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Wind Noise

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  • #1

    Wind Noise



    Because the noise comes from within the ear, it's there all the time, whether I ride my bike with earplugs on, watch TV, etc, etc... Needless to say this is a real pain and can cause great discomfort to my everyday life.

    I certainly don't want to scare anyone with this post, but this is something to keep in mind. All I'm trying to do is raise awareness about this problem, and underline the importance of wearing good earplugs under the helmet if you can, especially on long trips. They help prevent Tinnitus because they simply cut down the noise levels. Prevention is better than cure..., but tough luck in this case there's no real cure! It is, so the doctors keep saying, an irreversible condition. Once you have it you have to learn to live with it.
    Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.
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  • #2
    General Biking Discussion Approved.

    Wind noise, especially at high speeds does infact affect our hearing on the long run. If I am not wrong, there are special ear-plugs which fit in the ear perfectly and are not comfortable to wear either, which can help tremendously with this regard.
    :)

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    • #3
      Never knew it could be a serious issue!
      How about using Motorcycle Balaclavas?do they help your ears?
      Smoke rubber,not tobacco.

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      • #4
        Thanks Aryan.

        @ Ranjith: I don't think balaclavas will help reduce the noise significantly, if at all. At least I never thought so when I used balaclavas riding in the UK.

        Arguably some people get put off wearing earplugs as they may take a little getting used to. But it's very likely you want to get used to them when you realise their benefits, especially on long or fast rides. I once did an experiment and wore only one earplug on a ride. Afterwards, when I stopped, took my helmet and earplug off, it felt like I was going deaf in the “unplugged” ear. It's so much more noticeable when the other ear is ok, and a bit disorientating actually...

        There are many types of earplugs to choose from. Personally I find the ones that work best are those that builders here use (Earplugs, Ear Plugs hearing protection Peltor Optime Kids Childrens Ear Defenders Foam Ear Muffs). They are cheap and you can buy them in larger quantities. They are the simple foam types. Years ago I had silicone earplugs specifically made to fit into my ears. They were washable, reusable, more money and supposedly better, but as far as I'm concerned they weren't comfortable and were no better, so why bother.

        A pair of earplugs can last a long time if you keep them in a little box so they don't get dirty. Foam earplugs don't like water. Washing them with water has always been the worst thing to do. They are never the same after. Best is to use a new pair when they get too dirty or wet.

        Something very important is to fit the earplug correctly into your ear, or you won't get the full benefit and noise reduction. YouTube - ‪How to properly fit Earplugs‬‎ Only thing I would add to this video is that I can certainly use the same earplugs a few times before disposing of them...
        Last edited by Ganeshan; 08-12-2010, 03:02 AM.
        Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

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        • #5
          wind noise is one of the very less know facts specially in biking.a good initiative must say.
          balaclavas defiantly help.a good quality helmet is also helps upto a extent but there is nothing like a covering.at the beginning,it may be uncomfortable but in long run it def helps.also a good quality earphone which goes inside ear canal are quite useful as well,even if not used with music.
          care must be taken while use of these and if someone has ear problems like otitis externa or csom or asom or other problems like pressure induced vertigo or mineres disease then get checked up from a specialist before using them.
          sigpic
          RIDE AND DRIVE SAFE AND PLEASE CHANGE THE PICTURE ON INDIAN ROADS.
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          • #6
            This is really helpful...

            I had always been thinking of getting slightly deaf, after a long ride.... and used to think will the wind noise affect it...
            U have given us a perfect answer...
            Thanks a lot!!!

            Is there a way I can share this on social netwrking sites like facebook...?
            Last edited by abhijeetbuzz; 08-10-2010, 10:47 AM.

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            • #7
              Thank you Ganesh Sir..!!

              I have to purchase a bike in Future, but being a Member of xBHP i have learnt alot about Safety better than riding i should say. I will share this with all my friends and family. But sometimes it good to be deaf while GF is shouting @ us you know..

