Which MP3 Player?

branners69

Hey,

I currently use a Zen Stone plus as my MP3 players when on the bike. I like it beause it can clip onto my jacket and its small!

My dislikes are its only 2gb and the shuffle function is cr@p so I am constantly listening to the same 50 or so songs!

So what I am after is 4gb+, with a good shuffle function, good battery life and can clip on or has a remote so I can change the song if I want. Any recommendations??

I dont want opinions on the rights and wrongs about listening to music whilst cycling, its my choice!

Thanks,

Branners

Nietzschean

personally i'd go with an mp3 player/phone combo, iphone/nokia/SE deal you can get inline remotes on the headphones for most of them. Use an iphone myself, only time i ever notice my phone ringing out on the bike is if i've the headphone in so makes it handy for that too.(put in jersey pocket in dry, gilet pocket in wet, seems to survive pretty well...)

Morgan

There's a review of one in the current issue of Outsider magazine - 8Gb, waterproof and has a radio. Can't remember the name though...

lyders

If you use a Zen, i'm guessing maybe you don't like Apple...but the iPod shuffle is 4GB, very compact and only €75 new. If you want a screen and more memory, there is always the iPod nano.

blorg

I would have suggested a Shuffle myself, it is my favoured mp3 player for on the bike use, but it seems pretty similar to what he already has. I am not sure I like the new one though with the controls on the headphone lead- I like to use my own (non-Apple) headphones.

I have a nano as well but it isn't ideal for the bike, can't clip it on somewhere handy you can control it and it is difficult to control while cycling compared to a mp3 player that uses physical buttons.

abcdggs

+1 on the shuffle, have very little experience of them personally but from what i have heard they're great

DePurpereWolf

I have a ZEN 16GB http://www.creative.com/products/mp3/zen/
Just as big as my cellphone. charges via the usb (important for me) great sound quality, good battery life, no BS software.

I personally wouldn't go with a cellphone just because I like to have them sperated and it's a drain on the battery listining to music all the time.

It's probably also cheaper, these ZEN mp3 players are dirt cheap now, and you can get yourself the cheapest cellphone on a top-up plan.

You can get them in protective cases. My wife has this one. http://en.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=744&product=16978
I have this one: http://en.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=744&product=16979

There is a remote for sale, although I wouldn't use it. http://en.europe.creative.com/products/product.asp?category=213&subcategory=745&product=11211&listby=

DirkVoodoo

I was just going to buy a 2nd gen shuffle there, €45 euro plus free engraving (on goes boards username...:rolleyes:) sounds great for on the bike tunes.

blorg

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I was just going to buy a 2nd gen shuffle there, €45 euro plus free engraving (on goes boards username...:rolleyes:) sounds great for on the bike tunes.

I had a 2nd gen but lost it, it is very small. Perfect for on the bike, I clipped it on to my jersey zip. Where did you see it for the €45? Might get it a bit cheaper than that.

Nietzschean

still on the website....

http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_shuffle_2gen?mco=OTQwMjA

DirkVoodoo

blorg wrote: »

I had a 2nd gen but lost it, it is very small. Perfect for on the bike, I clipped it on to my jersey zip. Where did you see it for the €45? Might get it a bit cheaper than that.

Yeah it was on the apple website, definitely get it cheaper elsewhere...but laser engraving!

branners69

Cheers for the replies!

I wouldn't go with the phone combo and I am not adverse to Apple products. I previously used an iPod Photo until the hard drive died.

I might have a look at the Nano, can you get a separate remote for it? I wouldn't want the headphone remote as I couldn't stop using my sennheiser headphones!

abcdggs

yes there's a remote,
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MA070G/D?mco=NDcxNTc3NA

DirkVoodoo

Well, like Blorg pointed out the advantage of the shuffle is the clip that allows it to be placed anywhere. I find that the lack of a breast pocket when cycling means I end up fumbling with my ipod (in fairness, it is a 3rd gen ipod so not the lightest). You also don't end up pulling earphones out when the ipod moves around or you stretch further than the headphones allow.

Seeing Tiny clip his ipod shuffle to the inside of his jacket on a cycle was enough to convince me.

TinyExplosions

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Seeing Tiny clip his ipod shuffle to the inside of his jacket on a cycle was enough to convince me.

