{"id":736338,"date":"2025-11-25T15:45:11","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T12:45:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=736338"},"modified":"2025-11-25T15:45:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T12:45:11","slug":"how-to-ride-safely-with-headphones-and-which-ones-to-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=736338","title":{"rendered":"How to Ride Safely With Headphones and Which Ones to Use"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Updated November 24, 2025 02:46PM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Best headphones for cycling quicklinks<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Best overall headphones for cycling Suunto Sonic<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Best budget headphones for cycling Skullcandy Ecobuds<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Best headphones for cycling with an iPhone Apple Airpods Pro 3<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Best headphones for cycling with an Android Phone Google Pixel Buds 2a<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Best sounding headphones for cycling Sony WF-1000XM5<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Best open ear headphones for cycling Shokz OpenDots ONE<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Best over ear headphones for cycling ZWIFT X RIPT ULTRA Headphones<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Best headphones for long distance cycling Suunto Wing 2<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Best headphones for cycling mic performance Oakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    If you ride a bike you might be among the vast number of people who do it while listening to music. That means you want the best headphones for cycling but there\u2019s a lot that goes into that designation. It\u2019s important to stay situationally aware so you can be safe if you are riding outdoors. You also want to be able to hear, and be heard, over wind or fan (indoor) noise. Then, one final quirk of headphones in particular is this might be something you use both on the bike and in the rest of your life.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve been looking for and testing the best headphones for cycling for years now, here\u2019s my picks for 2025. You can also jump down below to read more about staying safe while using headphones on a bike or some of the considerations that go into choosing the best headphones for cycling.<\/p>\n

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    Best overall headphones for cycling<\/h2>\n
    \"Suunto
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSuunto Sonic<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n10 hour battery life | IP55 water resistance | no noise cancelling | uses a proprietary magnetic cable for charging | Bluetooth version 5.2 | Supported bluetooth Codecs are SBC and APTX Adaptive | has bluetooth multipoint<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nDefinitely will not fall off | you can still hear your surroundings | stopping music takes one button | once you stop music you can leave these in place with no loss of hearing | works with voice assistants<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nUses a proprietary magnetic charging cable | bad quality mic<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $59 at Suunto<\/span><\/div>\n

    If you are looking for headphones specifically for riding a bike, bone conduction is without a doubt the best answer. You don\u2019t get the sound quality but that\u2019s the point. What you get is the ability to always hear what\u2019s happening around you while at the same time hearing your music. If you want to stop your music all you have to do is reach up and press the button on the left side of the headphones. This is true for every set of bone conduction headphones I\u2019ve tested and that leaves not much in the way of differentiation.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ve chosen the Suunto Sonic because the price is so good. At this point the Sonic even competes with a number of relatively unknown brands that pop up with cloned designs.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s not only the price that\u2019s gotten the Suunto Sonic chosen as best overall though. I also appreciate the multi-device pairing that means I can have it connect to my phone for outdoor rides and my tablet for indoors as well as the feel of the multifunction button (it\u2019s nicely weighted and clicky) and the beep that accompanies Google Gemini triggering.<\/p>\n

    The competitor here is the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2. Shokz offers longer battery life, a nice case, and instead of the proprietary charging cable Suunto requires they use standard USB-C. All quite nice but at more than double the price, plus no confirmation when Google Gemini is triggered, so I\u2019m recommending the Sonic instead.<\/p>\n

    For some reason the mic on all bone conduction headphones is terrible. Don\u2019t expect performance in the wind.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    Best budget headphones for cycling<\/h2>\n
    \"Skullcandy
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSkullcandy Ecobuds<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n8 hour battery life | IPx4 water resistance | no noise cancelling | integrated USB-C charge cable | Bluetooth version 5.2 | Supported bluetooth Codecs are SBC and AAC | no bluetooth multipoint<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nInexpensive | lightweight | touch controls | solid in ear feel<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nTiny sound | no cover to the case | no battery in the case<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $25 at Skullcandy<\/span><\/div>\n

    With the price of the Suunto Sonic being so low it won\u2019t make sense to actually look for a budget offering for a lot of people. Sometimes it\u2019s not about the price though. Or at least not totally about the price. Moving to an earbud style makes the Skullcandy Ecobuds more usable in everyday life. The sound quality is similar to bone conduction, and there\u2019s still no noise reduction, but pushing something into your ear creates a level of isolation you don\u2019t get with bone conduction. It\u2019s a bad thing on the bike but in that case you\u2019ll only be using one ear bud at a time. You might also feel like you are apt to destroy, or lose, headphones in which case the low price makes sense.<\/p>\n

