2Wheeltips

Like people who belong to the Polar Bear Club that swims in the ocean during cold winter months, there are bikers who join their local “Polar Bear” riding club and ride their bikes year round.

First of all, you need to understand that the temperature does not have to be terribly cold for the riding conditions to be uncomfortably cold.  Remember, there is always a wind chill factor when riding a motorcycle.  So, if it is 50 degrees out and you might enjoy a brisk walk in the park, you might find a ride on your motorcycle to be very chilling and uncomfortable.

Secondly, you need to realize is that this is not something that is done without special gear and a body that can handle the extra stress.

Finally, and perhaps, most importantly, you need to realize that riding in the cold may NEVER be for you!  You have to be honest with yourself...if you are not comfortable in cold weather, then riding in colder months can be dangerous.  It uses much more energy for your body to keep warm in colder weather; you are burning far more calories than if you were riding in warm weather.  As a result, you will get tired more quickly and you will need to stop more frequently to allow yourself to rest and warm up.  Also, as your body gets chilled, your reflexes slow down.  If your reflexes are slowed down while you are riding, this can prevent you from responding as quickly as needed in many situations.  To counter this, some people who ride in cold weather will wear electrically warmed riding suits.  These are suits that have electrical heating wires throughout them (kind of like an electric blanket!).  The gloves plug into the jacket which plugs into the pants which, in some cases, plug into the socks...and all are plugged into an outlet on your bike and your bike battery provides the power to produce the heat.  There are also some heated suits that run on batteries and do not need to be wired to your bike.  Some year round riders also put heated grips on their bikes.  Heated grips help keep your hands warm when riding.

For some people who don’t necessarily ride in the coldest of months, heated grips and several layers of clothing under their regular riding gear may be enough to allow them to enjoy riding on some cooler fall and early spring days.  Just remember, though, this is a personal preference!  And no one can make the decision about cold weather riding for you!  Remember that gear for cold weather is only one aspect of riding; you also have to account for the road conditions in cold weather.  What might have just been a damp road surface during warm months can, during colder months, be black ice....and handling slippery road conditions on a bike is not a skill that new riders have.  So, before deciding to head out on your bike in colder weather, consider all aspects of what you are going to encounter.

By: Dr. Melissa E. Heche, AuD
Doctor of Audiology

It occurred to me that without the knowledge of how your ears work – how sound is transmitted so that it is actually “heard” – it might be hard to visualize what happens to your ears when exposed to loud noises.  Therefore, this week’s column will focus on the general mechanics of how our auditory system – our ears – function.

The ear is made up of three basic structures: the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. Connecting the middle ear to the throat is a canal called the Eustachian tube.

The Outer Ear
The auricle (pinna) is the visible portion of the outer ear. It collects sound waves and channels them into the external auditory meatus (ear canal) where the sound is amplified.

The sound waves enter into the ear canal through the aperture.  There are two bends in the ear canal.  The sound waves then travel toward a flexible, oval membrane at the end of the external auditory meatus called the tympanic membrane (eardrum). The sound waves cause the tympanic membrane to begin to vibrate.

The Middle Ear
The vibrations from the eardrum set the ossicles into motion. The ossicles are three tiny bones that are located in the middle ear.  These bones are the smallest bones in the human body.  The bones are typically known as the malleus, incus and stapes – but are also sometimes referred to as the hammer, the anvil and the stirrup based on their physical appearance.  All three bones are known as the ossicular chain and are encased in a jelly-like mucous membrane. The middle ear serves two purposes:  to transmit and amplify sounds from the eardrum to the oval window and to act as a dampener on loud sounds that may damage the inner ear (cochlea).

The stapes attaches to the oval window, connecting the middle ear to the inner ear. The Eustachian tube, which opens into the middle ear, is responsible for equalizing the pressure between environmental air to that within the middle ear.

The Inner Ear
The inner ear contains the most important parts of the hearing mechanism - two chambers called the vestibular labyrinth and the cochlea.  
The vestibular labyrinth consists of 3 semicircular canals largely responsible for the sense of balance.   The labyrinth is filled with a fluid called endolymph.
The cochlea, which begins at the oval window, curves into a shape that resembles a snail shell.   The cochlea is the second part of the inner ear and is the actual organ of hearing.  Inside the cochlea are thousands of tiny hair-like cells that connect to fibers of the hearing (acoustic) nerve.  Each hair cell has a relationship with a different frequency (or pitch), which enables us to hear different pitches.  Sound vibrations entering the cochlea cause a wave to travel through the fluid-filled organ of hearing. This wave causes movement of the hair cells which then generate electro-chemical signals which travel through the acoustic nerve to the brain where they are recognized as sounds.  The brain then interprets these signals and this is how we hear.

Once you have a basic knowledge of how the auditory system works, you’ll have a good understanding of what happens when the system is stressed by loud noise – and what that ultimately will mean to your hearing.

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Dr. Heche is a Doctor of Audiology and Clinical Voice and Swallowing Pathologist. She is dually certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed in NYS in Audiology and Speech Pathology. In addition, she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and is Board Certified in Audiology. Dr. Heche is also a NYS licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser.

