
Technological advancements have made it possible to listen to your favorite music while riding a bicycle. These cycle-safe models increase your likelihood of detecting potential dangers while listening to your favorite music. Don’t hold back now, guys!
We’ve compiled a list of the ten best headphones for cyclists, including wireless sports earbuds, in-ear Bluetooth, wireless headphones, neckband headphones, and Bluetooth over-ear headphones. Let the music take you for a ride!
Aftershokz is known for its bone conduction technology, and Aeropex is its newest product. The AfterShokz Aeropex bone conduction headphones are designed to provide superior audio quality while enhancing rider awareness. Let’s get into some specifics here.
AfterShokz claims the sound is “the widest, most dynamic sound bone conduction can provide,” the headphones live up to this claim, especially considering there are so few other bone conduction headphones with which to compare them. The Aeropex features PremiumPitch 2.0+ Stereo, which enhances the sound and makes it punchier without causing you to feel vibrations on your cheek. We were impressed with the sound quality of these headphones.
Aftershokz is renowned for its superior construction quality. We found the matte rubber material to be pleasant to the touch and lightweight. These wireless headphones with bone conduction sit comfortably between the cheek and ear, above the temporal region. The headband circumnavigates the head without touching the back of the head.
We found the Aeropex to be highly secure and comfortable, so they will not irritate regardless of how hard or long you exercise.
Aeropex provides eight hours of battery life on a single charge, according to our testing. When turned on, “Audrey” will inform you of the remaining battery life (high, medium, or low) so you can charge when necessary.
The majority of Bluetooth devices can pair with the Aeropex without issue. It also supports multipoint pairing, which is helpful if you use your headphones simultaneously with multiple devices. Additionally, you can take calls through headphones, so if you receive a call while cycling, you’re good to go!
8-Hour Battery Life – Enjoy 8 continuous hours of music and calls.
Exclusive Sport Pack – Includes Aeropex bone conduction headphones and sport belt to keep you hands-free in style.
The sporting prowess of the Jaybird brand is undeniable. As sponsors of one of the most exciting and dynamic bike teams, L39ION, and professional bike rider Kate Courtney of the United States, as well as many other professional brand athletes, the company’s products are gaining considerable traction in this competitive environment.
Due to multiple compatibility features, these headphones are ideal for cycling. Highlights for us must include the ergonomic design, which Jaybird and its athletes praise for in-ear comfort and their ability to stay in place. Both are non-negotiable in our book after trying to ride hard and simultaneously jabbing ourselves in the ear to keep other headphones in place, an issue that the Apple Airpods are still attempting to solve (although the latest iterations are better).
Indoor cyclists who have ridden for more than ten minutes will also find the waterproof and sweat-proof features indispensable. Having spent a small fortune on them, it would be disappointing and highly distracting during a cycling session to be concerned with liquid ingress.
However, the most popular feature is Jaybird’s proprietary SurroundSense, which features either active noise cancellation or amplification of ambient noise for heightened special awareness and safety. It is a feature comparable to the Apple Airpods Pro that we highly value. This is particularly important if the headphones will be used frequently outside if it’s legal to ride with headphones where you live, or even at home when you need to be immersed in sound or have one ear available for a child.
The online platform lets you personalize your headphones’ sound quality. The Bluetooth wireless range of 10m/ 33ft allows you to keep a safe distance from your device, reducing the risk of sweat/drop damage to expensive electronics.
The Jaybird platform also includes a ‘Find my Buds’ feature in case you lose one or both of your headphones while out and about or are so exhausted from your session that you cannot recall where you left them. It is another “must-have” feature for one of the most expensive headphones in our guide to the best headphones for cycling.
Compatible with both iOS and Android systems, it is possible to make/answer calls and dial into Discord for team tactics during online racing, giving these devices excellent multi-application versatility.
Apple’s AirPods are comparable to Garmin’s bicycle computers. The brand’s white dots have become so synonymous with wireless in-ear headphones that we may have coined the term earbud for all to use.