I knew I'd 'convinced' men before, but you were well on the way before you saw me handle my shuffle

Seriously though, the best thing about that generation shuffle is the clip -it goes on my bib straps, and I can turn use all the controls through how ever many layer of clothing I have on, and with full fingered gloves, it's a perfect solution, though some may think the capacity is a bit small

Lumen

Has anyone tried handlebar-mounting an iPod?

I fancy picking up Italian again (have the Michel Thomas materials), and would need easy access to pause/play and rewind/forward.

Maybe a Nano would be best for this on account of compromise between weight and controls?

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

Has anyone tried handlebar-mounting an iPod?

I fancy picking up Italian again (have the Michel Thomas materials), and would need easy access to pause/play and rewind/forward.

Maybe a Nano would be best for this on account of compromise between weight and controls?

The Shuffle gives you easy access to the controls, you clip it on to your jersey. You would not have good control with a nano clipped to the bars. Of bike or iPod.

In general iPods are pretty bad for control on a bike due to their not using buttons you can easily feel by touch so would not be ideal for your application. I was thinking with my nano, even if Apple just had a raised dot on one of the buttons it would make it a lot easier.

mickoneill30

How about the Sansa Clip. Has pretty good reviews.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sandisk-Sansa-Player-Radio-Black/dp/B001GCTR3C/ref=pe_15891_15782871_as_img_1/

Standard USB cable, 8GB memory, same size as a Zen stone, radio and a screen.

I don't think it supports a remote though so that might be a stumbling block for the bike.

Lumen

OK, so the latest Shuffle does play stuff in the right order (I think the first one was enforced pseudo-randomness) and has controls on the headphone cable.

I'm a bit out of date with this stuff. My iPods have hard drives.

TinyExplosions

Lumen wrote: »

OK, so the latest Shuffle does play stuff in the right order (I think the first one was enforced pseudo-randomness) and has controls on the headphone cable.

I'm a bit out of date with this stuff. My iPods have hard drives.

The new one isn't as suitable imo, as it's got no clip (though the voice control could be useful). The older one that Dirk linked to is fine, and you can choose between shuffle mode and playing in order, so it'd do you just fine!

zzzzzzzz

Lumen wrote: »

OK, so the latest Shuffle does play stuff in the right order (I think the first one was enforced pseudo-randomness) and has controls on the headphone cable.

I'm a bit out of date with this stuff. My iPods have hard drives.

I'm nearly sure the first shuffle was the same - you could play through your playlist in order, or shuffle through it.

The second gen one is definitely the best because of the clip. Also found out recently enough if you hit the play button 3 times it starts from the beginning of your playlist.

seamus

The current shuffle seems to have a clip alright.
http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_shuffle?mco=MTE2NTQ

For some reason though Apple seem averse to putting FM radio in their products, which would be a must for me on a cycling player.

I'm a big fan of creative players, but I've learned the hard way that cycling and high-capacity expensive players don't mix. Well, rain and players don't mix, no matter how well wrapped up you *think* you have them.

Lumen

TinyExplosions wrote: »

The older one that Dirk linked to is fine, and you can choose between shuffle mode and playing in order, so it'd do you just fine!

Thanks, ordered! I like the free engraving.

blorg

TinyExplosions wrote: »

The new one isn't as suitable imo, as it's got no clip (though the voice control could be useful). The older one that Dirk linked to is fine, and you can choose between shuffle mode and playing in order, so it'd do you just fine!

The new one does have a clip but it has no controls on the unit itself but relies on a remote on the headphone cable. This means Apple headphones only, which rules it out for me. The 2nd gen is so small in any case, the latest one seems worse all round.

All Shuffles do in order playing from the 1st generation.

TinyExplosions

blorg wrote: »

The new one does have a clip but it has no controls on the unit itself but relies on a remote on the headphone cable. This means Apple headphones only, which rules it out for me. The 2nd gen is so small in any case, the latest one seems worse all round.

All Shuffles do in order playing from the 1st generation.

Ah! Hadn't noticed the clip.

The lack of transport controls still rules it out from a cyclists point of view!

Tempted to get a second 2nd gen one to keep boxed for when my current one dies!

Highway_To_Hell

seamus wrote: »

The current shuffle seems to have a clip alright.
http://store.apple.com/ie/browse/home/shop_ipod/family/ipod_shuffle?mco=MTE2NTQ

For some reason though Apple seem averse to putting FM radio in their products, which would be a must for me on a cycling player.

