# I need to block wind noise, what is the quietest helmet setup?



## dittoalex

I have tinnitus and want to keep it from getting worse when cycling in high winds. I wear triple-flanged ear buds to isolate the wind noise, but it still gets too loud. I have tried "cat ears" but they work poorly, even at a walking pace.

Do I need to get a TT or Aero helmet without any vents which fully covers my ear?


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## izza

I’ve heard from users that the Evade is great at reducing wind noise. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## MMsRepBike

Cat-Ears wind noise reduction – First look - BikeRadar


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## dittoalex

MMsRepBike said:


> Cat-Ears wind noise reduction – First look - BikeRadar


I have them. Pretty much worthless. Would not recommend.


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## Mike T.

Have you tried simple plain ol' cotton wool? Yes I know you use ear buds. I mean instead of the buds.


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## Peter P.

Try Slipstreamz.


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## TDFbound

What about regular foam ear plugs? I've had to wear them before while driving to help combat road noise which was driving me crazy.


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## Marc

dittoalex said:


> I have them. Pretty much worthless. Would not recommend.



Funny I and lots of people I know locally love them. And before you ask, I have tinnitus too (the breaks of being a musician). 


If your ears are shaped such that 'Ears don't work (I'd believe it could happen)...you're probably sunk, short of using ear muffs or fashioning something yourself. Most helmets are shaped the same way...the problem you run into is keeping you hearing such that you maintain situtational awareness of cars and passing.


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## bvber

Marc said:


> the problem you run into is keeping you hearing such that you maintain situtational awareness of cars and passing.


^ This. Too much sound reduction can backfire. 

Since it's getting cold out, I would suggest headband covering the ears. It does reduce the wind noise quite a bit. If the appearance don't bother you, there are triangle shape ear covers made for bicycle helmet straps.

I've seen foam earmuffs with a hole cut out in the middle so that it acts as a wind spoiler which would work better than Cat-ears since it's closer to the ear and wraps around 360 d. They may have been discontinued because I can't find it online.


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## bvber

If you want to get a new helmet, TT helmets typically have full ear coverage. 








Also, snowboard helmets have built-in ear covers.


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## Mapei

I'm sensitive to wind noise, too. I really like to be able to hear while I'm riding. Most especially, I like to be able to discern the type of beast behind me. A clumsy SUV that chances are is being piloted by a distracted driver? A happy little subcompact that would be able to pass me without impinging either on my space or the wrong side of the road? A peloton happily buzzing and clicking along? A city bus? Unfortunately, I just can't seem to make any sort of rear view mirror work for me.

Anyway, to the subject at hand. I found the Specialized road helmets in my past to be reasonably free of wind noise. My current Mavic road helmet, by contrast, is a roaring nuisance.


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## Lombard

dittoalex said:


> I have them. Pretty much worthless. Would not recommend.


Seriously? I find Cat Ears pretty effective at cutting wind noise. Did you put yours on right?


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## velodog




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## Lombard

velodog said:


> View attachment 321093


Probably not the greatest idea for riding in traffic.


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## DeepV

I use half a sheet of toilet paper in each ear. Keeps the cold and wind out but allows me to hear traffic fairly well.

Cheap too!


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## Rashadabd

Peter P. said:


> Try Slipstreamz.


The "Slip" looks like it might be almost as effective as the aero helmet, but at a fraction of the cost. They will also work with headphones, etc. Plus, you won't get the questions about wearing a TT helmet all of the time. 

Slipstreamz cycling earwear review - BikeRadar USA

https://www.roadbikerider.com/product-reviews/bike-tech/accessories/1125-slipstreamz-slips


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## Lombard

Rashadabd said:


> The "Slip" looks like it might be almost as effective as the aero helmet, but at a fraction of the cost. * They will also work with headphones*, etc.


But you shouldn't be riding with headphones anyway. :nono:


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## Rashadabd

Lombard said:


> But you shouldn't be riding with headphones anyway. :nono:


I never have, not once, too risk averse, but I see people doing it every ride. I also see people with full stereos on their bikes. It’s a crazy world out there.


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## ljvb

DeepV said:


> I use half a sheet of toilet paper in each ear. Keeps the cold and wind out but allows me to hear traffic fairly well.
> 
> Cheap too!


And perfect for those emergency dumps behind a tree


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## ljvb

But on a more serious note, there are quite a few sets of headphones coming out with active noise cancelling that allow you to configure the amount of background noise (people talking, vehicles, etc etc) to pass through via the microphone. These will cut out wind noise, while still permitting you to hear people around you, and potentially vehicles. 

I have not tried them yet, they are kinda pricey, and they would not really last for long rides before the battery dies.

Side note, while I do use headphones, I only use them in one ear so I can hear whats going on around me.


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## Lombard

Rashadabd said:


> I never have, not once, too risk averse, but I see people doing it every ride. I also see people with full stereos on their bikes. It’s a crazy world out there.