Dr. Heche runs the NYC-based private practice New York Speech & Hearing and can be reached at:

http://www.2wheeltips.com/members/profile/640

mheche@newyorkspeechandhearing.com
www.newyorkspeechandhearing.com
Office: (212) 260-1414

By: Dr. Melissa E. Heche, AuD
Doctor of Audiology

Greetings to all Motorcyclists!  I have a special affinity for motorcyclists because of their devotion to their passion.  What feeling is more fabulous than riding your bike and enjoying an intimate communication with the surrounding world?  Not much….except the capacity to hear the surrounding world as we communicate with it.

Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is Dr. Melissa Heche.  I am a Doctor of Audiology, specializing in hearing and balance related disorders.  I work with individuals of all ages in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing, balance and auditory related disorders.  I am also active in many communities in providing education to promote hearing loss prevention.  That is my role here - I am honored to introduce a new column which will help to provide information, answer questions, and improve your awareness of an important sense organ while you continue to enjoy riding.

This week I will tell you about my skills and experiences and so that in the weeks to come you can feel confident about the information given to you.  I have worked in acute care (hospital), subacute, long-term care settings and I am currently in private practice. I have people who have had strokes, heart attacks, tumors, head and neck cancers, pulmonary disorders and more specific otologic (ear-related) and vestibular based disorders.  I have also worked as an adjunct professor at LIU-Brooklyn College, educating graduate students regarding the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of hearing loss.

I work closely with those who are exposed to high levels of noise on a professional or personal basis to help maintain and perpetuate hearing health. This includes people such as musicians, construction workers, dentists and motorcyclists.  I have a special affinity towards motorcyclists because of the passion inherent in riders.  Generally, the desire is to communicate better with the world – and yet, the actual practice leads to impaired communication if not protected properly.

I have spoken at the International Motorcycle Convention and I currently work with one of the largest EarMold manufacturers to reach out to motorcyclists and ensure proper protection is being used.  It is a privilege to have the ability to convey my message to so many riders and to clarify any uncertainties.  My goal, through all of this, is to ensure maximal hearing health while you participate in the sports you love so dearly!

In the coming weeks, I will discuss the function of the ear, how noise impacts your hearing, the different variables of motorcycle riding on noise exposure and what we can do about it.  For those of you who think wearing a helmet is enough protection – this is going to be an eye opening experience!

I look forward to taking this journey with you.  If you have questions or concerns at any time – please feel free to contact me.  My information will be located at the bottom of each column.

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Dr. Heche is a Doctor of Audiology and Clinical Voice and Swallowing Pathologist. She is dually certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed in NYS in Audiology and Speech Pathology. In addition, she is a Fellow of the American Academy of Audiology and is Board Certified in Audiology. Dr. Heche is also a NYS licensed Hearing Aid Dispenser.

Dr. Heche runs the NYC-based private practice New York Speech & Hearing and can be reached at:

http://www.2wheeltips.com/members/profile/640

mheche@newyorkspeechandhearing.com
www.newyorkspeechandhearing.com
Office: (212) 260-1414

I can not stress enough how important it is to protect your hearing while riding. Next time you go to a major rally, look around and you will see many riders with double hearing aids. I'm not talking about riders in their 60's and 70's, but riders in their late 30's and early 40's who have been riding for years without hearing protection.

I encourage you to listen to the video on hearing loss and hearing protection from Dr. Melissa Heche. She is a 2wheeltips member and regularly writes for the site.  You can contact her if you have any hearing-related questions.

Wondering what to wear when riding?  Do you want to look cool on your bike?  Sexy?  Great!  But “cool” and “sexy” won’t save your life if you have an accident!  The rule of thumb is this:  protection should be your primary concern.  There is plenty of great motorcycle gear available that looks good and has built-in protection.  This is what you should wear every time you go out on your bike:

A DOT/SNELL certified helmet
Anything less than this is not going to provide  protection if you have an accident.  It is your head and your brain that you are protecting!

A riding jacket
Good quality riding jackets have built in armor to absorb impact shock in the event of an accident.  There are some very good-looking riding jackets available and you don’t have to spend a fortune to get one that offers protection and good looks. They come in leather, denim or synthetic materials and come in many styles and colors.

Heavy duty jeans and/or riding pants
Heavy duty jeans are the least protection you should have from your waist to your ankles.  Better than heavy duty jeans are special riding pants that, like a riding jacket, offer built-in armor to absorb impact shock in the event of an accident.

Full finger gloves
Good riding gloves will cover your hands completely and some have padding for comfort during long rides. Gloves protect your hands from road debris and from injury in the case of an accident.

Riding boots
A good, sturdy pair of riding boots should have a low heel, slip resistant sole and cover your ankle. They also need to be comfortable enough to walk in, too.   Don’t forget a good pair of comfortable socks. Good socks can make a good boot feel even more comfortable!

