Cycling and Tinnitus?
- Thread starter Jack Straw
- Start date
Member- Oct 21, 2018
- 999
- Tinnitus Since
- 1997
- Cause of Tinnitus
- Ear infection
Got myself some Helmet Angel's for cycling. Waste of money.
Anyway... what's the consensus of opinion on cycling and hearing protection from the wind noise?
Anyone any ideas about what sort of decibel level it is? BTA reckon a 60 mph wind on a motorbike will give you hearing damage after 15 minutes. That's for the normies I guess and I know it's not the same for us, so protect with musicians plugs or not?
Anyway... what's the consensus of opinion on cycling and hearing protection from the wind noise?
Anyone any ideas about what sort of decibel level it is? BTA reckon a 60 mph wind on a motorbike will give you hearing damage after 15 minutes. That's for the normies I guess and I know it's not the same for us, so protect with musicians plugs or not?
- May 24, 2017
- 1,622
- Tinnitus Since
- 05/2017 (H since 06/2017)
- Cause of Tinnitus
- long term noise exposure (headphones), maybe some stress.
I have no problem with wind noise on my bike, if it is a day with calm wind. If it is a day with harsh wind then I do tend to plug up, because it irritates my ears/hyperacusis and I get a heavy headache......it doesnt effect my tinnitus though. I am personally not a fast cyclist. I don't go fast on my bike at all (I don't have a mountainbike or racing bike but a vintage ladies bike) so I guess that also has a say in why I only need plugs on windy days.
I guess whether plugging up or not depends on several factors: how reactive your tinnitus is in general, how fast you go on a bike and general weather conditions/i.e. wind speed.
As I mentioned in a previous post, my tinnitus goes way up when I cycle. Because mine is somatic and affected by my neck/head position and pressure, I have found that the hyper-extension of the neck and head seem to be a big part of why it temporarily spikes. Overall, being fit is a HUGE benefit for me in mental health. My tinnitus is annoying, but frankly it doesn't affect me emotionally. I just will myself to live my life and screw this devil in my head.
I m also an avid cyclist. I am convinced that cycling has contributed to my hearing lose but I love it so much too. Where did you get your helmet? This is the first I heard of one that covers the ears.
I sure hope I can get over this spike and this insomnia so I can get back to it.
I thought of ear plugs. Finally bought some but have been unable to ride because of this recent major spike. I was always reluctant to wear them because of not being able to hear they traffic.
I commute 40 minutes twice a day, 4 days a week. I tried Helmet Angels. They don't cut any wind noise...
The Cat-Ears Classic work better, but not at every angle and seem to let the lower rumbling through without attenuation. So now I'm wearing deeply inserted foam earplugs and Cat-Ears but they also let low frequencies through when hit by wind, while cutting all the highs. This is quite miserable, because all I hear is my tinnitus while riding and it drives me crazy. And I still get wind noise in the lows...
I've got to find something else to retain my sanity.
@kelpiemsp would you say they Giro Vanquish performs better than Cat-Ears Classic? I contacted a guy on Reddit that bought the KASK Bambino Pro and he found it unsatisfactory regarding wind noise. I thought the KASK would be even better because it covers the ears.
Then again, if a helmet that covered the ears would be the ultimate solution then motorcyclists wouldn't have to wear earplugs either.
It's actually because of motorcyclists that I became aware it could be a problem for cyclists too. Oddly, wind noise whilst cycling wasn't a problem for me until my tinnitus worsened from an acoustic trauma. I now feel like I can't gauge sound levels correctly anymore.
The Cat-Ears Classic work better, but not at every angle and seem to let the lower rumbling through without attenuation. So now I'm wearing deeply inserted foam earplugs and Cat-Ears but they also let low frequencies through when hit by wind, while cutting all the highs. This is quite miserable, because all I hear is my tinnitus while riding and it drives me crazy. And I still get wind noise in the lows...
I've got to find something else to retain my sanity.