Yep. I've even seen people texting while riding a bike - turning left at a red light!!


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## Lombard

ljvb said:


> And perfect for those emergency dumps behind a tree


I really doubt half a sheet would be much use here. Even sliding against the grass would be more effective.


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## Rashadabd

Lombard said:


> Yep. I've even seen people texting while riding a bike - turning left at a red light!!


I am convinced some people have a death wish and/or just don’t believe something bad/painful can happen to them.


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## Lombard

Rashadabd said:


> I am convinced some people have a death wish and/or just don’t believe something bad/painful can happen to them.


Yep on this too. Every time I see someone riding their bike at night, no lights, no reflectors, no helmet, donned in black from head to toe, I am thinking their mission is chlorinating the gene pool.


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## B_arrington

dittoalex said:


> I have them. Pretty much worthless. Would not recommend.


I have a set. Works well for me. They are the larger, fuzzy type.


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## SPlKE

I give each front helmet strap a half twist.

That does what slipstreamz does, without needing to dump 11 bucks.

You can also get the same effect with a piece of duct tape attached to your front helmet strap and flared out over a small piece of foam, balsa wood, etc.


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## dittoalex

*cat ears are useless*

re: cat ears

I did my research and bought the Hearing Aid version you're supposed to cut to size and left it uncut for maximum protection. I look like a sideburn aficionado. 
I have this helmet in two colors. Added the Cat Ears to one of the helmets and after a couple of thousand miles I can't tell a difference between the two.


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## dittoalex

I ended up going with a Kask Bambino Pro, whose v2 redesign addresses its QC and fitting issues. Pricey, but it does cut down on wind noise significantly above 15 mph. I imagine other quasi-aero helmets which fully cover the ears, such as the Catlike Rapide and Ekoti TT2, would give similar results.


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## duriel

So... I started riding with ear buds, but get way to much wind noise for those out of ear ones. I have to use microbuds all the way in. We have a lot of long hills here and I spend 1 hour @ 10 & 30 @ 30, so it's a problem.
The slipstream ones.... do they cancel the scream of the wind enough to hear the music without the microbuds???

Yea, I know, i got riding with them and they aren't going back in the box! I ride with a eyeglass mirror, so I keep a visual on traffic.


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## drj564

Cat ears gets my vote in the yes column too. For me they are a huge difference.


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## DaveG

drj564 said:


> Cat ears gets my vote in the yes column too. For me they are a huge difference.


My experience: I tried the AirStream model. I found it mildly effective but not enough to continue using it. For cooler weather I really like their ear covers. They keep my ears warm and block the wind noise


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## hagfish

Sorry to necro this thread but I suffer from tinnitus and wind/ear roar as well. Something to do with my head-size, tragus shape or whatever. I tried the strap twist, and the Elvis-style strap covers, and various kinds of ear plugs. Most of them simply transmitted vibrations straight into my ears.

What eventually worked is the silicon plugs used by swimmers. They don't go in the ear canal - they 'smoosh' across the opening, filling in the lower ear lobe. The form a seal, and attenuate sound quite a bit, so they're better suited to quiet bike paths. 

My experience of ear roar is now a dull rumble. I can power into a head-wind with no fatiguing blast. I've tried the clear silicon plugs and the pinkish ones, and the pink ones are softer and 'stickier'. I get about a week out of a pair before they get a bit waxy.. Hope this helps someone.


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## Lombard

No problem with the necro, Hagfish. It's not an official "thread dredge" unless it's over a year since someone posted. In that case, the rule is you would have to buy a round of drinks for everybody in the thread.


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## Jay Strongbow

hagfish said:


> Sorry to necro this thread but I suffer from tinnitus and wind/ear roar as well. Something to do with my head-size, tragus shape or whatever. I tried the strap twist, and the Elvis-style strap covers, and various kinds of ear plugs. Most of them simply transmitted vibrations straight into my ears.
> 
> What eventually worked is the silicon plugs used by swimmers. They don't go in the ear canal - they 'smoosh' across the opening, filling in the lower ear lobe. The form a seal, and attenuate sound quite a bit, so they're better suited to quiet bike paths.
> 
> My experience of ear roar is now a dull rumble. I can power into a head-wind with no fatiguing blast. I've tried the clear silicon plugs and the pinkish ones, and the pink ones are softer and 'stickier'. I get about a week out of a pair before they get a bit waxy.. Hope this helps someone.


How do those things effect your hearing? Like approaching cars or whatever.

Generally I don't seem to have much of an issue with this but if I have a week with a ton of riding I do notice eventually so thinking I should try something for really long rides.


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## xxl

No one is going to offer the obvious and absolutely free solution?

Enormous sideburns. Like Cat-Ears that your body grows for you.