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              • #8
                i think i already succumbed to this problem. dint go to a physician yet(what is the point?) but since i did a 500km ride @ high speeds for a continuous long duration.. i have been having ringing in my ears ! since then i have also started wearing ear plugs (industrial grade ones which my friends got me from his workplace). no more can i live in silence.. a noisy world is more silent than silence itself cause the ringing is so annoying. sometimes its so loud it overpowers the other outside noise. it sucks.. after i started having this ringing i googled and faced reality.. wish i had known before.. my parents keep scolding me why my tv/dvd /pc volume is so high.. it just sucks !!

                apparently it has more to do with a person's tolerance for higher noise levels and perceptibility to this condition than just the wind noise by itself..

                i use a studds bravo helmet.. it cant protect me from wind noise @ 40kmph forget 100kmph..
                Regardless, Life shall go on.

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                • #9
                  Last time it was discussed on xbhp , the conclusion was ideally you should opt for silicone moulded ear plugs which u can get made from some one who makes hearing aids. Cheaper option is industrial ear plugs .. found at sports shops.
                  I started using "in ear" ear phones , they offer pretty decent wind noise protection.
                  sigpicThe Moto Cafe - India's first bike theme cafe @ Chandni Chowk

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by yellowspunk View Post
                    no more can i live in silence.. a noisy world is more silent than silence itself cause the ringing is so annoying. sometimes its so loud it overpowers the other outside noise. it sucks..
                    This is so true! I so much miss silence too, just silence, which is a thing of the past now. Worst of all, this constant ringing is not getting any quieter. Sure, I could do without this which, as you rightly said, can overpower the other outside noises. It's very tiring, annoying and difficult to ignore!

                    Originally posted by yellowspunk View Post
                    apparently it has more to do with a person's tolerance for higher noise levels and perceptibility to this condition than just the wind noise by itself..
                    That's very interesting, and probably true, but I still think it's better to be on the safe side and always wear earplugs.
                    Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Ganeshan View Post
                      This is so true! I so much miss silence too, just silence, which is a thing of the past now. Worst of all, this constant ringing is not getting any quieter. Sure, I could do without this which, as you rightly said, can overpower the other outside noises. It's very tiring, annoying and difficult to ignore!



                      That's very interesting, and probably true, but I still think it's better to be on the safe side and always wear earplugs.



                      The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.
                      Regardless, Life shall go on.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by niks_devil666 View Post
                        Last time it was discussed on xbhp , the conclusion was ideally you should opt for silicone moulded ear plugs which u can get made from some one who makes hearing aids. Cheaper option is industrial ear plugs .. found at sports shops.
                        I started using "in ear" ear phones , they offer pretty decent wind noise protection.
                        Ear plugs will isolate you from the surrounding traffic noise so vital while riding. A good Full face helmet with a clean visor in closed position will definitely offer the ideal solution. Ear phones of Mobile Hands free, I pod ,and listening to loud music are proven to cause ear problems.
                        Wear a full face Helmet and Ride Safe.
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                        • #13
                          Of course earplugs are also excellent noise protection devices against the deafening air horns... They are so loud that I wonder whether earplugs alone can bring the noise down to a "safe level", but they'll help for sure.
                          Learn from the mistakes of others. You won't live long enough to make all of them yourself.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by psr View Post
                            Ear plugs will isolate you from the surrounding traffic noise so vital while riding. A good Full face helmet with a clean visor in closed position will definitely offer the ideal solution. Ear phones of Mobile Hands free, I pod ,and listening to loud music are proven to cause ear problems.
                            Wear a full face Helmet and Ride Safe.
                            Well , it doesn't to be very frank. No matter which helmet you buy. Ear phones reduce the wind noise and music at low level is not going to cause any issues.
                            About the surrounding traffic , this is not needed in city areas but on highways where 80kmph + speeds cause wind noise. On highways , surrounding noise is not faint and will be audible even after you wear ear plugs.
                            sigpicThe Moto Cafe - India's first bike theme cafe @ Chandni Chowk

                            The Moto Cafe video -
                            http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XztkK4ej2U

                            My Youtube channel

                            http://www.youtube.com/user/niksdevil666

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