Originally Posted by SethAZ

Not using earbuds during riding is something I evolved into, since I actually used to do it. I went from using two earbuds, to just using one, to using none. That evolution was influenced by my experiences. I listen to audiobooks more than I listen to music, though I do listen to music as well. With the audiobooks or podcasts or whatever I've found that if I'm actually listening to the story or discussion or whatever, and paying attention to it, it takes me a microinstant or three to "disconnect" my brain from that particular train of thought and refocus it on what's going on around me, and that refocusing is made more difficult if the audiobook or podcast or whatever is still playing in my ear while I'm trying to mentally shift gears. Through experiences I had on the road where I recognized that a particular reaction time I needed in a given instant was hampered by having that earbud talking to my brain at that instant, I just realized that for me it was a bad idea.

On the other hand I've had very mild symptoms that might be like ADHD all my life, and sometimes having some music (preferably with incomprehensible or no words) on helps me to drown out other brain inputs that otherwise would distract me, and help me focus on what I'm trying to do. Whether that translates into any kind of benefit while on a bicycle I couldn't say, but at least I recognize that having a constant brain input from music or whatever is going to help or hinder different people differently depending on how they think, how they focus their thoughts, how able they are to tune out unwanted inputs so they can focus on something, etc. We're not all the same, and so any opinions I have on what I need to function mentally are only applicable to me, since I can't possibly know how someone else's brain works.

Speaking of the Varia radar, I don't have it, but I've read so many comments from folks who do that it's made me think hard and I've come close to pulling that trigger too. The thing that's competing with that idea right now is the parallel development (ie: two newish techs coming onto the scene at more or less the same time) of light/camera combo units. In response to my recent "coal rolling" experience I've mounted a Cycliq Fly12 CE front headlight/video camera combo unit, and am thinking I'd like to put the companion Fly 6 rear taillight/camera combo unit so I get dashcam coverage both fore and aft. I don't want to mount too much crap on my bike, so right now it's either a radar/taillight combo or a camera/taillight combo. It would be awesome if Garmin or a company like Cycliq could combine these into a radar/camera/light unit. I don't intend to mount these as separate units, though I've seen folks do that. There's a limit to the clutter I want on my bike, and that crosses that limit for me, at least for now.