@kelpiemsp would you say they Giro Vanquish performs better than Cat-Ears Classic? I contacted a guy on Reddit that bought the KASK Bambino Pro and he found it unsatisfactory regarding wind noise. I thought the KASK would be even better because it covers the ears.
Then again, if a helmet that covered the ears would be the ultimate solution then motorcyclists wouldn't have to wear earplugs either.
It's actually because of motorcyclists that I became aware it could be a problem for cyclists too. Oddly, wind noise whilst cycling wasn't a problem for me until my tinnitus worsened from an acoustic trauma. I now feel like I can't gauge sound levels correctly anymore.
Mister Muso
Member
This summer we've had to cancel our holidays due to COVID-19 and we decided to spend our holiday money on new bikes, and explore our local area more. My first runs on my new bike have been magical. It's an electric bike as I'm pushing 60 years of age, and it's been a long time since I did much cycling. I was concerned how my tinnitus and my hyperacusis would affect things. I sometimes find I have to wear earplugs in traffic. So on quiet cycle paths it's great, no issues. Wind noise is no problem so far. When in traffic though, you're obviously close to vehicles which I found can be noisy. I popped earplugs in at one point which I had ready in my pocket. However I prefer not to have anything in my ears so I can be fully aware. Hoping this is one pastime I can continue to enjoy.
You don't find wind noise an issue? I'm still looking for a reliable method to cut down on wind noise. I'm assuming you're going 25kph on your electric? Or is it 45kph? None of the methods I tried (Cat-Ears, Windfree) are satisfactory, although I can surely tell there's a difference wearing them. I wonder if I'm just paranoid.
Update on the Giro Vanquish: sent it back. Didn't do anything. Best so far are Cat-Ears, but not for every wind angle.
Tried:
Helmet Angel (nothing)
Cat-Ears Classic (hear mainly lows)
Cat Ears Airstreamz XL (same)
Windfree Earmuffs (more broadband noise, but quieter overall than without.)
Giro Vanquish (doesn't do anything but look weird)
Tried:
Helmet Angel (nothing)
Cat-Ears Classic (hear mainly lows)
Cat Ears Airstreamz XL (same)
Windfree Earmuffs (more broadband noise, but quieter overall than without.)
Giro Vanquish (doesn't do anything but look weird)
I started to bike a lot more after quarantine and wondered what the best way to reduce wind noise would be.
I tried foam ear plugs a few times, and while they work for the wind noise, they block out too much sound for me on the road, so I feel a bit out of touch with my surroundings.
Should I try the cat ears?
I can't say whether you will be satisfied, but they make a difference and don't cost much. Let me know what you think of them if you decide to buy them.
Mister Muso
Member
I've not done enough runs yet to spend any significant time going fast enough for a lot of wind noise. The top speed is 25 kph and I imagine if I was going at that speed for long periods of time I may need to look at reducing wind noise. It's mostly going to be used for pottering about on country tracks at the moment.
Incidentally on my first run with the kids today, we got attached by a swarm of hornets, or hoverflies, or something like that. They were keeping pace with us and flying alongside our ears! My daughter was worried she would get one stuck inside her helmet. We thought they might have been wasps at first, but I'm sure they would have stung us if they could, as they were stuck all over our clothes when we stopped! I'd been along that track twice previously myself with no problems. I guess we must have disturbed their nest. Our son was the only one not attacked - he was wearing dark coloured clothing (as per usual). Next time we're all going to wear dark clothing and insect repellent!
At least for me they cut too much noise out during cycling so that I feel detached to what is going on on the street. I am afraid I will not hear something and have an accident so I was looking for something less that heavy duty foam plugs.
Ok, I just suggested it because with hyperacusis hearing with earplugs didn't use to be a problem...
The wind hitting the outside of the plugs directly transmitting the lows, possibly even enhancing them from my experience. (Occlusion?)
Also, when hitting potholes or going over cobblestones they create small fluctuations in pressure, making me want to ride out of the saddle the whole time. Not to mention my tinnitus being so annoying whilst wearing them that I don't get any enjoyment out of cycling.