    If any of that rings true, I love to offer Skullcandy as a budget option. The brand actually makes some incredible high-end gear, my son swears by his over ear Skullcandy headphones, but you can also count on good customer service no matter the purchase price.<\/p>\n

    All that out of the way, these particular earbuds are rather unique. There\u2019s an eco angle being pushed here but the result to the user is that the case is incredibly simple with no battery. Everything is super lightweight and after you exhaust the claimed 8-hour battery life the idea is you pull out the integrated charging cable and plug it into whatever you want but likely your phone. On a bike it all works well because it\u2019s light and simple but the earbuds stay put. I do wish there was a cover to the case but the magnetic hold seems to work fine in a jersey pocket and the touch controls allow for the same basic controls as more expensive options.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    Best headphones for cycling with an iPhone<\/h2>\n
    \"Apple
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nApple Airpods Pro 3<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n8 hour battery life with noise cancelling | IP57 water resistance | active noise cancelling | USB-C & wireless charging | Bluetooth version 5.3 | Supported bluetooth Codecs are SBC and AAC | automatic device switching<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nIntegrated heart rate monitor | powerful noise cancelling | speaker on charging case | excellent microphone<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nApple only | limited heart rate app support<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $220 at Amazon<\/span><\/div>\n

    Discussing this list with a friend they asked, doesn\u2019t everyone just use Airpods? Yes and no. First of all the big drawback here is that no matter how good these are if you don\u2019t have an Apple phone, move on. It\u2019s not impossible to use these with Android but you\u2019d be missing half the features and there\u2019s just no point.<\/p>\n

    Even if you use an iPhone though, the Airpod Pro 3 isn\u2019t a given. Apple has the AirPods 4 and you could grab a set of the Pro 2 for less money. Actually that second one might not be a bad idea but skip the regular Airpods for fitness situations. The Pro series stays put even when sweaty and are way more comfortable. You could also go to a third part option but the Pro 3, when used with an iPhone, is tough to beat.<\/p>\n

    The sound quality is among the best, there\u2019s excellent noise cancelling, and you\u2019ve got all the bells and whistles like spatial audio, wireless charging, and hearing accessibility features. I am particularly fond of the genius move to put a speaker on the case so you can find where you put the whole case. I actually added a tile to another brand of headphones to solve that problem.<\/p>\n

    A note of caution though, there\u2019s a heart rate monitor in this generation but its use is somewhat limited. There is a sensor in both earbuds so you don\u2019t have to wear them together but third party app support is non-existent. It\u2019s a feature for using the Apple workout app but I did find it matched a Garmin watch when checking accuracy.<\/p>\n

    One final detail, the Airpod Pro 3 has one of the best mics you can get in headphones. It still won\u2019t match other options but it\u2019s among the best for something integrated.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    Best headphones for cycling with an Android Phone<\/h2>\n
    \"Google
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nGoogle Pixel Buds 2a<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n7 hour battery life with noise cancelling | IP54 water resistance | active noise cancelling | USB-C charging | Bluetooth version 5.4 | Supported bluetooth Codecs are SBC and AAC | Bluetooth multipoint<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nGoogle Gemini integration | excellent noise cancelling | most of the Pixel Buds Pro 2 features for less money | excellent microphone<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nlacks wireless charging | lacks speaker on case<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $99 at Amazon<\/span><\/div>\n

    This particular category on this list was the most competitive. Sony headphones work just as well with Google Gemini and the Pixel Buds Pro 2 are some of my favorite headphones ever. That last part is what lands this here though.<\/p>\n

    The Pixel Buds 2a are incredibly close in performance to the Pixel Buds Pro 2 for $100 cheaper. The noise cancellation is supposedly not as good as the higher model but I can\u2019t actually tell the difference. Neither are quite as good as the Apple experience but both are pretty similar. You get more battery life on the Pro 2 but it\u2019s not likely going to be much of an issue and that leaves the last issue as the lack of wireless charging. That one is a loss but is it a $100 loss?<\/p>\n

    The Pixel Buds have one of the best mics on the market matching both Apple and Sony. They also do a good job staying put during a workout. More than anything. if you\u2019ve got an Android phone sticking with Google keeps everything integrated into the OS without extra apps. Fun colors are a nice bonus.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    Best sounding headphones for cycling<\/h2>\n
    \"Sony
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSony WF-1000XM5<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n8 hour battery life with noise cancelling | IPx4 water resistance | active noise cancelling | USB-C and wireless charging | Bluetooth version 5.3 | Supported bluetooth codecs are SBC, AAC, and LDAC | Bluetooth multipoint support<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nVertical orientation for wireless charging | Sound quality | Seamless assistant summoning | excellent mic | good noise cancelling<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nnot as integrated into a phone OS | lacks speaker on case<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $228 at Amazon<\/span><\/div>\n

