PromptCritical 

Does anyone know of a helmet that doesn’t have a lot of wind noise @15mph and above?

my hearing is bad enough already and I’m trying to preserve it as well as make the ride enjoyable (and talk to my stoker when on the tandem).

I’ve tried earplugs and quickly decided that was a bad idea.

_ForceD_

Is the noise coming from the wind interacting with the holes in the helmet? If so, you could stuff the holes with something like monofil, or cover them with tape.

Dan

79pmooney

There are fuzzy things you put on your helmet straps that often work well to lower wind noise. Goofy but patterned after what some animals have (including I believe, cats) for which hearing is a matter of life and death (or the next meal). Cat's ears might get you the google. I am sure someone will post soon the real name.

PromptCritical 

Thanks for the tip!

Search engine yielded https://www.cat-ears.com

cyclezen

I have a significant hearing loss in the higher frequencies, in addition to significant tinnitus, so always trying to reduce ambient noise, like wind noise.
I've tried some earlier design which are similar to Cat Ears. Don;t remember names, but one was Aussie made...
For the past 25 yrs I've been using foam ear plugs - work the best for me. They significantly block wind noise, if installed properly.
I use Howard Leight Laser Lites. For me, they cut most of the wind noise, yet I can hear motor vehicles coming from behind (except maybe All-Electric vehicles).
And do a great job in blocking the higher frequencies, which is most of wind/helmet noise. Also makes it difficult to hold a conversation, if riding 2up.
I use them whenever I'm riding solo. If I'm in a tighter peloton, I don;t use them.
I now have 'Wind Blox' on 2 helmets, and they do work a bit, but not as well as ear plugs.
I think a signficant part of the issue is not just defecting the wind flow, but also sealing the space between the Wind Blocking device and the side of the head.
My cheek bone is fairly prominent and continues that way around to the ear, and so I get a gap just above that, where the temple is, and that needs to be sealed for some wind noise to be attenuated.
Unless I make the helmet straps very tight, I don;t get a god seal between the noises blocker and the side of the head...
Haven't tried the Cat Ears yet, but they can be had in Amazon, so I will order and give them a try...
As for foam ear plugs, they do cut the level of all noise, but the lower frequencies come thru enough to distinguish approaching vehicles and much of the lower frequency ambient noise.
They work for me because I'm always alert and scanning anyway... It's second nature because after many decades of motorcycle riding, survival requires you always remain alert and aware when on the road. I find I can use them for 4 - 5 rides, sometimes more, if I do a quick hand wash, squeeze water out and let them dry for a few hours.

I'll order some Cat Ears, and see how well they work, for me. If they're pliable and form fitting without making the straps uncomfortably tight, they might close that gap...
I also have ear covers on a helmet I use for cold weather riding. They work very well. But they do warm the ears a lot when worn on warmer days...
I'll continue using the foam ear plugs - they work.
Ride On
Yuri

Ogsarg

Wind noise makes my tinnitus worse so I've tried a few things. When I rode motorcycles, I always used ear plugs but won't do that on a bike as I want to hear what is going on around me.

The cat ears are goofy looking but do have some limited effect but only the original ones. I tried the ones with less thick fuzz (less dorky) and they did basically nothing.

Even with the cat ears, my ears are ringing pretty bad now after a 60 mile ride today with a few high speed descents. Uggh!

Mtracer

I've used the Cat Ears noise suppressors for years. Whether people noticed them or not, I don't know. But at first I felt a little self-conscious about them. Like I had Elvis sideburns. But they really do work. They are not 100% effective. But just last week I did a ride using another helmet I have that didn't have them mounted on the straps. I immediately noticed how much noisier it was, and that was going much slower than I usually ride.

There's another style I bought and never tried. I can't recall the name. They are plastic, but for some reason require you to rework the straps on your helmet to put a twist in them. My helmets always have the strap ends folded over and sewn such that you can't re-thread the straps through the hardware. So, I never tried these. It's on my list to undo the sewing an a helmet to give these a real try some day. Maybe after I buy another new helmet, I'll try modifying the old to see how those work.

As I remember the noise levels riding are potentially damaging to the ears. Something like >80 db most of the time. So, not super loud, but you're looking at hours on end when riding. I've made a point to use hearing protection for decades doing most anything, mowing the grass, using a power tools, using a hammer, nail guns etc. So, it was clear to me early after starting to ride, to look into something to reduce the wind noise.

eduskator

What kind of helmet are you looking for?

Any aero helmet would do the job IMO.

PoorInRichfield

I also find that ear plugs are not a viable solution to wind noise, at least not the kind I've tried. Wind noise was still present and other ambient noises were too muffled (cars, cycling computer beeps, etc.), which I did not like. I currently have a Specialized S-Works Evade 3 aero helmet, which I really like, but for some odd reason the wind noise while wearing this helmet is way worse than with any other helmet I've owned. I'm inclined to think that non-aero helmets with a lot of vents are likely to cause less wind noise as the wind will go through the helmet and not around the helmet and thus over one's ears (Only a theory!)

The AirStreamz Cycling Wind Noise Reducers (i.e. "Cat Ears") work reasonably well if the helmet strap they're attached to sits very close to your ears. For my Evade helmet, the strap sits too far forward and the "cat ears" do nothing. Oh, and they also make it look like you have Elvis sideburns.

The Wind-Blox do a great job of reducing wind noise without reducing other ambient noise, but they're way too hot for summer riding.

