Ear plugs

[lil4399]

While the wife is away I have had time for my bike!

So I have fitted things, adjusted things from the hints and tips on here - thanks guys. And the last one I tried was Ear Plugs.

Never rode with plugs before, in fact I have never used them before (always have used headphone type for noisy work) I had some of them sponge types in the workshop so I popped them in and went off on a 5 hr ride.

What a revalation! The reduction in noise was incredible, (though I forgot they were in and wondered why I couldn't hear anyone when I stopped for coffee)

So, who uses them and are these little sponge plugs the norm?

[Hooli]

Howard Leight - Max are the plugs I use, I hate riding without them these days as it's too noisey & I get tinnitus.

[lil4399]

I had to look up Howard Leight!   

Funny you mention tinnitus, I have a slight case of Tinnitus, it is only a slight discomfort, but I usually notice it when I am somewhere really quiet. It wasn't too quiet when on the bike so I didn't give it a thought.

[shanered6]

Ive never used them but im realy starting to come round to the idea !..... im finding i notice the noise more now than i did when i was younger and its realy staring to annoy me 

[Kiwifruit]

I use those little foam plugs, even with the intercom l am still able to hear instructions from management. It just cuts out a lot of the wind noise.

[ARH]

yep...I use them as well - makes for a far more 'comfortable' and stress free ride.  No particular brand as long as they fit properly and reduce noise by 35db.

[Hooli]

I had to look up Howard Leight!   

Funny you mention tinnitus, I have a slight case of Tinnitus, it is only a slight discomfort, but I usually notice it when I am somewhere really quiet. It wasn't too quiet when on the bike so I didn't give it a thought.

I tried several different earplugs before settling on those. Different plugs cut out different frequencies by different amounts. Those seem to get rid of most of the wind noise for me which is what seemed to trigger my tinnitus after getting off the bike.

Like you mine is worst in quiet places, audiology testing rooms are hell with the door shut for example. But prolonged exposure to loud noise seems to make it much worse for hours. Which makes evenings after a long ride less enjoyable than they should be.

[KiwiCol]

I have both ears ringing constantly & different 'pitches', so, it sounds like more than 1 high pitched noise I'm being subjected to.  Can't get rid if it just have to live with it. Doesn't help that I'm bloody deaf as well & don't hear normal sounds. Like now, it's 4.25am, everything is quiet as & yet I can't hear even myself typing on this keyboard. It may not make any sound, but I reckon it would to a normal hearing person.


When people are talking, I can hear the sound of talking, but can't make out any words, sort of like hearing a conversation happening in the next room. I have to have my hearing aids on & also be looking at the persons face to work out what they're saying, even then I sometimes interpret what they're saying incorrectly.   It's particularly bad for me if the person speaks with an accent & fast speech is also very problematic - some people, generally teenagers etc rattle shit off like a machine gun & I've no hope in hell of working out what they said.


So yeah, protect your hearing, it's bloody important.  Makes life much more awkward than otherwise, something you take for granted until it's gone, then it's too late.

[ARH]

Hear hear col (see what did there  ).   

Can't imagine what that must be like.... even in my younger days as a head bangin' musician I realised I had to protect my hearing and have worn earplugs (custom monitors) for many years..  wearing them while on the bike was a no brainer for me at least...

[lil4399]

I actually spent 10 minutes trying to stuff the plugs down my ear hole to no avail, remembering I got them off a friend who has to use them daily at work, I called him, using face time he showed me how to role them then, with a hand round the back of my head, pull my ear back to open the hole, then pop the rolled plug in.

That way they went in deep then puffed back out. Genius.

Surprising how much wax was on them when they came out.....

[ARH]

Lil...    it is a bit of a faff and must look very strange to folks who don't realise what you are doing... as for the wax... that's why they are disposables 

[seth]

Remember to only use 1 per ear or your head will get full 

[lil4399]

Remember to only use 1 per ear or your head will get full 

That might make a change from being empty headed. 

[Hooli]

When people are talking, I can hear the sound of talking, but can't make out any words, sort of like hearing a conversation happening in the next room.

I get that if there is much background noise, so I seem right anti-social at times in pubs. It's bloody annoying isn't it?

[KiwiCol]

When people are talking, I can hear the sound of talking, but can't make out any words, sort of like hearing a conversation happening in the next room.

I get that if there is much background noise, so I seem right anti-social at times in pubs. It's bloody annoying isn't it?

Yep, it is, but there is nowt that can be done for me.  I'm ok talking to 1 person up close, but if there's a group of say 5-6 people standing around talking, I find it extremely difficult to follow the conversation, and with language there are nuances & double meanings that give the conversation 'character'.  I miss out on all this, I don't get the word play or sutbilties because I just don't hear them. I can't get fed up or pissed, because I can't change it, just have to accept I don't hear stuff - and explain again that I didn't catch what they said.