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speakers in cycling helmets

gonefirefightin

gonefirefightin

free wieners
Feb 5, 2007
11,286
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Surrounded by Police in a hail of gunfire
I have a park helmet that has some good speakers in it and dig the concept. I am planning on modding a roadbike helmet with some cannibalized headphones. my question to you is this.

what are the loudest/best quality headphones (not ear buds) you have bought in the past that will work for this.

I am thinking of cutting a pocket in the foam on both sides of the helmet and inserting the speakers.

I have found alot of helmet speakers online but not sure of the sound

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IH8Rice

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
how much do you want to spend? "best" quality" IMO means anything over $125+, so i dont know if you want to cut up a pair of good headphones.
audio source plays a big part in "loudness" as well.
 
IH8Rice

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
gonefirefightin said:
just getting some input from the group whom have used some pretty good headphones that might fit the build.
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like i said, how much do you want to spend?
i spent 8 years selling headphones (among other crap) as part of my last two gigs

sennheiser
koss
klipsch
shure
grado
some jvc models
they all make good headphones...
 
RUFUS

RUFUS

e-douche of the year
Dec 1, 2006
3,480
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Denver, CO
Get a song stuck in your head and use that while riding. Music on the road is too dangerous and not worth it. I have seen more accidents and bad riders due to headphones or the like.

I would rather not see a thread about you getting hurt because of not hearing something.
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
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SF
You know they do that with motorcycle helmets, right? They even do bluetooth.

FYI, I find the standard Apple earbuds are the best for cycling, because there isn't a good fit, you can hear surrounding noise and the music.

On the motorcycle, I use jLabs, because it makes a good seal to keep all sound out. You are allowed to wear earplugs while ride a motorcycle.
 
RUFUS

RUFUS

e-douche of the year
Dec 1, 2006
3,480
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Denver, CO
sanjuro said:
You know they do that with motorcycle helmets, right? They even do bluetooth.

FYI, I find the standard Apple earbuds are the best for cycling, because there isn't a good fit, you can hear surrounding noise and the music.

On the motorcycle, I use jLabs, because it makes a good seal to keep all sound out. You are allowed to wear earplugs while ride a motorcycle.
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Still not smart from my perspective. Plus motorcycles seem to be a little bit easier to spot by motorists, seems to be. Not getting in that argument.

I have made my point, carry on.
 
stoney

stoney

Part of the unwashed, middle-American horde
Jul 26, 2006
21,660
7,332
Colorado
With the what are you thinking group. I have a set with only one earbud which is worn on my non-traffic side. Still music, still able to hear the road. Ask TJ about speakers and your road bike.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
86,083
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media blackout
gonefirefightin said:
I dont think you guys understand what I am doing, I am trying to get away from headphones in my ears and put them in the helmet so I can hear.
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i understand perfectly what you're trying to do. the point is that you're still adding another layer of noise to filter through in order to hear traffic.
 
DirtMcGirk

DirtMcGirk

<b>WAY</b> Dumber than N8 (to the power of ten alm
Feb 21, 2008
6,379
1
Oz
When I lived in Virginia Beach I used to ride with headphones all the time. Didn't think much of it.

Moved to Seattle. Was JRA one day, and a nice man in an Escalade decided it was time to take out a cyclist. Thankfully I heard him last second, but by then it was too late. I was up and over the K-rail, he was haul assing away.

Moral of the story, headphones are not a long term survival choice.
 
woodsguy

woodsguy

gets infinity MPG
Mar 18, 2007
1,083
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Sutton, MA
I was on a road ride on a very quiet country road. I moved over to the middle of the road to make a left turn. I had my arm out well ahead of the turn. As I approached the turn I heard a car behind me so I squeezed over as far as I could so he could pass me on the right all the while leaving my arm out to let him know I was turning. To my disbelief, he sped up and passed me on the left! If I hadn't heard him I would have continued my turn and gotten run over.
 