    If you are riding a bike you will not get to experience the audio quality of these. I want to just make that clear. You\u2019ll have one earbud in and there\u2019s wind noise. That\u2019s not the point here. The point is that you\u2019ve spent a lot on headphones and you are going to wear them in other situations. When compared to other headphones that do work well for riding a bike, the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds sound incredible.<\/p>\n

    The Sony soundstage is just so much more expansive than what any other brand on this list is offering. I was using Light Breaks in the Middle of the Night from local PDX band Tents as my test track and the difference is massive. Sony has bright shiny highs where the female vocals and guitar slides pop out of a deep backdrop of bass. Even the over ear Zwift headphones, with much bigger drivers, feel like a shadow on a wall compared to turning around and looking at the real event when you put the Sonys on. Apple Airpods are flat too, in comparison, although the noise cancelling is a bit better there.<\/p>\n

    When you are on a bike the good times keep rolling (that\u2019s all the silly verbiage I can get in a single sentence). Sony holds its own just fine with Apple and Google for mic quality and there\u2019s a slight edge to retention during sweaty indoor rides compared to Google offerings. You do lose the OS integration of Pixel headphones but that stops short of having to push a button to summon Gemini. The experience is just as seamless as Google on that front. I will also continue to complain about any earbuds that don\u2019t have a speaker in the case like Apple but I love the way the wireless charging keeps the case upright with this Sony offering.<\/p>\n

    These are the headphones I now carry with me day in and day out.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    Best open ear headphones for cycling<\/h2>\n
    \"Shokz
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nShokz OpenDots ONE<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n10 hour battery life | IP54 water resistance | no noise cancelling | USB-C and wireless charging | Bluetooth version 5.4 | Supported bluetooth codecs are SBC and AAC | Bluetooth multipoint support<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSound quality | lack of sound isolation | secure on your ears | comfortable for long periods of time<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSummoning the assistant is difficult | lacks speaker on case<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $140 at Shokz<\/span><\/div>\n

    Throughout this list there\u2019s a clear split. If you optimize for the time you are actually on a bike outside then bone conduction is a significantly better solution. If you optimize for regular life then earbuds make more sense and only using one during a ride works well enough. There\u2019s also a hybrid option called either open ear or, more recently, clip on headphones. In the past the only option in this category was the Sony Linkbuds but they weren\u2019t great and now there\u2019s a whole new class of these headphones that clip around the ear and position the driver over the ear but not in it.\u00a0 Of the options that exist, the one I found worked best in the context of cycling was the Shokz OpenDots ONE.<\/p>\n

    What really surprised me the most about the Shokz at first was the shockingly good sound quality. It\u2019s never going to match something with better sound isolation but that\u2019s the point. Instead this is much better than bone conduction and you can still hear your surroundings better than earbuds.<\/p>\n

    While riding outside I\u2019d still suggest only using a single of the two but that\u2019s an advantage also. With earbuds, or the Shokz OpenDot One, you can swap which one you are using if the battery dies. For these you\u2019d get up to 40-hours of usage that way and there\u2019s the added trick of each piece not being specific to one ear or the other. I generally like listening with my right ear if only using one earbud, with these I can swap the actual unit in my ear but always keep it in the right.<\/p>\n

    The other reason you might consider this solution is that they stay put but remain comfortable over long periods of time. Even the best earbuds sometimes feel like they need adjustment or they\u2019ll fall out. I\u2019ve tried to choose options I haven\u2019t had that issue with but different ear shapes can still mean it\u2019s an issue. The clip-on style stays put better but there\u2019s no pressure against your ear canal to do that.<\/p>\n

    The obvious negative to these is that you are compromising both on the bike and off. On the bike they are good but maybe not quite as good as bone conduction. Off the bike they are really good but probably not quite as good as good earbuds. Shokz is also not great with summoning the assistant and you\u2019ll need to use the touch controls to do that. As with others, I will also call out the lack of a speaker on the case for finding it.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    Best over ear headphones for cycling<\/h2>\n
    \"ZWIFT
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nZWIFT X RIPT ULTRA Headphones<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n50 hour battery life | \u201cSweat proof\u201d | active noise cancelling | USB-C charging | Bluetooth version 5.4 | Bluetooth multipoint support<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSweat proof and includes silicone ear cups | long battery life and comfort | distinctive design<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSound quality doesn\u2019t match competition | Noise cancelling doesn\u2019t stay on | hot over your ear<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $250 at h20Audio<\/span><\/div>\n