I prefer the quieter roads and don't mind doing a longer route to ride more cycle-friendly paths to my destination, so traffic noise isn't a big issue in my particular situation.
What I'm really after is that "2 fingers in front of your ears" kind of reduction, which I haven't been able to recreate. Cat-Ears do a good job and they are on my helmet at all times, but it's not quite the same, especially at certain angles of wind and riding speeds, which makes that I don't feel comfortable going out on my road bike and hammering out 100km.
I even ended up making some sort of plastic fairing attached to my helmet straps (which sit tightly against my face, no fail), and made it protrude more than my own ears. Still not as effective.
I will try an Oakley Aro 7 helmet soon. If that fails, I'm going to have to find 4 fingers on the grey market so I can tape them either side of my helmet.
Beanies help but can't wear them in warmer temperatures so I'd say I'd only be able to wear them 2-3 months out of the year. Also there's a helmet compatibility issue and winter months when the roads are wet isn't the best time to ride without a helmet. (Don't feel good riding without one ever, actually)
A Buff-style bandana fits underneath the helmet and helps to a degree. It's not that hot and wicks sweat in summer. I combine it with the Cat-Ears. The reduction of both seems to be cumulative to a certain extent.
Interesting. For me earplugs are not a problem when it is windy. Actually better than earmuffs. I have cycled, just strolling with my bike really, wearing earmuffs too.
For me earplugs are a problem if I run a bit, stepping drives the sound inside.. that's awful. But I don't notice that often riding a bike. Different people, different sensations maybe... interesting...
How's the cycling? Did you try other products to reduce sound? What proved to be the best solution for the wind and ambient sounds (motorbikes!)?
For now I'm happy using Windfree earmuffs over foam plugs. The muffs deflect the wind hitting the plugs and the plugs lower the wind noise. Only problem is that my tinnitus is so amplified with plugs in it makes me go crazy. Doesn't make for an enjoyable ride...
I tried the Oakley Aro 7 helmet but it did nothing but make me look like a time trialist.
Do you notice any change in your tinnitus after cycling? Does it change at all?
Also, did you try cycling hearing music? Using noise cancelling headphones?
I am thinking the noise cancelling headphones probably will not solve the problem of wind if they are over the ear headphones, but there are also models that sit on top of the ear without covering it like an earmuff, or have earplug like design...
No discernible change in tinnitus at all. Sometimes it gets 'sharper', sometimes it's a little easier to ignore, but I'm pretty sure the volume is the same. My ears just feel more irritated when it's a sharper sound. Maybe that's hyperacusis. I can't really compare to other people's experiences.
I'm not willing to wear headphones to pump extra sound into my ears. I have never tried noise cancelling, but I'm pretty up to date on how they work. With the ever-changing and warbling wind noise due to wind speed and angle, I believe noise cancelling headphones can't really work out how to counteract the sound because it changes all the time.
Yesterday riding with earplugs felt bad again because of the vibrations from the road. I'm using new disposable pairs often so they can completely open up inside the ear canal (after a while they just don't come back to their original shape) but sometimes they don't sit well enough and road vibrations bother me. It's like the vibrations of the road make the earplugs move slightly in and outward, creating small pressure changes inside the ear that are perceived as thumps. Best thing I can compare it to is just walking or jumping around with earplugs in. I don't know if everyone experiences this the same. I've seen some people claiming to be able to comfortably wear custom moulded plugs while on the bike, but I'm not one of them. The harder material makes the problem even worse.
Despite all these incertainties and worries, again, no noticeable change in tinnitus for the worse. It's just that I would like some guarantees I'm not further effing up my ears and causing cumulative damage.
Sometimes I worry if all these precautions end up being worse than no precautions at all...
We don't have a large sample size of people who are going to the lengths that I've gone to. Yet we have millions of amateur cyclists, professionals, commuters etc... who spend a decent amount of time in the saddle and don't develop tinnitus or hearing loss at all. At least with such a large sample size, the odds are favourable...
