote. One of my top 5 movies ever)
 

OneTrack

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What 'brand' of earplugs are the most comfortable? I wear earplugs in another sporting activity along with electronic earmuffs, but I can only stand having the earplugs in for half an hour at most before I have to take them out. I use the foam "roll up" type that I first reduce in size by rolling them in my fingers, then inserting them in my ear canal where they expand to fill the ear canal.
 

Bren

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I wear earplugs all the time while driving. The earphones I got for my MP3 don't reduce outside noise well enough so I'm back with the earplugs. If I don't use them the wind noise gets too disturbing and my ears start ringing.

With earplugs I've never had any problems in hearing what's happening around me. I guess it takes some time to adjust, especially with hearing your own voice a bit muffled.

When I get some extra money, I'm going to get myself custom-made earplugs with integrated earphones. I hope they're worth the 270 USD they cost... :(
 

Bren

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I can only stand having the earplugs in for half an hour at most before I have to take them out.

My guess is that you're using too big earplugs. I also use those foam plugs (the smallest size) but I always cut them in half to make them fit better as my ear canals are very narrow. Have you tried silicone 'filler' plugs?
 

jfreakman

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I dont use them because I think it is better to be able to hear the engine and all the noise around you. Plus having earbuds in could cause you to go deaf.



Throw away earphones or go deaf, iPod users told | News | This is London


At least with Ipod earbuds :thumbup:

I agree. Ipod buds stink, even for regular listening. they aren't comfortable and distort music.

I use Sony in-ear phones, not technically "canalphones" but pretty close. I'm not in danger from going deaf anytime soon.
 

Nelly

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Its pretty difficult to ask a dealer for a demo helmet. so often we buy on either recomondation or brand loyalty. I have had loads of helmets and they all seem pretty much the same. You are right though some are quieter than others. I recently saw an advert in superbike August 07 issue for Schuberth helmets. SHHH! the quietes helmet in the world. 92dB at 100kph. Im sorry 100kph are we moving yet. 92dB is well above the level that damage occurs at. There was also an exstensive test carried out buy RiDE. I will try to find the link. Ear plugs are the way to go as far as im concerned. Cheers
 

Nelly

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I never wear ear plugs just because I believe the plugs are a hazard in itself. I ride in Las Vegas where there is a lot of traffic. I believe that being able to hear is another line of defence, and by reducing the noise level, might prevent you from hearing a suttle screach of tires, or hearing another vehicle that has encroached into your blind spot. The old saying, look and listen. Kind of like wearing a sun visor at night, even though it will cut the glare of oncoming headlights, it reduces your visibiltiy. My advise is that maybe you don't have the right helmet. Every helmet is different as far as the amount of noise it shields. Some helmets are quieter than others.

Vegasrider
HI mate, I for got to add your quote to my last reply sorry. I have found the link for the helmet noise test. This link is worth the trouble to have a peak at.
http://www.ridetriangles.com/pdf/543/204009.pdf
 
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Nelly

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What 'brand' of earplugs are the most comfortable? I wear earplugs in another sporting activity along with electronic earmuffs, but I can only stand having the earplugs in for half an hour at most before I have to take them out. I use the foam "roll up" type that I first reduce in size by rolling them in my fingers, then inserting them in my ear canal where they expand to fill the ear canal.
Hi Mate,

I use 3M soft ear plugs, they are about £1.00 for two pairs. i have no problrms wearing them for extended periods of time.
 
S

sportrider

no I've never worn them, but my ears are shot anyways. I've never had my ears ring from wind noise, maybe its just me but I've ridden freeway speeds on my sportster with one of those "german" brain buckets and even then the noise didn't bug me.
 
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