    If clip earbuds are the bridge between riding and not, then over ear headphones are your option that can not ever be used when riding outside. These are gym and indoor riding headphones and at this point these are the only product in this category. There\u2019s other over ear headphones that kind of hint at gym use but if you are riding inside the amount of sweat you can creat will absolutely destroy most designs. The ZWIFT X RIPT ULTRA Headphones are specifically designed to handle that with an included silicone ear cup.<\/p>\n

    The whole package adds up to something you can wear for long periods of time with a level of sound isolation and comfort not available from other options. There\u2019s also something about wearing Zwift headphones that\u2019s kind of fun in places where not everyone is a cyclist.<\/p>\n

    The downside is that you\u2019ve got an ear cup over your ear that builds up heat. That means more sweat and dealing with that means the sound quality is secondary and it\u2019s a slight annoyance to have to turn noise cancelling on each time you turn on the headphones. These are likely a good choice if you also want gym headphones. Bonus point for the bright orange as a sign to leave you alone in that context.<\/p>\n

    You can read more in my full ZWIFT X RIPT ULTRA Headphones review.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    Best headphones for long distance cycling<\/h2>\n
    \"Suunto
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nSuunto Wing 2<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n12 hour battery life | IP66 water resistance | no noise cancelling | USB-C charging | Bluetooth version 5.3 | Supported bluetooth Codecs are SBC and AAC | Bluetooth multipoint<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nIncluded power bank for charging | long battery life | distinctive design | Definitely will not fall off | you can still hear your surroundings | stopping music takes one button | once you stop music you can leave these in place with no loss of hearing | works with voice assistants<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nUses a proprietary magnetic charging cable | bad quality mic<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $179 at Suunto<\/span><\/div>\n

    Everything, both good and bad, I\u2019ve talked about before with bone conduction is the same with the Suunto Wing 2. The sound quality, and mic, isn\u2019t fantastic but you can hear your surroundings. When you want to stop your music all you do is press the button on your left temple and you are suddenly not wearing headphones. You don\u2019t have to take them off and if you decide to listen to music later you just press the button again. You can also hold the button to summon the assistant for different music or to ask some question of the cloud.<\/p>\n

    The reason the Suunto Wing 2 is uniquely good for long distance cycling is that there\u2019s an included power bank with them. In some ways you can think of this like the charging case for ear buds but bone conduction headphones don\u2019t typically have anything like that. The best alternative is the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 which has a standard USB-C port but I prefer this solution. You still have the same Suunto proprietary magnetic charging connection but instead of connecting that to a cable, it connects with the powerbank and there\u2019s a cover that locks the headphones down. When you kill the 12-hour battery five minutes in the charger gives you another hour and a half with enough reserves for a complete recharge of the headphones.<\/p>\n

    Given how small the battery is I\u2019ve carried it with me in the pocket of a hydration pack. In that context it\u2019s a great solution for riding through the night where I\u2019ve just topped up the battery during quick stops for food or clothing adjustments.<\/p>\n

    There are also other features such as head controls and lights you can configure in different ways but I don\u2019t find those details all that compelling when the lights are tucked against a helmet and there\u2019s the assistant, or buttons, that work better for controlling music.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    Best headphones for cycling mic performance<\/h2>\n
    \"Oakley
    (Photo Josh Ross\/Velo)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n
    \n\n\n\n\n\n\n
    Model:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nOakley Meta Vanguard smart glasses<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Specs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n9 hour battery life (expect half that in use) | IP67 water resistance | no noise cancelling | Charging via proprietary case | Bluetooth version 5.3<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Highs:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nUnmatched mic performance | excellent speakers | all the advantages of smart glasses including camera | excellent glasses<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
    Lows:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nCan\u2019t stash your glasses and have headphones | lack of low light lens availability and no option for photochromic<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
    $499 at Meta<\/span><\/div>\n

    This is an unexpected one in this list and the classification is a little tough. Maybe one day it will make sense to have a best smart glasses for cycling category but so far this is your only choice. I\u2019ve included these because for a lot of people this will be the best solution for headphones while riding a bike but there\u2019s also so much more to these.<\/p>\n

    The core of the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses are high quality riding glasses, a reasonable camera, and excellent headphones for cycling. Of course these are also smart glasses so you\u2019ve got AI from Meta available to answer questions, including about what is showing on your Garmin, and control your music.\u00a0 If you want to dive into that more I have a full Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses review to check out.<\/p>\n

