ear plugs-doyou or dont you

[Redmurty]

Hello.... what.... eh.... no never wear them.... eh.

I have a moulded pair and thinking of getting a second set with speakers in, I do not ride without them. cheers Spud

[Peejay]

Yes I always wear them, have done for years. Started off with the foam type and always carry a couple of pairs, especially when camping :whistle:

I am fortunate that my previous employer payed for moulded ones. I have tried various types, and could do a recommend if anyone was interested.

If the foam ones are fitted correctly they are not uncomfortable, but may take a while to adjust to. Shoving them in until they meet in the middle isnt how they are meant to be installed :whistle:

If you get tinutus you will know what a royal pain in the 'arris it is.

[hornet]

Yes I always wear them, have done for years. Started off with the foam type and always carry a couple of pairs, especially when camping :whistle:

I am fortunate that my previous employer payed for moulded ones. I have tried various types, and could do a recommend if anyone was interested.

If the foam ones are fitted correctly they are not uncomfortable, but may take a while to adjust to. Shoving them in until they meet in the middle isnt how they are meant to be installed :whistle:

If you get tinutus you will know what a royal pain in the 'arris it is.

ha ha ha ha ha :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

[Joe Bar]

I personally think that anyone who rides regularly and doesn't wear ear plugs is nuts. The evidence that prolonged exposure to noise damaging hearing is un-disputed so why take the risk. There are so many different types available on the market now that the common arguments of "they don't fit", "they're uncomfortable" etc etc, just don't wash. Same with, I can't hear the engine, the exhaust, what's going on around me etc, it's simply a matter of re-adjustment.

I'm old enough to remember when wearing seat belts in cars was made compulsory, and all the same arguments came up, they're uncomfortable, they restrict movement, I don't like the feeling of being strapped in, etc. Now, we don't give it a second thought.

Ear plugs aren't expensive, aren't uncomfortable once you've found a make / type that suit, and you do soon get used to them, they prolong your riding comfort and protect your hearing. Most types of hearing damage is irreversible.

Why anyone would not want to ride with ear plugs in is beyond me. To anyone that has posted saying they don't wear them, my advice would be to try again.

[davsato]

...... The E.A.R. yellow foam cylinder ones were too firm for my liking, they made my ears hurt after a couple of hours,(even though they were free at work!) .................

i generally dont bother, but if i know im going to do big motorway miles i do. it makes a big difference to noise fatigue and what mood im in after a long day.
i use the freeby EAR squashy cylinders too glosterboy, and they do get tight after a while. i cut them in half longways and it makes a big difference.

i get my hearing tested at work and biking without earplugs hasn't affected me.

[Joe Bar]

I get my hearing tested at work and biking without earplugs hasn't affected me.

Yet. The problem is, if and when it does, it's too late, the damage is done. Why risk it? It's not like the risk you take when you do something thrilling and dangerous. The only extra buzz to be gained by not wearing earplugs is the one that stays with you for ever.

[trophydave]

If I am going more than about five minutes ride I always wear ear plugs.I have used then for about 20 years and nowadays just can't ride any more than a short distance without them.

[Rup328]

I've been riding since 1979 and started using disposable foam plugs about 8 years ago. I have had regular hearing tests since joining the RAF in 1981 and there has been a gradual degradation in the upper frequencies since I hit 40. The result of this is that in a fairly noisy room I have sometimes have difficulty in holding a conversation. Since I started wearing the ear plugs the situation has stabilised and I now never ride without them. I use the orange ones available from Oxford Products which cost £7.99 for 50 pairs. Occasionally I wear my MP3 'in the ear' earphones which have similar sound deadening effects. I have no problem in hearing what is going on around me - it is only when I want to speak to someone that it is then best to take them out.

If you have tried them in the past and not got on with them then I urge you to try again. Hearing loss is no joke and is irreversible.

[davsato]

I get my hearing tested at work and biking without earplugs hasn't affected me.

Yet. The problem is, if and when it does, it's too late, the damage is done. Why risk it? It's not like the risk you take when you do something thrilling and dangerous. The only extra buzz to be gained by not wearing earplugs is the one that stays with you for ever.

hearing damage bought on by very loud noises like gunfire is instant yes, but the cumulative effects of droning machinery noise like i do at work, loud earphones, and motorcycling takes a long time to come on, thats why a lot of people dont even realise they have any hearing loss. a hearing test every two years is plenty.
and some loss past 40 is normal anyway, we are none of us as young as we were!

[dash]

I always wear them, notice straight away if not got them in. Disposable foam ones fine but also use SkullCandy Ink'd head phones(only about 15 quid off ebay)which I find just as quiet as the plugs with the tunes off.

I've got a pair of those headphones that I bought earlier in the year, and while I'm impressed how much noise they block out, I don't get on with wearing them on the bike - while the wind noise disappears, I find it's just replaced with the noise of the wire rubbing on my collar/jacket/helmet whenever I move my head, which is then transmitted through the headphones themselves right into my ear. Undoubtably less damaging than the wind noise, but incredibly annoying.

I've got a pair of Ultimate Ear moulded ones that I've had for three or four years. I've worn them most days since, and I'm now so used to it I'll put them in for a five minute journey if it's going to involve speeds over 40mph. Well worth the £60 or thereabouts they cost, although I'll probably treat myself to some new ones at the bike show this year, as they don't seem to fit quite as perfectly as they used to.