from Rookie’s keyboard,

Hello, friends

It’s time for another cycling post.

The topic of today is slightly unexpected, but since autumn is approaching…I can tell you that you won’t regret paying attention.

So, let’s talk about…the wind.

When it’s windy outside, and I am on my trusty retro road bike, I can’t help but notice the relentless wind noise that drowns out everything else. It’s a constant irritation, masking the sounds of the road and my own thoughts.

To combat this, I’ve explored various solutions, from simple hats to specialized gear, all aimed at finding some peace on my rides.

You have to know that there are two types of wind noises. One is generated by the rider cutting through the atmosphere; the other comes from the natural movement of air or other gases relative to the planet’s surface. Both types are irritating.

The only way to fix this issue besides riding slowly is to create а barrier/isolation between your ears and the atmosphere. This can be accomplished via the method:

A Hat or Earmuffs

The simplest and cheapest solution is to wear a hat covering the ears or a set of ear muffs.

If you don’t wear a helmet, any winter hat will do when it’s cold outside. However, if you’re riding with a helmet, it’s more comfortable to get a dedicated cycling hat with ear covers because it’s thinner. Another option is to purchase a set of earmuffs and put them over the helmet straps.

In hot weather, however, this approach doesn’t work. You can’t just put on a winter hat because it will result in quick overheating. The only solution is to switch to thinner material.

One of the cheapest options is to get a thin bandana and wrap it around your head and ears. The bandana should be made of breathing material to avoid excessive heat.

Another option would be to wear a regular summer cycling cap and sew two extensions to cover your ears. This is necessary because standard summer cycling caps do not go over the ears.

You can use a basic sewing machine to add the extensions or bring the hat to a professional and explain your goal. The service shouldn’t be particularly expensive.

Dedicated Products

There are also products specifically designed to solve this problem.

Cat-Ears

Cat-Ears are made of faux fur and are secured to the helmet straps with velcro loops. They act as isolation between the ear and the wind. The main advantage of cat-ears is that they work without interfering with the rest of the cyclist’s clothing. They can be worn in all seasons too.

The main downside which puts people away are the looks. Let’s face it. Cyclists care about looks. Sometimes we stay away from accessories not because they don’t function well but because they make us appear a certain way.

Also, cat-ears are designed specifically for helmets. If you’re riding without a helmet, you won’t have a place to install them.

Helmet Angels

Helmet Angels are plastic caps installed on the helmet straps to isolate the ears of the cyclist from the wind. They have the form of a shell and come with soft cushioning.

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There are also many other products in that category. All of them follow a similar principle. They attach to the helmet straps and create a barrier.

In general, most people give positive reviews to those products, and the choice often boils down to looks and other personal preferences.

Musician Earplugs

Another option is to wear musician/filter earplugs. Those types of plugs greatly reduce the irritating noises reaching your ears (e.g., motorcycles, power tools…etc.) while still allowing you to hear the surrounding environment.

Musicians often wear them while working or when performing to protect their hearing. The advantage of this method is that earplugs do not require a helmet and are much more discreet. They also prevent bugs from entering the ear canals.

Cheaper Solutions

Ear Plugs

If buying new products isn’t possible due to budget restraints or unavailability, another option is to ride with phone/MP3 ear plugs but without playing any music through them.

Ghetto Tricks

If you want to quickly eliminate wind noise on a particularly painful ride, you can put a band-aid over your ears. Another, more ghetto option, is to use duct tape instead of band-aids. (Many cyclists carry a small roll of duct tape and band-aids in their saddle or tool bottle anyway.)

While this solution isn’t pretty, it’s fairly effective.

Go Aero

If you have a road bike with drop bars, you will notice that the wind noise level drops when you ride in the drops.

This happens because your ears are now less vertical to the bike and the upper part of the outer ear provides some isolation. The forehead and the helmet help too as they act as the first front facing the wind.

That said, it’s not practical to always ride in the drops. The position is uncomfortable and reduces visibility in traffic.

Common Mistakes

• Playing Loud Music

Some people wrongfully blast the music on their phone to the maximum. This is a very bad practice because the loud music prevents you from hearing your surroundings while also damaging your hearing.

Hearing Damage?

Some people claim that wind noise can also damage one’s hearing. And while that’s probably true to a certain extent, the effect is far greater if one already has damaged hearing.

If wind noise was all that brutal on one’s ears, Tour De France riders would be all reporting severe hearing loss. Since this isn’t the case, it would be a bit too extreme to conclude that ear protection is obligatory.

Until next time,

Rookie