Bluetooth Headphones

[Mclovin147]

Hey guys,

Just wanted some suggestions on Bluetooth headphones. Looking for something I can use while riding with google maps for directions and ideally for music too, anyone have any suggestions?

Recently purchased some cheap Bluetooth headphones from Amazon for like £26 - and I guess you get what you pay for. These are very unreliable, think they are some cheap chinese make. The disconnect and the volume does this weird thing that slowly turns it all the way down and then back up again. Really weird.

I have an iPhone, but ideally would prefer to avoid spending ~£140 on AirPods as while they may be great for music, I have visions of them falling out under the helmet and losing £140 in the middle of the road somewhere!

Any recommendations of reliable alternatives would be appreciated. Cheers

[Stu]

Cardo systems or sena

[manxie49]

BOSE do some very good in ear ones, not the cheapest though.https://www.bose.co.uk/en_gb/products/headphones/earphones/soundsport-wireless.html#v=soundsport_wireless_citron

[Fleck]

I got some skullcandy earphones on ebay £12. They have good bass response and last 6 hours between charges.

Think these are them...

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F274039740456

[fastbob]

I tried music in my helmet years ago . I just can't do it . In fact I struggle to walk safety down a street with ear phones .

[Fleck]

I only use them occasionally for navigation, and even then only in one ear

[geofferz]

I have this and it works a treat. You can change the volume, skip tracks, open siri or hey Google for voice commands all from the side unit. No faffing with putting buds in your ears.

And if your mates have em you can communicate!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F323673990132

[Guest Richzx6r]

You could always get a lid with built in bluetooth, I got my viper flip lid for £180 and I can hear the audio at 100+mph and although it's not crystal clear at those speeds it is clear enough and £180 for a lid isn't unreasonable

[dern]

Tried this a few times and gave up. Basically you need something that functions while still working as hearing protection or you'll gradually go deaf. Your choices are either some custom fit thing that costs a load which is fine if you can afford it or some helmet speakers that you can hear while wearing earplugs. If you don't do any of that then you're trying to overcome the volume of background noise that can send you deaf without adding louder music over the top of that. If you do buy the expensive solution and it works for you then you're effectively removing one of your senses while riding but you'll have to make up your own mind about whether that's a good plan or not.

Cheers,

Mark

[S-Westerly]

I tried music in my helmet years ago . I just can't do it . In fact I struggle to walk safety down a street with ear phones .

 

Ditto, I can't be doing with music while riding, I prefer being able to hear what's going on around me although to be fair with ear plugs in that's not very much! My ear shape doesn't lend itself to any kind of in ear speakers either.

For the OP rather than in ear look at in helmet such as Sena.

[fastbob]

Riding with more than one earpiece in the State of New York is illegal . I suppose if you can't hear the words " Stop or I'll shoot ! " the rest if your day might not go so well .

[geofferz]

Tried this a few times and gave up. Basically you need something that functions while still working as hearing protection or you'll gradually go deaf. Your choices are either some custom fit thing that costs a load which is fine if you can afford it or some helmet speakers that you can hear while wearing earplugs. If you don't do any of that then you're trying to overcome the volume of background noise that can send you deaf without adding louder music over the top of that. If you do buy the expensive solution and it works for you then you're effectively removing one of your senses while riding but you'll have to make up your own mind about whether that's a good plan or not.

Cheers,

Mark

 

I wear cheap earplugs with my helmet comms - works a treat.

[Cpt_Tact]

Packtalk Bold, yes they aren't the cheapest but my friends and I all have them for chatting through towns etc. Volume is easy to hear even with plugs in and I have it hooked up to my phone as well as the mesh network with my friends.

Mic is fantastic for cutting out wind noise to the point when people ring they don't believe I am on my bike, we also fitted some them in to open face lids whilst in the Algarve and it was only when we went above 50mpg they struggled and then we swapped out to the chunky mic cover and all was good again. Battery is good for 7+ hours of chatting.

I have done the £20/ £50 specials and they just don't last at all long, volume is poor, wind noise is poor and the mic is poor. I am in the park of buy once buy right with comms.

[Stu]

Packtalk Bold, yes they aren't the cheapest but my friends and I all have them for chatting through towns etc. Volume is easy to hear even with plugs in and I have it hooked up to my phone as well as the mesh network with my friends.

Mic is fantastic for cutting out wind noise to the point when people ring they don't believe I am on my bike, we also fitted some them in to open face lids whilst in the Algarve and it was only when we went above 50mpg they struggled and then we swapped out to the chunky mic cover and all was good again. Battery is good for 7+ hours of chatting.

I have done the £20/ £50 specials and they just don't last at all long, volume is poor, wind noise is poor and the mic is poor. I am in the park of buy once buy right with comms.

 

We have the pack talk and agree with everything except one thing!

The 7 hours talk time!!