The most recent iterations of the Airpods Pro are loaded with features and capabilities. Still, it’s important to note that you’ll need an Apple-compatible device to take full advantage of them.
Similar to the Jaybird Vista 2, these headphones are among the best for cyclists who require the ability to switch between total sound immersion and active ambient hearing. It’s a great feature if you’re on the road (where it’s legal) or, like us, training at home and need to switch between listening to small children and not hearing them.
The batteries have a good playtime of four to five hours, and just five minutes in their charging case yields an impressive hour of listening or talking time. Other cool features of the charging case include the innovative charge feature, which detects listening habits and optimizes battery life by charging headphones to 100 percent only when needed. The fact that they are Magsafe and wirelessly chargeable is also highly advantageous.
Swapping silicone tips aids in achieving the ideal fit and comfort, although these will not be suitable for everyone and will require occasional reinserting during high-intensity workouts.
The sweat and water resistance should provide sufficient protection even for the sweatiest rides. However, I would err on the side of caution if venturing out in a downpour, given the expense of purchasing a replacement pair.
The connectivity, voice recognition, Siri compatibility, and EQ adaptability of these headphones make them an excellent option for anyone looking for headphones that can do everything. You need to be sure that you truly desire them, as you are required to pay for them.
On ear touch controls, including activating noise cancelling total sound immersion, or active sound amplification.
The Adidas FWD-02 Sport may be the perfect solution if you constantly reposition in-ear headphones.
With multiple silicon earpieces, there is a good chance that these sports-specific headphones will fit you perfectly. While other headphones, such as the Apple Airpods Pro, also offer this feature, the Adidas FWD-02 Sport headphones also “lock” into the ear.
It’s a cool alternative to the ESC Sounds Series 3 over-ear option, but it has a significantly smaller profile, preventing helmet interference.
While this is great for ensuring that you don’t have to double back on a ride looking for your headphones or lose a virtual race due to an earpiece distraction during the winning break, I found them to be so secure that it was like wearing earplugs.
They create the occlusion effect and amplify your internal noises, which I found extremely annoying, particularly when attempting to listen to a podcast.
The ambient noise setting was preferable, but I was still more aware of my heavy breathing and eating.
The upside is that, despite the lack of a noise-canceling mode, these headphones do a decent job of blocking out sounds (except your own) simply by being in your ears.
Adidas claims 6 hours of continuous playtime, and I’ve yet to find out if this is true, as removing the headphones and placing them in their carrying case automatically recharges them for up to another 24 hours of playback, so regular use from home or the office reduces the likelihood of them running out of juice.
I can confirm that the tap controls are easy to use while wearing gloves. There is a dedicated Adidas headphone application, but I only found it helpful in reviewing the tap instructions.
The breathable case is a nice touch for anyone who sweats profusely, but it’s important to note that they are not waterproof, so it’s best to leave them at home on a rainy day on the bike.
Regarding sweat, the white Adidas FWD-02 Sport headphones and case I owned became exceptionally soiled due to my sweaty and mucky paws; therefore, I recommend opting for the dark gray model for a cleaner appearance.
INTUITIVE CONTROLS: Switch up your music on the move.Sweat-proof, glove-friendly, and always responsive.
COMPACT CHARGING CASE: The compact case makes it easy to charge your buds on the go. It’s made of breathable material, so your buds air out after a workout.
AWARENESS MODE: Made with outdoor workouts in mind, awareness mode lets in ambient noise. Switch it off when all you want is the music.
Bang & Olufsen is a well-known brand if sound quality is your top priority, having established itself as an industry leader in premium performance. Unsurprisingly, Rapha collaborated in acquiring the best and possibly most exclusive cycling headphones.
The Rapha version of the Bang & Olufsen Beoplay E8 Sport headphones is no longer available, but the standard version is. The only significant difference is the absence of cycling branding; however, this does not translate into a price reduction, as these are still prohibitively expensive.
But with the B&O