I'm a big fan of creative players, but I've learned the hard way that cycling and high-capacity expensive players don't mix. Well, rain and players don't mix, no matter how well wrapped up you *think* you have them.

I listen to a talk radio on my commute (only chance to hear whats going on in the world) and music on my training spins. I use a Ipod Nano with the FM adapter which has the remote as well. Works a treat, I just put the nano in back pocket of my top and clip the remote on to the base of the front of my top and run the headphones up the inside so all wires are out of the way. The remote is easily accesible to skip songs our pause/shut off if required.

DirkVoodoo

Resurrecting this, sorry.

Need some suggestions for the free engraving. I lack originality and can't come up with something like Lumen. I thought of putting "DirkVoodoo" on it, but that probably sounds naff.

Any ideas chums?

P.S. Ideas concerning wet weather, hair, girliness, lack of euroness, etc. will not be entertained and frowned upon in general.

Thanks in advance!

TinyExplosions

"My other one's a colnago"?

Lumen

abcdggs

"dont panic"

"There are many like it / but this one is mine."

"trapped in ipod factory, please send help"

"Bite my shiny (pink/blue/silver/green) ass!"

"A witty saying proves nothing"

ludermor

Sorry for hijacking this thread!
When i cycle to work ( busy route from inchicore to grand canal square) i always listen to my MP3/radio and i never wear a helmet ( these things are not connected!! i just have a massive head and could not get a helmet to fit me. When i worked on a buildling site i had to get a fireman hat cause the normal hard hats were too small). Anyway i was chatting to one of th eold lads i work with who i know is into his cycling bigtime and he spotted me tearing down Dame street at rush hour and he bollocked me fo having headphones on and no helmet. Now i know i should have a helmet on and it is personal choice not to wear but could understand what he was saying but i was surprised he said i shouldnt be wearing headphones. Would that be a normal reaction from an experienced cyclist?

Ghost Rider

I think he's dead right. Cyclists gather an awful lot of information about other road users from auditory signals. You're not always conscious of the process but it is happening at a subliminal level. Wearing headphones removes (or impairs) the flow of this information.

I'd be reluctant to wear headphones while cycling even on a physically separated cycle path; I wouldn't in a million years dream of wearing them on Dame Street. Seriously - don't underestimate how important your ears are, and not just for holding up your sunglasses.

ludermor wrote: »

Sorry for hijacking this thread!
When i cycle to work ( busy route from inchicore to grand canal square) i always listen to my MP3/radio and i never wear a helmet ( these things are not connected!! i just have a massive head and could not get a helmet to fit me. When i worked on a buildling site i had to get a fireman hat cause the normal hard hats were too small). Anyway i was chatting to one of th eold lads i work with who i know is into his cycling bigtime and he spotted me tearing down Dame street at rush hour and he bollocked me fo having headphones on and no helmet. Now i know i should have a helmet on and it is personal choice not to wear but could understand what he was saying but i was surprised he said i shouldnt be wearing headphones. Would that be a normal reaction from an experienced cyclist?

tomasrojo

You certainly pick up a lot of useful information about what's going on behind you from sound. Cyclecraft recommends that you don't wear headphones/earphones. I don't have a strong opinion myself, but I don't wear them.

TheJones

Is sitting in your car, in the rain, in the dark, with the radio on any different for sensory deprivation? Apart from the added security of sitting in a steel box should the unthinkable happen its fair to say that as long as your using some level of common sense with regard to volume the risks are pretty low!

tomasrojo

Being in a car certainly deprives you of much direct sensory information about your surroundings. It's part of what makes the active safety (crash avoidance) of cars quite low, while the passive safety (crashworthiness: airbags, cages) is much higher.

Ghost Rider

I'd argue that your hearing is less important in a car because your rear-view and wing mirrors effectively mean you can see all around you.

Obviously, you're far less vulnerable and far more visible in a car too.

TheJones wrote: »

Is sitting in your car, in the rain, in the dark, with the radio on any different for sensory deprivation? Apart from the added security of sitting in a steel box should the unthinkable happen its fair to say that as long as your using some level of common sense with regard to volume the risks are pretty low!

tomasrojo

Ghost Rider wrote: »

I'd argue that your hearing is less important in a car because your rear-view and wing mirrors effectively mean you can see all around you.

