Bone conduction headphones for cycling.

[TPMB12]

I've seen aftershokz titanium Bluetooth bone conduction headphones for £75 and a Coros Lynx helmet that includes bone conduction headphones built in (plus fall detection and emergency number testing through your connected smart phone) for £90 half price.

Which is the best option? The helmet it's all integrated with the fall detection bit. But it's only usable on the bike.

The helmet has an app that seems to be in development further. It tracks your ride using the phone. Links to strava too. I like the remote  handlebar controller too. Plus you could use it as a walkie-talkie with other similar helmet users in your group. Could there be a use for that? Sometimes it's hard to hold a conversation when riding with friends. It's why we annoy Sunday sleepers in villages when we ride through as a group shouting our conversation.

What's your view? Headphones or integrated helmet?

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-helmets/adult-bike-helmets/coros-linx-bluetooth-enabled-smart-bike-helmet

https://www.winstanleysbikes.co.uk/product/80055/Aftershokz_Trekz_Titanium_Wireless_Bone_Conduction_Headphones_Ivy?gclid=CjwKCAiAo9_QBRACEiwASknDwbFj8l6sjoLfl0gN_TJV2b1ksJmSotk8eLo9pcbw1LQ3FVDEIxOJLRoC4TkQAvD_BwE

[Kim]

Not writing off your expensive headphones because your magic hat has sustained a bash would seem desirable...

[T42]

The Coros one looks like fun, of a sort.  A touch on the heavy side at 400g vs. 250 for a plain old Met.

[TPMB12]

Not writing off your expensive headphones because your magic hat has sustained a bash would seem desirable...

It's not a magic hat just a helmet that offers a limited level of protection that happens to match my needs when commuting under certain conditions or threat of such conditions. IMHO of course. Namely capable of sufficiently protecting a head weighted object hitting the deck at very slow speed in two locations on my commute that I've identified as being a risk. Not magic just something you can choose to wear or not and leave others to wear or not. Without lectures either way preferably.

As far as helmet or not I'm not fussed whether it's right to get this headphone integrated. I'm not going to wear a helmet all rides so it's limiting. On the other hand I like the features. There's some good features I'll want to use.

[lahoski]

Not writing off your expensive headphones because your magic hat has sustained a bash would seem desirable...

It's not a magic hat just a helmet that offers a limited level of protection that happens to match my needs when commuting under certain conditions or threat of such conditions. IMHO of course. Namely capable of sufficiently protecting a head weighted object hitting the deck at very slow speed in two locations on my commute that I've identified as being a risk. Not magic just something you can choose to wear or not and leave others to wear or not. Without lectures either way preferably.

As far as helmet or not I'm not fussed whether it's right to get this headphone integrated. I'm not going to wear a helmet all rides so it's limiting. On the other hand I like the features. There's some good features I'll want to use.

I think the point was that the integrated headphone helmet thing is more likely to be damaged in a unscheduled dismount than a pair of headphones.

And to be honest, if a helmet has bone-conducting headphones, an accelerometer, GPS and bluetooth, it's definitely a magic hat.

[Kim]

I think the point was that the integrated headphone helmet thing is more likely to be damaged in a unscheduled dismount than a pair of headphones.

Exactly.  If you're wearing a helmet for safety purposes, it's supposed to go in the bin after any impact.  That sounds expensive.

And to be honest, if a helmet has bone-conducting headphones, an accelerometer, GPS and bluetooth, it's definitely a magic hat.

Quite.  I was mostly thinking of rower40's Magic Hat^[1] (has it fallen apart yet?), with a side-order of Arthur C Clarke.  I wasn't trying to invoke the helmet debate and I agree that there are valid reasons for wearing them.


_{[1] Which contains optical magic that lets you see behind.}

[tiermat]

I have, personally, used the Treks Titanium headphones for about 8 months now and can't recommend them enough.

[yoav]

Me too. I use them both on and off the bike.

[izza]

One more vote for the headphones.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TPMB12]

Sorry about that comment.  I obviously misunderstood your comment. Makes more sense when explained to me.

I agree with the separate headphones. I'm likely to not wear the helmet all the time. It's only really an autumn and winter thing for me. However I really like the man down function which texts your contact of you have a spill. It's there any other way of doing that without something like that helmet?

I guess I like the idea of the helmet with what it does. The walkie-talkie function I like but I doubt anyone I know have one of these.

Practicality says headphones but gadget geek says helmet (and headphones). £75 is a good price for the Titanium headphones I think. A lot cheaper than £110 RRP.

[Pickled Onion]

I have, personally, used the Treks Titanium headphones for about 8 months now and can't recommend them enough.

This looks interesting, can you say more? Which model do you have? Do you use them for cycling and is there any issue with wind noise?

[chrisbainbridge]

Garmin now have a man down function and I think Strava running on a phone does as well.

[tiermat]

I have, personally, used the Treks Titanium headphones for about 8 months now and can't recommend them enough.