Try 13 hours

Fantastic bit of kit

[JackieOWheels]

Packtalk Bold, yes they aren't the cheapest but my friends and I all have them for chatting through towns etc. Volume is easy to hear even with plugs in and I have it hooked up to my phone as well as the mesh network with my friends.

Mic is fantastic for cutting out wind noise to the point when people ring they don't believe I am on my bike, we also fitted some them in to open face lids whilst in the Algarve and it was only when we went above 50mpg they struggled and then we swapped out to the chunky mic cover and all was good again. Battery is good for 7+ hours of chatting.

I have done the £20/ £50 specials and they just don't last at all long, volume is poor, wind noise is poor and the mic is poor. I am in the park of buy once buy right with comms.

 

We have the pack talk and agree with everything except one thing!

The 7 hours talk time!!

Try 13 hours

Fantastic bit of kit

 

It’s certainly not cheap as CPT says but I guess you do treat these as little investments!

[Titter]

I tried music in my helmet years ago . I just can't do it . In fact I struggle to walk safety down a street with ear phones .

 

I tour with the same blokes every year. We all ride at roughly the same pace. One year I was leading and kept losing the guy following directly behind me. I was getting a wriggle on but nowhere near fast enough for him to not keep up. When we eventually stopped for a break I asked him if I was going faster than normal and why he was so far behind. He replied that he'd been listening to music and the distraction was affecting his riding. Moral of the story as far as I'm concerned: Don't distract yourself with music. He doesn't listen to music now

[fastbob]

I tried music in my helmet years ago . I just can't do it . In fact I struggle to walk safety down a street with ear phones .

 

I tour with the same blokes every year. We all ride at roughly the same pace. One year I was leading and kept losing the guy following directly behind me. I was getting a wriggle on but nowhere near fast enough for him to not keep up. When we eventually stopped for a break I asked him if I was going faster than normal and why he was so far behind. He replied that he'd been listening to music and the distraction was affecting his riding. Moral of the story as far as I'm concerned: Don't distract yourself with music. He doesn't listen to music now

 

I wonder what music it was ? Highway Star by Deep Purple , Silver machine by Hawkwind , Don't Stop me Now by Queen , Motorhead by Motorhead, the list is endless but these four in particular would definitely cause me to speed up .

[ThePhatomfart]

I tried music in my helmet years ago . I just can't do it . In fact I struggle to walk safety down a street with ear phones .

 

I tour with the same blokes every year. We all ride at roughly the same pace. One year I was leading and kept losing the guy following directly behind me. I was getting a wriggle on but nowhere near fast enough for him to not keep up. When we eventually stopped for a break I asked him if I was going faster than normal and why he was so far behind. He replied that he'd been listening to music and the distraction was affecting his riding. Moral of the story as far as I'm concerned: Don't distract yourself with music. He doesn't listen to music now

May of been listening to this

">

[hawkeyefxr]

Personally i think ear phone while riding are dangerous, you have mad car drivers intent on tagging you. They are a dangerous distraction. Anyhow i like hearing my bike.

[Six30]

i dont get why you would want to listen to music while riding a bike ..... each to their own.

[geofferz]

i dont get why you would want to listen to music while riding a bike ..... each to their own.

 

When I commute it's an hour each way which is a bit dull. Music makes it fun.

[Joeman]

Personally i think ear phone while riding are dangerous, you have mad car drivers intent on tagging you. They are a dangerous distraction. Anyhow i like hearing my bike.

 

You won't hear the ones that knock you off.. you should see them though

[hawkeyefxr]

Personally i think ear phone while riding are dangerous, you have mad car drivers intent on tagging you. They are a dangerous distraction. Anyhow i like hearing my bike.

 

You won't hear the ones that knock you off.. you should see them though

 

True but they are still dangerous to use.

As an aside i took my bike and car test in Sevenoaks lol

[Joeman]

I'd disagree they are dangerous.

Car drivers can't hear anything outside of the car.

A good helmet and earplugs will cut out most noise.

Music could actually increase safety by keeping you alert.

My exhaust is too loud to hear anything I can't already see.

[hawkeyefxr]

I'd disagree they are dangerous.

Car drivers can't hear anything outside of the car.

A good helmet and earplugs will cut out most noise.

Music could actually increase safety by keeping you alert.

My exhaust is too loud to hear anything I can't already see.

 

Your right a car driver can't hear much, but he is in 4 wheels and maybe he will dent his car. Your on two wheels, a knock and you off with a good chance of a hospital visit.

Music will not increase your safety it distracts you especially when a track comes on you like. You get into it and things are missed around you, thats the hospital visit again.

As for you last statement you must have heard LOUD PIPES SAVES LIVES. It's a fact as i have found out, i had a Volvo driver just pulling to the right not looking in his mirrors, when i was just off his rear quarter, dipped the clutch and gave a quick tweak of the throttle and his car near enough jumped back over.