Heisenberg

Heisenberg

Monkey
Nov 19, 2010
172
0
Where life is supposedly elevated.
RUFUS said:
Get a song stuck in your head and use that while riding. Music on the road is too dangerous and not worth it. I have seen more accidents and bad riders due to headphones or the like.

I would rather not see a thread about you getting hurt because of not hearing something.
Click to expand...
A single headphone in the non-traffic ear does not a rube make. The error is more with the user themselves, generally.
 
OGRipper

OGRipper

back alley ripper
Feb 3, 2004
10,655
1,129
NORCAL is the hizzle
You started by asking for the loudest headphones yet you expect to be able to hear what's going on around you...

As a cyclist I am constantly amazed at things cyclists do to create dangerous situations and make other people hate them. Riding with headphones, completely oblivious to what's going on around them, is just one of them.

But I guess this point has already been made so this is just piss in the cornflakes.
 
jimmydean

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
41,294
13,410
Portland, OR
Maybe I am stupid, then. I feel weird riding without headphones unless I am dowhill racing. Riding road, CX commuting, moto on the road, moto on the dirt. I have my Skull Candy Ink'd, they fit in my ear to block out wind noise and allow for some tunes to grove to.

It's never been an issue, ever.

<edit> I don't crank the tunes, it's more of a nice background. Think the dentist's office, only its Slayer non instrumental.
 
woodsguy

woodsguy

gets infinity MPG
Mar 18, 2007
1,083
1
Sutton, MA
Years ago I tried to wear headphones snowboarding. I was shocked how much riding suffered. I felt disconnected without hearing the edges on the snow. Plus, it threw my rhythm off. I would think the same thing would happen mtn biking.
 
bizutch

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,929
24
Over your shoulder whispering
I rode with headphones a few times. Stopped when I finished my ride with a near demolished rear end that may have been prevented had Rage not been telling me "F you, I won't do what you tell me!"

Now I reserve it as motivation on long climbs only. Descending I have to hear the anger of my wheels.
 
descente

descente

Monkey
Jul 30, 2010
430
0
Sandy Eggo
i picked up one of these at outerbike this year. its blue tooth so no annoying cables, it will project for a good 50 or so feet before the volume really starts to drop off. mount one to the bars on your bike and you'll be rocking. also very good for pump tracking...

http://boombotix.com/
 
4130biker

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
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450
Since you are going to use headphones, how about one of these...

mirrors
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
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SF
RUFUS said:
Still not smart from my perspective. Plus motorcycles seem to be a little bit easier to spot by motorists, seems to be. Not getting in that argument.

I have made my point, carry on.
Click to expand...
On the streets, I don't listen to music. On the highway, I can't hear anything anyway, and I'm always going faster than traffic.

On the bike, I listen real low or with only one earbud.
 
WestCoastHucker

WestCoastHucker

RETSUBDUHT
Oct 23, 2003
3,561
716
daydreaming about a new rhythm line.....
no real modding needed. the headphone speakers easily fit into the gaps around your ears in the helmet without impeding on your ear space. then just fish the wires thru the edge trim at the bottom of the helmet. this is how i've done mine. i just used some cheapie headphones and they are plenty loud enough. as was stated earlier, the source is really what determines the volume capabilities...
 
E

ebarker9

Monkey
Oct 2, 2007
850
243
woodsguy said:
I was on a road ride on a very quiet country road. I moved over to the middle of the road to make a left turn. I had my arm out well ahead of the turn. As I approached the turn I heard a car behind me so I squeezed over as far as I could so he could pass me on the right all the while leaving my arm out to let him know I was turning. To my disbelief, he sped up and passed me on the left! If I hadn't heard him I would have continued my turn and gotten run over.
Click to expand...
This happened to me on Sunday turning into my driveway, but after swinging left to pass/scare the crap out of me (crossing a double yellow, of course) he decided to dive back to the right and narrowly miss me. Glad I'm not still be scraped off of the pavement.
 
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