This looks interesting, can you say more? Which model do you have? Do you use them for cycling and is there any issue with wind noise?

I have the ones mentioned, they are the top of Aftershocks range. They do make lesser models, but I haven't tried them. I am fortunate in that work paid for mine as they work as a headset, too, so are useful for never ending conference calls. I have never had any problems with wind noise, either on or off the bike, with these. They last a good day and a half on one charge and only take about 30 minutes to charge.

Another reason I went for this type of headset is that I have a hearing aid due to hearing loss caused by a problem with my middle ear, thus normal headphones just don't work for me.

[mattc]

I have been thinking about bone conduction 'phones for a while. Sadly these probably aren't for me, cos they're bluetooth! But to provide (what the BBC call) a "balanced" view, here's bikeradar:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/gadgets/product/aftershokz-trekz-titanium-review-51618/
BikeRadar verdict "The Aftershokz are well packaged and very easy to use, but they aren’t well suited to general riding"*

Lows: Sound quality not great,
 audibility poor at speed or on busy roads,
 don’t work well with helmets and glasses,
 automatic pairing not always helpful


*No, I don't know why they put that in quotes!!! - Matt

[Pickled Onion]

I have, personally, used the Treks Titanium headphones for about 8 months now and can't recommend them enough.

This looks interesting, can you say more? Which model do you have? Do you use them for cycling and is there any issue with wind noise?

I have the ones mentioned, they are the top of Aftershocks range. They do make lesser models, but I haven't tried them. I am fortunate in that work paid for mine as they work as a headset, too, so are useful for never ending conference calls. I have never had any problems with wind noise, either on or off the bike, with these. They last a good day and a half on one charge and only take about 30 minutes to charge.

Another reason I went for this type of headset is that I have a hearing aid due to hearing loss caused by a problem with my middle ear, thus normal headphones just don't work for me.

Thanks, have ordered a pair. I was trying to work out the difference between sports/non-sports and it seems they are the same. Not quite the top of the range, they do an "air" version at twice the price.

BikeRadar verdict "The Aftershokz are well packaged and very easy to use, but they aren’t well suited to general riding"*

Their definition of "general riding" is with glasses and a h****t, which seems to be the main gripe. So you try and put three sets of straps over your ears and there's a problem—really?

[TPMB12]

I've been reading that the aftershokz fights for space with glasses, helmet straps, etc. Since I wear spectacles is this an issue? I guess the helmet option doesn't have that issue.

Any ideas on that?

[jiberjaber]

I have been thinking about bone conduction 'phones for a while. Sadly these probably aren't for me, cos they're bluetooth! But to provide (what the BBC call) a "balanced" view, here's bikeradar:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/gadgets/product/aftershokz-trekz-titanium-review-51618/
BikeRadar verdict "The Aftershokz are well packaged and very easy to use, but they aren’t well suited to general riding"*

Lows: Sound quality not great,
 audibility poor at speed or on busy roads,
 don’t work well with helmets and glasses,
 automatic pairing not always helpful


*No, I don't know why they put that in quotes!!! - Matt

That correlates with my findings, so I just use the cheap Amazon bluetooth in ear headphones, in my left ear only unless I'm suffering from pressure washer Yadd Moss decent or Fens induced saddlesore and mega headwind with 1000km in the legs.

[T42]

The walkie-talkie function I like but I doubt anyone I know have one of these.

W/T would be nice, I agree. The other week I was nattering with El Prez and I found my hand going out sideways, feeling for the volume knob on the car radio.

[yoav]

Surely anything short of totally over the ear noise cancelling headphones is going to have “poor audibility at speed or on busy roads”? If one is going to maintain some auditory contact with the outside world then there has to be some compromise on sound quality - just good enough is ok. I like the Trekz Titanium Bluetooth for cycling because a) they can’t fall out of my ears b) I can still hear traffic noise c) no tangled wires.

[tiermat]

@Pickled Onion, at the time I got mine, the Titanium were top ones,I think the air ones must be new. A it happens work balked a bit at paying £110 for them as it is, so double would definitely have been out! Strange that they will happily pay >£200 for plantronics headsets, though.

[Pickled Onion]

Yes, sorry, you're right, I meant to write 'not top of the range any more'. The airs seem to be exactly the same but a bit lighter, they're £150 so the RRP is not hugely different, but I couldn't find them discounted anywhere which puts them twice the price of the winstanley offer. As it is, this is almost an order of magnitude more than I usually pay for headphones, but as they say: buy cheap buy twice. Thanks for the info & I'll post a review when they arrive!

[Hot Flatus]

I have, personally, used the Treks Titanium headphones for about 8 months now and can't recommend them enough.

You have no idea just how glad I am that you posted this, and that I took up your recommendation.

First ride out today. Awesome. Thankyou  

[TPMB12]

You should try the with the supplied ear plugs in. The sound quality is better but it defeats the purpose.