after riding for 4 decades, I am just becoming aware of many riders who wear ear plugs. I recently went to a Sedeci full face helmet hoping for a quieter ride, as I've developed a little tinnitus in one ear, but not that much difference in perceived noise really, than my favorite HJC 3/4 with integrated visor.
So I'm really curious if earplugs are safe to ride with?
Wear them every time I ride, run the chainsaw, run the table saw, go to movies, mow the grass. Perfectly safe. Only problem is that my wife knows I heard her.
I use foam plugs on any ride that I know I will hit higher speeds. The wind noise increases with speed as we all know. Even the quietest helmet is still bad for wind noise. I tried a Neotec2 which is really good and on my head excellent fit, but I can buy a lot of boxes of plugs for the difference in price.
Pierre
I ride with Shure noise cancelling earbuds plugged into a Sena com, so I can listen to music (or take a phone call) without having too much background noise to annoy me, and still able to hear horns and sirens around me. I never ride without them.
It is not just about attenuating the high levels of sound. It is also about attenuating the moderate levels of sound for long durations. Hearing damage is a cumulative effect. For example, 1 hour exposure to 100 dB in a 24 hour period is equivalent to 2 hours of exposure at 95 db in a 24 hour period, or 16 hours of exposure to 80 dB in a 24 hour period. (These examples are where hearing loss is likely to occur with repeated exposure.)
I also have a full face helmet, but the wind noise is still significant. I use foam ear plugs for every ride. Last batch I bought from Amazon were Mpow HP133A Ultra Soft Foam 38dB SNR Noise Reduction Sleeping Earplugs. They do reduce wind noise significantly, yet still allow me to hear other important sounds around. I can even use them with my Cardo communication system.
I guess I will the plugs a try, I have a bunch of em around the garage. Just never considered it.
The new helmet is a modular, which seems the logical all around best configuration to me.
,Weird thing is, this new helmet is really quiet on right side, noisy as hell on left, go figure
I'm also on board with foam ear plugs. Took several kinds to find comfortable ones. I found the most expensive were not always the most comfortable. Plus they can't help if they won't stay in your ears. I wear them always now for lawn mowers and chain saws (under the muffs) as well as riding but I'm 68, so may be looking at a case of "too little, too late".
Many people do not realize there is a specific way to insert the foam ear plugs. Most people that say they wont stay in their ears are inserting them wrong.
I saw that episode. He is adamantly in favor of earplugs and explains why. I have a set of eargasm plugs I bought a couple years ago for concerts and racing events. Comes in a cool little aluminum keychain canister. I am going for a ride tomorrow, gonna give it a try. I'm still shocked I rode so many years, and no one I have ridden with wore them.... that I knew of, anyway. Probably one reason I have tinnitus now.
Ride and learn. Stay safe out there!
On any ride longer than 30 minutes, I will wear ear plugs, otherwise I wont really bother.
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