My current solution, knowing that covering my ears with cloth works pretty well, is to wear a wide sweat band and tie it so it completely covers my ears. I wear a sweat band anyway and by going over my ears rather than behind, I get a few benefits:

• Sufficiently reduced wind noise w/o reducing ambient noise
• Sweatband works better as water can flow straight from my forehead to the back of my head
• Less discomfort caused by the sweatband being bunched-up behind my ears
• No need for sunblock on my ears

Sure, it doesn't look cool to have one's ears covered by one's sweat band, but I've never been accused of looking cool, so...

PromptCritical 

Thanks. I'll give the Wind-Block a try.

Sy Reene

What about the stuff sold as for motorcycle riders, that *supposedly still lets in sounds you'd want to be able to hear? One random example:

https://www.amazon.com/EARPEACE-Moto.../dp/B076VVV5WJ

cyclezen

It's not so much the 'Helmet' as it is the helmet strapping... The current crop of real TT helmets, with ear coverings & neck muffs, prolly reduces wind noise substantially... but not so much for older TT Helmets...
What I've found is that Face/Skull Structure will affect/create wind noise and a primary factor is that front (side) strap. If it doesn't sit close to the head, around the ear area, that starts the air turbulence which creates the noise.
The closer the strap is to the head, the lower the wind noise, and it also increases slower as apparent wind speeds increase (both your own speed as well as apparent wind speed due to wind).
The WInd Blocker style products, like Cat Ears, Wind Blox, etc. work by delfecting the air flow away from the ear/opening and the turbulence reattaches further behind the ear.
Anyone can try the effect by placing your forefinger alongside the helmet strap - the closer you place that finger to the ear, the lower the Wind Noise.
So it's not the helmet so much as the helmet straps...AND each rider's head/face structure. AND the amount of close fit of the strap to the head makes a difference..
As for foam plugs, they are for me, the best solution so far... and they do work differently - type/make. So some experimenting might have a rider find a plug which balances noise reduction and their comfort level of awareness.
I'm great with mine - in the 25+ yrs that I've been wearing foam plugs, I've never had any issues due to not 'hearing' ... Yes, you prolly won't understand what a rider might be saying when you're riding 2up (double echelon), but you will hear something. As for vehicles,, never a problem, for me... The fist time I rode with ear plugs, it was a bit disconcerting at first, but by the end of the ride I had adjusted/adapted well enough to them.
YMMV - I am Always Aware of my surroundings while riding, both for safety and enjoyment... 2nd nature for me.
Ride On
Yuri

Polaris OBark

Bontrager Wavecel

_ForceD_

But if the noise is being created by the wind interacting with the holes in the helmet…the cat ear flaps aren’t going to eliminate that. The wind over the helmet holes needs to be disrupted. In fact…if it is from the helmet holes…I’d think the cat ears would make it more noticeable since the cat ears eliminate the noise you hear due to the wind at your ears, and that noise wouldn’t be drowning out the noise from the helmet holes.

Dan

steelbikeguy

This is essentially what I'm doing too, although I use the Buff "multi-function neck gaiter". This is their original product, and it works nicely to control sweat so that it doesn't run into your eyes. It also provides some protection from the sun. I had noticed a long time ago that a balaclava helped block the wind noise, but it took me a while to realize that I can just pull the Buff over my ears a bit to get similar protection.
A pic of me wearing a Buff in this way...




I'll note that I have used the Cat Ears too, and while they provide an improvement, I think the Buff offers more noise reduction.
REI sells these, or just browse at buff.com

Going back to the original question about quieter helmets... I've had a helmet where the straps fit very flush to the skin, producing less wind noise. I'm not sure if that was from a better adjustment of the straps or what, but it's something to think about.

Less wind noise is a good thing, both for reducing hearing loss and for reduced mental fatigue on the really windy days. On those windy days when my balaclava blocked a lot of the noise, the wind didn't seem so bad.

Steve in Peoria

Iride01 

I can't believe any will hear the noise from air traveling through the holes in the helmet if they haven't first taken care of the noise of the wind traveling past their ears.

njkayaker

It's (probably) not the helmet. Though, the straps might play a part (make it worse).

Hold a finger against your head in front of your ear. That should drop the wind noise by a lot. The buff thing described earlier will do the same sort of thing. So will the "cat ears".

PromptCritical 

I tried the Cat Ears yesterday and it was a vast improvement!

Camilo

I usually wear ear buds with music at a reasonable volume - I can't hear it above about 15mph. But I really think the buds reduce wind noise in general and help me identify other noise like vehicles. Although I personally don't think hearing vehicles from behind is a significant safety thing.

I tried Cat Ears and some other things that attach to the straps and they were not helpful to me. I gave a set of Cat Ears to a friend who wears hearing aids, and he liked them. FWIW, he also rides with a rear view mirror and calls out "car back" whenever he hears or sees a car. I invariably heard the car as soon or before ever made the call.

cyclezen

Great ! Did you get the original fuzzy ones or the 'slimmer' new style?
Ride On
Yuri

Carbonfiberboy 

I'm partly bald, so I always ride with a Halo skullcap which is white on top with an elastic band with the Halo anti-sweat barrier in it. That cap covers the top half of my ears and really reduces wind noise, but doesn't limit my hearing as the fabric is quite thin. I wear this cap all the time in all weather. It works very well for me. I tried the Cat Ears a while back, but they didn't seem to do much.

rm -rf

Wind noise is just an annoyance to me. I'm sorry to hear how serious it is for some riders.

A couple of years ago, I tried my Vibes concert earplugs. I don't remember them being effective while riding. I should test them again. They are very nice for loud live music venues, reducing the music volume fairly evenly, less muffled sounding than foam earplugs.

Carbonfiberboy 

That's a totally trad rig you have there. Reminds me of my rig, 60 years ago, full Campy Legnano. Your tires are better.