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## Lombard

xxl said:


> No one is going to offer the obvious and absolutely free solution?
> 
> Enormous sideburns. Like Cat-Ears that your body grows for you.


Those would be brutal in warmer weather.


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## SPlKE

Lombard said:


> Those would be brutal in warmer weather.


It might be counter-intuitive... those eXtreme muttonchops might provide wicking action which turns forehead sweat into an air conditioner for the cheeks.

The stache could be an obstacle to launching snot rockets, though.


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## jetdog9

You could try Wind Blox, they don't get the best reviews on Amazon though, 3 star average. Sort of like those Cat Ears things but not as goofy looking. Even a partial reduction might be helpful.


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## hagfish

Jay Strongbow said:


> How do those things effect your hearing? Like approaching cars or whatever.
> 
> Generally I don't seem to have much of an issue with this but if I have a week with a ton of riding I do notice eventually so thinking I should try something for really long rides.


Silicon ear plugs DO block a lot of sound. If I'm riding across the centre of town, I bring my A-Game, and no earplugs. My commute is a quiet 20-minutes along a road with a cycle lane, then along a river bike path (I know!) and no-wind-roar makes it very relaxn'. 

The silicon plugs have an 'underwater'-type effect on my hearing. I'm a very cautious, cagey rider - constantly checking over my shoulder - rarely expecting drivers to yield. I can still hear approaching vehicles, but I wouldn't recommend these for the kind of rider who sticks their arm out and blasts into traffic.

It takes a minute to get the plugs warmed up, molded in, then seated and settled. A bit of attractive jaw-extending and lobe-pulling. Once they're smooth, flat, and tucked-in, wind sweeps over the top. Until I got used to them, I was riding much faster, because I used wind-roar to gauge speed. Taking them out involves working a finger underneath, breaking the seal, and gently prising them out.

Ear roar is my number one pain-point with riding - enough to deter me from riding. If anyone's tried those fancy titanium-and-foam Isolate plugs, please chip in. I'm always on the look for new devices, but those ones are quite spendy.


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## Jay Strongbow

hagfish said:


> Silicon ear plugs DO block a lot of sound. If I'm riding across the centre of town, I bring my A-Game, and no earplugs. My commute is a quiet 20-minutes along a road with a cycle lane, then along a river bike path (I know!) and no-wind-roar makes it very relaxn'.
> 
> The silicon plugs have an 'underwater'-type effect on my hearing. I'm a very cautious, cagey rider - constantly checking over my shoulder - rarely expecting drivers to yield. I can still hear approaching vehicles, but I wouldn't recommend these for the kind of rider who sticks their arm out and blasts into traffic.
> 
> It takes a minute to get the plugs warmed up, molded in, then seated and settled. A bit of attractive jaw-extending and lobe-pulling. Once they're smooth, flat, and tucked-in, wind sweeps over the top. Until I got used to them, I was riding much faster, because I used wind-roar to gauge speed. Taking them out involves working a finger underneath, breaking the seal, and gently prising them out.
> 
> Ear roar is my number one pain-point with riding - enough to deter me from riding. If anyone's tried those fancy titanium-and-foam Isolate plugs, please chip in. I'm always on the look for new devices, but those ones are quite spendy.


Thanks for the info.


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## dwolsten

> Ear roar is my number one pain-point with riding - enough to deter me from riding.


I have to agree, and I'm surprised I don't see more products and more discussion about this problem.

Personally, I wear Etymotics ear plugs that are really meant for attending concerts. They're very reusable, and work quite well. I can hear vehicles and such just fine, but what I can't hear is people talking to me as I ride: sometimes I'll ride past pedestrians who'll say something to me, or other cyclists may pass me and say "on your left", and I can barely hear them and frequently can't understand them at all. (Seriously, I wonder what the pedestrians have said to me; I don't think it was polite; some of them don't seem to like sharing a multi-use path with cyclists.)

Anyway, that's my solution for the time being. A set of Etymotics costs about $15 on Amazon. Make sure to get the correct size for your ear canals; being a large person and wearing a large size helmet, for instance, does not necessarily mean your ear canals are large. I recommend getting the regular size unless you're sure you need the large ones.

As a bonus, these things are fantastic for rock concerts. They attenuate the sound to comfortable and safe levels, but without distortion.


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## hagfish

dwolsten said:


> Anyway, that's my solution for the time being. A set of Etymotics costs about $15 on Amazon. Make sure to get the correct size for your ear canals; being a large person and wearing a large size helmet, for instance, does not necessarily mean your ear canals are large. I recommend getting the regular size unless you're sure you need the large ones.


I've wondered about those - I always assumed the 'stem' would transmit vibration, but I'll certainly give them a go, now. My current solution is beeswax balls, made by a local person. They are 'tacky' without being 'sticky'. They nestle in discretely just behind that bump ahead of the ear canal and form a gentle seal. It's bliss. They smell nice, too, FWIW..


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