My latest solution to reducing wind noise

[Spaghetteh]

Just thought I'd share my recent solution for reducing wind noise. I've got a DH Mountain Bike helmet (specifical the TLD Stage helmet) and the wind noise on this helmet tends to get very loud once I hit 20mph and drowns out almost everything else.

My previous solution had been a set of flat, felt earmuffs. They were excellent at blocking out wind noise but they did also muffle other ambient sounds and made putting the helmet on without dislodging the earmuffs a really difficult and sometimes painful endeavor.

Eventually I just stopped wearing them and it's then that I realized most of the wind noise is caused by a gap in the helmet pads that directs a channel of air directly over my ears; plugging that gap with just my fingers reduced the wind noise intensity by at least half.

So I started looking for some foam that I could glue in there to plug up that gap. It was then that my tendency to hold on to useless junk came into play and actually paid off for one.

Last year, I had gotten a new pair of headphones. These headphones have removable cup pads and at checkout I was given the option to add on "premium memory foam" pads which I decided to opt for. The headphones still shipped with the original pads and I installed the premium ones when they arrived. The original ones (similar to these) went into my desk drawer to await a purpose that in all likelihood would never come.

But as fate would have it they were perfect for fitting under my helmet to block the channel of air from going over my ears. Better yet, they don't cover my ears so all other ambient sounds can get through unimpeded.

For a while I just slipped them in after I put my helmet on but last night I zip tied them into the helmet and now the whole system requires only the single step of putting my helmet on/taking it off. For bonus points I also zip tied my pair of AfterShokz Airs to the outside of the helmet with the sound outputs nestled in the side hole that goes over my ear. Much better than the painful experience of trying to put on my helmet with those already on my head and I can actually reach the media control buttons now.

There is still a bit of wind noise but it's much more muffled where it used to be sharp and it allows me to hear cars coming up from behind me. There's still some gaps between the pads and helmet that I plan to fill with hot glue to see if that further improves the noise reduction. However, the quality of life improvement alone with the zip ties over trying to fit them in after I've put my helmet on has made this project so worth the minor time investment.

Edited August 15, 2022 by Spaghetteh

[0000]

Before I wised up, I really liked wearing earbuds to tune out city and wind noise, and replace with some relaxing or energetic music depending on the ride - but that was a big disadvantage for safety, so I opted to ditch the earbuds. Plus it sucked trying to get helmet over the wireless earbuds getting crammed against the ear, right there with ya. Cool that the permanent mount works for you.

Sounds like the ear pads getting hot/trapping heat against the ears isn't a problem either since there's enough room for a gap like you said. Nice!

Rather than hot glue, you might try something like foam tape. I used this stuff with a lot of success on various projects (comes in various widths). It would work on the same principle of using a "dead cat" over a microphone.

[Tawpie]

Nice! I'm going to have to get the cat-ears back out and see if fitting them in the helmet will work. They didn't work at all attached to the strap per the manufacturer's directions but (duh) positioning them differently might be the meow!

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cat-Ears/page/E9B64A31-DEFD-4265-985A-E64C78A432E0?ref_=ast_bln

Edited August 15, 2022 by Tawpie