Hearing damage article - RoadBike Mag

[jaster]

I was the bookstore last night and noticed that All Metric Road Bike magazine had an article on hearing damage caused by wind noise. It was a pretty basic article but gave some good pros/cons of disposable, reusable, and custom ear plugs. I had forgotten about custom ear plugs with built-in headphones which sound cool for plane trips but I'm not sure I'd want them for riding.

I know there was discussion on this not too log ago but I found this article interesting. There's some other articles I found interesting as well.

[STPaulK]

I was the bookstore last night and noticed that All Metric Road Bike magazine had an article on hearing damage caused by wind noise. It was a pretty basic article but gave some good pros/cons of disposable, reusable, and custom ear plugs. I had forgotten about custom ear plugs with built-in headphones which sound cool for plane trips but I'm not sure I'd want them for riding.

I know there was discussion on this not too log ago but I found this article interesting. There's some other articles I found interesting as well.

By any chance did you find some carefully placed ads for earplugs in and around that article? ;)

[M&M Take2]

I've always ridden with a full face helmet and any long distance has always included the use of ear plugs. As far as I'm concerned it's a part of ATGATT. Around town, running errands I'll forgo the ear plugs, especially in heavy traffic and in town I never have the tunes on. Cheers Marty

[hojo in sc]

PLEASE, SPEAK UP, I CAN'T HEAR YOU! Seriously, I always wear plugs, a little noise can go a long way if you out on the road day after day.

[juddspaintballs]

I've never even considered ear plugs. What are the studies saying about hearing loss from wind noise though? I can't imagine wind noise behind a nice big windshield and fairing would hit 91dB for extended periods of time. I'm used to cruising around with no ear plugs or tunes, because I enjoy listening to the engine noise: it's comforting. I also enjoy riding in rain because the drops of water on my helmet sounds cool like rain on a tin roof. If I wear ear plugs, I wouldn't get that anymore. I've never considered ear plugs to be part of the riding experience before, but maybe I should? IIRC, most US states have laws against wearing something in both ears while operating a motor vehicle (such as ear plugs or head phones), but I don't know if that applies to bikes. The reasoning is so you can hear emergency vehicles and other vehicles' horns.

[hawkeyeST]

I've never even considered ear plugs. What are the studies saying about hearing loss from wind noise though? I can't imagine wind noise behind a nice big windshield and fairing would hit 91dB for extended periods of time. I'm used to cruising around with no ear plugs or tunes, because I enjoy listening to the engine noise: it's comforting. I also enjoy riding in rain because the drops of water on my helmet sounds cool like rain on a tin roof. If I wear ear plugs, I wouldn't get that anymore. I've never considered ear plugs to be part of the riding experience before, but maybe I should? IIRC, most US states have laws against wearing something in both ears while operating a motor vehicle (such as ear plugs or head phones), but I don't know if that applies to bikes. The reasoning is so you can hear emergency vehicles and other vehicles' horns.Jed, I wish I had started using hearing protection when I was your age. I've been using earplugs on the bike for about 10 years now and I don't even think about riding without them. On an ST1100 there is plenty of wind noise to damage your hearing. Ear plugs take some getting used to. At first you will not like them. But give yourself a couple of months to adjust and I'm willing to bet you will not go back to riding without them. You really can hear all the things you need to hear much better without wind noise suppressing your hearing.

[STPaulK]

Jed, I wish I had started using hearing protection when I was your age. I've been using earplugs on the bike for about 10 years now and I don't even think about riding without them. On an ST1100 there is plenty of wind noise to damage your hearing. Ear plugs take some getting used to. At first you will not like them. But give yourself a couple of months to adjust and I'm willing to bet you will not go back to riding without them. You really can hear all the things you need to hear much better without wind noise suppressing your hearing.

I completely agree with Rob. I did not wear earplugs for the first 10 years of my riding. Today I have reduced hearing and persistent ringing (Ok, some of that might have been a few rock concerts during the 70's.) I had the same fear of not being able to hear what was going on around me but found what Rob said is true. You can actually hear the important noises better without the wind noise dominating.

Put another way, you commented on your need to hear rain pattering the helmet. Keep riding without earplugs and you risk losing that pleasure for the rest of your life.

[Highrider]

The effect of earplugs is fairly obvious if your riding at highway speeds all day long. For me, riding without earplugs cause a disorientation after a few hours of highway noise. Most noticeable when stopping at a toll booth to pay a toll, and experiencing slight dizziness when stopped. Then I determined the noise must have an impact on my hearing.
All that went away when I started using earplugs.

[ChucksKLRST]

THE BEST ADVICE THAT JOHN O HAS GIVEN ME SENCE WE MET. ( He is an old retired army avator. He also hangs out over on the Org. ST LIST and a great freind) About 5 or 6 years ago on the way back from TexSToc, John O chastized me about not wearing ear plugs. ( I had been riding about 20 years with out) Well I took his advise to heart and started to wear them. It took about two weeks and I was use to them and Now I WILL NOT ride anywhere with out the ear plugs. I will on occasion forget to put the plugs in , during my hast to GO Ride. I will stop immediately and install the plugs. I am more rested at the end of the ride , I don't have a headache at the end of the day and I can actually hear my Grand Kids. Listen to what John O says and Wear your Friggen ear plugs. Just my two cents

[jaster]

The article was surrounded by ads for hard parts and one ad for Aerostitch (I haven't been through the entire magazine yet). The article didn't even mention a single brand. The closest they came to naming a brand was stating that federal laws require the custom ear plug material be labeled and branded. If the guy making your custom ear plugs is using goo from an unlabeled container, go find someone else to do it for you. They also cautioned against mail-order DIY kits because most people haven't been properly trained and you will likely not get it correct.

