How To Choose The Safest Headphones For Cycling

July 16, 2018

If you like to wear headphones while riding but are concerned about how to bike safely, you’re not alone. Many people wonder about biking safety tips they can follow so they’re able to listen to music or other audio while cycling.

There are some great options for riders who want to wear headphones while riding but also hear what’s going on around them. Some of the best headphones on the market even let you forget about wires that might get in the way.

Here’s what to look for if you want to wear headphones when you ride:

Open-Ear Headphones

Open-ear headphones allow for complete awareness of the sounds around the cyclists. These headphones are great because they won’t fall out of your ear, causing you to have to fiddle with them when you’re riding. Some riders say that open-ear headphones don’t offer the superior sound quality of other models, but the design is pretty easy to get used to and these headphones are safe.

As you can imagine, open-ear headphones leave your ears entirely open. They sit on your cheeks and transmit sound waves through the cheekbones. Many riders love bone conduction headphones and find them ideal for long rides.

Loose-Ear Fit Headphones

Loose-ear fit headphones provide some awareness of ambient sound and they’ll never fall out of your ears. Because their design is in-ear based, hearing is impaired a bit so it’s important to be attentive when wearing these headphones.

Many loose-ear headphones are wired, and some riders just don’t do well with wired models. Any moment of clumsiness can result in the earphones being yanked out of your ears. You might even become distracted if you have to keep adjusting your wires so they don't get in the way.

In-Ear Noise Reduction Headphones

Sound quality is almost always better with in-ear noise reduction headphones. But, these types of headphones are designed to exclude ambient sound, which means hearing is impaired as is safety.

Find a great pair of these headphones and you probably won’t have to worry about them falling out of your ears, and you’ll hear your music just the way you want to. But, keep in mind that safety when riding should be the first priority.

Instead of trying to figure out which types of headphones are safest, most comfortable and ideal for listing to music, consider outfitting your bike with a wireless speaker. The Boombotix Boombot REX or the Clean Motion Sonika are perfect solutions for riders who like to cruise with tunes playing in the background but who are also concerned with safety.

This Bluetooth speaker is completely compatible with all sixthreezero bikes including our popular 3-speed cruiser bike. It’s a top accessory for our Pave n’ Trail Men’s 21 Speed Hybrid Bike. It offers an ultra-portable design with revolutionary acoustics, modern design, and a noise-canceling microphone.

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