I think of the mirrors differently: you need them because your sensory inputs are so much poorer than those of a pedestrian or cyclist.

I guess hearing is of less use in a car simply because you can hear so much less to begin with, and there isn't a lot you can do to improve that situation: you're sitting directly beside an internal combustion engine, and are cut off from the outside world by glass.

But a careful driver or cyclist I'm sure can proceed listening to music in perfectly adequate safety. Similarly for hearing-impaired drivers or cyclists. But you might want to use your remaining senses more.

Beasty

I use two main senses when cycling - sight and hearing. I would not want either impaired if on the road - I keep the MP3 for the turbo.

ednwireland

+1 mp3 player for the turbo i cycle relatively quiet roads but cant see how i could not listen for traffic coming up behind me

Jip

I'd never dream of cycling with earphones and music, but maybe I'm a wuss. I often wonder how people manage it when they pull up beside me and I can hear their music. Even when I'm running I won't wear earphones as I like to be completely aware of my surroundings. Hearing, to me, is essential when out on a busy street. Unlike a car you don't have mirrors to the front and either side of you, unless you're one of those odd people, so being able to hear what's coming up is the next best thing.

On this topic, am I the only one who when they've been off the bike for a while and in the car, when I get back on the bike I instinctively go to look into my imaginary bike wing mirror when coming up to junctions and bend

ludermor

So is the common consensus that you cant be a careful cyclist and listen to music at the same time?
I would like to think i am very observant ( visually) while i cycle, and while i wouldnt have music blaring in my ears obviously the hearing would not be a clear as if i didnt have headphones on at all.

Guess i have a lot to learn!!

petethedrummer

ludermor wrote: »

So is the common consensus that you cant be a careful cyclist and listen to music at the same time?

As long as you're not cycling like a maniac then I don't see the harm. I don't do it myself though, I don't like bud-type earphones.

Of course it will lower your aural perception levels but iwhether this is going to significantly raise your chances of being in an accident would be up for debate. I suppose it would depend on how and where you cycle, and the level you plan to have the music at.

Lumen

I'd be happy to listen to music whilst cycling if I had wing mirrors, but that would break rules much more important there mere safety or legality, so I generally don't.

DirkVoodoo

Unless I am cruising around town, my suburb commutes tend to be done at a reasonably quick pace. Given our recent weather, wind noise above a certain speed makes hearing cars behind you even more difficult.

I think this debate, like helmets, has been done to death. iPods do not make people more wreckless cyclists. Simply not being aware and observant does. If your commute is too busy or dangerous for you to listen to music, or you find you are constantly being surprised by traffic from behind, then don't wear an MP3 player. However, it's not up to someone else, however experienced they may be, to tell you what to do. Unless you are in a group and your actions may be dangerous for the group.

Nietzschean

Just a FYI for anyone considering an ipod shuffle for cycling:

Most people here i think have the 2nd gen ones, which i discovered is better call than 3rd gen for cycling, the controls on the headphones(which themselves are cheapy apple cack), are very fragile and temperamental. If anyone has a shuffle 3rd gen i'd suggest you grab one of http://scosche.com/products/sfID1/210/sfID2/343/productID/1848 more or less makes the 3rd gen similar to the 2nd gen, still a bit smaller/lighter. But the rubberised controls are far more usefull than the headphone stuff that comes with it.....

3rd gen's only real advantage is being able to select from playlists, so if your willing to take the extra 30euro hit on top of the fact the 3rd gen costs more than the 2nd to start..then it winds up being a pretty good/small combo for cycling.

ED E

I have a bud in my left ear all the time. Right ear is free for traffic though.

SEC902+8GB card. Job done. But that isnt as small as a stone(have one myself). I'd say look for the next size up in the Zen range. You can probably get a 16 in a reasonably small size.

corkandproud

Nokia N95 (Phone, MP3 & Radio) along with Seinnheiser noise reducing buds.

I do cycle on quiet roads though where driver behaviour is good.

bikermartin

i use a sansa 2 gb i got in argos €40 . it has a clip for fitting to jacket. i keep it in a waterproof pouch for €3 that i got in Heatons. brillant combination for only €43. suits me better than letting an expensive blackberry/ mp3 player get damaged by water or falling etc
it is also very small about 30mm x 40 mm