This article is the second I've seen which claims 105-110dB at the ear while riding a motorcycle. One article had it listed with 3/4 or full face helmet and the other was 1/2 helmet. Neither used a windshield for the tests.

I have the stock shield on my bike and wear a full face helmet. On long trips I've noticed my ears start ringing after 3 or 4 hours and I occasionally found myself 'yelling' at the waitress by accident. I had resisted ear plug because of the danger of not hearing traffic around me. This past summer a friend handed me a half dozen ear plugs and told me to try them. After 4 hours on the road, my hearing wasn't affected at all and I could still hear cars passing me, horns, etc. They were 32dB and I would like to find something closer to 20 or 25dB so I can hear a little more.

[MidLife]

This past summer a friend handed me a half dozen ear plugs and told me to try them. After 4 hours on the road, my hearing wasn't affected at all and I could still hear cars passing me, horns, etc. They were 32dB


and I would like to find something closer to 20 or 25dB so I can hear a little more.

The QuietEar could be what you are looking for:

http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/quietnrr14.html

I bought the very similar SilentEar that you can see on the same page. The SilentEars are rated NRR32, like the ones you tried, but are in fact much less effective (at least for me) than equally rated foam plugs. For me they have the perfect attenuation for around town and are great for short hops as they are very easy to get in and out.

[juddspaintballs]

I did not wear earplugs for the first 10 years of my riding. Today I have reduced hearing and persistent ringing <snip>Keep riding without earplugs and you risk losing that pleasure for the rest of your life.

Ok, I will give them a try and see how I like them. However, I would like some real world testing done with a decibel meter in the full face helmet behind a large windshield and fairing to support your guy's claims. I'm very attune to the effects of sound, as one of my biggest hobbies is audio engineering, and I never even imagined the SPL inside a helmet could reach 91dB for an extended period of time (the point at which hearing damage can begin). If I wake up old and deaf one day, I most certainly will not contribute my deafness to riding a motorcycle though, since my cage easily reaches 140+ dB should I choose to go crazy with the volume control (150+ if I push it...and that is when your heart starts skipping beats).

[jaster]

The QuietEar could be what you are looking for:

http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/quietnrr14.html

I already have a pair. They're OK but they just don't fit well in my ear. My helmet seems to catch the end of the plug and slowly work it lose as I move my head checking traffic. Maybe the small would fit better but I haven't ordered one to find out. Aside from being too long, they work well and block enough noise without blocking too much.

[wengland]

I've never even considered ear plugs. What are the studies saying about hearing loss from wind noise though? I can't imagine wind noise behind a nice big windshield and fairing would hit 91dB for extended periods of time. I'm used to cruising around with no ear plugs or tunes, because I enjoy listening to the engine noise: it's comforting. I also enjoy riding in rain because the drops of water on my helmet sounds cool like rain on a tin roof. If I wear ear plugs, I wouldn't get that anymore.

"Noise levels measured under helmets with each motorcycle driven on the open road ranted from 78 to 90 dB (A) at 30MPH to 114 to 116 dB (A) at 120 MPH, depending on the helmet, speed and windscreen. "
Lower, MC, et al. "Noise Levels and Noise Reduction Under Motorcycle Helmets". Procedings of Internoise 1996. http://www.isvr.co.uk/reprints/inter96mc.pdf


Figure three of this document (pdf) (http://www.isvr.co.uk/reprints/mcyclesioa.pdf) shows that on a K1100 LT with screen fully up, the SPL under the helmet is at leas 88 dB (A) at 70 MPH.

Long term exposure to sound in excess of 85dB will cause hearing damage. 8 hours per day at 85 dB will cause hearing loss. at 91 dB, the safe exposure limit is just 2 hours. AT 120MPH, you risk permanent damage to your hearing in just 7 minutes.
http://www.betterhearing.org/hearing_loss_prevention/noisethermometer.cfm

So, if you always ride looking through the screen, under 70 MPH, and less than 8 hours in a 24 hour period, you should be OK. Assuming you have a premium helmet. (Arai, Shoei, etc)

[juddspaintballs]

thanks wengland!

so according to those numbers, i could safely ride for an hour at 70-75 mph without earplugs (my most common trip), but anything longer than that, i should wear ear plugs. i'll give it a shot, i've got a few thousand pairs of plugs at my disposal.

[NCrider]

I think more than just noise comes to play on a bike.

Wind buffeting effects your ear drums also. Changing pressures and the like.

I always wear earplugs, can't stand to go without.

[STPaulK]

I think more than just noise comes to play on a bike.

Wind buffeting effects your ear drums also. Changing pressures and the like.

I always wear earplugs, can't stand to go without.

I agree. I think constant wind noise tires me out. I know my mileage endurance went up and I'm less of a zombie at the end of the ride.

[sirepair]

On the last nice (spirited) ride I took with a small group, I tried some earplugs. I'm hooked now! As noted, I could still hear the important stuff, but the lower overall noise level was relaxing.

This helped me concentrate on riding. I'm going to find some decent in-ear speakers for my yet-to-be purchased intercom. So of course I'll scour this site for the usual wealth of knowledge when purchase time comes.

[jaster]

I'm going to find some decent in-ear speakers for my yet-to-be purchased intercom.

If I were going to ride with music, I'd look for something like this:
http://www.bigearinc.com/index.cfm?fa=main.products&prod_id=6

I'm not recommending this brand, it was just the first one that came back from Google and I have no experience with them. You local ear specialist should be able to get something like this or recommend someone who can.

[roginoz]

In addition to the primary purpose of preserving your hearing, earplugs will cut fatigue significantly. Same for sunglasses. Just gotta remember to put them in/on before putting the helmet and gloves on. (Yeah, I hate it when that happens, too.)