Cycling and Music: A Guide to Headphone Use and Culture on the Bike

Introduction

Have you ever had this experience: riding along a long, straight riverside path, when a song comes on that perfectly matches your pedaling cadence, and you slip into a state of flow, your leg fatigue temporarily disappearing?

The combination of music and cycling is, for many people, one of the most beautiful moments of an everyday ride. But this wonderful habit also brings safety concerns and legal gray areas. How to enjoy music while being responsible to yourself and others is a question every cyclist who wears headphones should consider.

The Current Legal Situation in Taiwan

Regarding the use of headphones while cycling, Taiwan’s current regulations state:

According to Article 111 of the Road Traffic Safety Rules, cyclists are prohibited from using “devices that affect safe driving,” but headphones are not explicitly banned. In practice, enforcement varies by police officer, and some counties and cities prioritize enforcement against “dual-ear sealed” headphones.

In comparison, several European countries (such as France and Spain) have explicitly legislated bans on headphone use while cycling, with fines for violators.

Recommended safety practices:

• Open-ear or bone-conduction headphones (which do not block outside sound)
• Use traditional headphones in only one ear
• Keep volume at a level where surrounding sounds remain audible
• Do not use headphones at all on high-speed roads, urban roads, or heavy-traffic roads

The Impact of Headphone Types on Cycling Safety

Bone-conduction headphones are currently recognized as the most suitable type for cycling. They transmit sound to the inner ear through vibration of the cheekbones, keeping the ear canal completely open, allowing riders to enjoy music while clearly hearing environmental sounds such as car horns and emergency announcements.

Common brands in Taiwan: Shokz (formerly AfterShokz), Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, Sony Float Run.

The Physiology of Cycling Music

The impact of music on athletic performance is supported by a considerable body of scientific research:

Rhythmic entrainment effect: The human body has a tendency to synchronize movement frequency with external rhythms (Rhythmic Entrainment). Research shows that listening to music with a beat of approximately 80–100 BPM can naturally draw pedaling cadence toward that tempo, helping maintain a steady cadence.

Reduced RPE: Listening to music you enjoy can lower your Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), making the same intensity of riding feel easier, with experimental data showing a reduction of approximately 10–15%.

Emotional regulation: Playing high-energy, motivating music during climbs can help sustain effort and delay thoughts of giving up.

But there are also situations with negative effects: During high-intensity interval training, becoming overly immersed in music may cause riders to ignore their body’s fatigue warning signs, increasing the risk of overtraining.

Music Genres Popular Among Cyclists

According to informal surveys among Taiwanese cyclists, the following are the most popular genres of riding music:

When climbing:

• Electronic Dance Music (EDM) / Techno: steady rhythm, high energy
• Taiwanese rock (Mayday, ChthoniC): familiarity brings comfort
• Hip-Hop / Trap: strong beats motivate effort

Long-distance cruising:

• Light jazz / Bossa Nova: relaxing without being dull
• Western classics from the 70s–80s: nostalgia suits long, straight roads
• Lo-fi Hip-Hop: understated background music that doesn’t demand attention

Descending and sprinting:

• Speed metal / Progressive Rock: complex rhythms actually heighten nerve excitement
• Film soundtracks (Hans Zimmer series): a sense of grandeur matching the view

The Headphone-Free Riding Experience

It’s worth noting that a growing number of cyclists are choosing “bare-ear riding”—going completely without headphones. Their reasons:

• Hearing the wind, birds, and flowing water is the rarest ambient soundscape cycling offers
• Focusing on breathing rhythm and pedaling sensation achieves a meditation-like state
• Interacting with riding companions feels more natural (no need to remove headphones to communicate)
• Complete awareness of the surrounding environment offers the highest level of safety

“Bare-ear riding” is especially revered on high-mountain routes—the wind at Wuling, the forest birdsong at Taipingshan are soundtracks no playlist can replicate.

Complete Recommendations for Safe Headphone Use

1. Invest in bone-conduction headphones: A one-time investment of NT$2,000–5,000 provides long-term safety benefits far beyond traditional headphones
2. Set a volume limit: Set the maximum volume to 60% on your phone as your riding volume cap
3. Proactively pause in high-risk sections: Pause playback at traffic lights, downhill corners, and sections with poor visibility
4. Tell your riding companions you’re wearing headphones: They can understand that you’ll respond more slowly when they call out
5. Put the music away during training sessions: High-intensity training requires full body awareness; music is a distraction at these times
6. Download offline playlists: Long mountain routes may have no signal, so download in advance to avoid sudden silence

Conclusion

Music and cycling are both experiences that can bring a person into a state of flow. When combined, they can be a beautiful concerto—but this concerto needs to be carefully arranged, not improvised carelessly.

Choose the right headphones, manage your volume, and read the road conditions. Let music be a bonus to your riding, not a source of risk for you (or others). After all, the best cycling music should make you pedal harder and ride farther—not ride you to some unexpected finish line.

Related Reading

• Cycling and Music: Should You Wear Headphones While Riding? Balancing Safety and Enjoyment
• Cycling and Music: The Safety Debate and Alternatives to Wearing Headphones While Riding
• Cycling and Music: Playlists and Cadence Matching for Rides
• Music Choices for Cycling: BPM Recommendations for Different Training Intensities