    In this context though, the mic is where I\u2019ll start to focus. The mic is drastically better than anything else I\u2019ve ever tested. It\u2019s there so that you can always talk to the AI, even with tons of wind noise, but it\u2019s so good I\u2019ve stopped using any of these other headphones when riding on Zwift. When I\u2019ve got a Wahoo fan pointed at my face everything else on this list will start to drop out sections of the audio at the higher settings. The Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses sound like you are sitting on the couch. You can communicate in a race or just chat with people on group rides.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s also speakers on the arms. Inside or out you can hear your music without diminishing your situational awareness.<\/p>\n

    There are some downsides to integrating your headphones and glasses though. When I\u2019m riding inside it means I\u2019m wearing sunglasses and even if I had the low light lenses, which aren\u2019t available yet, I have to keep them on to listen to music or talk to people. You can\u2019t stash your glasses, whether inside or out, on your helmet and even if you could it would also be stashing your headphones.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n
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    What to think about and how to stay safe when shopping for headphones for cycling<\/h2>\n

    The first thing to address is safety. A huge number of people ride with headphones so for many people this is a given but there\u2019s also lots of people that don\u2019t do it and think it\u2019s unsafe. To be fair I have run into people (not literally) who are riding with their ears completely blocked by headphones. I can\u2019t imagine doing that.<\/p>\n

    When you ride outside, make sure you can still hear what\u2019s happening. There are options on this list for open ear headphones, bone conduction headphones, and clip on headphones which all retain situational awareness. You can also just use a single ear bud if that style of headphones is your preference. Alternatively you might choose to leave your headphones at home and only use them if you ride indoors. There\u2019s a lot of safe choices.<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, a lot of choices also means some decisions to make. No single pair of headphones will be the best in every situation. You could buy two different pairs or you could favor one situation vs the other. Riding a bike vs regular life.<\/p>\n

    What makes the best headphones for outdoor cycling?<\/h3>\n

    In my testing there\u2019s just no contest between bone conduction and anything else. Well, at least until the Oakley Meta Vanguard glasses existed. Riding outside I need to be able to hear what\u2019s happening around me and I like to be able to turn my music on and off without having to deal with headphones. Bone conduction headphones don\u2019t offer the best sound quality but they stay secure and if you stop your music you can leave them in place with no loss of hearing at all. Choosing earbuds means choosing a solution that is much more versatile but isn\u2019t as good on a bike.<\/p>\n

    What makes the best headphones for indoor cycling?<\/h3>\n

    This is where you have the most leeway. If you are doing your own thing go ahead and put in the greatest noise cancelling headphones that have ever existed and enjoy your music. It doesn\u2019t matter. In ear, bone conduction, over the ear, whatever you like.<\/p>\n

    The one detail to be aware of is that earbuds actually use friction to stay in your ear. Outside this works fine but inside there\u2019s times, Zwift racing, where I\u2019ve found myself so sweaty that even my ear canal is losing the friction it needs for earbuds to stay secure. I\u2019ve done my best to choose options that work anyway but you might really want to think about how secure they are in your ear if indoors is what you want to optimize for.<\/p>\n

    The mic is also an issue indoors. While outdoors the wind is louder than even the best fan, you probably aren\u2019t trying to chat with people as often. Indoors I\u2019ve found that Apple, Sony, and Google offer the best mic performance but there\u2019s a level at which they start to fall apart. I ride with the Wahoo fan and at about 80% everything is fine. When it kicks up that last bit the noise reduction can\u2019t deal and it starts dropping out. One solution that I\u2019ve found works is to use the Insta360 Mic Air with the wind guard so that while you can hear the wind you won\u2019t get drop outs. The Meta glasses are the best mic.<\/p>\n

    How do we test the best headphones for cycling?<\/h3>\n

    I\u2019ve been testing headphones on a bike for years. I take them on short rides, and long rides, I chat away while riding indoors, and I always carry a pair of headphones with me in regular life. I even check things like performance on international flights. I have a Google Pixel phone and an Iphone which I use to check compatibility and usage in different situations. Bottom line, I test headphones for cycling by putting hands on with everything listed and trying it out.<\/p>\n

    Back to top<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

    Source URL: https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/best-headphones-cycling\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Updated November 24, 2025 02:46PM Best headphones for cycling quicklinks Best overall headphones for cycling Suunto Sonic Best budget headphones for cycling Skullcandy Ecobuds Best headphones for cycling with an iPhone Apple Airpods Pro 3 Best headphones for cycling with an Android Phone Google Pixel Buds 2a Best sounding headphones for cycling Sony WF-1000XM5 Best […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":736339,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[71],"class_list":["post-736338","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/736338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=736338"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/736338\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/736339"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=736338"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=736338"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=736338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}