Here are things to avoid when riding your bike:

• Clothing that bares any part of your body. Sure you might look sexy with your bare arms or midriff showing as you fly down the road.  But, if you ever have an accident while wearing next to nothing you will pay for it dearly.  Road burn is painful and you may ultimately need skin grafts  to surgically repair parts of your body that came in direct contact with the road (or other) surface.

• Sandals, sneakers or regular shoes. Sandals, sneakers and regular shoes provide limited protection from road debris and almost none if you are in an accident.

It can be quite warm under all of that protective gear, but once you are riding at highway speed, it is amazing how comfortable you can feel with all that gear on, even on a hot summer day. Our rule of thumb is this:  if it is too hot for you to ride with your protective gear on, then it is too hot to ride.

A riding buddy of mine sent this email a while ago on riding and hearing loss. The 2WheelTips team is a big supporter of wearing earplugs while riding. I thought I'd add it here for discussion.

The facts on Motorcycle related hearing loss.

Most motorcyclists understand the effects of a "silent killer" which follows them every time they enjoy riding their bikes. Unfortunately, several people still believe the causes of hearing loss are due to how loud the bike sounds, and/or that it affects only the people who do not wear full shell helmets. Based on several research studies, the major contributor to hearing loss in the motorcycle industry remains the "silent killer" known as "wind noise." Generically termed as the amount of noise turbulence produced around the head while the rider is in motion. Its inherited consequences result in irreversible hearing loss damage over a period of time when adequate hearing protection is not worn.

Similar to the shooting and aviation industries, if this issue is not addressed correctly from the beginning the amount of exposure to the inner ear is compounded every time the rider ventures out on his/her bike for hours at a time. Constant duration of harmful level noises gradually force the rider into becoming another statistic of the "silent killer." To put this in perspective, according to OSHA's regulation of industrial noise exposure, an average worker surrounded by levels around 85-90dB for an eight-hour day will not exceed the limits of exposure time within a 24-hour period of time. However, when the sound levels exceed 100dB, your exposure time is reduced to two hours. When sound levels exceed 115dB, your exposure time is drastically reduced to 15 minutes. This puts riding a bike into a whole new realm as "wind noise" at highway speeds can measure up to 110dB, or comparable to a running chainsaw. At these levels the riders are not only fatiguing themselves physically from the excess noise exposure, but it also puts them into a position of needing a hearing aid later in life.
Another common ailment of motorcycle riding is a condition known as "Temporary Threshold Shift," commonly referred to as TTS by audiologists and hearing healthcare professionals. TTS is caused by excessive noise exposure for a duration of time, which drops your actual acute hearing pattern to a lower level temporarily. Meaning, your hearing is less than what it was before the initial exposure. Continuous TTS exposure will result in permanent damage. Everyone has experienced this phenomenon at one time or another, whether it is from going to loud dance halls, or concerts, or even work. Even some of today's movie theatres can cause this to happen, but this is a specific certainty for motorcyclists who disregard adequate hearing protection while riding their bike. Riding position and style of windshield help in preventing "silent killers" ability to be fully experienced. But even the best helmets on today's marketplace provide little help when considering "wind noise" levels at normal highway speeds. Obviously, this factor is increased in half shell models as well as skullcaps, but the common helmets used in today's marketplace are designed to fit entirely over the head providing a snug fit. These types of helmets have the best attenuation value (reduction in noise) regardless of any airflow modifications done to the outside. But these helmets still produce wind noise readings of 110 to 116dB's, from 35mph to highway speeds. When reflecting back to the comparison chart, 116dB will only be suitable for 15 minutes of riding a day. Not a lot of time to enjoy your hobby.... Is it?

Although there are several versions of hearing protection devices on the market, a custom set of earmolds is still the best answer in suppressing sound. They provide excellent attenuation values and are comfortable to wear for extended periods of time. They can even be molded with high-grade transducers, which allow for stereo compatibility or communications. We also suggest checking with your local state officials on the regulations of wearing hearing protection. Several states have motorcycle laws regarding earplug use. For a quick reference, see the AMA web pages on State Motorcycle Laws - http://www.ama-cycle.org

Some more interesting facts

1. There is no significant difference in wind noise level as a function of speed, no matter what the helmet brand or model.
2. Neither the riding position nor the brand or styles of motorcycle make any significant difference in noise level.
3. Padding inside the helmet, open or closed vents, or added weather stripping on the helmet to alter flow patterns, does not significantly alter the noise level in a helmet.
4. Stopped at a stop light at a busy intersection with your helmet visor closed produces a sound level of 80-90dB SPL.
5. When not wearing a helmet, the wind noise at highway speed is nearly 10 times greater than when wearing a full coverage helmet.
6. Below 30mph, machine, exhaust and environmental noises are heard. Once speeds exceed approximately 30mph, wind noise dominates completely.
7. Some helmets resonate at approximately 500Hz, and actually enhance wind noise.
8. Legal speeds of 65mph can produce wind noise levels in excess of 108dB, this noise is loud enough to cause TTS in your hearing, tinnitus, and permanent hearing damage